Cedes
Born in Mississippi in 1789 the daughter of a prize fighting slave Joshua Bell and Delrose Bell Mercedes Bell better known as Cedes grew up privileged for a black girl in her time. She was deemed as lucky having been the sprog of the great Josh Bell. One day when she was maybe 10 years old a man came to the house to visit, the rather old slave owner, Darius Bell, and found favour in this prize possession paying top dollar for her. Darius bargained hard although he knew it was inevitable he'd have to pass this little girl over, he'd begun to look at her, as one would, a daughter and he insisted she be treated as such.
"How lovely she is" Mr Jones said as he looked at the young girl standing before him "She resembles her prize father so much" he kneeled before her saying, "tell her not to be afraid" because he was there to take her to a good life, a life that she deserved giving her sweets and smiling as he looked into her eyes and saw something.
She went with him at the end of his visit and sailed to Liverpool England that month, she arrived dressed in the most beautiful pink gown looking like a princess. They lived there for a few years until Mr Jones was called to take a voyage, he was part of the free slaves mission that cruised around the West Indies seas incarcerating slave traders who were using illegal practices. This was both dangerous and challenging work and the bandits he was against this journey were ruthless, his Father had recently passed and his wife was not in favour of Cedes, because she was without child herself, however; he had promised her good and he was determined to see that happened. He had only his Uncle in Wycombe England and in desperation he packed everything Cedes owned and took the journey to Wycombe, praying that his uncle would empathise and take his prize possession in.
As the eldest and only son everything his family had rested on his shoulders, there was no other heir and he'd put everything in Cedes name in the hope that she'd be looked after well and have something when he finally passed. His fortune included his uncle's and several other houses in and around London and if needed he would use that bit of fact to win her favour. They stepped out of the carriage Cedes now a 14 year old girl had grown into her beauty, she was elegant, voluptuous and proud as she stood outside the carriage flashing out her elaborate purple gown and black lace shawl before covering her head with the shiny lace and turning around to look at the house, a smile on her Father's face
"William" his Uncle called as he entered the house "How lovely of you to visit" he smiled walking towards him stopping as he saw the black girl appear from behind him to look at her before smiling at William again "Nice" he said in the wrong way
"Uncle Gerald" William responded saying "This is Cedes, her natural parents are dead and I have taken full responsibility for her as if she were my own, I beg you uncle to love her as much as I do, and treat her like your own" he said as his Uncle stood stunned to silence
"That is impossible" he finally got out still staring at William standing there with this black girl beside him
"Who's his" Annabelle his uncle's wife came out of the drawing room asking
"This is Cedes my daughter" William answered looking at Cedes and smiling
"But she's black" Annabelle said stating the obvious
"But she is my daughter" William said again just in case she hadn't heard
"A detail you chose not to share with us before now" his Uncle spat at him
"What has that to do with anything?" William asked
"I'm the Lord Chief Justice" he replied
"And" William asked unsure what his Uncle was trying to say and also wanting to indirectly remind him in whose house he was living
"What's her name?" Annabelle asked
"Mercedes Jones but we call her Cedes" he replied as his Aunt looked at his Uncle and then smiled back at Cedes
"Maine" she called and a maid came into view "Take her to the kitchen she looks hungry get her fed" she instructed
William grabbed her hand and swung her to him "Cedes" he said his voice breaking "A ship is not place for one so precious otherwise I'd take you with me, here you will want for nothing and you will get the love I need you to know " he said walking away as she stood looking at the straight faces white woman she'd heard to call Aunt Annabelle
Suddenly her Father was out of sight as she stood looking at these two strangers standing in front of her "Go with Maine and get your food girl" Aunt Annabelle told her as she quickly looked around for Maine and left the room
They entered the kitchen to find a white girl, blond hair, green eyes and maybe a year or two older than her sitting at the table with milk and biscuits on a plate "Aren't you what we call a Negro" Quinn; Uncle Gerald's daughter, asked
"Quinn" her Aunt Alice said as she walked into the kitchen hearing the last bit of the conversation "You always insist on speaking your mind child, you'll end up with no friends and an old maid" she told her
"Like you you mean Aunt Alice?" she said making flight as her Aunt pursued shouting into the distance, leaving Mercy stood in the middle of the kitchen so she sat at the able to eat and drink till her hearts content. When she finished she went for a wonder around the house finding herself in the large hall, she stood looking at large pictures of pompous white men hanging on the wall, she was attracted by one portrait that had a little black boy sitting at the man's feet smiling up at him in the picture and stood trying to make sense of it, when she was interrupted by her Uncle
There's one of me too do you want to see it?" he smiled she said nothing just followed him as he introduced her to family members on the walls of the house.
"So" Annabelle asked as she stood with her husband Gerald, looking through the drawing room window at Quinn and Cedes making acquaintance in the garden "Now where do we go from here, I mean, what do we say when we're asked why we have a Negro living in our midst"
"Simply that It is her right to live here, that is the nature of order" Gerald looked at his wife saying
"Which is all good and well but where in that should colour be placed above or below her right, what about marriage?"
