Read Online City of Darkness (City of Mystery) by Kim Wright - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kim Wright
Ads: Link
Leanna’s
temperament nor her coloring.
Ever since Aunt Gerry had mentioned
having a dinner in her honor, Leanna had been so carried away with excitement
that she’d forgotten to be homesick. Had practically forgotten she was in
mourning. But Gerry was right, her grandfather had never been one to stand on
ceremony and if he were here he would most certainly tell her to wear what she
pleased. Leanna resolutely broke off a bit of bread and smeared it with jam.
She wouldn’t worry. This was a new life and the old rules did not apply.
Emma entered the room with a fresh
pot of tea and, after a rapid glance at the table to make sure all the serving dishes
were full, sat down across from Gerry. At first Leanna had been stunned by the
casual manner in which Gerry ran her household. She had never seen a home
where servants dined within arm’s length of their employers and were in fact
frequently sought for counsel or companionship.
It was hard to peg Emma’s exact
position within the household, but Leanna had to admit that, thanks largely to
Emma, what the home lacked in formality it compensated for in efficiency. Emma
ordered the food, managed Gerry’s daunting social calendar, and supervised the
cleaning efforts of the pregnant girls who came in twice a week. Gerry was a
patron of a home for unwed mothers and liked to offer these young women the
chance to earn a pound or two. The first morning after her arrival, Leanna
thought she had gone mad when she bounded down the staircase only to find four
big-bellied, child-eyed girls on bended knee polishing the entry floor. Her
shock had been magnified when a half-hour later Emma rang that breakfast was
ready and they all trooped in to join them at the table, wolfing down massive
portions of oatmeal and hot buns. It was all she could do to maintain her
composure from cracking into a fit of giggles at the sight of seven women -
four of them pregnant and one older woman wrapped from head to foot in an
orange silk kimono- sitting in a circle waiting for their tea.
It was at that moment the door to the
kitchen opened and she had first spied Gage, the sole male member of Gerry’s
household. Heaven knows from what charity Geraldine had acquired Gage, but he
served as a combination cook and butler and was quite timid. Gerry had informed
her on the first night of her visit that Gage had prepared a special welcoming
supper but lacked the nerve to serve it to her himself. The ensuing meal had
been delicious - a standing rib roast and a delicate apple tart for dessert -
and Leanna had unsuccessfully begged Gerry to have Gage come out and take his
bows. But now that she was actually seeing him she nearly cried out with
surprise. Gage had an enormous goiter which obscured the majority of his
throat and gave him the appearance of a bullfrog. Other than the large pouch
and his eerie silence, he was a model butler, attired in a white linen serving
suit even at dawn, and a superlative cook. Leanna couldn’t blame the pregnant
girls for stuffing extra almond buns into their pockets. If she’d had pockets,
she’d have been tempted to steal a few herself.
But it was Emma who provided order
amid all this chaos, who proved to be the still island around which the flotsam
of Gerry’s wild life drifted. Leanna wondered why Tom had never mentioned the
girl, for she was an enigma to Leanna. Emma could scarcely be any older than
herself, yet she was so calm and assured, not only in the brownstone of Mayfair
but also in the shops and streets of London. And she spoke in beautiful tones,
saying words Leanna had never known a servant to use. She had the look of the
Irish, with her gingery hair and milk-white skin, and Leanna was surprised Tom
had not found her intriguing. But then he had never mentioned Gage either and
Gage was certainly a fascinating specimen of humanity.
“Oh heavens, darling, read this,”
Aunt Gerry said, dragging Leanna’s thoughts
temperament nor her coloring.
Ever since Aunt Gerry had mentioned
having a dinner in her honor, Leanna had been so carried away with excitement
that she’d forgotten to be homesick. Had practically forgotten she was in
mourning. But Gerry was right, her grandfather had never been one to stand on
ceremony and if he were here he would most certainly tell her to wear what she
pleased. Leanna resolutely broke off a bit of bread and smeared it with jam.
She wouldn’t worry. This was a new life and the old rules did not apply.
Emma entered the room with a fresh
pot of tea and, after a rapid glance at the table to make sure all the serving dishes
were full, sat down across from Gerry. At first Leanna had been stunned by the
casual manner in which Gerry ran her household. She had never seen a home
where servants dined within arm’s length of their employers and were in fact
frequently sought for counsel or companionship.
It was hard to peg Emma’s exact
position within the household, but Leanna had to admit that, thanks largely to
Emma, what the home lacked in formality it compensated for in efficiency. Emma
ordered the food, managed Gerry’s daunting social calendar, and supervised the
cleaning efforts of the pregnant girls who came in twice a week. Gerry was a
patron of a home for unwed mothers and liked to offer these young women the
chance to earn a pound or two. The first morning after her arrival, Leanna
thought she had gone mad when she bounded down the staircase only to find four
big-bellied, child-eyed girls on bended knee polishing the entry floor. Her
shock had been magnified when a half-hour later Emma rang that breakfast was
ready and they all trooped in to join them at the table, wolfing down massive
portions of oatmeal and hot buns. It was all she could do to maintain her
composure from cracking into a fit of giggles at the sight of seven women -
four of them pregnant and one older woman wrapped from head to foot in an
orange silk kimono- sitting in a circle waiting for their tea.
It was at that moment the door to the
kitchen opened and she had first spied Gage, the sole male member of Gerry’s
household. Heaven knows from what charity Geraldine had acquired Gage, but he
served as a combination cook and butler and was quite timid. Gerry had informed
her on the first night of her visit that Gage had prepared a special welcoming
supper but lacked the nerve to serve it to her himself. The ensuing meal had
been delicious - a standing rib roast and a delicate apple tart for dessert -
and Leanna had unsuccessfully begged Gerry to have Gage come out and take his
bows. But now that she was actually seeing him she nearly cried out with
surprise. Gage had an enormous goiter which obscured the majority of his
throat and gave him the appearance of a bullfrog. Other than the large pouch
and his eerie silence, he was a model butler, attired in a white linen serving
suit even at dawn, and a superlative cook. Leanna couldn’t blame the pregnant
girls for stuffing extra almond buns into their pockets. If she’d had pockets,
she’d have been tempted to steal a few herself.
But it was Emma who provided order
amid all this chaos, who proved to be the still island around which the flotsam
of Gerry’s wild life drifted. Leanna wondered why Tom had never mentioned the
girl, for she was an enigma to Leanna. Emma could scarcely be any older than
herself, yet she was so calm and assured, not only in the brownstone of Mayfair
but also in the shops and streets of London. And she spoke in beautiful tones,
saying words Leanna had never known a servant to use. She had the look of the
Irish, with her gingery hair and milk-white skin, and Leanna was surprised Tom
had not found her intriguing. But then he had never mentioned Gage either and
Gage was certainly a fascinating specimen of humanity.
“Oh heavens, darling, read this,”
Aunt Gerry said, dragging Leanna’s thoughts
Similar Books
