Free Promise of Yesterday by S. Dionne Moore

straight up to the heavens. And grinned.
    Jenny jumped in to answer before Marylu could give voice. “She has, Mrs. Burns. Chester’s not deaf at all, just unable to express himself very well.”
    “Yes, I know. He got his tongue cut out for murdering his master. Heard the story from one of our servants.”
    By “servant,” Marylu knew Mrs. Burns meant Gladys, their black house servant. Gladys’s tongue was as well-oiled as Mrs. Burns.
    “He’s a gentle soul that needs attention.” Marylu took a stab at the material with her needle. “He’s smarter than most and knows how to still his tongue quite nicely. It’s one thing I greatly admire in a body.”
    Jenny cleared her throat and tugged down on the bodice of the dress Mrs. Burns modeled. She released a stream of chatter meant to distract her client from the implication of Marylu’s words.
    But the burn of the woman’s audacity singed along Marylu’s arms and feet. She bent her head over her work and prayed God would help her not to break a commandment.
    Marylu grunted a silent “amen” to her prayer just as the door to the shop opened again. Sally Worth glided in, and Marylu started praying all over again. She watched as Jenny turned to see who had entered the shop and applauded her friend for not allowing a trace of emotion to give away her true feelings on her rival’s presence. Instead, Marylu felt the pain for Jenny. The memory of her tears the week before turned her heart inside out all over again.
    She dug her needle deeper into the material and brought the needlework closer to her face. If she buried herself in her work, maybe she could drown out the conversation that she knew, deep in her bones, was coming. Sally would shoot off about something regarding Aaron, trying to get Jenny jealous. Or in tears.
    Her hands tightened on the fabric.
Lord, have mercy on my soul. Help the law of kindness to be in my tongue
.
    Mrs. Burns and Sally chatted amicably as Jenny, still with pins in her mouth, continued along the hem of the unfinished gown. If not for Miss Jenny being in the middle of the thing, Marylu would have heaved herself right out of the chair and gone out back until everyone left the store, but she had to stay. Had to protect her employer from the barbs that were sure to fly and be a tongue for her friend, since Jenny’s mouth was full.
    “Well,
Miss
McGreary,” Sally’s strident voice dripped, “why, you must get so filthy down on that floor all day long. How do you manage to get the stains out of your skirts?”
    And here we go
… Marylu huffed and stared up at Sally’s wide-eyed innocence.
    Jenny did her best to smile around the pins in her mouth.
    “You work so hard,” Sally continued.
    Mrs. Burns smoothed a hand down the fabric of her gown. “But she does create some lovely things.”
    Marylu silently patted Mrs. Burns on the back for that bit of niceness.
    Jenny rose to her feet in a smooth motion and removed the pins from her lips. “There you go, Mrs. Burns. I’ll have everything done by Monday. Would that suit you?”
    “That is just fine.” The elder woman swished around in her finery a minute then headed to the back room.
    Jenny followed the woman.
    Marylu kept a sharp eye on Sally, as that one made her way ever closer to the place where Marylu sat working her needle. “I’ll be so excited to wear this to the show.”
    Marylu chose to take the high road. “Yes, Mrs. Burns is correct in that Miss McGreary does fine work. You’ll hold your head high wearing this frock.”
    “Oh, Marylu. I’m not used to servants speaking first.” Sally gave a little laugh. “I forget how Jenny coddles you and Cooper.” She laced her fingers and a little smile bloomed on her lips. But it wasn’t a nice smile. “It won’t be the dress so much as the man with me. Mr. Walck is most handsome.”
    A grunt crawled up her throat, but Marylu squelched it before it squeezed out. Miss Sally would think it most unladylike of her. Not that