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understand me?”
    Hampton laughed in a short, strained manner. “I hardly think you would do that. After all, who would take my place? York is off in Pennsylvania playing at politics, and Maine is off saving the heathen world. Who else could you possibly get to do the job, if not me?”
    “There are other overseers to be hired, Hampton. Don’t forget that this is still my property.”
    “I suppose it is a fact that you could hire another overseer, but you’ll never get the profits out of the land that I have. This is no small plantation, and therefore no small feat to keep it running smoothly. If I’ve taken a hard line with the slaves, it’s because that’s what was needed in order to get the work done. If you want to run a charity ward, then by all means do so, but it was my understanding that you wanted a profit on your investment. Your sons have no interest in this place, but I do. Who else would care as much as I do whether a profit is realized or not?”
    Joseph nodded. “What you say is true, but the fact is, I’ve often thought of selling out and leaving the plantation to another owner. Last winter, when Bob Lee brought his family home to winter at Arlington, we spoke of his plans to educate and free his slaves.”
    “Outrageous!” Hampton declared, sitting up properly in the chair. “Education isn’t allowed for them, and even if it were, they aren’t capable of learning much. As for freeing them, wherever would they go? Who would take them in and give them work? Then, too, who would work our fields?”
    “If I sell Oakbridge, it won’t much matter whether the fields are worked or not. I could just as well parcel it off to my children, in which case you’d still maintain a certain portion of the land. You could work that with or without your own labor force, or you could go back to commission merchant work.”
    “You aren’t making sense, Joseph. I’ve advised you too long for you to ignore me now. Didn’t I keep you out of hock when the depression hit? Hasn’t my advice always been sound in regard to investments?”
    “Yes, overall. But, Hampton, you already know very well the conflict and strife that is brewing in our nation over the issue of slavery. I can’t simply ignore the direction the future seems to be taking. Bob Lee agrees. He plans to free the slaves at Arlington upon his father-in-law’s death. They really belonged to him first, you know. Lee took on the place pledging to see to the old man’s wishes, and, frankly, I am beginning to agree with his ideas.”
    “This is ridiculous, Joseph,” Hampton declared, jumping to his feet. He slammed both hands down on the desk as if to accentuate his opinion. “Freeing darky slaves is not the answer for a productive future. Neither is selling a fine plantation such as Oakbridge. This is your ancestral home. Do you honestly believe your children will stand by and tolerate her destruction?”
    “No one is speaking of her destruction,” replied Joseph. “My heart isn’t here anymore. Margaret is in Boston, and that’s where I feel strongly drawn—I’m there physically a large portion of the time anyway. My children are grown and doing well for themselves, so I find myself considering all manner of possibilities.”
    “But to sell Oakbridge is ludicrous.”
    “Even if I sold it to you?”
    “I could never afford this place on my own. Not yet, anyway,” Hampton answered, calming only marginally. “But there’s no reason for you not to let things go along as they have been. Go to Boston and take a house there. I’ll manage Oakbridge and you’ll see for yourself the comfort that will be had from the income.”
    “And what of the slaves?” Joseph asked, eyeing his son-in-law cautiously.
    “The slaves are a very necessary part of the plantation, and well you know it. Would you free them, losing thousands of dollars in valuable assets, only to turn around and hire poor laborers? You’d be in ruins within months.”
    “I’m