« I’ve come to ask if you need any help, » Sarah said, swallowing her pride. « I can clean, cook, whatever is needed. I have six children and no food. »
“I have six children, and you’re waiting here,” the woman interrupted, slamming the door in her face. Sarah waited in the scorching sun, feeling sweat trickle down her back and shame burn her cheeks. Almost an hour later, the door opened again. This time it was someone else, a tall woman in her sixties, dressed with understated elegance, her silver hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her eyes were gray and piercing, as if they could read every secret Sarah tried to hide.
“You’re Daniel Carter’s widow,” she said without preamble. It wasn’t a question.
« Yes, ma’am, » Sarah replied. « How many children do you have? »
« Six, ma’am. »
« And how old is the youngest? »
« Two, ma’am. »
Mrs. Whitmore watched silently for what seemed like an eternity. Then she nodded slightly.
« I need someone to clean, cook, and take care of the house. The work is hard, the hours are long. I don’t tolerate laziness or excuses. Can you handle that? »
« Yes, ma’am, » Sarah replied without hesitation, even though she had no idea how she would manage with Noah.
« I can handle anything, » she added.
« The pay is fair. You start tomorrow at 6 a.m. Don’t be late. »
And that was it. Mrs. Whitmore closed the door, and Sarah practically ran back home, her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest. That night, for the first time in months, she managed to buy bread and milk for her children. She watched them eat with a mixture of relief and sadness.
But in town, tongues soon began to stir. Sarah Carter, the respectable widow, was now working as a servant for the millionaire. What a disgrace! What a fall from grace! The gossipy women murmured in the market, at church, on every corner.
« She has no dignity, » said Mrs. Remedios, the biggest gossip in Fredericksburg. « I’d rather starve than stoop so low. »
Sarah clenched her fists but didn’t respond. Her children needed to eat. The first few days at the ranch were exhausting. Sarah would arrive while it was still dark, leaving Ethan in charge of his siblings, and wouldn’t return until after sunset. The house was enormous—three stories, more than 20 rooms, marble floors that had to be mopped on one’s knees, and immense windows that required hours of cleaning. Mrs. Whitmore was demanding, but not cruel. She watched Sarah work with those gray, unreadable eyes, but she never yelled at her or insulted her as Sarah had feared.
In fact, there was something strange about the way Mrs. Whitmore treated her. Sometimes, when Sarah was cleaning the library, she could feel Mrs. Whitmore’s gaze upon her. Other times, Mrs. Whitmore would ask her unexpected questions.
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