The Stables

The Stables
Bellafont Plantation
June 1842
Ellie stood at the window. The morning heat and moisture from surrounding foliage created a sparkling shimmer of color in droplets collected on the glass panes of Ellie’s bedroom window. It had been days since Lenora went off with the coach and rider. Ellie missed her sister dearly.
The rapping sound on the door behind her startled Ellie. She stepped back from the window. A sudden fear, as if she were caught doing something she shouldn’t struck her. But it quickly faded. She held Lenora’s secret. And she’d hold it to the grave if must be.
“Yes. Come in.” The door creaked open.
Thomas was a house servant. In his years, some estimated to be over ninety, he was mostly blind. His tasks consisted of collecting clothing and shoes, forgotten dishes, and other miscellany the children had left around the house. “Ms. Ellie. Do you have any clothing for Ms. Fanny?”
“No, Thomas. I do not. But thank you for asking.” Unlike her brother Jackson, Ellie, Lenora, and Bridgette were kind to the staff. Of course, Jackson, being a cousin did not have the full privilege to know what was and was not expected in the home. In fact, Ellie often wondered what kind of home he was raised in to come away with such poor manners.
Thomas nodded and began his customary way of backing out of the room. In his age he was well hunched over. His once deeply black skin was fading into a caramel with large dark colored moles and discoloration in what seemed random parts of his body. “G’day Miss. Ellie.”
Ellie smiled and turned back to the window. She peaked outside but still saw no sign of Lenora. “Thomas. Wait!” When she saw Thomas stop and look up she smiled again and went to him. She gave him a hug. “Thank you for being so sweet to me always.” The man was customarily grandfather-ish in his ways and returned her embrace. Though, in his age it was much weaker than previous years. “Can you tell me if you’ve seen my brother?”
“Yes, Ms. Ellie. Your brother came inside for some cornbread and crawfish. Then he went back outside. I dont’ know where.”
“Thank you,” Ellie was always nervous around Jackson and liked to keep tabs on where he was. Most of the Bellafont staff knew it and would alert Ellie - discreetly - where they’d last seen him.
Mr. Jackson just steppe out to the stables.
Oh, you just missed your brother. He came through the house about an hour ago.
Good morning, Ms. Ellie, looks like you’ll have the house to yourself all day. Mr. Jackson be out fishing today.
The sun was breaking through the day when Ellie decided to go for a walk. If anyone knew when Lenora would be back it would be her sister Bridgette. Stepping onto the front steps of Bellafont’s colonnaded front porch Ellie looked out. The grasses were cut ankle high as far as she could see. Thomas had told her once that tall grasses were as dangerous to a man as walking through the plantation at night. Gators, snakes, and all sorts of critters could take a man’s life before anyone found him. It was a year-round job to maintain the grasses around Bellafont. The swamp land and river were not far off, and butted against the fields of cotton, rice, and tobacco.
Ellie stepped down onto the crushed gravel drive that crunched under her shoes as she stepped. She had no plans to venture from the plantation. And she knew of no guests coming in. So, she adorned cotton pants dipping to her ankles, and a loose fitting top to air her skin in the soon to be stifling heat of the day.
She walked passed the main house, and down a small hill, passing the red stone of the kitchen. If she were to follow the road farther and around the woods she’d come upon Bellafont Village. It was a small slave village of huts and shacks, their own chickens and hog pens, a kitchen, and field for the children. It wasn’t much and Ellie had never been allowed. But, she’d seen it from the trees. Lenora had taken her to a safe place to look over it one time. And Ellie had gone back many times after.
Instead of following the route to the village, Ellie turned the opposite direction and followed the other side of the hill that led to the livery.
Two male slaves passed Ellie to her right and averted their eyes as she passed. Jackson had made it clear that none of them should catch an eye-full of her unless it was a requirement of the job. Even Thomas, Ellie’s favorite and at times a confidant, kept his eyes turned away often. She skipped her way forward letting her arms loosely bounce too and fro.
The door to the stable was open. That wasn’t uncommon and Ellie didn’t think much of going inside. She also didn’t expect to find many horses, if any in the stable at this time of the day. Carriage and riding horses would be in the field exercising and grazing. Work horses would be in the fields or pulling wagons of stock and equipment. But on occasion there would be a horse resting an injury or simply left behind for a reason. Ellie loved coming into the stable and spending her alone time with these horses. So, when she heard the thump of a shoed foot against a far-off stable board, a smile overwhelmed Ellie’s face.
She didn’t want to spook the horse. Most were calm. Some were not. Ellie slipped into one of the stalls and began climbing through the space between boards as she moved down the line. One stall, then another, and another. Until she knew that she was one stall from the animal. Ellie moved herself behind a mound of fresh straw that had been placed and not yet spread. She crawled forward hoping to identify which horse was next to her.
There was another clap against the wood. And another. Ellie crouched closer. The first flash of a mane was unique to Ellie’s eyes. A new horse. She was excited. Its hair was dark, yet wavy. Tight stretches of curled hair. Perhaps a show horse? Bridgette had promised that Ellie could ride show horses. Was this a gift? Should she leave to be surprised? No. Not yet. Not this far into the stable.
The breath was hard and worn, exhausted as Ellie rose to her feet. That breath. It was not a horse’s gruff snort. It was not a sick horse’s heavy exhale. It was a woman. And that breath was followed by a moan and a sigh. Ellie quickly dropped to her tummy. She was hidden in the hay, but was able to look up and see the plain dress on the other side of the stall. The repetitive movements of a loose board had been deaf to Ellie a short time ago. Now, Ellie looked up and could see the caramel skin of the woman who held the top board. The woman was bent forward. Her dress was lifted up and rested on her bare buttocks. Ellie couldn’t see who was behind the woman, but she knew it was a man do to his large hands holding the woman’s waste. Ellie move forward enough to see who the woman was.
The woman let her neck swing back and a smile ruptured across her face. Ellie could see the full mound of hairs between the woman’s legs. And then… A branch, thick, straight and polished in wetness. It was moving in and out of the woman. A slave woman. Her name was Gerty, and she was pulling on the top board of the stall every time the shaft moved into her.
Ellie’s first reaction… her first thought was to scream. Was the woman in pain? It didn’t look like it. Then what was she doing? Then Ellie heard the slapping of skin on skin. The noise of the loose wood board. The heavy breathing. And even the whisper of words exchanged between the woman and the man behind her.
Ellie was afraid. She began to slide backward. She regretted ever coming into the stable. And as she backed away she didn’t want to look any more. But, she could not hide her curiosity over her fear. Ellie lowered to her stomach and slid underneath the board connecting the next stall over. She did the same for the third stall and the fourth. The noise coming from the woman faded the farther Ellie moved.
Ellie reached the last stall. She snuck out of the still-open door. Once in the open air Ellie could breathe again. One of the male slaves was walking by. He stopped and looked at Ellie. Concern came over him. “Miss Ellie, what are you doing in the stables this time of the day?”
Ellie didn’t answer. Tears strolled down her face. The stable door was pushed open behind her. The slave woman was still pulling her dress down and waving it to loosen the sweat between her legs. Ellie recognized her and looked away. The woman’s face was embarrassed. And then a large hand took Ellie by a shoulder. “Did you like what you saw?”
It was Jackson.