A Mother's Escape:-Harriet's Flight to Freedom(Based on an Original Concept by Arc)

[Stormtrooper1990]

This story came about as another collaboration with fellow writer and friend Arc. Based on an inspiring anecdote about an escaped mixed race slave from the south during the 1850's. Here mixed race slave, Harriet a chambermaid to her masters Elias Davenport's daughter Elizabeth, is plotting to escape with her lover fellow slave Jack. However, their escape doesn't go to plans resulting in a tragic loss. Later, Harriet discovers that she is pregnant and with this news decides now is the right time to escape. To ensure that she, her child Jack's legacy will grow up free. This is her story...



Davenport Cotton Plantation Virginia, 21:30pm June 5th 1850


" We need to go now, Harriet. We cannot stay a moment longer." Came the voice of her beloved Jack as he packed a small bag with provisions, a brave courageous handsome man of colour who Harriet had fallen in love with at first sight. There were standing in the slave quarters of the Davenport plantation, there only light source a candle which cast Jack's face in an alluring shadow "Jack, we should wait for our contact from the Railroad. He said that he can get us a train North then we can head west to California. There are no slave catchers there, the Spanish took it over and they don't care about the colour of our skin." Harriet gently placed a hand on his, which seemed to calm him. "But, Harriet my love.." Jack gently caressed her face. "...That was days ago. What if he was intercepted? Or God forbid, took our money?" Harriet sighed. "He seemed so genuine, though like he wanted to help us." Jack held her gently by her shoulders. "Sweetheart, he was a white man. They only take what they want or they beat you senseless. We can only rely on each other." Harriet sighed in confusion, she knew of at least one white girl who wasn't like that her mistress Elizabeth Davenport, the daughter of her master Elias who also happened to be her father. At 23 years, Harriet was the bastard child of her master and her mother Mary. She was the white man called, including her father, a halfbreed or half-caste, her skin not quite white not quite black had only made her life a living misery. Her father scared of the scandal that might erupt over his fathering of a slaves child. Harriet was a beautiful woman with high cheekbones, a slender heart shaped face with open big brown eyes her light brown hair tied into a bun, under her frilled lace hat. Her skin appeared tanned to the causal observer, one visitor had even mistaken her for a Mexican. Her only lights in the darkness that had been her life, were her lover Jack and her mistress Elizabeth, her half sister. But even then that relationship was forced. Jack gently rubbed her shoulders. "Do you trust me, Harriet?" Harriet smiled then leaned in passionately kissing him. " What type of fool question is that, Jack. Of course I love you." Her beloved gave her another kiss. "Then let's go, my love. " Jack blew out the candle, then grabbed a lantern before taking hold of her hand squeezing it as Harriet took a small bag, sweeping from his quarters.



As they ran pell mell towards the perimeter fence, they could hear the sound of dogs barking lanterns in the distance running towards them. "Quick, Harriet. Over the fence now." Harriet stopped as the sound of dogs got louder, piercing the night with their howls and barks, the voices of men getting closer. "What about you, Jack?" Jack glanced behind him. "I will be right behind you, go -ugh" Harriet screamed as she saw a bloodhound bowl over Jack, biting down on his forearm. Harriet picked up her skirts running forward to try and kick the hound of him, but came face to face with a loaded Mississippi Rifle. "Stop right there, Nigger bitch!" It's owner a young white man, one she recognised as one of her masters gun hands, as they were surrounded by five men. Suddenly the sound of a dog whistle pierced the gloom, announcing the appearance of a sixth man. Harriet and Jack, still prostrate on the ground turned to see a well dressed middle aged blonde man walking towards the group, who stopped to pet his dog. "Good girl, Belle. Looks like you caught a couple of negros going on a midnight stroll." His blue eyes narrowed. "Or trying to escape." Harriet's blood ran cold. It was Samuel Guthrie, her masters enforcer and right hand man. A man every bit as cruel as his master. "And what makes you think we were trying to escape, huh?" Jack said fixing him with a cold stare. He was first answered by a rifle butt to the gut. "Silence, Nigger!" The rifles owner yelled as Harriet struggled against her captors, tears streaming down her face. Guthrie held up his hand, taking a letter out of his embroidered waistcoat. "We took this from a man, a white man, who was observed trespassing on these grounds. Imagine our surprise when we saw your names at the top, complicit in an attempted escape. Unsurprisingly, he was very forthcoming. Right until the point we made him dig his own grave, fucking Railroad nigger lover." The men guffawed as the couple struggled against their captors. "So what you going to do now? Guthrie? Kill us, the master will lose his property." Jack's ironic mouth got him a kick in ribs, but despite this Harriet never felt more proud at his defiance. "You leave him, monster!" Harriet cried struggling in vain against the men who held her. Guthrie walked towards her, roughly cupping her face in his hands. "Shut up, filthy halfbreed! You're only getting off because the young Elizabeth favours you and Elias cannot risk setting her against him. But as for your lover, he won't be as merciful. Bring them, let's take them to the master." Flicking his hand off her face, Guthrie ordered his men to haul Jack to his feet. As they dragged the couple back towards the estate, Jack's bloodied face turned to Harriet. "It's going to be alright my love..." He said weakly, as tears flowed down his lovers face.




