In His Eyes(26)

She glanced back at the house. Sibby would be finished nursing Lee any time now and would start to look for her. Always keeping her close. If not for the comfortable residence and care for Lee, Ella might have resented being watched so closely.

She slipped into the line of trees. A crack in the ground allowed for the passage of a small stream, and the struggling trees not plowed under for fields clung to the narrow banks. Ella studied the gap. It wasn’t so wide that she couldn’t jump it, if she weren’t wearing two petticoats and a hoop. Besides, if she were to tear the gown…

She glanced over her shoulder. Perhaps this would have to wait for another time. She doubted anything of interest stood beyond the abandoned fields anyway.

She’d just turned to make her way back when a noise arrested her attention. She stopped, straining to hear a soulful sound that drifted on the late afternoon breeze. A song she had never heard before slipped through the trees, its melody caressing each thing it passed. Mesmerized, Ella stood still and listened.

The sound grew nearer until its source became apparent. Ella drew a sharp breath and the singing abruptly stopped, replaced by a yelp.

“What you doin’ in them woods?”

Embarrassed at having been caught in such an odd place, Ella forced a laugh. “Basil, you have such a beautiful voice. Why, you sing better than anyone I’ve ever heard.”

The little girl’s face brightened, but then she cast a worried glance over her shoulder. “You ain’t supposed to be out here, Miss Ella.”

“Why not?”

Basil glanced behind her again, confusion clouding her face. “Well, Nat said…”

“I don’t intend any trouble, Basil. I’m merely curious about the land.”

“Oh!” She smiled. “Well, I reckon that might be all right.”

Ella looked past Basil. “Why are you out here in the field by yourself?”

She giggled. “Why, I ain’t just wanderin’ around in the field, Miss Ella. What sense do that make?”

Ella shrugged. She’d wondered the same.

“We live in them cabins back there.”

Ella looked over the girl’s head, but could not see much. She squinted. “I see nothing out there other than some more fields…and then some more trees.”

“Yes ’um. We lives behind that second row of trees.” Basil bobbed her head, little braids bouncing.

“Really? Would you show me?”

Basil’s brow furrowed. “What for?”

Ella glanced around and then leaned closer, feigning a conspirator’s whisper—though she could be easily heard across the divide. “I’m afraid it is because I am incurably curious.”

Basil laughed, the sound further lightening Ella’s mood. Such a sweet girl. What must it be like to be so open and joyful?

“You sure is funny, Miss Ella.”

“You’ll show me, then?”

Basil’s smile fell. “No, ma’am. Can’t do that. Nat done made me promise.”

“But why?”

The girl drew her lips into a tight line.

Ella tried once more. “If I am going to stay here for a time, I only wanted to get to know the land and the people here. I don’t mean any harm to anyone.”

Basil shook her head. “Ain’t that. You just don’t belong there.”

Well, no arguing that. Ella turned back to the house.

Leaves rustled behind her. “Sibby say you could come back here?” Basil called.

Ella’s spine stiffened in defiance. “I do not need permission,” she spat, a bit more harshly than intended. She looked over her shoulder to apologize and saw the girl take a mighty leap over the creek.

Basil landed on the other side, brushed her skirt off and straightened. If she’d taken offense of Ella’s harsh words, she didn’t show any indication.

“Do you always leap over the creek?”

Basil tilted her head. “How else is I supposed to get over it?”

Ella regarded her for a moment and then turned back toward the house once more. “How many people have to jump like that, Basil?”

The rustle of grass evidenced the girl followed closely behind. “Only those of us needin’ to come on up to the big house.”

Ella rolled her eyes. No information to be gained there. Ella had often wondered if the few people Sibby had gathered to see Ella on that first day were all the people who lived on Belmont lands. Judging from Basil’s evasiveness, more probably resided here than she thought. However, there seemed nothing more she would learn from the child, and telling herself her curiosity remained pointless, Ella looked up at the porch.

Sibby stood with her arms crossed, staring.

Ella did not bother to quicken her strides. When she passed the cistern and stepped onto the porch, she eyed the other woman. “Where is Lee?”

“Sleeping.”

“And who watches him?” Ella frowned, already stepping around Sibby to reach the door.

“I left the doors open. I can hear him if he cries.”

Ella ignored her and started inside the house.

“Now, you look here. We got stuff we needs to talk about.”

Ella set her jaw. “I do not feel like it now.”

“You don’t….” Sibby let the words trail off and followed her up the stairs. “What done got into you?”