Page 109 of Doxy for the Ton
“No, because you’re aman. Some of the women here service men just like you to make a living, but they’re not always kind—often give a girl a blackened eye, they do.”
His forehead creased into a frown. “It’s a cruel world that does that to a woman.”
Mrs. Briggs snorted. “It’s aman’sworld, that’s what it is. But our Mimi here is doing all she can to help us—though I can’t think what she was doing bringing you here if you’re not going to do what I tell you.”
He opened his mouth, and Mimi braced herself for an angry retort. Then he sighed and nodded.
“Very well.”
“That’s better,” Mrs. Briggs said. She gestured toward the back door. “The coal’s out there. Scullery’s round the back. You’ll need to tip the coal out of the sacks and into the store. There’s a shovel by the door if you need it—if you don’t want to dirty those soft baby hands of yours. Can you managethat, at least?”
“Of course I can,” he retorted. “What do you take me for, Mrs. Briggs?”
“I doubt you’d appreciate my answer,” she replied, gesturing toward the door. “Now, get on with it—or the day will be over and you’ll still be standing there having not done a lick of work. Mimi, darlin’ when you’ve put the tea to brew, take it to the parlor, then we can set to the mending.”
Alexander met Mimi’s gaze. She smiled encouragement, and he gave a slight shrug of his shoulders and exited through the back door. Soon afterward, he returned, dragging a sack, straining with the weight.
“Mind my floor!” Mrs. Briggs barked.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, his voice tight.
Mrs. Briggs chuckled. “Good to see you know your place—in here, at least. Hurry up—you’re letting the cold in with that door.”
He rolled his eyes, but continued to drag the sack into the scullery. Then Mimi heard the sounds of shoveling and grunting, followed by a curse.
“The tea should be ready now,” Mrs. Briggs said. “There’s the remains of a fruitcake in the cupboard if you want to set it on a plate.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “It’s time Anna and Lily were up. I’ll go and wake them, and they can have tea with us.”
“What about our guest?” Mimi asked, gesturing toward the scullery as another curse rang out.
“He must earn his tea.”
“I meant, he might need help. After all, he’s not done a day’s work in his life.”
“Then it’s time he learned, Mimi darlin’. A bleedin’ good dose of hard work never harmed no man. Now, run along to the parlor with that tray, or the tea will get cold.”
Mimi took the tray and climbed the staircase just as another curse echoed from the scullery.
“Dam-bloody-nation!”
Then the scrape of the shovel against the stone floor continued and Mimi exited the kitchen, followed by Mrs. Briggs, who climbed the stairs to the top floor.
By the time Mimi had poured the tea, some of the occupants of the house had entered the parlor. Dawn had long since broken, and sunlight filled the room. The women had set to mending a pile of bedsheets that a benefactor had dropped by, and the air was filled with the chatter of women at work. When the door opened to reveal Lily and her son, Mimi’s heart lifted to see the young woman’s face break into a smile.
“Mimi! I’m glad you’re here. Look who’s come to see us, Sam.”
The little boy toddled across the floor, arms outstretched, and Mimi lifted him onto her lap.
“What’s that you have there, Lily?” she asked, gesturing to the pile of clothing in Lily’s arms.
“It’s a gown I’m finishing for Mrs. Painter.” She smiled at Mimi expectantly.
“Mrs. Painter?”
“Her cousin’s your housekeeper.”
“You mean Peg?” Mimi asked.
“That’s right. She said her cousin told her how I could do lacework, and she offered to give me work. This is the third dress I’ve made up for her—it’s for a merchant’s wife in the City. Imagine that!”
