Read Online Texas Angel, 2-in-1 by Judith Pella - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Judith Pella
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you Hannah will not get in the way of my work.” The haughty defiance in her eyes was that of a southern lady, not a slave.
“I hope I don’t have to break entirely that little bit of fire you display. It, too, can have an appeal.” His lips smiled as his eyes bore like ice into her. “I would like you to get situated immediately. Please wait here until someone comes to fetch you.”
After he departed, Elise waited about ten minutes before someone else came in. This time it was a quadroon woman several years older than Elise’s nineteen years. The woman was attractive, despite rotting teeth and a scar under her right eye. Her skin was the color of chocolate mixed with a liberal amount of cream.
“My name is Mae.” Her voice was husky with a foreign accent, probably French. “You are to come with me.”
“I’m Elise Hea—” Elise started to say her married name but decided against it. Daphne Hearne said she should start a new life. This would be her first step in that direction.
“How about if I just call you Liz—seems more fitting than a fancy name like Elise.”
Elise nodded. She saw no reason to begin a relationship by being contrary.
“Well, then, Liz, come on.” Mae did not smile, but there was a warmth in her brown eyes, offsetting the hardness of her tone. It was a warmth that Elise clung to hopefully.
Elise followed Mae down the main corridor, around a turn, and into a narrow hallway with guest rooms on either side. Two women were conversing outside one of the doors.
“So Maurry’s got himself a new girl,” one of them said. “ ’Bout time. I been working way too hard lately.”
Elise directed a tentative smile at the woman who appeared to be about her age. It seemed wise to be friendly. Who knew? These women might well become her only friends.
Mae paused before a door at the end of the hall with the number ten painted on the wood surface. “This is the smallest room.” Mae opened the door. “It’s only proper that the new girl get the worst room.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?” Mae eyed her curiously then led the way inside. “It’s right on the street, so it’s noisy with street sounds, but you’ll get used to it.”
“I’m sure I will.” Actually Elise was pleasantly surprised at the accommodations. This room was almost as nice as her room on the plantation when she was wife of the heir. Yes, it was small and cramped, but the bed was roomy and made of solid oak, and there was a matching dresser. It seemed to lack but one thing. “I was wondering,” Elise ventured, “if there is a crib available for my baby?”
“You can’t have the kid right out in the open, you know. But this ought to suit it—”
“She,” Elise put in. “Her name is Hannah.”
“Well . . . yeah . . . sure.” Mae opened a door to a small closet. “This room was the servant’s quarters at one time, and this was the broom closet. A crate for the kid . . . ah . . . Hannah ought to fit inside. That’s another reason for giving you this room.”
“I suppose it will have to do.” Elise didn’t like the idea of her baby sleeping in a broom closet, but in the last couple of weeks, Hannah had slept in worse quarters. Elise set her small satchel on the bed and walked to the window, pulling aside the curtain of old yellowed lace. The street below was bustling with activity. She turned back to Mae. “Will I have time to rest before I begin my work?”
“It won’t get busy here for a couple of hours.”
“What exactly will my duties be?”
“You don’t know?” When Elise shook her head, Mae rubbed her chin and grimaced. “You mean Maurry didn’t tell you anything?” Again Elise replied in the negative. “That coward! Naturally, he left it to me. You have no idea what kind of business goes on here?”
“A hotel . . . ?”
“That’s a nice way of putting it. There are other names more fitting. Maybe you’ve heard of a bordello, or a bawdy house?”
Elise
“I hope I don’t have to break entirely that little bit of fire you display. It, too, can have an appeal.” His lips smiled as his eyes bore like ice into her. “I would like you to get situated immediately. Please wait here until someone comes to fetch you.”
After he departed, Elise waited about ten minutes before someone else came in. This time it was a quadroon woman several years older than Elise’s nineteen years. The woman was attractive, despite rotting teeth and a scar under her right eye. Her skin was the color of chocolate mixed with a liberal amount of cream.
“My name is Mae.” Her voice was husky with a foreign accent, probably French. “You are to come with me.”
“I’m Elise Hea—” Elise started to say her married name but decided against it. Daphne Hearne said she should start a new life. This would be her first step in that direction.
“How about if I just call you Liz—seems more fitting than a fancy name like Elise.”
Elise nodded. She saw no reason to begin a relationship by being contrary.
“Well, then, Liz, come on.” Mae did not smile, but there was a warmth in her brown eyes, offsetting the hardness of her tone. It was a warmth that Elise clung to hopefully.
Elise followed Mae down the main corridor, around a turn, and into a narrow hallway with guest rooms on either side. Two women were conversing outside one of the doors.
“So Maurry’s got himself a new girl,” one of them said. “ ’Bout time. I been working way too hard lately.”
Elise directed a tentative smile at the woman who appeared to be about her age. It seemed wise to be friendly. Who knew? These women might well become her only friends.
Mae paused before a door at the end of the hall with the number ten painted on the wood surface. “This is the smallest room.” Mae opened the door. “It’s only proper that the new girl get the worst room.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?” Mae eyed her curiously then led the way inside. “It’s right on the street, so it’s noisy with street sounds, but you’ll get used to it.”
“I’m sure I will.” Actually Elise was pleasantly surprised at the accommodations. This room was almost as nice as her room on the plantation when she was wife of the heir. Yes, it was small and cramped, but the bed was roomy and made of solid oak, and there was a matching dresser. It seemed to lack but one thing. “I was wondering,” Elise ventured, “if there is a crib available for my baby?”
“You can’t have the kid right out in the open, you know. But this ought to suit it—”
“She,” Elise put in. “Her name is Hannah.”
“Well . . . yeah . . . sure.” Mae opened a door to a small closet. “This room was the servant’s quarters at one time, and this was the broom closet. A crate for the kid . . . ah . . . Hannah ought to fit inside. That’s another reason for giving you this room.”
“I suppose it will have to do.” Elise didn’t like the idea of her baby sleeping in a broom closet, but in the last couple of weeks, Hannah had slept in worse quarters. Elise set her small satchel on the bed and walked to the window, pulling aside the curtain of old yellowed lace. The street below was bustling with activity. She turned back to Mae. “Will I have time to rest before I begin my work?”
“It won’t get busy here for a couple of hours.”
“What exactly will my duties be?”
“You don’t know?” When Elise shook her head, Mae rubbed her chin and grimaced. “You mean Maurry didn’t tell you anything?” Again Elise replied in the negative. “That coward! Naturally, he left it to me. You have no idea what kind of business goes on here?”
“A hotel . . . ?”
“That’s a nice way of putting it. There are other names more fitting. Maybe you’ve heard of a bordello, or a bawdy house?”
Elise
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