The path to the river was bumpy and the carriage did not handle the uneven surface well so Yvonne's stomach heaved. She raised her hand to her mouth as another bout of nausea hit making her feel weak and miserable. This must be one of the few weaknesses of being in her state…it was annoying as her tummy had never had any issues before the change.
Samuel, who was walking beside the carriage turned, offered her a piece of tobacco leaf to chew.
"It will help with the upset stomach Madam."
"Samuel, you speak well, who taught you?" Yvonne asked.
"I was born on this plantation Madam and Busha's mother taught me to speak and to read too, but Master does not like it when I read or speak his language, so I remain silent as much as possible," Samuel replied.
"So why are you talking to me Samuel?"
"You are one of us Madam, you are black and I heard you were born in St. Thomas too, so we have something in common."
They spoke in hushed tones.
"Can you swim Madam?"
"No," she replied, "That is what you are supposed to be teaching me to do Samuel," Yvonne replied with a sly smile.
"Madam, Master said that I should not look at your body and it will be impossible to teach you to swim and not look."
"Hah," she laughed, "Samuel do you see your Master around in this bush? I will send away the women and I can trust you to be very discreet with your vision."
"The hole is quite secluded Madam and is in a nice quiet spot that does not get visitors especially at this time of the day and day of the week. The estate is quite busy so you will have the place to yourself," Samuel replied with his booming voice.
She could hear the river gurgling across the rocks and the vegetation got thicker as she approached the source of the sound. The aroma of ripening mangoes stung her nose.
"Wow, I have not eaten a mango in a while," she said.
"I will fetch some for you Madam while you are at the river," Samuel said softly.
She could taste the mango already as the sweet smell captivated her nostril.
"Why have you not eaten a mango in a long while?" Samuel asked.
"I was away in Europe at school and I only returned to the Island because I felt home sick and here I am now married to Busha and he is off on business. How old are you Samuel?" Yvonne asked.
"I am twenty-five," he replied, but got quiet as one of her servants got close to the carriage.
"Madam, can we collect some mangoes for you while Samuel watch you swim?"
"Sure," she replied and smiled as it gave her more time to talk with Samuel, he seemed quite intelligent. As she watched the women veer left on the bath toward a mango tree laden with ripe fruit on its bowing branches, she whispered Samuel, "Samuel they are gone, you can talk now."
"Madam, bushes have ears and eyes,"
"What?" she asked with an astonished look on her face, she recalled a similar line from Benjamin the day she sat on his phallus under the tall coconut tree in Belvedere.
"Come Miss, the river is just around the bend, but I must warn you the hole is deep in some sections and you could drown if you get into difficulties."
She remained quiet until she could see the river and leapt from the carriage, ran down to the river and placed her toes in the water.
"Ewwh!" she shrieked, "It's so cold but it feels nice."
"Come, the hole is just up this track and we have to walk."
The narrow track was through cane grass that bloomed and rustled in the wind. Yvonne watched Samuel's ass as he walked and wondered if he wore a loin cloth and if he dangled like a pendulum. His cheeks looked firm and muscular as did his back. She could see beneath his shirt, the bands of muscles rippled as the sweat rolled down his back towards the crack between his cheeks.
"Samuel, what do you do on the Estate?"
"I am the apprentice blacksmith Madam."
"Oh, just like my Benjamin."
He could hear the sadness in her voice.
"What do you mean Madam, who is Benjamin?"
"Nothing really Samuel, I shouldn't be talking to you but I feel as if I can tell you anything. Benjamin was my childhood friend on the plantation and just like a puff of wind he disappeared or just died as Pierre claims and if it's the last thing that I do before I die, I am going to find him. Wow," she said as she looked ahead of him and saw crystal clear water that was lying flat as if the wind could not touch it. "That is so beautiful," she said and ran past him, dropped off her coat and jumped right in the water.
Her feet could not find the bottom to stand, and her arms started to flail as she gasped for air. Samuel was in shock at first, he stood and watched as her head bobbed up and down twice and when he saw it go down for the third time he jumped into the water and grabbed her beneath her chin and swam towards the embankment.
