The 15th Star (A Lisa Grace History - Mystery) (18 page)

Mrs. Bethany had made arrangements with some of the young boys who were ferrying messages between the docks and town, to stop in every hour through the long night for something to eat so she could keep updated on the battle.

The third time a boy came by, Grace went into the kitchen to hear him speak,
“The cannon shot don’t seem to be hitting the fort,” he said, his mouth full of a piece of cold apple tart. “Either the ships are out too far on account of their deep drafts or God is with us and he’s exploding the bloody bombs right in the air.”

“
Amen,” Mrs. Pickersgill said, “perhaps we should all go back to bed and try to sleep. Young man, will you come by and rouse us if the battle takes a turn for the worse? I will pay you for your trouble,” she reached into her pocket and gave him a coin.

“
Yes Ma’am, I surely will,” he said as he headed out the door to continue his rounds.

“
Ladies, let us all turn in for the night. It is wise to keep your day clothes on if we do need to make haste. Grace, would you sleep in the parlor tonight?”

“
Yes Ma’am.” Grace understood it would be her responsibility to wake the household if the young man came by again.

The next day brought an excited sense of calm. The American flag still flew over Fort McHenry and the messenger boys observing the fort said the British ships were withdrawing not having made any headway during the battle of the night and all their ammunitions now spent. Not one man on the American side had lost his life in the battle a sure sign that God was on their side.

*

***

*

Chapter 10 - Mrs. Tommie Lynn the birthing lady

Life for Tommie Lynn, the years after the birth of the boy to Grace, was going worse and worse. Two babies died right after Grace’s supposed baby’s death had happened. Everyone knew deaths came in threes, so business had slowed down. Business picked up again the following year, but then a new experienced midwife moved into a nicer home down the street who could boast of no babies lost in the last two years.

Then just this last year,
again
, two of her long standing customers with four and five children each, lost their babies one after the other. Rumors spread that the next one to use Tommie Lynn’s services would die also. While Tommie Lynn was always frugal, her son’s monthly stipend was becoming increasingly unreliable as he had married and now had a wife in a neighboring town he must support, too.

The superstition was killing her business. She took to taking in odd bits of sewing, but this hurt her fingers. Tommie Lynn was not suited to a life of hard work. She was worried she would have to dip into the savings she wanted to leave for her old age. Tommie Lynn
’s new daughter-in-law was not with child yet, and did not want her to move in until there were young children for her to help with.

If she did not find a way to make money soon, she would have to start spending her meager savings, and then where would she be? Begging in her old age. Her home was hers, built by her husband before he died. But it needed white washing on the outside to keep up appearances and roofing before it started to leak. These were things that would cost some of her precious money.

Her garden and canning, chickens and eggs, kept her in food. She could trade her eggs for dry goods. But what about all the other little luxuries she’d become accustomed to? The imported tea and coffee? The sweets? While she was sitting and thinking an idea popped into her head. All her troubles had started with the lie about Grace’s baby. Business had dried up because of that first supposed death.

Then, just when business was recovering, the new midwife with no losses yet, moved to town. It spelled doom for Tommie Lynn
’s business. It really was the Major’s fault that business had dried up. Surely she could explain to him how the lie was hurting her business. He could afford another say, fifty-two dollars. A dollar a week would see her through nicely. That money would hold her over until the other midwife was busy and the ladies had no choice but to call Tommie Lynn. Then when the next baby lived, the superstition would be forgotten. Another thought popped into her head as she sat there thinking about her plan. Major Rivers did not realize that the mother was a black indentured servant. Surely he would pay to keep that secret! Tommie Lynn in her excitement forgot the promise Major Rivers had made. The promise that would insure she had plenty of money to see her through to the end of her life.

***

Tommie Lynn knocked on the back door of the Major’s house. A young maid answered the door, “Is the Major in? I need to speak to him.”

“
No Ma’am, he’s not here. May I have your card?” the young thing asked.

