The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper

Author:Tea Cooper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQ Fiction
Published: 2022-09-24T00:00:00+00:00

In no time at all, Clarrie was back on her feet, a huge smile cracking her face. She hadn’t got a real job but just as Mr Kendall had told Sid, Miss Breckenridge had offered her a trial until her sisters returned from Sydney and then it would be up to Mrs Barnett, the housekeeper. No matter what, she’d got her first step in the door. Now all she had to do was prove what a help she was and work as hard as she could.

‘I’ll come with you and introduce you to Mrs Starling. As I said, you’ll be doing all kinds of jobs—we’re all helping out.’ Miss Breckenridge unpinned her painting from the easel and carefully put the butterfly inside the pill box and closed the lid. ‘Can you carry these up to the house? I’ll bring my paints and sketchbook. Archer can bring the easel later. Come along. Don’t forget your coat.’

They ambled up to the house through the long grass dotted with prettily coloured flowers until they reached the verandah. ‘Sit down here and I’ll go and get Mrs Starling.’

Clarrie couldn’t leave it any longer. She felt like a fraud not telling the whole story and she’d rather do it now, person to person. She straightened her shoulders. ‘Miss Breckenridge, there’s one thing I have to tell you.’ Her voice wavered and she lifted her chin. She wasn’t ashamed of Charlie and never would be. ‘Sid and I have a son. He won’t interfere with my work. There’s a woman in Swan Street, Maud the midwife, she’s looking after him. If I get the job I’d want to see him a couple of times a week. After all my work’s done, of course.’

Next thing she knew Miss Breckenridge was clasping her hand in both of hers. ‘Thank you for telling me. I was hoping you would. I know about Charlie. Redmond, Mr Kendall, told me.’

Clarrie’s mouth gaped as she stared at Miss Breckenridge’s retreating figure. She flopped down on the cushioned chair on the verandah. Miss Breckenridge had known about Charlie all along. And still she was going to give her a trial. Trying to control the smile that kept creeping across her face, she clenched her hands tightly in her lap. She couldn’t wait to tell Sid.

In a matter of moments Miss Breckenridge was back, a jug of lemonade and two glasses on a tray. ‘I expect you’re thirsty.’ Without waiting for a response, she poured out the lemonade and handed her a glass.

As Clarrie sat sipping the drink, a small, round woman, white hair pulled back from her face and a floury apron straining against her ample bosom, stepped through the front door, wiping her hands. Clarrie jumped to her feet.

‘Sit back down, love. We don’t stand on ceremony when the others are away.’ She dropped down into the chair next to Clarrie with a sigh. ‘I hear you worked for the Reverend Lodestar.’

Clarrie clamped her teeth together, willing the colour to subside from her cheeks.

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