Chapter Eight
They were travelling on the packet ship Atlanta. Atlanta carried everything from trading goods to hessian sacks of letters. The majority of passengers were travelling in steerage, however ten “well to do” rooms, as Isaac called them, were available to those who could afford it.
Maggie watched as the poor mothers and fathers shepherded their children on board the ship. They lugged their bags of belongings with them while making sure the children made it up the ramp safely. Maggie could see that they were travelling in search of a new life. England could be a cruel place for those who did not have a steady income. Maggie knew very well how fortunate she was.
There was a huge difference between the passengers travelling steerage and the passengers travelling in first class. There was a very finely dressed lady who was dressed in fine American fashions. She was fanning her flushed cheeks with a feather fan and was watching as her Negro maid removed her things from her carriage. The maid was dressed in a simple, navy calico gown and a matching cap that covered her hair. Her dress was nothing to that of her mistress.
Maggie noticed the odd stares the maid was receiving, though she was not paying attention to them. Maggie wondered if she was free or if she was a slave. She did not like the expression on her mistress’ face. Her painted lips were turned down into a distasteful frown.
“Come along,” Isaac prompted, “it is time to board.”
Two neatly dressed stewards appeared to help carry their trunks on board. Maggie helped to carry one of hers while the men managed the rest.
The ten well to do rooms were in a private, carpeted corridor. The stewards led them to the end two rooms and opened the doors for them. Maggie and Max’s trunks were placed in one room while Isaac’s were put in the other.
The room was a little larger than the inn that they had been staying in. There were two reasonable sized beds, a breakfast table, a writing desk and a basin. A small, circular window occupied the far wall. Through it, Maggie could see the ocean. She realised that this would be the last time that she would see England for a long time. Maggie and Max joined Isaac and the stewards outside the room after a few moments. Isaac was asking them about the evening schedule and the meal times. Maggie could not imagine that there would be much of an evening schedule but it would be nice to have a dance now and then.
A finely dressed family entered the corridor accompanied by two stewards with their belongings. Maggie noticed that they, too, were also followed by a Negro servant. The husband and wife took no notice of their neighbours but their small daughter spotted Maggie and she peered at her curiously. She was a sweet looking girl with curly red hair cherub cheeks. Maggie smiled at her kindly.
She immediately tugged on her mother’s skirt and pointed at Maggie. “Momma,” she whined, trying to get her attention.
Her mother looked down to her daughter. “What is it, Louise?” she asked tiredly.
“Momma, is that a mulatto?” she asked, still pointing to Maggie.
Maggie had never before heard the term, but she could deduce that it was negative, seeing as the child had referred to her as ‘that’.
Louise’s mother glanced and Maggie and turned her nose up immediately. “Yes, Louise, it is,” she replied. “Howard,” she hissed to her husband. “I thought you paid for first class.” Again Maggie was referred to as if she were an object rather than a person. An object or an insect by the way that the couple were staring at her.
“Excuse me!” Isaac said angrily, marching over towards the family. “Did I just hear correctly? Did you just refer to my daughter as a mulatto?”
“It was not an insult, sir,” the man, Howard, replied stiffly. “My daughter merely stated a fact.”
An all too familiar feeling flooded Maggie. It was how she felt if ever someone refused to meet her eye, talked across her or even just ignored her. She did not know what a mulatto was but she knew it was derogatory. Would she be called that often?
She was travelling to America to escape such treatment!
Max pulled her into his side and he rubbed her back soothingly, clearly seeing the distress on her face.
“It is not a fact,” Isaac snapped. “She has not a drop of Negro blood in her. Kindly keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Hmpf,” huffed the mother, hurriedly ushering her daughter into their room while her husband and their servants followed them.
Isaac shook his head and returned to Maggie and Max, still quite agitated. His pale green eyes were very cool. He motioned for the two of them to enter into Max and Maggie’s room. They did so and he followed them, closing the door behind them.
“I apologise, Maggie,” he said sincerely, “that was not the first impression I wanted to give you.”
Regardless of the comments, Maggie did appreciate that he had defended her. It was obviously a nasty comment towards her colouring. His defence told her that he was a good master. Her fears regarding his mistreatment of his slaves evaporated.
“Thank you for defending me, Mr Lavelle,” she said gratefully.
He smiled weakly, still angry. “I detest the word,” he murmured in reply.
“What does it mean?” she asked curiously. She did not like to be called anything that she did not understand.
“A mulatto is a person who is born to one white parent and one Negro parent,” he explained.
Maggie heard Max bite back a growl.
“Oh,” was all Maggie said. She was not a mulatto but it did not mean she would not be confused for one once in America. She had been called a half-breed and a mixed-breed before, perhaps a mulatto was next.
“It was one of my father’s favourite words,” he continued, “he liked to use it for anyone with skin darker than the shade of snow.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he assured her, “for I grew to resent him for his prejudices. You will be safe on the plantation, I promise.”
“Thank you.” This time it was Max who was grateful. Maggie knew he was concerned for her safety and her happiness as well.
