enslaved more Africans than any other, yet had free blacks living in its capital city.
She had been Miss Sophie's maid for three years the night she was almost caught borrowing a newspaper. She never went to the morning room until the household was sleeping, but on this night the Harrises had attended a ball at a neighboring plantation. They returned earlier than Adia had expected, when she was in the morning room. The room opened from the front hall, so as soon as she heard the door open, she hid behind a sofa set close to the wall. Though her heart pounded with nerves, rationally she knew she was unlikely to be noticed.
Instead of climbing the stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Harris entered the morning room. The master lit several lamps, then unlocked the cabinet that held his spirits. The clinking of glassware made it clear he was pouring drinks for both of them. Adia settled down as comfortably as possible, resigned to a long wait.
"Thank you, my dear," Mrs. Harris said. There was a brief silence that ended with the clink of a glass being set down.
"What did you wish to speak to me about?"
"Tonight Joseph Watson asked for Sophie's hand in marriage."
Mrs. Harris gasped. "But he comes from the Carolina colonies!"
"You can't be surprised," her husband said. "He and
Sophie have been cooing at each other like turtledoves since he arrived in
Kingstown to visit his uncle. Do you object to his marrying her?"
Mrs. Harris might have been surprised, but Adia wasn't. Miss Sophie had been chattering about handsome Mr. Watson since the two had met.
"He seems a fine young man, and he's heir to a considerable fortune." Mrs. Harris sighed.
"I'm not surprised, but I rather hoped it was a mere flirtation. I hate the
thought of Sophie going so far from us."
"I'll miss her, too," Mr. Harris said quietly. "But I'll
be relieved to see her established away from the islands. You know we live on
the edge of an inferno, Anna. The slaves outnumber the whites ten to one. It's
only a matter of time until there is another rebellion. I'll feel better knowing
my little girl is safe in another land."
Mrs. Harris made a choked sound, and Adia sensed that her husband was putting a comforting arm around her. At length, the older woman said,
"I know you're right, and I'm sure she'll accept his proposal if we approve. But
sometimes I wonder if we would be better off moving back to England."
"To live in a cramped little house, trying to survive on the salary of some minor government post? Few opportunities for the boys, no rich suitors for Sophie?" Mr. Harris sounded angry.
"There is danger here, but danger is everywhere. In Jamaica, at least the
rewards are great."
Adia didn't know whether to laugh or sympathize. The English life Mr. Harris sneered at would be heaven to any of the slaves of Harris Hill. Their labor and suffering created the wealth that gave the Harrises
"opportunities." Yet in another sense, the Harrises were like anyone else, concerned for their families and worrying about the compromises that life required. She decided she sympathized with them. But only a little.
Miss Sophie's wedding consumed the energy of all the house slaves for weeks, Adia most of all. Naturally she would accompany the bride to the Carolina colony. Leaving her friends, the
"tribe" of Harris Hill, was like a knife in Adia's heart, but she also looked forward to seeing the American colonies. Rumor said they were different from the Indies.
They were. There were more whites, and more people in general. The newly married young couple adopted the Watson family pattern of wintering in Charleston, then moving to the family's vast plantation, Magnolia Manor, during the growing season. Miss Sophie was happy in her marriage, and soon she was increasing.
Life in the Watson household was less relaxed than the Harris home in Jamaica, but as maid to the young mistress, Adia had some status and a tiny room in the attic in whichever house the family occupied. Her
She had been Miss Sophie's maid for three years the night she was almost caught borrowing a newspaper. She never went to the morning room until the household was sleeping, but on this night the Harrises had attended a ball at a neighboring plantation. They returned earlier than Adia had expected, when she was in the morning room. The room opened from the front hall, so as soon as she heard the door open, she hid behind a sofa set close to the wall. Though her heart pounded with nerves, rationally she knew she was unlikely to be noticed.
Instead of climbing the stairs, Mr. and Mrs. Harris entered the morning room. The master lit several lamps, then unlocked the cabinet that held his spirits. The clinking of glassware made it clear he was pouring drinks for both of them. Adia settled down as comfortably as possible, resigned to a long wait.
"Thank you, my dear," Mrs. Harris said. There was a brief silence that ended with the clink of a glass being set down.
"What did you wish to speak to me about?"
"Tonight Joseph Watson asked for Sophie's hand in marriage."
Mrs. Harris gasped. "But he comes from the Carolina colonies!"
"You can't be surprised," her husband said. "He and
Sophie have been cooing at each other like turtledoves since he arrived in
Kingstown to visit his uncle. Do you object to his marrying her?"
Mrs. Harris might have been surprised, but Adia wasn't. Miss Sophie had been chattering about handsome Mr. Watson since the two had met.
"He seems a fine young man, and he's heir to a considerable fortune." Mrs. Harris sighed.
"I'm not surprised, but I rather hoped it was a mere flirtation. I hate the
thought of Sophie going so far from us."
"I'll miss her, too," Mr. Harris said quietly. "But I'll
be relieved to see her established away from the islands. You know we live on
the edge of an inferno, Anna. The slaves outnumber the whites ten to one. It's
only a matter of time until there is another rebellion. I'll feel better knowing
my little girl is safe in another land."
Mrs. Harris made a choked sound, and Adia sensed that her husband was putting a comforting arm around her. At length, the older woman said,
"I know you're right, and I'm sure she'll accept his proposal if we approve. But
sometimes I wonder if we would be better off moving back to England."
"To live in a cramped little house, trying to survive on the salary of some minor government post? Few opportunities for the boys, no rich suitors for Sophie?" Mr. Harris sounded angry.
"There is danger here, but danger is everywhere. In Jamaica, at least the
rewards are great."
Adia didn't know whether to laugh or sympathize. The English life Mr. Harris sneered at would be heaven to any of the slaves of Harris Hill. Their labor and suffering created the wealth that gave the Harrises
"opportunities." Yet in another sense, the Harrises were like anyone else, concerned for their families and worrying about the compromises that life required. She decided she sympathized with them. But only a little.
Miss Sophie's wedding consumed the energy of all the house slaves for weeks, Adia most of all. Naturally she would accompany the bride to the Carolina colony. Leaving her friends, the
"tribe" of Harris Hill, was like a knife in Adia's heart, but she also looked forward to seeing the American colonies. Rumor said they were different from the Indies.
They were. There were more whites, and more people in general. The newly married young couple adopted the Watson family pattern of wintering in Charleston, then moving to the family's vast plantation, Magnolia Manor, during the growing season. Miss Sophie was happy in her marriage, and soon she was increasing.
Life in the Watson household was less relaxed than the Harris home in Jamaica, but as maid to the young mistress, Adia had some status and a tiny room in the attic in whichever house the family occupied. Her
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