"You've a lovely home, ." Master Jacobs said glancing around the cabin and setting down his spoon. He had arrived at dinner and spent most of the night directing his conversation to Daniel. He ate greedily without pausing for conversation. Rebecca tried to remain open and not judge him too quickly. She clung to hope that everything was just a misunderstanding and not outright maliciousness.
"Well, thank you, but Becky's the one who gets credit for that." Daniel said with a wink at his wife.
"I was told I could expect a good meal and that doesn't even do it justice. That was a delicious!"
"Ma's the best cook 'round these parts." Israel said proudly.
"Thank you Israel, but my Ma, now, she was a good cook! I wish I could cook like her." Rebecca said with a grin.
"You came from Ireland?" He asked finally speaking to her, but Daniel was surprised by his rough manner. He didn't even bother to use her name while addressing her, in fact, he hadn't spoken to her at all until just then. Not once had he even really acknowledged her presence. Daniel found himself already attempting to suppress a smoldering and growing rage.
"Aye, but that was long ago. I left the old world when I was just a girl. Now, I am an American."
"You came here to work, I was told." He said off-handed taking another bite. "I thought perhaps you'd picked up your cooking from one of the places you served at."
His tone was dismissive and somewhat disrespectful. She saw Daniel's face darken, and immediately jumped in. "No, my Ma taught me, just as I have taught my daughters. Wait until you taste the pie that Katie baked. Of all my girls, she's the best at pies." Rebecca smiled at Katie-Grace who hadn't spoken an entire word since Master Jacobs arrival. "Girls why don't you clear the dishes so we can have that pie."
Katie and Rose immediately set to clearing the table. Master Jacobs glanced around the cabin again. "I've never seen a home with so many books."
"Oh, that's Becky again. Now, some women love pretty jewelry or a fine bottle of perfume, but this girl loves books! Every time I go to Salem, I bring her back a new one. You'd think I was bringing her diamonds. You are welcome to borrow any if you'd like."
"Well, I do love to read!" Becky said rising to fetch the pie.
"This house is full of surprises!" Master Jacobs said. "I didn't think a servant would have been taught to read." He chuckled and looked up surprised by the look of anger on Daniel's face.
"What did you say?" Daniel said angrily. The children stood frozen watching the adults.
"Oh, I was just saying that I was surprised that she knew how to . . ." His voice faded away as he looked around the room.
"Her name is Rebecca, but I think you better call her Mrs. Boone." Daniel was angry.
"I apologize. I meant no disrespect. I had heard that she was a bond-slave. I didn't think that you had married." Daniel rose ready to fight, but Israel beat him to it.
"Shut up!" Israel said angrily. He stood at his chair seething. Katie-Grace grabbed his arm pulling him back towards the pantry. "Shut up! Don't you dare speak of my mother that way."
"Israel." His father's voice was unrecognizably cold. He looked at the frightened look on his daughter's faces. "That's enough. I think it best your Ma and I have a private chat with School Master Jacobs."
Israel turned towards his mother. "Ma?" Daniel smiled inwardly in spite of the tidal wave of rage he felt as he watched his son stand up in defense of his mother.
"Israel," His mother said quietly. "Its alright. Your Pa's here. Why don't you take that pie and your sisters to visit the Bradleys. Little Elizabeth has been sick, but is better now. I'm sure that they'd appreciate a visit."
He nodded his head and led his sisters out. He hesitated in the doorway. Ignoring Master Jacobs, she crossed to him and taking his hands she said, "Thank you, Israel." He nodded his head and kissing her cheek, he turned and left.
She turned back and could see her husband glaring and leaning over Master Jacobs who looked terrified.
"I think I should I go." He started to rise, but Daniel pushed him back in his chair. "Sit!"
"It's clear I've offended you and have worn my welcome out. I'll leave. I only spoke of what I'd heard; what I believed to be true. I addressed her in the manner of which I believed appropriate. She was once a bond-slave, was she not? I'm not wrong in that, am I?"
Rebecca saw her husband's fingers twitch and knew she would have to act quickly to prevent violence. They still needed desperately to talk about Katie-Grace.
"Master Jacobs," Rebecca began. "I was bound when I came to Kentucky. I paid off my father's debt and paid my passage to America. That was a long time ago, and the greatness of this new country is that everyone can start fresh. We don't hold a person's past against them. It is what you do here and now that matters, and I'm afraid in this area, it is you who have fallen short. But setting all that aside, we have something important we need to discuss regarding our daughter."
"I apologize if I have offended you with my plain talk, but I am not a man who believes in disguising the truth."
"You are a man who lacks manners! You insulted my wife in front of me and my children! And then you don't even offer a real apology. You don't even realize that it is her good manners that has prevented me from knocking you flat!" Daniel's voice rose and he slammed his fist hard into the table.
"Dan," She said softly. "There are other troubles we need to focus on." She met his eyes and watched as he swallowed down his rage.
"What is it you need to discuss? Margaret is a good and steady student. Her only issue is that she refuses to respond when I call on her from time to time." Master Jacobs said.
"It isn't Rose we wanted to discuss. Although, I would point out to you, as we have before, she doesn't go by the name Margaret. We call her Rose. No, it is our daughter, Katie-Grace we are concerned about."
"Your niece is defiant and disobedient." He said sternly. Rebecca saw her husband clench and unclench his fists. He was trying to suppress his rage.
"Why have you been tormenting our Katie so? You refuse to allow her to refer to us as her Ma and Pa. What business is it of yours what she calls us?" Daniel asked him.
