it across the room,” Belle said.
Daniel agreed. “You’re probably right, but I think we ought to keep a close eye on him anyway.”
Jojo said, “I can take a turn.”
Daniel shook his head. “Both of you are going to bed.”
Belle asked, “But what if you need something from the kitchen?”
“Then I’ll just walk down and get it.”
“Daniel—”
“Belle—”
She smiled. He did, too.
Daniel then said genuinely, “You’ve both been a real help today, but time to go to bed. There’ll be more to do tomorrow.”
Jojo pouted mockingly. “Okay, but if I’m needed, come get me.”
“I will,” he replied.
Jojo asked Belle, “Do you believe him?”
Belle tossed back, “Not for a minute.”
Daniel grinned. Two weeks ago she would’ve never given him such a saucy reply. It was as if she’d finally become comfortable enough in her new surroundings to let her true nature rise and show itself. He sensed she was still shy, but not as much as he’d initially believed.
Jojo went into her room, but Daniel’s voice stopped Belle. “Belle.”
She turned back. “Yes?”
“Thanks for all your help.”
Buoyed by his praise, Belle replied, “Glad I could. If you wish to sleep later, I can come and sit with him.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll be fine in the chair. I’ve also a pallet under the bed I can pull out if need be.”
“Are you sure?”
Daniel nodded. He searched his mind for something else to talk about so that she’d stay and talk with him a bit longer but knew he shouldn’t keep her. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Good night,” she told him.
“Night, Belle,” Daniel answered. “See you in the morning.”
Belle gave Daniel one last look from beneath her lashes, then headed to her room.
Lying in bed, Belle thought about Nelson Parker. She wondered what his story was. He’d seemed truly distraught. Had he been sent to freedom against his will? Belle couldn’t imagine wanting to go back now that she’d had a taste of what freedom was all about. She’d had no idea just how limited her life had been as a slave until the Bests entered her life, yet the man down the hall hadn’t seemed happy to learn he was no longer a captive. She wondered if he knew that here one could be oneself; that you no longer had to keep your eyes lowered or speak only when spoken to. Belle could look folks in the eye and voice her thoughts without fear of reprisal. She could come and go. Having the chance to do something besides be hunched over a needle all day, she found every day to be a new experience. It occurred to her that now that she was settling into this new life, maybe the time had come to start exercising those parts of herself she wished to explore, to shed the invisible shackles slavery had forced her to wear and begin to build the person she wanted to become. She could be as poised as Mrs. Best or as confident as Jojo. Given time, she could be just about anyone she chose to be. The contented Belle was still mining the possibilities as she drifted off to sleep.
nine
The next morning, Daniel got up early and quietly tiptoed out of the room so he wouldn’t awaken Mr. Parker. Daniel had grown accustomed to having a cup of coffee to start the day, but because his mother was away he had to make it himself. To his surprise, Belle was already in the kitchen laying bacon into a hot skillet. He saw that she’d made another batch of her heavenly biscuits to go with the grits and eggs also waiting to be prepared.
A confused Daniel asked, “How long have you been up?”
“Since five.”
He stared as if she’d suddenly grown another head. “Five?!”
Belle nodded. “It’s the time I got up at home. Mrs. Grayson wanted her breakfast served promptly at quarter past six every morning, so I’m accustomed to rising early. Of course, your mama won’t let me do this when she’s here, but since she isn’t—”
Daniel smiled his understanding.
“Coffee’s already
Daniel agreed. “You’re probably right, but I think we ought to keep a close eye on him anyway.”
Jojo said, “I can take a turn.”
Daniel shook his head. “Both of you are going to bed.”
Belle asked, “But what if you need something from the kitchen?”
“Then I’ll just walk down and get it.”
“Daniel—”
“Belle—”
She smiled. He did, too.
Daniel then said genuinely, “You’ve both been a real help today, but time to go to bed. There’ll be more to do tomorrow.”
Jojo pouted mockingly. “Okay, but if I’m needed, come get me.”
“I will,” he replied.
Jojo asked Belle, “Do you believe him?”
Belle tossed back, “Not for a minute.”
Daniel grinned. Two weeks ago she would’ve never given him such a saucy reply. It was as if she’d finally become comfortable enough in her new surroundings to let her true nature rise and show itself. He sensed she was still shy, but not as much as he’d initially believed.
Jojo went into her room, but Daniel’s voice stopped Belle. “Belle.”
She turned back. “Yes?”
“Thanks for all your help.”
Buoyed by his praise, Belle replied, “Glad I could. If you wish to sleep later, I can come and sit with him.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll be fine in the chair. I’ve also a pallet under the bed I can pull out if need be.”
“Are you sure?”
Daniel nodded. He searched his mind for something else to talk about so that she’d stay and talk with him a bit longer but knew he shouldn’t keep her. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Good night,” she told him.
“Night, Belle,” Daniel answered. “See you in the morning.”
Belle gave Daniel one last look from beneath her lashes, then headed to her room.
Lying in bed, Belle thought about Nelson Parker. She wondered what his story was. He’d seemed truly distraught. Had he been sent to freedom against his will? Belle couldn’t imagine wanting to go back now that she’d had a taste of what freedom was all about. She’d had no idea just how limited her life had been as a slave until the Bests entered her life, yet the man down the hall hadn’t seemed happy to learn he was no longer a captive. She wondered if he knew that here one could be oneself; that you no longer had to keep your eyes lowered or speak only when spoken to. Belle could look folks in the eye and voice her thoughts without fear of reprisal. She could come and go. Having the chance to do something besides be hunched over a needle all day, she found every day to be a new experience. It occurred to her that now that she was settling into this new life, maybe the time had come to start exercising those parts of herself she wished to explore, to shed the invisible shackles slavery had forced her to wear and begin to build the person she wanted to become. She could be as poised as Mrs. Best or as confident as Jojo. Given time, she could be just about anyone she chose to be. The contented Belle was still mining the possibilities as she drifted off to sleep.
nine
The next morning, Daniel got up early and quietly tiptoed out of the room so he wouldn’t awaken Mr. Parker. Daniel had grown accustomed to having a cup of coffee to start the day, but because his mother was away he had to make it himself. To his surprise, Belle was already in the kitchen laying bacon into a hot skillet. He saw that she’d made another batch of her heavenly biscuits to go with the grits and eggs also waiting to be prepared.
A confused Daniel asked, “How long have you been up?”
“Since five.”
He stared as if she’d suddenly grown another head. “Five?!”
Belle nodded. “It’s the time I got up at home. Mrs. Grayson wanted her breakfast served promptly at quarter past six every morning, so I’m accustomed to rising early. Of course, your mama won’t let me do this when she’s here, but since she isn’t—”
Daniel smiled his understanding.
“Coffee’s already
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