I have been a little bit late in updating my blog. I was supposed to go the Outlandish Gathering in Savannah this year. However, it got canceled because of Hurricane Matthew (I have started to hate Mother Nature recently because of it). As a result, I was very busy packing and unpacking. This post is mainly about two characters that Lord John meets in “Lord John and The Plague of Zombies”: Philip and Nancy Twelvetrees. Of course, Lord John is not looking forward to meeting them because of the enmity between the Greys and the Twelvetrees. However, they are a source of information for the reader. Furthermore, Lord John develops some appreciation towards Nancy during their interaction.
Nancy Twelvetrees is extremely hostile toward Governor Warren. Of course, it is revealed later that they were lovers back in England, and that he left her for another lady. Of note is Nancy’s description of an Obeah-man or Obeah-woman as a charmer, healer or witch.
‘Oh . . . to make someone fall in love with you. To get with child. To get without child . . .’ and here she looked to see whether she had shocked him again, but he merely nodded, ‘ – or to curse someone. To cause them ill-luck, or ill-health. Or death.’
The word “without” is italicized by the author. It is possible to speculate that Nancy got pregnant and somehow lost the child. What is not clear is whether she had a miscarriage or abortion. It is possible that she contacted an Obeah-man to bring bad luck to the Governor. However, her comments foreshadow Rodrigo’s and Azeel’s actions for revenge.
She also demonstrates an interest in Lord John, that goes beyond friendship or acquaintanceship. Of note, is her knowledge of the Koromantyn slaves (she seems to be attracted to them too). She describes them as “big,” “strong” and “well-formed.” However, there are also other disadvantages to having them since they are “hard to control” and “aggressive.” This description brings Rodrigo to the reader’s mind. In fact, Rodrigo’s physical attributes leave an impression in Lord John when they first meet:
. . . but with a breadth of shoulder that spoke of strength, and a head and neck that would have graced a Greek sculpture. . .
Rodrigo’s aggressive nature is one of the reasons that leads him to his doom. According to Captain Accompong, Rodrigo decided to take a “private revenge” that incriminated him and the other Maroons. His actions pushed Captain Accompong to pay Ishmael to make a zombie out of Rodrigo.
The Twelvetrees are acquainted with Geillis. I think that everything they know about African religion and beliefs was learned from Geillis. It seems that they have seen Geillis’s zombies. In fact, Nancy’s face goes “quite white” at the mention of zombies. In Voyager, Geillis shows Claire the zombie poison. She says that Ishmael used to be her cook and that he made it. She also reveals that she does not know all the ingredients in the poison. I guess Ishmael wanted to keep that information confidential for reasons of power (fear is a way to acquire power and everybody seem to be afraid of him). Of note is the fact that Geillis did not frequent social gatherings in Jamaica. People did not know much about her in Voyager. What Jamie and Claire hear is gossip coming from people that have not met Geillis personally. Based on Mrs. MacIver’s account, Geillis likes the company of male slaves. When Geillis married her late husband, Barnabas, nobody in Jamaica knew her. Therefore, how is it possible for the Twelvetrees siblings to be acquainted with her? I tend to suspect that Nancy wanted to take revenge against Governor Warren in a similar manner to that of Azeel (she probably wanted Ishmael’s services). However, it is possible that Philip Twelvetrees knows Geillis intimately.
– Mrs Abernathy would be best placed to advise you. Almost all her slaves are Ashanti. She . . . er . . . she’s said to . . . um . . . take an interest.’
To Grey’s own interest, Tweltrees’s face went a deep red, and he hastily changed the subject, . . .
This passage can be interpreted in different ways. It could be that Philip Twelvetrees is embarrassed to defame a woman, a widow, no matter her reputation. In fact, he might want to avoid the topic of promiscuity because of his sister’s experience with Governor Warren. At the same time, Geillis has been a lover to many male characters throughout the Outlander series. Even St. Germain has had intercourse with her based on his musings in “The Space Between.” Therefore, the possibility of Philip being another of Geillis’s lovers cannot be disregarded.
I will be writing more about Lord John and An Echo In the Bone in subsequent posts. Thanks for reading.
Sources
Gabaldon, Diana. “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies.” A Trail of Fire. London: Orion Books. 2012. Print.