Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
“Lady Beatrice, I do not believe that this is a good idea,” Mira said hesitantly at Beatrice’s side.
“I must agree,” Henry added from her other side.
“This is a boarding house for servant girls, not ladies. The company could be unkind or worse. Not to mention, it is in a horrid part of town. Let me find you something else. More private. If my brother could keep your residency in his house a secret for so long, surely, I can as well.”
Beatrice stared up at the building before her. An intense numbness had taken over her after her last interaction with Algernon, and she was clinging to that numbness like a lifeline.
“I was a servant, remember?” she said quietly.
Henry and Mira both turned their heads toward her with concerned looks. She tried to give them a reassuring smile back, but she was unable.
“It will not be for very long,” she went on, focusing on Henry. “Just until the wedding ceremony is planned. How quickly can you get it together?”
“The Church will be our biggest obstacle,” Henry explained. “A month at most. A week at least.”
Beatrice nodded.
“Let us hope for a week then,” she replied then picked up her carpet bag. Her heart twinged in her chest as she did so. She’d used the same one the very day Simeon had forced her to the auction and changed her life forever.
“You two should go on,” she urged. “Especially you, Henry. In your finery, you are a pickpocket’s dream. “
“Let us at least come in and get you settled,” Mira urged.
“Yes, we cannot just leave you here,” Henry agreed.
“I will manage. It would make me look suspicious, and I certainly do not wish to draw any attention to myself. The dresses I have already draw too much of that already,” Beatrice replied, shifting on her feet.
She loved them both, dearly, but she needed to get to her room soon. Her tears had held off for a while now, but by the ache in her chest, she knew they would be springing forth again soon.
Neither Henry nor Mira appeared pleased by her words, but they gave reluctant nods.
“I shall visit you every evening after my work is finished at the Duke’s house,” Mira swore.
“And I will be picking you up every morning for breakfast,” Henry added, reaching out to adjust the plain light brown shawl tied around her shoulders—Henry’s feeble attempt at helping her blend in with her new companions.
“You will meet me out here at nine precisely, or I am coming in to get you,” he stated sternly. “There is no skipping days, understand? It is pertinent that I ensure your safety every day.”
Beatrice did her best to muster up a grateful smile as she stepped away and then turned toward them.
“You are a good friend. Both of you,” she said, her tone thankful. “And remember, this is not for long. All will be well, I promise you.”
Henry swooped in and hugged her tight, planting a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you, darling,” he stated emphatically, looking her right in the eyes.
“Oh, I love you too,” she promised, patting his cheek.
She meant it, too. Henry had become the older sibling she’d always longed for, and though their love would never be romantic, Beatrice took solace in the fact that at least she was getting married to someone who loved her in a way.
Henry let go, albeit reluctantly, but his hands were barely back at his sides before Mira swooped in and hugged Beatrice just as tightly.
“I have already spoken to Mrs. Sheer, and it is settled. I shall leave the Duke’s house to be your lady's maid once you are Lady Henry,” Mira told her.
Beatrice felt the ache in her chest grow sharper as she held Mira close.
“You are so very lovely,” she replied. “I look forward to our time together in our new home.”
Needing to leave or risk crying in front of them, Beatrice turned from them the moment Mira let go and walked into the boarding house.
It was, to her relief, far nicer inside than it was on the outside.
A clean dining room with a large, rectangular table sat to her left.
It had light blue wallpaper and matching rug.
A large parlor took up the space to her right.
It was filled with plain but clean furniture where five young women in various forms of maids uniforms sat and relaxed with books, and two more were at a corner table, playing a card game.
A large, dark wood mantle was seated above a fireplace, and simple white curtains hung from the windows.
The wallpaper in the room was a warm beige with maroon stripes that ran vertically from ceiling to hardwood floor.
The floor was swept, with not even a speck of dust from what Beatrice could see.
“Are you the Cooper girl?”
Beatrice jolted as she heard the question, and she whirled around. She found herself having to crane her neck upward as she took in the tallest woman she’d ever seen. Her blue eyes were sharp, as were her nose and cheekbones. Even her thin lips seemed to look more like a beak.
Her dark brown hair was swept up into a high, tight bun, and the long-sleeved black and blue vertical striped dress she wore on her robust figure had a very modest high collar that ran up to her chin.
“Well?” the woman snapped.
