Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano

Author:Jen Turano
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027050
ISBN: 9781493411979
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Sixteen

Not allowing herself to dwell on the tears she’d seen in Mrs. Davenport’s eyes, nor allowing herself to return to the drawing room to withdraw her tendered notice, Gertrude continued down the front hallway. She stopped to fish out a few coins from a jar on the entranceway table to pay for a hansom cab, tucking them into her reticule before she lifted her chin and marched toward the door.

Nodding her thanks to the butler already holding the door for her, Gertrude stepped outside. She made it all of three feet before her path was blocked by a lady climbing the few steps that led to the front stoop.

“Temperance!” she exclaimed. “This is a lovely surprise.”

Looking up from where she’d been watching the steps, Temperance Flowerdew lifted a hand and pushed back the brim of a very large hat, one that was a bit worse for wear and sported a fabric flower on it that had certainly seen better days. Reaching the last step, she moved directly to Gertrude’s side, and then, to Gertrude’s astonishment, Temperance pulled her into a very firm hug before she released her hold and took a step back.

“I do beg your pardon for descending on you with no notice, Gertrude.”

“No notice is needed, Temperance, although . . .” Gertrude stared at Temperance’s cheek. “What in the world happened to your face?”

Tugging the brim of her hat lower, Temperance shrugged. “It’s of little consequence. I merely got in the way of Clementine’s hand when she was in the midst of a tantrum.”

“Clementine struck you?”

“I’m afraid she did, but I assure you, it looks worse than it feels. I’ve always marked easily, a disadvantage of being born with pale skin.” She patted the large bag she was carrying. “I have rice powder and a horsehair brush in here that will set me to rights again, or at least hide the results of Clementine’s temper.”

Gertrude’s own temper began to flare. “Does she hit you frequently?”

“She misses more often than not, and she would have missed today, but I fear she took me unaware. There I was, putting freshly laundered clothing into her wardrobe, and the next thing I knew, she was attacking me.”

“Good heavens.”

“Indeed, but allow me to spare you the grim details of what happened next. You’re clearly on your way out, so I won’t keep you.”

Gertrude looked over her shoulder, saw a shadow flicker past a window by the front door, and blew out a breath. “I’m afraid if you’re here to visit with Mrs. Davenport, she’s currently, ah . . . indisposed and in no position to receive callers.”

Temperance’s eyes widened. “She’s not having a tantrum as well, is she?”

“Mrs. Davenport isn’t the tantrum type. She embraces a more attack-you-with-guilt strategy, something that, in my humble opinion, is just as effective as physical violence.”

“Too right you are,” Temperance agreed. “My cousin’s wife, Fanny Flowerdew, married to Wayne Flowerdew if that was in question, is a master with using guilt. Why, if I had a penny

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