Amongst The Jasmine

Chapter 3

Julia and Mabel couldn't hardly run as fast as her sisters. Mabel's friend, Sarah tagged along so they decided to walk off to play by themselves. That left Julia by her lonesome as she finally made it to the house. She heard something move to her left, and looked.

She hadn't seen anything. "Must be a mongoose."

Then she heard it again, and this time she smelled something. Julia walked toward the source of the noise to investigate. To her surprise, a Brucka man stood behind a bush next to their porch steps. He was smoking a cigar.

"May I help you?" Julia asked.

"I'm a friend of your guest." The mysterious man answered. He was handsome. Dark hair, captivating eyes. And his face was surely complimentary. He also was quite tall as opposed to other European men that resides on the island.

"Our guest? We haven't a guest." Julia told him. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"To ask me to leave? Well, isn't that bold of a woman to request." The man commented. Julia was surprised he never mentioned her color in that statement, and she made sure not to remind him.

"I'm not sure if you realize, but this is my family's land. We own this farm. If you're in search of someone or something it surely cannot be here." Julia informed him.

"I can confirm that this is the place we seek. We've been waiting for your arrival all afternoon." The man told Julia.

"My arrival?" She asked.

"No, not yours. Surely not yours." He said. Julia took offense to that. "We awaited the arrival of a Felice Allen. And from what I've heard you don't fit her description."

It was now clear to Julia exactly who this man was. "It is she you seek? Well then, you must be the man who she has grown to be fond of."

"No, no, it is not me. I have no interest in courtship. It's my friend that seeks a wife." The man shook his head. He looked at the cigar between his fingers. "Look at me, wasting my tobacco."

"You know, I find it rather insulting that you would so openly choose to smoke in front of me." Julia commented with her head risen high. For some reason, this comment caused the man to laugh. He dropped his cigar into the dirt and stepped on it.

"I suppose I have been rude. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Edwin Cromwell, the son of Simon Cromwell, 20th Baron Stafford." He announced. The son of a Baron? Julia had yet to be in the presence of such wealth.

It caused her to trip on her words. "And I am Miss Julia."

She failed to say her last name, her nervous nature caused Edwin to laugh under his breath. "I must say, it's very quaint here. The West Indies are far more relaxed than Europe. But the women here are very much different."

"How so?" Julia asked.

"They're far more outspoken than British women. And far more familiar with men. But I suppose their beauty exceeds women on other islands. It seems as though you take pride in your appearance, negro and white women alike." Edwin rambled on. In his mind, this was a compliment. From how Julia heard it, he had insulted her people by comparing them to other islands.

"May I ask what you mean by that comment?" Julia asked.

"Well, I've traveled the colonies quite a bit. And I noticed all the women on the islands don't take much pride in their appearance, I suppose because of the heat. But I notice here that the women still attempt to look their best. Well, the best you can afford. The money here isn't quite like Europe." Edwin went on.

Julia scoffed. Edwin realized he had offended her.

He attempted to make it better. "All I am saying is that you make do with what you have, even if it is so little."

"Mr. Brudenwell, as wonderful as it's been making your acquaintance, I must say I have much more pressing manners than to discuss the fashions of West Indian women." Julia stopped him right there. Then she began to walk inside of the house.

When she entered the room, Felice and her mother was at the table with the man Julia assumed to be Felice's gentleman caller.

"And who is this young lady?" Asked the first man, whom they'd yet to know.

"I am the sis—" Julia almost spoke for herself, but Felice cut her off.

"This is the daughter of Miss Frances." Felice interjected.

"Why of course I am Miss Frances' daughter, just as I am your sis—" Julia tried to speak again, but her sister wouldn't allow it.

"Sometimes we joke and say she is my sister. As a servant, she is so attached to me." Said Felice. That is when Julia realized what Felice was doing. She lied about her identity to the Brit so that he may figure she hadn't come from negro roots. "She's worked for us since she was just a girl."

"And she is not a slave?" The man asked.

"No, we do not hold slaves. After catastrophes such as the Zong we refuse to add to such an institution." Felice told her lover.

"I agree. It's barbaric to have such practices." He answered. Then, he stood from his seat. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Julia. I am Lee Brudenwell, heir to the Duke of Beaucamp."

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." Julia curtsied.

Meanwhile outside, there stood Edwin. He recounted his conversation with Julia over and over, and he knew he messed up. He found Julia extremely attractive, but he was so heedless with his words he completely ruined things. He wondered how he could ever recover their relationship, even if they had just met. But then figured that would be impossible, and so attempting to fix things would just be useless.

"Even if it is so little?" He repeated his words under his breath. He walked toward the porch steps, but then noticed he was being watched. Two young negro girls looked at him with wife eyes, standing close to one another in bewilderment. He licked his lips and then headed up the steps, entering into the house.

"Mr. Brudenwell, so kind of you to return." Announced Mother.

They all looked to Edwin as he stood there. It was clear that it wasn't going to be an easy night.