"Those things are impossible for her and marriage would be beneath her class which would be pointless"
"You can protect her now but what about when we die, who will protect her then?" she asked as they carried on watching Annabelle and Cedes laughing they had no answers
The family became close over the years and 3 years later news came that William her father, as she knew him, had been killed in service she was later informed that she was to inherit 2 thousand pounds per year and was in fact the heiress of everything her father owned
"We're having visitors for dinner" Annabelle announced as Quinn and Cedes got excited about it all "You wont be dining with us" Annabelle added as she looked at Cedes
"I can join after dinner may I not?" Cedes asked smiling
"As well you know" Annabelle replied
She accepted it she always did but she had questions, and when she had those the only person she could talk to was Uncle Gerald, so she found him quickly in his library "Uncle why can I not sit at the table with my family " she looked at him asking "I'm too low in rank to sit with my family and too important to sit in the slave quarters, where do I go?"
"We cant impose on our visitors how we choose to live, society has a way of disregarding even one of it's own, if only you really understood that" he said leaving her with thoughts to ponder as she went to sit with the other women drinking tea in the garden
"Your not dining with us a shame with the young men attended tonight" Aunt Alice threw in
"Young men?" Quinn and Cedes got exited echoing before her Mother informed them of the things they could and couldn't do, which were in essence, not talk to the men at all in any language as Cedes chuckled. Later at Dinner Annabelle broke the rules and spoke in French to Carl, the son of Michael, their guest family, he completely brushed her off saying he didn't understand a word she'd said smiling at his sister who saw the joke and leaving Annabelle embarrassed as her Mother looked on in disappointment
The dinner party consisted of The Drew family Carl the youngest of the three children a healthy bigoted blond haired Blue eyed rat, who had bad words to say about everyone from the start of the evening. Michael Junior the eldest son who carried a smile on his face regardless of what was being said, looking like a more mature replica of his younger brother and Jean their sister it was unclear where she came in the age like she looked young but she was courting according to her Mother. Mrs Drew was a thunderous woman who seemed to be shouting with every sentence she spoke, like she was reminding everyone to sit up straight and hold their utensils properly with every word
Cedes sat out in the gardens waiting for her time to be with her family, considering whether to get angry about it when she was startled by someone walking around the gardens, she ran inside shouting for Dean; the Butler, who came running "Dean" she panted as she got inside "There's a poacher outside quic …." she got out before she was interrupted by a knock at the door
"Good evening Sir my name is Sam Evans I believe I startled the lady of the house" he said to the Butler looking over his shoulder to see Cedes standing there 'God she's ...' "there she is" he told him as his attention moved from the man at the door to the woman standing near the window "Please forgive me but you barely gave me a chance to..."
"Sir I don't believe we have been introduce" Cedes turned her back as she butted in to tell him
'Damn she's right' "Indeed" he finally said as he searched his mind for a next step looking back at the Butler "Please inform the Lady of my apology for startling her" he asked the Butler "I took a short cut to deliver this to Lord Justice from my Father Reverend Evans"
"I shall see that he gets it immediately" Dean told him
"You will not interrupt this dinner" Cedes said still with her back to the two men
"As soon as possible after dinner Sir" Dean told young Mr Evans who bowed as he left the house saying goodnight
Cedes went to stand at the dining room door, to hear Gerald talking about the slave trade, they'd all brought into, being the most lucrative business they had and not to condemn it. About forty minutes later they burst out of the dining room to see her sitting waiting to be introduced
"I didn't expect her to be so black" Jean said to her Mother
"Really?" Michael laughed "I could have sworn you were the lead on all the gossip
"Well" Gerald said taking great pleasure in doing so "May I present my niece Miss Mercedes Jones" he said hugging her as everyone else looked on
There was much chatter but the one that intrigued her was Quinn's interpretation of a conversation going on between Carl and his brother, Carl had looked at her earlier with nothing less than hate in his eyes and his brother had called her intriguing according to Quinn's limited lip reading skills, what he'd actually said was
"I find her repulsive"
To which Michael had answered "I suppose she is, if you find the most rare and exotic flower to be so"
To which Carl had replied "One doesn't make a wife of the rare and exotic, one samples in on the cotton fields in the indies"
"Why so far when its right here" Michael had looked across at her saying
"Then he finds a pure English rose to decorate ones home" Carl turned smiling at Quinn saying, Cedes didn't have the heart to tell Quinn they weren't talking about her she let it be, as the evening went on, music was played and songs were sung by the party as she sat quietly listening. The evening soon came to a close they said their good evening and the Drew family left for their own abode
"I fear for Cedes I can see one of those gentlemen taking advantage of her for her money" Annabelle said to Gerald as they found their way to the sleeping quarters
"She's not guided by what Quinn is, she will not be force to marry into anything for financial gain, I've told her that" he replied
"I guess" she responded as they walked
"It's Quinn we need to look out for at this point, we don't want her falling into unhealthy hands" Gerald said as he opened the bedroom door for his wife.
