“You rest well tonight Nathaniel.” As Fortune closed the door, there was not a hint of another person outside. Calmly he made his way back for a few hours rest. Tomorrow at dawn his daily sentence of servitude would begin anew.
*****
Fresh blooms of tangy fragrances perfumed the toil spilling forth from every busy patch of White Rose’s grounds. Yes, spring had come a little earlier than usual, which quite agreed with the plantation’s owner.
Surveying all from under the main house portico, Harriston Smith felt proud of his latest accomplishments. Profits from their expanding cotton trade were growing at a favorable pace. His slaves were working harder; even though he kept their ration level steady these past few years. And most important, every person upon these grounds knew his unquesti
