St. Peter's List

Chapter 18

I finally got the dirt out the Elias's hair the best I could. There was still a few flecks of dirt in his hair. I had the young boy stand up. I gave Elias a large rag to dry himself off. I didn't watch him as he dried himself off, I didn't want him to be uncomfortable. I wondered if I should let him stay the night inside our house, but if the other slaves couldn't enter the same comfort he had it wouldn't be fair. I handed Elias his clothing and pulled Ben close to me. "We should let the slaves stay the night inside," I looked up at my soon to be husband's eyes.

Benjamin nodded and eyed me,"but where shall we have them stay?" He asked.

"I'm sure we could set out some sort of sleeping arrangement for them." I said to him,"I'd feel terrible if I let just Elias stay inside and have the rest of them sleep in that cold shack," I frowned up at him.

Ben nodded,"Alright, we can try, do you know how many there are?"

I couldn't remember but I knew it wasn't more than fifteen. I shook my head and gave him my estimate. "Do you know where we will put these people?" Ben asked me. I shook my head again,"I haven't the slightest on where we are going to put them. I bit my finger and looked down at Elias.

"Do you know anyone else who is sick outside?" I leaned down to him. Elias nodded. His deep brown eyes looked so tired. "Who might they be?" I questioned again. Whatever men and women who weren't healthy needed to be cleaned and fed. From the looks of Elias's body, it looked as if he was extremely malnourished.

"I can show you." Elias said, his voice was no longer raspy. I hoped the tea helped his throat. I felt a motherly instinct build up inside. I felt the need to take in this child and have him in my protection.

"Thank you, Elias." I smiled,"would you like another cup of tea?" I wanted to be as friendly as I could to him. I had to repay back what my uncle had put him and the other people through when they were under his guardianship. I knew that whatever I did for them, it won't entirely makeup for the fact that they were treated so terribly. Elias nodded and I picked up the kettle and poured him another cup. As I was doing so, Kitt walked in.

"Ma'am?" She has a worried look in her eyes,"If you want to take care of the boy, I suggest that you remove him from the kitchen, your mother and father are looking for you."

I nodded and began to push Elias out of the kitchen door and into the dining room. I didn't want to start conflict between my and my parents. I pulled Ben in with me and took another door that was on the opposite side of the room. It wasn't in my intentions to begin an argument but it is in my intentions to free the people my uncle once owned as property. The dining room doors led us to a hall. Stairs and the front door stood in front of us. I chewed my lip and peeked my head out the door. Nobody was outside. I took Ben and Elias's hands and led them to the stairs. From what it seemed, the only people who were inside the house were on the first floor.

I sprinted up the stairs, my warm dress made sweat beads appear on my forehead, it was so hot inside my dress. We reached the top of the stairs together, the room was quite vast. There was an open section in the middle with four doors make from dark wood. I ran into the first one I looked at. I pushed the door open and shut the door behind Benjamin after he got in. Elias looked around the room with wide eyes. I asked him to sit o the bed while I tend to my family down the stairs. The skinny boy nodded, his eyes were still spinning around the room. I put a finger over my mouth and told him he could sleep on the bed if he wanted to.

I took Ben's hand and walked out of the small bedroom. I didn't pay much attention to the details of the room, I just wanted Elias in a safe place. Ben squeezed my hand,"Are you sure that was a good idea?" I nodded and looked down at the stairs in front of us.

"You wouldn't let a sickly child back out into that cold, would you?" I asked him. I looked up into his deep blue, concentrated eyes.

"I suppose you are right." He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close,"You'd be a wonderful mother."

With those words being spoken, I realized that soon I would most likely bear a child. I had no idea how that was to happen. All I knew is that it hurt according to my aunt. I leaned my head on Ben's arm and shut my eyes,"We'll see." I smiled down at the ground. I had to hide the fact that I was nervous about bearing a child.

I departed from him and walked down the stairs with him following close behind me.

A marriage. A child. A death of another old woman. With Ben in the line of danger with the war, I may even die as a widow. How upsetting.