“
Oh,” Tommie Lynn did not have calling cards as she rarely had a reason to call on someone, “just tell him Mrs. Tommie Lynn, the midwife, called.”

“
Yes Ma’am, I certainly will, good day.” and she closed the door. The maid promptly went to the Major’s drawing room door and knocked.

“
Come in,” the Major said.

“
Sir, a Mrs. Tommie Lynn, the mid-wife, stopped by. I sent her on her way.” The maid stood waiting silently for further instructions.

“
Thank you. You may go now.” The maid backed out and closed the door.

Major Rivers sat back and thought about how best to handle the situation. He had dealt with black mailers before. He
’d known she might be back someday as soon as he wrote that first check for his son. The mother had died in childbirth is what Tommie Lynn had told his wife. No witnesses on that end. So only the midwife to deal with. He knew she lived on her own with a son at sea. Would she have told anyone else? Doubtful. Maybe. Most people couldn’t keep a secret to save their souls. He had warned her those few years ago to never approach him again. He had warned her what the consequences would be.

***

Later that evening, Tommie Lynn heard a knock at her door.

“
It’s the Major.”

“
Well, come in. I hadn’t expected to hear from you so soon. Please have a seat,” Tommie Lynn said as she led him into the front parlor.

“
Would you like a cup of tea or perhaps something stronger?” she offered.

“
No, n-o thank you. I’m rather in a hurry, urgent business for the country.” He followed Tommie Lynn back into the kitchen while she fetched herself a cup of tea. He walked through and pushed the doors open to both of the bedrooms peering in.

“
So what was the urgent business you needed to see me about?” he asked.

“
Well,” Tommie Lynn smiled, “After I said the baby died, the one I brought to you, I had a run of bad luck. Now mothers are afraid to see me in case their baby would be the next to die. As we both know, your baby didn’t die. This may come as a surprise to you, but the mother did not die either.” Tommie Lynn smiled at the Major. “I was surprised at the time you never asked who the mother was. And of course, naturally, you assumed the mother was white.” Tommie Lynn stirred an extra lump of sugar into her tea. “Poor Grace is missing her son so much. You remember Grace, don’t you? The sweet little thing that works for Mary Pickersgill?” Tommie Lynn sighed and took a sip of her sweet tea.

The Major was shocked. He had forced himself on many women, black and white. He did not discriminate. Of course, it had never dawned on him the mother might be black. He had heard of blacks passing as white, but his own son? There was nothing black in him. He made up his mind that Tommie Lynn must be lying, hoping for a greater amount of money. He hated her in that moment.

“So what exactly do you want?” he asked.

“
If I
had
been honest, and let people know the baby was alive, I wouldn’t be in this situation of business drying up.”

“
Are you black mailing me?”

“
No Major, I was appealing to your Christian side. You could help out a poor widow who is willing to work. Of course, eventually people will forget and business will pick up again, but I was hoping, until then…” Tommie Lynn smiled.

The Major smiled back as he picked up a pretty embroidered pillow from the side chair.
“You were counting on my Christian nature. Sadly, I don’t have one,” Major Rivers said as he grabbed Tommie Lynn and held the pillow tight against her face until he was sure she was dead. Tommie Lynn fought but his arms were longer than hers. She could grab onto his forearms but she was weak. Struggling for breath, kicking out with her legs, she could find nothing to kick, just empty air. All that air and none of it in her lungs. Tommie Lynn passed on.

Major Rivers carefully fluffed the pillow back up and set it on the chair where it belonged. When he left, with a little luck, people would believe she died of her heart giving out. He strode confidently to the front door and opened it a crack to make sure the coast was clear. All he saw was one slave person in the distance. Their testimony wasn
’t legal in court and they would not want to mess with a man in uniform anyway. Major Rivers confidently closed the door behind him and walked home at a brisk pace enjoying the cool crisp evening air.

