It's so backwards that the people she literally owns and enslaves are what makes "home" to her. The way she almost sees them as children and as her responsibility is wild, as there's no way she'd ever treat her real children like that or consider them property. It's so tone deaf but in an odd way endearing that she wants to save the plantation simply not have the families split up. If only she could extend this kindness so far as freeing them that'd be wild.

It's so interesting that this 1/8 drop of slave blood that Zoe has is viewed to differently by the two men. George is frankly quite forward thinking in not letting this matter to him one bit, and doesn't fire her any differently. HIs affection is pure and sweet this confession doesn't deter him. M'Closky on the other hand views this fraction of blackness as a means of control, focusing more on this than the 7/8 of a free white person others see her as. His infatuation is greedy, controlling, and possessive. His mindset of her heritage is so old school and more normal to the time, as he can get what he wants with no regard to her. This one drop is what's going to allow him to possibly literally own her, while it only emphasizes to George that this is something he would/could never do and doesn't even really acknowledge.