Yellow Wife(48)

“Nice day.”

“Any day ’bove ground good for me.”

“How long have you been living at the jail?”

“Round ’bout seven years, ma’am.”

“Where are you from?” Basil’s story had not yet graced the pages of my diary.

“Stafford County. Born on Ashby plantation.”

“How did you get to Richmond?”

He looked the other way. I knew I asked more questions than he was accustomed to answering. Even around the jail, I did not see him talking much. Not even to Abbie, for whom I suspected he had affections.

“Ran ’way. Sent here for a whippin’. Then Marse decided to buy me.”

“He whipped you first?”

“Worse ’n ten marses.”

I wondered how he lived with being loyal to someone who had treated him so cruelly.

“You like it here?” I do not know what made me ask that.

“Like city life betta ’n plantation life. Little more freedom. Out in the country had me thinkin’ every day bout dying. Was worse ’n hell. Now, things ain’t so bad. Marse treat me real good.”

We arrived at the church. Basil held the door open for all of us to pass through. The choir was already singing, and Elsie moved to the front of the church and started clapping and praising right along with them. We filed into the pews in our usual formation. Men to the left, women to the right. We had been attending so often that it was almost like we had assigned seats. I sat on the end and swayed to the music. The choir always put me in a good mood, and I pondered what it would be like to play that organ up front and accompany them. The organ could not be too unlike the piano. Different sound, but I knew that given the chance I could do it.

“Today there is cake and lemonade in the church hall. You are all welcome to join and fellowship,” announced Pastor Ryland.

Elsie did not wait for my nod, just started down to the basement with Sissy behind her. I signaled to the others that it was fine to go. Pastor Ryland had a sack filled with letters, and as members passed by, he handed the unopened mail to the addressees. I had heard from Corrina that they were notes sent from people who had escaped to the North and contained news of their arrival. The men in the tavern often spoke against Pastor Ryland’s mail deed with repulsion, calling him a traitor, but it did not deter him from handing out the letters each week at the end of service.

I closed my eyes and used the peaceful time alone to pray. After the week I’d had, I needed to get my head straight. When I opened my eyes, Pastor Ryland stood in front of my pew.

“I did not catch your name, ma’am.”

“Pheby Delores Brown.” I extended my hand.

“Thanks for bringing your people to hear the word of God. It makes a difference in their lives.” He removed his spectacles. “You are over at the Lapier jail, right?”

“Yes.”

He looked around to see if anyone was listening to us. “Hard place. How are you faring?”

“Fine. Just fine.”

“I pray for Rubin Lapier all the time.”

I gave him a questioning look.

“His exercise of overt cruelty is beyond the sanctions of the Bible.” His face contorted.

“Is that why you give out the letters?”

“My role is to preach the gospel and bring as many to Christianity as I can. Not to be a policeman.”

“Well, it was nice to meet you.” I pushed myself to stand. I suspected that he could be trusted. Still, I could not take any chances, not even with a man of God.

“Hoping to see you next week.” He placed a hymnal in my hand. We exchanged looks. His eyes were kind. “As long as there is breath, there is hope.”

“Thank you.” I slipped the hymnal into my purse and fastened it.



* * *



That evening the Jailer sent word through Abbie.

“Marse say he want you at dinner tonight.”

More than a week had passed since the last time we had eaten together.

“Very well.”

I allowed her to dress me in a simple plaid dress with my hair pinned at the nape of my neck. The children were settled with July in the nursery, and after peeking in on them, I entered the dining room. He was sitting at the table when I arrived. When I moved to the seat at the other end, he beckoned me.

“Sit here, dear.”

I gathered my skirts and sat to his right. The pins in my hair were pinching my scalp and I touched them lightly to rearrange them.

Abbie served pork and dumplings with rice. I guessed we would be eating pork for the remainder of the month, on account of Elsie slaughtering that pig for Hester’s introduction party. “You are cross with me.”

I said nothing.

“I cannot take it when you are cranky. I have missed you.”

I wanted to comment on his new source of pleasure but I bit my lip. No sense in showing a hand of jealousy. That was not going to get me far. I knew what he needed to hear, so I forced the words to exit my mouth.

“I… have missed you too. We must not quarrel, it is not good for the children.”

He smiled sloppily. “Shall we retire?”

“It would please me to have a run with the piano.”

“Very well. I would be honored to hear.”