"Uncle" she burst into the study saying a few weeks later "Don't you think I should have been consulted about such things " she looked at him saying, "Sorry I did not know that you were.." following his stare to find Mr Evans standing behind her
"Mr Evans I believe you've already had the pleasure?" Gerald asked
"In some way, yes Sir" he said his eyes moving over to where Cedes stood "Miss Jones" he nodded at her as she curtsied
"Decide what?" Gerald asked
"If he should want to paint me" she told him
"The man's getting a fortune to paint Quinn and you, all you have to do is sit still Cedes, not a very challenging task"
"Next to Quinn?" she asked shocked
"As you always are right next to each other" Gerald said smiling
"Shouldn't any lady be flattered to be such as subject?" Sam asked
"How can any male know the ways of a lady when he hasn't yet mastered the ways of a gentlemen" she spat back at him, cutting her eye as she spoke
"Quite" he said perplexed for her attitude "Although one could be forgiven for thinking he was in the presence of a lady when she is in fact still a juvenile"
"Uncle can we not do this in private?" she asked aghast unable to catch her breath for the rudeness of this man
"No not now you can take these books back to the library" her Uncle instructed Cedes was mad but took to the task as requested as Mr Evans and he Uncle carried on their conversation, she was hearing more and more about this slave trade and it seemed her Uncle was in the thick of it. She was just listening until she heard Mr Evans challenge her Uncle and she stood still listening more intently to their exchange
"The Zong ship and those drowned" Mr Evans said as they both looked at her alerting her to something she needed to know, she stood wondering what to take from the conversation she was currently listening to and what she had missed when she heard her Uncle say
"So what is it you intend on becoming?"
"Where my Father aspires to the bible, I want to aspire to the law, making the world a better place" Mr Evans replied
"You have grand ambitions; a country lawyer you may make if you pay attention, but you have neither the ranks or the finances for anything more"
"If you'll forgive my Lord Gerald, neither did you, you were born the fourth son which means you have no claim to any such funds like myself although you have rank"
"And you think you could do the same as me"
"I don't know My Lord but what I do know is that a country life doesn't suit me" Mr Evans replied
"Cedes the Reverent has asked me to take his son under my privilege, what do you think?"
"That is up to you entirely Uncle, I have no business in such matters" she said before leaving the room and finding the garden to wait for Mr Evans to come out she needed to know more about the Zong ship. Twenty minutes or so later he exited the house as she slowly made her way to his path to ask her question
"Thank you for the lack of support in there" he rounded on her saying as she stood up
"I know me place I said nothing" Cedes replied looking at him to see he was actually angry about it making her smile inside
"Silence speaks volumes" he replied "So are you not going to say it to my face?"he asked as they heard another voice
"Who's this Cedes" Quinn asked as she walked towards them, Cedes quickly turning to do the introductions
"This is Uncle's student Sam Evans" she told Quinn who was smiling like a cat saying something before she hot footed it back inside while Mr Evans' gaze found Cedes face again as he stood waiting for her answer
"Mr Evans what is the importance of the Zang?" she asked instead "and why is the case being passed before the supreme courts?"
"It is a ship" he stared at her saying, her face distracting him again "It's a ship , a human cargo ship, it lost most of its slaves they were drown at the captains orders" he said finding it difficult to hold his concentration
"Will you be joining us for dinner Sam?" Annabelle asked
"Thank you, but I'm promised to the company of my Aunt this evening Mrs Bell"
"Just out of interest" he turned back to Cedes asking, playing a game with her fiesty self "Why do you not dine with your family ever?" he stared into her eyes asking waiting for an answer and regretting that move when he saw the genuine hurt in her eyes as they flinched for the pain he'd inflicted just then
"It is not correct" she said
"Forgive me but twice I've seen you separated from the gathering why?" he carried on, now he wanted to help her
"Well you might be concerned when the son of a clergy is invited to the table before the lady of the house" she spat out hurt turned to hate in an instant in her eyes
"Is that a reminder of my place Miss Jones?" he asked with equal venom as they stared into each others eyes for a while
"No" she finally said "it is a statement of mine" she told him walking away fast
she went directly to her room sitting in the mirror trying to work out why life was so different for her to the rest of people that looked like her, cursing her colour as she tried to rub it off, for allowing her to be treated like a black when her insides told her she was a; she was stuck what was she if not a black, she was black and she need to do something about the situation for her people.
Mr Evans came to the house several times after that but they avoided each other like the plague their conversations were too political for her to get involved with and her mind was in turmoil from the discovery of the lost slaves plight. He turned up at their house one afternoon with a woman on a horse and stopped to say hello before he went into the house as they played polo on the lawn. Cedes turned her back on him and refused to acknowledge the woman, later she wondering why she did that, and what that pinch of jealously had reared it's ugly head for, and at that very second.
