“I fixed his hand is all. And he helped with the horses, so I gave him some cobbler. Folks ought to keep their noses in their own barley sacks and leave off worrying about mine.”

She plants her hands on her hips and her feet wide apart. “Standing all cozy last night, is what I heard. Pressed up against an empty plate.”

“It wasn’t nothing. Don’t know why Red even told you.”

“’Cause Red knows there ain’t nothing that’s nothing. You’re a grown-up woman. What do you think that white man wants with you?”

“He’s not after me like that.”

“Oh, Lord, I’m talking to a fool. All the places you could be where they keep you on your back, pretty as you is. But you got lucky coming here and you want to go asking for trouble.”

“I’m—” I say, but she holds up her hand to hush me.

“Now, I’ll tell you straight. If you start in on some foolishness, Master won’t have it. He don’t sit for no sin. That’s in the Bible. You can’t abide no sin in your house.”

“Well, I ain’t sinning.” I turn back to the tomatoes. “Nothing wrong with giving a man a plate of food.” I pluck at leaves that don’t need picking.

Behind me, Bessie huffs. “As long as that’s all you been giving him.”

I whip around to face her straight on. I want my words to be like a slap, to knock that kind of talk right out of her head, before it catches and spreads. But what I’m fixing to say dies when I open my mouth. We both know I didn’t go in there for cobbler. I hold my tongue and watch her march herself on out, picking through the plants with a sureness to her step like she can see just fine.

Chapter 18

Maple

Master Jeremiah ain’t got no patience for staying at Jubilee. After not finding Freddy and two nights of visiting, he’s ready to go, and Master and Miss Martha are ready for him to get gone. When Red and Zeek bring his wagon and horses around, I hurry over with a traveling lunch, hoping for a last chance to ask him about my family. He comes out with Kitty trailing behind, carrying his satchel. She’s got on her blue silk dress. The high ruffled collar and her dark skin hide most of the bruises on her neck, but not all. She don’t look left or right, just sticks her chin in the air staring up into the trees.

I hand Master Jeremiah his food sack and say, “When you see my momma, please tell her I was sorry not to see her this trip. How is she, Master Jeremiah? Is she doing all right?”

Kitty slows to almost a stop before she picks up her pace and climbs in the carriage.

Master Jeremiah’s eyes slide off me and land on the far trees. “I don’t see much of your mother these days. She’s not working in the house anymore.”