Queen

  and was not disagreeable to him. He turned and saw Easter, some distance

  away, walking with Tiara.

  Easter was full and fat now, and for a moment, and for the first time in

  his life, the image of her was imperfect. That she was big-bellied with

  his child was precious to him; he had fussed over her through the early

  days of her pregnancy, determined she should not miscarry again. As the

  child had grown and the danger receded, he had worried less but loved the

  experience more. He had spent hours in the weaving house, sitting close

  to Easter, his hand on her stomach, a huge grin suffusing his face when

  he felt the baby move. At night he would lie with her, caressing her

  fullness, and he had learned how to make love to her with greatest

  convenience and satisfaction despite her swelling body. He longed to know

  if it would be a boy or a girl, but as much as he wanted a son, he was

  realistic enough to appreciate that a girl would present fewer probl-ems.

  He wanted a son he could present to the world, while any child of Easter's

  must be hidden from view. It was this thought, coupled with the image of

  Easter, that brought home to him, with unshakable clarity, the truth of

  his situation.

  Waddling along with Tiara, Easter looked to be exactly what she was, a

  slave who could never be more than his paramour. Much as he loved Easter,

  much as he desired her, even in this condition, as intensely as he ever

  had, she could never be mistress of his household, she could never walk

  beside him, arm in arm on the lawn, in the cool of the evening. Nor could

  she ever give him what he so dearly needed in a child. He might love the

  baby of the union, with all his heart, but he could never admit that love

  to anyone, except perhaps Easter. Ultimately, he realized, he could not

  admit the love to the child, for then the child might expect more from

  him than Jass could give.

  The proof of his fecundity, in Easter, and the understanding that he had

  signally failed to do his duty, which was to provide an heir, spurred him

  in a way that little had done since his father died.

  Easter was his to love and cherish for as long as they both should live,

  and the child was his gift of love. But the days

  MERGING 377

  of his youth were over; he had sown his wild oats. Duty must be attended to

  now.

  He went into the house and found his mother.

  "I thought we might have a dinner next week," he said, with a briskness

  that surprised her.

  "For the Perkinses."

  Lizzie arrived looking lovely. Since it was too far, and too unsafe, to

  drive home again at night, they would stay over. They came in the afternoon

  and were shown to the rooms, and met Sally and Jass later, on the veranda,

  to take tea.

  Becky Perkins was agog with anticipation. A formal invitation from Jass

  could mean only one thing. She had lectured her daughter for days on her

  proper behavior, had vetted every item in Lizzie's wardrobe, had supervised

  the packing of the chosen garments, and had lost her temper several times

  every day with each and every one of her slave retinue, which caused them

  all to shout at each other. And then her dear, longsuffering husband had

  actually raised his voice to her. She had taken to bed with a sick headache

  but got up again an hour later because she realized she had not organized

  her own wardrobe for the occasion.

  Mr. Perkins was used to domestic chaos, but his wife's present hysteria

  caused his ulcer to go wild. His adventures in the land trade had leveled

  off, he had made his fortune and now stood in awe of it, and his abiding

  obsession at present was the maintenance of that fortune, which, to his

  consternation, proved far more difficult than the making of it. An

  ill-timed sale of a few acres, resulting in a small loss, sent his stomach

  haywire, and he lived in the constant fear that he might completely lose

  his sense of timing, and with it everything he had acquired. He was not

  particularly excited about the visit to the Jacksons. While he wanted to

  see his little girl manied, young Jackson had kept her on a string for so

  long that he hardly believed this invitation signified what his wife

  insisted it did, and he was concerned at the cost to him of a suitable

  wedding for Lizzie if she did marry into such a station. On top of all

  this, he would be away from his study, from his ledgers, for two whole

  days; the price of land could collapse around him, and he would be unable

  to salvage anything from the wreck.

  378 ALEX HALEY'S QUEEN

  He was so distracted, he shouted at several of his wife's slaves, for the

  first time, although their very presence infuriated him. The cost of buying

  them had been a huge outlay, and the cost of maintaining them was the stuff

  of his nightmares.