In a bid to move on she decided to get her portrait done, a clear sign that she was ready for the next step in a woman's live, so yes she was finally putting herself on the market, she was busy getting drawn when she saw Mr Evans standing in the door looking at her "Wait" she cried, as she caught him looking at her
"Sorry" he said when she got to him "I was curious" he smiled as she looked at him from head to toe meaning for him to catch the play
"I appear to be the only one interest in the Zong case in this house" she told him
"You ort not to be troubled by such things" Sam told her
"Why do you talk to me so, its a fact that I have dedicated many hours to the plight of these people" she told him looking up and down the corridor they were standing in
"Do you want a medal for that?" he asked a little angry that maybe she was being secret about it, it needed to be shouted about this was serious injustice as he made to walk off
"Mr Evans please wait, tell me what you know about it, the trade I mean?" she asked her face deadly serious
He turned to see hurt in her eyes again and knew she was taking this serious "I can only tell you what I believe" he said as he went into some detail about the slaves thrown off the ship chained together due to disease and they were worth more dead amongst other things ending with "And the insurers are refusing to pay"
Two days later he was standing in Lord Bell's study "You told her those things about the trade" Gerald shouted "You came into my house and told my niece all that controversy, how dare you" he shouted louder
"She can read My Lord, she only needs to pick up a newspaper, I just filled the gaps" Sam told him
"You had not right, she is under my care she is in my hands not the son of a vicar's " Gerald shouted at him
"I'll gather my belongings" he said walking out the study turning as he got to the door "I wonder Sir the protection you put around you niece would you ever dream of extending it out to the families of all those slaves that were murdered on that ship I mean we're only talking £30 peer head"
"Boy" Lord Bell shouted thunderously across the room "You ever find yourself in her vicinity again and I'll make sure you rue the day you ever set eyes on me"
"Mr Evans is leaving very early today" Quinn said as they sat in the drawing room watching him riding quickly across the field taking his usual short cut home .
Cedes knew there was something wrong and ran to the library to find evidence disturbed by Quinn bursting in "We've been summoned to the drawing room" she told her excitedly as they made hast to the drawing room
"Your to go to London for the season" Aunt Annabelle announced
"We're finally coming out?" Quinn said excitedly looking at Cedes smiling
"You will Quinn, Cedes will stay in and look after the house"
"But …
"Cedes is well looked after Quinn you on the other hand need stability and you will be expected to find a wealthy man"
"I am not an unwanted maid" Cedes shouted "Are you pushing me out?"
"No you are very much loved, but it is not your turn" her Uncle replied as the girls realised they had lost the battle and held each other crying for this decision
So they resided themselves to the fact that they were going to live very different lives in central London, they got there and straight away Cedes noticed differences everyone used black slaves to clean, cook , wash everything. They allowed her out in the days but formal events she wasn't allowed there, they attended lunch with the Drew family , so she was allowed to visit with them the first day.
"Here they are, the people with the Negro relative" Mr Drew said to his Negro servant as he watched Quinn and Carl playing at the pond with Cedes close by, looking at Michael Jr who's eyes were firmly set on Cedes
"She cannot know your thought unless you offer them to her" he said to Michael as he stepped off him too looking at Cedes captivated
"Look Cedes" Quinn called excited "Carl made me a boat but its capsized" she said picking up to wet paper model
"What a shame" Cedes said walking up to the pond edge where Michael stood
"For you" he swung round saying to her with a paper boat in his hand "Miss Jones will you do me the honour of taking some air with me sometime?" he asked going a bit red for he embarrassment of it all
"Don't you care of what people will say?" Carl spat at him from across the small pond
"What does that mean Carl?" Quinn asked as she moved away from him and closer to Cedes "What should anyone say ?" she asked not quite understanding his comment
"That he would compromise a lady's reputation by stepping out with her without scarcely having made her acquaintance" he laughed trying to back track on his comment
"I think your a tad anxious dear brother I was merely talking about a carriage around Vauxhall"
"I should be delighted Master Drew" Cedes said smiling as she glared at Carl knowing what he actually meant
They went out arriving back late in the evening by which time there was some sort of party going on at the Drew's home "I'm not comfortable with this" Mrs Drew told Mrs Jones as they walked towards the entertainment with the five children walking behind them. Michael with Cedes, Carl with Quinn and Joan behind them "They will think they are an item" she added
"There's no harm we're just two families out for the evening" Annabelle told her
"My God they've disappeared" Aunt Alice said as she looked around "People will think she has no family"
"People will think they are courting" Mrs Drew said angry
Feel how my heart beats in your presence" Michael said taking her hand to feel his heart as they stood on the grassed area of the garden looking at the sky
"Despite constant protestations from your brother?" she smiled
"He can't see beyond the colour of your skin, I see way beyond that" he told her as she looked up fascinated by the movement in the sky
"What a beautiful sound" she said of the music playing far in the distance
"You are so cultured, come lets find it" he said pulling her with him to go find the music, they stood listening to the music as his hand swept across her face and as she rounded to look at him her line of sight saw Mr Evans standing looking at her, she was distracted from whatever Michael was saying.
