Chapter 4

“Wake up Colleen! My gosh I went to bed later than you and I’ve been awake almost an hour,” Colleen blinked her eyes open at the sound of Rachael’s voice.

            “What?” Colleen fully opened her eyes and sat up.

            “Aunt Caroline is going to take us to town,” Rachael said folding something into a drawer.

            “Oh, I’ll be ready in a soon enough,” Colleen hauled herself out of bed and began getting dressed; once ready Colleen made her way down stairs.

            “Please may I go Auntie,” Juliet pulled at Charlotte’s skirts.

            “There isn’t enough room in the carriage,” Charlotte brushed Juliet off with her words. Juliet backed away near tears. Colleen stepped over.

            “I’ll sit up by the driver Aunt Charlotte, I don’t mind,” Colleen put her hands on Juliet’s shoulders.

            Charlotte let out sort of a chuckle at even the notion, “Set up with the driver… I think not. Do you have any idea how that would make us look?”

            “Aunt Charlotte really… it just shows how hospitable you are that you have let so many people in your house that you can’t even fit them all in your carriage…” Every one was silent.

            “Fine, go, but if I hear of people gossiping about this it will not happen again,” Charlotte said infuriated. Aunt Caroline stepped over.

            “Thank you Charlotte you’re so gracious,” Caroline smiled as she took Juliet’s hand. Charlotte nodded.

            “Ready to go are we,” Max came down the stairs.

            “Yes Maxy we’re ready,” Caroline smiled at him.

            “How can she always be so happy,” Colleen eyed Caroline as they went out to the carriage.

            “Help you in?” Max extended his hand with a devilish smile.

            “Oh,” Colleen said slightly taken a back, “No thank you, I’m riding up front.”

            “Max raised an eyebrow, “What?” 

            “So there will be enough room for everyone,” Colleen started to make her way to the front of the carriage where Hannah and James were. Max began to laugh and stepped up into the carriage.

            “He’s so full of himself,” Colleen shook her head.

            “You need somethin Mizz Colleen?” James looked down from his seat.

            “I’ll be riding up with you, if you don’t mind that is?” Colleen looked back up at him.

            “Why it’d be a pleasure Mizz Colleen,” James hopped down then promptly helped Colleen into the carriage. She sat herself down next to Hannah and once James was back up in his seat they were on their way.

            “Well I’ve never had white folk set up with me before, it’s an honor Mizz Colleen,” James said after a few moments.

            “Oh really James, thank you but I don’t think much of it, if anything it’s an honor for me to be sitting up here with you,” Colleen said in return. Hannah laughed under her breath. She knew James would never hear that again.

            “Now you shouldn’t be sayin that type of stuff Mizz Colleen, your liable to get in trouble,” James said looking at her straight in the eye.

            “Nobody will know, since they aren’t paying us any attention back there,” Colleen looked back at every one seated in the carriage. They were all talking and laughing, caught up in their own little world. The she turned back to James. “You speak well.”

            “Mizz Logan wanted me to be able to speak good English since I’d be around other white folk,” James replied. “I can’t read though. My momma was Mrs. Logan’s maid fore she died, and she had always tried to get Mrs. Logan to teach me, but she wouldn’t,” James sighed.

            “Mizz Cauleen, she could teach ya,” Hannah chimmed in, “couldn’t ya Mizz. She taught me when wez wa only knee high.” Hannah bragged. Colleen began to blush.

            “No, I wouldn’t want to get into any trouble with the Mrs., Mizz Colleen. There’d have to be to much sneekin for me,” James egged on the horses with a wee movement of the reigns. Colleen thought for a moment.

            “But you want to learn don’t you?” Colleen inquired.

            “Yes ma’am,” James answered.

            “Well then I’ll teach you,” Hannah got all nervous excited when she heard Colleen’s words. Hannah thought it to be amazing that a white young woman could want this for a black man. It gave Hannah hope, she didn’t quit know for what but it did.

            “But Mizz Colleen, I really don’t want to be botherin you and…”

            “don’t you worry James,” Colleen interrupted. “I will teach you. I have a feeling you’ll catch on quick anyway.” Colleen smiled knowing that he couldn’t fight her anymore.

            “Yes ma’am,” he said trying hard not to smile himself.

            The day was gorgeous. The rain had brought on a warm front that felt good compared to the recent coolness. Colleen took a nice deep breath.

            “Just wait till you see everything in the spring Mizz Colleen. Then it’s all really beautiful,” James said.

            “Don’t think I want to James, I’m good and ready for spring, no waiting.” The trip to Charleston took a bit over an hour. Once they arrived Colleen’s eyes bounced all over looking at the grand houses in town. She thought they all looked so grand and elegant. They seemed to have a different charm then a plantation house but still equally charming in their own way. Then they began to make their way in downtown. There were so many shops and vendors all the girls were giggling with excitement. There were also boys in their uniforms everywhere. That fact quieted them down a bit, but not much. Colleen could hear Michelle bragging about a beau of hers that was an officer. Of course she didn’t know what rank he was and couldn’t remember what regiment he was in but she said he was very important. Colleen rolled her eyes at this thinking sarcastically, “Well then surely he must be oh so very important to you.”

            Finally they found a place to stop and tie up the buggy. James helped both Colleen and Hannah down, tied up the horses, then found another horseman to talk to while everyone else was in the shops. The first one had bonnets, gloves, broaches, all ladies little essentials with a few things here and there for men but not much. Colleen came upon the most adorable pair of white, lace ladies gloves that went all the way up to the elbow, no fingers and a flower design in the lace.

            “May I see them?” Max said looking over her shoulder. Colleen handed them to him and he began to examine them. “Quite lovely,” he said, “I believe they would complement your delicate hands nicely.” Colleen was flattered.

