Page 30 of The Women of Wild Hill
“Who told you not to speak?” Ivy was utterly appalled. “This is our house. Sadie makes the rules here.”
“I’m just a servant.”
Ivy screwed up her face and looked at Rose, who seemed equally perplexed. “What does that matter?”
“I have to obey their commands.”
Rose rolled her eyes as she leaned toward her sister. “I knew I didn’t like them. His aura was gray as a storm cloud and she didn’t have one at all.” She turned back to the girl. “Why did they bring you to our house if they won’t let you speak?”
“The mistress demanded I come. So I won’t talk to the others.”
“The other what?” Ivy asked.
“The other servants!” In her frustration, the girl finally showed a flash of life.
Rose and Ivy giggled and the girl smiled cautiously. “What’s your name?” Rose asked.
“Molly,” the girl replied.
“Well, we’re rescuing you, Molly,” Ivy announced.
“Yes!” Rose agreed, opening the door of the automobile. “Now, come along for some fun before we get cross.” Rose had never been cross a day in her life.
“If we’re caught, you can say we kidnapped you,” Ivy added.
Once Molly was out of the car, Ivy and Rose each took one of her hands.
“We know a place where your captors will never find you,” Ivy said, giving her sister a mysterious look.
“The thicket?” Rose inquired.
“Indeed,” Ivy replied.
“Shall we run?” Rose asked.
“I think it’s wise,” Ivy said. “They could come for her at any moment.” And the two sisters flew with their guest past the old mansion, across the meadow and into the woods.
The thicket grew along the tall brick wall that circled the estate. The raspberry and blackberry bushes had been around since Bessie’s day, and the Campbell who’d built the mansion had allowed them to stay, having seen their potential for keeping trespassers at bay. Nothing short of barbwire could have served the purpose so well. An intruder who managed to scale the wall would certainly balk at jumping down into the thorn-covered brambles.
But Ivy and Rose knew that in the summer months, the terrifying briars drooped with red and black berries. The three girls plucked them off one by one, filling Rose’s outstretched apron. Thenthe twins guided Molly to their secret cove, where they gorged on fruit and licked the juice off stained fingers.
“What a wonderful place this is,” Molly marveled. The color had begun to return to her face. She was lovely now that she didn’t look quite so ill. “Do you not live in the mansion?”
“No, our ghost has other plans for it,” Ivy told her.
“Is it nice where you live?” Rose jumped in before Molly had a chance to inquire about the ghost. The twins knew their uncle had a country home on the other side of the Island, but Sadie and her daughters had never been invited to visit.
Molly nodded. “I think so,” she said.
“You think so?” Ivy responded with arched eyebrows.
“It looked pretty today when we rode down the drive. But most days, there’s so much work to be done inside that I rarely see the sun.”
Ivy didn’t like the sound of that at all, but for the moment, she held her tongue.
Rose leaned over and brushed Molly’s cheek. “No wonder she looked so peaked!” Rose said. “She’s been working too hard. She needs more holidays.”
“What she needs is a swim.” Ivy began stripping off her stockings.
