Of Monsters and Madness Read Free

talented. She taught me everything I know.” We hit a bump, and Maddy’s fingers are withdrawn from mine. She stares down at them in wonder while I look out the window.
    “Passin’ Rittenhouse Square,” a voice from on top of the carriage says.
    “Did you hear about what happened at the square?” Maddy asks Mr. Poe, leaning forward in her seat. “The kitchen staff was just talkin’ this morning about how it’s not safe to go out after dark with a murderer on the loose.”
    I draw in a sharp breath. “Murderers roam free here?”
    “Although Philadelphia is a large city, you are quite safe,” Mr. Poe assures me. “We do not allow our murderers to
roam free
for very long. We have an excellent police system.”
    “Beggin’ yer pardon, miss,” Maddy says. “I hope I didn’t give you a fright. There’s no need to worry. Yer father’s house is not very near Southwest Square, an’ Jasper an’ Thomas walk the grounds ev’ry night.”
    “Southwest Square? I thought he said Rittenhouse Square?”
    “They changed it to Rittenhouse last year,” Mr. Poe explains. “Most of us still call it by its old name.”
    We ride for a little while longer, until the carriage stops and then lurches to one side again. Jasper and Thomas start to descend. “We have arrived,” Mr. Poe says. “I hope you shall not be disappointed, Miss Lee.”
    I strain my eyes in the darkness to see. All I can make out is a large structure of pale stones, tall doors, and rows of windows gleaming like sharp teeth against the night. It looks nothing like the bamboo houses built high on stilts that I have spent the last ten years of my life in.
    A sense of unease fills my stomach as I stare up at what is to be my new home. Dark and foreboding, it appears just as unwelcoming as the rest of Philadelphia.

Two

    M r. Poe steps out of the carriage first and offers to help me down. I try not to let my apprehension of the towering house in front of me show, and thank him for his kindness. Two older ladies wearing the same matching garb as Maddy are there to meet us, introducing themselves as Cook and her assistant, Johanna.
    “What did you manage to do?” I overhear Cook scolding Maddy as soon as she gets a proper look at me. “Drop her in a mud puddle?”
    My cheeks flame, but Mr. Poe handles the situationgracefully. “There was a small mishap at the dock. Fortunately, Miss Lee has agreed not to hold it against us, and we can only hope she will give Philadelphia another chance to make a better first impression.”
    I give him a polite nod, and Cook and Johanna gather around me like protective mother hens. Their voices turn soothing.
    “We’ll have you cleaned up good as new, miss,” Cook says. “You mark my words.”
    “That’s right,” Johanna agrees. “Nothin’ some hot water an’ fresh towels can’t fix.”
    Mr. Poe bows to me. “Until we meet again. It will be sooner rather than later, I hope …” My heart beats like a trapped bird inside my chest as I wait for him to continue. He stares for a moment, then says softly, “Welcome to Philadelphia, Miss Lee.”
    The ladies erupt in a tizzy as soon as he climbs back into the carriage. They shepherd me toward the kitchen while Maddy regales them with the story of how Mr. Poe jumped into the water to save me. I am soon seated at a bench in front of a roaring fire and given a cup of tea. I take it gratefully, and marvel at the space. The kitchen alone is as big as the house that Mother and I used to share. A rough cloth is appliedto my face, and then another is set upon my arm as Maddy and Johanna begin to dry me off. “Is it hopeless?” I ask. “Is my dress ruined?”
    “Not yet, miss,” Maddy says. “Dinner will be late this evening, so I can take you to yer room an’ scrub the stains out there, if you’d like.”
    My spirits lift. “Where is the well? I’ll help you draw some water.”
    Maddy stops scrubbing. “
You
, draw the water? Oh, no, miss.” She shakes her