Her breath itched as he started making his way over 'This has to be fate there really is nothing else to explain it, I'm her with this man trying to forget the other and failing miserably only to be faced with my love, did I think that, my love I thought that I want to say that' "Mr Evans" she squeezed out
"Miss Jones" Sam said their eyes still connect from the minute they looked across the garden
"How, how nice to see you" she fumbled out
"And you Miss Jones" the sparkle coming alive in his eyes for her saying that
"Sorry" she said finally aware that there was someone else standing there "Mr Drew may I present Mr Evans he is the son of out clergy back home" she said as neutral as she could
"A Clergyman Sir" Michael laughed lifting his hat "Good evening to you Sir" he said as Sam acknowledged it and walked away
Later on that night there were fireworks, Cedes and Quinn stood watching them while Michael ad Carl fetched drinks, Carl came back with the drinks saying Michael had been held up and Cedes saw a window to go do what she felt she needed to do she ran off to go find Mr Evans and found him listening to the music
"Miss Jones your alone" Sam said looking around as he spoke
"I needed to see you to apologise"
"Apologise for what?" he asked looking at her wanting to touch her just once
"Your privilege father would never have ended it, you would never have had to leave if I'd..."
"He would make my life a living hell if he found out we were speaking right now" he said still looking around
"I've tried to keep up with the Zong..." she got out before Sam grabbed her and flung himself between two bushy trees out of eye view of the crowd, he'd grabbed her at the waist and by the time they'd got to his perceived safe place he had her pressed flush against him as they stared into each other eyes their hot breath hitting each others face as their eyes begged the other to make the move fire in their eyes, on their lips and in the belly's as they stood frozen. They got close real close before Sam remembered that she'd attended with Mr Drew
"Forgive me" he said pulling away
"I've tried to keep up, with the Zong" she said when she found her senses
"It is pitiful, such inability to simply know what price to put on a another's life" he spat out
"What price a worthless Negro?" she asked him almost chuckling at his comment with disgust
"You utterly misunderstand me, I'm saying that no man may have the value of cargo, human beings can not be priced since we are priceless, free men and slaves alike I am with others here, more student up north are putting pressure on the insurance company's to refuse from here on to insure slaves in any ship" he told her excited for what they were trying to achieve
"But that would require a change of law wouldn't it?" she asked
"How can we expect to be civilised when we live in such a barbaric world" he breathed with despair "it is the utter injustice"
"It is more than that, it is the shame of at law that would uphold a financial transaction upon that monstrosity" she told him after thinking about what he was saying
"That is indeed a truth" he looked at her saying, smiling for her militant mind
"I've never heard anyone talk like you Mr Evans"
"Nor I you Miss Jones" he smiled "You must return they will be anxious and goodbye" he said staring at her for a while with a smile on his face only he could interpret
"Bye"Cedes said too mesmerised to say anything else that smile of his had her thinking anything but Goodbye
"Miss Jones" he turned again to say "We commune at the Coach Inn most evenings" he said as she smiled this time he didn't turn straight away he needed to imprint that smile on his heart
"Quite" she said before walking away
Aunt Annabelle was busy trying to get Quinn lined up with Carl and somewhere within the conversation Aunt Alice dropped in that Quinn had not a penny to her name. The Drew's plan had been foiled they wanted to get Carl and Quinn married off so they could be financially well off, all three women stood disappointment for the negative turn they knew this match making process had just taken.
The conversation in their Drawing room at the end of the gathering was blue with "I guess you'll have to have her then" Carl told Michael
"Stop it" his Mother said "You know your brother gets nothing from your father's worth and so all the more reason for him to find a wife with standing" she said "To bed" she got up saying as everyone in the room got up with her
The next morning Cedes sat with her family eating breakfast in the small backstreet dining room, fired up from the conversation with Mr Evans the previous night, watching Rose serve them breakfast and smile at her she was curious she asked "Is Rose a slave?"
"What?" her Uncle asked
"I said is Rose a slave?"
"She's free and under our protection" he told her not happy at her conversation
"Oh like me" she smiled
"Honestly Cedes" Quinn said as Cedes cut her eye at her and carried on anyway
"Hows the fraud appeal Uncle?"