  "How many damn niggers do you need?" he had yelled at his wife, who had

  stared at him in astonishment, burst into tears, and gone upstairs to her

  room.

  Throughout it all, Lizzie had been an island of calm in the hurricane of

  her mother's chaos. The arrival of the invitation had caused her heart to

  flutter, for she guessed precisely what it implied, and a later note from

  Sally had effectively confirmed this. Suddenly, all Lizzie's fears and

  anxieties about being left on the shelf flooded out of her; the years of

  chase were to yield their prize, and it was a considerable one. She bore

  her mother's panic with grace and humor, and massaged her father's temper

  when he despaired of Becky's improvidence. When she was alone in her room,

  she looked in the mirror for hours at a time, critically examining every

  fault she could see, ruthlessly demanding much of herself, and sedulously

  schooling herself not to simper, for she knew it drove Jass mad.

  Still, she was not immune to a sense of excitement, but it was a private

  one, detached from her parents'. She lived through the days tingling with

  joy, and as their carriage drove up the long drive to the house that would

  soon be hers, Lizzie experienced a sense of hope for a happy life that she

  had seldom known before.

  Upstairs in her room at The Forks, she took great care about her toilette,

  and came down to the veranda in a demure dress of palest yellow, offset

  with little bows of apple green. Sally, she could tell, was pleased, and

  Jass, when he turned to her, seemed to see her with new eyes.

  "Why, Lizzie," he said, "you look absolutely lovely." In a sense, he was

  seeing Lizzie for the first time, at least in her new role. They had not

  met since he had written the invitation, and his attitude toward her had

  changed. Whereas before he had looked on her as a friend, to go riding

  with, to escort to balls when he had no other young lady on his arm (even

  though it was a friend with whom he had a curiously. intimate

  relationship), now he had accepted that she was to be his wife

  MERGING 379

  a
nd his expectations of her had radically changed. She understood these

  expectations exactly, was determined to fulfill them, and, if first

  impressions were anything to go by, succeeded with honors.

  They decided not to go riding-the day was too warm and Lizzie's dress

  unsuitable. They took a turn about the lawn instead, and when Lizzie

  casually slipped her arm through Jass's, for his protection, he chuckled.

  It

  was exactly the picture that had come to his mind ten days ago, and it

  seemed right and natural. All that was missing was the slave nurse carrying

  their infant son. Perhaps she was his destiny, after all.

  It was about this time that Easter's waters broke, and she yelled to Cap

  ;n

  Jack to fetch Tiara.

  Jass looked at Lizzie. "I have something very important to say to you," he

  began, but didn't finish.

  Lizzie was so excited she almost simpered, but took stem control of

  herself.

  "Yes," she said breathlessly, looking into his eyes.

  "Ask you, I mean," Jass continued. "But I should speak to your father

  first."

  "Oh, poor Papa is so distracted by business affairs." Lizzie was anxious

  for it to be done. "I'm sure there's no need to bother him. He will be

  content with whatever I decide."

  Jass grinned. They both knew, and each knew that the other knew.

  "And your mother?"

  "Will surely have an attack of the vapors if you don't ask me soon," Lizzie

  giggled. Suddenly she found she was enjoying herself. And enjoying Jass's

  company. And even enjoying being Lizzie, which was a novel experience to

  her these days.

  Jass looked about him. The setting was pretty, but not quite what he

  wanted. If he was going to do this thing, and he was, then he might as well

  do it properly.

  "Not now," he said. "This evening. Before dinner. In the moonlight. "

  Lizzie laughed again, and pretended, and made sure he knew she was

  pretending, to the vapors, in imitation of her mother.

  380 ALEX HALEY'S QUEEN

  "Why, sit," she said. "I hope your intentions are entirely honorable. "

  Jass was enjoying it as much as she. "Oh, they are," he laughed.

  "Entirely honorable."

