Yellow Crocus: A Novel by Laila Ibrahim
Lisbeth was sullen when she saw the overcast sky on the morning of her picnic, but the weather transformed into a beautiful spring day, brightening her mood as well. Mother had made all of the arrangements, though she gave Lisbeth credit for it. Two days earlier at comportment lessons, Mother bragged to her peers, “Elizabeth planned every last detail of the gathering.”
As the first guest arrived Lisbeth told her mother firmly, “I shall take care of the picnic from here on.”
“Are you certain?” Mother inquired. “I am happy to supervise Emily while you enjoy yourself?”
Wanting to take on this responsibility, to prove to herself and to her mother that she was growing into a fine lady, Lisbeth insisted, “Yes, I am certain. Please, go inside.”
Excited and nervous, Lisbeth greeted her friends on the veranda. After all the guests arrived Lisbeth announced to the group, “I shall drive with Emily in the wagon with the food. Jack will lead the rest of you on a lovely walk along the river.”
Jack broke in, “Past the graveyards, oooh! You better be careful of the spooks—a fresh nigger is in the yard.”
“Do not mind him,” Lisbeth declared.
“Never fear, ladies, I will protect you,” Edward Cunningham shouted.
“Then you are all in trouble. Go home while you can. Stay away. Stay awaaaay,” teased Robert Ford.
Edward shoved Robert who collapsed to the ground. Rolling around, wrestling with an unseen ghost, Robert yelped, “Help me, Edward, help me. I am being attacked.”
“Enough, you two,” Lisbeth shouted. “Start walking.”
Mary Ford asked Lisbeth, “Shall I come with you to assist?”
“Yes, Mary. Thank you.”
Matthew Johnson spoke up eagerly, “I would be happy to assist you as well.”
“Thank you for your kind offer,” Lisbeth smiled at him, “but I believe Mary and I will be fine. You enjoy the walk with the others.”
From the wagon, Mary and Lisbeth waved to the energetic group of teens. As they drove past, Matthew nodded, but disappointment showed on his face.
“Matthew is entirely in love with you,” Mary declared when the group was out of earshot.
“I suppose,” Lisbeth replied. “He is very nice…but I am not in love with him. He will simply have to suffer. I am not certain why Mother put him on the list. Mother and Father have their sights set on either Edward or your brother, Robert, though they swore me not to tell even you.”
“It would be grand to have you as my sister. Do you fancy either of them?”
“Robert is amusing, and Edward is handsome, but so far I am not in love with anyone. I am still waiting for Cupid to shoot an arrow at me. Who do you fancy?” Lisbeth asked. “Jack perhaps? We would be sisters twice over if you marry Jack and I marry Robert.”
“Your brother is entirely too wild!” Mary laughed. “Not that mine are any less so.”
Lisbeth rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement. “Who do you fancy?”
“Daniel Bartley has the kindest eyes.”
“Oh, no,” Lisbeth declared, “if it is eyes you are after, Matthew’s are the loveliest.”
“You are wrong! Daniel’s eyes are the most lovely—such a bright blue.”
“I prefer Matthew’s hazel eyes. Much more interesting than plain old blue.”
Lisbeth instructed the driver to stop the wagon at a grassy spot just past the slave cemetery on top of a rise. They would have a lovely view of the James River for their meal.
Emily and the driver pulled out navy blue wool blankets and spread them on the bright green grass. The picnic basket they took from the wagon produced a delicious spread that included scones with clotted cream, crumpets, sweet potato buns, canned peaches, and pickled cucumbers. When they were finished setting out the treats they waited demurely on the blankets.
Though Lisbeth had imagined a mature, adult meal eaten in leisure and punctuated by quiet conversation, the boys had a different plan. They quickly devoured the food, hardly tasting it at all, before setting out to test their strength against one another. Drawing a circle in a patch of dirt on the ground, Edward shouted, “King’s Domain.”
Robert leapt up and yanked hard on Edward’s arm, unseating him from his “throne.” The boys lined up to play as the girls watched from the blanket and whispered to one another.
