Another story
Richard's heart was positively galvanized for the worst yet. He sat on the horse and looked out at the green plain below. It had rained last night and the grass was still wet from the rain. It touched up to his brown trousers but he didn't mind. Not when Maria was involved. He could literally walk into fire.
"It will be fine" he whispered to the shivering horse. He turned back and trotted to the nearest tree. A yucca tree.
Maria was supposed to meet him here.
He flicked back the wrist of his long shirt and glanced at his watch. 7:19 Am.
They had agreed to meet at 7.00.
He started having serious misgivings. ' something is wrong ' he thought.
But then he knew that he was in a fix. If he should go down to the valley, Alex and his boys will wipe the shit quite literally out of him. He had been warned in very clear language to stay clear of his daughter. After all he was a helpless black nigger.
But Maria thankfully didn't see him as a helpless black nigger. He loved her and she loved him. But down here in Virginia it couldn't be heard that he was in love with his Master's daughter. His only daughter. That meant automatic suicide.
After many years of planning and saving the moment had finally come.
New York was four hours off and they had to set out before the patrol men came down from Lurgy.
" Ah shit!" he moaned. The wait was becoming agonising. Then he noticed something.
The environment was quiet. That was strange. Very strange. The birds were supposed to be chirping noisily and The ----
Just then he saw her and his heart stopped at once. ' Christ ! What a beauty he thought!
She was trotting to wards him at full speed. She was dressed in her best silk gown with a gold plated belt round her waist. When she came up to him she jumped from the horse and flew at him. And kissed him passionately tearing at his thick Afro hair and his shirt.
He pushed back after a while and said, " Honney we really need to be going now. Your father could come on us. "
She smiled seductively and said, " never mind, I took care of him. That was why I took long "
Richard became alarmed and pushed away from her. It was one thing to take your master'a daughter. It was another thing to kill or even hurt your master.
" what did you do?" he repeated frightened.
She smiled and went back to her horse. She said " come on" and climbed the saddle. She started toward the main tract. Richard raced after her, asking her to stop but she giggled and broke into a throttle. " let's see who gets to that tree first " she laughed and galloped away.
Richard didn't understand her behaviour. If he hadnt spent the last two years with her he'll have sworn that someone else had replaced his Maria.
He galloped after her in the wet grass hoping that she would abandon playing and they'll set off before it became too late.
Just as he was approaching her he heard her give an ear piercing shriek and her horse reared up.
Galloping up to her side quickly he realised his error.
Just then he remembered his father's dying words " never trust a white person. They are all the same"
When he got to her he saw that she was smiling and looking toward the west. When he looked he saw the first of the black hat. Before he could run far four more men had broken out of the low bushes and already he could hear shots of gunfire. He cursed himself for being deceived.
As he pulled with all his strength for his one true friend to take him to safety he felt something hard hit his head. As he turned to see what had fallen on him, another struck him on the stomach and he fell off the horse and crashed to the ground. Before his vision faded completely he saw Maria standing afar with a tall silhouette beside her, arms round her waist, her horse beside them. He made him out to be her father.
He felt his throat grip and expand. It had all been a trap.
He sighed and gave up on life.
If he had been more careful he will have discovered that Maria was not her father's daughter alone, but also his wife.