Isaac was sprawled out on the woven rug below her, one of Aunt Emeline’s books clasped in his hands. It was too dark to continue reading, but he was still trying to make out the words in the faint promise of starlight.
Aunt Emeline would be so pleased, knowing this Negro boy was in her home, reading her books.
Isaac glanced up at her. “Do you smell smoke?”
She sniffed. There was a faint scent of smoke in the air, but Sacramentans often disregarded the ban on fires during the dry summer months. Strange that Rodney wasn’t as compelled to stop those who ignored this law as he was to enforce the one about runaway slaves.
“Someone must be burning trash,” she said.
He reluctantly closed the book, resigned it seemed to the loss of light. “How many books are in this house?”
“At least twenty.”
He sighed. “I wish I could read every one.”
“I’m sure Sing Ye would let you borrow any of them,” she said. “You can read my books back at the hotel too.”
He could have all of them after she left for Vancouver Island.
“I will take good care of them.”
“Does Mr.Payne know you can read?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“I don’t mean Alden—” She hesitated. It seemed odd to use the man’s first name. “I mean Alden’s father. Master Payne.”
“That Master Payne doesn’t know me at all.”
“Did your mama teach you to read?”
“No,” Isaac said. “She left right after I was born.”
Isabelle’s heart twisted. She couldn’t imagine leaving her son.
“My mistress said she took off with another slave.”
She considered his words in the darkness. How sad it must be for a child to learn his mother ran away. Devastating. “I’m sorry that your mama left you.”
“She didn’t leave me, Miss Labrie. She left slavery.”
“Of course,” Isabelle said. And how could she blame the woman? Her heart probably ripped in two, leaving her child in search of freedom. Perhaps she had escaped with her husband. Perhaps Isaac’s parents were planning to come back one day to rescue their son.
“Master said my mama was a princess.”
“I’m sure she loved you very much.”
“I would have loved her too.” He paused. “My nursemaid said she would be proud of me, learning how to read and play piano.”
“Any mother would be proud to have you as her son.”
“One day, I’m going to find her. And I’m going to take care of her too.”
“Isaac,”—she straightened her skirt—“you said your mistress told you that your mother ran away.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mr.Payne hadn’t mentioned a wife, but after her experience with Ross, she knew it was quite possible that he too had left a family behind in Virginia.
