Flight of Fancy: Cora's Daughters (52 page)

Asiza came to with Millie sitting at her hip on her bed, where she lay. Across from them, Della sat on Asa’s bed.

“How you feeling?” Millie asked when her eyes came back to her.

It took Asiza a few moments to know what was going on and why she was lying in her bed.

“You fainted sweetheart. Mr. O’Brien carried you here to your room. They’re gone now.” Della explained.

Asiza sat up so fast the room went spinning again.

“Asiza lay back down,” Millie tried to coax her.

“I’m fine… really, I just need something to eat, I’ll be fine after that.”

“Figured as much,” Millie stood going to the tray that sat on her dresser, “Get this in your belly, hopefully, you’ll keep it down.”

Asiza nodded, sat back and accepted the tray. Once more, her mind began racing.

“Thank you Millie, can you leave us now? We need to talk, please?” Della asked.

Smiling, Millie stood and left them to talk.

“You didn’t tell me I would have to go to some jail.”

Asiza started as soon as her door was closed.

She knew she needed her strength and did all that she could to eat every bit of the food that lay before her – without her stomach rejecting it.

“That would only be, if the sheriff felt they were right in what they charged, then… he would have to arrest you, and let the judge after a hearing decide on a trial.”

“They get me in that jail, a Negro woman, they gonna kill me.”

“No Asiza, we’ll-…”

“I gotta go – I need to know will you see to Asa until Broc-…”

“Asiza Wolf, no you don’t – stay-…”

“They gonna kill me!”

“Asiza listen to me, you have to trust in the law-…”

“I am a Negro! I’m black! Education, learning, knowing is all fine and good, but with all of that, they still don’t care about me! I don’t believe that they care about me! I don’t believe they are going to listen to me. Let’s face it… I did it! I’m guilty! Let – me – go!”

“Asiza calm down and listen to me.”

“No… no, I should’ve known – I deserve to die! Oh Lord God, I don’t want my baby t’die… I want this child.” She cried.

“Then you have to stop jumping ahead and listen to me! Calm down and hear what I am telling you. You can’t – keep – running! And you can’t… fight… the world – not that way. You have a whole new life starting here, and a good man to see about you. Don’t you dare go running off, stay Asiza and fight… I thought you were a fighter?”

“I am… but not this way.”

Della surged across the space to her knees glaring up at Asiza snapping, “The way you
do
know is going to get you and that baby killed! Do you hear me! You did what you had to do to get out of that ugly mess, and now that you’re out… it’s time for a new and different kind of fight – you hear me Asiza!”

“I’m scared.” She whispered, feeling despondent.

“Of course you are – you human. But you cannot go back that way, it’s time to move forward. God up in heaven knows, we will do all that we can, to get you cleared – but you have to listen and do what I tell you. Now you promise me, that you will fight – but
my
way! If not for you, then for that
baby
you’re carrying,” finishing, she bit out, “Promise me!”

Asiza began sobbing, nodding she wailed, “I promise – I promise – I will.” Della pushed up to sit next to her, grabbing her, they hugged.

“Shhh – shhh, you can do this… you can do anything you put your mind to Asiza Wolf. You almost there, you are almost free, can’t stop now, don’t you dare stop now.” Della rubbed her back, murmuring those words softly and determined that they would not lose.

“I need you to get ready, the next time they come knocking, I have to answer… we’ll take it from there. I’m going to talk to Boaz, tell him what he needs to know and send him along with a few others to get your husband and bring him back here.”

Della felt moisture on her shoulder, and felt Asiza’s head nod an okay as she whispered, “Pray for me… pray for me.”

Later on that night – there was a bit of a commotion when the two men from North Carolina showed up with a few others who had been temporarily hired on. They were there with torches blazing and what they hadn’t expected - was to be met by armed men – more than ready to deal with them.