  In a sense it was done already, and they both relaxed and spent a

  pleasant hour chatting about inconsequentials, for they could not yet,

  of course, discuss the future.

  Then they parted and went upstairs to dress for dinner.

  Jass was angry. His, bath had not been poured, nor his clothes set out.

  He rang for Cap'n Jack, but it was Parson Dick who came to explain and

  apologize. Cap'n Jack was at the weaving house with Easter, and Oliver,

  who should have taken over, was sick. Parson Dick had been on his way -up

  to attend to things himself when Jass rang the bell. Jass climbed into his

  bath, while Parson Dick laid out his clothes.

  "You'll be one slave richer tomorrer, Massa," Parson Dick chuckled. "I'm

  afraid Missy Easter's yelling fit to bring the roof down. "

  He was puzzled by Jass's response. At first there was silence, while Jass

  soaped himself and assimilated the news.

  It was an extraordinary world, he thought, soaping himself luxuriantly.

  He was proposing to one woman in an hour or so, while another gave birth

  to his baby. Easter's timing was, as always, flawless. He started to

  laugh, and ducked his head under the water.

  All Parson Dick heard, in the bedroom, was the laughter, and then a

  curious gurgling sound.

  Easter screamed in pain. "Lordy, Lordy," she cried. "I cain't stand it!"

  Tiara was calm, mistress of the weaving house for this little while, a

  couple of other slave women helping her.

  "Yo' gwine yell a whole lot more afore you're done," she said. "It like

  shittin' a watermelon. It big and it gotta come out. It'd help if you

  breathed steady."

  She breathed, long and slow, with Easter, to help her along. "Steady now,

  steady," she said.

  Cap'n Jack had been barred from their presence, but was outside, peering

  anxiously in through a window. Would the child never come?

  MERGING 381

  Jass was waiting on the veranda when Lizzie came to him. The night was still

  and fragrant with the scent of wisteria. He looked very handsome in his

  formal evening clothes, and happy, for his sense of humor had stayed with

  him.

  Lizzie had changed into an evening gown of gentle, rustling blue satin,

  with a simple rope of freshwater pearls around her neck. It was a clever

  piece of jewelry, for Jass had given her the pearls a few years ago,

  casually, for they were of no value, as if he didn't know what else to do

  with them. They were pretty little things, and Jass was charmed that she

  wore them now. She stood looking at Jass for a moment, and he at her. If

  anyone had been watching, they looked to be a perfect couple. And several

  people were. A couple of guard slaves had stationed themselves under the

  magnolia tree, to see, at least, and, they hoped, to hear some of the

  conversation, for all the slaves knew what was going to happen, and someone

  had to report back to them what the Massa said.

  Mrs. Perkins was trying to watch, but was having difficulty finding a

  suitable vantage point without appearing too obvious. She'd come into the

  hall with Lizzie, feeding her daughter instructions as they made their way

  downstairs, but had stayed at the door, trying to get a glimpse of Jass.

  He

  was in the wrong position for her to get a good view of him, so she went

  into the sitting room, and could just see him from that window, but then

  Sally came in and wanted to talk. She managed to keep a weather eye on the

  happenings outside for a few seconds, but then Jass and Lizzie walked along

  the veranda, away from her and out of her sight.

  "I guess you know what I'm going to say," Jass began, after some trivial

  talk of the weather.

  Lizzie saw no need to speak, but smiled, demurely.

  "We've known each other for so long, you must think I'm an awful slow

  coach," Jass continued. "But everyone's always said we make such a splendid

  couple, so why don't we prove them right?"

  With exquisite formality and regard for the romance of the situation, he

  dropped to one knee.

  "Will you marry me, Lizzie?" he said.

  Lizzie smiled down at him. " I thought you'd never ask- 382 ALEX HALEY'S QUEEN

  And then something odd happened to her. It was so perfect, and such a

  relief, and held such tremendous promise of future happiness for Lizzie

  that she started to cry.

  She looked away, to regain her composure. Jass had done everything

  perfectly, and she wanted to let him know how very much she appreciated

  him, and what he was offering her. Even his delay of the proposal from

  the adequate afternoon to the romantic evening was in impeccable taste.

