a wide streak of flour down her cheek. “I be fixin’ Miss Abby a right special meal,” she announced. She looked at Rose. “You done brung me that chicken, Miss Rose?”
“Have you brought me that chicken?” Rose corrected.
May gave her an exasperated look. “How could I have brung you a chicken? You’re the one who went to town.”
Rose laughed but shook her finger at their housekeeper. “This is a new world you’re living in, May. Learning how to speak correctly is important.”
May scowled. “You know what dey say ‘bout teachin’ old dogs new tricks.”
Rose scowled right back at her. “You’re not an old dog. You’re an intelligent middle-aged woman who is free for the first time in her life. You’ve learned how to read this past year. Paying attention to how you speak is the next step,” she said firmly.
“Don’t you neber get tired of bein’ a teacher?” May demanded.
“No,” Rose replied, a warm smile on her face. “Now, what were you asking me about?”
May stared at her for a few moments, laughter lurking in her eyes, before it finally broke out into a smile. “I would like to know if you brought me a chicken from your shopping in town,” she said very properly.
Rose clapped. “Very good! And, yes, I have your chicken. It’s in the boxes Spencer brought in.”
“Good!” Still speaking slowly as she thought about the words before they came out of her mouth, May turned to Carrie. “We are going to have a very special meal to celebrate Miss Abby’s coming home. I’ll have it ready when you return.”
Carrie smiled broadly. “I will tell her, May. Thank you so much. We’re so lucky to have you!”
“You got dat right,” May said flatly, delivering a wink before the door swung shut again.
Carrie and Rose were laughing when they moved out onto the porch. The fine spring weather had lured most Richmonders outside. Mothers called to children playing in their dirt front yards. The wind flapped sheets and clothing on the lines. Garden patches were all coming alive with green plants. The war years had taught everyone to have as big a garden as possible. The war might be over, but still no one had money. It would take a long time for things to get back to normal.
Carrie stepped down from the porch when Spencer pulled the carriage to a stop in front of their gate. “I’ll be back soon with our favorite woman,” she told Rose. Then she stopped. “Where is Moses?”
“He went into town to meet with Captain Jones. He is getting more and more restless. When he was in town this morning, he saw more and more freed slaves coming into the city. They are all excited but seem equally bewildered and lost. He wants to find a way to help.” She raised her hand to stop the question rising to Carrie’s lips. “He’s taking it easy, but he feels he has to do this.”
Carrie closed her lips on her comment and nodded. “I know. I’m probably being far too cautious,” she admitted. Her eyes darkened. “We just came so close to losing him. I don’t want to take any risks.”
“None of us do,” Rose agreed, “but I also understand how he feels. We have worked for this time for so very long. Now that freedom has come, he doesn’t want to be on the sidelines. I don’t believe he’ll be foolish, but he can’t keep just laying around the house.”
Carrie smiled. “I understand. I’ll just check the wound in his chest every night to make sure there is no infection.” She shrugged. “It will make me feel better.”
Rose laughed. “You and me both.” She waved her hand. “Go get Aunt Abby. I’ve missed her terribly.”
*****
Carrie had not been out of the house in several days. Already so much had been done to restore the city. She saw hundreds of men, both black and white, clearing debris from the burned buildings. Wagon after wagon was being filled with charred wood, while bricks were being cleaned for reuse when it was time to build again.
The Union military was
“Have you brought me that chicken?” Rose corrected.
May gave her an exasperated look. “How could I have brung you a chicken? You’re the one who went to town.”
Rose laughed but shook her finger at their housekeeper. “This is a new world you’re living in, May. Learning how to speak correctly is important.”
May scowled. “You know what dey say ‘bout teachin’ old dogs new tricks.”
Rose scowled right back at her. “You’re not an old dog. You’re an intelligent middle-aged woman who is free for the first time in her life. You’ve learned how to read this past year. Paying attention to how you speak is the next step,” she said firmly.
“Don’t you neber get tired of bein’ a teacher?” May demanded.
“No,” Rose replied, a warm smile on her face. “Now, what were you asking me about?”
May stared at her for a few moments, laughter lurking in her eyes, before it finally broke out into a smile. “I would like to know if you brought me a chicken from your shopping in town,” she said very properly.
Rose clapped. “Very good! And, yes, I have your chicken. It’s in the boxes Spencer brought in.”
“Good!” Still speaking slowly as she thought about the words before they came out of her mouth, May turned to Carrie. “We are going to have a very special meal to celebrate Miss Abby’s coming home. I’ll have it ready when you return.”
Carrie smiled broadly. “I will tell her, May. Thank you so much. We’re so lucky to have you!”
“You got dat right,” May said flatly, delivering a wink before the door swung shut again.
Carrie and Rose were laughing when they moved out onto the porch. The fine spring weather had lured most Richmonders outside. Mothers called to children playing in their dirt front yards. The wind flapped sheets and clothing on the lines. Garden patches were all coming alive with green plants. The war years had taught everyone to have as big a garden as possible. The war might be over, but still no one had money. It would take a long time for things to get back to normal.
Carrie stepped down from the porch when Spencer pulled the carriage to a stop in front of their gate. “I’ll be back soon with our favorite woman,” she told Rose. Then she stopped. “Where is Moses?”
“He went into town to meet with Captain Jones. He is getting more and more restless. When he was in town this morning, he saw more and more freed slaves coming into the city. They are all excited but seem equally bewildered and lost. He wants to find a way to help.” She raised her hand to stop the question rising to Carrie’s lips. “He’s taking it easy, but he feels he has to do this.”
Carrie closed her lips on her comment and nodded. “I know. I’m probably being far too cautious,” she admitted. Her eyes darkened. “We just came so close to losing him. I don’t want to take any risks.”
“None of us do,” Rose agreed, “but I also understand how he feels. We have worked for this time for so very long. Now that freedom has come, he doesn’t want to be on the sidelines. I don’t believe he’ll be foolish, but he can’t keep just laying around the house.”
Carrie smiled. “I understand. I’ll just check the wound in his chest every night to make sure there is no infection.” She shrugged. “It will make me feel better.”
Rose laughed. “You and me both.” She waved her hand. “Go get Aunt Abby. I’ve missed her terribly.”
*****
Carrie had not been out of the house in several days. Already so much had been done to restore the city. She saw hundreds of men, both black and white, clearing debris from the burned buildings. Wagon after wagon was being filled with charred wood, while bricks were being cleaned for reuse when it was time to build again.
The Union military was
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