Texas Tiger TH3 by Patricia Rice Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Rice
plates. They said it would be much easier if I wasn't going to use a studio. So I didn't buy a tent. Do you have a room I could use for developing?"
He could feel just a hint of hope. Ideas swarmed through Daniel's mind as his gaze lingered on the expensive equipment. "There're rooms to spare. Do you think there's enough light inside Mulloney's to get a picture?"
"With that big chandelier overhead? Why not?"
"Do you think you could take pictures inside the store without getting thrown out? There are big clocks behind every counter. It would be interesting to catch one clerk in front of that clock when she came in at eight and again just before she left for home at six. People could see her standing up and know she's been on her feet for nine or ten hours."
Georgina nodded eagerly. "Peter will just think I have a silly new hobby. How about a picture of his office with the fancy carpeting and big desks? Then a picture of where the clerks live? I bet one of their houses would fit inside that office."
Daniel's eyes gleamed with approval, but his words were ones of caution. "We'll have to find a place to display them, a very public place. And you'll have to practice. I've used the dry plates before. They're very sensitive. You'll ruin your first batches until you get the exposure right."
Georgina grinned. She was going to have a career. Even if she didn't know anything about photography other than the basics learned in one morning, she knew she could do it. And even if the man showing her where to set up her darkroom thought she was a tool in his employ, she would show the world that she was more than that. Then let Peter and her father pretend she was a useless piece of fluff.
Although she couldn't begin her photography assignment until the next day, Georgina took her camera with her when she left. Mr. Martin had been preoccupied with his work and not much interested in entertaining her once they had decided on a plan of action. She felt slightly insulted that he didn't feel called upon to entertain her, but she reminded herself that this was a business relationship, not a social one. She would just have to grow accustomed to the manners of the working class.
She was quite certain there was a story to be had at her father's factory if she only knew how to fnd it. But her father had made it clear that she wasn't to be caught in this neighborhood again.
But the lumpy unglamorous old buildings and the wagons and the unfashionably dressed people fascinated her, and she couldn't resist viewing them through the eye of her new toy. It wouldn't hurt to take a picture or two for practice. Anything was better than returning to the house and her mother's wedding preparations.
Daniel found her there when he came down at the end of the day. He watched in amusement as Georgina beguiled a scruffy little boy and his dog into posing for her while a small crowd gathered around them. Her animated chatter kept the onlookers spellbound, and he thought she could make a fortune as a carnival barker should she ever need the money. As it was, he was quite certain these people would spend their last pennies to have their pictures taken by her.
She was smiling and laughing when he walked up, but that disappeared as soon as she saw him. She glanced worriedly at the stream of people leaving the factory as the church tower chimed six, took note of the long shadows indicating dusk was not far off, and hastily began packing her camera into its box.
"I think I had better escort you home, Miss Hanover. It's a little late for you to be wandering the streets." It was more than a little late, and Daniel didn't think she could possibly walk the distance to her home, but he wasn't certain he could find a hired cab in this district either.
"I don't know. My father's carriage will be here soon, but he's told me to stay away. Perhaps I could persuade Blucher to pretend I was just returning from town." Nervously, she dusted off her gown and placed her camera
He could feel just a hint of hope. Ideas swarmed through Daniel's mind as his gaze lingered on the expensive equipment. "There're rooms to spare. Do you think there's enough light inside Mulloney's to get a picture?"
"With that big chandelier overhead? Why not?"
"Do you think you could take pictures inside the store without getting thrown out? There are big clocks behind every counter. It would be interesting to catch one clerk in front of that clock when she came in at eight and again just before she left for home at six. People could see her standing up and know she's been on her feet for nine or ten hours."
Georgina nodded eagerly. "Peter will just think I have a silly new hobby. How about a picture of his office with the fancy carpeting and big desks? Then a picture of where the clerks live? I bet one of their houses would fit inside that office."
Daniel's eyes gleamed with approval, but his words were ones of caution. "We'll have to find a place to display them, a very public place. And you'll have to practice. I've used the dry plates before. They're very sensitive. You'll ruin your first batches until you get the exposure right."
Georgina grinned. She was going to have a career. Even if she didn't know anything about photography other than the basics learned in one morning, she knew she could do it. And even if the man showing her where to set up her darkroom thought she was a tool in his employ, she would show the world that she was more than that. Then let Peter and her father pretend she was a useless piece of fluff.
Although she couldn't begin her photography assignment until the next day, Georgina took her camera with her when she left. Mr. Martin had been preoccupied with his work and not much interested in entertaining her once they had decided on a plan of action. She felt slightly insulted that he didn't feel called upon to entertain her, but she reminded herself that this was a business relationship, not a social one. She would just have to grow accustomed to the manners of the working class.
She was quite certain there was a story to be had at her father's factory if she only knew how to fnd it. But her father had made it clear that she wasn't to be caught in this neighborhood again.
But the lumpy unglamorous old buildings and the wagons and the unfashionably dressed people fascinated her, and she couldn't resist viewing them through the eye of her new toy. It wouldn't hurt to take a picture or two for practice. Anything was better than returning to the house and her mother's wedding preparations.
Daniel found her there when he came down at the end of the day. He watched in amusement as Georgina beguiled a scruffy little boy and his dog into posing for her while a small crowd gathered around them. Her animated chatter kept the onlookers spellbound, and he thought she could make a fortune as a carnival barker should she ever need the money. As it was, he was quite certain these people would spend their last pennies to have their pictures taken by her.
She was smiling and laughing when he walked up, but that disappeared as soon as she saw him. She glanced worriedly at the stream of people leaving the factory as the church tower chimed six, took note of the long shadows indicating dusk was not far off, and hastily began packing her camera into its box.
"I think I had better escort you home, Miss Hanover. It's a little late for you to be wandering the streets." It was more than a little late, and Daniel didn't think she could possibly walk the distance to her home, but he wasn't certain he could find a hired cab in this district either.
"I don't know. My father's carriage will be here soon, but he's told me to stay away. Perhaps I could persuade Blucher to pretend I was just returning from town." Nervously, she dusted off her gown and placed her camera
Similar Books
Screw the Universe
Stephen Schwegler, Eirik Gumeny
Deep Black
Stephen Coonts; Jim Defelice
Sinful Suspense Box Set
Tess Oliver
Night's Landing
Carla Neggers
Unexpected
Marie Tuhart
Safe Word
Teresa Mummert
The Last Best Place
John Demont
