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The Duke Sent Her His 3 Old Aunts for Winter — By Easter His Duchess Begged a Seat at Their Table

The Duke Sent Her His 3 Old Aunts for Winter — By Easter His Duchess Begged a Seat at Their Table

Chapter 9

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Maud faced him with soot on her face. "And if they don't wish it?""Then they may starve at Cold Harbor, Mrs. Lowry," said Mr. Sneath, "and you with them. His Grace will not pay for the privilege." He folded his paper. "The rent is due at Lady Day, I think."When he had gone, the aunts came out into the kitchen in their blankets and stood in a row, and Dorcas spoke for them."We shall go on Monday," she said. "We shall not have you ruined on our account."Maud looked at them: at Dorcas, who could cook like a Frenchman; at Honoria, who could make a penny do the work of a shilling; and at Winifred, who could make a room of strangers cry. And she thought of the rooms over the laundry, where they would be kept quietly."You'll not go on Monday," she said, "nor any day, unless you choose it."That afternoon, she took her husband's coat down from the peg and walked to Mr. Tebbutt's shop through the frozen lane with the coat over her arm."I need flour and meat on credit, Mr. Tebbutt," she said, "till the spring. I have nothing to give you for it but this. It's a good coat."Mr. Tebbutt looked at the coat and at her, and then he pushed it back across the counter. "Put that on before you catch your death," he said. "Your credit's good here. As good as the Duke's. Better." He took down his slate and wrote her name at the top. "And you tell Abel I said to fetch the lads. That chimney won't mend itself."
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The Duke Sent Her His 3 Old Aunts for Winter — By Easter His Duchess Begged a Seat at Their Table

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