Lady Jane Read Free Page B

week. I’ll find somethin’, never you fear,” she replied proudly, staring him straight in the eye defiantly, daring him to feel sorry for her.
    “Well, I like your spirit, that I do. Here—you come along with me. I’m just on my way to my little house and a grand meal cooked by m’sister.”
    “You got an ’ouse of your own, Mr. Leach?” she asked in surprise.
    “That I have, and a pretty little piece of property it is too. M’sister takes care of it for me and on my day off I go round for a good meal.”
    “Oh—but—but—well, I don’t think I better, though I thank you for the askin’,” she said uneasily, aware of the grubbiness of her appearance. “I doubt your sister would thank you for draggin’ home someone off the streets—”
    “She’s nothing to say to it at all. ’Tis my house and what I says goes. And she don’t like it, out she goes and well she knows it!” he declared vehemently, his eyes turning hard at the thought of anyone daring to defy his wishes.
    Seeing Jane wince away at the change in his tone, he became all affability once more, declaring he’d not take no for an answer, and taking her arm, he pulled her along down the street with him.
    The gimlet-eyed woman who opened the door to them stared impassively at Jane when Mr. Leach introduced them, sniffed, and turned away without speaking. Mr. Leach called her back.
    “Not so fast, Lizzie. You’ll take Janie here for a good wash-up before you set out the supper. Up to the spare room, if you please.”
    She turned back to exchange a long look with him, which he returned blandly with a slight lifting of his lip at one corner. She finally shrugged slightly.
    “Come along then,” she said as she started up the narrow stairs leading to the second floor.
    During this exchange Jane had covertly examined what she could see of the house from the tiny front hall. Though the house was s m al l and unimposing from the outside, and cramped from what she could see of the inside, still it was compact and well-furnished, and clean.
    Lizzie led her into a tiny room furnished only with a cot and a straight-backed chair, and in one corner a table with a basin on it.
    “Wait here, I’ll bring water,” Lizzie told her and then left.
    Jane stood uncomfortably in the middle of the room, wishing she’d never allowed herself to be persuaded to come here, in spite of the comfort of a familiar face and the promise of a good meal. Miss Leach made it very clear that she was not welcome, and the prospect of sitting down to a meal with such a starchy, Friday-faced woman was repellent.
    Lizzie Leach looked exactly like her brother, but had none of his ability to dissemble. She had had a grim life, and found nothing much to smile about She worked hard, did her duty as she saw it, and went about the business of life with a total lack of interest in anything outside the four walls of her brother’s house. She was grateful to him for making it possible for her to leave the service of other people and move into a home of her own with no one to give her orders. Except Leach, of course, but she didn’t mind it from her brother. He never stinted her on money, though as she was a frugal housekeeper he had no cause to worry that she would waste it, and if, from time to time, he chose to bring home a woman, Lizzie turned a blind eye. It was all she could do, since he never asked her opinion, nor accepted any criticism.
    She carried a pitcher of warm water up to the spare room and poured it into the basin. She put the towel and soap down beside it and turned, to the door.
    “Miss Leach—”
    “Yes?” asked Lizzie, her hand on the latch.
    “Thank you. It’s most kind of you and your brother to have me here.”
    Lizzie nodded coldly and continued out the door, closing it firmly behind her. Jane shuddered involuntarily, then turned eagerly to the warm water and soap. After only a moment’s hesitation, she stripped off her clothes and hurriedly began washing