later. It wasn’t large, and held just enough furniture to accommodate the family. The walls, draperies, and furniture were all in shades of white and soft blues.
The floor was spotless, as were the tables, but Angela found dust on a large cabinet that held hundreds of little figurines, and she started to work on that. She was enchanted by the glassy little figures, and handled them with tender care as she moved them about. After a few minutes, she started humming, content she had found something to do.
“You see, Robby, I told you I heard someone in here.”
Angela spun around quickly and met the contemptuous glare of Crystal Maitland. Her brother Robert was looking at Angela with a mixture of surprise and pleasure, his dark brown eyes scrutinizing her. Angela knew Crystal only from Hannah’s descriptions, but she had seen Robert on occasion in the city. He was a lean man, about twenty-five, of medium height, with light blond hair like his sister, and strong, aristocratic features. Crystal’s brother was also Zachary Maitland’s closest friend, and he spent as much time at Golden Oaks as he did at his own plantation.
“Well, at least she’s makin’ herself useful,” Crystal continued, as if Angela weren’t in the room.
“Oh, I’m sure your esteemed father-in-law has something much more useful in mind for the little orphan,” Robert said dryly.
“Now, Robby, I told you I didn’t want to hear that kind of talk. Father Maitland wouldn’t dare bring her here to be his mistress,” Crystal replied tartly.
“Wouldn’t he?” Robert asked with a raised brow. “Look at her. You can’t deny she’s pretty, and Lord knows this house doesn’t need any more servants. Maybe the old man has become foolish enough to think we wouldn’t guess his real reason for bringin’ the girl here.”
“Oh, stop it!” Crystal demanded. “If I were inclined to believe you, I’d throw her out on her ear. But I don’t believe your silly notion. And I’llmake sure she has plenty to do and earns her keep. Besides, it’ll be right nice havin’ a white servant girl in the house, as long as she’s learned to be civil. She used to be quite wild, you know.”
“She looks pretty tame to me,” Robert returned, a grin coming to his lips as he boldly eyed Angela.
Angela’s cheeks flamed. Didn’t they care that she was standing right there?
“Your name’s Angela, isn’t it, girl?” Crystal questioned, her annoyance with her brother now directed at Angela.
“Yes.”
“Well, Angela, go and fetch me a glass of lemonade and bring it to the drawin’ room. And be quick about it.”
Angela slipped passed them without a word and hurried to the kitchen, the color still high on her face. Hannah was there and she smiled a warm greeting when Angela came into the room.
“Tilda says you was here earlier, but you ain’t been introduced proper like,” Hannah said carefully. “This here’s Tilda, the best cook there is hereabouts.”
“I’m mighty pleased to meet you, Tilda,” Angela said sincerely.
“So’s I, Missy. It sure is gonna be nice havin’ you here with us.”
Angela wanted to stay and chat, but she was afraid to keep Crystal Maitland waiting. “Can I have a glass of lemonade?” she asked quickly.
“You can have anything you wants, Missy,” Tilda answered jovially. “There’s a pitcher right there on the counter. Let me just wipe my hands here and I’ll gets you a glass.”
Tilda moved to the counter and poured a large glass of the cold lemonade, making Angela thirsty. She took the glass, said her thanks, and hurried out of the room. She went straight to the front room on the right of the hall, the only other room with an open door, and found Crystal and Robert relaxed on a large green and white sofa.
Crystal took the glass of lemonade and tasted it, then made a face. “There ain’t enough sugar in this, girl! Take it back and make sure it’s sweet enough before you return.”
Angela took
The floor was spotless, as were the tables, but Angela found dust on a large cabinet that held hundreds of little figurines, and she started to work on that. She was enchanted by the glassy little figures, and handled them with tender care as she moved them about. After a few minutes, she started humming, content she had found something to do.
“You see, Robby, I told you I heard someone in here.”
Angela spun around quickly and met the contemptuous glare of Crystal Maitland. Her brother Robert was looking at Angela with a mixture of surprise and pleasure, his dark brown eyes scrutinizing her. Angela knew Crystal only from Hannah’s descriptions, but she had seen Robert on occasion in the city. He was a lean man, about twenty-five, of medium height, with light blond hair like his sister, and strong, aristocratic features. Crystal’s brother was also Zachary Maitland’s closest friend, and he spent as much time at Golden Oaks as he did at his own plantation.
“Well, at least she’s makin’ herself useful,” Crystal continued, as if Angela weren’t in the room.
“Oh, I’m sure your esteemed father-in-law has something much more useful in mind for the little orphan,” Robert said dryly.
“Now, Robby, I told you I didn’t want to hear that kind of talk. Father Maitland wouldn’t dare bring her here to be his mistress,” Crystal replied tartly.
“Wouldn’t he?” Robert asked with a raised brow. “Look at her. You can’t deny she’s pretty, and Lord knows this house doesn’t need any more servants. Maybe the old man has become foolish enough to think we wouldn’t guess his real reason for bringin’ the girl here.”
“Oh, stop it!” Crystal demanded. “If I were inclined to believe you, I’d throw her out on her ear. But I don’t believe your silly notion. And I’llmake sure she has plenty to do and earns her keep. Besides, it’ll be right nice havin’ a white servant girl in the house, as long as she’s learned to be civil. She used to be quite wild, you know.”
“She looks pretty tame to me,” Robert returned, a grin coming to his lips as he boldly eyed Angela.
Angela’s cheeks flamed. Didn’t they care that she was standing right there?
“Your name’s Angela, isn’t it, girl?” Crystal questioned, her annoyance with her brother now directed at Angela.
“Yes.”
“Well, Angela, go and fetch me a glass of lemonade and bring it to the drawin’ room. And be quick about it.”
Angela slipped passed them without a word and hurried to the kitchen, the color still high on her face. Hannah was there and she smiled a warm greeting when Angela came into the room.
“Tilda says you was here earlier, but you ain’t been introduced proper like,” Hannah said carefully. “This here’s Tilda, the best cook there is hereabouts.”
“I’m mighty pleased to meet you, Tilda,” Angela said sincerely.
“So’s I, Missy. It sure is gonna be nice havin’ you here with us.”
Angela wanted to stay and chat, but she was afraid to keep Crystal Maitland waiting. “Can I have a glass of lemonade?” she asked quickly.
“You can have anything you wants, Missy,” Tilda answered jovially. “There’s a pitcher right there on the counter. Let me just wipe my hands here and I’ll gets you a glass.”
Tilda moved to the counter and poured a large glass of the cold lemonade, making Angela thirsty. She took the glass, said her thanks, and hurried out of the room. She went straight to the front room on the right of the hall, the only other room with an open door, and found Crystal and Robert relaxed on a large green and white sofa.
Crystal took the glass of lemonade and tasted it, then made a face. “There ain’t enough sugar in this, girl! Take it back and make sure it’s sweet enough before you return.”
Angela took
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