Netherby Halls by Claudy Conn Page A

and draped it around herself before she went about the
business of brushing her hair, taking out the Grecian curls it had
been styled into by Lady Margate’s maid. Decidedly that would not do at the school. Instead, she divided her hair, braided
both sections, and pinned them at the top of her head where wispy
locks shaded her forehead.
    She donned one of her mourning gowns of gray silk,
with a white lace fichu at the neck. The gown was long sleeved and
banded at the waist with a darker shade of gray velvet. Finally,
she pulled on her half-boots of black leather and then picked up
the dark wool shawl. Throwing it over her shoulders, she made her
way to the stairs to find Miss Graves.
    Once again, she felt the pulse of ‘something’ in the
walls that hugged the wide staircase and tried to ignore it.
    She had to make this position work— she didn’t have
a choice. Women of her class when left without parents, and
without a home, had to find a way to make an acceptable living. Her
trust fund would not buy her a home or even lease one and still
have enough left over to pay for everything that went with
maintaining one.
    She needed to work, to save … and …
    Molly almost ran into her. “Oh! There ye be!” Molly
took her hand, saying, “Oh, Miss, ye be late!”
    “Late?” she repeated, surprised. The hour was quite
early. “Well, no one told me what time I was to meet with Miss
Graves,” she said, frowning, as she allowed Molly to pull her along
a few steps before dropping the girl’s hand when they reached the
L-shaped hall to a thick oak door.
    Molly whispered, “Miss Graves is waiting on ye in
there, and the headmistress will be along any minute...”
    Sassy smiled. “Is this usual?”
    “No. I came to fetch ye so ye wouldn’t be late yer
first morning.” She clucked her tongue. “Never saw Miss Sallstone
leave her quarters before breakfast. She doesn’t dine with the
teachers. Not she!” Molly shook her head. “But she be coming in
this morning to make ye known to them, and in a right foul mood to
boot.”
    “I see. I suppose she is more comfortable taking
breakfast in her rooms,” Sassy remarked absently.
    “Aye, and never before ten! And,” Molly said with a
strange look, “not always alone.”
    Curiosity aroused, Sassy raised a brow at the girl’s
tone. “Oh?”
    Molly nodded. Evidently she had taken a liking to
Sassy, for she put her hand on Sassy’s arm, eyed her
conspiratorially, and as though imparting very serious information
said, “Aye, that one entertains in her room, and if Lady Devine
knew of it, heads would roll.”
    “And why is that?” Sassy’s brows arched.
    “Because ’tis a man she entertains,” Molly said with
a low hiss. “The doc comes regular, he does. And from what I have
noticed,” Molly said knowingly, “they are real good friends, they
are.” She shrugged. “And there be others as well.”
    Sassy digested this but realized she shouldn’t
encourage this sort of gossip so said softly, “Thank you, Molly,
but I had better get inside before the headmistress arrives.”
    Molly squeezed her arm and flitted off. Watching her
depart, Sassy marveled to herself for a moment. Molly was no more
than a child really, and yet she spoke with the most knowing manner
Sassy had ever encountered in one so young.
    The doors opened into a rectangular room some forty
feet wide and sixty feet long. Windows reaching from ceiling to
floor covered nearly the full length of the front wall overlooking
the rose garden. The drapes of maroon velvet were pulled back, and
a swag of gold-trimmed maroon velvet made up the valance.
    A huge fireplace took up a side wall, and one long
rectangular table sat in the center, at the moment housing some
sixty girls ranging in age from ten to sixteen.
    Sassy smiled at their upturned faces and made her way
with as much poise as she could summon while all eyes were on
her.
    She stopped at the round faculty table. As the
headmistress had not yet