Ottaline put her plan into motion Monday after school. She took her fishing rod and walked to the narcissus pond careful not to attract too much attention to herself. Providence had agreed to prepare lunch, but even that didn't give her much time and she had to sneak her rod away unless the younger sister would become suspicious.

She walked through the flowers and stood at its edge staring at her dark reflection. She rounded the pond and to the opposite side where a tree branch reached partway over it. After glancing around she swung herself, rod and all into the branches. Inching down the branch she then lowered her rod down straight until it began to disappear into the water. When only the top most part was visible she lifted it out.

According to the measurements she had taken Sunday night the vases would be well hidden in the water until she thought of something else to do with them. For right now however her only concern was getting them out the house. Next she would have to find a way to move them without being seen.

She quickly left the pond and hurried back home to get her father's lunch. The town was vey alive and already banners were being hung in the streets and park for the weekend celebrations. Two finely dressed women decorated the gazebo while children pulled weeds from the flowers beds. It went the same every year.

Ottaline ran inside the house out of breath. "I'm so sorry," she said taking the basket off the counter.

Providence just waved her hand. "I didn't mind," she said. "I just know he is going to enjoy that link."

Ottaline smiled. "I only wish it wasn't soup again," she said. "It seems all we ever feed him is soup."

"The sausage should add to the flavor," Providence said.

Ottaline nodded then headed for the door. "Do you want to walk half the way with me?" she asked.

Providence shook her head. "I'd better stay here and practice my hand," she said taking a seat before her books at the table. "I'll be here when you get back."

Ottaline left for the mansion surrounded by the scents of the world around her mingled with the aroma of the warm meal they had prepared for their father. Providence was right, he would enjoy the sausage. The very smell of it was making her stomach growl.

When she could see the mansion in the distance she remembered what Hattie had said. Curiosity pulled at her mind. Providence had warned her about playing detective games but she couldn't help feel that there was some sort of mystery to the place. She had never felt it before but now it was creeping up on her like a serpent.

AHOOGAA AHOOGA!

Ottaline whirled around as a motorcar came up the beaten path. She stepped out of the way as it neared her only for it to slow to a stop.

"You going up to the house?" Jude Richmond asked from the driver's seat.

Ottaline stared at him inside the vehicle, frozen.

"Are you deaf, gal? I asked you a question," Jude said. "Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?"

"Sir?" Ottaline finally found her voice. "I'm sorry, sir. No thank you it is not much farther to walk." She started forward.

"Get in the car," Jude said making her stop in her tracks.

"But—"

"Get on in this car."

Ottaline inched toward the motorcar and slowly opened the door. She climbed in and remained far on her side putting the basket between them. She held tightly to it as they rocked up the lane.

"You commute up here almost every day," Jude said. "Can't say I'd have done the same for my father. I take it yours isn't partial." He looked at her for confirmation but she turned away from his mismatched eyes. Jude laughed. "I know, I know," he said. "What did you bring for lunch this time, it smells awfully good." He reached for the basket and Ottaline snatched it up. Jude wheezed with laughter as she hugged the basket to her chest.

"It's only my father's lunch," she said as he laughed at her.

Jude gripped the basket handle and locked her in his eyes. "You let me see what's in that basket."

Ottaline felt a trembled pass through her body and couldn't move her hands to stop his from flipping back the checkered cloth that covered the basket. He lifted the lid from the casserole pot and the warm oily aroma of the soup filled the motorcar.

"Mmmm, smells like sausage," Jude said. Keeping one hand on the wheel he dipped his fingers into the pot and fished around until her felt the link. He then proceeded to scoop it out, dripping the broth all over the interior. "mmm, mmm."

Ottaline felt her throat lock as he tore into the meat with his teeth, gulping it down like a wild animal. He dipped his fingers into the pot again raking out the beans and the potatoes. She watched him lick and suck his oily fingers with loud smacks that felt like they were being delivered to her face.

"Delicious," Jude said with a smile. He looked at the girl's wet face as she tried in vain to smear her tears away. "Cheer up now, gal I left plenty for your pa." When she started to sob he grabbed her arm. "Hey now, did you hear what I just said? Stop your crying. Now before I give you a real reason to. Shoot, no one died."

Ottaline sucked up her tears and sat up straight. She returned the lid and the cloth over the dish as they pulled up to the mansion. She got out quickly and ran around back. There she gave way to her tears. Providence had been so proud of that soup. She pounded the side of the house, angry at herself for not taking a stand for her father's lunch.

"I'm a coward, God," she said. She sat down in the dirt and buried her face in her knees. What would she do? She would feel terrible giving her father food that Jude Richmond's dirty fingers had been in.

She went over to the far corner of the house and emptied the rest of the soup into a dog bowl to be consumed by one of Ishmael Richmond's large dogs. She stood there looking at the murky contents ready to give up when she had an idea. She washed the dish out at the pump then slipped inside the kitchen. Drying her hands on her apron she went over to the stove where a fresh hot meal of chicken and rice awaited. She could almost hear Providence telling her not to play detective games but she couldn't help herself.