  The only thing that puzzled her was the constant screaming she could hear

  from some distant place on the property,
but no one else seemed to be

  aware of it. She imagined it was a slave being flogged, but even so she

  was surprised because she didn't think Jass whipped his female slaves,

  and certainly it was a woman's pain.

  She turned back to Jass, and spoke as seriously as she had ever done in

  her life until then.

  "I'll try to be a good wife, Jass," she said. "And give you fine sons."

  He stood up, took her into his arms, and kissed her tenderly. Lizzie gave

  herself to him, and wanted the moment to last forever, but then there was

  a discreet cough.

  Parson Dick was standing in the main doorway. Of all the listening ears,

  he had managed to hear the most, and had goodly gossip for Tiara.

  " I'm sorry to intrude, sir, " he said. " But dinner is served.

  Jass laughed. "Thank you, Parson Dick," he said, and offered Lizzie his

  arm. She laughed, took the proffered arm, and they walked into the house.

  And she heard that screaming again, louder than before, and could not

  imagine what it was, but hoped that she never experienced a pain that

  would cause her to scream like that.

  47

  One mo' push, a big un, " Tiara urged.

  Easter had lost all sense of place and time. She was lost in a sea of pain

  and pushing, and coaxing from the women, as the monstrous giant inside her

  refused to leave its lair.

  "It nearly there," Tiara insisted again. "Push, c'mon, push! "

  Easter pushed with all her might, and felt a slithering between her legs,

  and the baby plopped out onto the bed. Tiara snatched it up.

  "My lordy, it's a sweet I'd girl," she told them all.

  Easter sighed, and lay back on the pillow, in relief and exhaustion, glad

  it was over. She was happier still it was a female baby. Like Jass, she

  knew a boy child would have had a more difficult life on the plantation.

  A

  girl could be more easily hidden from view.

  The other women tied and cut the cord, and Tiara cleaned the gunk from the

  baby's mouth and eyes, and smacked her hard on the bottom.

  There was a great, indignant cry from the ugly, scrunchedup moppet who had

  just been bom, but, like Oliver Twist, if she had known what life had in

  store for her, she might have yelled even louder.

  The women washed the baby, and when her skin was clean, they stared at her

  in consternation, and then at Tiara, who took command. She wrapped the

  child in swaddling clothes, and gave her to her mother.

  "Purty I'il thing," she said. She looked carefully at Easter.

  "An' white as cotton," she added, unwillingly.

  At that moment, Easter didn't care; she hardly heard what Tiara had said

  but wanted her baby in her arms, safe, where she was meant to be. The

  infant sought her mother's breast,

  383

  384 ALEX HALEY'S QUEEN

  and snuggled there, content. Easter stared at her, and Tiara's words

  formed meaning in her mind.

  It could not be denied. Although it was still impossible to tell what the

  eventual color of her skin would be, she was the palest child any of them

  had ever seen delivered from a slave.

  A tiny fear shimmered through Easter's heart, not for herself but for the

  baby. Life was especially hard for those of light skin. She hugged the

  baby to her, to protect her from life's storms.

  "Mebbe she darken up," Tiara comforted, but neither she nor Easter

  believed it.

  "It don't make no never mind," Easter said, a little defiantly. "She

  beautiful."

  "Ain't she jus'," Tiara smiled.

  Outside, Cap'n Jack was doing a little hop of glee. He wanted to tell the

  world, shout at the moon, that he was a gran'pappy. This was his life

  now, this was his hope for the future, this would be his reason for

  living. Most of all, he wanted to tell Jass.

  Julie, the cook, had done the family proud. They'd had a soup of crawfish,

  caught in the dam by Ephraim, and a leg of mutton, attended by two roast

  capons, with new potatoes and sweet potatoes, fresh string beans and baby

  carrots, all with a thick, delicious gravy.

  The table looked elegant, the room warm and imposing. The men wore formal