Murder At Brick House: Chapter Three - Seeds of Doubt
The Legend of Amelia
Murder At Brick House: The Legend of Amelia is based on a well-known South Carolina Lowcountry ghost story about a young girl who was shot and killed on what was to be her wedding day (August 13) at Brick House Plantation, Edisto Island, SC.
Although there has never been any verification that this story is true, varying accounts have been published over the years. As with most ghost stories, there is, no doubt, some element of truth.
This Serial novel is a fictional account that explores what Amelia’s life might have been like in the context of the Antebellum South. Some historical places and names are real.
Brick House Plantation is held in a family trust and has been continuously owned by the Jenkins family (of which I am a part) since the early 1800s.
”I forbid you to go!”
The intensity of Robert’s anger shocked & frightened Amelia. What started as a conversation about her desire to spend time with her friend, Martha Jenkins, at Brick House Plantation on Edisto Island, devolved into a shouting match.
Robert even questioned the judgment of her parents, who had given her their permission and blessing. “I can’t believe that your father would allow this.”
“Robert, many young girls regularly travel alone between Charleston and Edisto. And they aren’t really alone. The island community, as you are well aware,” her voice rising emphatically, “is very close knit. There are always others keeping a watchful eye, at the behest of their fathers.”
“Amelia, be reasonable. Not all men are gentlemen. It only takes one time. You have lived a relatively sheltered life. Even on the trips between James Island and the city, you’ve never been beyond Charleston Harbor, except with your parents.”
He seemed incapable of seeing the foolishness of his argument that it wasn’t safe for a young lady to travel alone on the steamer with “only the Lord knows who”.
“Even so, I am not naive, Robert. And, Martha is coming to the city with her father. We will be traveling back to Edisto together. It’s only four and a half hours. She has made that trip dozens of times. I’m sure we will know others on the steamer. I don’t understand why you are so opposed to me going to spend a few weeks with my best friend. Now that we are finished with school, we hardly see each other.”
Deep down, however, Amelia was beginning to see Robert in a different light and question his motives. Maybe it wasn’t just a concern that she could be in danger. His vehement tone told her there was more.
It had barely been two months since their official engagement, but she noticed that he was already becoming more possessive and protective about her associations and activities.
Was it that she might meet some dashing young planter’s son?
Or, she was beginning to suspect, was he more concerned that if that happened it would ruin his plans to inherit Palmetto Shipping when her father retired.
Amelia’s mind wandered back to when she had first met Robert. At sixteen, she was smitten with his dashing looks and charm when her father introduced them in his office.
She thought of how their relationship had evolved in the ensuing three years.
Although he was almost a decade older, it was not uncommon for families to seek someone financially established for their daughters.
She did wonder why, as handsome and outgoing as he was, Robert had never married.
In spite of Robert’s closeness to her family for the past three years, Amelia realized that she knew very little about the man to whom she was engaged to marry.
No one seemed to know much about him. He had told them his grandparents and parents had immigrated from Sweden when he was only nine years old. The Lundgren name and his fair complexion and reddish blond hair seemed to confirm that.
Robert said he had left home to “make his own way” when he was only sixteen years old. Beyond that, when Amelia asked him about his family, his only response was to say it was too painful to talk about.
Was that it really it, or was there something more?
Robert could not believe his good fortune.
Amelia was beautiful and socially well-connected. She was somewhat spirited, but he would work on that once they were married.
And, the Prioleau family had been an integral part of elite Charleston society for generations. Just what he needed to endear himself to powerful social, business, and political circles.
Anthony Prioleau was wealthy. His business, Palmetto Shipping Company, was highly successful and operated a fleet of ships to export and import commodities to and from ports all across Europe.
Almost immediately upon establishing his business dealings with Palmetto Shipping, Robert had seized on the fact that Amelia was an only child. Her father had no male heir to take over the family shipping business once he retired.
Robert calculated the next step in his plan. When Amelia officially debuted at age eighteen, he approached Anthony for permission to court and eventually marry her.
Personally, he had no time for their religious superstition. However, for the sake of his own ambition he accompanied Amelia to Church and sat in the family pew each Sunday.
And if he could not come up with some plausible excuse, he would also attend the various church social functions. It did, he thought, give him the advantage of mingling with others whom he might call on to further his business goals.
Papa had instantly taken to Robert as their business dealings increased. Always the gentleman in their presence, Robert made it a priority to endear himself to the Prioleau family, especially Esther, Amelia’s mother.
Everything seemed to be coming together. It seemed that even the God they so fervently believed in was smiling down on him.
The Sunday afternoon following Amelia’s graduation from Madam Talvande’s Finishing School, the Prioleaus celebrated with a gathering of relatives and friends at their James Island estate.
They had stayed in the city after the Saturday commencement ceremony and attended Sunday services at the French Huguenot Church, where Amelia’s uncle was the senior pastor.
After a brief reception was held in the Church Parish Hall for Amelia and several other Huguenot girls who had graduated with her, the family boarded the Lowcountry Lady, the Prioleau’s seventy-foot harbor schooner, to make the crossing over to James Island.
Esther Prioleau had orchestrated a magnificent feast of roast pork, venison, fish, crab, boiled rice, roasted vegetables, and cornbread. Afterward, she brought out a large dark rum cake iced with a rich Bavarian creme and topped with pecans and berries.
Anthony called for everyone’s attention. Then he raised his glass, “Here’s to Robert and Amelia. As you know, they have been courting for over a year now. Robert came to me in the past week and officially asked for Amelia’s hand in marriage. He is a successful and ambitious businessman and I know that he has the means to take care of Amelia. Esther and I have given them our blessing. I look forward to having a son to partner with me in the business of Palmetto Shipping. And Esther and I certainly look forward to doting on grandchildren.”
Amelia blushed at this last statement, but was overjoyed to be able to make that experience a reality for her parents.
After the applause had died down, the couple was surrounded by well-wishers.
As he engaged in small talk, Robert surveyed the crowd, especially the men, for any visible reactions to the announcement.
He noticed a man, who always seemed to give him the cold shoulder, had pulled Anthony aside. He had become animated in his demeanor as he gestured toward Robert.
He knew that he would have to be very careful moving forward.
“Robert, I appreciate your concern”, Amelia continued to argue, “but I am going to Edisto”, Amelia said. “We are not even married yet. When that time comes, I know that my role in life will change and I will not be able to just do what I want. But now, I want to go visit my friend, Martha, while both of us are still without the care and responsibilities of family.
“And, besides, you will be off on one of your business trips during this time, so you won’t even miss me. And, I know that you will probably spend some of that time visiting the planters on Edisto, so we can see each other then.”
He knew that his heavy-handed approach was the wrong way to control the situation, so he changed his tactics.
He made a show of humility. “Alright, Amelia. You may go. I will make plans to visit you at Brick House on my way back to Charleston. That way, I can escort you on your return trip.”
Amelia was not pleased with the way that sounded, but it did give her some time to think and she didn’t want to push this conversation any further.
She mustered a smile and said, “Thank you, Robert”.
As she prepared for the trip, Amelia decided to keep her confrontation with Robert from her parents. But, she surely would confide in Martha, whom, she was certain, would know something wasn’t right anyway.
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Now I’m on the edge of my seat