Summary

In Chapter 4 of The Wench, Rufel is angry with Dessa's response to her story about Mammy. Outside, she encounters one of the runaways fishing. She hugs him and cries. She tells him Mammy's name was Dorcas. She feels embarrassed hugging a black man, but he is kind to her. She tells him her real name is Ruth Elizabeth and he introduces himself as Nathan. She tells him about her relationship with Dorcas. He tells her not to worry about Dessa's response as she is upset about her own circumstances.

Back at the house, Rufel nurses the baby, as she is the only wet nurse. Ada tells her Rufel is sleeping in Dorcas's old bed now. Rufel thinks about how little she knew Mammy, never considering that Mammy may have had children of her own. After coming to their family, Rufel's mother started calling her...