Free Emily Baker by Luck Of The Devil Page B

glanced about and then put the kettle down on a tile holding correspondence that Maura usually used for just that same purpose. She folded her hands across her apron and fixed a knowing look on Maura. “Ye do know ye gave Mr. Polhaven permission yesterday to purchase whatever he recommends from the list ye’ve been staring at this past hour or more, don’t ye?”
    Heat crept over Maura’s cheeks. She was more scattered than she realized. Dorothy Kelly had fussed at her in much the same manner only a few hours before. Once she had a plan she’d feel better. Once she could see her way clear in a way that would not harm Freddie. She owed him that much at least. “You and your sister worry about me too much.”
    “Well, with my Angela settled into her new life in America thanks ta ye, we have the luxury of giving ye the benefit of our attention.”
    Maura bit back the observation that having both of their eyes fixed on her hardly felt like a benefit. She’d been too alone and too vulnerable when she’d arrived in Dublin not to value their loyalty and concern.
    “How is Angela?” Perhaps she could divert Katherine’s attention. Changing the direction of your life seemed much more difficult under close scrutiny, even from well-meaning friends. “Did you get another letter?”
    “Aye.” Katherine’s answer was accompanied by a genuine grin. As usual, mention of her daughter successfully distracted her. There’d be no such relief when she returned home to Dorothy Kelly, but that was hours from now and she’d worry about answering to her housekeeper then.
    “She’s settled into her job with that new family in New York.” Katherine beamed her satisfaction. “With three daughters to marry off in the next few years and more ta come down the road, she has enough work to need an assistant. And the family even lets our granddaughter sit in on the tutor’s lessons for their younger children.”
    Hearing how well Angela fared always warmed Maura and firmed her convictions the work she did was worth the other part of her life. Angela had been Maura’s first student, the first young woman Maura had been able to help after the poor girl had been turned out of her position without a recommendation when the mistress of the house found out her eldest son had impregnated her.
    Angela had sought shelter with her aunt Dorothy and in turn given new meaning to Maura’s own life and the choices she’d made. Angela’s success at starting her life over with a self-supporting skill as a seamstress had inspired Maura to purchase the draper’s shop and the house on the other end of the courtyard as a haven for girls in service whose employers had taken advantage of them.
    The Polhavens gave up their dry goods store to come and help with the project. Part of their work involved establishing the young women in new positions far away from the shame that would attach to them if their pasts as the cast-off playthings of the nobility were ever revealed. Angela had chosen to accept placement in America as a widowed mother. The swell of pride on Katherine’s face was surely reflected on Maura’s right now.
    “I’m so glad for her. And how is the young woman who came to us last week. Has she spoken to anyone yet? Did Dorothy’s calming potion help her?”
    “Nay, poor thing.” Katherine sighed, her shoulders doing a slow rise and fall and her eyes taking on a hint of mist. “She jest sits and stares most time. Unless of course she catches sight of Mr. Polhaven or the doctor. Then she screams fer hours. The echoes can still be heard clear into the shop even though we moved her to the backmost bedroom. She was ill used, that’s all I know.”
    “Is there anything else we can do for her? Anything she needs?”
    “Jest time.” Katherine shook her head. “The doctor said it might be good to get her outside fer a bit of fresh air. So one of the other girls and I tried the courtyard, but she went rigid when she saw the sunlight