Violet Fire by Brenda Joyce

Author:Brenda Joyce [Joyce, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-11-26T17:48:47+00:00

That night, the more Grace thought about it, the more certain she was that Rawlins would never actually hurt her. After all, she was a woman, and Southern men prided themselves on their respect for the fair sex. Allen, however, disagreed.

Rathe had, unfortunately, gone directly to him to inform him of her unwelcome visitor. Needless to say, Grace was furious with him.

Allen half-sat, gasping from exertion. “Grace, you’re getting on the next train back to New York.”

“I am not,” she responded with pursed lips. “Allen, Rathe was exaggerating; he wasn’t even there!”

“Don’t underestimate Rathe,” Allen warned. “He can be a dangerous man, Grace, and dangerous men recognize dangerous situations. You—”

“I’m a woman, Allen,” Grace interrupted. “Rawlins is too much a Southern boy to ever harm a woman.”

“Grace, I’ve never asked you for anything. But now I am. For me, please, go back to New York. I should never have arranged your employment down here in the first place, knowing you.”

“I’m not running away.”

Allen cursed, completely startling Grace, who had never heard him do so before. Instantly he apologized.

But Grace wasn’t paying attention. “Besides, I have no money. None. I need to stay and get paid on the fifteenth of next month. As it is, I won’t have enough for Mother’s bills.” At that grim thought, her lips thinned. Time was running out. She had to do something about supplementing her income. Yet she knew there wasn’t a single job to be had in Natchez—not a respectable one, anyway.

“I have twenty dollars, Grace. I want you to take it. It’s all I have. Teaching doesn’t pay well, you know that. Besides, I’ve spent some of my own money on extra books. But what I have is yours.”

“I’m not going to New York,” she said calmly, while inside she felt dread, wondering if maybe she should borrow the twenty dollars from Allen; at least then she could pay most of her mother’s bills. But she knew she couldn’t. “Allen, you need your savings to tide you over until you’re working again, and that won’t be for a few more weeks. And what about Dr. Lang?”

Allen flushed. “He told me not to worry, that I can take my time paying him.”

Grace managed a smile, though she felt sunk in the morass of her thoughts. So far, there had been no response to her seamstress’s sign. And even if a position became available, she had already acquired a reputation in this town. Now, what with her teaching the Negro children, it had to be worse. The situation seemed out of control. It was like New York, where no one would hire her because of all the notoriety she had attained. And she promised herself that she would be discreet!

Maybe she could beg Louisa to let her tutor the girls part-time. She imagined herself groveling, and Louisa’s spite at the power she would be wielding over her. Grace didn’t care; if she thought she had a single chance of getting some extra income she would prostrate herself at that woman’s feet.

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