“Yes ma’am,” Beatrice replied quickly.
“Mm,” the woman grunted, running her gaze blatantly up and down Beatrice’s form.
“My name is Mrs. Kilborn. I am the boarding house matron,” she answered stiffly, pulling a small pad and pencil from her apron pocket. “My notes tell me you are on temporarily leave from work, and that your employer has paid for the first week of your stay in full.”
“Yes, that sounds right,” Beatrice agreed, trying her best not to appear as nervous as she felt.
Mrs. Kilborn continued to study her intensely for another long moment before she spoke again.
“All meals are communal and must be had in the dining room behind me,” she began stiffly.
“Breakfast is six. Lunch is at noon. Supper is at seven.
Then there is a ten p.m. meal for the girls who work late.
I run a clean establishment, but even so, it is hard to keep vermin out of this place, so there is a strict ‘no food allowed outside of the kitchen and dining room’ rule.
“There are only two doors that lead outside. The one you just came through and the one in the kitchen. Both are locked at ten p.m. and do not become unlocked until five the next morning. Gentlemen are not allowed to enter the promises beyond this room, and you will be turned out at once if you are caught with one in your bedroom.”
“I understand,” Beatrice said readily.
It was only eleven in the morning, but all she wanted to do was find her room and lay down.
“Might I be shown to my room?”
Mrs. Kilborn’s already harsh stare somehow hardened even more.
“Paid in advance or not, I do not like layabouts,” she said sharply. “Most girls who board here are happy to take on extra chores to lower their fees. Even though your bill is already covered, I hope you will volunteer some of your time to keep this place tidy.”
“Of course,” Beatrice said readily. I will agree to anything if you just let me go to my room.
“I have daily appointments in the mornings and the evenings, but I will be happy to assist any time in between,” she added.
Mrs. Kilborn raised her chin, looking down her nose at Beatrice for another tense moment.
“Very well,” she agreed. “I shall let you take the day to get settled, but tomorrow, you help with the lunch dishes.”
Beatrice gave a single nod, and to her great relief, Ms. Kilborn stiffly turned around and began walking toward the narrow stairs.
“Follow me,” she said curtly.
Beatrice was quick to do so and was glad she did as Ms. Kilborn continued talking.
“Your companion insisted that you have your own private room, but we simply do not operate that way. Some girls have a room to themselves when occupancy is low, but unfortunately for you, you arrived at a time where we are at full capacity, so you will be sharing.
“Try not to get in one another’s way. Keep your side of the room tidy, as I do check it every evening whether you are present or not, and if you two quarrel, leave me out of it. You may not switch, you may not sleep elsewhere, so best to just make the arrangement work.”
“Yes ma’am,” Beatrice replied quietly.
Her heart sunk at this news, but there was nothing she could do about the new arrangement but hope that her roommate was kind.
On the second floor, Beatrice followed Mrs. Kilborn down a long hallway lined with doors.
She stopped at the very last one on the left, and she gave a quick two knocks before opening the door without permission.
A gasp left Beatrice’s lips as she saw a familiar face, and she forgot herself as she rushed past Ms. Kilborn and into the other woman’s waiting arms.
“Deborah!” Beatrice exclaimed, hugging the woman tight.
“Oh, my days, Beatrice?!” Deborah exclaimed with a laugh.
Mrs. Kilborn let out a rather unladylike grunt.
“I see you two know one another?” she asked dryly.
“Oh, yes,” Deborah replied. “Do not worry Ms. Kilborn, I shall keep her in line.”
“Best see that you do,” Ms. Kilborn replied grittily. “There is something a little uppity about this one.”
Beatrice ignored the slight, too overcome with relief that her roommate was someone she already knew, and she hugged Deborah closer.
“Beatrice,” Deborah sighed once they were left alone. She tenderly pulled away from their hug and held Beatrice back to look at her face. Beatrice immediately looked down, her eyes already swimming with tears.
“The last I saw you, you were so very happy! What has happened?” Deborah asked, her tone full of worry.
Unable to hold them back anymore, Beatrice burst into tears.
At once she was in Deborah’s arms again and was being led to the nearest small, hard bed—so very different than the one she’d had at Algernon’s.
Together, they sat down, and as Beatrice laid her head in Deborah’s lap, she let her tears run free, and she told her story.