As they were dragged in front of the two story marble façade of the plantation, a crowd formed from the slaves behind them as the gunhands roused them from their beds. Ahead of them the double doors of the plantation opened to reveal three people, her father Elias Davenport, who shared Harriets hair colouration dressed in a black suit and gold embroidered waistcoat in the middle flanked by two women. The woman to his left was an older woman, dressed in a bottle green silk dress, her curled black hair framed a beautiful lined face his wife Eleanor, while to her right was Elizabeth who while a younger version of her mother had none of her vicious temperament. A sweet natured but naive girl, Elizabeth had grown up with Harriet often playing with her and the other slave children, they were of the same age and she had a more sympathetic nature then her parents. Davenport had made her his daughter's chambermaid, all because of Elizabeth's wish to grow up with a black girl. She possessed an attractive rounded face with shallow cheekbones and her mother's blue eyes, her raven coloured hair done up into an elegant knot. She was dressed in a rose patterned floral dress, and flashed Harriet a sympathetic look as their father addressed the crowd. "Listen closely, slaves. This...man along with my daughter's maid thought they could escape from me. That they believe that there is such a thing as freedom beyond this walls. May his punishment remind you that there is no such thing as freedom, there is no such thing as hope. To me all of you are just property and it is my right as your master to make an example of this slave. To beat some sense into his worthless black hide. I can only hope his example will make a sufficient deterrent to the rest of you." He glanced at Jack, eyes full of fury. Damn you sir! For making me do this. Guthrie, you have the lash. I think 20 will serve.."


The sound of Eleanor clearing her throat drew his attention, as Guthrie tore Jack's shirt from his back. Eleanor fixed Harriet with a evil glance, smirking before she spoke. "With respect husband, I don't think 20 is enough. After all, is he not that halfbreed maids lover. He convinced her to flee with him after all, he would have deprived dear Elizabeth of her maid. I would suggest that we double the punishment, to 40. To serve as a lesson to her." Elizabeth eyes widened, as Harriet sobbed she knew the woman had it out for her ever since she was born. After all, she was a living breathing reminder of her husband's infidelity with a slave. "Mother you can't! Father please, surely no punishment is necessary. Just a stern warning that's all. My Harriet is innocent!" She pleaded with good intentions, but Harriet knew it would not do anything. Elias turned to his daughter. "My darling Elizabeth, you have a lot to learn about this business. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Guthrie! 40 lashes!" Elizabeth gave a look of pure loathing to her father, but backed down. Two men grabbed a hold of Jack as Guthrie unwound the lash, drawing it back. "You may beat me all you want, Davenport. It will not extinguish the desire in my heart for freedom! Or my love for my sweet Harriet ugh!" The crack of the lash caused Jack to squeal in pain as a thick red cut appeared on his back, followed by another. Jack then looked at Harriet, eyes full of pain but also love. "Harriet I love you-ugh-! don't cry love. Look away-ugh!" More lashes as Harriet screamed, tears streaming down her eyes. "No you leave him alone! Stop hurting him, father!" Harriet cried struggling against her husband's men, her heart breaking with each crack of the lash as the whip weaved a bloody tapestry on Jack's flesh. Elias turned furious at Harriet. "You are no daughter of mine! You god damned halfbreed! You will watch this!" After suffering another 10 lashes, Jack was getting weaker his pain must have been unbearable as his back was nigh on skinned. But Harriet still saw that fire in his eyes, that spirit of defiance she had fallen in love with. In between lashes, Jack fixed a deviant stare on his master. "May God forgive you, Davenport. I hope that one day that someone like me and someone like Harriet will find love and live as it is our right too. For I dream for such a day!" Despite the weakness in his voice, that cry gave Harriet hope. Although it pained her beyond words to see him like this, his beautiful body rent with blood. Then after the 40 lashes, Jack keeled over so weak from his beating into the mud in front of the house letting out a final ragged breath then he remained still. Harriet blinked No! No! Please he can't be, please God bring him back! "Jack!? Jack!" She cried as Guthrie crouched by Jack's body, shaking his head. "Looks like this one's dead, Elias." Harriet screamed at the top of lungs, her anguish unbearable. "You've killed him! You bastards you've killed him! Why?!" She yelled straight at Davenport as his men threw her onto the ground. A deathly silence came over the crowd of slaves, as Elizabeth rushed to Harriet's side. "Curse you father!" She spat as she helped her maid up. Elias just shook his head. "It's just one slave, I have over one hundred. He his no great loss." That remark elicited a cry of rage and pain from Harriet. "Guthrie let the slaves clear up their own mess, we men of proper colour have no business digging graves for slaves." With that he turned back towards his house, his wife in tow. "That means you too, Elizabeth." Elizabeth gave a sympathetic look to her friend, squeezing her arm before they parted walking up to join her father. In silence, a sobbing Harriet along with a group of four fellow slaves took Jack's broken body with a reverence back towards the slave quarters. Then as if from the air itself, the sound of "Sweet Chariot" was sung into the night sky.



