hardly more than a child. No, this young lady was a woman full grown, and it appeared she had learned the art of enticing men with her looks.
“I am Felicia. I work as the Second Hand. That’s a position just under the foreman. I have a great deal of experience,” she said suggestively.
Carter found her completely wanton and looked back to the book he’d been glancing through.
“Are you so very shy you will not speak to me?” The words fairly purred from her lips as she sauntered across the floor. “I’m quite entertaining.”
Carter looked up. She was a pretty blond thing with a figure that demanded notice, even from behind the heavy cotton apron.
“I am certain you speak the truth.”
Felicia grinned. “You have me at a disadvantage, sir. I have given you my name and even more.” “Felicia, what are you doing out here?” Mrs. Clarkson demanded as she came into the room. “You have more than enough work to keep you busy. Not only that, but Lydia is asking after you. Go see what the child needs.” She turned, dismissing the young woman. “Mr. Danby, may I offer you more tea?”
Carter watched Felicia leave. She was not happy about it, but it was clear she’d heard his name and was probably even now committing it to memory. “
I am fine, thank you, Mrs. Clarkson. I do not require anything else.” He thought of the young woman he’d met earlier. Miss Shay had an odd sense of familiarity about her. He would have sworn he knew her. Yet how many dressmakers had he been introduced to? She must be, he acknowledged, his first.
“Very well. I am certain your mother and sister will soon join you. I have, even now, Miss Shay’s next customers waiting.”
“Speaking of Miss Shay,” Carter said, putting aside the book and getting to his feet, “I wonder if you might tell me more about her. My mother says she is much sought after for her creations.”
“Oh yes. She is quite talented. When in France this summer I showed several of her drawings to my friends in fashion. They were quite impressed. I would not find it unusual at all to see her name mentioned with the likes of—”
“Oh, there you are,” Carter’s mother declared as she came into the room. “Come, we must get home. I have so many things to accomplish yet today.”
Carter felt a brief sense of disappointment that he couldn’t further question Mrs. Clarkson about Miss Shay. He was even more displeased to realize that Miss Shay had not come to see them off.
“Were you pleased with the ideas Miss Shay created?” he asked as he extended his arm to assist his mother out the door.
“Oh, goodness yes. The woman is so very talented. I shall be quite pleased to utilize her services over and over. She understands me completely.”
“And what of you, Winifred?” Carter asked, looking back over his shoulder as they descended the outside stairs.
“I liked her very much. I felt she completely understood me, and I her. It was as if we had known each other for many years.”
Carter nodded but said nothing. It was strange, he thought, but he had the same sensation.
CHAPTER 4
C atherine rose early the next day, hoping to talk to Selma and Dugan privately before the household was awake to overhear. In the kitchen, Selma was already at work frying up sausages and potatoes. The girls ate a hearty breakfast together at five-thirty every morning and started their day’s work at six, a routine with which they were all quite familiar.
Explaining the situation from the previous day, Catherine waited for Selma’s comment. The older woman considered the matter solemnly for several minutes while she turned the sausages.
“I believe there is little to worry over. You are much changed in the five years since Mr. Danby last saw you,” Selma began. “You hardly look the same. Then you were but a girl of ten and seven. You wore your hair in ringlets and had not yet acquired a woman’s figure. He only met you for a short time amidst his busy
“I am Felicia. I work as the Second Hand. That’s a position just under the foreman. I have a great deal of experience,” she said suggestively.
Carter found her completely wanton and looked back to the book he’d been glancing through.
“Are you so very shy you will not speak to me?” The words fairly purred from her lips as she sauntered across the floor. “I’m quite entertaining.”
Carter looked up. She was a pretty blond thing with a figure that demanded notice, even from behind the heavy cotton apron.
“I am certain you speak the truth.”
Felicia grinned. “You have me at a disadvantage, sir. I have given you my name and even more.” “Felicia, what are you doing out here?” Mrs. Clarkson demanded as she came into the room. “You have more than enough work to keep you busy. Not only that, but Lydia is asking after you. Go see what the child needs.” She turned, dismissing the young woman. “Mr. Danby, may I offer you more tea?”
Carter watched Felicia leave. She was not happy about it, but it was clear she’d heard his name and was probably even now committing it to memory. “
I am fine, thank you, Mrs. Clarkson. I do not require anything else.” He thought of the young woman he’d met earlier. Miss Shay had an odd sense of familiarity about her. He would have sworn he knew her. Yet how many dressmakers had he been introduced to? She must be, he acknowledged, his first.
“Very well. I am certain your mother and sister will soon join you. I have, even now, Miss Shay’s next customers waiting.”
“Speaking of Miss Shay,” Carter said, putting aside the book and getting to his feet, “I wonder if you might tell me more about her. My mother says she is much sought after for her creations.”
“Oh yes. She is quite talented. When in France this summer I showed several of her drawings to my friends in fashion. They were quite impressed. I would not find it unusual at all to see her name mentioned with the likes of—”
“Oh, there you are,” Carter’s mother declared as she came into the room. “Come, we must get home. I have so many things to accomplish yet today.”
Carter felt a brief sense of disappointment that he couldn’t further question Mrs. Clarkson about Miss Shay. He was even more displeased to realize that Miss Shay had not come to see them off.
“Were you pleased with the ideas Miss Shay created?” he asked as he extended his arm to assist his mother out the door.
“Oh, goodness yes. The woman is so very talented. I shall be quite pleased to utilize her services over and over. She understands me completely.”
“And what of you, Winifred?” Carter asked, looking back over his shoulder as they descended the outside stairs.
“I liked her very much. I felt she completely understood me, and I her. It was as if we had known each other for many years.”
Carter nodded but said nothing. It was strange, he thought, but he had the same sensation.
CHAPTER 4
C atherine rose early the next day, hoping to talk to Selma and Dugan privately before the household was awake to overhear. In the kitchen, Selma was already at work frying up sausages and potatoes. The girls ate a hearty breakfast together at five-thirty every morning and started their day’s work at six, a routine with which they were all quite familiar.
Explaining the situation from the previous day, Catherine waited for Selma’s comment. The older woman considered the matter solemnly for several minutes while she turned the sausages.
“I believe there is little to worry over. You are much changed in the five years since Mr. Danby last saw you,” Selma began. “You hardly look the same. Then you were but a girl of ten and seven. You wore your hair in ringlets and had not yet acquired a woman’s figure. He only met you for a short time amidst his busy
Similar Books
