A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,109

“What should we do without you, Edna?”

The maid snorted but looked gratified.

Mina disappeared into the scullery to wash and when she reappeared some minutes later, Edna informed her, “There’s hardly anyone up yet, except for that Mr. Jones smoking a nasty cigar outside the back door. Everyone else is still snoring.”

“I’m sure it’s not to be wondered at,” Mina observed, buttoning her cuffs. “I could hear the merry making out of my window into the small hours.”

Edna pursed her lips, then lowered her voice. “I’m lucky that bold-faced one with the mole on her cheek, what calls herself Mrs. Jones took over the bar at midnight, so I could go up to bed. I’m grateful to her for that if nothing else.”

“Indeed, that was good of her,” agreed Mina. “For it meant Nye could retire at a decent hour to repair his wounds.” She colored faintly as she picked up the dish of kippers in one hand and the bread and butter in the other, for that was not all he had done.

“Only fancy, she’s had me light the fire in her room this morning, so she set her curling iron to the flames,” Edna said with obvious disapproval. “The vanity!”

“You must have been very busy already,” Mina said, conscience-stricken. “Really, taking breakfast in the parlor this morning was most thoughtless of me.”

“Nonsense! Your mistress here and other folks needs to know it! You go on ahead,” Edna told her bracingly. “I’ll bring in the tea as soon as it’s ready.”

Mina thanked her and made for the parlor where she found Effie admiring the blue and gold tea-set.

“Lovely bit of china, this,” she said, looking up at Mina’s entrance. “What a fine room! Do you know, I had no notion this was even here?”

“Oh, it wasn’t,” Mina told her, setting down the dishes and pulling back a seat at the table for Effie. “Nye had it set up for my use.”

“Fancy that!” Effie’s eyes were very wide. “That’s handsome of him, and no mistake.”

“Yes, I’m very fortunate,” she said setting the silver cruet set down on the table. “Do you think Mrs. Jones will join us this morning?”

“Who?” asked Effie blankly. “Oh, you mean Dot!” She sank into her seat and leaned forward confidingly. “She ain’t really married to Nat you know, love. She just goes by that when she accompanies him out and about.”

“Nat?”

“Nat Jones, the fight promoter. You must have seen him yesterday.”

“Oh, of course. In the yellow waistcoat.”

“That’ll be him.”

Effie helped herself to a kipper and a slice of bread and butter. “Well, this is grand,” she said, looking around the room. “I declare I feels as if I’m havin’ breakfast wiv a duchess.”

Mina smiled wanly, but Edna sailed through the door with the silver teapot and milk jug before she could reply. “There you are, Mrs. Nye,” she said, setting them down. “Can I fetch you anything else?”

“I think we’re very amply provided for, thank you, Edna.”

“Don’t you talk nice,” Effie said admiringly as Edna retreated. “A proper lady. Everyone says so.”

“Nye thinks it’s down to too much book-learning.”

Effie shook her head. “Now that’s where he’s wrong. You can never have too much of that,” she said. “That’s what my old Dad used to say, and he should know, ‘cos he couldn’t read nor write, poor old sod.” Mina was too startled to know how to reply to that, but luckily Effie did not seem to notice. “Besides,” she said bracingly. “My Jeb said you’ve a pert tongue in your ‘ead and not too prim to give someone a taste of the sharp side of it.” She giggled.

“Oh! Well, that was—kind—of him,” Mina choked out as she selected two cups and saucers for them. “Do you take sugar?”

“Three when I can get it,” Effie admitted. “Yes, he said you soon had Clem with his tail between ‘his legs and bashful as a schoolboy!”

Mina had a sudden uncomfortable recollection of Clem’s rather racy dialogue with the female in the hall the night before. “Bashful is not the word I think I would use for Mr Dabney,” she observed dryly.

“Never tell me he was saucy with you!” gasped Effie. “I wouldn’t have thought it of him! “

“Oh no!” Mina interrupted her quickly. “Not at all. To me, he was politeness itself.”

Effie collapsed back into her chair in exaggerated relief. “Well thank gawd for that!” she said. “Or Nye would have torn him limb from limb! Anyone can see how jealously he guards you.” Mina paused before lifting the