O'hara's Choice - Leon Uris [43]
The Kerr fortune and future would depend on a Union victory. He pondered the question of what to do. His decision was suddenly hastened, in the middle of the night, when Daisy sat up in bed, weeping.
Oh, good Lord, what the hell? he wondered.
Daisy had been a loving bride who was quickly being molded to fit into his scheme of things. He was totally unaware that she faced her first, crushing defeat in life when she realized she could not manage Inverness.
Daisy had cooed her way through with Horace. But she was still a Blanton and the Blantons were mighty, and an heiress of her stripe was entitled to a tantrum.
“Why are you crying?” he asked.
“I’m pregnant!”
“What news! Oh, my precious girl. Weep no more. You’ve made me tremendously happy!”
The sky opened. “I hate the Leamingtons!” Daisy shrieked.
He was unable to reason with her or console her. He calmed her enough to lie back on her pillow, and she sobbed softly while he put on a dressing gown, lit a cigar, and paced the floor.
First the secretary of war, then the Republican Party, now this! Well, truth be known, he really didn’t like the Leamingtons either. So, then, now a pregnant wife and Inverness still being completed.
“Horace,” she called, “please put out your cigar. It is making me very nauseous.”
“Sorry, dear.”
He patted her to sleep, then repaired to his office and concentrated.
First problem. The Union had to win the war, outright. The Confederacy had revealed its strategy: the South could never win it on the battlefield so they had to keep their army intact, bleed the Union, and suck their will until the enemy allowed the Confederate States to establish their own nation at the conference table.
This condition would change only when Lincoln found the generals who would take the casualties necessary to smash the Southern army.
He was stuck with the Union.
Problem number two, Baltimore and Maryland. The Republicans, through Kerr, had to make a bold move to support the North. What?
Problem three, getting rid of the fucking Leamingtons. They had an ironclad contract and probably were not above blackmail, through cunning innuendo and lies about Inverness. Above all things, Horace Kerr could never take a threat to his social station.
At that moment he was struck by an epiphany!
The next evening Matthew and Laveda Fancy were summoned to the master’s apartment, where Horace and Daisy awaited them.
One and all agreed that they were pleased that Daisy was with child. Horace started to light a cigar, broke into a smile, and deferred gallantly to his wife’s condition.
“Today, I have spoken to my legal staff and they are going to prepare documents,” he said, leaning forward, “to grant freedom to all people in servitude at Inverness.”
The Kerrs were puzzled by the lack of reaction. There was a weird expression on Matthew’s face, and his eyes were like stony agates flashing out, piercing them.
Horace immediately got the drift.
“I never have fully reconciled myself to the institution of slavery,” Horace blurted, “but if you are living in a system, you go along with it. Good riddance, I say.”
The Fancys seemed unmoved.
“I’ve never used field slaves,” Horace continued. “It’s always been a household matter. Even so, I admit slavery is flawed.” His words skidded to a stop before their wall of silence.
“You don’t seem overjoyed,” Daisy said.
“Darling,” Horace retorted, “this is a sudden and imposing moment for the Fancys. I’m certain that Laveda and Matthew are simply overwhelmed and speechless.”
“We accept our freedom,” Matthew said.
“Good,” Horace said, racing on. “Before we call all our . . . workers together and inform them, there is a separate matter that the four of us should try to remedy, a problem with the Leamingtons. Will you shed some light on it for me?”
Another nonanswer. This was not going so easily.
“Laveda knows my feelings toward them,” Daisy said.
“We’d like to be able to go on our way,” Matthew said.
“My God!” Daisy cried. “We’ve just given you your freedom. You can’t just up