After hours of trying to comfort Bonnie, she had cried herself to sleep. Dried tears trailed down her face and crusted her black eyelashes as she slept in Ashley's arms. Every time he had tried to move the girl she would start to whimper in sleep.
Beau had been sent off to play with his school friends so the boy would not become distracted or upset himself. It was obvious that Bonnie was too upset to play or do anything other than cry for her mother. The best thing for her now was to be given attention and comfort to try to make her happy.
Ashley was not good with children, not even his son. Though he tolerated Beau for the fact the boy was his own flesh and blood and was good natured like his mother. But since he was not there for the first two years of the boy's life left Ashley in an awkward situation, his son felt like a stranger even though he was with him every day for the last six years.
He shifted Bonnie's sleeping form to allow her head to rest on his shoulder as he rubbed the child's back. Just then Prissy came through the door carrying carpet bags as she noisily entered the foyer dropping the backs on the floor. She was clumsy and careless when it came to tasks. Ashley, sitting in view of the front door, turned his attention to the foyer and glared at the stupid girl.
"Must you be so loud?" Ashley harshly whispered as not to disturb Bonnie.
"I's sorry, Mr. Wilksus." Prissy said adding a syllable to his last name as she had always done.
Shaking his head trying to keep his calm before speaking. "Take her things into Mr. Beau's room. And be quiet." He added as an afterthought.
Prissy moved along dragging her feet across the floor and hitting the bags on the door frame. Bonnie started to stir at the noise, giving off a moan which sounded more like an exhausted sob. Ashley tried to make a shushing sound to keep her asleep and kept patting her back.
"Mommy…" The child mumbled.
"It's alright, Bonnie, your mother will be fine." Ashley said quietly not believing himself. "Prissy." He called as she came out of the room. "Did you bring Miss Bonnie a cot?"
"No, sa." She said, not listening as she walked away.
"Go back to the house and get one."
Bonnie was looking at Ashley in absolute confusion. They just stared at one another, not daring to say a word. Ashley did not want to be the one to answer the child's questions in which he had no answers. He could tell Bonnie was on the verge of another crying jag if any reminder of her mother came up.
"Would you like some milk and cookies?" She shook her head to the question. "Do you want to go outside and play?" Again she shook her head. "How about I read you another story."
"No. Mommy." Bonnie said as her lip quivered and her eyes watered.
Taking in a deep breath, he knew there was no other choice but to mention the situation. "I'm sorry Bonnie, I do not know anything about your mother. Aunt Melly is with her now and when she returns, I promise you, Aunt Melly will tell you about your mother."
"Want Mommy." She began to cry.
"Would you feel better if I told you stories of your mother as a child? You know we used to live next door to each other in the country." He could tell her interest was acquired. Once your mother caught a lizard and put it on my sister India's head. India screamed and rand around the front yard of Tara smacking her head. The whole time, Scarlett was sitting on the steps laughing her head off. It was quite a funny moment."
Getting no reaction out of the child, Ashley tried to come up with another story. "When Scarlett was about thirteen, Brent Tarlton had stolen his mother's new stallion and brought it to Scarlett. This horse was wild and quite mean. It nipped at me one day. Scarlett secretly broke the horse herself until Mrs. Tarlton found the location of her horse. Seeing the bond between Scarlett and the horse, Mrs. Tarlton decided to give the horse to your mother as a gift. It turned out to be one of the best horses in the county." Ashley's voice was monotone which was quite normal for his breed.
How could he comfort the child of a man he was disgusted with? Was he supposed to forget who sired the child in his arms and pretend the child was of Immaculate Conception? Thankfully Bonnie looked like her mother. He could only pray for Scarlett's recovery so Bonnie could keep her mother.
He knew what life was like growing up without a mother. Though his life was not hindered much by his mother's demise, it was drastically changed for his sisters, especially India. It had become India's responsibility to be head mistress and take care of the sick, ration the food out to the slaves, organize balls. She had done what most girls should not have even thought about. India took care of their father, making sure he had clean suits and meals to eat. She had a hard life which ultimately turned her into a spinster now.
Bonnie did not need that life. She would have to take care of her father as he traveled endlessly. Children needed to be pampered and hid away from the harsh world as long as possible. The world they now lived in was torture. Gone were the lazy days of the old world that included barbeques and balls, and class. Ashley missed the genteel way of life, the life he was born into and bred to carry on the customs of their civilization.
"Come now, Bonnie, you must eat." He carried the child into the small kitchen where Dilcy was warming up some food. "Dilcy, please see to it Miss Bonnie eats and don't let her out of your site.
Dilcy knew why Bonnie was there. Her own daughter, Prissy had come around back to tell her of the chaos at the Butler mansion. Even though Prissy was her child, she did not see how she could bore such a stupid child. Yes the darkies gossiped about their employers but they did not go on telling of such things as Prissy did of the Butlers. Many of the darkies that Prissy ran into loved the exaggerated tales of the Butler's marriage and spread them around like a fire in a dry forest. Dilcy knew the only reason Scarlett kept Prissy employed was out of respect and responsibility.
Before a sound was uttered, Ashley exited the room after setting Bonnie down in a seat at the table. He needed Melanie; he needed her to give him news of Scarlett. Being around Bonnie only made the thought of Scarlett's potential death hard to take. Also Melly needed to explain what was going on to Bonnie; there was no way in hell he was going to tell the child. Since he knew next to nothing of the situation it would be rather stupid of him to report to Bonnie of her mother's health.
Sitting on the front porch in the rocking chair, he waited. Melly would have to arrive home soon, the street operators were starting to light the street lamps and he did not like for Melly to be out by herself even if it was to visit Scarlett. Hearing hooves hit the dirt road; he looked up to see a fine looking carriage that stopped in front of his house.