Greg Jenner

And does she escape or does she get tracked down?

She's been taken in by the Van Wagenens. She's got her daughter Sophia with her. And then she hears that her son Peter has been taken because her husband Thomas has died, Michelle. Peter had been still in enslavement, owned by the Dumonts, and John Dumont had decided to sell him to a slave owner in Alabama. And this is hugely upsetting. And she does something extraordinary, Michelle.

She's been taken in by the Van Wagenens. She's got her daughter Sophia with her. And then she hears that her son Peter has been taken because her husband Thomas has died, Michelle. Peter had been still in enslavement, owned by the Dumonts, and John Dumont had decided to sell him to a slave owner in Alabama. And this is hugely upsetting. And she does something extraordinary, Michelle.

Can you tell us what she does in 1828?

Can you tell us what she does in 1828?

The amazing thing really now is that Isabella is free. She's been assisted by the Van Wageners. She's still called Isabella Van Wagenen, but she goes off to New York and she now goes to work for white families, but wealthy families as a free woman. And one family is called the Latourettes. They sound quite French to me, Michelle. Is she speaking French now?

The amazing thing really now is that Isabella is free. She's been assisted by the Van Wageners. She's still called Isabella Van Wagenen, but she goes off to New York and she now goes to work for white families, but wealthy families as a free woman. And one family is called the Latourettes. They sound quite French to me, Michelle. Is she speaking French now?

And they're very religious, aren't they?

And they're very religious, aren't they?

Boom. But then she finds someone even more interesting. Someone comes to her door calling himself the prophet Matthias. Desiree, who do you think he claimed to be? I'll give you a clue. He's wearing gold robes. He's got a fancy beard when he shows up at her door.

Boom. But then she finds someone even more interesting. Someone comes to her door calling himself the prophet Matthias. Desiree, who do you think he claimed to be? I'll give you a clue. He's wearing gold robes. He's got a fancy beard when he shows up at her door.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. And we've done a cult already with Pythagoras. So this is our second cult together, Desiree.

Yeah. And we've done a cult already with Pythagoras. So this is our second cult together, Desiree.

And Isabella is trying to preach, Michelle, but is not allowed to preach in this cult. So that's not ideal.

And Isabella is trying to preach, Michelle, but is not allowed to preach in this cult. So that's not ideal.

Yeah. And the commune collapses in 1834, Desiree. So only a year later. But Isabella stays loyal to Matthias. She lends him money. She gets him a lawyer.

Yeah. And the commune collapses in 1834, Desiree. So only a year later. But Isabella stays loyal to Matthias. She lends him money. She gets him a lawyer.

Even his own wife hadn't joined the commune. But Isabella is still team Matthias. It's a bit of a red flag, isn't it, when the wife won't join? But.