Amidst all this, the colonel paid the bursar of the court, and the sum he turned over that day was the second highest ever recorded for a slave in that colony.
The highest price was the one Rudolph Stanton’s father had paid for his mother, who everyone said was a countess abducted from the court of the Ottomans, or else the consort of a pirate king from the Barbary Coast, or, more outlandishly, even the queen of Dahomey herself.
That she was noble was as certain as that she was a slave, and later she refused to reveal her origin from shame that her house could not redeem her.
Wherever she was from, she was queenly haughty and even the block could not steal that from her, and when the elder Stanton paid it was with a suitcase that required two men to lift it up, inside of which was naught but pure gold.
For Bastian a lesser sum was required, but the purchaser was no less pleased with his prize as they left the market.
three
The day after Mr. Johnson discovered what happened to his son it seemed the entire Negro population, free and enslaved, learned the boy’s fate at the very same time, and all began to descend on the Johnson house as if a call had gone out.
The Johnsons were not surprised when their nearest neighbors showed up, or when Bastian’s friends came to grieve his absence. And when the Darsons and the Merians arrived it was only slightly out of the ordinary, as both of them had boys Bastian’s age. However, when people began to arrive from as far away as Chase, and then from towns at the far edge of the county, they were caught completely unawares, but sensed something extraordinary was occurring. By that night their relatives from as far away as Knowleston had arrived as well, and the house overflowed with people, including a few who came only to see the scene of such misery.
All were welcomed there regardless of why they came, and there was a great gathering then of all in one place, such as had never before occurred. Mr. Johnson’s house was not large, but it was able to accommodate everyone who streamed in from the shops of the town and the surrounding farms that week, as they heard Bastian’s story. They came with gifts of food, pots of liquor, and instruments of music making such as those who played them thought appropriate.
As the adults congregated inside, the young people gathered in a yard outside the house, where Caleum and Julius sat at the center of the group telling the story again of their last afternoon with Bastian. “He was here headed home one minute, just like the two of us, but never made it,” Caleum said, for the tenth time that afternoon.
All of the young men then began bragging about what they would have done had it been them, while the young ladies thought Caleum and Julius must have done something very clever or brave to have made it home. Caleum and Julius knew, though, it could have been either of them just as easily, but for chance.
In the midst of all the attention, Caleum saw a young woman he found especially pretty, before realizing he had met her before when they still attended Miss Boutencourt’s school together. She had grown very much since then, and it was difficult for him to keep from noticing her too obviously, but he forced himself to tear his attention away as soon as he realized it was George and Eli’s sister, Libbie Darson.
The girl knew of the fight her brothers had had with Caleum, and their hatred of him, but as she listened to him that afternoon, and watched him move among the other guests, she forgot about loyalty to her family. Whenever Caleum said something she agreed with, or that agreed with her, she made her approval known with an open smile, and when food was served she conspired to be the one who brought him his plate.
Caleum was disarmed by this gesture and even lowered his shield enough to return her smile. After that, and throughout the meal, he allowed himself to gaze at her openly. She had hazel eyes larger than any he had ever seen, and her skin was the hue of a chestnut’s inner husk, though smooth as polished walnut. She was the tallest of all the girls gathered, but her height did not detract from the well-balanced proportions of her shape. When they stood next to each other after supper, he found himself looking directly into her eyes. When he did, as the other young people gathered round the musicians, Libbie turned her head away in embarrassment, being unaccustomed to the feelings he provoked in her.
He was not used to them either, but he knew them for what they were and did not shy away. “Meet me tomorrow on the north side of the square,” he said, when no one else was within earshot, although all could see them in conversation.
Before she could answer, her brother Eli came and took her by the elbow, neither looking at Caleum nor avoiding him, simply leading his sister away without another word. Libbie did not resist, but she felt a sinking in her breast as she moved away, like a jewel falling to the bottom of the ocean. Caleum felt this loss as well, when she left their conversation, but his was twinged by renewed anger at her brothers.
That evening, when all the guests finally left the Johnson home, he was still in turmoil as he headed back to Stonehouses with Magnus and Adelia.
Seeing him still out of sorts the next day, Magnus tried to comfort the young man.
Adelia, however, could tell immediately what else was bothering him. “I don’t think it’s just Bastian that has him feeling so,” she said. Magnus was about to ask what she meant when the statement made itself clear in his head. He laughed slightly and shook his head. He was going to tell Caleum not to go falling for the first girl he met but thought better of intervening.
“Who is she?” Magnus asked.
“Libbie Darson,” Caleum answered quietly.
“I thought you had strife with the brothers,” Magnus reminded him.
“The brothers ain’t the sister,” he answered.
“All the same. Are you old enough to court, in any case?” Magnus asked next, giving Caleum the chance to think about the question.
“It doesn’t all have to happen all at once,” Caleum answered. “We can take our time about it.”
“Do you want to court her then?” Magnus wanted to know, trying to determine in his head the advantages and minuses that particular union might make.
“I need to think about it some more. I will let you know what I decide, if you trust me to,” Caleum said, being both straightforward and mature with his uncle, to the relief of Magnus and Adelia. “I understand what is involved.”
He was not so moody in love as his uncle and father had been, but forward and direct as his grandfather. He did, however, wonder to himself, even as he rode into town to meet her the next day, whether he ought not turn back and seek someone more prudent to give his affection to, or perhaps wait until a later time to do so.
Their meeting, when it occurred, was exceedingly short and formal and without hesitations. They met at the northeastern corner of the square and began a conversation of pleasantries, followed by Caleum telling her that his parents had left him as a child in the care of his uncle and grandfather, that his ambition in life was only to increase the success of Stonehouses, that he liked fishing to relax, and his favorite meal was spring rack of lamb.
She responded that she was learned in reading and writing, as he knew; she was also a good sewer and needleworker, and that her mother already let her have a sizable hand in running their house. She was bright in her disposition, as he always remembered her being, and if she had any pressing concerns she did not let on.