Cutler 5 - Darkest Hour by V.C. Andrews

Author:V.C. Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0-671-75933-7
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 1993-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

PART TWO

9

GOOD NIGHT, SWEET PRINCE

Charles Slope and his wife Vera, the woman who Papa hired to replace Louella, were pleasant enough people, and their infant son Luther was sweet, but I couldn't help the emptiness I felt in my heart. No one could ever replace Louella. Vera was an excellent cook, however, and although she made things differently, they always tasted good; and Charles was certainly a hard worker who gave Henry the relief and assistance he needed at his age.

Vera was a tall woman in her late twenties with dark brown hair in a chignon so tight it looked painted on. I never saw a strand out of place. Her eyes were soft light brown and she had a somewhat dark complexion. She had a small bosom with a narrow waist and hips. Although she was long-legged, she walked and moved about gracefully, never lumbering or slouching like Emily and other tall young women I had seen.

Vera ran the kitchen efficiently, which, in what were becoming increasingly hard economic times, Papa appreciated. Nothing was wasted. Leftovers were turned into stews and salads to the point that the hound dogs felt deprived and gazed up with disappointment when the scraps were thrown to them. Vera had worked in a rooming house before and was accustomed to making do with much less. She was a quiet woman, much quieter than Louella. Whenever I walked past the kitchen, I never heard Vera singing or humming, and she was rather closed-mouth about her past, rarely volunteering any new information about her youth. Papa's formal ways didn't seem to scare her and I could see the pleasure in his eyes when she referred to him as Sir or Captain Booth.

Naturally, I was interested in how she would react to Emily and how Emily would treat her. Although Vera never contradicted Emily or disobeyed one of her orders, she did have a way of gazing at her sharply that told me she didn't like her, but knew enough to keep her feelings well hidden beneath her Yes ma'ams and No ma'ams. She never questioned or complained, and quickly learned the pecking order.

All of Vera's gentleness was reserved for her infant son Luther. She was a good mother who always managed to tend to his needs and keep him clean, well fed and occupied, despite her chores in the kitchen and her added burden of seeing after Mamma from time to time. Papa must have prepared her for Mamma's erratic, strange behavior, for she didn't appear surprised the first time Mamma was too tired or too confused to come to the dinner table. She prepared Mamma's tray and brought it to her without comment or question. Actually, I was very pleased with the manner in which Vera looked after Mamma's needs, always checking to be sure Mamma was up and around in the morning, helping her to dress herself or even to wash herself. It wasn't long before she got Mamma to permit her to brush Mamma's hair the way Louella often did.

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