A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Author:Libba Bray [Bray, Libba]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery, Young Adult
ISBN: 9780689875342
Google: K2pXAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0385732317
Goodreads: 3682
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2003-12-09T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Were you dropped on your head as a child?” Felicity snaps at Ann the moment Mrs. Nightwing has left us.

“S-s-sorry,” she stammers. “Why didn’t you want her to know about the book?”

“And have her confiscate it? I think not.” Felicity sneers.

Brigid bustles back in, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“You seem on edge tonight, Brigid,” Felicity says.

“Aye,” she says, sweeping crumbs from the table. “Talking about those two is enough to give anyone the chills. I remember ’em, all right, and they wasn’t the saints the missus makes ’em out to be.”

If you want to know something about a household, ask the servants. That’s what my father used to say. I offer Brigid a seat next to me. “You should rest for a moment, Brigid. It’ll do you good.”

“Don’t mind if I do. Oooh, my feet.”

“Tell us about them. The truth,” Ann says.

A low whistling sound escapes from Brigid’s mouth. “They was wicked girls. Especially that Sarah. Very cheeky she was. I was young then—not bad-lookin’ m’self. Had plen’y of suitors who come for me on Sundays for the walk to church. Always went to church, rain or snow or shine, I did.”

Brigid is unraveling. We could be here all night listening to tales of her piety.

“And the girls?” I prompt.

Brigid fixes me with a stare. “Getting to it, ain’t I? As I was saying, I’d go to church on Sundays. But one Sunday, Missus Spence, who was the Good Lord’s angel on m’ right hand, Missus Spence asks me would I stay and look after young Sarah, who’s feeling poorly. This would be about a week before the fire.” She stops, coughs for effect. “It’s hard to talk, m’ throat bein’ so dry.”

Dutifully Ann brings her a cup of tea.

“Oh, that’s a good girl. Now, I’m only tellin’ you wot I know as a lesson. And it don’t go no further than these four walls. Swear it.”

We fall all over ourselves swearing, and Brigid picks up where she left off, happy to be holding court.

“Mind you, I wasn’t happy about staying. M’ regular suitor, Paulie, was to call for me and I had a new bonnet besides, but I knew m’ duty. You’ll learn that soon enough, Miss Ann, once you’ve secured a position.”

Embarrassed, Ann looks away and I can’t help feeling sorry for her.

“Oooh, this wants sugar . . . ,” Brigid says, holding out her teacup like a queen. She’s taking us for all we’re worth but she has information we need so I’m back with the sugar bowl and we wait till she has stirred two lumps in. “I admit I wasn’t feeling charitably toward Miss Sarah that day. But I go to bring her breakfast on a tray and find her not in bed where she should be but down on the floor, crouched low like an animal, talking to Mary. They was having harsh words. I hear Mary sayin’, ‘Oh, no, Sarah, we can’t do that, we can’t!’ And Sarah says something about ‘That’s easy enough for you to say.

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