Read Online Nine Buck's Row by Jennifer Wilde - Free Book Online Page A

to her face.
    â€œLand’s sakes!” she exclaimed. “I don’t know what made me so jumpy. I suppose it’s all these stories in the newspapers—” She cut herself short, remembering my experience.
    â€œThat must be Mr. Lord,” she said. “I didn’t know he was in. Keeps such odd hours. He’ll be gone for days on end, then won’t leave his rooms for a week. Of course he’s an artist, and they’re supposed to be eccentric. He’s quite charming, really, always prompt with his rent; and he paints the prettiest pictures—”
    There were footsteps coming up the back stairs, and the much mentioned Colleen stepped around the corner, startled to see us standing there. She was a thin, scrawny little thing with enormous blue eyes and jet black hair clipped short, ragged locks framing the pale face. In faded blue dress and starched white apron, she looked painfully young, surely no more than fourteen.
    â€œYes, Colleen?” Maggie inquired.
    â€œBeggin’ your pardon, Ma’am, but the old battle-ax, Mrs. ’Enderson, she wants to know ’ow many for dinner?”
    â€œThere’ll just be two of us, Colleen. Come here, I want you to meet Miss Hunt.”
    The maid crept timidly forward, an embarrassed smile on her wide pink mouth. She seemed pleased to see another young person in the house, and I liked her immediately.
    â€œHello, Colleen,” I said warmly.
    â€œâ€™Appy to make your ’quaintance, I’m sure, Miss.”
    She made a comic little curtsy, holding out the corners of her apron. Then she scurried back down the hall and around the corner. We could hear her clattering down the back stairs. Maggie raised her eyes heavenward and shook her head, but I could tell that she was fond of the girl. Colleen had an elfish charm that would be irresistible to anyone with Maggie’s heart.
    â€œAn orphan,” she said. “Learned to read and write at the home before I took her in. She’s a dear, actually. I’m sure you’ll adore her as much as I do.”
    Maggie reached down to brush a speck of lint off her purple and maroon skirts, then lifted a hand to pat a dangling red sausage curl. “I have to get back down to the shop, dear. There’s a bonnet I must finish. You rest up a bit, and we’ll have a long, long chat after dinner—”
    Although I was certain it would be impossible, I went to sleep almost as soon as my head touched the pillow. I woke up with a start, my head pounding, every nerve alert. A scream. A terrible scream. The room was dim, and through the window I could see deep orange stains darkening on the blue-gray sky. I realized that I had been having a nightmare, yet the scream had been so real.… I heard it again, loud and shrill, rising up from the courtyard below.
    I ran to the window and looked down. The courtyard was small, paved with flat gray stones, a few soot-layered green trees growing in huge black pots. It was completely enclosed by a tall gray brick fence, a gate opening onto the alley in back. Beyond the narrow alley the backs of buildings loomed up, second and third story windows looking down on the courtyard. I gripped the windowsill, peering into the shadowy well below. The courtyard was vacant, yet the scream came again, even louder this time, more pathetic than ever. There was a movement on the fence, and I could barely see the tiny silver-gray ball of fur.
    â€œA kitten—” I whispered, relieved.
    I hurried down the steep, narrow back stairs and found the door that opened onto the courtyard. The kitten had stopped screaming. Now he was making anguished little whining noises that wrung my heart. I stood up on tiptoes and reached for him. He gave no resistance, resting in the palm of my hand contentedly. A tiny pink tongue flicked out to lick my fingers, and I knew that I had to keep him.
    â€œGracious!” Maggie cried, slamming the screen door