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“I... I know that,” she said, but without much force behind it. Little by little the people left until it was only the Lees and DuBose. She was helping to clean up when someone knocked at the door.
Jack answered it with DuBose next to him. “Miss Jessup? You’re soaked.”
Miss Jessup was dressed all in black, including a pillbox hat with a little veil. “Been waitin’ outside till all the white folk left.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” said Jack.
She gave him a look that made his face flush with embarrassment.
From a little cloth bag she took out a Mason jar and a small music box. “You give this here jar to your daddy. It’s iced tea with a bigger splash of rye. I think he gone need it tonight.”
“Thank you. And the music box?”
“Has Lucy’s favorite song on there. ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’ Found it down at a little shop near my house.”
“How did you know that was Lucy’s favorite song?” asked a puzzled Jack.
“Because Miss Jessup helped take care of Lucy when she was a year old.”
Jack turned to see his mother standing there like a pale monument in failing light.
She said, “Lenore, thank you for coming, and for the gifts. Please come in out of the rain.”
A stunned Jack looked between the women. Lenore?
“You sure, Mrs. Lee? I can catch the bus right on down there.”
“I am very sure. Robert can drive you home later, can’t you, son?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack said quickly.
He held the door open for Miss Jessup, and she joined Hilly and Frank on the couch. They listened to the music box song several times, shed many tears, and told a number of stories about Lucy as a little girl, long before Jack was even born, all while Jack and DuBose looked on in mesmerized silence.
Later, DuBose led Miss Jessup out to the Fiat while Jack grabbed his jacket.
“You never mentioned Miss Jessup taking care of Lucy,” he said to his mother.
“Folks think she always worked for Ashby. Fact is, we recommended her to Ashby after... after I came home.”
Jack looked puzzled. “You mean from the hospital after delivering her? But you said Miss Jessup took care of Lucy when she was a year old.”
His father joined them. “Your momma was at a hospital, Jack. She had some personal problems after we found out what had happened to Lucy.”
“The hospital was over in Petersburg,” said Hilly, staring directly at her son.
“But the hospital in Petersburg—” began Jack.
“Yes, that’s right. My problems were up here.” She tapped her forehead. “Your daddy had a little child to take care of. And Miss Jessup had a good reputation.”
“But—”
“Yes,” said Hilly. “I know, son. You take Miss Jessup home now and then you go on and get ready for that trial.”
His mother put her arms around her son and squeezed him with a strength that belied her lean frame but represented growing up in a daunting, unforgiving place, where the only person you could truly count on was yourself.
When she drew back her face glistened with tears. Hilly Lee picked up the music box, slowly walked down the hall to her bedroom, and closed the door.
CHAPTER 58
