Part IV
Story Unknown

"What? Why are you looking at me in that way... what did I say?"

"You saw her ghost!" The youngest maid replied, and realizing she'd been imprudent, covered her mouth with hand.

"Stop! You're gonna scare the mistress Yaya." María retorted.

"No, wait! What are you saying? Who's ghost?" Josefina urged the girl to speak.

"The ghost of the former mistress, Doña Catalina." Yaya crossed herself while replying in a whisper. María and her sat by the table, their faces beaming solemnity. "Doña Catalina passed away five years since. After she lost her baby boy, the poor creature only lived for a month. It was the saddest thing, grieving consumed her to the point she lost her mind.. The master's love and care were not enough to keep her alive. Poor woman. At least she died in peace in her bedroom, sitting on the rocking chair, her arms crossed by her chest, as if wrapping her baby."

"Yes, she joined her son in heaven."María added, wiping off her tears.

"Oh... I wasn't aware of that part of story. Wow, so tragic. I only knew Ramon was a widower, and never inquired in any other details... Oh my God, he must had suffered so much." Josefina's eyes watered.

"Some people claimed seen her ghost humming lullabies to her dead baby."

"Shush! You're giving me chills Yaya... Do you believe in such things as ghosts?" The young mistress rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.

"I'm a daughter of slaves, baptized under the master's patronage, yet still a Yoruba devotee. We believe that there's life after death, and even more. Ghosts are nothing more than damned souls of those who didn't find eternal rest after passing away... certainly Doña Catalina didn't and still she searches for her baby to cradle in his arm."

It was in that moment when Domitila rushed into the kitchen, glancing with stern eyes at Yaya sitting to the table in front of the Señora. "Doñita, the master is looking for you. He's just returned from the trapiche.

"Oh, well, fine. I've just finished breakfast."

"Yaya", the maidservant cleared her throat, a severe expression on her face, "rice gonna clump."

"Yes, Domitila."

"And, can I know why were you chitchatting with the mistress with so much friendliness?"

"Don't worry Domitila, they were just informing me of Dominga's baby born. Can you take me later to the barracks? I want to see the newborn. I was telling Yaya and María we must send Father Pietri a message. All babies in the Hacienda must be baptized... do they go to Sunday School?"

Domitila's expression went blank. "No... well, Church is quite far and..."

"Right, that'll need to change. Kids must be taught the Bible, as well as to read and write. Slaves children or white children are all creatures of God, aren't they?

"Yes. That's entirely true, mi señora."

"I think I need to talk to my husband right away", the young lady got up, winked to both Yaya and Maria who exchanged clueless stares. "Breakfast was delicious, thank you", and she left the kitchen.

Right at the main hallway, she met her husband, who was taking off his muddy boots and handing them to a male servant, a young maid giving him another pair of shoes.

"My dear, I was looking for you. I'm sorry I left you alone this morning."

Josefina kissed him on the cheek. "I know what happened at the barn..."

"Were you having breakfast in the kitchen? With the slave women?"

"I'm sorry. Domitila warned me you wouldn't approve. But, did you want me to have breakfast all by myself. You left me alone in bed since very early in the morning, after our first wedding night. When I woke up I felt so confused after not finding you there. What didid you want me to do?" Her eyes fixed to her husbands like a little girl after being scolded.

The man looked down at her with tenderness, his hand cupping her small chin. "You're right. I'm sorry I left without telling you."

"It's fine. I know you'd to solve the problems in the trapiche... by the way, how's everything?"

"Two barrels were ruined. Can't use the molasses even to make rum. Two days of work lost." Don Ramon twitched his mouth in disgust.

"My dear, maybe I don't understand of sugar plantations, but certainly I know of field work. I know it's gonna take time, but it's replaceable, eventually..." the young lady then closed the gap between her husband and hers, placing her hands on the man's sweated chest. Staring at him straight to his eyes and bitting her lower lip she spoke to him, her voice seasoned with sensuality. "Tell me, my love, what can I do to make you feel better."

Don Ramón grabbed his wife by her waist with firmness, pulling her body even closer to his. "I need to take a bath..."

Doña Josefina placed her index on his lips. "I can help you with that." Taking his hand, she guided him to their bed chambers, walking ahead in a lilting, cadential pace.