“Not at all,” he replied. “I’ll let you two settle in, shall I? You can unpack your things and put up a barrier between the beds if you like. I’m going to do the same. I’ll fetch you when it is time for dinner.” With that he departed the room and closed the door behind him.
“Are you alright?” Max asked her, sounding very worried.
“Yes.” Maggie was not sure if she was lying or not.
While they were unpacking their trunks, the ship moved away from the harbour. Maggie felt a little unsteady on her feet but she soon grew used to it. She and Max both rushed out of their room and up to the deck to wave goodbye to England. She couldn’t help but shed a tear. Even though she didn’t know any of the people waving back, she felt the need to wave her arm from side to side as vigorously as she could. The action greatly improved her mood and she returned to her room with a smile.
There was a clean set of sheets in a drawer so Max used one to hang between their beds using some of Maggie’s ribbon. Once the sheet was hung it was like they were residing in separate rooms. There was still a communal area by the desk and basin but they would have privacy when they slept.
Isaac collect Maggie and Max at dusk and brought them to the private common area for dinner. It was not a large room, but it was big enough to accommodate three reasonably long tables, a sitting area and a few gambling tables. The gambling tables were already occupied by several well-dressed men. The pot in the middle of the table was quickly growing as they played cards.
Maggie spotted the family who had insulted her eating at one of the tables. Isaac steered them well clear. Maggie and Max sat down at the end of one of the tables while Isaac sat opposite them. Waiters quickly attended them, bringing them each a plate of boiled beef, gravy and assorted, grey looking vegetables. Maggie didn’t mind that the meal looked a little unappetising, she was hungry regardless.
After they finished eating, Isaac went to join in on a game of cards while Max escorted Maggie back to their room. They dressed themselves for bed on their sides of the sheet. The candlelight in the room allowed for Maggie to see Max’s silhouette through the sheet. She blushed and turned her back to the sheet, hoping that he had not been watching her as she was him.
She climbed into bed and fixed her hair in a quick braid before she laid her head down on the pillow. This would be the first night of many. There would be another three months before they reached New York. She sighed. She missed her family already.
The light in the room disappeared and Max quietly wished her a good night.
She could not sleep. Maggie had no idea for how long she lay there. The rocking of the ship was deterring her slumber, that and her homesickness. Every now and then the ship was move from side to side as the ship came into contact with waves and the sea currents. It almost made her feel ill. She rolled on her side and stared out the open circular window. The sky was black and there was no moon, however she could see the subtle sparkle of the stars.
The homesickness gave her a very lonely feeling.
Maggie craned her neck and turned towards Max, staring at him through the sheet. “Max,” she whispered into the darkness, “are you awake?”
“Yes,” he whispered back.
She had an idea. There was something that they used to do as children that they could no longer do as it was not technically innocent. But they were at sea. Who would know?
“Max, can I ask you a favour?” she quietly asked.
“Of course,” he replied.
“Would you sleep beside me?” she asked hopefully.
She heard the sounds of bedclothes being pushed backwards. She could hear him climbing out of the bed and making his way around to her side of the sheet. He wore a loose, white shirt and dark trousers but he stood barefoot. His fair hair was unkempt after lying on the pillow. He looked tired, as if he had just been awoken. Maggie felt guilty for disturbing him.
“Are you sure?” he asked, rubbing his eyes. “If we are caught there is no explaining this. Marriage will be our only option.”
He was perfectly serious and Maggie understood. He was her best friend and one of her favourite people in the world. “If I had to end up married to anyone, Max, I wouldn’t mind being married to you,” she said truthfully.
She was sure romance would not be found in Georgia, not after her encounter with the prejudiced family down the hall. If the men that she encountered shared their opinions then she would rely on Max more than ever.
The corner of his mouth curled up and he smiled a crooked smile, something she hadn’t seen him do before. His expression was a mixture of awe and happiness. Perhaps he felt the same way. Max had not had much experience with young ladies and courting. Perhaps he was sure he would not find anyone either and so a marriage between friends would do.
Maggie moved over to the edge of the bed and Max climbed in beside her. She knew that logically, such a decision was foolish, but she was missing her family and he was her little piece of home. She cuddled into his side and closed her eyes. The last thing she felt as she went to sleep was Max pressing his lips to her forehead.
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Hope you liked it :)
I don't know how I'll go getting another chapter up this week. I did an entire assignment today and I've got another one to do tomorrow. Then I'm presenting an oral presentation on Wednesday and I've got another assignment to do after that. Then I've got netball and coaching on Thursday so if I'm tired, looks like it will be Friday, if not, Thursday night :)
But I did do an entire assignment worth 40% of my grade today, nobody does procrastination and feeling the pressure like me hahaha. Halfway through my friend and I raided the piggy bank to go and get maccas and I looked like the biggest pleb with uggies, trakkies and what I call poo hair which is a messy bun lol. But the quarter pounder meals helped us finish. I add lettuce to mine because I think that it makes it healthy :P
Have good weeks :) Vote and comment!!