The Craft of Love by E. E. Ottoman

Author:E. E. Ottoman [Ottoman, E. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical romance, trans romance, bisexual romance, American set historical romance, 19th century historical romance
Publisher: EE Ottoman
Published: 2018-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

It was late. Remembrance sat in her sister's kitchen, drinking a cup of tea while Tabitha darned a sock.

Once it had become too dark to work, Remembrance had dismissed the girls for the day then come straight to Tabitha's house. It had been too long since the two of them had had a chance to sit and talk, what with her work and Tabitha helping her husband in his millinery shop most days.

Usually so smartly dressed and cleanly put together as befitted the mistress of such a high-class establishment, Tabitha was wearing one of her older dresses now, worn and patched in a few places, her hair coming out of its loose bun.

They each had a steaming mug of tea and were seated close enough to the hearth for Tabitha to work on the basket of mending by her feet.

"Mother says there's a gentleman in your life," Tabitha said, looking up from the cloth pulled tight across her wooden darning egg.

"There is." Remembrance shouldn't have been surprised Tabitha already knew. Gossip of all sorts moved fast through the family, and she'd said enough to her mother—even if skirting around the issue rather than addressing it directly—that pieces were easy enough to put together.

"Mr. Lewis owns the silversmith shop on Fulton Street. He's the master there."

Tabitha made an approving noise. "A silversmith? Well done, Remembrance."

Remembrance sighed. "It's far from done, Tabby. Don't act as if I'm married when we've barely seen each other a handful of times."

"But you like him?"

"I do." Remembrance took a sip of her tea. "He's a kind man, quiet, gentle, and very good at what he does. I enjoy spending time with him, it's just that . . ."

Tabitha was watching her carefully now.

"I loved Hope. She was my dearest, truest friend since we were girls. I don't make friends easily or hold many in my heart. I have not had many women in my life dear to me as Hope was, and I have never felt such tender affection for a man. She was so special, and she promised that I would be in her heart forever, so when she cut me off without a word, it was so difficult for me to bear. I am afraid of being hurt like that again. Afraid of giving my affections to someone for whom those are just easy words to be said but just as soon cast aside." Remembrance took a long, steadying breath. Revealing any part of herself was never easy, this part particularly so, but this was Tabitha, who had been there through it all.

"Do you have any reason to think Mr. Lewis's intentions aren't serious?" Tabitha asked, her voice calm and reasonable as ever.

Remembrance shook her head. "He seems serious enough about me, and he's a very sober man, but I . . . I'm still afraid."

Tabitha was silent for a moment, her gaze on her work. "I know how deep your feelings for Hope were, but the bond between a man and a woman is different.

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.