            “Why than you Max.”

            “May I buy them for you?” he asked.

            “Oh really Max you don’t have…”

            “But it would be my pleasure,” he said taking her hand and giving it a little kiss before walking away to buy the gloves. He left Colleen in shock, for she had just realized that many people in the Logan family found it perfectly acceptable to marry cousins. Max Logan’s grandparents were cousins and had the same last name. It had been done in their family since before they came over from Ireland and settled in Charleston in the early 1700’s. It surprised most people that they weren’t weaker from inbreeding, but Charlotte’s good strong blood brought some more life to the Logan line. Colleen had never really thought about the idea of marrying a cousin but she already knew she didn’t like it. She didn’t want her children to be looked upon as inbred brats whose mother couldn’t find any one but one of her own kin.

            “Mizz Cauleen,” Hannah came over to her, “You feelin all right?”

            “Fine Hannah, why?”

            “You kinda had a funny look on ya face.”

            “Really I’m fine,” Colleen said as she saw out of the corner of her eye Max looking back at her. She didn’t know what to do. She bit her lip.

            “I’ll humor him for now I guess…” she thought, “it’s not like I’ll get any good advice about it around here anyway… oh I wish he would stop looking over here…” They soon made their way out of the shop and walked down the street to the next. They went I and out of  the shops for several hours until they had gone in just about every shop in downtown Charleston. Colleen found little that she liked as usual. She did however manage to get a new pair of dancing slippers which fit her quite nicely. Rachael on the other hand found several things that she just adored. A bonnet, a pair of gloves, a broach, ribbons, a journal, a new pen, and in the last shop she ordered a new dress made of gorgeous deep purple fabric. Michelle and Marie found their own little odds and ends but they’d just been to town the week before and had all ready seen most everything. Juliet got herself a cute little stuffed dog and a pair of shoes. Max and Melvin just had fun spoiling the girls and had plenty of money to spare. The last shop they went into was the general store and all the girls were looking forward to having the candy.

            “Why hello Caroline,” a woman’s voice said. Aunt Caroline smiled.

            “Good Afternoon Mrs. Bradley,” she said in return and hurried over to Mrs. Bradley.

            “Michelle who is that?” Colleen whispered.

            “Oh Mrs. Bradley, she’s one of the most well known ladies in the county. She’s head of sewing circle, on the board at the Methodist church, knows all the best gossip about people and throws the most wonderful parties. In fact she’s having one coming up,” Michelle picked up her candy stick.      

            “How soon?” Colleen sounded excited.

            “Next week I believe,” she said as if it was of no importance, “There will be many coming up I imagine, especially with so many young men in town.” Colleen began to think about the party. She ha d never really been to many formal ones. The plantations back home were just far enough away from each other that neighbors hardly spoke except bumping into one another in town. Colleen was nervous too. She didn’t want to mess anything up. Of course Grandmother McKinley had taught her and Rachael all kinds of dances but would she remember them? She hoped Michelle or Marie wouldn’t mind giving her a refresher course. Then she thought of her clothes. Hopefully she had something nice enough.

            “Have you made your choice yet?” Max brought her back to the real world.

            “Oh, no I haven’t,” she bit her lip.

            “If I might suggest the butterscotch,” he pulled the piece of stick candy out of it’s container.

            “Sounds fine, I’ll have that,” Colleen said.

            “I’ll place it on the counter for you.” Then Max walked over to the counter and paid for all the candy. Then out the door and down the street they went back to the carriage. James stood by the carriage arms folded, leaning against a post half asleep.

            “James dear we’re ready to head back,” Caroline said to him.

            “Are you sure you don’t want to ride with us Colleen? I’m sure Juliet would sit up there,” Max said.

            “That’s alright Max. I wouldn’t want Juliet to get to jostled anyway,” she smiled weakly. Max nodded. Then James came over and began to help Hannah up into the carriage.

            “How dare you!” Max burst out in rage reaching over pulling James to the ground. “How dare you put a lowly slave before Colleen,” he yelled. James just sat there and took it. Colleen was shocked by the whole thing.  

            “Really Max,” Colleen stepped between them. “I wanted to sit between Hannah and James so I would be less noticeable so it’s was perfectly logical for Hannah to get up first.” She lied a bit but it sort of made sense. Max’s face seemed to mellow a bit and less tense.

            “Fine, but I do not want this sort of thing to happen again. You hear me!” he pointed at James, then stepped up into the carriage.

            “Yes sir,”  James stood up brushing himself off.

            “I am so sorry James,” Colleen said as he was helping her up to the seat.

            “Pay it no mind Mizz Colleen. I’m pretty used to it,” he said pulling himself up to the seat.

            “It’s still not right,” Colleen sighed.

            “Mizz Cauleen has always believed in treatin black folks well,” Hannah said.

            “That’s very good of her,” James said looking at Colleen. “And Mizz I wanna say you really don’t have to teach me to read. As you saw it could cause some trouble for both of us.”

            “Oh really, I like a challenge and Max can mind his own business. He can’t control what I do with my free time,” Colleen had and air of defiance in her voice.

            “Yes ma’am,” was all James could say.

            Rest of the way home it was fairly quiet, but Colleen liked it. The country was beautiful, lots of good spots to think. The breeze was nice and it wasn’t to hot for fairly late in the afternoon, but then it was still March.

            After they arrived home they all ate another quiet supper with the only words spoken being Grandmother Harris’ table manner corrections. After dinner they all once again went to the separate rooms, men on the left and women on the right. This time they all talked more, mainly about that afternoon’s purchases. Rachael was the most excited when Grandmother seemed to approve of Rachael’s dress description. Colleen once again went to bed early feeling exhausted from the long day.    

Author's Note

not proof read