It was not just the thought that she would no longer be owned by him or be available to him but he realized that she would be without his protection as she and Deborah would be living in Town, so far away if she needed him. He had bought her a small property there earlier in the month; a two bedroom house with a shop front where she and Deborah could run some sort of business. He had decided to give her Jacko as a slave since he couldn’t do much on the plantation with one hand and he would give her one of the women from the field to help out. Sarah knocked at the door and he bid her to come in. She looked as if she had come in from doing the laundry as the front of her dress was wet and her hands looked wrinkled from being in water for too long. “You wanted me Master Thomas?” “Yes Sarah.” He paused as if to collect himself. “Since Richard will be leaving tomorrow and Deborah will be free to go, I have decided to grant you your freedom now.” Sarah put a hand over her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes.