Lisbeth leaned in close to Mary, “Look, Daniel is trying to get Jack out. He looked at you to make certain you are watching.”
“He did it!” Mary clapped as Daniel pulled Jack out of the ring.
Daniel kept the throne through three more turns, but Matthew finally unseated him. Daniel smiled at Mary as he walked past.
“His eyes are definitely more beautiful than Matthew’s,” Mary whispered into Lisbeth’s ear.
“Absolutely not!” Lisbeth replied, smiling at her friend.
Mary’s other brother Albert took a go at Matthew, but walked away in defeat. Neither Jack nor Nathaniel Jackson were able to unseat him. Finally it was Edward’s turn.
“Watch how a true man does it,” Edward said as he strutted over to Matthew.
The two young men locked eyes. Matthew planted his feet wide and firm on the ground. He did not break eye contact as Edward grabbed his arm and gave a strong tug. Matthew did not budge. Edward pulled harder and harder, but still Matthew did not move. Though Edward was the taller of the two, Matthew was strong and muscular. Matthew’s legs shook as Edward used all his strength to pull. Matthew bent slightly at the waist, and a small smile crept over Edward’s face. Matthew suddenly bent over farther, throwing Edward off balance, and then pulled back quickly while twisting his wrist to break free of Edward’s grip. Edward stumbled backwards and nearly fell to the ground, but caught himself at the last moment by stepping back and crossing out of the boundary. He had lost the game.
Smirking at Matthew, Edward turned to the group and shouted, “Enough of this!” He challenged the boys, “Who can hit the river with a stone?”
Following his lead, the boys gathered rocks and pitched them downhill at the moving water. Matthew smiled and shrugged at Lisbeth before he joined the gang of boys in competition.
“Mary?” Robert shouted to his sister. “Whose stone went farther, mine or Albert’s?”
Always the diplomat, Mary responded, “I cannot say. They both went in the water; how can one judge?”
Edward turned away from the water and toward the slave cemetery. “Aim for that cross,” Edward declared, pointing in the distance.
Lisbeth watched him pitch a stone and strike the cross. Robert, Albert, and Jack immediately followed suit. Lisbeth’s breath caught. They were pummeling Poppy’s marker. Hard stones smashed it over and over again. The cross jerked back with each blow. Lisbeth watched in disgust as the horizontal arm sagged downward until it was hanging to the right.
Outraged, Lisbeth leapt up and shouted, “Stop! You are being disrespectful.”
“To whom? The niggers?” scoffed Edward. “Since when do we have to be respectful to niggers?”
“It is wrong to be rude to the dead.” Lisbeth turned to Mary for support, but her friend shrugged.
All eyes were on Lisbeth. She searched for the right words, but her mind was blank. Flooded by shame, embarrassed to have spoken up, she wanted everyone to stop staring at her. Apparently she was alone in her feelings.
“Too easy,” Matthew casually broke the uncomfortable silence. “Anyone can hit that cross. Now, the cottonwood takes skill,” Matthew challenged.
He lobbed a stone at a far-away tree. All eyes turn away from Lisbeth. Stones started flying toward the cottonwood. Grateful to Matthew for deflecting everyone’s attention, Lisbeth stared at him until he looked over at her. She smiled and nodded across the distance. He smiled back shyly. She sank down to the ground and tried to enjoy the rest of the picnic, pretending not to care so deeply.
Chapter 18
JUNE 1856
“I do not care if you have scarlet fever, you will be in attendan
Lisbeth retorted, “If he wants to marry Camilla rather than me, then let him. I do not care.”
Mother stiffened and stared at Lisbeth in outrage. “You should care! You know very well this marriage will ensure your social standing for the rest of your life. Robert Ford would be an acceptable match, but your father and I would much prefer you marry into the Cunningham family. I know you find the idea of Mary as a sister-in-law romantic, but romance will not ensure your happiness as easily as the finer things in life. Going to a dance with a chill is sacrifice worth making for your future happiness.”
“Do you really believe I will be happy with Edward as a husband?” Lisbeth asked.
