Mail Order Celeste by Elissa Strati

Author:Elissa Strati [Strati, Elissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-28T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6 – Harriet

Removal

Henry accompanied them to Harriet’s former abode, sitting with the cab driver. William said nothing as they pulled up beside the somewhat shabby dwelling in which his new bride had been living with her “brother.”

Suddenly nervous, aware of the discrepancy between this hovel and the house she’d just left, Harriet apologized quickly in advance for the state of the dwelling, exclaiming that things were at sixes and sevens because of her nuptials and moving, and that her brother was also planning to leave town and return to his own lodgings now that she was happily situated.

As they entered, it was clear Karl had already departed.

“Let me just check the bedroom to be sure he didn't forget anything,” Harriet fluted as she dashed back to verify everything had been cleared out. She only hoped he had left her jewelry so she wouldn't be embarrassed in front of those uppity stepdaughters she had acquired. Harriet had observed closely everything the sisters had done, from the way they’d held their cups to the way they sat. Hoity-toity misses! But if she were to try to move in their circles, she’d need to learn how to blend in. Who knew what new opportunities might arise if she could pass for “society”?

And then Harriet smiled to herself. She could always get him to buy her more jewelry and she imagined some of the late wife's belongings had not yet been parsed out. She would now be entitled to any family jewels, after all. She rolled her eyes. For a moment she had forgotten the plan. But now she had added to the plan. She intended to be fully bejeweled by the time they were finished.

She was surprised to see Karl had left the linens on the bed, even though they had come with the unit and were supposed to remain. She knew her “dear brother,” and that must have been hard for him to do.

Returning to the front room she smiled broadly at the gentleman and declared, “It seems everything has been taken care of! We can just pack the bags into the cab and return home.”

She then grasped her new husband's arm and simpered up at him.

Henry, who had been a family retainer practically since he was born to the previous housekeeper, met William’s eye and stoically begin lifting bags and boxes. Between them, Henry and the cab driver wrangled them and the trunk into the boot of the cab, and they were soon on their way back home.

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