The Bairn of Brianag

"He is stupid, Mama, as I said before. I cannot converse with him at all. Any children he fathers will likely be imbeciles."

"You are incorrigible, miss," said my mother. "You will find someone to marry before your eighteenth birthday, or I shall send you to Savannah to stay with my sister until you do."

I knew my father would never allow her put me out of his house. Yet my mother's words cut me painfully. I knew that any response I made now would only serve to inflame her temper farther; yet my own temper matched hers.

"As you wish, madam," I said, very coldly. "I will live in the slave quarters before I will marry a man I have no regard for."

She leapt to her feet, stepping toward me. "You little minx! You'd like that, wouldn't you? There you could be taken by any black buck who wished to use you, and turn out more slaves to increase your father's wealth! That would please you, would it not?"

I stood, rage welling up in me; yet I controlled myself, having dealt with this kind of incident before, knowing that if I said more, she would attack me with more than words. I stepped away from the rug frame and started to walk from the room.

She came after me, catching my arm. "You have work to do, miss. Get back to it at once."

I lowered my head. "I will not be spoken to in such a manner. I shall go and get my father."

"No indeed, you shall not," she hissed between her teeth. "You will return to your work immediately."

I waited as she struggled for control, hearing her ragged breathing, wishing I could shake her off and run from the room. At last she dropped her hand from my arm and turned away.

"At once, Jessie. To your work."

I drew a breath and let it out. Her rage had abated for the moment. I went back to the rug frame.

By dinner time, the back of my neck was burning, and I had worked perhaps three more inches of the rug. The work was painstaking to me, I hated it, and it did not progress quickly in my hands. When my mother gave me leave to go and freshen for dinner, I rose stiffly, rubbing my neck with my hand, and went upstairs.

At dinner, Kevin and Papa discussed the morning's work; I ate quietly, my anger at my mother dissipating, and elation growing in me. After the meal we would prepare for our ride to Brianag. I would see Robbie, and my empty heart would be filled again.