Read Online Abigail Moor by Valerie Holmes - Free Book Online Page A

recall, Martha,” Abigail snapped back
at her. She faced Martha. “In fact you threw yourself into his arms
and kissed him as I recall.”
    Martha’s colour
flushed. “That was quite different. We is old friends,” Martha
answered in a vexed manner.
    Abigail felt
tired, and her Martha looked it too. Both, Abigail realised, were
somewhat daunted by the turn of events in their lives and, if she
was honest with herself, she was very scared. The latter was a
feeling she was fighting hard against. Abigail’s change of
circumstance, environment and seemingly lowered position in life,
felt like a burden that was extremely heavy to bear. However, it
was now her life so she would make of it what she could until they
could safely return to Beckton Manor and see her father again. That
might well be about to change. Martha carried their bags into the
small dark room and Abigail shut the door firmly behind her and
glared at her maid.
Chapter Six
    Joshua removed his sodden coat. Molly clung to her small bag; her
skirt, fortunately, was only damp due to Joshua’s shelter. She
looked cold and scared, though. He put a drink and a plate of stew
in front of her like he himself had. “Eat, Molly, and then we will
talk.”
    Large blue
eyes, with heavy tired lids looked at him. She nodded and ate, all
the time looking at the door as if a monster might appear through
it at any moment. Once finished, he sat back on the settle and
studied her. “Do you know anyone in York?”
    She shook her
head.
    “Do you have
any more money?”
    She shook her
head.
    He looked at
her worn clothes, her battered ill-fitting boots, and leaned
forwards.
    “What did you
expect to do in York, Molly?” She had left herself open to a
desperate fate in order to escape a life which, although far from
ideal, would have given her food and shelter.
    “I thought I’d
get a job in a big house. Maybe work in a kitchen where there’s a
warm fire and plenty of food. Then I’d work so hard that after a
while I’d be made up from scullery to kitchen maid and then to a
housemaid and then an upstairs maid and one day I’d...” Her face
had become animated; a sparkle lit her tired eyes until she looked
at him and stopped talking for a moment. Molly shrugged, replaced
the spoon on an empty plate and hugged her small bundle to her,
then looked down.
    “Then..?”
Joshua asked, curious where her ambitions would end.
    “I know I dream
too much. I always have. I get beaten for daydreaming yet I still
do it. They says I don’t accept God’s given place for me. Instead I
fight against me nature and me lot,” she shrugged again, “I’m
sorry.” Her shoulders sagged.
    “Don’t
apologise for wanting to improve your ‘lot’ through hard work. I am
sure God approves of workers over shirkers. So tell me what comes
after you become a housemaid?”
    “I fall in love
with the butler and he marries me.” She blushed.
    “Your dream,
Molly, would have become a nightmare by nightfall today if you had
not stumbled into my path. Stay here, I will book a room and we
shall sort your situation out tomorrow when I am rested.” He went
to stand up. His leg was stiff. When Joshua placed his hand on the
table to ease his weight up, she touched it lightly. “Mister, I’m
grateful to you... but, I don’t want to... I’ll find somewhere,
don’t bother, please.” Her voice was shaky.
    He looked at
this flimsy looking young woman and tried not to look appalled at
the idea of what she thought he was offering her. She seemed
fragile and he had no wish to insult or scare her further. “Molly,
you are little more than a child. I am booking a room so that we
can both get warm, sleep and be rested for the morrow. If we are
lucky you shall have a servant’s cot brought in, for your own
comfort, not for any other reason. If you leave here now, or worse,
stay in an inn on your own, you will end up as a whore and no doubt
a thief. I will not hurt or abuse you in anyway. I wish to be