To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson

Author:Tracie Peterson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042000, FIC042040
ISBN: 9781441271068
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2012-11-05T07:30:32.045000+00:00

As December arrived, Melinda continued to marvel at her brother’s ability to settle into this new life. Although Lawrence avoided as much heavy work as possible, he managed to remain in good stead with Mr. O’Sullivan. Lawrence said it was because the older man appreciated his ability with horses and wanted him around when the season opened. Evan thought it had more to do with her brother’s ability to pull the wool over Mr. O’Sullivan’s eyes.

Melinda decided it was probably a combination of both. Lawrence had proved his capability to work with horses, both as a rider and a trainer, though he wasn’t much help when it came to mucking the barn or performing any other distasteful or tedious work. Most of the time, he offered the promise of riding a horse to charm one of the newly hired younger fellows into completing his mundane chores for him.

In considering the events since her brother’s arrival, Melinda judged that Lawrence had adapted more quickly than she had. For her, much of this new life had required a great deal of adjustment. Though she’d been living in the maids’ quarters at the clubhouse for more than a month now, she still hadn’t gotten used to the distance her new living arrangement had created between Evan and her. Lawrence was living in the hunting lodge with Evan and Harland, which suited him just fine.

Melinda hadn’t wanted to move from the O’Sullivan home, although she realized the time had come. When other cleaning women had been hired to help at the clubhouse, Mr. O’Sullivan made it clear he missed his privacy. He’d assured his wife that Melinda would now be safe at the clubhouse. Emma knew her husband had already extended his hospitality beyond normal limits, and she explained she couldn’t press for more. She assured Melinda that Garrison was right. Melinda would be safe now that the other women were moving in to work at the lodge. Melinda couldn’t possibly explain that her misgivings had nothing to do with safety but rather with having to leave Evan’s nearness. When the day for her move arrived, Melinda had hoped the older woman would change her mind, but that hadn’t occurred.

The clubhouse living quarters had created a new loneliness for Melinda. Instead of spending her evenings with Evan, Harland, Lawrence, and the O’Sullivans, she now spent her free time surrounded by strangers. And try as she might to befriend the other maids, the women seemed determined to keep her at arm’s length after one of them shared that she remembered Melinda was Mrs. Mifflin’s lady’s maid.

Even during the days, her time with Emma was limited. As her supervisor, Emma didn’t want to be accused of special treatment or exhibiting a preference for Melinda. “I told you t’would not be easy,” Emma told her one day. “Our friendship will only make things more difficult for you.”

“I don’t care. I’m so happy to be here—to have a purpose and be allowed to stay.”

“Well, just remember, once the cleanup and preparations are accomplished, you may well find your purpose removed.

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