“Mr. Jordan asked me to see Mrs. Collins home,” David explained. “He thought she might need some time to get ready for the journey, and since Christmas is just days away, he thought she would prefer to spend the holiday in the company of her family, rather than with strangers.” David opened the front door and allowed the women to precede him.
“Oh, Faith!” Tempy was practically jumping up and down with glee. “That means you got the job! How wonderful! You got the job!” Tempy stepped inside the house and turned toward the front parlor. “Virt! Hannah! Agnes! Joy! He hired her! Our Faith is going to work in Wyoming!”
The other women crowded into the hallway, each trying to hug Faith and to get a better look at the attractive gentleman escorting her.
Remembering her manners, Faith introduced David to the members of the household.
David studied the women crowded around him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. They were all considerably older than Faith, except the little girl who looked to be no older than five or six. David smiled to himself, enormously pleased to discover that Collins House, while big and full of women, was not some sordid Richmond bordello. David was certain Reese would be even more pleased and relieved. He couldn’t wait to tell him.
“Do have a seat, Mr. Alexander.” Hannah and Agnes led David to the horsehair sofa, then quickly seated themselves on either side of him. Faith noticed they spread their skirts as they sat down to hide the bayonet holes in the cushions. And, bless them, they had also made certain David sat in the most comfortable spot in the room.
“Would you care for some refreshment?” Tempy asked politely,
“Tea,” Hannah said. “We have some very nice tea. Tempy, you know where I keep it. Would you care for a hot cup of tea, Mr. Alexander?”
When she returned, a few minutes later, Tempy set the tray on the table in front of Hannah. “Will you pour, Hannah?”
“I’d be delighted.” Hannah smiled, pleased at the opportunity to preside over a tea table once again.
David Alexander shifted uncomfortably in his seat on sofa between Hannah Colson and Agnes Everett and accepted the cup of tea Mrs. Colson placed in his hands. He waited patiently while Mrs. Colson finished pouring tea for the ladies, then took a drink from his cup. He accepted a gingersnap from the plate Tempy offered.
“Oh, please, Mr. Alexander, take another. It’s been so long since we’ve had a gentleman in for tea.” Hannah smiled prettily.
“It’s time for Joy’s nap,” Tempy said. “I’ll just take her to bed.” She took Joy by the hand. “Say your goodbyes.”
Joy smiled shyly at the stranger, then hugged each of the older women around the waist. When she reached her sister, she threw her arms around Faith’s neck and squeezed her tightly. “I missed you, Faith.”
“I missed you, too.” Faith brushed a kiss across Joy’s brow.
“You’re not going away again, are you?”
“Not without you, pumpkin.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.” Faith solemnly traced a cross above her heart.
“Good.” Joy hugged Faith a second time. “Night-night, Faith.”
“Sweet dreams, angel.” She blew kisses at Joy until Tempy led the little girl down the hall to the bedroom the three of them shared.
Hannah, Agnes, and Virt took their cue from Tempy. They quickly finished their tea, thanked David for seeing Faith safely home, then politely excused themselves and left the room, leaving Faith alone with David Alexander for the first time since their arrival.
“She calls you Faith,” David said.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Your little girl calls you by your given name. It’s unusual.”
Faith had forgotten about the fiction she had woven for David Alexander and Reese Jordan.
She thought quickly, scrambling for a plausible reason before she answered. “Joy has always been around adults. My aunts and the other ladies call me by my given name. Joy learned to do the same.” Faith shrugged. “It’s unconventional, but she’s never known anything different.” Faith clenched and unclenched her fists while her top teeth worried her bottom lip. She should have thought of this. She should have had Tempy explain the situation to Joy.
“I suppose you’re right,” David agreed. “Well, I’m going back to Washington. You can give me your answer now if you’ve made up your mind or you can telegraph Reese at the Madison after Christmas.”
Faith relaxed. Joy hadn’t given them away. “I haven’t made up my mind, yet. I need to think about it.”
David studied his surroundings closely. The house had once been elegant, but was now falling down around their heads. Light patches marked the walls where paintings had once hung, the windows were boarded up, and tell-tale water stains marred the plaster ceiling. The house was in desperate need of repair from roof to cellar. David didn’t have to be a banker to know the cost of repair was way above Faith’s present means.