"His wishes are, briefly put by Manvers once I poured a brandy down him to clear away his damned legal phrases, that I am to go to the plantation, look things over, and then decide, based on firsthand observation, what it is I wish to do."
"That sounds most reasonable to me." It is most unfair of me, Lucia was thinking, to be pleased at poor Oliver's demise. But, in all fairness to her own machinations, it couldn't have occurred at a more propitious time, and poor Oliver had been a very old man, a good ten years her senior. Lyonel, the dear boy, would escort his cousin back to the West Indies.
"It further appears that until I arrive, a manager by the name of Edward Bemis is running the plantation. Manvers intimated --- and I doubt his sources, for after all he's had no time to inquire --- that the man is something of a scoundrel."
Manvers was obviously a very astute man, Lucia was itching to say. He had observed Lyonel's doubts and, despite the brandy, applied pressure when he deemed it most useful. "I suppose that there are cases where slaves are terribly abused," she said, adding coals to the fire.
"That makes no sense! Why would a man abuse someone whose job it is to make him money?"
Lucia offered an elaborate shrug. "Don't be a nodcock, Lyonel. Think about some of your friends who allow their tenants' homes to deteriorate into shacks, who care not one whit if the children on their estate are even fed, the lords and ladies who treat their servants as things to obey their every whim without complaint. I can see no dichotomy in that. I think the world for the have-nots is a most cruel and unfriendly place."
He looked thoughtful. "You are right, of course. One wonders if their lot will improve once slavery is abolished."
"I doubt it. After all, dear boy, in England we have no use for black slaves. If we did, I doubt there would be such zeal against it."
"Again, you are probably right." He ran his hand through his hair. "It's just so damnably unexpected."
"But you will do your duty, my boy. Incidentally, why did you not with Diana to know of this?"
He frowned. "I don't knowWell, actually, she would just stick her oar in and I would probably yell at her and ---"
"I understand, my boy, indeed I do."
"There is another reason, of course. Diana has grown up with slavery. Doubtless it is a way of life with her and she accepts it without a qualm. As does her father. I would probably box her ears were she to begin to defend that dreadful institution."
Lucia, who had not discussed slavery with Diana, had no idea of her stand on the issue, but she had drawn some conclusions. "You know, Diana is most friendly to my servants. Indeed, perhaps too much so. Needless to say, they would likely kill to protect her. Can you really doubt that she would be cruel to servants who just happened to have black skin?"
"But they are owned, Aunt. They cannot leave a cruel master or mistress. They have no choice."
"But they are given homes, medical care, and good food."
Both Lucia and Lyonel turned at Diana's words.
"A very short visit to the park," said Lyon.
"I just took a stroll around the house."
"They still have no choice," Lyon said.
"They would be helpless to make such a choice. If Father freed all his slaves, they would stand about looking helpless, which indeed they would be."
"That is absurd! Just because you insist upon keeping them ignorant and uneducated ---"
The fight was well on its way, Lucia thought, eyeing the two of them, now standing eye to eye, glaring.
To Lyonel's surprise, Diana said, her voice subdued, sad even, "I know. But you see, there are strict laws against education for the blacks. I think it is dreadful." She automatically raised her chin. "My father, however, is very fair, he ---"
"So he is smart enough not to abuse people who make his money for him?"
Lucia wouldn't have been at all surprised to see Diana punch her fist in Lyon's stomach. However, she dropped her jaw when Diana said, her voice intense, even pleading, "You must live there to understand. You must see what it is like, for everyone, not just the slaves. Now, I shall go upstairs. We are still visiting Lady Banderson this afternoon, Aunt?"
"Yes, we are, my dear."
Lyonel watched Diana hurriedly leave the drawing room. He felt guilty, damn her, for cutting up at her.
"Well," Lucia said, eyeing his stiff back, "I believe you have an answer of sorts."
"It still changes nothing."