Charity Girl: a Novel by Michael Lowenthal

Author:Michael Lowenthal
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Once they only wore a leaf—

clothes are getting just as brief.

If every mother’s daughter wears dresses any shorter,

we’ll have to pass the apples again.

In time to the melody, they scrub their dirty dresses with frolicsome strokes, in unison. Their knuckles knock, but it tickles, sending them into fits. Their merriment is sharp, invigorating.

The matron’s voice, outside the door, sends Frieda to a corner, covering herself with dripping hands.

“Miss Longley? Are you through? Lunch is served.”

Alice turns toward the door but doesn’t open it. She stands as tall and placid as a statue. “Thank you, Mrs. Digges. We’ve some business yet to finish. We’ll eat on our own, when the evaluation’s done.”

No, Frieda wants to say. We can’t. No meals missed. It’s one of Mrs. Digges’s cardinal rules.

But the matron says, “Fine. Take all the time you need.” And her footsteps fade down the hall.

Alice orders Frieda to join her at the sink. Together, laughing, they plunge in.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.