“Absolutely. He has everything a woman needs. He will be inheriting the largest estate in the valley. White Pines is as grand as any home in England, and I am certain they have at least seventy-five workers.”
“But is he a good man?” Lisbeth asked.
“A good man?” Mother sniffed. “What a question, Elizabeth. Of course he is. He comes from one of the oldest families in Virginia. Honestly, I do not know where you get such ideas. It must come from reading Jane Austen. You are not a character in a romantic novel. You are nineteen years old. You need to stop being childish and start acting like the young lady you are. Now get ready.
“Emily!” Mother shouted loudly to Lisbeth’s maid who waited in the next room.
“Yes, ma’am?” responded Emily.
“Please help your mistress get ready. I want her in the second hair style we tried yesterday, the one with the triple upsweep.”
“Yes, ma’am. As you wish.”
Lisbeth supposed she should feel flattered and excited at the prospect of marrying Edward. His home was grand and he was handsome. But she found nothing inspiring about him. He talked of nothing interesting and was always distracted. He hardly ever looked at her while they were dancing. She did not believe that he cared for her at all. He was simply going along with their parents’ wishes. Lisbeth desired to be in love with the man she would marry. What could Mother possibly understand about love? Lisbeth had so hoped to be a target of Cupid’s arrow, but it seemed that was not to be.
White Pines contained the grandest ballroom in the valley, built specifically to accommodate long lines for the Virginia Reel. Women in long, colorful silk gowns with plunging necklines packed the room. Herringbone corsets constricted their capacity to breathe and their appetites. Plates of untouched food sat on laps. Dresses twirled to the music and voices interspersed with the notes from the chamber orchestra.
As Lisbeth danced with Edward, the blurry swirl made her dizzy. She told Edward, “Please stop. I feel faint.” But he did not hear her. He was busy scanning the room and was not looking at her. If he had bothered to take notice he would have seen that she suddenly grew pale. Then she collapsed. Fortunately Edward caught her in his arms so she did not fall to the floor. He carried her to a chair by the open doors adjacent to the veranda.
If fainting were less common at these events, she might have drawn more attention. But women regularly collapsed on the dance floor. Doctors attributed it to their weak constitutions rather than to the true cause: corsets.
Mary Ford and Matthew Johnson followed Lisbeth and Edward off the dance floor and gathered round their friend.
Edward said, “You look better already.”
“Yes, I am, thank you. I have a slight chill. It must have left me lightheaded.”
“I am glad to see you are well again. You shall understand if I go on to my duties as a host,” Edward declared while scanning the crowd. “I would not leave you, but I have a dance with Camilla. You will look after her, will you not?” he asked Mary and Matthew.
“Please, go ahead,” replied Lisbeth. “I would hate to spoil your evening in any way.”
“You could never spoil anything,” Edward replied. “Matthew, will you see to it she gets punch?”
Mary broke in, “We will both stay with her. I do not dance again until the waltz.”
“I will be more than happy to take care of these lovely ladies,” chimed in Matthew.
Edward parted with a kiss on Lisbeth’s right hand then crossed the floor to greet his next dance partner. Lisbeth watched Edward escort Camilla to the dance floor, bow, and take her in his arms.
Mary broke into Lisbeth’s thoughts. “Lisbeth, do not worry. He has to dance with Camilla, but I know it is you he is most fond of. No one is more beautiful than you.”
Lisbeth smiled at her friend. “You are a dear to worry on my account, but it is of no concern to me. I understand the duties of a good host. He will return to me soon enough.”
“Lisbeth?” Matthew asked.
“Yes.”
“She called you ‘Lisbeth.’ I have never heard you called that name before.”
“It is my childhood name. I wanted everyone to call me that when I was young. My parents never went along with it, but many of my girlhood friends still call me Lisbeth.”
“How sweet. It suits you.”
“Why, thank you kindly, sir,” Lisbeth beamed at him. “That is one of the nicest things a gentleman has ever said to me. But I have adjusted myself to being known as Elizabeth.”
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
“Now you flatter me with Shakespeare,” flirted Lisbeth.