***

Grace had just finished delivering a new flag of colors for a ship that was eager to pull out of port the next morning. She had hurried so she wouldn’t be caught alone in the dark, but the captain had kept her waiting so she had no choice. Grace was grateful there was plenty of moonlight tonight to guide her way down the darkened streets. As she drew close to Tommie Lynn’s house, she saw the door open and a man in uniform come out. It took a few seconds, but then recognition kicked in. It was Major Rivers leaving Tommie Lynn’s house.

Grace reached out and touched the wall of the building she was passing to keep from falling. What could that evil man have to do with Tommie Lynn? There was only one reason he would visit her. Tommie Lynn must not have realized how soulless that man was. Grace
’s legs gave out. She leaned against the building watching as the Major strode away. She knew she should check on Tommie Lynn, but God forgive her, she couldn’t. What if he came back? She was afraid if he caught her alone again, he would do what he’d done before, or worse.

She peeked further down the street and saw him turn down the one that led to his house. Even so, when her legs would support her weight again, she walked home as silently and slowly as she could. Every sound made her jump. A block from home, she even screamed out a little when Socks the cat rubbed against her ankles the way he always did. When she reached the door and the light of the kitchen fire, she was still shaking.

“Whatever is the matter Grace? You’re shaking. Have a seat. Let me get you a cup of coffee, and tell me what scared you so bad.”

“
I saw the man who...we were alone in the dark—he didn’t see me. I’ll be fine. It was just…scary. I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I’m fine. Dear Lord help me!” Grace took a deep breath. “I’m fine.” Grace sat down, calming herself by rocking back and forth.

Bethany sat down and put a steaming cup in front of Grace. She looked at Grace with concern.
“I didn’t know the man lived around here. If you are ever afraid to go somewhere alone, you don’t have to. Nothing is so important as to risk your safety,” Bethany reached out and squeezed Grace’s hand, “Never go out this close to dark again. Next time they need a flag so bad, they can send a sailor to fetch it.”

Grace nodded her head and took a sip to calm herself. She sloshed a little over the side and the cup rattled as she set it back down. May haps she was wrong. Maybe he had a good reason for being at the midwife
’s house. Could his wife be with child and they’d decided to use her? But what about the new lady all the rich folk were using? Didn’t make no sense. Grace felt sick. Thank God he hadn’t seemed to notice her. She was dark and it was dark out. She’d been several houses down. Maybe he wouldn’t even remember who she was. If that ship’s captain had let her go a minute sooner…she’d might of run right into him! The thought made her moan. Grace did everything she could to avoid any accidental meetings with him. It wasn’t hard. He was a wealthy powerful man and she was only one step above a house slave.

Grace decided to not mention it to anyone else. Best to let this encounter slide into the past.

***

The next day, Grace went to the post to drop off a bill and fetch the mail. There was a package for her from her dear friend Mrs. Louisa. They had been keeping in touch. Mrs. Louisa had suffered the death of her beloved husband George who had made the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She could tell the package contained cloth from the heft and feel of it. Mrs. Louisa had always been very generous to her, sending little luxuries she could not afford. Or trinkets she knew Grace would not be allowed into the rich stores to buy for herself. She wondered what it could be, enjoying the anticipation as much as the present itself. Maybe it was a new petticoat, or jacket, something in a summery pattern. Or maybe a coverlet for her bed. Once she had sent her a beautiful plush pillow. And once a beautiful quill pen with writing ink, and always she sent new stationary and postage for Grace to keep up their correspondence. Grace spent her free time sewing little embroidered patterns on fine silks left from the flags to decorate Mrs. Louisa
’s daughter’s clothes. Her skill was all she had to give. Grace studied the rich ladies dresses at the holidays to see what their fine clothes from overseas had on them and then she could copy the patterns. Mrs. Louisa always wrote back how lucky she was to have such a talented friend as Grace and several of her lady friends were jealous that she could afford to get embroidery and silks from overseas.