The Beloved by Alison Rattle

Author:Alison Rattle
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781471403804
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: 2015-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-six

Glory is happy to see me again. At least she does not seem unhappy. She does not say it, but I think she has been waiting for me to come back out into the gardens. ‘So, Alice Angel,’ she says. ‘Are you staying with us?’

I nod, shyly. ‘I am,’ I say. ‘I am to join the Parlour. He … he … Our Beloved, said you would explain it all to me.’

‘Of course. I thought as much.’ She smiles. ‘Come. I will show you.’

I follow her through the gardens, and I notice how finely she is dressed, despite her condition, in a lemon gown so beautiful that even Mama’s Paris creations could not compare. Her ears are splashed with pearls and she has a jewel-encrusted cross hanging from a silver rope around her neck. I am puzzled. Do these things not count as earthly riches? But there is no time for me to wonder any further, for Glory has led me into the kitchen of one of the cottages, and she has flung her arms open wide, as though she is presenting me with a palace.

‘Your new home!’ she exclaims brightly. ‘The others will be back for their midday meal soon. They will know better than me what your duties will be.’

The kitchen is small, and although scrubbed clean, it is furnished in the most basic manner, with only a wooden table, an assortment of chairs, a shabby dresser stacked with plates and teacups, and a large black range. I force a small smile. I do not want Glory to see my disappointment. But I think that even the lowliest maid from home would not think much of this place.

‘Who are the others?’ I venture to ask.

‘Why, the Parlour, of course. They are like you. They had no worldly goods or riches to give up, so they have given up their labour in order to follow Him.’

‘What … what sort of labour will I be expected to do?’ I ask.

‘As I said,’ says Glory, ‘the Parlour will show you exactly what is expected. But it will be the usual servants’ duties: washing, cleaning, cooking … ’ Her voice trails off, then her face lights up again as she thinks of something else. ‘I expect you will bed down with Beth. She is about your age, I think.’

I do not know what to say. The joy that filled me just a moment since is seeping away now, like a pail of fresh, creamy milk that has sprung a leak, and it has left me with a cold, empty space inside. Suddenly, I am confused. Have I done the right thing in coming here? I think of Eli, alone in Lions House with Mama, and the missing of him hits me in the stomach and makes me flinch.

‘You have turned quite pale, Alice,’ says Glory. ‘Sit a while. The others won’t be long.’

I fall into one of the old wooden chairs, suddenly exhausted. I remember Eli’s last words to me as I was dragged from my chamber.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.