Darkness

Gregor

When we wrap up work for the day, Moses and I stand together, watching as the men pack up the wagons and prepare to go home to Natchez. Moses is overwhelmed, I can tell. We stand in front of the cabin, the walls fully enclosed, the windows in their frames, all of the primary construction complete. There is a well nearby, which is also the one used by the overseer’s household. Eventually I’d like to have a water pump installed like the one at my house, but that is another project for the future. Tomorrow the furniture will be brought in, along with a few other belongings, such as some basic dishes, some curtains for the windows, a couple of throw rugs for the floor. We’ll also be painting the walls, and putting on a few more finishing touches.

“It’ll be done tomorrow,” I assure him. “You can get married and move in as soon as the paint dries.” I grin over at him, and then put my hand on his shoulder. “It’s really happening.”

He has his hand to his mouth. He looks over at me, and starts to thank me again. But I cut him off. “Moses, you have already thanked me ten million times. That’s plenty. I get the message.” It makes him smile and look down at the ground. Good. I go on, “When do you think the wedding will be?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “I want to plant a few flowers and things out here, I’ll need another day or two for that. And I’ve told Dalila that she can decide when to get married, and make all the plans.”

“Well, how about I go with you back to the house, so we can see if any plans have been made yet? Rosalind wants to know all about it, and to help if she can.”

He nods. “Yes, thank y---” I hold my hands up in warning, and he laughs.

When the men all depart on their horses and wagons, I lead Issoba by the reins as we walk up to the house. A groom comes to take him as always, and I tell him, “I won’t be long, don’t bother taking the saddle off.”

When we get inside, it seems that it is nearly dinner time. Stephen comes to greet us on the porch, and before we go inside he asks, “Would you like to stay for dinner, Gregor?”

“No thank you, I just wanted to pop up and see how the wedding plans are coming. The cabin will be finished tomorrow, then ready for habitation in another day or so after that. Rosalind has tasked me with getting details about the wedding date.”

“I’m leaving that to the women,” he laughs, “you’ll have to ask them. Come in.”

Margaret and Dalila are in the parlor, along with Ayola. After having been admonished the other day by Stephen to be quieter when she greets me, she does not come stampeding and shrieking “Woosh” at me, which I confess I rather miss. Instead, she simply gets to her feet and comes over with a big sunny smile on her cute little face and stands next to me. My goodness, what a young lady she is becoming.

“She is not yet twenty-two months old,” Wolk reminds me with a laugh.

“Not too old to pick up yet, thank goodness,” I think to him, reaching down for her.

She comes happily into my arms, and whispers, “Woosh” into my ear once I have lifted her. Whether she means my name or the feeling we share, it is unclear, but I know that in her mind those two things are quite intermingled.

“Yes,” I smile at her, and plant a little kiss on the top of her head.

Margaret is sitting in the parlor as we walk in, and she smiles up at us. She looks wonderful, her cheeks rounder, her form rounder, her pale blue eyes glowing with happiness. I am so happy for my friends as they expect their first baby. There is no greater happiness.

“Hello, Gregor,” she says, “have a seat.”

I sit down in a chair with Ayola on my lap, while Stephen sits on the sofa next to his wife. Moses goes to stand near Dalila at the back of the room, and I am so pleased to watch as he takes her hand, no longer trying to hide their love. How marvelous.

“How is the cabin coming along?” Margaret asks.

“Basically complete,” I tell her, “we’ve made very good progress. It should be ready to live in within the next two or three days.” I grin over at Dalila, who is beaming, her smile broader than her usual more sedate expression.

“Is it?” Margaret asks, excitedly. “Well, Dalila, we should settle on a definite date then!”

“That’s exactly why I’m here,” I tell her. “Rosalind wants to know all the details.”

Dalila and Moses stare at each other. He waits for a moment, and when she doesn’t say anything, he says with a grin, “Well? When will I finally be allowed to make you my wife?”

It’s still hard for her, and Margaret realizes that. “Tomorrow is Friday, so if it will be ready in two or three days, I think holding the ceremony on Tuesday might give us enough time to get everything ready?” She looks at Dalila, who seems overwhelmed. Moses seems eager.

With no answer from them, she looks to Stephen. “Don’t look at me!” he laughs. “Gregor is in charge of construction, and you ladies are in charge of wedding planning. If Tuesday works for you, let’s plan on it then.”

Dalila nods wordlessly, and Moses asks, “Yes? Yes? Tuesday? Really?” It is as though he still can’t believe this is really happening.

“Yes,” she says, softly, but with a great deal of joy in her tone. Moses lifts his arms in triumph, which provokes some cheers and giggles from the rest of us.

After things settle down again, Margaret says, “Very well, I think we can have everything ready by Tuesday. Oh my. There is so much to do.”

“I can ask Rosalind if she would like to come out here with me tomorrow,” I offer, “to help with the planning?”

I expect Margaret to answer, but it is Dalila who says, “Oh, yes please.”

Ayola makes the cutest little excited squealing noise, which makes everybody look over at her and laugh.

