Lacy was exhausted and irritable. She had been unable to sleep more that an hour at a time for the past week. The temperature had climbed above 100' and remained in the low 90's at night. It was sultry and humid as only it can get in the deep south. Lacy had tried everything to find relief from the oppressive heat.
She stood now at her window watching the sky lighten. The sun would break over the horizon any minute now creating another furnace blast for her to endure. She sighed and started to turn from the window when the field workers emerged from the cook house to head to the fields. She nodded her head. It was smart of them to go very early before the terrible heat.
Lacy didn't have any particular regard for the workers beyond the fact that they were valuable property. They were, after all, only slaves. She was, however, much kinder to them than Martin with his brutish temper.While she watched men, women and children file off toward the field, her eyes were drawn to the last one to leave. It was Thomas. He was Mandingo, big and powerfully built. Muscles rippled up and down his arms and torso when he moved. He bent to hoist a small, laughing, child upon his shoulders. They had had him for almost six years
As Lacy watched Thomas, she felt a warm tingle around her pelvic area , but dismissed it as another result of the oppressive heat. She would never admit that it might be in any way sexual. She had no interest in sex and certainly no interest that involved a slave. Martin had made sure she felt no interest with his brutal rutting.
Even this early in the morning, perspiration gleamed on Thomas' shoulders, accenting the massive bronze body. He wore only baggy sackcloth pants tied at the waist with a piece of rope. The loose fitting pants did nothing to hide his magnificent physic. His back was furrowed with deep scars from the whip. Lacy loved to watch him .There was a sensual rhythm to his every move. She was unwittingly leaning farther out the window to watch when he suddenly looked up at her.
Lacy felt an electric charge jolt her body. She knew she should turn away, but was powerless to do so. He raised a hand in greeting. She nodded her head in return. His smoldering eyes seem to bore into Lacy's for a full minute, then he turned to follow the others. She was momentarily angry at his impertinence. How dare he be so familiar! The anger didn't last long and
Her eyes followed him until he was out of sight. She could not understand what had happened to her. She was numb, unable to control her emotions.
What was the matter with her? She was a married woman, a pillar of the community. What she was feeling was unbelievable.Martin had taught her that sex was a painful and brutal act enjoyed only by the man. After her wedding night, Lacy had never felt sexual arousal. She couldn't possibly feel any sexual feelings for a slave! My heavens! That was unheard of and also against the law. Although white men routinely used the black women for their pleasure, a black man would be beaten half to death just for looking at a white woman. Touching one was a killing offense.
Try as she might, Lacy could not control the heat that was coursing through her loins. It's got to be this interminable heat, she thought. Everyone is getting out of sorts. For the first time in her married life she wished Martin was here instead of off to Atlanta for the multi-state meeting to discuss the rumors that President Lincoln was threatening to abolish slavery.
Although Lacy was never involved in the financial affairs of the plantation, she was aware that they had a large fortune tied up in the slaves. After all, it took a lot of workers to operate a 3,000-acre plantation. The Randalls, like many of their neighbors, would be severely hurt if they lost the slaves.
Lacy tried to think of those things and not about the feral sexuality Thomas exuded.
When the workers came in from the fields for their dinner, her eyes once again sought Thomas. He carried himself proudly, tall and erect. That pride had won him many welts and cuts from the whip, but they failed to extinguish his proud arrogance. Thomas took off his hat and wiped his forehead with a forearm. Lacy felt the tension mount in her pelvic area. She sighed and wondered how it would feel to lay in those strong arms. Did one of the female slaves enjoy his attentions?
Lacy could stand it no longer.. Never in her life had she felt such uncontrolled desire. She had never truly desired sex and was unprepared for all that was happening to her. She felt a sudden panic at the wetness that was trickling down her thighs.
She wanted Thomas!
She called Mandy, her maid, and told her to fill a cool bath for her. She had to do something to ease the fever coursing through her. She paced the floor and went several times to the window hoping to catch glimps of Thomas
My god, she thought, what's happening to me? This heat is driving me crazy.
After her cool bath she did more pacing . she advised the cook on the evenings meal. She yelled at Mandy and told her how lazy she was. She did anything she could think of to fill the time and take her mind off the burning in her lower regions. Finally, after the evening meal she heard the Negroes singing and all the workers had settled down to their rest, Lacy decided to go for a walk down by the creek. There was a lovely weeping willow there and perhaps there might be a cool breeze by the water. She could dangle her feet in the water and cool off. Perhaps that would help to extinguish the forbidden desire that was ravaging her body.
As Lacy neared the stream, she thought she heard splashing so she went quietly up to the willow. Her breath caught in her throat! Thomas was in the water up to his waist. He didn't see Lacy and she didn't call out to him. She just stood there silently devouring him with her eyes .Thomas ducked under the water and when he came up, the sparkling water running off his body sent electric shivers over her body.
Lacy’s body trembled. Uncontrollable hunger swept her toward the water and Thomas. She HAD to be near him. Had to feel those powerful arms around her.
Lacy was wearing a thin dress of batiste over a light camisole. Even so, she felt as if the material was plastered to her. Lacy lifted her dress up to her knees( Scandalous!) and walked to the water's edge.
"Would you help me into the water, Thomas"? she asked.
Thomas just about fell over. What was the Missus doing here? and wanting in the water with him at that.
Lacy smiled sweetly and held her hand out to be helped into the water.
"Miss Lacy," Thomas sputtered. "what ya'll doing? Ya'll shouldn't be here."
"Nonsense" she told him. "I'm hot and I want to cool off, too. Now help me before I slip on a slick rock".
Nothing for it but Thomas had to do as he was told. He stuck out a trembling hand, took hers and led her into the shallow water. He was leaning forward trying to stay in the deeper water while he maneuvered her into the shallows, but Lacy was having none of that. She managed a convincing slip and fell toward Thomas. He instinctively grabbed her to keep her from falling.
Lacy flung her arms around Thomas' neck and clung on. His body felt like iron. Every muscle sculpted from hours of hard work. Lacy clung tightly against him.
