The Maid's Quarters by Holly Bush

Author:Holly Bush [Bush, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 25799023
Publisher: Holly Bush Books
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

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Selfless, except for one memorable occasion. One time when she abandoned every principle she’d been taught and let herself enjoy just for her own sake. How that evening lived on in her head, and she asked herself over and again, why she’d agreed to go with him, that conniving no-gooder Phillip Ramsey. But what had she been, if not no-good as well, considering Phillip and her best and only friend, Mary Rodgers, had already planned their wedding date? She shivered, as she often did when she thought too long and too hard on that horrible event, thanking the dear Lord that she’d not been made pregnant, and wondering if that would have happened, would her life have been much the same as her ma’s. She heard by way of Mrs. Spretz that Mary had three children now and was expecting her fourth, and that she took in laundry to help pay the rent and put food on the table as Phillip did not hold down any job for long. What a narrow escape!

“You are too kind,” she said, as she looked up at Mr. Donahue.

“I don’t believe so. I believe you are being modest.”

Alice shook her head, refusing to be downcast about such a long-ago time even though it plagued her, and he smiled at her with all the charm this handsome man had at his disposal, which was plentiful. She thought about how glad she was that she was wearing a new dark green wool skirt and matching coat with a bright white blouse, fastened with emerald green buttons.

It was one of several outfits that Mrs. Shelby had helped her pick out before she left Washington, and everyone knew that Mrs. Shelby had impeccable taste that set her apart even more so than the fact that she was a very beautiful woman. Alice had learned quite a lot working for Mrs. Shelby and was in her debt as well for the fact that she could read well and do numbers, too. Mrs. Shelby did not want to employ servants who could not follow directions, or understand recipes, or how to cut cloth, or any of the myriad of things required in service to her. Without thinking, Alice had also mimicked how Mrs. Shelby stood, and walked, and conversed, and adopted it as her own.

“I have a list here that I thought we should begin with,” Mr. Donahue said and pointed. “Here are beds and dressers and cupboards. Pick a set for your mother and for your brother, and one for you as well.”

“My furniture was not scratched. There is no need to replace it, Mr. Donahue.”

“Please allow me to make amends this way. I want you to have it, and I have the funds to purchase it and you may not. Please.”

He looked so sincere, she thought, and so very handsome. And this was unusual, having a man beg her to take something as a gift, other than the one occasion when Senator Shelby had done so.

“I am not destitute, I assure you,” she said.

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