She searched the kitchen for the trays. By the looks of it Mrs. Richmond's lunch had already gone up and Esau Richmond never ate lunch preferring to snack on nuts and fruit in his rooms. The servants were not allowed to eat from the family's lot so that left Jude and Ishmael Richmond. She would serve them both up for what Ishmael did to Hattie and for what Jude did to her father's lunch.

She returned outside and took one of the dog bowls that was filled with rain water and a couple of dead insects. Returning inside she went right over to the pot on the stove. This would teach them.

"Child, what on earth are you doing?"

Ottaline spun around splashing some of the water on the floor. "Ally."

"Look at this floor. Why do you have that dog bowl?" When Ottaline looked down Ally knew instantly that she had been up to no good.

"I was serving up Jude Richmond for eating my father's lunch," she said shamefully."

"You were sabotaging his meal?"

"He deserves it!" Ottaline boomed. "Providence used her money to buy that sausage and he ate it. Him who has food ready for him three times a day!"

Ally sighed and took a mop to clean the floor. "Vengeance belongs to the Lord, Ottaline," she said. "You should have just prayed about it and let it go."

"But—"

"Suppose it hadn't been me that saw what you were doing," Ally said. "What if one of the masters saw? Even if they didn't see they would have tasted it and one of us would have been to blame." She pushed back a strand of her red hair and returned the mop to its place. "No one goes against this family, especially not a little colored girl like you. Do you have any idea what they could do to you?"

Ottaline wiped a tear from her eye. "It just isn't fair," she said. "No matter how good I am, badness always seems to be my reward."

Ally nodded. "Well, maybe you're looking for the wrong kind of reward," she said. "Now get your things and go on home. Your father can have my lunch, I'm not hungry anyway."

"Thank you," Ottaline said.

"Godspeed, Ottaline," Ally said. "And remember what I said about vengeance. Sometimes Justice comes a little later than we'd like."

Ottaline nodded and returned outside with the dog bowl. Already a stray dog was lapping up the soup. She took the basket up and started for home. She was angry when she left but as she got further away from the mansion she felt her heart become lighter. At the end of the lane she stopped and glanced back at it. Once again she felt that feeling creeping up on her.

/

"What do you call this?" Providence asked as she held the contraption up to her face. "It looks like you can reach into the picture."

"It's called a stereoscope," Idris said. "The pictures are taken slightly offset from one another and when viewed side by side they give the illusion of having depth."

Providence lowered the contraption and looked across the green meadow towards the pond from where they sat on the blanket. "I wish I could be seen like that."

"In a photograph?"

"Well, that would be nice too," Providence said. "We only have one all together but I mean I wish I could be seen with more depth. All people see is a cripple when they look at me." She rolled onto her knees and crawled over to the open trunk. "I think I've looked at everything!" She sat back down then looked into the basket at her side. "Racket looks better." She looked over her shoulder. "Thank you."

Idris nodded and returned the stereoscope to its box.

"Tell me about your farm again."

"It's a cotton plantation," Idris said. "It's been in my family for generations. My father left me to manage it as his eldest son. Many people have found work there in the fields and with the animals. They are like family to me really. It's nice since I don't get to see much of my real family."

"They don't like you?"

"Well..." Idris frowned. "Let's just say I'm a taboo subject in their house. That's my father's side. I only have an old aunt on my mother's side."

"Your mama is dead?" Providence asked sadly.

Idris nodded. "She died when I was just a little thing," he said. "They were poor, my mother's side and she made the mistake of falling for a man from the other side of the tracks."

"The tracks separate us too," Providence said. "I live on the other side with all the other poor folks of Drinking Water. The middle class live close to the town and the rich look down on us from the hills." She looked down then looked at him. "My mama is dead too," she said. "I don't remember her but sometimes I think I had something to do with her dying."

Idris looked at the girl next to him trying to see into her young mind. "Even so," he said. "It's not something you can blame yourself for. People ask to die, but no one ever ask to be born. It's just one of those sort of blessings."

"Me, a blessing?" Providence shook her head. "There is nothing blessed about this," she said rubbing her left leg.

"It may be part of you but it doesn't make you who you are," Idris said.

Providence turned away and stared in the direction of the pond. She could hear a train passing in the town sounding north. "I'd like to go to your farm!" she said with enthusiasm. "And see the horses and the cows..."

Idris laughed. "Well maybe one day. With your father's permission of course."

"And Ottaline could come too!" Providence said then her eyes went wide. "Ottaline." She jumped up as quickly as she could. "I have to go, Mr. Idris! Bye and thank you. Bye, Racket come home soon." She hurried off leaving him to collect the rabbit and his things.

Idris couldn't help himself. He felt pity for that girl. She was rejected in every way by the world. Nevertheless he had to remember why he was here.