Free A Cry at Midnight by Victoria Chancellor Page A

said, stalling for time.
    "Yes, our cook is the best. Now, about you and Miss Delacey."
    "We met at school," Randi improvised. "She was from a very good family, of course, whereas I . . . well, we didn't have as much."
    "Your circumstances were reduced?"
    "Yes, that's a good way of putting it." Again, she tried to stay as close to the truth as possible to spin this tale. Maybe she wouldn't blunder too much.
    "And why didn't Miss Delacey make this trip?"
    "She fell and broke her leg," Randi said impulsively. "She knew she wouldn't be able to get around, up and down those stairs, taking care of a baby, so she asked me to take her place."
    "Did she send a letter along with you, explaining her reasoning?"
    "Yes . . . but it was in my trunk," Randi said, thinking that was a perfectly reasonable explanation. "She was so anxious for Rose to be raised with a woman's influence that dear Agnes insisted I come. Fortunately, I was available to leave at a moment's notice."
    "You didn't have to quit your employment with another family?"
    "No, I didn't. They didn't require my services any more."
    "Really? But I suppose your letters of recommendation were also in the trunk."
    "That's right, she said brightly, glad that he was going along.
    "Perhaps we can write to your former employer and get the letter replaced."
    "No, we can't." She absolutely couldn't allow him to check into her background. She'd never survive such the scrutiny.
    "Why not?"
    "They're gone. They're in . . . Europe. England, France, Spain. All those European countries."
    "How very nice for them," he commented in a way that sounded almost sarcastic. Of course he wasn't being sarcastic. She didn't imagine he had much of a sense of humor, and doubted he'd expend any of his limited supply on someone as trivial as her.
    "I'm sorry," she said, when that was far from the truth. "Perhaps you'll allow my actions to speak for me, instead of judging me by what's on a piece of paper."
    "Miss Galloway, I believe that's exactly what I'm doing," he replied, shaking open his newspaper once more.
    He'd sounded even more sarcastic that time, although she couldn't imagine why--or even how he'd be so suspicious. After all, he'd barely questioned her story yesterday. Despite his belief or distrust of her, she had to forge ahead. There was no other option but to stay at Black Willow Grove until she found out what was going on.
    She used the opportunity to eat more of her breakfast. Eggs with a creamy sauce, two kinds of sausages, and some kind of corn dish that she didn't recognize. She was hungry enough that she wasn't too concerned about the type of food, only the quantity.
    After several more bites, the silence stretched to uncomfortable lengths. The only sound in the room was the clink of her fork and the rustle of his newspaper. She wondered what type of news was reported in an 1849 paper. Probably nothing really interesting, like Ben Affleck's newest rumored romance or two-headed alien babies.
    "What are you reading about?" she finally asked, curiosity getting the better of her intended reserve.
    "Nothing that would interest you," he replied noncommittally.
    Male chauvinist
, she wanted to scream. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"
    He folded the paper and placed it beside his coffee cup, gesturing for it to be filled.
    As soon as the young black servant filled both their cups, Mr. Durant spoke. "United States reaction to the political revolutions of last year. It seems the great thinkers of our time are split on whether change should be embraced or feared."
    "Democrats and Republicans in Congress at it again," she said, remembering the way her father always bad-mouthed politics.
    "Democrats and Republicans? Do you mean those who believe in democratic and republican forms of government?"
    Oops. She'd done it again. Didn't the political parties go back that far? Did they have different names? She barely paid any attention to politics except to vote. "Yes, that's what I meant," she