We arranged for smaller homes to be constructed for the servants, so we gradually managed to get ourselves sorted out. I really missed some of the instantaneous aspects to living that the twenty-first century offered. The one commodity that was in great supply was human resources. Most plantations had several hundred slaves, and even James, contrary to what he had led us to believe, owned sixty or so. He had, admittedly, freed double that many, most of whom continued to live in similar circumstances to those not free, on his land.
Peer pressure made such innovative action difficult or even downright dangerous. In order to keep profits up and overheads down, freeing slaves was not good business and socially unpopular.
“You’ll have to buy slaves if you want to set yourself up properly. What you do with them later is up to you. But you can’t hire effective labour in these parts,” James told us.
Roger looked at me and, knowing my feeling on the subject, he smiled ruefully.
“That’s as may be, James, but we have it in mind to have a completely free labour force. Neither Jane, nor I, agree with the principles of slavery, so will not be a party to it!”
“Unless you have a surplus of capital, you may find it excessively hard to make a good living from your land. The last owners went broke because they tried to grow cotton this far north. You need to look carefully at all the factors,” James said.
I looked out across the green fields, and smiled a secret smile. I knew that within less than fifty years, the entire social climate would shift. The civil war would bring a completely new way of life to so many people, despite the fact that even in the twentieth century, prejudice and discrimination was still a major factor in social unrest in America and other parts of the world. However, that was the future and we had to live in the here and now.
The United States may have won its independence, but it was a fledgling nation with much of the land wild and uncharted. The fourteen colonies along the eastern seaboard were almost the limit of civilisation, with those few habitations further inland not really considered worthy of visiting, or so we were led to believe.
In the world perspective, America wasn’t a nation that the European powers looked on with any great opinion. Britain pretended not to be bothered by the rebellious colonists. Politically, there was an attitude of ‘good riddance’ over their independence, as it would have been too costly to administer in any case. In reality, there was some embarrassment and deep hurt caused by the defeat at the hands of the colonists. Any opportunity to turn the tables would be seized upon, so those in power in the new nation were conscious of their vulnerability. There was also a real shortage of experienced military men in the colonies, so whilst on a business trip to the capitol, Roger was approached by some men with a view to establishing his experience and suitability for command in the new United States Army.
The nation was viewed as a collection of territories that were loosely connected as a nation, but still as a land of opportunity that had yet to reach its potential.
Over the next few months, after moving into our new home, we started to strive towards that potential. The children took to attending a local school, which was run in the nearby town of Middleburg. It was a half-hour buggy ride away, so Oliver was deputed to drive them over in the morning and return to collect them in the afternoon.
James had been right. The pressures of maintaining slaves were great. However, I worked out that the cost of purchasing, housing and feeding slaves was greater than employing freed slaves and paying them a wage, from which they could pay their own way in the world. I also found that the employed free men were more productive, as we paid for end products, rather than a set wage for time spent.
Our policy was innovative and unpopular with the other plantation owners. However, our tobacco crop was better after that first year than any other plantation, so I felt vindicated.
Roger was well accepted by his fellow plantation owners and social equals, despite our initiatives to free and then employ our labour force. I, however, found the women a different set altogether. In England, we socialised with soldiers and their wives, or local worthies. Here, without exception, we mixed with the wealthy plantation owners, merchants and similar. There wasn’t a class system, such as in England, but a division caused by wealth or the lack of it.
I found it equally obnoxious as I had the many layered class system in England, except the wealthy here often lacked the social graces and manners with which I had become accustomed.
I found few friends amongst the women, as my opinions and interests were rarely shared by any of them. Their conversations were trivial to me, concerning fashion, children and their households. I could and did participate in such conversations, as my role as a wife and mother demanded it, but I rarely enjoyed a conversation with anyone other than the men. My inner core may have been female, but much of my experience and opinions were masculine by default. As a result, most of the wives viewed me with hostility and suspicion, while many of their husbands saw me as a potential sexual conquest.
Meanwhile, James, rather than being dissuaded by my lack of response to his ardour, saw me as a challenge and doubled his efforts to seduce me, causing more than a little friction between he and Roger, as well as his wife.
Things came to a head one day in the summer following our arrival.
I was at the stable, having just enjoyed a ride over to the river, next to which we were in the course of building new accommodation for our workers.
I was wiping down my chestnut mare when I sensed someone was watching me. On turning, I saw James leaning against the door.
“James? You startled me. Are you looking for Roger?”
He smiled. “No, Jane, I know that Roger has gone to town. I’ve come looking for you.”
I sighed; weary of this game. “James, I told you; I’m not interested. I love my husband and will not betray him!”
“Oh Jane, why did you not come into my life sooner? You know, of course, that things between Charlotte Rose and I are far from happy?”
“It’s none of my business, but it is apparent that matters are somewhat strained. Perhaps if you were to be here more often, then her attitude may improve?” I suggested.
“Pah, I’ve tried that. I’ve tried being here and I’ve tried being away. Neither is to her satisfaction. She treats me so coldly; I cannot live with it any longer!”
“Sir, if you were to talk to her, find out what ails her, then perchance she’d give you an inkling what the problem is.”
“To be honest, I don’t care anymore. We are man and wife in name only. We have not been man and wife in reality for many months!”
“That is regrettable, but hardly something I can do anything about. Your wife and I are not really friends. I fear she views me with some dislike.”
“I know, she has remarked upon your beauty and demeanour. She fears you and is envious of you. You are a remarkable woman, Jane.”
I smiled, but felt this was getting tricky.
“Sir, I have never intended to give your wife reason to dislike me, I find it quite upsetting.”
“I can’t imagine you upset by a shrew like Charlotte.”
“It irks me that she cannot see life for what it is. She has no reason to be jealous of me.”
“She thinks that you will steal me from her,” he said.
“She knows I am happily married. I give her no cause to fear that, unless you do?”
“You don’t know what you do to me!” he said, advancing towards me. He was a powerful man, so under normal circumstances, even as an above average female, I’d still be a lot weaker than he was. But then, I was not what I appeared.