Read Online That Old Black Magic by Mary Jane Clark - Free Book Online

turned on the shower. As he waited for the water to heat up, he stared into the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was pale. Spending his days giving tours and passing his nights drinking were taking a toll.
    After his shower Falkner debated with himself: Should he shave or not? Would how he looked influence his adviser? Should he be clean-shaven and respectful or sport a stubbled look, the toiling academic totally absorbed in his work with no energy to pay attention to a razor? Falkner opted for the latter. He didn’t feel like shaving anyway.
    He couldn’t ignore his shoes, though. “What a bloody mess,” he said out loud.
    He wiped and polished the loafers until they were presentable again.
    When he stopped at the bakery across the street to buy a bag of beignets to bring to his meeting, he regretted his decision not to shave. The pretty blonde he’d tried to engage in conversation from his balcony the day before was standing behind the counter. She certainly wasn’t going to be impressed with his appearance, but he decided to try anyway.
    â€œPiper, right?”
    She looked up at him with a surprised expression on her face. Falkner could tell she didn’t recognize him.
    â€œWe met yesterday. From our balconies?”
    Piper smiled and nodded. “Oh, right. Faulkner. Like the writer.”
    â€œSame pronunciation, different spelling. It’s a family name, Old French. No u. ”
    â€œWell, what gets you up so early, Falkner-no- u ? I got the feeling you weren’t exactly an early-morning kind of guy.”
    â€œMan, you’re right about that,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I have a meeting with my dissertation adviser.”
    â€œI thought you said you were a tour guide,” said Piper, puzzled.
    â€œI’m doing that to pay the bills while I work on the thesis,” said Falkner.
    â€œOh. So what’s your thesis about?”
    â€œNursery rhymes, if you can believe that.”
    â€œI can believe it, but I certainly wouldn’t have guessed it,” said Piper. “You don’t look like the nursery-rhyme type either.”
    â€œAnd what does the nursery-rhyme type look like?”
    Piper shrugged. “I don’t know exactly, but not like you.”
    â€œIf you get to know me, Piper, you’ll find out I’m full of surprises.”

Chapter 20
    N ettie lay quietly on her cot in the cellar, listening to the footsteps coming from the kitchen above her. She could visualize what Miss Ellinore was doing up there. Taking the carton of eggs from the refrigerator, putting a pot of water to boil on the stove, measuring coffee into the percolator. Nettie wished she could just go upstairs and make breakfast for her employer herself. But that wouldn’t do. She wasn’t even supposed to be in the house on Fridays.
    She was glad that she’d spent another night in her old basement room, a place that felt more like home than her daughter’s house. She took satisfaction from being there for Miss Ellinore.
    But after Miss Ellinore left for her shop this morning, Nettie was going back to her daughter’s place. Though Nettie hadn’t been there in a few days, Rhonda wouldn’t be worried about her. Her daughter knew where Nettie was, even though she didn’t approve.
    From the time she’d been a little girl, Rhonda had resented that her mother cleaned house and cooked for another family. Nettie supposed, in a way, that had been a good thing. Rhonda had been determined not to follow in her mother’s path. She’d been devoted to her studies, and now she had a good job with an accounting firm downtown. Unfortunately, though, Rhonda had made a big mistake in the husband she chose. Just as Miss Ellinore had.
    Slowly lifting herself from the single bed, Nettie shook her head as she thought about the similarities between Rhonda and Miss Ellinore. Both were smart, proud, and unafraid of working hard.