In no time James start to copy the Great House. Straight lines, curves and windows. Is one big surprise. James have no schooling, but him can draw good. Now if I find any little torn-up piece of paper, I give it to him and him use it to draw on. Cut a little piece of bamboo him sharpen with a knife. Dip it in ash from the fire, mix it up with water. Mix it up good.

What a thing if James turn painter, like Massa used to be. But him know, and I know, to keep it a secret. Is only a dream. It never going come to be. Slave job is to work, not paint pretty pictures. I have to try hard to make sure him don’t get into trouble. Specially since the older Massa get, the more him like to punish, to use the whip. All the slave them grumbling bout it. I know is only Stella protecting us, so I need to keep me guard up. Keep me eye on James, try stop him dreaming ways. Sammy, him can get a whipping for all I care.

After Stella gave birth to James and before Eliza born, Stella got mighty sick. Had a big pain in her belly. Got the shakes. Had to wipe away the sticky yellow juice running down between her legs. Was not the first time, but that time was plenty bad.

‘Clapped out,’ Massa call it.

She catch it from him. Needed plenty nursing from Doctor Watson. Got bled. Got purged. Had to take little pills. Upset Stella bad. She never let sickness bother her. She just lift her head up, keep on working. That time, though, she lay down on that bed and didn’t move for many week. Calla sat by her side, fed her broth. Used one of her special fowl to make the stock. Me and James and Sammy used to go visit her when we could, tried not to weep when we saw the state she in.

Every day that went by and Stella didn’t get better, Massa got more fretful. And the fretfulness made him drink, caused him dark moods. Act more mean and cruel with all the slave them. Even Mistress Margaret got upset, not because she cared for Stella, but because Stella run that Great House like is her own. Know where every little thing is. What every little thing need doing. None of the other house slave them as good. So everybody cross, sad, worried, waiting and waiting for Stella to get better. Made us all come to understand, a world without Stella is no good.