The Maid's Quarters Read Online Free PDF Page B

ma’am, that indicates the
amount you paid,” Donahue said as he stared at the paper. “I’m sorry, but they
don’t mean anything.”
    Alice was doing all she could to keep from screaming and
stomping her feet at the injustice of it all. But she would not give these men
the satisfaction of seeing her acting like she had yesterday when her temper
had got the best of her. She looked down at her brother, huddled under a thin
blanket, and thanked the dear Lord that she wasn’t in this situation without any money or means to get new
housing. It could have been so much worse. She would raise herself above that
behavior as there was little she could do about it anyway. She looked up to see
Mr. Donahue staring at her. Just then there was a loud crash on the path
between her house and the McKinnells’, and a head popped out of the second-story
window.
    “Torn up all the sheets and clothes and chopped the little
bit of furniture there was, boss,” a man shouted from above.
    All eyes were on Nyturn. “I don’t know the man! He must be
one of theirs,” he said, and sneered, but the agent must have felt the
attention turning to him and began to slowly back up to the street.
    “Are we near done, Mr. Nyturn?” the man shouted from the
window. “I’ve not eaten since sunrise.”
    Donahue walked to Nyturn and spoke low enough that no one
else could hear. From behind a carriage came a large man who took Nyturn by the
arm and led him away. His workers scattered. Mr. Donahue turned to her.
    “Miss Porterman. Let us inspect the damage in your home and
see how I can go about making restitution,” Mr. Donahue said, and turned to the
crowd. “I don’t condone violence, especially when it is used against any of my
employees or in this case, former employees, however, I am glad to see that
someone was here to help these two women in view of this injustice.”
    “What do you mean, restitution ?”
Alice asked.
    “I’ve given you your two dollars. Is there a penalty?” Maeve
asked.
    Donahue shook his head. “No, ma’am. I intend to pay you for
the damage to your things or replace them. And unfortunately, you are not the
only ones whom Mr. Nyturn has swindled, which I discovered last night. Your
explanation and receipts confirmed what I’d thought. Won’t you allow me to come
inside with you and get you both out of the cold?”
    “I’ll take your brother to my house while you go inside,
Alice,” Mrs. McKinnell said. “Carry him, Bert. He looks all tuckered out.”
    “Thank you, Bet,” Maeve said. “This cold air isn’t good for
him.”
    Alice went directly to the back stoop where the firewood and
some coal were stored. She’d have to get the broken windows covered quickly.
    Donahue came outside and took the load of wood from her arms
“I’ll get it started, miss. Go inside with your mother.”
    Alice found her ma, Mrs. McKinnell, and Mrs. Spretz,
righting furniture, sweeping and trying to piece together what was broken and
strewn across the floor. Mr. Donahue came in carrying the wood, and some coal,
and lit the stove. He pulled a small pad of paper from an inside pocket of his
jacket and the stub of a pencil.
    “I am very sorry about this. Very sorry. I can have someone
here tomorrow to fix all the glass and the broken frames, and I see a hole in
the wall, so we’ll need a plasterer, too. These cabinets and fixtures in your
kitchen need changing out as well. And it looks as though most of your
furniture will need replaced. Mrs. Porterman. Will you accompany me to choose
the replacements? We may as well get a coat of paint on everything while we’re
working.”
    Maeve held her hands to her face. “Then you believe me? You
know I paid all of my rent other than the two dollars I just gave you.”
    Donahue nodded at Maeve but continued to watch Alice. She
felt his eyes on her like pinpoints, like sparks from the woodstove, like
fireworks she’d seen one summer. His stare warmed her lower insides and her
breasts and