Five of them – from the south, faced having to go against eight of the north - standing eagerly anticipating a go at them. Pistols were loaded and charged, long knives sharpened, and the men had a lust to shed blood as they’d been given permission to – if provoked.

“We’ve got no issues with you men – just turn over the fancy slave Asiza, we’ll be on our way!”

“Trus’us when we say ye’ll be on yer way fer’sure – as you come – or, if’n it suits’yah, in the back o’da undertakers wagon – choice be yers, which’it’ll be?!” One of the eight called out.

“We want that wench! She’s wanted for murder!”

“I sigges’ ya’ head fo’da law, what will’it be? Cuz’ if jus’ one uv’ya throws a torch – e’ll eat a ball t’be certain e’will.” As heavy as the brogue of the Irishman was, they understood him clearly.

Nathaniel, the leader of the five was fit to be tied, but he hadn’t come there to die. With little choice, he snapped his reigns, jerking his horse about to ride off, hearing the Irishman’s treat behind him.

“Come agin’ in da’night, an’ dat’time yu’ll die!”

The following morning, before the sun was full up, with escort, Della arrived at the building site to speak with Boaz. Concluding what needed to be passed on, his large hands gripped her soft shoulders to kiss her hard and fast.

She stayed there long enough for his small travel party to get underway. It was still early morning when he left her back at the boarding house and headed off for Broc.

For the rest of that day, all was quiet. Everyone at the boarding house was at full attention waiting for the next event.

It came the next day, along with the sheriff, who was attending in behalf of Nathaniel Beck, the banker’s son and the man Ernest, who could identify Asiza.

As Della stated, this time… she answered the door. Looking out past the three men before her, she saw a wagon out front that the Sheriff had arrived in. Her stomach dropped, he was going to arrest her. Having prepared Asiza, she’d left herself vulnerable - she felt sick, ill at ease. The pit of her stomach was flipping crazy with agitated butterflies. There was always that possibility of something going wrong, looking the Sheriff in the eyes, listening to him, she began praying even harder.

“Good afternoon gentlemen, how can I help you?” She began, looking calm despite what was going on with her nervous system.

“I think you know why we’re here-…” The sheriff started, but was interrupted.

“Get that Asiza down here now!” Nathanial Beck ordered, having had enough of it all, “She’s a murderer – we come t’get’er!” he spat nastily.

Della exhaled, “I see,” and then, “The woman Asiza, residing here, has told me of the event which you speak of – having heard her out, I believe she is innocent, surely you cannot possibly believe-…”

Moving before the sheriff, “Listen here nigger-…”

Della’s father who had been standing behind her with Newt and Bentley, pulled his daughter back, to smile in a way that did not reach his eyes, “That would be
Ms.
Anderson, I think you mean.” Immediately, four men on guard moved onto the porch.

Agitated, the sheriff turned to the banker’s son, “Stand aside – and know, that from this moment on you will remain silent.”

The sheriff, along with other political leaders there, knew by whom their bread was buttered. The boarding house had top names backing it – contributing money - northern money and prestige spoke volumes. If he was going to be the sheriff, he had a job to do – especially the job of keeping his
backers
, for want of a better word,
happy
.

The cluster of people gathered at the front door quieted, waiting for the sheriff to get control. In disbelief and frustration Nathaniel growled low to the sheriff, “I want that nigger whore out here now,” but all heard loud and clear.

“As I said, quiet and I will handle this.” The sheriff warned more firmly.

Nathaniel backed up with his face blazing red in anger, his nostrils flared – feeling total disgust at
some
of the white of the north. He couldn’t wait to get back down south to tell all what a disgrace they were to their proud white race. In his opinion, if this kind of nonsense continued, it could cause the Negroes to get out of hand again.

Turning from him, the sheriff faced Della once more after her father stepped back, “Ms. Anderson, if you would please, I need you to bring forth the Asiza boarding here so that this man can see if she is in fact the one.”

Della nodded and turned to do that, when Asiza - who had been standing back at the stairs listening, came forward of her own.