The morning after


" I'am so sorry, Harriet. About your Jack, he was a fine man." Elizabeth said as Harriet laced up her dress. "He was a fine man, and now he's gone sent to God too soon." She replied her voice hollow, as she looked at Elizabeth in the mirror. "My father went to far! I can't believe he would kill him! I feel so ashamed, I should have said something more." Harriet shook her head, she never held Elizabeth responsible for her father's actions she was a sweet innocent girl, who didn't know any better. Besides, she never believed in the whole sins of the father crap. "Elizabeth. You have nothing to be ashamed of, sweet girl. You did all you co-ooh!" Suddenly Harriet swooned a little bit, she felt nauseous and flushed. Elizabeth her face full of concern turned to her. "Harriet are you alright? What's wrong?" Harriet couldn't put her finger on it but she felt different, something was different. She sat herself in a chair. "It's nothing, I'am fine Elizabeth. I just... something just came over me." She fanned herself with her hand. Elizabeth took her hand in Harriet's. "Alright, if you say so. You should get yourself checked out, just in case." Elizabeth gently picked her maid out of her chair. "Thank you, sister. Now lets get you dressed before your father gets ornery." They both laughed as Harriet resumed dressing her mistress.


Later that day, when she was supping with her fellow slaves Harriet sought out old Mama Peg. Mama Peg was like the grandmother to all the slaves like a mother hen, in fact she often said that all the slaves were her children blood or no blood. Many female slaves often went to her to advice when they were feeling low or pregnant and the old wizened rotund bird would always listen. Finding the old lady sat by the fire eating rabbit gruel, Harriet sat herself next to Mama. "Harriet my child. What can I do for you?" Mama said as she sipped her stew, regarding her with a maternal look. It was Mama who had brought her into the world, from her mother's belly who had died from the exhaustion of the birth, she had been a mother to Harriet and the other children ever since. "Mama, today when I was dressing Ms Elizabeth I felt a strange sensation come over me." She told the wise old girl everything she experienced that morning, when she was finished Mama put down her dinner, flashing Harriet a sad sympathetic smile. "Harriet, child. You are with child." Harriet blinked in surprise, somehow she knew after all she and Jack did sleep together often, whenever they had a free moment. "I can't put my finger on it, but somehow I knew. We slept together only the other night, in the barn." Mama held Harriet's hand. "Of course you knew, a mother always nows. It was the same when your mama came to me." Her face went dark for a moment, recounting the memory before she smiled at Harriet. "Girl, you have a part of Jack in you now. A life you created together. You have to escape this place, child. Jack's legacy deserves to live free." Harriet started to cry tears of joy as she rubbed her trim stomach. "You're right, Mama Peg. I hesitated the night we escaped, had I continued we both would have been free of this place." Mama shook her head. "Don't let me hear you say that, Jack wouldn't want you blame yourself. He would want you and his child to be free." Harriet sniffed slightly, Mama always knew what to say. "You're right! I owe it to Jack, I owe to me and to our child. Thank you Mama Peg, you have given me much to think about." After finishing her dinner, and bading Mama farewell Harriet walked over to the small slave graveyard finding Jack's white cross. On reflection, Harriet thought there were too many white willow crosses. She touched the cross as she spoke. "Jack, my love. I have wonderful news, you are a father. I wish I had found out sooner, then we would be free of this horrible place. But I make this pledge to you. I will escape this place, and raise our child free of Davenport as it has a right too. I will them about their brave father who was an inspiration to me." She gently kissed the cross before looking down at her belly, caressing it. "I just need a plan and the right opportunity."



