not always the case. Before, when she’d been dressed as a simple maid, she’d glowered and scowled at anyone who had dared stare at her. Now she was no longer a nameless girl among
many, but wore the clothes of a lady. Some people might be
less inclined to be discourteous to her face, but that did not
19 8
mean they accepted her. She doubted they ever would.
As long as she remained in England, she would always
stand out.
Due to the number of pedestrians crowding the streets,
Anne and Sara had left the confines of their carriage to walk
up Broad Street. Their destination was a shop located near the
parish of Saint John, a place for travelers to offer prayers before a journey.
She’d had no idea how tedious her life would become when
she’d accepted Drummond’s generosity. While she didn’t miss
Margery ordering her around, Anne realized that being indus—
trious had helped to pass the time more quickly, and now she
found herself wandering through the large rooms of the house,
not quite knowing what to do.
Drummond himself had been absent the past four days.
Despite the presence of the other maids in the house, Anne
was lonely, and she’d wished more than once that she still had
Teach’s book to read. Drummond’s library was stocked, but
nothing caught her attention like the story of Dampier’s travels.
Thoughts of the book naturally brought Teach to mind, and
Anne wondered when he would once again return home. Not
that it was any of her business. He was where he belonged, since he and Miss Patience were to be married.
The thought of Teach and Miss Patience together left a bit—
ter taste in Anne’s mouth, and she did her best to redirect her thoughts whenever they turned to him.
19 9
“Are we almost there, Miss Anne?” Sara asked, noticeably unnerved by the number of pedestrians surrounding them.
Anne nodded. “Yes, but I’d like you to wait outside the shop
for me. It shouldn’t take long,” she said. She hoped that it wasn’t too late to retrieve the items from Drummond’s household, for it had been a month since she’d sold them.
“I’ve never seen the streets so crowded before, miss.”
“Nor I,” Anne admitted. The atmosphere among the throng
could be described as festive, with an undercurrent of expectancy, as if the crowd were waiting for something to happen.
Anne didn’t understand it and was therefore caught off guard.
As far as she knew, it wasn’t a holiday.
“How’s your mother?” Anne asked in an attempt to distract
the girl.
Sara frowned. “As well as can be expected. She’s able to get
up a bit, but she still has an awful lot of pain.”
“Perhaps you should take some time off to tend to her,”
Anne suggested.
Sara’s eyes widened. “Oh no. I can’t afford to do that, miss.
All my money goes to help her, to pay for the doctor. If I don’t work, who will?”
Sympathy tugged at Anne’s heart. “I don’t mean for you
to quit. I’m simply suggesting you take a few days to be by her side. Heaven knows I don’t need you waiting on me hand and
foot.” Aside from this excursion, Anne hadn’t gone out, except
to walk through the gardens.
2 0 0
What she wanted more than anything else was to take another ride through the countryside, but Sara didn’t know how to ride, and Anne wasn’t sure she’d want Sara to accompany her
even if she could. “I shall talk to Mr. Drummond about it. I’m
sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“But I can’t afford—” Sara began.
Anne took Sara’s arm in hers. “Nonsense. I will help pay
for any missed wages. There is no need for you not to be with
your mother,” Anne insisted, knowing how important it was to
care for loved ones, especially when they were ill. Drummond
had given Anne some extra coins, in the event that he missed
something while filling her wardrobe. Like with everything else he did, he had thought of every last detail, and Anne wanted
for nothing.
Except companionship.
By sending Sara away, Anne would be sacrificing the one
person in the house with whom she could converse, but she
would feel even worse if she kept Sara by her side for selfish
reasons. In truth, it was only a superficial relationship, and a few days apart would not make much of a difference to Anne.
To Sara’s mother it could make all the difference in the
world.
“Thank you, An—I mean, Miss Anne. That’s most kind
of you.”
Smiling, Anne remained silent, grateful that the shop front
appeared up ahead. But a sudden shout amidst the crowd drew
2 0 1
her attention. She and Sara exchanged curious looks as answering cries could be heard along the street. People shuffled back and forth, and more than one stepped on Anne’s toes. Almost
as one, the movement of the crowd surged forward, sweeping
Anne up in its wake.
Alarmed, she drew Sara’s arm more tightly through hers as
they were jostled to and fro by the group surrounding them.
“Stay with me, Sara,” Anne cried, her voice rising as she tried to speak above the noise of the throng.