"I do not believe in speaking anything but the truth. She is your niece. Her last name is not Boone. I do not understand why everyone is being so stubborn on this issue. I simply asked her to write an essay, as I did the entire class. She's the only one who refused. The first paper she turned in was on the wrong topic, and the second was completely unacceptable."
"What was the assignment?" Daniel asked.
"It was a simple essay. Students were to write about their fathers. I thought it an appropriate assignment for Founders Day. No one else fought against it. Only her. The essay she turned in consisted of four sentences."
"Was that the first or the second time she'd written it?" Rebecca asked him.
"The second. The first time she wrote a longer essay, but it wasn't about her father." He looked at her. "That is why I asked her to write the second one. But she refused for days, and then finally turned in four sentences."
"The first one was about Daniel, wasn't it?" Rebecca asked and she stretched herself to her full height. A wave of something Daniel always called, "Mother Bear" came over her. Her voice rose. "And you made her rewrite it? Why? She wrote about her Pa, the only one she knows. Master Jacobs, you've over-stepped your bounds. Dan . . ." Rebecca stood her fists balled. She was furious and she turned to her husband.
"I would think you would understand my position of all people. An orphan needs to know their place. It is important that Kathleen understands that her position is tenuous."
"Becky's no orphan, and even if she were, it wouldn't be your business." Daniel eyes were still filled with fury.
"You were an orphan?" Becky asked.
"My parents died when I was two, and I spent my life in and out of orphanages. Families would take me home, but when difficult times came they sent me back. That's how it is when you are on the outside. I wanted only to save her grief."
"Families sent you back?" Rebecca said and Daniel could see that in spite of all his insults, her compassionate heart was taking over. "That's awful, but that isn't how it is for Katie-Grace. She is ours, as much as Israel or Rose."
"You say that now, but when trouble comes. . ." Master Jacobs said stubbornly.
"Trouble has come. Many a time." Daniel said. "You don't understand families at all. You certainly don't understand our family. I am sorry that you never had one. Maybe if you found yourself a wife, she'd be able to bring you 'round. I would never turn Katie-Grace away. She's my child and I'd fight to the end to protect her."
"You say that now, but in my experience it won't hold true. As to your niece, I can forget this assignment, if she agrees to obey and submit herself to my authority in the future. I can see now that we will never meet eye to eye on this issue. Perhaps it is best if we set it aside. As long as you can promise me, she'll follow as I lead. She must learn obedience." Master Jacobs said.
"No, I don't think that will work for us. Katie-Grace obeys just fine. I cannot allow her to spend her days with you, if you are going to continue to make her doubt her place in her own family. I think it will be best if our girls withdraw from the school. My wife can teach them at home. I know she'll do a better job of instructing them on manners."
"I see where she's picked up her stubbornness. My classroom is open to all, so if you change your mind, both girls are welcome to return." He rose and turned to leave. "Oh, here, I was going to return her essay to her." He handed a paper to Daniel who took it and handed it to his wife. "I do thank you for the meal, Mrs. Boone. I apologize for any offense I may have dealt with my honest talk. I guess I shouldn't have expected so much sophistication from a backwoodsman and an immigrant."
Daniel's eyes grew wide and Becky could see the hair standing out on the back of his neck. He grabbed the school master by both his arms and shoved him outside and on to the porch. He held him roughly by the collar of his shirt. Seething, it took every ounce of his willpower not to beat him then and there.
"My wife is the only thing keeping me from harming you right now, but the next time I see you, she won't be at my side. I'm sorry that you've never had a family. I truly am. You've a lot to learn about the people here." He felt his fury rising. "If you ever . . . " He glanced back at Rebecca standing in the door way. "Go! Go now!"
He watched Master Jacobs turn and fairly run away. He took in deep breaths of air trying to calm his racing heart. He fought the powerful desire to run after him and hit him. He wanted to drive his fists into his doughy skin over and over. He turned back towards the cabin where Becky stood in the door way. Studying her, standing there calmed him some. The light was behind her and it made the tips of hair shine like gold. He thought of how generous, patient and compassionate she was. She was beautiful inside and out. He sighed exasperated. Thinking of how kind she was only made him more enraged. He turned towards her.
"I'm sorry Becky." He said to her.
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong. Don't worry about me. He's a foolish man. I don't care what he thinks." She looked up at him and rested her hand against his cheek. Taking his hand she led him inside. "Well, that didn't go very well did it?" She looked up at her husband with a grin. "Mo shearc, I'm fine. Don't waste any time being angry on my account." Standing on tiptoe she kissed his cheek. Turning she looked down at the paper that Master Jacobs had left and read it.
"Oh, Dan. Our poor girl!" She handed it to Daniel.
He took it from her and read it aloud. "My father's name was Patrick O'Malley. He was angry. He hit my Ma. He is dead."
"Becky, I wish I'd hit that man." He studied her worried that Katie's revelation would cause her additional pain.
"I wish you had too." She sat down on the settee near the fire. She rubbed her face with her hand wearily.
"Honey, I'm sorry about Susannah." He said sitting beside her. "Katie-Grace talked to me about it, but she didn't want you to know. She didn't want you to be sad." He took her hand in his.
"I already knew. I guess I never showed you the letters she wrote me. I kept telling her to come to Kentucky and stay with us. I think maybe that was her intention when . . ." She squeezed his fingers.
"Still, I am sorry." He said looking at her.
"It is a risky thing to be bound over to someone." She said quietly. "It doesn't turn out well for most girls." She said with a catch in her voice. "Not everyone is lucky."
Daniel lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "Becky, I'm the lucky one."
She smiled up at him, her blue eyes shimmering with tears, and said, "Let's go get our children."
He nodded and taking her by the hand, he led her out the door.