“Good morning, Michaels,” Tiffany replied, choosing to ignore the name.
She went to the hearth where the yeast had been placed, and began working with the bread dough.
“It’s a pleasure to watch you work, Girlie,” Michaels said, interrupting her reverie as she made the rolls. “I can see that neither Jones nor I have taken enough time with the dough.”
“I did this for so many years I scarcely think about it,” Tiffany said. “I do have a name, you know.”
“I know,” Michaels said, “but you will always be Girlie to me, the little curly-top, with your head barely peeking over the top of the counter. It was a pleasure to see how much bigger you had gotten every time I visited the shop. I’m sorry to have caused you to run away.”
“You didn’t cause it. The Widow Bentley did that, with her false accusations, suspicion, and beatings.” Tiffany set water to heating for tea or whatever might be needed. Then she turned her attention to washing and checking the eggs the poultryman had just brought in.
“Smells mighty good in here,” the fellow said, hinting.
Tiffany smiled at his audacity. “Not much to be had quite yet.”
“There’ssome rolls and cold meats left from yesterday. Best they be eaten up before they go bad,” Michaels said.
“That would go down right nice.” The poultryman gave her a toothless grin of surpassing sweetness as she handed him a paper parcel of roll and meat. “An’ from the heft o’ this, there’s enough to take to my older brother, Mr. Ironholder. He used to be a smith, but he’s been taken poorly the last few years, and had an especially hard bout just here lately.”
Mrs. Twitchel passed through on her way to the laundry room. “Best you be moving on, Mr. Ironholder. No flirting with the kitchen girls.” She made shooing motions with her hands.
The oldster laughed, winked at Tiffany, and went on out the door to the back hall.
“It smells wonderful in here,” Mrs. Twitchel added. “For the first time in ages I am looking forward to morning tea.”
Tiffany glanced up from her work. “Thank you,” she said.
She might have said more, but Michaels called, “Miss Bentley, you are wanted at the back door.”
Tiffany dusted the flour from her hands and hurried to the back door. A cluster of children huddled at the bottom of the steps. The littlest one burst out of the group. “Oh, Tiffany! We thought you’d been taken up by the Watch.”
“Lisa! No, dear, but I am under house arrest. The Marquess caught me fair and square, but he has offered me a position. Michaels, do we still have some scraps in the alms basket?”
“That we do, Miss Bentley. I’ll just run and fetch them, why don’t I?”
“Davy, I’m glad to see that you are safe.”
“Aye.” He looked around, then whispered, “Got away safe with the haul, too. Thought you was daft to get them kerchiefs, but we got enough for medicine and a room for a few days.”
“I’m glad. I get paid by the quarter. You come by, and I’ll give you my pay when I get it. Meanwhile, Michaels and I will put some food by for you each day. There is plenty here. A little will not be missed. I’ll see to you, never fear.”
“We’s glad for you, Tiffany,” Tommy added. “A position an’ a real place to stay. We’s real glad for you.”
Her heart hurt as she watched the children go down the street with the food.
I’m so glad Davy and the others are safe. With my earnings, perhaps I can keep them off the street and out of harm’s way.
Tiffany turned away from watching her erstwhile companions, and faced the work that went with this new life. Her throat felt as if it had a great knot in it, and tears prickled at the back of her eyelids.
“Are you all right?” Michaels asked.
Tiffany waved one hand at him in dismissal. “I will be. I’ll just go make a list or cook something.” She tucked herself up at the cook’s desk, and took out writing paper. Her eyes blurred with unshed tears, and she struggled not to blot the foolscap sheets.
How could I have forgotten them? Have I grown so cold and self-serving as all that? Should I stay here? Or should I leave at the first opportunity?
Michaels came over and hesitantly put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s a hard thing, I know, Girlie, to see your mates so free and easy while you are mewed up here.”
“I don’t think I mind being here, Michaels, so much as I worry about them. What if something happens to one of them just because I’m not there to give them a guiding hand? I don’t think I could bear it.”
