contraption in the hallway before hastening
upstairs. If Mrs Cartwright or Mr Avery heard Elsie’s screams, she would surely
lose her job. Ivy had never heard the likes of it.
She released a slow breath
once they reached the nursery. It was not over yet. Elsie’s face remained
scrunched and angry, but they were home and away from the stern looks.
Putting the child on the mat
on top of the changing table, she put her hands to her hips and eyed the angry
infant.
“Whatever is wrong with
you?” Ivy wrinkled her nose and nodded. “I think I have an idea.”
She urged the child down and
lifted her gown and the stench grew stronger. She had already cleaned Elsie up
several times the day before but from the sight of this... She shuddered and
forced herself to breathe through her mouth. It took quite the battle to get
the child clean and to pin fresh linen around her. Elsie seemed to take great
pleasure in rolling onto her front and beating her fists in annoyance.
When Ivy finally had Elsie
clean, she was about ready to collapse to the ground and beat her owns fists.
Her hair had come free and spilled over her eyes. She blew a strand out of her face
and lifted the child into her arms. Great gulping sobs still came from the
child.
“What would you have me do?
Leave you in such a state?” she asked as she held the child against her chest.
She rocked back and forth
and hummed a made-up tune. Just as the baby began to calm, Ivy felt her body
stiffen against her. A burping sound came from the little thing and then...
Ivy’s shoulders dropped as
something wet and warm spilled across her chest and down the front of her gown.
Tears bit at her eyes as the child, clearly disturbed by the experience, began
to cry in earnest again.
“Do not cry or you’ll make
me cry,” Ivy begged as she reached for a clean cloth to wipe away the mess from
her gown.
“Is all well?”
Ivy spun to find Mr Avery
standing in the doorway. His necktie was loose and signs of his night of
indulgence sat under his eyes. But other than that, he looked perfectly refined
and elegant. Whereas she likely looked a disaster with her hair spilling from
her head and with vomit down her chest.
Drawing her shoulders
straight, she offered her master a serene smile while patting the child’s back.
“Of course, sir. Everything is just perfect,” she said over the child’s cries.
A knowing smile broke across
his face. It shocked her so much that she nearly stumbled back. Their gazes met
and understanding rocked between them. He had been in her very shoes. She would
not admit she was struggling though. Ivy Davis never gave up. She hadn’t given
up her dream of singing and she certainly wouldn’t let a tiny baby get the
better of her.
“Just perfect,” she told
him again. She needed this job and nothing would spoil that. Not even the
effect Mr Avery’s smile had on her.
Chapter Six
The carriage drew up at the entrance to the tunnel. Piles
of stone and rubble marked the entrance. Wooden jousts supported the great hole
in the hillside. Wagons and a wooden hut sat in the mud in front of the tunnel.
August climbed out of the carriage and put on his hat before straightening his
waistcoat.
Apprehension hummed through
him. Though this time it was not anxiousness over the tunnel that caused it. It
was Miss Davis. He prayed she managed on her own today. She had seemed a might
ruffled yesterday.
A smile twitched on his lips
as he recalled the curls spilling over her face and her flushed cheeks.
Unfortunately he too had suffered a few days like that with Elsie, where the
child seemed to want to do everything possible to make his life hell. He
supposed he had eventually come to grips with it but it mattered little. A
child needed a woman’s touch and he had to work. Regardless of whether he had
proved himself capable or not, he needed Miss Davis.
She would be just fine, he
assured himself, as he took a moment to study the Pennine hills. Pride
upstairs. If Mrs Cartwright or Mr Avery heard Elsie’s screams, she would surely
lose her job. Ivy had never heard the likes of it.
She released a slow breath
once they reached the nursery. It was not over yet. Elsie’s face remained
scrunched and angry, but they were home and away from the stern looks.
Putting the child on the mat
on top of the changing table, she put her hands to her hips and eyed the angry
infant.
“Whatever is wrong with
you?” Ivy wrinkled her nose and nodded. “I think I have an idea.”
She urged the child down and
lifted her gown and the stench grew stronger. She had already cleaned Elsie up
several times the day before but from the sight of this... She shuddered and
forced herself to breathe through her mouth. It took quite the battle to get
the child clean and to pin fresh linen around her. Elsie seemed to take great
pleasure in rolling onto her front and beating her fists in annoyance.
When Ivy finally had Elsie
clean, she was about ready to collapse to the ground and beat her owns fists.
Her hair had come free and spilled over her eyes. She blew a strand out of her face
and lifted the child into her arms. Great gulping sobs still came from the
child.
“What would you have me do?
Leave you in such a state?” she asked as she held the child against her chest.
She rocked back and forth
and hummed a made-up tune. Just as the baby began to calm, Ivy felt her body
stiffen against her. A burping sound came from the little thing and then...
Ivy’s shoulders dropped as
something wet and warm spilled across her chest and down the front of her gown.
Tears bit at her eyes as the child, clearly disturbed by the experience, began
to cry in earnest again.
“Do not cry or you’ll make
me cry,” Ivy begged as she reached for a clean cloth to wipe away the mess from
her gown.
“Is all well?”
Ivy spun to find Mr Avery
standing in the doorway. His necktie was loose and signs of his night of
indulgence sat under his eyes. But other than that, he looked perfectly refined
and elegant. Whereas she likely looked a disaster with her hair spilling from
her head and with vomit down her chest.
Drawing her shoulders
straight, she offered her master a serene smile while patting the child’s back.
“Of course, sir. Everything is just perfect,” she said over the child’s cries.
A knowing smile broke across
his face. It shocked her so much that she nearly stumbled back. Their gazes met
and understanding rocked between them. He had been in her very shoes. She would
not admit she was struggling though. Ivy Davis never gave up. She hadn’t given
up her dream of singing and she certainly wouldn’t let a tiny baby get the
better of her.
“Just perfect,” she told
him again. She needed this job and nothing would spoil that. Not even the
effect Mr Avery’s smile had on her.
Chapter Six
The carriage drew up at the entrance to the tunnel. Piles
of stone and rubble marked the entrance. Wooden jousts supported the great hole
in the hillside. Wagons and a wooden hut sat in the mud in front of the tunnel.
August climbed out of the carriage and put on his hat before straightening his
waistcoat.
Apprehension hummed through
him. Though this time it was not anxiousness over the tunnel that caused it. It
was Miss Davis. He prayed she managed on her own today. She had seemed a might
ruffled yesterday.
A smile twitched on his lips
as he recalled the curls spilling over her face and her flushed cheeks.
Unfortunately he too had suffered a few days like that with Elsie, where the
child seemed to want to do everything possible to make his life hell. He
supposed he had eventually come to grips with it but it mattered little. A
child needed a woman’s touch and he had to work. Regardless of whether he had
proved himself capable or not, he needed Miss Davis.
She would be just fine, he
assured himself, as he took a moment to study the Pennine hills. Pride
Similar Books
