Finding Ever After: four fairytale-ish novellas by Pepper Basham & Rachel McMillan & Ashley Clark & Betsy St. Amant

Author:Pepper Basham & Rachel McMillan & Ashley Clark & Betsy St. Amant [Basham, Pepper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-14T06:00:00+00:00

“This is the style all of the young ladies are wearing. Such cool weight on your neck.” The stylist appraised her work.

Esther nodded through her drying tears. She was comfortable and safe in the widow’s front room affront a rolled-in bureau with a mirror and a soothing cup of tea. Her cheeks were cool with the absence of hair even though still splotched with crying and Thomas’s treatment. She wondered if this is what Samson felt like, to be completely vulnerably and stripped of such a core part of one’s identity. Esther, she reprimanded herself, you’re being needlessly dramatic.

When the stylist was done and Esther rotated affront the mirror, she examined the sleek back and short fringe at the front and smiled.

“You are so beautiful. You will stop him in his tracks.” Mrs. Mayweather exclaimed, thanking the stylist profusely and ringing for more tea.

Nic was to be there at any moment. Esther wrung her hands until the tea came and gave her trembling fingers another occupation. What would Nic think? She knew she was being vain. Prideful. He had never given her any indication that he merely cared about her outward appearance. But she couldn’t help feel a sting, recalling the weight of his fingers in her curls.

When they heard the doorbell, Mrs. Mayweather allowed the butler to attend it while she disappeared mumbling something about seeing cook about the evening meal but that Mr. Ricci should stay for tea.

Nic crossed the parlour in his second-hand suit, rotating homburg in his hands. He looked dashing. His face white with concern.

“Esther?”

Esther rose, setting her teacup on the table. “It appears I have been forced into our modern era.” She gave a weak smile.

Nic stepped closer and touched her cheek before quickly retreating, most likely having heard she had been rough-handled by Thomas earlier that afternoon.

“It’s a good thing then,” he said softly, “That the modern era suits you so darned well.”

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