She has little choice

Dear Diary, (May 23rd evening)

I have done it. I have consigned another human being to the possession of a man. The fact that no money was exchanged in this transaction is of little consolation. I can still remember the look of shock and fear on the negro girl's face when she realized what I had done. It is almost time for my next task, but before I leave this room, I am taking the time to record the events of the day.

By the time Miss Manton and I were eating dinner together in that evening I had decided to trust my cousin's advice on the matter and send that promiscuous house **** to serve Mr. Kyleson.

When I told Priscilla my decision she actually rose from her chair and came the length of the table to give me a small hug and to praise me for my wisdom and resolve. I felt at the same time pleased by her praise and a little like a child who has just told her mother that she won first place in the spelling bee at school. In my father's office, Priscilla showed me the certificate of sale for Angelica from three years ago. According to the notarized document, at the time of the sale, the pretty young **** was sixteen years old, in good health with all of her teeth and still a virgin which explained the sale price of 550 US dollars.

On the back of the document was a place to note any further transactions, and already neatly written was today's date, a note indicating the change in status and a formal declaration that in recognition of his services to Havenhall that the negro **** would now be the property of Sean Patrick Kyleson to do with as he pleased. Under this addendum was a line waiting for my signature, and with a careful hand I put my name and the date formalizing the arrangement.

With a ring of a bell, Ol Will appeared, and Priscilla sent him off to fetch Mr. Kyleson. “Tell him to bring a collar and manacles, boy, sized for a house ****'s pretty neck and wrists.”

As soon as Will disappeared she directed me to summon Angelica and then positioned me behind my father's desk so I would look imposing. Priscilla stood behind me on my left and she rested her right hand on my shoulder to reassure me. She looked a little like a Regent/advisor counselling a newly appointed queen.

Angelica appeared straightening her dress and tugging at her unruly hair, clearly anxious about her summons. Luckily, Priscilla did the talking, because I had no idea what to say.

“My, you're a pretty thing, aren't you?” The compliment clearly did little to put the negro ****'s mind at ease and she bobbed another curtsy instead of trying to answer. “I can see why my uncle took a fancy to you, girl.” Angelica's eyes were lowered, but through her lashes I could see her attention shift back and forth between me and Miss Manton.

“Take off that dress, child, we want to see how pretty you really are.”

__

“Mistress?” Angelica's hands faltered at the lacing of her dress looking to me to stop this before it went too far, but Priscilla was having none of it.

“Quickly, girl. Your Mistress has other business to attend to.” And so, without further protest, the light-skinned house **** slipped the dress from her shoulders and let it slide over her hips to the floor. She really was quite pretty, and I wondered as I stared at her if I would look that good standing in her place.

Almost like my cousin timed it this way, the door to my office opened behind Angelica and Mr. Kyleson arrived with chains in his hands. When he saw the naked house **** waiting, his white teeth flashed. Priscilla was probably correct. As I watched my overseer's eyes scan over the naked young woman, I could see that giving him this **** would go a long way towards winning his approval.