Two days later



That opportunity came a couple of days later when Elias called his daughter into a meeting with he and her mother to discuss the prospect of marriage. "Elizabeth, do you remember Harrison Braithwaite, the senator for Virginia?" How could she not thought Harriet, Elizabeth had been gushing over the handsome young senator for the past two weeks since they met at the ball a fortnight ago. "You mean that handsome senator, from the summer ball?" Elias took out a fat cigar, lighting it with a stroke of a match. "Yes the very same. He asked after you in a letter and I have designed to marry you to him." Elizabeth squealed in delight as Harriet suppressed rolling her eyes. She knew full well that it wasn't for her mistresses benefit, Harriet couldn't have hated her father more in that moment. Damn you for using her in your politic bullshit. Elias took a drag from his cigar, blowing out stream of nauseous blue smoke. " Well as you know daughter, I have designs that go far beyond these walls. Ambitions that go all the way to Washington itself. You're marriage will help our family achieve status beyond being mere plantation owners." Elizabeth coughed slightly as she waved the fumes from the cigar away. "Of course, father. I'am proud to do my duty for our family." She said enthusiastically. Poor sweet Elizabeth, such a naive innocent girl. You have just sold your life away Eleanor looked proudly at her daughter. "Very good, Elizabeth. Now you're father and I have worked out the particulars. You along with your... maid.." Eleanor shot Harriet a sneer before continuing. "...along with Guthrie and two of our gunhands, are to venture on a train to Washington to meet your intended. There will be stop off in Germantown for the night before a continuation to Washington." That was it! thought Harriet My chance, i will escape during the stop off in Germantown but I will need a change of clothes... she glanced sidelong at Elizabeth, sizing her up. She had never noticed before that they were of the same build and height. I could get her alone, knock her out, take all her clothes. With her dress I will be mistaken for a highborn Spanish lady, she had the correct skin colour after all. Then using Elizabeth's dowry, I can catch a train to the free state of Ohio then onto California like we dreamed Jack. Harriet had to admit the prospect of knocking out her sister and stealing her clothes was one she wasn't relishing, but if it meant a future of liberty for herself and her child then she was prepared to risk everything. Elizabeth rose from her chair "When are we due to travel, father?" Elias finished his cigar smiling. "In two days hence, Elizabeth." The girl squealed excitedly once more. "Then I look forward to meeting my betrothed. Isn't it wonderful, Harriet." She said turning to her maid. "Yes, very wonderful indeed Ms Elizabeth." Harriet said with an ironic smirk that everyone in the room missed.


Germantown, Maryland 10th June 1850 20:30pm


The train journey had been one of the longest moments in Harriet's life, considering it had been her first. She had to endure both the stern looks from Guthrie and his goons, Harriet will never forgive him or her father for Jack's murder, and the gushing from Elizabeth about Braithwaite. It had been like that for the last three hours, listening to anecdotes about his chin or those "big grey eyes" Harriet had only pretended to !isten, spending the entire journey on how she would knock out Elizabeth and steal her dress she had come with all sorts of idea's but still felt the guilt weighing in her heart. Elizabeth was dressed in a beautiful white silk dress, with a matching white brimmed hat. She was festooned with gold diamond jewellery, matching earrings and a beautiful necklace that rested between her generous bared bosom. White stockings and buckled black leather shoes completed the look. She also held a a white drawstring bag that carried her dowry on her waist. About eight in the evening, they had arrived in Germantown for the nights stop and checked into the Hotel, paying for two rooms; one for Guthrie's men and a separate one for the women. Now 30 minutes later, she was alone with Elizabeth. It was time to put her escape plan into action.


