dramatic eyes, and ruby red lips completed the look. Looking at my reflection, even I almost believed that I belonged here.
Next, Josephine showed me how to wear a hat, then helped me pack everything we brought up last night, plus my original clothing, into the suitcase. She inspected the bed to make sure it was just as it had been and fluffed the unused pillows once more before we left. She left me in the hallway for a brief moment while she put her makeup back into her own room, then I followed her downstairs as quietly as I could. She handed me a purse that matched my shoes.
“I have put some pocket money in here for shopping just in case Jeanette decides to come with us.” She really had thought of everything. “Now go outside and ring the bell.”
I stepped outside, waited a moment or two, then pushed the doorbell.
“I’ll get it,” I heard Josephine call out. She flung the door open. “Maggie.” She embraced me, kissing the air on either side of my cheeks. “You’re early. I didn’t expect you for at least another week. Do come in.” A feeble looking older man in a perfectly pressed suit stood behind her. “Mr. Wentworth, my dear cousin Maggie has come to stay with us. Isn’t that wonderful? Please take her bag up to the blue room.”
“Yes, Madame.” He took the suitcase from me before I could object and teetered up the stairs.
I watched him, worried he’d fall. “I could do that. It’s really no problem.”
She nodded. “But it’s his job and he would be offended if you did it for him. Come, let me tell Cook there will be another for breakfast.”
I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and shook my head. How the hell was I going to make it in this world?
The morning went by fast, and it was lunchtime when I met Jeanette, who looked breathtakingly similar to Josephine. The only real difference I could see was that they wore their hair in difference styles. Josephine’s was slightly shorter and she wore it in a slick wave. Jeanette’s hair was straight and cut at chin level with thick bangs.
“Jeanette, Maggie arrived early,” Josephine said as her sister came into the room.
Jeanette eyed me, then looked back to Josephine. “Were we expecting…Maggie, did you say?”
“Yes, silly.” A lively smile that matched the gleam in her eyes took over Josephine’s face. “I know I told you all about her. She is the granddaughter of Aunt Prudence. Remember, she wrote us ages ago and I have been conversing with her.” She looked back to me. “I swear my sister has the worst memory.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said to Jeanette. “Though I feel like I already know you both so well after all of Josephine’s letters.”
Jeanette shook my hand. “She never mentioned a word about you, but you are very welcome. How is Aunt Prudence?”
“She’s…” Josephine shook her head ever so slightly as she sipped her coffee. “Well, I guess she’s in a better place now. Her funeral was hard on the family, but she would have loved the flowers,” I said, holding my breath that I had gotten Josephine’s meaning right.
Jeanette nodded. “We regretted that we couldn’t attend.” She poured herself a cup of coffee. “What brings you to Chicago?”
“Is Maggie to expect the inquisition at every meal?” Josephine said with an edge to her voice. “I invited her. We spend so little time with our relations I thought it was important that we formed a relationship with at least one of them. I thought she might like to stay through the party.”
Deep frown lines etched across Jeanette’s mouth as she glanced back at me. Finally, she forced a hard smile and nodded. “What are your plans for the day? More experiments?”
“No,” Josephine said. “I thought maybe some shopping. Would you like to come with us?”
“I would love to, but I have the Children’s Hospital Committee meeting and the dinner with the Women’s Club.” Jeanette focused on me. “I am sure we will
Next, Josephine showed me how to wear a hat, then helped me pack everything we brought up last night, plus my original clothing, into the suitcase. She inspected the bed to make sure it was just as it had been and fluffed the unused pillows once more before we left. She left me in the hallway for a brief moment while she put her makeup back into her own room, then I followed her downstairs as quietly as I could. She handed me a purse that matched my shoes.
“I have put some pocket money in here for shopping just in case Jeanette decides to come with us.” She really had thought of everything. “Now go outside and ring the bell.”
I stepped outside, waited a moment or two, then pushed the doorbell.
“I’ll get it,” I heard Josephine call out. She flung the door open. “Maggie.” She embraced me, kissing the air on either side of my cheeks. “You’re early. I didn’t expect you for at least another week. Do come in.” A feeble looking older man in a perfectly pressed suit stood behind her. “Mr. Wentworth, my dear cousin Maggie has come to stay with us. Isn’t that wonderful? Please take her bag up to the blue room.”
“Yes, Madame.” He took the suitcase from me before I could object and teetered up the stairs.
I watched him, worried he’d fall. “I could do that. It’s really no problem.”
She nodded. “But it’s his job and he would be offended if you did it for him. Come, let me tell Cook there will be another for breakfast.”
I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and shook my head. How the hell was I going to make it in this world?
The morning went by fast, and it was lunchtime when I met Jeanette, who looked breathtakingly similar to Josephine. The only real difference I could see was that they wore their hair in difference styles. Josephine’s was slightly shorter and she wore it in a slick wave. Jeanette’s hair was straight and cut at chin level with thick bangs.
“Jeanette, Maggie arrived early,” Josephine said as her sister came into the room.
Jeanette eyed me, then looked back to Josephine. “Were we expecting…Maggie, did you say?”
“Yes, silly.” A lively smile that matched the gleam in her eyes took over Josephine’s face. “I know I told you all about her. She is the granddaughter of Aunt Prudence. Remember, she wrote us ages ago and I have been conversing with her.” She looked back to me. “I swear my sister has the worst memory.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said to Jeanette. “Though I feel like I already know you both so well after all of Josephine’s letters.”
Jeanette shook my hand. “She never mentioned a word about you, but you are very welcome. How is Aunt Prudence?”
“She’s…” Josephine shook her head ever so slightly as she sipped her coffee. “Well, I guess she’s in a better place now. Her funeral was hard on the family, but she would have loved the flowers,” I said, holding my breath that I had gotten Josephine’s meaning right.
Jeanette nodded. “We regretted that we couldn’t attend.” She poured herself a cup of coffee. “What brings you to Chicago?”
“Is Maggie to expect the inquisition at every meal?” Josephine said with an edge to her voice. “I invited her. We spend so little time with our relations I thought it was important that we formed a relationship with at least one of them. I thought she might like to stay through the party.”
Deep frown lines etched across Jeanette’s mouth as she glanced back at me. Finally, she forced a hard smile and nodded. “What are your plans for the day? More experiments?”
“No,” Josephine said. “I thought maybe some shopping. Would you like to come with us?”
“I would love to, but I have the Children’s Hospital Committee meeting and the dinner with the Women’s Club.” Jeanette focused on me. “I am sure we will
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