Butterfly Palace by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page A

this soon enough, love. I’ve only been here a year, and I know everything about this house.” She lowered her voice. “Including the gossip.”
    Lily smiled back. “Everyone seems quite proper. I’m surprised there is anything to talk about.”
    “You’d be surprised. Take Mrs. O’Reilly. Lovely woman. Fair and hardworking. But she likes a bit of wine on the evenings she goes out with her male friend.”
    “Does he work here too?”
    Emily shook her head as she flipped the quilt onto the bed. “He manages the stable for the Karrs. Mrs. O’Reilly only gets to see him once a week, but she comes in blushing like a girl. I don’t think he plans to marry her though. I’ve seen his kind. He pinched my backside once when she wasn’t looking. Now I make sure I’m working in another room when he comes. She’s too good for him.”
    “You didn’t tell her?”
    “Lord no, love. She’s fair, but I’m not going to be the target of her jealousy. I just keep my head down and do my job.”
    Lily was beginning to like Emily quite a lot. Down to earth, kind, and unassuming. She didn’t hide her feelings either. “Thank you for taking me under your wing, Emily. I’d be very lost without you.”
    “I try to do my part,” she said cheerfully. “Let’s see, what else? Oh yes, Mrs. Marshall. She took quite a shine to you.”
    “I don’t quite know how it happened.”
    “She’s a sweet lady. No airs, that one. She won’t even have a maid do for her, and she cleans their bedroom herself. If she needs to be buttoned up, she has Mr. Marshall do the buttoning. But he’s more likely to do the unbuttoning, if you know what I mean.” Emily winked. “Those two hold hands like newlyweds. Well, they are newlyweds. They’ve only been married a year. She was the ambassador’s widow.”
    “Only a year? I assumed they’d been married many years.”
    Emily shook her head. “The first Mrs. Marshall died in childbirth. It’s been Mr. Marshall’s greatest sorrow not to have children. He has me buy things regularly for the orphanage and run them by. They’ve doted on Belle ever since they took her in when her father, the dead Mrs. Marshall’s brother, died. Which is probably why she’s the way she is.”
    “Demanding?” Lily had seen enough of her new mistress to know serving her would be challenging.
    “Poor chit deserves some attention though. Her mother doted on her brothers and barely noticed Belle’s presence. Her dad did too, and he was overbearing to boot. At least so I hear. He lavished nice things on Belle, but she was no more noticed than the dog on the rug.”
    “And Mr. Marshall? It seems he could look right through you with his gray eyes.”
    “I’d marry the man myself if he were single.” Emily smiled. “He’s running for senator in the national election, and everyone loves him. He’s got some great ideas, and he cares about the working class. Our wages are more than fair, and he often steps into the kitchen to see if we need anything.”
    “I didn’t realize he was a politician. Belle seemed angry with him last night. She said he wants her to marry Mr. Vesters.”
    Emily rolled her eyes. “She adores her uncle. She was just angrywith him last night. He wants her settled with some money. Her father was well-to-do, but he lost his money in a bad investment just before he died. Mr. Marshall would support her forever, but he wants her to be comfortable and in charge of her own home.”
    “How do you know all these things?” Lily was in awe of the information her roommate seemed to possess.
    Emily tapped her ear. “I keep my ears open and my wits about me. You’d do well to do the same.”

    Belle was quite weary from dealing with Stuart by teatime. She took off her hat when she entered the drawing room. “I’m perishing for some iced tea and cookies.”
    The new girl, Lily, turned at her voice and smiled. “I just brought in a tray, Miss Belle.”
    She was unlike any other maid. Not that