Surprise registering on his face, Matthew asked, “You are a fan of the old master?”
“Oh, yes. I have read nearly all his work. Hamlet is my favorite.”
“Not A Midsummer’s Night Dream?”
“No, I prefer tragedies to comedies. Though of course A Midsummer’s Night Dream is wonderful as well.”
“Do you care for any contemporary authors?” Matthew inquired.
“I adore Jane Austen.”
Matthew nodded. “I find her portrait of British society so accurate and yet so dreadful.”
“I agree. It must be awful to be so bound by what society expects,” Lisbeth answered. “I am so glad to have been born in America, where one has freedom.”
“I am glad to be an American too,” Matthew agreed, but then he went on to challenge her, “but one has to wonder how much freedom exists here. But enough about literature. I am failing in my responsibilities. Now, if you will excuse me ladies, I will fetch you both punch.”
As Matthew walked away, Mary scolded Lisbeth. “Lisbeth, you know a lady does not talk about books with a gentleman.”
“He broached the subject,” Lisbeth defended herself. “A lady must follow where a gentleman leads,” Lisbeth mimicked Miss Taylor. “Besides, he is hardly a true gentleman. As Mother puts it, he is ‘barely more than a farmer.’ Although he truly is one of the kindest men I know. Can you imagine Edward noting that you call me ‘Lisbeth’? I wonder if I would be happier with Matthew than with Edward?”
“Oh, Lisbeth, you are ridiculous!” Mary declared. “Matthew will not be inheriting any of his family’s land as the third-born son. Edward will be getting all of this. You could not possibly refuse.”
Mary went on, “It will be wonderful for you to be the mistress of White Pines. Look at this grand ballroom! It has no rival in the valley. You shall host the most wonderful dances. And Edward is so handsome. How can you put all this at risk by flirting with Matthew Johnson?”
Shocked, Lisbeth declared, “I was not flirting with Matthew. I was only making pleasant conversation.”
Mary scolded back, “That
Lisbeth replied, “I simply find Matthew Johnson interesting. I always have. That does not mean I am flirting with him. Besides, it is harmless fun. Edward is everything I should want in a husband, but he is not interesting or amusing. He does not care about what I am thinking nor do we converse about books—or anything else for that matter.”
Mary reassured her friend, “I am sure when you are married you and Edward will have plenty to speak about.”
“I suppose. I certainly hope you are right. Shhh, here comes Matthew.”
After drinking the punch brought by Matthew, Lisbeth returned to the dance floor to fulfill the obligations on her dance card. Her last dance of the evening was with Edward.
In his arms she asked, “Edward, do you believe a rose by any other name would smell as sweet?”
“Actually, I have never cared for the scent of roses. They give me a headache. So it hardly matters to me what they are called.”
Changing the subject, he went on. “Mother has made the final arrangements for your tea tomorrow. Remember, she is quite old-fashioned. She prefers young ladies who are pleasant and not outgoing. You can manage, can you not?”
“You need not worry. I shall thoroughly impress your mother with my ladylike demeanor.”
“That is a good girl.” Edward patted her on the back. “I will not be present, of course, but Emma shall be. I have asked her to assist you, to treat you as a sister.”
“I shall be glad of her company.”
Chapter 19
“Tell me everything. I want to hear absolutely every last detail,” Mary commanded Lisbeth as they strolled through the gardens at Fair Oaks.
“The event was so lovely. Edward made his mother out to be so stern, but she was charming.”
“Where did you eat and what did they serve?” Mary asked.
“We had a tasty spread out on the veranda overlooking the gardens. The teacakes were the best I have ever eaten with the most delicious clotted cream. The watercress and cream cheese sandwiches were very dainty with no crust. We had tea, of course, but they also served the most wonderful hot chocolate. I believe they make it with cow’s milk. It was rich and delicious. At Fair Oaks we serve hot chocolate only on Christmas Eve, made with water. It is not nearly as rich. But Emma did not remark on it, so I imagine they have it at many special occasions. Watermelon, peaches, and strawberries were presented on a beautiful silver platter.”