Gregor’s

When Gregor is ready to depart, Stephen says, “I’ll walk you out.” While they are waiting in front of the porch for the groom to bring the horse from the stables, Stephen asks him, “How is my brother managing with the yellow fever outbreak?”

“When I left this morning,” Gregor replies, “he had ten patients at the infirmary. One of them was your little cousin Matilda, and another was Ben.” He does not provide the updated patient number of fourteen, since the only reason he knows that is because Harriet has kept me apprised throughout the day so that I can update the Seer. This is not information that he has any rational excuse for knowing.

Stephen’s eyes widen.

“Don’t be alarmed,” Gregor reassures him, “I believe that all of the patients are getting along all right. Your brother is a very fine doctor, you know. He is incredibly dedicated.”

Stephen frowns. “Do you think I should come into town to help out?”

The groom leads the horse over, and Gregor takes the reins, but doesn’t mount yet. “I don’t think so, not yet. The situation is not dire, and I have put half a dozen men on the crew at Samuel’s disposal. I’ll go to the infirmary for a while tonight as well, to make sure that your brother at least goes and gets some dinner and takes a rest. I think he’s getting along all right.”

Stephen nods, somberly. “You’ll keep an eye on the situation, though, and tell me when you get back here in the morning if I am needed?”

Gregor puts his hand on Stephen’s shoulder. “Of course, my friend.” He puts his foot into the stirrup, hoists himself up into the saddle, smiles down at his friend, and pulls the reins to turn the horse and trot down the road.

“How is Samuel doing now?” he asks me as Issoba carries him home.

“He is tired, but pleased with the progress of his earlier patients. The people who you spent the night helping are recovering much more rapidly than the doctor would have expected, no doubt because of the healing you were able to impart. If they continue to improve, he will discharge about half of them by morning. The patients that arrived during the day today have more severe symptoms.”

“Well,” he thinks, “I’ll hopefully be able to take care of that overnight tonight.”

In a few minutes he has arrived at home, and goes in the front door, again leaving Issoba tied to the post in front of the house. He plans only another short visit with his wife.

Rosalind greets him at the door, holding Vernon, with Sarah standing behind. Tiger comes bounding over from the study, wagging and panting frantically, insisting on being patted before Gregor can greet anybody else. After a brief wrestle with the big beast, Gregor gives his wife a kiss, then immediately pulls the baby into his arms. “Hello my little man!” he tells the child, who gives him a huge gummy smile. “I haven’t seen you for so long! Have you forgotten me?”

Rosalind laughs. “You saw him yesterday, Gregor.” Sarah covers her mouth with a hand to conceal a giggle.

“I know! How can I have let so much time go by?” He hefts the child in his arms as though weighing him. “He’s grown since yesterday too!”

Nadine and Jake have come into the parlor, and are standing near the dining room door, smiling. “Dinner is almost ready,” Nadine tells them.

“I’m afraid I’m not staying,” Gregor says, “I promised Doctor Duncan that I would help out at the infirmary this evening. I just have to clean up then I’ll go.” While he talks he is also pretending to nibble on the baby’s hand, and blowing on his cheek, making the infant giggle.

Nadine puts her hands on her hips. “You’re going to make yourself sick, Gregor, running back and forth between Homochitto and the infirmary, and skipping dinner.”

He pretends to wince under her fond scolding. “I’ll eat something at the boarding house, I promise,” he assures her. “Just another day at Homochitto, then the cabin will be finished.”

He looks around at everyone. “And they’ve set the wedding date! It will be next Tuesday!”

“Oh!” Rosalind says, “that doesn’t give much time to plan everything!”

“Would you like to come out to Homochitto tomorrow?” Gregor asks her. “Margaret and Dalila said that they’d appreciate your help.”

“Absolutely!” she says. Then she looks over at Sarah. “Do you think you’d be willing to come too? To help look after Vernon while we’re working?”

Sarah smiles. “Of course. And I would like to see Dalila again.”

“Great,” Gregor says. With a great show of reluctance, he hands the baby to Sarah. “I have to go upstairs to change,” he says.

“I’ll help,” Rosalind volunteers, and the two of them climb the stairs.

Nadine says, “Come on Jake, I’ll get you some hot water to take up to him.”

Once they are alone, Rosalind says, “Well? Did Harriet tell Wolk anything?”

“Indeed,” he says, starting to strip off his soiled clothing. “She told him that Samuel has fourteen patients at the infirmary now. Oh - did you hear that one of them is Matilda Postlethwaite?”

“I did, actually,” she tells him. “Mother heard about that at the mercantile.”

He leans over to give her a quick kiss. “We’ve been neglecting your family. When this is all over, the yellow fever and the wedding, let’s get back into the habit of having them over for dinner.”

She smiles. “I’d like that. But goodness gracious, you have enough to think about right now without worrying about entertaining my family. One thing at a time, Gregor.” She picks up a wet washcloth and rubs it across his bare torso. “Starting with this.”

“Mmmm,” he says, and draws her into an embrace. In a moment they are kissing, lovingly, passionately. But too soon, he breaks it off. “I am so sorry, darling, but I don’t have time for more. After tomorrow night it will be better, since the cabin construction will be finished and I won’t need to go to Homochitto every day.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she says.