"That ends lesson one Miss," Samuel said exasperated and breathing deeply. "I told you that the water was deep," he said as he watched her chest heaving. Yvonne tried hard to catch her breath and sucked for air.
"I never realised it was that deep, I thought I could see the stones at the bottom," Yvonne replied after a short while.
"Yes, that is always the trick with water. It's like a woman, seductive, you think you can manage and before long you find yourself drowning and can't manage. If she is evil and wicked, she just stands there and watch you die," Samuel replied quietly.
"Ouch, that sounds like someone that has suffered a broken heart before Samuel?" Yvonne asked with a calm soothing voice
"Yes, I've had my heart broken into smithereens before and my manhood trampled on, so I know what it is to have loved and lost," Samuel replied dejectedly.
"Are you sure you weren't taught at a school Samuel? The words that you use are above your station in life," Yvonne asked inquisitively
"Yes, I've read several books and I was being taught by a Baptist deacon to read and to write in secret and as I told you already, Busha's mother taught me too," Samuel replied boastfully, but hesitantly he searched her face to gauge her thoughts.
"What do you know about love Samuel?" Yvonne asked.
Her pink nipples printed through the fabric as Samuel looked at her through the corner of his eye. He breathed a sigh of relief wondering if she would sell him out and have him hanged. However, she had a spirit that he felt he could trust.
"What if the ladies catch you looking at me like that Samuel and they tell your Master?" Yvonne asked with a wry smile on her face.
"Then he will have me flogged and hung like a dog," Samuel replied with a measure of fear in his voice.
"So, why do you still look at me like that?" Yvonne asked playfully with a hint of seduction in her voice, while twisting the ends of her wet hair in her fingers.
"I've never seen a white woman as beautiful as you are Madam, and I just can't help looking and wondering what it would feel like to touch you."
"Samuel!" she half shouted, "I could have you flogged and hung like a dog just for saying that. Do you know that?"
"I am sorry," he replied, "I am Sorry Madam. I passed my place."
"It's ok Samuel, at least you do understand your place and by the way you did touch me when you saved my ass from drowning remember and therefore I owe you."
Samuel felt ashamed and tried hard to look away from Yvonne.
She watched his body language keenly and Yvonne cleared her throat just enough to catch his attention and to set him at ease.
"So, you have linked up with the rebel preacher, have been taught to read and write and you have touched a white woman. In addition, you have bravely spoken your mind and have lusted Samuel?"
"Yes, I have Madam," Samuel replied sheepishly.
"That is indeed a confession Samuel. Are you aware that if a word of this gets out about our conversation it could mean your life? What are you willing to do for me to keep your secrets?" Yvonne asked with a scowl on her face.
Electricity ran down Samuel's spine
"Anything Madam," he replied with fear in his voice.
"Stop fretting Samuel, I can see the look of death on your face," Yvonne chuckled.
"Listen, just before feeding time I need my second lesson and I will tell the ladies that they are free to go. I don't want you to be timid or fearful to teach me to swim. Is that alright Samuel?" Yvonne asked
The wheels in her head had already started to hatch a plan and as Samuel placed her coat around her she felt the strength in his arms that had for a brief moment encircled her. The walk back to the carriage was rather sombre as both Samuel and Yvonne seemed to be in deep thought about their interaction with each other. The foundation had been laid for Yvonne's plan to unfold.
Samuel was a trusted servant of Pierre. He was strong and had a weakness and that was his ambition to want better for himself along with his openness to share his thoughts with her. Samuel thought he had shared too much and now he had become obligated to staying close to Ms Yvonne and making sure she was always happy because she caught him staring at her half naked body, plus his boasting about being able to read and write.
The women joined them near the Mango tree and they feasted on the yellow stringy mangoes dropping the skin and the seeds along the path towards the Great House. The sun and the wind had almost dried her hair and clothes as she alighted from the carriage and strolled up the cut stone steps through the huge columns and into the cool climes of the great hall. The floor boards felt warm under her feet and as she looked up towards the winding staircase she dropped her coat on the floor and headed towards the kitchen were the smell of sweet potato pudding was calling her name. Her clothes had been stained by mango juice, but the taste of the mangoes had already faded from her mind. The pudding was still steaming as she sliced into it and asked for a plate for another piece.