Chapter Eight #2
“But how?” she asked with full sincerity.
“I’m sorry, but the world doesn’t work like that, Mr. Milton.
You can’t just go about trusting everyone you meet.
Or all this.” She lifted her hand and motioned to all the baskets that surrounded them.
“No one behaves solely out of the goodness of one’s heart.
Everyone is angling for something, and I wish I knew what you were hoping to achieve with all this charity. ”
Though she was being honest, the look of pity Samuel was aiming at her was enough to make her reconsider her words.
“My, what a miserable outlook on life,” he murmured as he leaned away from her.
Thank goodness. She could barely follow her train of thought when his breath had brushed against her ear.
“Says the man who doesn’t believe in God,” she quipped.
“Then perhaps you can enlighten me. Hm? What exactly would I be angling for with these baskets? It’s not like the people who receive these donations are able to repay them.”
“Which is what makes them so lucrative, because the return is priceless.”
“The return being?”
“Loyalty,” she said in an instant.
That caught him by surprise. He huffed out a breath.
“Excuse me?”
“Loyalty. Yes, it seems to be the main source of your operation. Everyone in Milton House, from the stable boys all the way up to Mr. Tompkins himself, seems to be completely devoted to you.”
“It’s not me they’re devoted to.”
“Oh, no? Then what other reason would there be for them to be so committed to you?”
“The idea that everyone deserves respect,” he said slowly, his eyes intent on hers.
“I do not do all these for my own ego, Miss Atherton. I do it because if I was in any other position in this operation, I would like to be treated well, and so I try to do what I would hope others might do for me if I was not in this particular position.”
“So, you do it in hopes that if all of this went away, you’d be spared?”
“Not at all. You see, Miss Atherton, I do not have to imagine what life is like for the poor, needy, or the sick. I was born there. I know what it’s like not to be able to afford to eat, what fleabites feel like and how they can drive a person insane.
I know that shaving your head can spare you endless sleepless nights of itching, and what the rest of the world sees and thinks when they spot a young boy without any hair.
I know what it is to suffer the loss of loved ones and what a blessing it can be to receive a loaf of bread or a vial of medicine.
I know what being out in the snow with holes in my shoes is, and I know that a kind word is all well and good, but a kind action is power.
If we as a society could only accept that there is no actual difference between a maid and the queen, well, I think it would be a kinder world overall. ”
Jane stared at him for a long time, absorbing his words.
It was hard to picture this attractive, well-groomed, and fashionably dressed gentleman sitting next to her as a skinny, baldheaded child.
Had he really suffered so much in his youth?
It made her heart hurt just thinking about it, but then she shook her head and focused.
“You’re trying to change the world, Mr. Milton. It will not work.”
“Why not?”
“Because while you come from dire conditions, I come from the part of society that dictates the world. And I promise you, you’ll never be able to play on their consciences.” She paused. “They don’t have any.”
He watched her for a moment, and she felt her skin turn prickly beneath his gaze.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Miss Atherton. Perhaps, while you’re employed at Milton Enterprises, I might be able to change your mind.”
“I don’t believe you can,” she murmured more to herself than to him as the carriage slowed.
Peering out of the window, Jane saw a storefront with large windows with a sign etched in gold lettering that read “Dr. Hall Medical Offices.” When the carriage finally stopped, the door was opened instantly by a young, smiling man holding an umbrella.
“Mr. Milton, a pleasure to see you this fine morning,” the young man said, before catching sight of Jane. “Cor, who’s she?”
“This is Miss Jane Atherton, Mrs. Milton’s secretary. She’ll be handling the monthly donations from this time forward. Miss Atherton, may I introduce Virgil, the druggist?”
“Hello, Mr. Virgil.”
“Oh no, not Mr., just Virgil,” he said as they exited the carriage. “Please, come in. Dr. Hall is finishing with a patient, but Dr. Grace is all set.”
Confused as to why they came to the doctor’s first, Jane followed Virgil into the store front, followed closely by Samuel.
