"Ruin and Redemption"

Towards the End of the War

“The War is ending soon, Lizzie,” Derrick said. “At least the paper says so.” Derrick found himself smiling, then frowning, then confused about what to feel.

“Is that so?” Lizzie said, skeptically. It seemed the war would drag on forever.

“Seems I’m going to get my freedom this year, one way or the other,” Patsy said. “I haven’t forgotten about my certificate, Mr. Derrick.”

Derrick looked at her, wondering if he dared mention trading eight fieldhands for her, but the look she gave him squelched his desire to say anything. He sat staring at his fingers and folding and unfolding the napkin. The thought of Patsy not being part of his life anymore was extremely disturbing. No Calpurnia and now no Patsy. He really had no idea how he would cope with the workload around here. He would just have to pull himself up and start running the plantation singlehandedly, as a lady like Lizzie couldn’t possibly be expected to take responsibility for this endeavour. Wait, he stopped himself. No fieldhands, either, if what the paper said was true. If Lincoln emancipated the slaves--- and the South lost the War.

Then there would be nothing. Just fields going fallow and he and Lizzie alone in the Big House. Scarlett might move off and leave him, too. It would be lonely. And how would they survive without the slaves?

“Don’t worry Derrick. You two will manage, somehow,” Patsy assured him, as if reading his thoughts.

“Of course we will, Patsy! After all, I’ve got shares in my father’s business as well. I’m certain we’ll be fine.” Derrick felt a little better having said it, though he still had no idea how they would be fine.

Lizzie looked around her soberly, as if noticing the furnishings for the first time. All this, everything, ran because of the slaves. Everything they owned was connected with slavery. Without the slaves, they might as well be sitting on a street corner somewhere.

Once again, Lizzie wondered if she might make a life for herself in the North, teaching the children to read. There was always such a need, her cousin said. He still ran the school, and still encouraged her to visit.

She would do it, she decided. When the war ended and the slaves went free, she would finally go North with her teaching certificate and give it a try. Derrick could come with her if he wanted. She would give him that option. But she did not want to spend the rest of her life in the South.

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Scarlett took the huge star patterned quilt outside and beat it with a stick to get the dust out. Then she threw it over the new white railing Derrick had ordered built for her recently. She preferred the railing over a clothesline for heavy items like the quilt. She had made it with help from Mindy and Lizzie, whom she had grudgingly allowed to take part. It was hers and Mindy’s idea, but Lizzie had tagged along with Mindy, and Mindy had not wanted to say no. Well, at least the quilt was hers to keep! Lizzie didn’t insist on borrowing it when Scarlett gave her a look and told her she already had plenty of nice things in her house, Derrick included!

Derrick’s visits were far from predictable these days. He visited her often when she first returned, but now he liked to go out and see the other slaves around the plantation some,and let Lizzie think Scarlett was the only one. Scarlett would love to see the look on Lizzie’s face if she knew Scarlett wasn’t the only one he was spending his nights with. But something made her bite her tongue. At least Derrick wasn’t spending every night with the little ninny! At least that was a blessing! The less time Derrick spent with Lizzie, the better. He needed to be around real people like her, not ninnys.