Charity & Phillips

Chapter 50

Phoebe slammed the French doors to the study shut as she dragged it with both hands. Her dress swirled around her as she turned to Mr. Taylor. Before he could even get a word out, she barreled toward him.

"What caused you to be so unbearably rude?" Phoebe shouted at him, intimidated by her position of power being challenged. This time the offense was less great compared to her husband's threat of annulment.

"You are with child." Mr. Taylor told her. The Mistress' rage melted away with confusion. She looked down at her corseted stomach and placed a hand over it, then looked back up at Edmund.

"What gives you such knowledge?" Phoebe asked in fear. In her mind, she recited prayers to the colonial interpretation of the Messiah as she asked him to shield she and her child from any supernatural harm. It can be argued that such a Messiah was not legitimate, for he did not wish to save the souls which begged for freedom. The true message of the Messiah, if there is one, was withheld from the slaves in an effort to control them. His message was also twisted to Whites in an effort to empower them.

"It is not sorcery I practice." Mr. Taylor could tell what ran through her mind.

"What I know is that you are a man without faith, Mr. Taylor." Phoebe rose her head.

"Meaning I would not waste my time creating any spells or ill wishes against you. That is all nonsense, although most men do not know it." Mr. Taylor explained.

"Then who is the source that disclosed such knowledge to you?" Phoebe asked.

"It is the slaves themselves. They all seem to know of your condition and they speak of it." Mr. Taylor told Phoebe.

"Then have those who lift their tongue against me hung." Phoebe waved to Mr. Taylor. "I do not need them using their black magic against me and my child to seek information."

"I doubt it is black magic that informs them." Mr. Taylor told the Mistress. "It was your own butler who speaks of it."

"Don't hang him, he is far too valuable. He always knows information around the plantation, you know that. No, I'm sure it's another source that's spread such a story." Phoebe explained as she stared at the many books on shelves.

"Have you mentioned your condition in front of any negroes?" Mr. Taylor asked.

Phoebe took a seat on a couch as she thought back to the night she told Thomas. It occurred to her that Charity, Clara and Lucy were all present in the doorway. They witnessed it all. Phoebe did not care about Clara or Lucy, all she cared about was Charity.

This was a perfect chance to get rid of her once and for all. Thomas had no need for the slave anyway. Phoebe believed she was now the important woman in Thomas' life, she was the mother of his child. The disappearance of Charity would pay him no mind. To her, she knew nothing of his search for a slave in the past.

"Charity is the miscreant." Phoebe told Mr. Taylor. The sound of Charity's name made him ache.

"Are you sure? When last I punished that slave, Thomas acted as though he'd remove me from the plantation all together." Mr. Taylor reminded Phoebe, who had a tendency to look down at her lap while she sat there.

"It is her. She is one of my very own helpers! She was present in my chambers when I spoke the news to Thomas. It surely was her." Phoebe insisted as she played with the fabric of her dress.

"And there were no other slaves?" Mr. Taylor asked.

"Why does it matter if there were others? It was her. She is the only slave who acts in such a way. She needs punishment." Phoebe told Mr. Taylor quickly.

"If I discipline that slave for no good reason, Mr. Phillips will be very upset." Thomas once again reminded Phoebe. The Mistress did not care. She was far too concerned with ridding Charity. She stood from her seat and walked toward Mr. Taylor.

When she stood in front of him, she looked directly in his eyes as a man would. "I did not tell you to discipline her, I told you to punish her. She will get death for such an action."

"Mr. Phillips—" Mr. Taylor spoke, but Phoebe kept speaking.

"Thomas will not care what happens to that slave. I am the mother of his child. He'll be far too thankful for the gift that's growing inside of me." Phoebe told Mr. Taylor. "I don't care how you do it. You can use as many gadgets as you wish. Just execute that nigger."

Mr. Taylor was not a man who often felt remorse for the negro. But he knew that this animosity toward Charity was not due to her alleged actions. He knew that Charity was the negro who often accompanied Mr. Phillips, and that is where Phoebe's hatred stemmed from.

Even with this inkling, he still agreed to follow through with Phoebe's request. "Alright, then. I'll execute the negro for conspiracy."

Phoebe felt a sense of satisfaction upon hearing Mr. Taylor's acceptance of the task. When Edmund left that room, for once his conscience was heavy. He did not wish to punish a slave if he believed that they truly did not do anything. Walking out of the study, he asked where Charity was. He was then led to the kitchen, where she stood inside with Tootsie and tended to what would become that night's supper.

Both Charity and Tootsie stopped their work upon seeing Mr. Taylor. Charity, who looked especially beautiful while wiped her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist. She was tongue tied when she saw the very man who treated her so horribly when she arrived. Mr. Taylor noticed her reaction, and now here was, wishing to harm her again.

"May we help you, Mr. Taylor?" Tootsie asked.

"Charity, you've got to come with me." He told her. Charity almost fainted as she lost her balance for a few moments. After a stumble, she was held in the arms of Tootsie who whispered to her words of strength. She was scared, but Charity walked forward to Mr. Taylor. She bowed her head, ready to leave with him. She had no perception of what was to come.