“It is madness, foolishness, and the worst sort of nonsense.” He sighed and looked down at his hand, the one she’d touched only moments before. “But it is not for me to judge you. If your course is firmly set, then I shall do my best to aid you.”
“Oh, Avery, thanks. You’re the best.” She flung her arms around his neck. His muscles trembled, and the slightly coarse fabric of his coat scratched at her cheek.
She breathed in shoe polish and strong soap. But Leah didn’t care. She’d made her first friend, albeit a handsome and reluctant one, and he was going to help her to her true love. How much better could today get?
i
“And this is where you’ll sleep.”
The door swung open and Mrs. Harper gestured into the dim attic room. Leah closed her eyes, made a wish, and walked toward the open door to face her fate.
A haughty sniff came from her unwilling tour guide.
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tiny, stick-thin frame was crowned by a bushy cloud of stark-white hair, but a duchess herself could be no more stuck up than Mrs. Harper was.
The grand tour of the new underhousemaid had culminated with this, the reveal of Leah’s temporary living quarters. She tried to contain her dismay as she looked around the tiny room, crammed with two beds and other people’s belongings.
“You’ll share this bed with Henrietta,” Mrs. Harper said. “Teresa and Sara sleep in the other. You’ll have one drawer for your things.” She gestured to a simple wooden bureau in the corner. “Your uniforms are already inside. Dress— mind you take care— and be down for supper at the hour.”
Mrs. Harper shut the door without another word, leaving Leah alone in the rapidly darkening attic room. She dropped the empty, beaten leather bag that Avery had produced to lend authenticity to her role as applicant for housemaid onto the floor beside her and crossed to the single, tiny window. After pulling it open, she ducked her head out to look at the city of London below.
She bit her lip, excitement thrumming through her veins. Carriages rolled down the cobbled streets, beautiful horses tossing their heads as Londoners called greet-ings to one another. Lamp boys scurried along, propping small ladders against the posts and touching their lit wicks to the lamp heads. A baker’s boy ran past, his arms loaded with golden-brown loaves. It was picturesque, beautiful, everything she’d imagined.
Her happy sigh echoed through the room. Who’d have thought that she’d be living such a dream?
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“From the country, are you?”
Leah nearly swallowed her own tongue in shock at the high-pitched voice behind her. She whirled and smiled.
“Hello. Who are you?”
The girl didn’t answer at first, just tilted her head quizzically, causing her too-big mobcap to flop over one eye. She shoved it back with a motion that was clearly of longstanding habit.
“I’m Henrietta. You must be the new maid. Mrs.
Harper sent me up to help you get settled.” The girl gave a small smile, revealing crooked front teeth.
Faint discomfort nestled at the back of Leah’s spine.
This girl looked only a few years older than Leah’s drama students at Concord Magnet Elementary School. She couldn’t be more than twelve, thirteen years old, and she worked here? Reminding herself that child labor laws were still a work in progress, Leah nodded.
“Nice to meet you, Henrietta. Or do you go by Henry?”
“What a daft question. I am a girl, so I am Henrietta.
They said you was a sight dim, and weren’t they right and all.” The polite smile was gone, and in its place was a look of dislike that was more suited to Mrs. Harper’s drawn cheeks than Henrietta’s apple-shaped ones.
Well well well, thought Leah as she drew herself up to her full height. The little match girl is more of a little spitfire.
“Well, Henrietta, why don’t you show me around?”
Leah kept tight eye contact with the little demon, daring her to challenge further.
Aha, she thought as Henrietta looked away and marched to the bureau. Round one to Ramsey.
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done to Mrs. Harper’s liking. Oh”— the girl turned— “and one more thing.”
She might as well have a blinking neon sign on her cute little forehead that read “I’m about to try to screw you over.” Leah crossed her arms and waited.
“Mrs. Harper said to tell you that supper has been delayed. You’re to remain here until quarter past the hour.”
Leah inwardly shook her head. Poor kid. She had talent but no control. Overplaying a part was worse than underplaying it. “Hold it right there.”