water.
He sure looked appetizing in his waterman’s garb. She hoped he caught the oyster crooks. If she didn’t suffer from seasickness, she’d love to see it. What would he do to them? Bash their heads together? He was so mild-mannered most of the time—on land. Maybe his balls came out when he was at sea.
Thinking of his male parts made her thighs clench under her desk. Saturday wouldn’t arrive soon enough. Maybe they’d celebrate vanquishing the oyster pirates.
Mrs. Tucker knocked on the door. With her gray wig and glasses, she resembled a grandmother more than an employee. But looks were deceiving. The old witch made it clear she didn’t approve of Henry hiring another secretary, especially a colored one.
“Sadie, there’s a buy-boat at the dock,” she said. “Did Mr. Rockfield leave any instructions with you about the purchase?”
“Instructions?”
He’d been in such a hurry, he hadn’t left anything specific. Instead, he’d put her in charge. Hadn’t he? But if she admitted that to Mrs. Battle-Ax, the woman would give birth to a whale. She might even run to the Klan to complain. After getting an invitation to Henry’s bed, Sadie wasn’t about to displease him.
Yet, if she didn’t purchase the oysters, the shuckers might run out. And the sellers wouldn’t be pleased if they were stuck with too many oysters, which spoiled quickly. Once burned, they might not be a reliable supplier in the future. Not to mention the trend of price increases she’d noticed. Henry wasn’t very good at negotiating a lower cost per bushel.
Luckily, she remembered everything he’d taught her about the oyster business during their after-hours work sessions.
“Yes, he did, Mrs. Tucker.” Sadie picked up a folder at random. “I’ll take care of it.”
The woman frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t you worry yourself now, Miz Tucker. You know what that cold, damp air does to your rheumatism.”
“Oh, yes.” The woman gripped her wrist. “Thank you, Sadie.”
After the woman left, she took a blank purchase order for oysters, filled in a higher unit price, and—using a business letter in one of her files as a guide—signed Henry’s name at the bottom. The quantity and total value would get filled in during the transaction. She slipped it into the folder and walked downstairs to the dock.
The concerned mammy act had worked like a charm. She was glad she’d worn the faded calico dress she often used to shuck in. Even though she wanted to skip across the floor of the main shucking room, the more she played her role, the further she could go. Bowing her head and hunching her shoulders, she walked as if invisible.
It worked. No one noticed her, except Mama. Seeing her laboring so hard with bent, thin shoulders clutched Sadie’s heart. She had to keep this job going to give her mother a better life.
“You decided to come down to the steerage section, I see.”
Her sympathy faded into the damp air. “Not now, Mama.”
“I’m surprised you don’t have a crown, sittin’ on your throne up there.”
Without replying, Sadie stepped away. She faced an important business transaction. One that would determine her future here. No way would she let Mama mess it up.
“Where are you going, anyway?”
Sadie paused. “Get back to work, Mama.” I’m in charge. For once.
Emotion coursed through her as she scurried away, and she almost collided with a wheelbarrow full of oysters. Had she really given her mother an order? Mama glared at her, looking as if she wanted to throw her oyster knife at her. But Sadie kept walking.
When she stepped onto the dock and headed toward the buy-boat, her heart sped up. She’d handled Mrs. Tucker and Mama, but these were businessmen. Could she stand up to them? If she did this transaction strictly for her own gain, she’d tell these men to return tomorrow. Taking her charade this far had been a bigger thrill than kissing Henry.
But he needed her.
She approached the
He sure looked appetizing in his waterman’s garb. She hoped he caught the oyster crooks. If she didn’t suffer from seasickness, she’d love to see it. What would he do to them? Bash their heads together? He was so mild-mannered most of the time—on land. Maybe his balls came out when he was at sea.
Thinking of his male parts made her thighs clench under her desk. Saturday wouldn’t arrive soon enough. Maybe they’d celebrate vanquishing the oyster pirates.
Mrs. Tucker knocked on the door. With her gray wig and glasses, she resembled a grandmother more than an employee. But looks were deceiving. The old witch made it clear she didn’t approve of Henry hiring another secretary, especially a colored one.
“Sadie, there’s a buy-boat at the dock,” she said. “Did Mr. Rockfield leave any instructions with you about the purchase?”
“Instructions?”
He’d been in such a hurry, he hadn’t left anything specific. Instead, he’d put her in charge. Hadn’t he? But if she admitted that to Mrs. Battle-Ax, the woman would give birth to a whale. She might even run to the Klan to complain. After getting an invitation to Henry’s bed, Sadie wasn’t about to displease him.
Yet, if she didn’t purchase the oysters, the shuckers might run out. And the sellers wouldn’t be pleased if they were stuck with too many oysters, which spoiled quickly. Once burned, they might not be a reliable supplier in the future. Not to mention the trend of price increases she’d noticed. Henry wasn’t very good at negotiating a lower cost per bushel.
Luckily, she remembered everything he’d taught her about the oyster business during their after-hours work sessions.
“Yes, he did, Mrs. Tucker.” Sadie picked up a folder at random. “I’ll take care of it.”
The woman frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t you worry yourself now, Miz Tucker. You know what that cold, damp air does to your rheumatism.”
“Oh, yes.” The woman gripped her wrist. “Thank you, Sadie.”
After the woman left, she took a blank purchase order for oysters, filled in a higher unit price, and—using a business letter in one of her files as a guide—signed Henry’s name at the bottom. The quantity and total value would get filled in during the transaction. She slipped it into the folder and walked downstairs to the dock.
The concerned mammy act had worked like a charm. She was glad she’d worn the faded calico dress she often used to shuck in. Even though she wanted to skip across the floor of the main shucking room, the more she played her role, the further she could go. Bowing her head and hunching her shoulders, she walked as if invisible.
It worked. No one noticed her, except Mama. Seeing her laboring so hard with bent, thin shoulders clutched Sadie’s heart. She had to keep this job going to give her mother a better life.
“You decided to come down to the steerage section, I see.”
Her sympathy faded into the damp air. “Not now, Mama.”
“I’m surprised you don’t have a crown, sittin’ on your throne up there.”
Without replying, Sadie stepped away. She faced an important business transaction. One that would determine her future here. No way would she let Mama mess it up.
“Where are you going, anyway?”
Sadie paused. “Get back to work, Mama.” I’m in charge. For once.
Emotion coursed through her as she scurried away, and she almost collided with a wheelbarrow full of oysters. Had she really given her mother an order? Mama glared at her, looking as if she wanted to throw her oyster knife at her. But Sadie kept walking.
When she stepped onto the dock and headed toward the buy-boat, her heart sped up. She’d handled Mrs. Tucker and Mama, but these were businessmen. Could she stand up to them? If she did this transaction strictly for her own gain, she’d tell these men to return tomorrow. Taking her charade this far had been a bigger thrill than kissing Henry.
But he needed her.
She approached the
Similar Books