"Stop it I will not have such vulgar conversation at the breakfast table" Aunt Annabelle banged the table saying demanding silence
"I heard yesterday that Mr Evans is in town" Aunt Alice said a smirk on her face
"I'm not surprised Cedes is beginning to sound much like him" her Uncle said as Cedes kicked the chair from underneath her and left the room
Later that afternoon she stood outside the study door listening to conversation her Uncle was having with Mr Drew who sounded like he was discussing Quinn's status but somehow her Uncle turned his attention to Cedes, he confirmed that if he found that the slave traders were wrong he would find favour in the slaves claims as their voices got louder "I have a personal matter to discuss with you" she heard as the door shut "I have a wish to seal the bond..." was all she heard
Three days later she was called to the drawing room "Pardon Me Mam Mr Drew is here to see you"
"Which Mr Drew" Cedes and Quinn said together
"For you Miss Cedes" Rose told her
She walked into the room to see Aunt Annabelle standing there "You need worry about nothing, Uncle has been told" she said before leaving the room
"Miss Jones" Michael said weakly "I think, well actually I know we make a rather good match, father has purchased me a commission in the navy as a captain" he looked around the room before carrying on "Er I cannot offer you a title as Lady Drew that is for my brother's wife, what I'm trying to say is that, I can offer you all that I am to you as Mrs Michael Drew and I trust this would be acceptable to you and it would be my honour if you would agree to become my wife"
"I can not ….. 'I'm in love with Mr Evans' I … I can not... 'Uncle will never allow it' I mean I can not think of anything more wonderful" 'What are you doing?' "Aunt Annabelle we're engaged" she turned to say as the two Aunts burst through the drawing room door, they'd been eavesdropping the whole time, Quinn burst in more upset that it had happened to Cedes before it happened for her, they stayed up the whole night talking about her new status and Quinn's future
The next morning at breakfast as they were making plans for Quinn to go to the high society ball to meet eligible bachelors, Cedes noticed her Aunt Alice reading something about the Zong case, she needed to know about the new development, Mr Evans needed to know about the new developments she made her excuses and went to search his case for evidence of anything, she found some paperwork of interest and made hast to the Coach Inn
"Mr Evans" she called when she saw him pull up near her carriage
"Miss Jones" he said looking around as he spoke before helping her out of the carriage and taking her into their meeting room at the Inn
"It is said all of the ships papers have been lost but here" se said taking out four rolls a paper from under her cloak "I found these in Uncles possession, they mark the path the ships took, all the ports marked that they failed to stop at, if you can prove that they did not stop, you may have something"
"This is incredible" Sam said as their eyes met and a silence fell over them for a short while "This places you in an impossible situation with your Uncle"
"What's the alternative?"
"Walk with me a second, nobody will know you round here and their all drunk anyway" he smiled
"Uncle tries to protect me and he can from some things but my blood is of these people how can I ignore it
"The fault was never with you" he smiled, as he notice her looking around as they walked, she looked up to see a painting of a black boy Kneeling at the foot of a white man and stood looking at it
"Everywhere I go black people at the foot of whites in paintings"
"That's why you didn't want to be painted with Miss Quinn because of her colour?" he smiled "I'm ashamed I ridiculed you for that and I'm sorry"
"Don't feel ashamed" she said looking at him with sorrow in her eyes "Aunt Alice said something when we got here, she told Quinn she was about to be the property of a man or something, it hit me that I've been blessed with freedom twice, as a Negro and as a woman"
"I suppose you have" he laughed
"Must not a lady marry if she's financially secure?" she looked into his eyes asking "Who is she without a husband of consequence, it seems silly much like a free Negro who begs for a master" she gasped
"Unless she married her equal, her true equal a man who respects her" he looked at her saying, she left it there and changed the subject
"I remember my fathers eyes, they were kind gentle a little like yours I mean in colour, he showed me much love" she said smiling
"What of your Mother"
"I remember very little of her"
"At least you know she was beautiful" he said as their eyes met
"I am to marry shortly, Mr Drew" she told him as she moved her eyes out of his path
"Oh"
"He is amiable and of good family"
"Is it what you want?" he asked as he watched her stepping away from him
"The alternative is to replace Lady Alice and her responsibilities at home"
"But she's a spinster" he said alarmed
"Uncle didn't think I could meet a gentleman that would raise my rank or even equal it"
"You are above reducing yourself for the sake of rank, I pray he would marry you without a penny to your name for that is a man who would truly treasure you" he said looking so deep into her eyes she shuddered
She hurried back home before the others came back from their event, Quinn still excited about the bigoted Carl Drew and late that afternoon they went visiting again, Cedes fed up with the wedding talk of the masses made her way to the lake to be accosted by Carl
"Miss Jones" he got up off the grass saying "Oh I forgot you've ensnared my brother" he laughed
"You manners are as poor as your brothers finances" she told him as she went to walk off
"You are foolish enough to marry him , I on the other hand have no further use for your impoverished cousin" he told her as she spun round to see Quinn talking to Michael and went to tell her what he'd said, suddenly he grabbed hold of her "She does make for rather amusing sport" he told her as she struggled to free herself from his grip which he made tighter
"That is painful Sir" she spat at him
"Have you never been man handled before?" he asked hate in is eyes
"It is not in my repertoire to keep company with beasts" she told him as he pushed her away for him with such force she fell to the floor "How dare you" she got up saying
"With ease" he said through his teeth before walking away
That night Cedes lay thinking about the events of the day and the fact that Michael stood not more than 20 foot away from that whole thing with Carl and did nothing, all this because she was a Negro and it seemed worse because she was a wealthy Negro, what had her Father done to her, she cried into her pillow until she found sleep.
The next day she was up and ready to fight the cause she was in the carriage again off to see Mr Evans for an update on whether the information she provided had been of any use
"I'd never imagined myself as married but it is my aunts desire, it is true that if one was to count I've not been attached to anyone for more than three occasions" Mr Evans laughed as they walked through the streets where no one knew them
"Is your aunt not disappointed that you haven't gone back home?"
