A Perfect Mistress by Barbara Mack Read Free Book Online Page A

that she’d been warning Delia needed cutting for months now, and laughed at the irony of it. If Delia had listened to her, they’d be stuck here – thank goodness Delia was so cheap with the household money. Her eyes burned and my throat ached as Sophie threw one leg over the sill. She climbed out the window and down the tree slowly, following Claire. She hung by her hands from the lowest limb and dropped to t he ground, so weak that she could barely stand. Claire helped her up, and urged her on to the alley behind the house.
    It was pitch black outside, and Sophie stumbled. There were no stars, and the moon was a tiny sliver in the sky.
    “Look!” Claire whispered. She pointed into the shadows. “There she is! She’s got my mother with her!”
    She pulled Sophie with her into the alley, and flew into an older woman’s arms.
    “Hush, child, we don’t want to be heard ” the woman murmured, and Claire was instantly silent. She hooked her arm through one of her mother’s and pressed against her side. When Sophie swayed, Claire’s mother took Sophie’s arm, as well. “Bonita, help me with her. She’s all a-tremble.”
    A small, round woman who looked remarkably like Mrs. Ferguson came and took Sophie’s other arm. “We’ve g ot a wagon around the corner. Claire’s father is too ill to come, but his brother is waiting for us. Hurry now, Miss Sop hie. My sister is already in the wagon waiting. We thought we might have to storm the house .”
    They half-carried her to the wagon and boosted her inside. She fell into Mrs. Ferguson’s embrace, and then the strain was too much for her. Sophie fainted dead away, while Mrs. Ferguson clutched her to her ample breast. The last thing she heard was Claire’s uncle clucking quietly to the horse and the harness jingling as they drove away.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
    When Sophie opened her eyes, she was nose-to-nose with a little girl. The child , who couldn’t be more than two, giggled when Sophie smiled at her and sat up . She popped a thumb in her mouth and Sophie lifted a hand to ruffle her brown curls.
    “Hello,” Sophie croaked. Her mouth was parched, and Sophie thought longingly of cold, clear water.
    “ Pwitty .”   The child reached out and snarled her hand in Sophie’s hair.
    “Becca!” scolded a voice. “I told you to let her sleep.”
    “ She not s’eepin ’,” said the child. “Look, Ma. She awake.”
    The woman swooped in and picked the child up, and she giggled and pushed her head into her mother’s neck. Sophie recognized the woman now – it was hard not to, since she looked so much like her sister.
    “ Bonita, isn’t it?” she whispered. “Where is Mrs. Ferguson? And is Claire all right?” Sophie looked around. “I don’t remember anything after getting in the wagon.”
    “Don’t fret yourself, child,” Bonita soothed as Becca squirmed to get down . She put the child down, and she began to skip around the room, singing. Sophie smiled at her, and Becca clapped her hands and sang louder.
    “ Hush, Becca!” said her mother. “Pay no attention to her, she’s just showing out for you. Claire is with her parents, and m’sister Nancy is in the next room. Claire’s uncle carried you in last night, and you never even stirred. We had the doctor ‘round, and he said just to let you sleep, that the laudanum would be in your system a day or two and we weren’t to worry if you didn’t come to for a while. He’ll be back later to look in on you again.”
    “A day or two? How long have I been sleeping?”
    Bonita handed her a glass of water and Sophie drank it down thirstily. My, that was good. She looked longingly at the empty glass, and Bonita filled it again .
    “It’s nearly dark again, child,” she said kindly. “I reckon it’s about 6 o’clock.”
    “Jackson!” Sophie whispered. Her heart fell to her feet. He’ll be thinking I’ve made up my mind , she thought numbly. He’ll go to the house, and Delia will lie to