Furmidable Foes

39

February 6, 1788

Wednesday

“Extraordinary.” Ewing removed his glasses to stare into the fire on this bitterly cold day.

Catherine, glancing up from papers filled with columns of numbers, returned to the columns of potential seed orders and costs.

“My dear, we are living in extraordinary times. The Baron writes that on November 19 the King banished his brother, the Duc d’Orleans, to his estate north of Paris.”

“What happened?” She noted her father’s perplexed look.

“No Princes of the blood have ever questioned the King in any type of government meeting, for lack of a better term. They have so many qualifications in France, it’s confusing. But the technicality addressed by the Duc was: Was this gathering a bed of justice or a royal sitting? The King replied a royal sitting. The Baron couldn’t believe what had transpired and he writes that Princes have often crossed their brother throughout France’s turbulent history, but when they did so, they had a sword in hand. The King walked out after holding to his views, moved by the solutions of those gathered to speak. The royal family doesn’t speak. He and he alone speaks for France. Not a hint of flexibility. Catherine, this can’t continue. Seventeen eighty-eight is not the France of Francis I or even Louis XIII.”

“There goes trade.” Catherine, practical, cared little for what she considered high-flown promises about the future and people’s places therein.

“Yes, but the Baron remarks that most people, educated people, considered the King’s older brother, Monsieur, to be the source of unrest, a future rival. No, it’s Philippe, younger. He’s playing to the people, of course. He can do that as easily from his estate as he can in Paris. This will affect us and it won’t be just trade.”

“Why? What’s it to us if a rich nation clings to absolute monarchy?”

“Because that time had passed. Even King George recognized that and he didn’t need our war to see it. You know, it’s a funny thing, the further away I get from our break with Britain, the easier it is for me to understand why King George and Lord North feared our separation. We were one of many colonies, outposts.”

“The others seem quiet enough,” Catherine noted.

“For now. Once people believe they should control their own political destiny, anything is possible. Even here. What if we fall afoul of one another? Look at the enmity between Jefferson and Hamilton.”

“But surely, Father, they won’t resort to arms.”

He leaned back in his chair, the letter on exquisite parchment, thin, in his left hand. “No, but that doesn’t mean we are incapable of it. The Baron makes me think not just about France but about us.”

“We should be grateful there’s an ocean between us as well as the English Channel.”

He sighed. “Indeed. Well, this confirms what we’ve kept in the corners of our mind. We’ll not see any money from France. No more tobacco shipments. And I could guess no shipments of other things we grow here.” He shifted in his seat. “Of course, the French can produce some of these things, but not tobacco.”

“Before I forget, Bettina told me that the two slaves who ran off, in love, supposedly, have been captured and returned. Maureen appears to enjoy punishing them. The girl must tend to the simpleminded and the fellow, William, you remember the jockey who broke Jeddie’s collarbone?”

“I do.”

“Had his hamstring slit by his captor.”

“Well, that is rough justice.” Ewing shook his head. “I’m surprised Maureen hasn’t formulated worse punishments.”

“Give her time.”

He grunted.

“Speaking of Maureen, she has contacts in France. I expect she’s made arrangements to protect herself.”

“Oh, when I first approached her concerning DoRe’s proposal to Bettina, we did discuss the situation. She’s moved her funds out of Paris, to London and, of course, the Italian bankers. The Italians have been handling money, the loans, investments, longer than the rest of us. Not that I trust them,” he quietly said.

“I do hope she’ll finally come to terms concerning DoRe.”

Ewing sighed again, placing the papers on the corner of his polished desk. “Never, never have I dealt with anyone so difficult and truthfully, my dear, so greedy. Francisco was a hard man but essentially fair. Not so, Maureen.”

“I sometimes wonder was she born like that, with that streak of cruelty that runs through her?”

“I don’t know, but I do know she will torture those two recaptured slaves in ingenious ways.”

Catherine folded her hands on the desk. She sat across from him, for the desk was wide. Through her father, Catherine, a quick study, learned the ways of the world. She understood a man’s world and was prudent enough to keep it to herself. Given her mental abilities, her father taught her well and enjoyed the partnership.

—

As those two discussed what may or may not come to pass, Ralston, better, settled into hard work. He wanted to prove himself to Mr. Finney in the hopes of advancement but also in the hopes that people would bring horses to him as they did to Catherine Garth Schuyler. If he served Mr. Finney well, it might be possible for him to work horses at Royal Oak with the owner’s permission.

Ralston foresaw but one future, work, saving money, buying Sulli’s freedom.

Sulli believed she had no future. The need these poor souls had for her began to give her a purpose. While this was not a life the young woman would ever have selected, it was one with meaning. Olivia provided an example. The older woman would quote those Bible passages she memorized and she would tell Sulli she was part of God’s plan.

While Sulli could not foresee God’s plan, she felt small gratitude for being far away from the big house, away from Maureen’s gaze, as well as the gaze of most of the other people on Big Rawly, especially Elizabetta. Nor did she want to see William.

William felt exhaustion and pain. He was too tired for rage, plus rage cost him the use of one leg. He wanted to live, but he didn’t know why.

Whether at Cloverfields or Big Rawly, no one could imagine what the future would give or take from them. The one thing that was certain is that no one could imagine that future.