The moment Ernest saw her he called out, “That’s her – that’s Asiza! I neva’ forget a face, not like that one. Look at them eyes… oh yeah, that’s the Asiza the mayor bought. She the one.” He further rambled, clearly nervous and a bit jumpy because Asiza’s eyes gazed right into his. She didn’t look away, didn’t blink, nor cower. That shook him up, believing what they did about her. In fact, he was the first to look away, as if she might be casting a spell on him as they all stood.

“Come along gal, charges been made, gonna have to take you in.”

Della asked, “Wait sheriff, you will arrest her – take these men’s word, accusing her of a crime without witness?”

To the sheriff, Nathaniel pressed, “We don’t need no witness! She done it! No one else there to do it!”

“One woman… a small one at that, against three men?” Della further pressed her own words to place seeds of doubt in the sheriff’s mind, she knew that he would still take her, but she didn’t want him to feel comfortable for doing it.

The men there to guard them couldn’t believe what they were seeing, tittering in disbelief as they stood looking at each other, putting forth no effort to hold in their mirth. The very thought, that the mere slip of a lass standing before them could dispatch three of the South’s so called finest – was beyond even their imagination.

What real man, even if it were true, would feel comfortable coming forth with such a claim? These men obviously felt no shame in it. Alan, one of the Irishmen standing smirking his disdain of them was the first to speak his mind, “Ye’naught bu’English pansies, no’ worth a claim o’balls given’ya, typical English.”

Dan, the Yorkshiremen gasped in mock offense, elbowing the Irishman to the ribs, for him to chuckle, “No Dan m’darlin, yer’no’ Englishman – yer’a Yorkshire lad, the nex’ toughes’ o’men t’me Irish.” They chuckled on, unconcerned about the overheard insults, in fact added to it, “Ye’bloody milksops – bes’ be on yer way ‘fore we set the lass on’ya agin – if’n she done wha’yer claim to three, she’ah be havin’ the two o’ya fer lunch.” The others standing by rolled with laughter.

The Sheriff’s eyes went to Nathaniel and Ernest, they were both red in the face. Hearing the jokes about the incident gave the sheriff feelings of doubt. He turned back to Asiza, looking her over once more - neither could he believe such a tale, but – he was not a judge. “I’m sorry, I have to take you in.”

Asiza nodded, looking down around her, she searched for Asa, he stood behind all the adults, trying to hold back tears. Kneeling, she gestured him foreward. Afraid for her, he rushed into her waiting arms, “You stay here, listen to Ms. Della, do what Millie tells you. I’ll be fine, you hear? Broc will be back soon, hang on until then, do that for me?”

With tear filled eyes, he gave a vigorous nod of his head.

Asiza stood and turned back to the sheriff, as Alan the Irishman spoke up, “Sheriff, we’be goin’ t’protect the lass-…”

“What is this nonsense? We want her handed over to us to deal with, in the south, our way!” Nathaniel demanded.

Before anyone could speak, the sheriff did so, sternly looking Nathaniel in the eyes, “This is not the south. I am the law, and here – she will go before a judge to decide if what you claim is so.” He turned from the men to Asiza, “Come along now.”

Before Asiza walked off, she gave Asa one last look, smiling – her eyes went to Millie last, “Take care of him for me.” She lipped to her.

With moist eyes, Millie nodded, holding Asa tightly to her.

They watched as the Sheriff handed Asiza up onto the wagon seat beside him, while the two men who’d come for her, climbed onto their horses. Dan and Alan brought up the rear as escort and protection for Asiza.

As for Boaz and his small party, they’d been hell bent to reach Broc as soon as they could. He gave little thought to the fact that he was heading off into the south. Flanking him were two white males to assist and protect him. For Broc, Boaz would do anything – including speeding towards the south because he knew that Asiza needed him.

Even with a steamer at their disposal because of the Webster’s – due to the weather, it took a day and a half to make it to the docks of Virginia.