older. Her father’s perpetually grim expression was weighted down with the burdens of the nation’s recession and the responsibility of caring for the four children still at home.
And then, of course, there was the ever-present worry about Miranda. From the time her dear sister’s letters had stopped arriving, Rosalind had tossed and turned at night and worried and fretted. She had to find her. She had to. Or she had to discover what had become of her. There was no choice.
After the kerosene lamp was dimmed and their attic room was wrapped in darkness, Rosalind finally remembered to tell Nanci her news. “Guess what? I talked to Douglass the other day.”
“Oh? Where did you see him?”
“In the east hallway. I turned around, and there he was. He remembered my name.”
“Did he?”
Rosalind noticed that Nanci wasn’t responding the way she’d imagined she would. Instead of teasing Rosalind, she almost sounded . . . jealous?
“We didn’t say much to each other.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Nothing.” Now Rosalind wished she’d never even brought it up, and she was glad she’d never told Nanci about her first encounter with Douglass. “I had just delivered Miss Veronica’s tray. He wished me good morning.”
“Ah. Well, he would. He’s special that way,” Nanci replied in a much warmer tone. “I bet he was just curious about the new maid in the house.”
She certainly hoped that was still the case, though something about him had made her feel a little uncomfortable again. “What’s he like?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem to know him well. What’s special about him?”
Nanci laughed softly. “Douglass is the master’s son. That’s why he is special, silly. That’s all that matters, anyway.”
“No, I mean, is he kind? Mean? Have you ever talked with him?”
“Talked with him?”
“Yes. I mean, you’ve worked here for two years. Surely you’ve had occasion to speak to him once or twice. What do you know about him?” Rosalind bit her tongue so she wouldn’t ask any more questions.
“I know he likes his shoes polished every Thursday until they shine. He likes his eggs poached and his fireplace swept clean daily. At least, he did back when I was just a house maid.”
“Come now, you have to know something more.”
“Actually . . . I do,” Nanci said after a moment’s pause. “Mr. Douglass has been seein’ someone special, but I hear he don’t care for her hoity-toity ways all that much.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve even been told that he doesn’t always find all those ladies to his taste.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” Lowering her voice, Nanci added, “I’ve never told anyone this, but once I noticed him smiling my way.”
Eager for more, Rosalind pounced on that bit of information. “Oh? And what did you do?”
“Why, I smiled just as sweet as you please right back, that’s what I did.”
Rosalind was disappointed by the answer, but promptly pushed her reaction aside. “I would have been too surprised to do anything but stand there with a smile. I was practically shaking in my boots and all I was trying to do was stay out of his way.”
“Don’t worry, Rosalind. Before you know it, you’ll understand how everything works in this house. You’ll know when to smile and know when to stay in the shadows.” Before Rosalind could comment on that,Nanci said, “Well, we’d best stop talking and get to sleep. It’d be a pity if we was too worn out to enjoy our afternoon and evening off.”
Dutifully, Rosalind closed her eyes. But all she could think about were Nanci’s words about knowing how to get along in the house. She wondered if Miranda had ever learned all the rules to working in the household.
And what might have happened if she hadn’t.
“Lord, please be with Miranda,” Rosalind whispered into the darkness. “Please keep her safe, free from harm.” As disturbing images swirled in her head, and as she recalled how
And then, of course, there was the ever-present worry about Miranda. From the time her dear sister’s letters had stopped arriving, Rosalind had tossed and turned at night and worried and fretted. She had to find her. She had to. Or she had to discover what had become of her. There was no choice.
After the kerosene lamp was dimmed and their attic room was wrapped in darkness, Rosalind finally remembered to tell Nanci her news. “Guess what? I talked to Douglass the other day.”
“Oh? Where did you see him?”
“In the east hallway. I turned around, and there he was. He remembered my name.”
“Did he?”
Rosalind noticed that Nanci wasn’t responding the way she’d imagined she would. Instead of teasing Rosalind, she almost sounded . . . jealous?
“We didn’t say much to each other.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Nothing.” Now Rosalind wished she’d never even brought it up, and she was glad she’d never told Nanci about her first encounter with Douglass. “I had just delivered Miss Veronica’s tray. He wished me good morning.”
“Ah. Well, he would. He’s special that way,” Nanci replied in a much warmer tone. “I bet he was just curious about the new maid in the house.”
She certainly hoped that was still the case, though something about him had made her feel a little uncomfortable again. “What’s he like?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem to know him well. What’s special about him?”
Nanci laughed softly. “Douglass is the master’s son. That’s why he is special, silly. That’s all that matters, anyway.”
“No, I mean, is he kind? Mean? Have you ever talked with him?”
“Talked with him?”
“Yes. I mean, you’ve worked here for two years. Surely you’ve had occasion to speak to him once or twice. What do you know about him?” Rosalind bit her tongue so she wouldn’t ask any more questions.
“I know he likes his shoes polished every Thursday until they shine. He likes his eggs poached and his fireplace swept clean daily. At least, he did back when I was just a house maid.”
“Come now, you have to know something more.”
“Actually . . . I do,” Nanci said after a moment’s pause. “Mr. Douglass has been seein’ someone special, but I hear he don’t care for her hoity-toity ways all that much.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve even been told that he doesn’t always find all those ladies to his taste.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” Lowering her voice, Nanci added, “I’ve never told anyone this, but once I noticed him smiling my way.”
Eager for more, Rosalind pounced on that bit of information. “Oh? And what did you do?”
“Why, I smiled just as sweet as you please right back, that’s what I did.”
Rosalind was disappointed by the answer, but promptly pushed her reaction aside. “I would have been too surprised to do anything but stand there with a smile. I was practically shaking in my boots and all I was trying to do was stay out of his way.”
“Don’t worry, Rosalind. Before you know it, you’ll understand how everything works in this house. You’ll know when to smile and know when to stay in the shadows.” Before Rosalind could comment on that,Nanci said, “Well, we’d best stop talking and get to sleep. It’d be a pity if we was too worn out to enjoy our afternoon and evening off.”
Dutifully, Rosalind closed her eyes. But all she could think about were Nanci’s words about knowing how to get along in the house. She wondered if Miranda had ever learned all the rules to working in the household.
And what might have happened if she hadn’t.
“Lord, please be with Miranda,” Rosalind whispered into the darkness. “Please keep her safe, free from harm.” As disturbing images swirled in her head, and as she recalled how
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