"My Aunt?" he laughed "I'd prefer to make a pest of myself here in London than go and have an unwanted marriage in Wycombe " he laughed as they walked and talked for a few hours
"Good Lord I need to get home" she finally said and made to find the carriage to get back "Tomorrow" she told him as he helped her up
"I'll look forward to it" he smiled, staring at each other as she drove off
They met almost daily to discuss the pending court hearing and her Uncle's stance on the whole thing building evidence against the slave traders as they went, the looks, stares and glares getting more intense
"Quinn" Cedes said one day as they played piano together "I will help you find your husband and I will ask Uncle to set up a dowry to support you financially, make you more appealing" she told her
It won't be long Carl will come for me soon" Quinn said excitedly
"He won't Quinn, he's not a good person you need to forget him"
"Why are you saying these things to me" Quinn asked ready to burst into tears
"He manhandled me Quinn, in the worst way" Cedes told her as Quinn shook her head in denial stepping away from her
"Your lying, why would you say that? he would never touch you because your..." she stopped herself mid sentence
"What am I Quinn?" Cedes asked angry now for Quinn not taking her word
"You're …..." she said looking at her with tears in the eyes "Your a Negro" she blurted out
"I am but I'm the one with the financial stability" she said taking the ring Michael had given her off and placing it on the table "Your the one who's father decided not to own her that's why your in this predicament" she told her as Quinn stood stuck for words finally walking away
Cedes was out nearly every day in her private meetings with Mr Evans, her Uncle had noticed her tardiness and began to monitor her movements so one afternoon when she returned home he accosted the Carriage driver and made him collect him the next time he made the trip. He didn't have to wait long the following day Cedes made her trip to see Mr Evans at their now usual place and the carriage went back and picked up her Uncle as he'd requested, when the door knocked they expected a sympathiser but found her Uncle at the door, he burst into the room without being invited in
"This man's ambition includes you, you will endure shame and risk your position for a man without name, who will sully yours and drag your reputation into the gutter" her Uncle spat looking at her the whole time
"I take great offence at your deformation of my character without ever having taken even a moment to get to know me" Sam replied
"Where is your bride?" Her Uncle asked him
"You have no right to..."
"Right I have every right" her Uncle shouted back
"You have no right, not until you stop seeing the world as those above and those below and start seeing people as people human beings who think and feel the same way you do" Sam raised his voice to match her Uncle's saying
"I know you have a lady in Wycombe that is waiting to be your wife" he told them
"No I have an ambitious Aunt in Wycombe, who like you thinks that wealth and reputation is everything and despises love as if it were the devils own creation"
"Love what do you..." He Uncle moved forward asking
"No don't, stop" Cedes shouted as the two men's voices raised and they moved towards each other
"Yes, Yes" Sam shouted "I love her, I love her with every breath I breathe" he said as silence fell over the room and his eyes shifted from Gerald to Cedes as he saw her smiling back at him, melting his heart
"Go Sam, you do not deserve this" Cedes said softly, before looking with hate at her Uncle while Sam looked at her again before leaving the Inn "My father would never have behaved like this" she turned to her Uncle saying through stiff lips
"You father would never have behaved like this because, he's not here. Your destroying your future with the only opportunity you'll ever get, is that what you want?" he asked as she grabbed her coat and left the Inn her uncle following her as they made their way home in silence
When they got home she could hear her Uncle shouting for hours before she finally heard her Aunts voice and then quiet and she sat wondering if her Aunt had talked him round again or if he'd finally won the battle, she fell asleep wondering
What she didn't hear was her Aunt ask "You love her don't you?
And her Uncle answer "As if she were our own"
The next month went slowly with her Uncle watching every move she made she was hearing nothing about what was going on out there in the world, she'd become the sheltered Negro girl again. They were sitting having afternoon tea when Aunt Alice read from the paper out loud that Carl Drew was getting married to some girl in Gloucestershire, which finally broke Quinn's heart. She finally went running back to Cedes of course for comfort and they had their usual heart to heart and Cedes confided in her that she wasn't going to marry Michael after all.
The Drew family came down to make plans for the wedding and Cedes chose that opportunity to announce her intentions
"Your charge, whose unfortunate circumstances we chose to forgive, had decided she no longer wishes to marry my son, an officer and a gentlemen" Mrs Drew said to her Aunt and Uncle as everyone sat around the drawing room
"I think she's already explained that Mrs Drew" her Uncle said
"Why do you not want to marry me, Miss Jones?" Michael asked as Cedes looked up at him but said nothing
"Has she lost her tongue now?" Mrs Drew stood over Cedes asking "Have you lost your tongue?"
