Read Darkwater for Free Online

frightful laggard,” Jennifer said apologetically.
    â€œYou had a long journey yesterday,” Helen replied. Her tone implied that while Jennifer need not apologize for sleeping late this morning, she would be expected to adopt the family’s schedule in the future. Jennifer did not mind. Usually she was an early riser herself.
    â€œIs Mrs. Dere still abed?” Jennifer asked. “I mean, that is, the other Mrs. Dere.”
    â€œWe have dispensed with a great deal of formality here,” Helen said with a smile. “And I think you will find it less confusing if you did likewise. I would suggest you call me Helen. As for Alicia, I expect she will want you to call her by her first name, but you had better wait until she suggests it herself.”
    â€œI will. I wonder if perhaps, as Alicia—Mrs. Dere—is still sleeping, I should begin with the children this morning. What do you think?”
    â€œI think there’s no particular hurry. There will be plenty of time to get acquainted with the children today and you can start lessons tomorrow, if you like.”
    Jennifer started to ask something else and hesitated, not sure exactly how open she could be with the mother of her new employer. It was Helen, after all, who functioned as the mistress of the house. Despite Helen’s charm, the sort of charm natural to the old South, Jennifer could not help thinking that the older woman disapproved of Walter’s decision to hire her, her youth notwithstanding. Jennifer knew that she had been hired only because of Alicia’s mysterious support. She had the impression that Helen would have preferred to see her on her way this morning, never mind Darkwater’s tradition of hospitality.
    â€œI’m not sure I should ask this,” Jennifer said after a moment’s consideration, “but I’m not clear on one point and I wonder if you could help me. Am I to...that is, should I teach all three of the children or only...only Mr. Dere’s?”
    Helen stiffened visibly, as if this subject were taboo. “Liza is treated as a member of the family,” she said. “At least insofar as we can treat her. She will have her lessons with the other children.”
    â€œI see. Is there a schoolroom here?”
    â€œNo, not a schoolroom exactly, but there is the library. I think that will do nicely. Perhaps you will look it over and see if you don’t agree. It’s just along the central hallway.”
    Jennifer went along the hall as directed and found the library with its book lined walls. At once she loved the room. Thanks to all those books, here more than anyplace else in the house she had a sense of belonging. She could not see a wall of books without feeling something almost sensuous stir within her. She went quickly to a shelf and studied the titles. She found Plato at once, and Marcus Aurelius, but she could see that there was a good sampling of the moderns, like Mark Twain and Henry James. It was not only an extensive collect but an up-to-date one as well.
    Someone had been reading and had left a book open upon a table. Curious, she went to it and picked it up. It was a volume of Shakespeare’s plays, open to Macbeth. Whoever had been reading that tragedy had read it more than once, judging from the book’s well-worn condition.
    She was startled when a masculine voice behind her said, “You are a lover of Shakespeare, then?”
    She turned to find Walter Dere at the library door.
    â€œI am sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just coming along the hall and saw you there, with my book.”
    â€œIs it your book?” she said, embarrassed. She quickly returned the book to its place on the table. “I did not mean to overstep the bounds of propriety.”
    â€œBe assured you did not, and please, make use of any book here. I treasure them, but even more do I treasure sharing them with a fellow book