‘You must be little Will,’ pulling me inside the yard. Giving me a big hug, squeezing the life out of me. ‘Melon tell me all bout Miss Stella’s first born. Me been looking out for you all this week,’ as she march back up the path, me trailing behind her.

As soon as we get inside, I start to unpack the crocus bag. Want to do me duty, pull out Melon present, hand it over. Winnie just hang the bag up. Tell me to save it for later.

‘When you eat last?’ she ask. And I can tell by the way she look at me, she thinking the same thing Melon always used to: ‘Need to fatten you up.’

She show me a place to wash. Then set a spoon and a bowl of chicken stew down in front of me, along with a big piece of bread.

‘Eat,’ she say, and before I know it, me wiping up the last little bit with the bread and Winnie bringing the pot over, filling up the bowl again. Seem like good cooking must run in the family. Is the best stew I ever taste. Mind you, I never going tell Melon that.

‘Is a good ting you here,’ taking away the bowl. ‘Big celebration, the day after tomorrow. Must make youself useful,’ handing me a couple of dry coconuts she already break open. Get me to scoop out the kernel, start to grate them. While me doing this, the light-skinned child come into the kitchen.

‘Mama,’ she shout. ‘Mama come quick. Winnie have a visitor in the kitchen.’

I hear footsteps. Then one of the most handsome woman me ever seen come striding into the kitchen. I can’t stop meself from staring. She look like one of them fancy dressed people on the street. She have on a pale yellow dress with lace round the sleeves. A tiny waist. A low curve to the neckline with a bosom that is round and full. And her skin the colour of tea when Massa put a little milk in it. It shine in the lamp light, smooth like silk.

‘Winnie,’ she say. ‘How many times do I have to tell you? No gentleman callers in the house.’

‘Is little Will, Mistress Josephine. Remember, me tell you? Melon, me sister, send him.’

Mistress Josephine must be one of them free coloureds. The way she look down at me, I know she never been no slave. I stand up too quickly. Knock over the bowl with the coconut pieces, hasten to pick them up. But the child run up and grab one. Take a big bite. Mistress Josephine not too happy bout that. She lift up her hand and slap the child.