Just Above a Whisper by Lori Wick Page A

surprised her by saying.
    Mrs. Greenlowe’s eyes narrowed. “You’re going to his house!” she hissed.
    Reese only smiled at her, waiting for the tirade to begin.
    “Who does he think he is? How is that helping the bank? He’s got no right, I tell you. And that Lillie Jenness! She’s a cold one. You mark my words. All she does is work.”
    When the words seemed to run out, Reese calmly said, “Then I’m headed to clean the bank at 4:00. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.”
    Reese turned away, but Mrs. Greenlowe’s voice, calmer now, stopped her.
    “You might be an indentured servant, Reese, but you’re still a person. Make sure they treat you like one.”
    By way of a reply, Reese waved but didn’t say what she was thinking. Being an indentured servant meant they could treat her any way they liked.

     
    He had said he was going to do something. He had said that he had a surprise for her. But even though Reese Thackery was standing in her parlor, Mrs. Lillie Jenness could hardly believe her eyes.
    Lillie found her voice after a few pained moments of silence. “What did he tell you to do?”
    “He didn’t, Mrs. Jenness. He said to come here and be a help to you.”
    Lillie’s eyes all but closed in frustration. She was a woman who prided herself on a spotless home and a perfect table. She didn’t need help. What could Victor be thinking?
    “All right, Reese.” Lillie stayed calm, willing to take this matter up with her husband. “Come into the kitchen. I’ll have you work on some candlesticks that need polishing.”
    Reese didn’t comment, but she was surprised. She expected to be given the most difficult, arduous job in the house. Polishing at the table was not it. Nevertheless, Reese didn’t complain. She took the apron that was handed to her—it was spotlessly clean— and sat down to work.
    Reese didn’t look up while Mrs. Jenness moved around the room a bit. She didn’t look up until the lady of the house exited and the door to the next room closed rather hard.

     
    Reese had been working along for the better part of an hour when Gerald, the Jenness’ teen son, came into the room.
    “Who are you?” were the first words out of his mouth.
    “I’m Reese,” she stopped humming and replied, barely glancing up from her work.
    “What are you doing?”
    Reese spoke before she thought. “I’m swimming in the pond. What does it look like?”
    Not until the sarcastic words were out of her mouth did Reese look up, her eyes a bit wide until she saw that Gerald was laughing. She relaxed a bit but still kept her eyes on him, watching as he sat down, still chuckling.
    “Where’s my mother?”
    “I don’t know,” Reese answered, going back to the candlesticks.
    “Why are you here?” Gerald tried.
    “Because I was told to come.”
    “Do you always do as you’re told?” Gerald asked, and Reese heard a tone she didn’t like. She looked up into his eyes and saw something she dreaded: interest.
    Reese’s gaze returned to the work at hand, even as she wished she had a reason to stand up. If Gerald was no taller than his father, he would find himself looking up to Reese. She’d yet to meet a young man who could overlook this fact and believed it to be the quickest way to cool any ardor he might be feeling.
    “Well, do you?”
    “It depends on who’s doing the telling,” Reese responded, trying to keep her voice light.
    “You’re different,” Gerald said, lounging back in the opposite chair as if he had all day.
    “Am I?”
    “That’s what I mean.” Gerald came forward in his excitement, as though she’d made his point. “Just by the way you said that! I can tell you don’t let folks boss you around. You’re your own person.”
    Reese glanced up at him and then back down before he could read the unbelief in her eyes. He clearly had no idea to whom he was talking. It was true that the Jenness house was not situated on the green, but it was still in town. Reese wondered if Gerald