Their release came sooner than they had expected. In the third week in May the Enterprise unexpectedly put in at Georgetown, and even Joseph agreed that this opportunity for sailing North on the familiar vessel should be seized. Especially since the fever season had begun early this year. Already a damp, suffocating heat had settled on the plantation. Green mold appeared upon the walls and upon their clothing. Meat spoiled in one day, and milk soured—the precious milk upon which the baby depended. Theo hung over his cradle and felt his little forehead a dozen times a day. It remained cool. The fever had so far spared them all except Louis. The unhappy chef no longer went to the kitchen house at all, but shivered and sweated in his attic room. He was, of course, to sail with Theo, Eleanore, and the baby.

'And kindly do not engage any more gibbering French monkeys,' said Joseph to Theo on the day before sailing. 'You must confess that the experiment has been a total failure. I wish you to get rid of Eleanore too. My son should have a mauma, as do all the Alston children.'

Oh, no, she thought. No dirty African wench is going to tend my baby, teaching him Gullah or frightening him with conjuh. This place is dismal enough without the added terror of spooks and plat-eye. But she had long ago learned the folly of combating Joseph openly, and she feared blighting their parting with one of his rages.

'You are entirely right,' she said gently. 'Louis has indeed been a failure. I was foolish to bring him. When, think you, will you arrive in the North? I shall be monstrous glad to see you.'

Joseph, this summer, was to join her as soon as the legislature adjourned.

'I'm not sure,' he answered, forgetting as she had hoped the subject of servants. 'When I leave Columbia, I shall go to Charleston. I'm not satisfied with the factor's accounting. He got exceedingly poor prices on the last rice shipment. We shall be beggared at this rate.'

She listened patiently to this familiar theme, fixing on him a look of bright interest, while she mentally tallied the trunks, bundles, and boxes which waited ready packed in the hall for conveyance down the river to the Enterprise.

The sturdy brig made her usual quick voyage to New York. So quick that, when Theo disembarked, she found that Aaron had not been able to meet her. He was in Philadelphia and must stop in Washington before returning home. She was greatly disappointed at this delay until she thought of going to Washington and awaiting him there.