What's New With Sadie?

  My novel is with my editor again.  But I did want to share this chapter with you.  It's copyrighted!!!

1943

    The spacious room at the Waldorf Astoria resembled something that Sadie had only dreamed about.  Silk draperies hung from nine foot windows.  The white art-deco furniture was accented with coco and red colored pillows.  Pauline walked to the telephone and dialed room service.  She slid off her mink stole, and black leather gloves. “Please sit.  We have a lot of catching up to do,” she said, smiling at Sadie. Pauline sat regal, yet commanding. 

          Sadie was unnerved by Pauline’s demeanor.  She shimmied off her coat and draped it over her arm.  As she was taught years ago by Alma Freeman, Sadie lowered herself into square backed wing chair.  She cleared her throat, and said, “Mrs. Billingsley, I didn’t know that I’d run into you or Talbot.  I came here with friends, and…”

          “Now dear, don’t worry.  I’m glad we ran into each other.  How is Leona?”

          Sadie’s hopes rocketed.  Maybe Pauline had changed.  Maybe she’d learn to accept that Leona was her granddaughter.  “She’s two now, and she keeps me busy.”  Feeling a bit comfortable, Sadie added, “She looks like you, and she’s…”

          A knock on the door drew Pauline away.  A white-gloved butler pushed in a serving tray, and prepared the white-linen table for lunch.  “Thank you, Richard.  Well, Sadie I hope you’re hungry because this hotel serves some of best food I’ve ever tasted.  Come let’s eat,” Pauline said. 

Richard helped them settle into their seats, and placed white, gold-rimmed saucers of cream of celery, and olive toasties in front of them.  Sadie eyed the French bread with its creamy, white, black and green topping.  “This looks delicious,” she offered.

 “Richard, why don’t you leave me and my guest alone.  We can serve ourselves.”  Richard stared hesitantly. “It’s okay.  I’ll call you when we’re finished.”  He nodded and retreated out the door.

Pauline rolled her eyes in delight as she crunched on the dish.  She dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin and took a sip of water.  She removed the silver cover from the main course, and Sadie followed suit.  They sat quietly as they tossed crisp greens, apples, celery raisins, and walnuts on their plates. 

          “Mrs. Billingsley, thank you for inviting me to lunch.”

          “So how are the accommodations where you’re staying?”

          “They’re fine.  The house we’re staying in belongs to a friend of…”

          “…Dr. Nathaniel Cookman.”

          Sadie stopped chewing, and stared at Pauline.  “How do you know that?”

          Pauline flashed a sugary smile.  “Surely you’re not that foolish.  I figured that if you were brazen enough to shame your family; and brazen enough to tell me that you bore my son’s child that you’d do anything to destroy him.  And I told you before I would never let that happen.  Alma Freeman contacted me after you left.  She, along with the people that love you are desperate to find you.  I figured you’d come to D.C.  So from the moment I heard of your visit to my son at the school board, I’ve had you followed.  I know you’re staying in the home of that wretched Nelson woman.  It’s also where you and Talbot have been meeting while I was in Europe.”

          Sadie gulped down a glass of water.  Her voice quivered as she spoke,  “I’m over Talbot.  He made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing to do with me or Leona.”

          Pauline took a sipped of tea.  “I know that too.”  Her thin smile chilled Sadie.  “The money that’s provided to keep you from dirtying your already soiled hands comes from my bank account.  Oh, don’t look at me like that.  I confronted my son about his continued indiscretion with the likes of you.” 

Suddenly, Sadie felt like a dirty whore.  Her heart sank as she listened to Pauline. 

“But I didn’t have to convince Talbot to end the affair, because once his wife informed him that he would be a father, my son knew what had to be done.”

          Heat rose to Sadie’s face.  She didn’t deserve Pauline’s venom.  “If my hands are soiled, it’s because of your lying son.  I’m not afraid of you Pauline Billingsley.  You know the more I think about it, I believe you have more to lose than me.  What would it do to your precious name if I changed your granddaughter’s name to Billingsley?  What if I told all of your high-society friends, and your precious daughter-in-law about Talbot’s black daughter?”

          Pauline released a deep throaty laugh.  “You’re foolish, but not stupid.  Sadie, let me enlighten you to something that you should never forget.  My money and name reach far beyond Washington, D.C. and Bishop County.  If you ever breathe a word that Leona is Talbot’s daughter, I’ll make sure that you end up right back in the tobacco fields, and shack where you belong.”

          It was Sadie’s turn to laugh.  She stood and paced the room.  “That will never happen because I see things differently. I was the young silly girl that believed Talbot Billingsley wanted my help in educating our poor Negroes.  I followed him because I believed in him.  And…and then he raped me leaving me in shame and with his half white daughter.” 

          Dishes clanked as Pauline rose from the table.  She walked past Sadie to the telephone, snatching it off the hook.  Within a few seconds of tapping the hook and connecting with the switchboard, Pauline had made her connection.  “This is Pauline Billingsley.  I’m well.  Thanks for asking.  The reason for my call is that I understand George Reynolds is looking to buy seeds, and equipment on credit.”  She was silent for a moment.  “Yes, I know he’s been a long-time customer, but I don’t believe he’s credit worthy, and we do have to be careful who we offer credit.”

Sadie rushed to the phone and slammed her hand against the hook.  Staring into Pauline’s menacing eyes, she said, “How can you be so cruel?  That’s my family you’re trying to destroy.”

“It’s up to you how this plays out.”

Feeling defeated, Sadie sighed, “Okay, I won’t ever tell.”

Pauline grabbed Sadie’s coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.  “I’m glad we’ve come to this understanding.  By the way, if you think that maybe you should contact my daughter-in-law, I’d advice you against it.  As all the women in our family have, she’ll find out about Leona eventually.  And like the other women in our history, she’ll forgive Talbot because she likes the power of the Billingsley name.  To show you that I’m not as mean-spirited as you may think, I’m going to increase your monthly stipend for Leona’s care.  Now, hurry dear the car is waiting to take you back to Harlem.”

Comments

[Charlie]

This is very impressive -- it has more drama and pathos to it than "The Family That Preys." Because it is only one chapter, I'm not clear whether Talbot did rape Sadie, or whether that is a spin Sadie is threatening to put on it to see how far she can push Talbot's mother?

I doubt if Leona is half white. Probably more like 38%. After all, the Billingsleys probably descend from a handful of indentured servants who were going to be hanged for thieves in England, offered transportation and sale in the colonies as an alternative, and inter-married with their darker co-servants for a couple of generations, before The Founder made some real money and realized the advantages of being "white."

[Charlie]

Sister Caroline, that is the most gripping, hard-hitting, tightly woven chapter you've ever posted. It's better than "The Family That Preys." Is the scenario that Sadie actually was raped by Talbot, or is that a spin she thought she could put on it if she went public (and if Pauline didn't control the credit Sadie's family needs to get their next crop in the ground)?

Of course it is quite likely that Pauline, and Talbot's father, had great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers who were sentenced to be hanged as thieves in England, offered the chance to be transported and sold in the colonies instead, married newly arrived Africans, then their grandchildren had a chance to grab some land, and THEIR children were light enough to pass for... Billingsleys! Half white child? More like 37%, considering the other plantation families they intermarried with had similar pedigrees.