Sarah's Roses, Book I: Roses of Blue

Chapter V

Chapter V

Slowly I settled into my new life. All that summer I wore a black dress in mourning for my mother. Mornings I had breakfast with my aunt and uncle, then I would be allowed to go to the garden and then after lunch I would return to it. Uncle Andrew told me come autumn and I would not play all the time, but have lessons with a tutor, but for now it was summer and I needed nothing more than fresh air and sunlight. In the garden I played with Sammy, or we would read books that my uncle would give me. I soon learned that Sammy had a passion for the written word. He loved reading but never could get his hands on any books, as he was not allowed to touch my uncle’s books. The only thing was we had to keep it all a secret from everyone. Sammy told me it was against the law for slaves to read and write. He had learned to read from Elsie, who had learned to read from Em who had learned to read from my mother, and no one was to know anything about it. Another interesting discovery I made about Sammy was he wasn’t only Elsie’s brother, but that the butler, Ben, was their father. Em was Ben’s wife and mother to Elsie and Sammy. She was the head cook of the house. She was a very kind lady, I remember the first time I met her she gushed over how I looked like my mother and how she had brought my mother up. She was so saddened to find out about my mother’s early death and every time she would see me she would shake her head and sigh. I didn’t quite understand why. Sammy also had a younger sister, Nettie. She was a little girl of six years with bright eyes and a shy smile. Nettie was almost always working with her mother in the kitchen, so I rarely saw her.

My uncle Andrew was a very busy man and I only saw him at mealtimes. I steered clear of my aunt as much as possible. She did not at all approve of me and was never happy with anything I did. She would spend most of her time in the drawing room, doing her needlework and managing the household. I spent much of my days outdoors with Sammy.

Summer soon past and autumn came in its place. I met my new tutor. He was a funny, curious man who went by the name of Mr. Jenning. Apart from scholastic, he also tutored me in art and for two hours every day I would have to go through the torture of sewing lessons and music lessons with aunt Helen. She said it was her duty to teach me, but I knew she got no pleasure from it because she was always cross with me. I got no pleasure from the lessons either, my work was never stitched properly, my music never played well enough and altogether, nothing I did was ever good enough. Just as I was never good enough. With all this schooling I no longer had as much free time as before, but I still had time to play in the garden with Sammy. I would bring him the schoolwork I couldn’t stand, which, for some unexplainable reason, just fascinated Sammy. Together we would work on the lessons and then we would read. I enjoyed reading and I loved nothing more than reading with Sammy. With everyday our friendship grew and flourished, but sadly it was not meant to last. One year later, only two days after our birthday, (I had just turned nine, Sammy had turned twelve) I was waiting for him in the garden with a new book Uncle Andrew had given me. He was taking a long time in coming and I was already beginning to lose my patience and cracked the book open to take a peak when he finally appeared. He was walking slowly, his hands in his pockets, his head hanging low.

“Sammy, what’s wrong?” I forgot my anger at his tardiness in the face of his obvious distress.

“I’s come to say goodbye, Sarah.”

“Goodbye?” I didn’t understand. “Where are you going?”

“Away. I’m moving off the plantation.”

“Moving, moving where? Elsie didn’t mention anything about you moving.”

“Elsie’s not moving, none but me are going.”

I rushed up to him and grabbed his hand. “Sammy, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“It’s very simple, I’s has a new master now, so I’s going to live with him.”