hands shake. She
steeled herself to enter the room that she had not seen since that night.
The door was opened by Jethro who
stepped aside to allow her to come in.
“How is he now?”
“A little better after using the
chamber pot but the worse ain ’ pass yet. He real weak already.” Deborah nodded and made her way to the bed where she put the tray on the
bedside table.
Richard was lying under a sheet
and looking extremely pale. His dark hair was almost black with sweat and
his eyes were closed.
“Master Richard,” she said softly.
“I brought you some tea to settle your stomach.”
His eyes flickered open and it
took him a moment to focus.
“Were you so upset that I interrupted
your day that you decided to poison me?” he asked weakly but with a straight
face.
“Master Richard! I .. I…” Guilt stole the words of denial from her mouth
because she still wasn’t sure if she was responsible for his illness.
“I jest. I’m sure that if you
wanted to poison me I would be dead already. Although I do feel as if I’m
halfway to Hades.”
“You should not jest, sir!
Slaves have been put to death just for the suspicion that they tried to poison
their master or mistress.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be put to
death. Not before…” Richard didn’t even get to finish his sentence
before another cramp seized him.
Deborah was quite glad that he
hadn’t finished what he was going to say; she had a feeling it would not be
something she would want to hear.
Watching him dispassionately, she
poured him a cup of tea that had been sweetened with sugar then got Jethro to
help him to sit up so that he could sip it so that she didn’t come into
intimate contact with him.
“I’ve never felt this ill in my
life,” confessed Richard. “I’m shocked at how fast it came on. I was just
thinking how pain is the perfect cure for pride. Having to be helped on
and off a chamber pot has robbed me of all pride, you’ll be pleased to hear.”
Deborah bit back a smile and said,
“Yes I am. Unfortunately I know it will come back as your strength returns.” He
managed a weak smile.
“Thank you for the tea Deborah.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I am
here to serve you,” she added sullenly.
Richard couldn’t even muster the
strength to tell her how he would like her to serve him and where and how
often. It was just as well; he’d probably teased her enough for one day.
Chapter
10
The Acreage, Barbados
March 27, 1696
Dear Father and Mother
I am finally writing to let you
know that I arrived safely although I’m sure that Bostick has already informed you of that.
I am currently recovering from
a very bad stomach ailment which may have either been caused by something I ate
or the water which, Aunt Elizabeth says, often affects visitors to the island
until they become accustomed to it.
As soon as Uncle Thomas heard
about my illness, he sent for the doctor as he and Aunt Elizabeth were very
worried. There was not much the doctor could do except advise me that the
illness would run its course and to continue to drink lots of fluids and to
only drink water which had been boiled first in case it was the water that was
affecting me.
Aunt Elizabeth had one of their
house slaves sleep on a pallet in my room so that he would be available to help
me to and from the chamber pot during the night. I lost count of the
times he had to empty it. Can you imagine me being helped to and from a chamber
pot? What I have learned from this is that illness cures pride.
I have to confess that I felt
so ill I thought I would die, so I was grateful for his assistance. Thankfully
one of the other house slaves, who is quite
knowledgeable in the use of herbs, kept me regularly supplied with some kind of
herbal tea which helped me greatly.
You would be shocked at the
weight I have lost just in the two days but I have no doubt I will put it back
on in short time as my aunt spreads a very
steeled herself to enter the room that she had not seen since that night.
The door was opened by Jethro who
stepped aside to allow her to come in.
“How is he now?”
“A little better after using the
chamber pot but the worse ain ’ pass yet. He real weak already.” Deborah nodded and made her way to the bed where she put the tray on the
bedside table.
Richard was lying under a sheet
and looking extremely pale. His dark hair was almost black with sweat and
his eyes were closed.
“Master Richard,” she said softly.
“I brought you some tea to settle your stomach.”
His eyes flickered open and it
took him a moment to focus.
“Were you so upset that I interrupted
your day that you decided to poison me?” he asked weakly but with a straight
face.
“Master Richard! I .. I…” Guilt stole the words of denial from her mouth
because she still wasn’t sure if she was responsible for his illness.
“I jest. I’m sure that if you
wanted to poison me I would be dead already. Although I do feel as if I’m
halfway to Hades.”
“You should not jest, sir!
Slaves have been put to death just for the suspicion that they tried to poison
their master or mistress.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be put to
death. Not before…” Richard didn’t even get to finish his sentence
before another cramp seized him.
Deborah was quite glad that he
hadn’t finished what he was going to say; she had a feeling it would not be
something she would want to hear.
Watching him dispassionately, she
poured him a cup of tea that had been sweetened with sugar then got Jethro to
help him to sit up so that he could sip it so that she didn’t come into
intimate contact with him.
“I’ve never felt this ill in my
life,” confessed Richard. “I’m shocked at how fast it came on. I was just
thinking how pain is the perfect cure for pride. Having to be helped on
and off a chamber pot has robbed me of all pride, you’ll be pleased to hear.”
Deborah bit back a smile and said,
“Yes I am. Unfortunately I know it will come back as your strength returns.” He
managed a weak smile.
“Thank you for the tea Deborah.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I am
here to serve you,” she added sullenly.
Richard couldn’t even muster the
strength to tell her how he would like her to serve him and where and how
often. It was just as well; he’d probably teased her enough for one day.
Chapter
10
The Acreage, Barbados
March 27, 1696
Dear Father and Mother
I am finally writing to let you
know that I arrived safely although I’m sure that Bostick has already informed you of that.
I am currently recovering from
a very bad stomach ailment which may have either been caused by something I ate
or the water which, Aunt Elizabeth says, often affects visitors to the island
until they become accustomed to it.
As soon as Uncle Thomas heard
about my illness, he sent for the doctor as he and Aunt Elizabeth were very
worried. There was not much the doctor could do except advise me that the
illness would run its course and to continue to drink lots of fluids and to
only drink water which had been boiled first in case it was the water that was
affecting me.
Aunt Elizabeth had one of their
house slaves sleep on a pallet in my room so that he would be available to help
me to and from the chamber pot during the night. I lost count of the
times he had to empty it. Can you imagine me being helped to and from a chamber
pot? What I have learned from this is that illness cures pride.
I have to confess that I felt
so ill I thought I would die, so I was grateful for his assistance. Thankfully
one of the other house slaves, who is quite
knowledgeable in the use of herbs, kept me regularly supplied with some kind of
herbal tea which helped me greatly.
You would be shocked at the
weight I have lost just in the two days but I have no doubt I will put it back
on in short time as my aunt spreads a very
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