"Your husband raped my daughter and made her pregnant," he said without hesitation.
I held my breath and didn't swallow. Gladys Tate did not change expression, but it was as if the shadows that carpeted the front of the great house had somehow penetrated the walls and darkened her face.
"I assume," she said after the heavy pause, "you have some proof to support this astounding
accusation."
"My daughter's the proof. She'll tell you how it was exactly. She don't lie."
"I see." She fixed her stone eyes on me. "Where did this alleged incident occur?"
"In the swamp, madame," I said softly.
"The swamp?"
"In the canals. He was fishing when he come upon her in her pond, a place she goes swimming," Daddy said.
Gladys Tate stared at him as if it took a few moments for Daddy's words to be translated, and then she turned back to me.
"You know who my husband is?"
"Yes, madame."
"You say he came upon you while you were swimming?"
"I was actually sunning myself on the rock at the time.
When I opened my eyes, he was there. I was . ."
"Nude?"
"Yes, madame."
She nodded. Then she smiled at Daddy.
"Do you know what it means to make false accusations, especially accusations of such a serious nature?"
"It ain't false," Daddy said.
"I see. And you have brought your daughter here for what purpose?"
"What purpose? He made her pregnant. That's gonna be a costly thing."
"Oh, so it's not justice you seek so much as it is money, is that it?" she asked with a wry smile painted across her lips. "That's justice, ain't it?" Daddy retorted.
"Have you spoken with my husband?"
"Yeah, and he don't want to own up to it. But he will," Daddy threatened. "Look at her," Daddy said, pumping his hand toward me. "Look at what he done to my little girl. How's she supposed to find a decent husband when her stomach's two feet ahead of her, huh? And all because your husband had his way with her!"
Gladys Tate stared at me again. "You're the girl who ran off the stage at graduation, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes, madame."
"And you," she said, turning to Daddy, "are the man who made that ridiculous scene."
"That ain't got nothing to do with this."
She stared again. These silent pauses sent chills up my spine, but Daddy didn't seem to notice or care. Finally she sighed, shook her head.