"No I have not lost my tongue.. Madam" she looked up at the woman saying "I have enough voice to explain why I may not marry your son, you feel I'm unfortunate, although I can not compare mine to the misfortune the people that I resemble encounter, but my greatest misfortune would be to marry into a family that would carry me as their shame; as I have learned to carry my own family. Since I wish to deny them no more than I want to deny myself, you will forgive me if I aim for a husband that thinks forgiveness of my colour is unnecessary and without grace" she said walking out and slamming the door to be met by Aunt Alice who held her hand for the longest time
Days later Cedes sat in the garden reading when the portrait finally arrived, to her surprise she was actually sitting higher than Quinn, she felt such emotion she kissed her Uncle in thanks, as they walked back to the drawing room they talked
"What are you reading?" he asked of the book she held in her hand
"Oh Thomas Day he talks of a slave that wished to marry an English lady, impossible situation" she smiled as he thought about his next words
"Cedes I have enabled every rule of convention so you would know exactly where you belong, and still you stand here telling me nothing has changed, what can I do?"
What if there were not a rule Uncle, would you have returned me to the slums?" she asked "You are courageous, and you break all of the rules with things that matter to you, I am the evidence, that painting is the evidence" she looked at him saying hoping she was getting through to him
Gerald pondered those words as the day approached for the hearing. He sat in the House of Lords listening to fractions of conversations before his ear fell on Sam Evans' conversation
"Parliament has a duty to uphold and create the laws that progress our morality not retard it, laws that allow us to diminish the humanity of anybody are not laws they are frameworks for crime, that is a country whose hope is lost" Sam told the group of men he sat with, passion in his voice
"Why does if matter to you so much?" Gerald asked Sam as they met outside the House of Lords
"My Lord I have seen your notes, if they'd have wanted water they could have had it, more than once" he walked after him saying, frustrated that Gerald still felt he had a decision to make
Cedes took my notes?" Gerald stopped to say before carrying on as Sam realised what he'd said
"My Lord" he ran after him shouting "If you find for the traders you will be formalising the concept of allowing human cargo
"That's correct" Gerald said as he got in his carriage
"Then know that when you are gone your legacy would have been to leave Miss Cedes in a world where she may be worth more dead that alive" he shouted after him making him stop in his tracks
"Cedes is not a slave" he announced
"By the very grace of God" Sam said frustrated for him not seeing any connection
"This is not about Cedes" he shouted
"Of course it is, its about all of us, its about everything everything that is important" Sam said standing there unable to fathom how this man didn't understand the concept of murder
"Mr Evans the world is a devastating place, you must learn to protect your emotions if you wish to prevent matters both of law and love from devastating you" he told him as he tapped the cab to move and left Sam standing there unsure what to say about that
The day arrived and everyone went out leaving Cedes in the house, perfect opportunity for her to make a trip to a certain High Court for the big announcement. She got ready and approached the carriage driver who refused to take her on orders from her Uncle "Fine I'll take the carriage then" she told him attempting to climb up and eventually he agreed to take her. She got to the Court in time to hear her Uncle uphold the Jettisoning of slaves as legal, but declared the incident on the Zong as fraud, as the people went into uproar, she smiled as she heard him say
"It is my opinion that the state of slavery is so odious a position, that nothing may support it, let justice be done so the heavens may fall, I find in favour of the insurers and overturn the decision of the owners, the events of the Zong were Murder, in cold blood" she instantly went in search of Sam and found him in the rafters
They got to each other and time stood still for that moment as they found each others eyes and fell in so deeply they fell into each others arms, as her Uncle watched them hugging in the middle of the Court house
"Uncle" Cedes said when they finally got outside "Don't blame Sam, my decision to attend today was purely me" she told him
"I'm fully aware of that" he replied and Sam grabbed hold of Cedes hand as they both looked at their joined hands before carrying on the conversation
"My Lord I am inspired by your decision today, we will not got backwards from here" Sam assured him
"History will judge whether your optimism is warranted, your a man of conviction, I'll give you that" he said as Cedes stood watching
"I try to be" Sam replied a smile coming for the compliment as he clasping Cedes hand nervously
"I've not changed my mind, she will still marry a gentlemen" Gerald said as the smile left Sam's face
"Mr Drew is not a gentlemen Uncle" she said upset
"He is indeed " he replied
"But my affections are with him Uncle" she said looking up at Sam
"And that is why he should have an occupation befitting one" he said as a smile found his face
"I shall do nothing if I'm not to be his wife " she said looking at Sam water in her eyes, Sam looking back at her stunned for her comment
"Mr Evans I would like you to attend my chambers in the morning, there are some matters you can assist me with" he looked at Sam saying
"Your Lordship?" Sam asked checking Gerald's face for authenticity
"And if you think its a good idea I would like to facilitate your entry into the ways of the courts" Gerald told him
"Actually I think it is a very good idea My Lord " Sam said chocked up, with a smile on his face
He left them there standing hand in hand "Is it true?" Sam asked as she spun round to listen to him
"We were stood there in that Courtroom, we all heard it" Cedes looked at him saying
"No I mean that you want to marry me" he smiled "Because I can't think of anyone else I'd like to share my life with"
"Of course" she looked at him saying "I love you for all that you are, and with all that I am and..." He grabbed her lips before she finished right there in the street
"Forgive me" he pulled away saying before looking down at her again "I'm not finished" he said going back in making her smile as she closed her eyes and went back to where he'd took her
The End
Happy Black History Month - Based loosely on the film Belle