Chains

Soon, all of Isabel’s body is on fire. She sees Poppa, but then he turns into another “son of Africa.” Momma visits but then transforms into another older woman from Jamaica. The woman sings and tells Isabel to sleep. Isabel asks about Ruth often. Curzon tells Isabel to get up, and fortunately, he doesn’t turn into a dead person. Then it’s dark again, and Isabel can hear a baby crying. Strangely, there’s a hive of bees living in Isabel now. They crowd out her thoughts as her body continues to burn.

Isabel wakes up in a neat attic room, lying in a comfortable bed. She has no idea where she is. She tries to stand, but the room spins. The door opens, and Lady Seymour’s maid enters and leaves again. A moment later, Lady Seymour enters and offers Isabel a cup of water. Isabel reaches up to touch her aching cheek, but Lady Seymour tells her to leave it for now; a healer put a salve on it. Lady Seymour explains that Isabel has been here for six days. Isabel was beaten when she tried to run away, contracted a fever while in the City Hall prison, and then was branded. Curzon came and told Lady Seymour that Isabel was about to die in the stocks, so Lady Seymour arranged for Isabel to come here.

Lady Seymour says that while Isabel’s reaction to the news about Ruth was “unfortunate,” it was also understandable—she finds buying and selling children “repugnant.” She doesn’t know where Ruth is. Isabel asks if she works for Lady Seymour now, but Lady Seymour says that Madam wants Isabel back and there’s no legal way for Lady Seymour to keep Isabel. Once Isabel has bathed and eaten, she’ll walk Isabel over. As Lady Seymour gets up to leave, she asks if Isabel misses her parents—Isabel spoke to them like they were in the room when she was ill.

Angelika, Lady Seymour’s maid, draws Isabel a hot bath that smells lovely. They don’t understand each other, but they smile at each other. Isabel puts on her clean clothes and enjoys a meal of fried eggs, toast, and fruit compote. Angelika winces at the sight of Isabel’s brand, which is now clean and dry. As Isabel finishes her meal, Lady Seymour enters and says it’s time. Isabel follows the lady to Madam’s house and, at Madam’s prodding, goes around to the back door.