Born to Love by Valerie Sherwood

Author:Valerie Sherwood
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0 7107 3052 7
Published: 1984-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Dorinda surmised that Josiah Carp, a big swarthy man with an unkempt beard whose articles of indenture Ada had purchased from a drayman, had been brought in not—as Ada maintained—to do the heavy work, but to strike fear into the hearts of the apprentices, who had been complaining about eighteen-hour days and an impossible workload. Dorinda did not like the bold way his hard speculative stare swept over her and his complete lack of expression was unnerving. The apprentices were nervous when he was around and tried not to meet his eyes. Completely cowed, she thought, and understood how Ada had done it. She could easily imagine hulking Josiah in the West Indies bringing down a whip on the sunburned sweating backs of Englishmen transported to the islands as bond servants for crime. She knew that if she stayed she was going to have to one day step between Josiah and the apprentices—but she had no intention of staying.

Her last day as a bound girl passed pleasantly enough. The apprentices were glum that she was leaving and she tried to cheer them up, singing as she helped them dip candles and almost caroling her greeting to customers whose entry jangled the little bell above the door of the shop.

She had rather expected to be invited to sup with Elissa on this last day, but when she walked by the dining room Elissa saw her and abruptly ducked her head. That meant no doubt that Ada wouldn’t approve, for Dorinda’s pleasant custom of dining with her mistress—which she had done ever since John Blore’s death—had ceased abruptly with Ada’s arrival. Oh, well, nothing could spoil this day for her! Tired as she was, she almost danced out to the kitchen.

She woke the next morning and stretched luxuriously. She was free, free! She could lie late abed, collect her things and the money due her from her days of bondage—surely Ada would not block that! And then she could be off on her own to wander about Philadelphia for the first time as a free woman! Perhaps she would seek employment in some chandler’s shop in the city, she thought—just until she could make her plans.

Her winging thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. “Oh, Dorinda!” Elissa burst in, wringing her hands. “Hartzel has burned himself with the hot wax!”

“What?” Dorinda sprang from her bed for Hartzel was supposed to take over as manager of the shop today. “Is he badly hurt?”

“I don’t know. Blassing just said he’d been burned.”

“I’ll be right there!” Dorinda forgot all about being a free woman. She told Elissa “not to worry” and dashed down to the shop. As she left she heard Elissa saying to Ada, “You see? I told you Dorinda would take care of it!” And wondered if Elissa really expected Ada to appreciate Dorinda’s staying to help out in an emergency.

The emergency turned out to be minor. Hartzel’s burn was inconsequential but it had excited Blassing, who had raced to the house seeking Dorinda.

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