"Oh, Harriet isn't it wonderful to be out of the plantation away from father. To think you will be living with me in Washington when I get married." Elizabeth sat facing the vanity while Harriet brushed her hair, feeling the weight of the solid wooden brush in her hand. "Yes, very wonderful. I'am very excited to free of that place, Elizabeth." Elizabeth cocked her head fixing her sister with a curious look. "What's the matter, Harriet? You have been in a funny mood all day?" This was it, now or never. "I'am so sorry Elizabeth..." She said as she gripped the thick brush tight. "Sorry? What have got to be sorry for, silly. I do- ugh!" Harriet had struck her hair hard on the back of her head, causing the girl to slump off her chair hitting the ground with a dull thud. "...For that and for what's coming next sweet Elizabeth." Harriet breathed a sigh of relief was she saw Elizabeth's chest rise and fall. "I hope you will forgive me, Elizabeth. But I cannot stay with you, you see you are going to be an aunt. I cannot have my child raised a slave, or be taken away from my breast to be sold as property. For this I need your clothes and money to escape. I'am sure you would understand." Harriet said as stripped off her maids uniform, underwear included then started to undress the unconscious Elizabeth. With experienced hands, Harriet stripped off Elizabeths hat, jewellery and shoes then unlaced her silk dress from the side peeling it off her slim body. After removing Elizabeths corset, Harriet unlaced the girls chemise opening it out to expose her well formed buoyant breasts with puffy dark pink circular areolas, averting her eyes from Elizabeth's nakedness Harriet slipped off the chemise off Elizabeth's slender shoulders. Harriet then whipped off Elizabeths petticoat revealing a small woman hood crowned with a thick triangle of black public hair, followed by her white stockings, leaving Elizabeth completely naked. As an afterthought, she copied Elizabeth's hair style.


As she got dressed in Elizabeth's clothes she shouted mimicking Elizabeth's voice. "Guthrie help! It's my maid, she leapt out of the window while I was in the bath! You have to catch her!" Hearing clamour of footsteps outside and raised voices "Damn! The half breed's escaping, search the town she couldn't have gotten far! Don't you worry miss, we will find her!" Guthrie yelled from the other side of the door, as Harriet put on Elizabeths hat and jewellery, followed by her make up. Laughing, Harriet tore her underwear into strips binding Elizabeth's wrists ankles, gagging her. "Farewell, sister. I hope someday we will meet again and we can finally embrace as sisters without your father around. You can meet your little niece or nephew, sorry sister for everything. I love you." Harriet said as she rolled Elizabeth's naked unconscious body under the bed, then after tying the drawstring back to her waist she swept from the room locking it behind her.



Using Elizabeth's clothes, Harriet blended in with the busy streets of Germantown as she made her way to the train station using the crowd to avoid Guthrie and his man. Harriet was surprised, wearing this dress nobody gave her a second glance they treated her just like another white woman. Has she arrived at the train station, Harriet checked the train times to Ohio she smiled there was a train leaving for Cincinnati in 15 minutes and the price was cheap. She could afford a carriage from there to California with the remaining dowry. Harriet approached the ticket agent. "Good evening miss? How can I help you?" Harriet cleared her throat, mimicking a Spanish accent. "Yes, I'am the Lady Constanza Balién de Alforda, going home to California. I want an express ticket to Cincinnati, por favour?" The ticket agent smiled. "That would be $25 dollars, please my lady." Harriet smiled as she thanked the man, paying for her ticket. With the ticket in hand she boarded the train, Imagining the look on Guthrie's face when he discovered she was long gone and when he found Elizabeth all naked under the bed. Harriet took a deep breath, still feeling guilt for what she had to do but knew it was the right thing to do. As the train departed, she glanced down at her belly.


Train to Cincinnati 15 minutes later


With the train underway, Harriet relaxed into her seat then she looked down at her belly, caressing it as she thought of the life growing inside her. The last piece of Jack, who wasn't here. She cast her mind thinking of him. " I'am giving you a proper name, when you are born? How about Jackson? We will be the Jacksons. Named after your father, Jack. Someday when you are older, I will tell you all about your father. How he was the bravest man I have ever met and my soulmate. How I wish he was with us now, child. But a part of him will live on in you." Then looking up into the night sky, Harriet fell asleep dreaming of the future, dreaming of freedom.