Adele (Angel Creek Christmas Brides #18) - Cynthia Woolf Page 0,18

and wash them each morning.”

“That’s a great idea. What do you have for breakfast on Sundays?”

He shrugged. “Since it’s usually just me, Lissa and Mrs. Underhill, she makes pancakes or our favorite cinnamon biscuits.”

Opening the door to the icebox, she glanced over at him. “I’ve never heard of cinnamon biscuits. What are they?”

“She makes biscuit dough, rolls it thin and then, instead of cutting out round biscuits, she butters it, covers it with cinnamon sugar and rolls it up. Then she slices it and bakes it. She serves it with butter and caramel syrup.”

Her mouth watered. “They sound wonderful. I can’t wait to try them.”

Adele turned as an older woman entered from the bedroom by the stove. “Good morning. I’m Adele, Edward’s wife. You must be Mrs. Underhill.”

“I am and I’m very pleased to meet you. We’ll have to talk later right now I plan on making their favorite breakfast this morning, in honor of you being here and I can use the help. These men can eat a lot of them. Twice as many as they do the regular biscuits. If you’ll check the sausage frying, I’ll make the dough.” Mrs. Underhill grabbed two aprons from a cupboard drawer and handed one to Adele.

How the woman, who was as round as she was tall, could move so fast was a mystery to Adele. Actually, except for her plumpness, she reminded Adele of her own mother. Her dark hair was sprinkled liberally with gray and swept up into a knot on the top of her head. She had twinkling blue eyes, rosy cheeks and a sparkling smile that Adele was sure hid an iron will, if she was anything like Adele’s mother.

“Of course, I’ll be happy to help. I like cooking but haven’t done much in recent years. A governess does not cook, even on their day off, I was told in no uncertain terms.”

Edward lifted a brow. “Well, it’s a good thing you aren’t a governess anymore, isn’t it?”

She jutted her chin out just a bit and straightened her spine. “Yes, it most certainly is.”

Mrs. Underhill put her hands on her hips and looked from Edward to Adele. “You two can continue this chit-chat some other time. We have breakfast to make. Go on now, girl.” She waved a hand in Adele’s direction. “Check those skillets and make sure the sausage and bacon aren’t burning.” She turned toward the pantry and then back. “Oh, you need to go the butcher and put bacon on your list.”

“List? What list? I don’t have one started.” She looked to Edward for guidance.

He shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Where can I find paper and a pencil?”

“Don’t ask him, girl,” said Mrs. Underhill. “He barely knows where the dishes are kept. There’s a catch-all drawer next to the door to the back yard. You’ll find the paper and pencil there.”

Adele retrieved what she needed and started a list.

She helped Mrs. Underhill make the cinnamon biscuits and found them delicious. Every one they made was eaten, and so was the three pounds of bacon and four pounds of sausage she fried. Adele had never seen anyone eat as much as these men. Her father probably could have, but the family never had this much food at one sitting.

Adele had tried to help them out with the money that Richard gave her but her father refused to take it. Said he didn’t want any money from a whore. She quit offering and finally quit going to see them. All of her family thought the same way as her father. Had she been a whore? Was the only thing separating her from the women on the street that she only had to service one man instead of many?

*****

Tuesday, October 11, 1870

Adele walked from the kitchen with Lissa. “Will you be all right playing in the living room while Mrs. Underhill and I do laundry or would you rather help?”

Lissa shook her head. “Nope, I’ve watched Mrs. Underhill before and that chore looks like too much work. I’d rather play here.”

“Okay, if you need anything you come get me.”

“I won’t need anything from you.” Lissa sat on the sofa and began to play with her doll.

Well, I guess she told me.

Adele returned to the kitchen in time to see the housekeeper lifting a bucket of water onto the stove.

“Mrs. Underhill, I’d like to help you, but I haven’t any idea how you do it. I haven’t done my own laundry for years.”

“Don’t worry, honey, I’ll show you. Come