One Night at the St. Nicholas by Jodi Thomas

Author:Jodi Thomas [Thomas, Jodi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2019-09-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Katie ran up the back stairs, leaving a trail of muddy footprints. When she reached the third floor, she stripped off her shoes. Her quarters were in the attic above, but she had to leave the pink dress where she’d picked it up.

No one was around. All the servants were downstairs working.

Without hesitation, she slipped into Jacqueline’s room. She retrieved her uniform and rushed to the dressing room. There, finally alone and safe, she held the dress up to her one last time.

All she’d wanted to do was pretend for an hour. Mrs. Cockrell had told all the staff to stagger their times but take an hour break once all was set up because they’d been working before dawn and their shifts probably wouldn’t end until long after the party was over.

Katie had decided that no one would miss her if she took a little time off. No one would notice if she wore the fancy dress and pretended in the garden that she was dancing at a fine party. Only someone had noticed. Cody Lamar. If he told anyone, she could be fired. She had to erase all signs of what she’d done. The dress, the shoes, the memory.

In a few years she’d move into middle age, probably be in charge of a floor or even become the head housekeeper. She’d grow old in service. Taking care of strangers who often didn’t bother to learn her name.

She looked at her reflection as she held the dress in front of her. It was ruined now. The run she’d made had splashed mud almost to her knees. Her evening had ended. The pretending was over.

Slowly she washed and dressed in her black-and-white uniform. She wrapped her hair in her cover. When she looked back at her reflection, she saw a maid, not a fairy, not a lady, not a woman a man like Cody Lamar would even notice.

Slowly she folded the pink dress and put it in one of the laundry bags along with the pink slippers covered in mud. It was time to get back to work. She put on her black socks and tied the laces of her worn black shoes. Then she strapped on the leather band that held a small sheath for an old six-inch kitchen knife. Her worries and fears returned.

The last time Marshal Calaber had stayed at the hotel, he’d gone too far. The first time he’d teased her, chased her, and forced a kiss. But the last time, he’d been angry when he walked into the hotel and decided to take it out on her. A kiss was not enough. He needed to prove he had the power. He’d hurt her and she swore she wouldn’t let him do what he did ever again. Six inches of blade would reach his heart.

She lifted the knife and slid it into its hiding place. Why couldn’t she have met a man like Cody before she’d been damaged by the marshal?

When she turned back to the mirror, Katie barely recognized herself.

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