Upon entering, Jane saw two long, glass display cases, under which a number of medicines and herbal remedies were meticulously marked with what they were for and tagged with the price.
Behind the display cases were glossy black shelves, lined with medical books, glass cloches covering all sorts of things, and jars filled with who knows what.
Leaning against one of the glass display cases was a dark-haired woman who looked rather familiar.
She was writing something down in a ledger before she looked up and smiled.
“Mr. Milton,” she said, coming around the counter. “A pleasure to see you. And who’s this?”
“Dr. Grace, this is Miss Jane Atherton, my mother’s secretary and the person who will be conducting the deliveries for Gallowgate going forward.”
Grace’s eyes widened.
“Miss Atherton, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My sisters, Faith and Hope, wrote to me about you and your sister Cora.”
“Oh, yes, your sister is married to Sir Logan?”
“Yes, she is, which I suppose makes us extended family,” she said cheerfully as the door opened behind her to reveal a tall, bearded man with glasses. Without turning around, Grace spoke to the man. “James, Jane Atherton has arrived.”
“Who?” he said, his gaze going immediately to Samuel. “Ah, the first of the month already, is it? Doesn’t your mother usually oversee the deliveries?”
“Dr. Hall,” Samuel said with a smirk. “Don’t worry, I’m only acting as an observer today. Miss Atherton will be heading this task from now on.”
The doctor’s cool eyes landed on Jane.
“Is that so? Well.” He snapped shut the folder he had been reading and extended his hand. “Then it really is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Atherton.”
Confused by his statement, Jane shook his hand, amazed that he should extend a hand to her.
“Thank you?”
“Don’t mind him,” Grace said, instantly taking her arm into hers as she turned Jane back toward the doors. “Jane and I will ride together. Play nice with Mr. Milton, James.”
They were back out into the rain and into a second waiting carriage, which was also packed with baskets, though not nearly as many as in the Milton carriage. Jane worried.
“The men won’t fit in the other one. They’re too big.”
“Posh, they can squeeze a bit,” Grace said. “It might do them good to get close.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, James isn’t a fan of Mr. Milton, but really, he has no reason not to be. Simply because the man offered to marry me once, James has decided to never forgive him.”
Jane’s face froze.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Hm? Oh, yes, I mean, everyone knows about it and they all know why he asked, but James can’t forgive him.”
“Why did Mr. Milton ask you to marry him?”
“Because he wanted me to be one of the head physicians at his imaginary hospital,” she said with a smile. “He didn’t really think it through, though, because if he had, he would have known instantly that I was the exact opposite of what he wanted.”
“And what does Mr. Milton want?”
“A proper wife. Not one with a career in medicine.” She glanced at Jane. “Tell me, what’s it like working with the Miltons?”
“Er, well, I haven’t been there long.”
“Isn’t the house ridiculous?” Grace asked, but seeing the expression on Jane’s face, she immediately rectified her words. “I mean, poor Mr. Milton has the worst taste in décor, but apparently it satisfies some youthful quest of his. You should ask him about it.”
“I will, thank you,” Jane said, confused, as the carriage slowed once more.
She glanced out the window to see trash covered roads.
The rain had swirled and settled a dozen times, dragging piles of mud, straw, fabric, paper, and other scraps of rubbish along the wet streets.
“Er, I don’t think I’ve ever been to this part of the city. ”
“No? Well, prepare yourself. We do what we can, but it’s never enough,” Grace said with a single nod as the carriage stopped, but she didn’t get out. “We have to wait a moment.”
“Why?”
“James has kindly requested that if I ever arrive early in Gallowgate, I wait for him, since he’s so bad with directions.” Jane’s brow rose and Grace let out a sigh. “Is that not a convincing lie? I need to think of something else, I suppose.”
“Think of something else?”
“Yes. You see, I participated in a slight kidnapping a few months ago—”
“A what?” Jane interrupted, horrified.
