Courting Susannah by Linda Lael Miller

Author:Linda Lael Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2000-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

When morning spilled over the eastern horizon, Susannah arose, attended to Victoria and to her own ablutions, and descended the rear stairway into the kitchen. She found Maisie at her usual duties, humming happily as she prepared a fragrant, sizzling breakfast at the stove.

Victoria, bouncing in Susannah’s arms, caught sight of Jasper playing on the floor and strained toward him with the whole of her small, strong body.

“Not until you’ve had your bottle,” Susannah said, holding on tightly and brushing the baby’s temple with the lightest pass of her lips. She watched her friend with amused speculation for a few moments. “You seem in good spirits this morning, Maisie.”

The other woman smiled as Susannah settled herself and Victoria in the rocking chair, then handed over the customary bottle of warm milk. The household was falling into a routine. She was glad of that, for it made her feel as though she belonged.

“I reckon I’m happy, just to think about the dancin’ tonight. I do love my dancin’,” Maisie answered, eyes alight. “You pick out a dress to wear to the doin’s tonight, or was you too caught up in lookin’ after me?”

A suckling sound filled the warm, steamy air of the kitchen as Victoria took her breakfast. Susannah rocked the chair slowly back and forth, taking her time answering. “I’ll attend to that later,” she said. When she raised her eyes to Maisie’s face, she knew her countenance was serious. “I think we should clear away Julia’s things and make that room into a nursery for Victoria, don’t you?” she asked.

Maisie looked mildly alarmed and intrigued at the same time. “You speak to Mr. Fairgrieve on that account?”

Susannah flushed and shook her head. “Not yet.”

Maisie sighed and went on with her stirring and potlid raising, while the coffee perked on the back of the stove. “Like as not, he’ll be relieved to have those things put away. All the same, you’ll want to ask first.”

Susannah nodded. She hesitated even to bring up Julia’s name to Aubrey, for whatever reason, but she would find an opportunity.

“You’ve got to wear somethin’ fittin’ to that party tonight,” Maisie persisted. “Folks will be lookin’ you over real good, you can bet.”

Susannah sighed heavily. “That’s precisely why I’m dreading the evening so much. Oh, Maisie, why does life have to be so complicated? Why can’t I simply take care of Victoria, teach my piano lessons, and keep to myself?”

“Don’t reckon life works that way,” Maisie said with a shrug. She frowned thoughtfully, stirring something in a kettle on the stovetop, then brightened. “I know what we can do. You choose two or three of Mrs. Fairgrieve’s gowns, and we’ll take the sleeves from one and maybe the bodice from another and make somethin’ brand new. How would that be?”

“I hardly see how we’ll have time,” Susannah reasoned, but she was feeling a little less bleak. True, she didn’t relish the prospect of facing the curiosity and disapproval of Seattle’s aristocracy, such as it was, but she cared even less for the thought of hiding in her room like a coward.

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.