“A slight kidnapping, and ever since, James has been an absolute bear about me coming to Gallowgate. So, to appease the bullheaded man, I’m to wait until he arrives so that he might keep eyes on me. The ridiculous fool.”
Jane smiled.
“That’s actually quite nice of him.”
Grace sighed, fighting her own smile.
“It is, I suppose. But it’s also annoying to have to wait.”
Just then the door opened to reveal the doctor and Samuel, standing behind him. Both gentlemen had three baskets on each arm.
“You never have to wait long,” Dr. Hall said, grinning at Grace who tried to hide her amusement.
Jane followed as Grace and Dr. Hall entered the workhouse.
There they split up, with Mr. Milton and Jane taking the even-numbered floors, and Grace and Dr. Hall taking the odd numbers.
The constant back and forth down to the carriages and up the stairs was exhausting, and after nearly an hour of it, they had only completed a little over half.
Samuel checked his pocket watch after handing off the last of his baskets.
“Damn,” he said under his breath before realizing that Jane heard him. “Sorry for the language, but we have to go.”
“But we’re not finished.”
“I know, but Liddell should be arriving soon, and I need to be there to meet him. These sorts always need to be made to feel special,” he said. “Come. I’ll ask Hall to finish up here. Do you think you can manage this on your own next month?”
“Er, yes. I mean, I would prefer if Grace or Dr. Hall could accompany.”
He blinked at her.
“Of course they will. Jane, did you think I meant to send you to Gallowgate alone? With eighty baskets by yourself?”
She shrugged.
“I wasn’t sure,” she said slowly, but then she noted the curve of his mouth. Her pulse began to quicken. “What is it?”
“Nothing, it’s just… Surprising. You’re surprising.”
“Oh.”
“Come, let’s go.”
After a brief farewell, Jane and Samuel were back in the carriage, speeding toward Milton House. Of course, upon their arrival, they were briefed by one of the butlers that Liddell had arrived early and was currently taking tea with Mr. and Mrs. Milton.
Jane was hurried up to her room by a number of maids where she was stripped, washed, dressed, and brushed out, before being turned around and brought straight back down to the parlor where she was presented to the politician.
Dressed in a pale-green gown edged with scalloped lace, Jane was caught off guard by the others in the room. Mr. and Mrs. Milton were expensively dressed, but Samuel was wearing a kilt, and while the politician wore the usual black dinner suit, she couldn’t take her eyes off Samuel.
Dark hair slicked back with some sort of pomade, he wore a black coat over a white shirt and a green and purple kilt.
His clean-shaven face from that morning was already showing signs of stubble, giving him the look of a well-to-do Scotsman after a night of carousing, but he didn’t seem to care.
The entire ensemble gave Jane the chills though.
She had never seen a more attractive man in her entire life.
“Giles Liddell, at your service,” the politician said, distracting her from Samuel. He bent over her hand as he pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Jane curtsied, trying to remember the man’s name. The vision of Samuel standing at the ready, eyes on her, had momentarily stunned her.
“Mr. Liddell. This is Miss Jane Atherton,” Samuel said, his tone oddly rough.
“An honor to make your acquaintance,” she said softly.
“Milton, I had no idea you had quality people on your staff,” he said, seemingly attempting to compliment the man, though insulting everyone in the room.
“Come, Miss Atherton. You’ll be my attaché during my visit.
It’s good to have an Englishwoman around, although I do expect to see Lady Belle on this trip.
You know, she and his majesty were close acquaintances of my father. ”
“Is that so?” Jane said, feigning interest as a tiny, dark blue sparkle on his cravat caught her eye. “My, what a lovely tie pin.”
The man’s white teeth flashed.
“Do you like it? It’s my favorite. I am partial to sapphires.”
“It’s very handsome,” Jane said just as Mary appeared to announce dinner was being served.
“Ah, very good. Come, you’ll sit next to me,” Mr. Liddell said as he guided her out of the room.
With a single look over her shoulder, she saw the whole Milton family staring at her in various degrees of worry.
Although Samuel’s gaze seemed to hint at something more.