unison.
Mr. Archer looked over at her as well. “Thank you.” The words were spoken with relief so thick Katie fancied she could see it hovering in the air around them.
Though she hated the thought of taking advantage of the poor man’s desperation, she found a measure of reassurance in his sincere gratitude.
With the girls eating, the time seemed best for talking with him. If nothing else, he could ponder her suggestion over his meal, a fine edible meal she doubted he could produce on his own.
“Mr. Archer? Might I ask you a quick question?”
He turned to his girls. “You two eat, now. We’re already late leaving for the O’Connors’.”
The little ones tucked into their meal in earnest. Mr. Archer motioned Katie once more onto the back porch. She was not generally a superstitious person, but having been fired on that very spot once already, Katie couldn’t help thinking her chances were dwindling.
“I’ll not keep you long from your morning meal,” she assured him. “I’ve had a thought I wanted to pass by you and see what your opinion was on it.”
“Go ahead.” Whether he was curious or wary, Katie couldn’t rightly say.
“I noticed you’ve more to do than you’ve time to do it in.” She told herself not to lose her courage entirely, as it seemed to be abandoning her in spades. “You said yesterday you mean to search out a replacement as I’m not quite what you had in mind. But, as you’re needing someone until you find a replacement, I’d like to suggest you keep me on for a time. I can certainly put your house to rights and keep it that way until a new housekeeper arrives. ’Twould be a temporary arrangement only.”
He shook his head immediately. “The girls—”
“I thought they might go to the O’Connors’,” she added before he had a chance to fully reject her idea. “You meant for them to go there today, as I suspect they have before.”
He turned to face her more fully, leaning his back against the closed door. “I am to pay you the enormous salary I promised so that you can do only half the job I hired you to do? Does this reduced work load still come with room and board?”
His tone was not promising in the least. Yet, he’d hit upon another of her pressing worries.
“I realize there’d be a reduction in pay. Likely in hours, too. Though—” She took a fortifying breath. Begging for consideration never came easily to her. “I haven’t a place to live just now, so if it were possible to rent the housekeeper’s room, only until you have need of it otherwise, I’d be appreciative.”
She watched his expression change from thoroughly unconvinced to thoughtful. That, Katie told herself, was a good sign. He wasn’t dismissing her out of hand.
“I could work here mornings and evenings, and a full day on Mondays for laundering,” Katie said. She’d need the afternoons to search out other work. As she’d told Mr. Archer, this position was decidedly temporary, more so even than her sojourn in the town itself.
He mulled that over a moment. Katie held her breath.
“I’ll pay you ten dollars and two bits a month, with the room and meals included,” he finally said.
Ten dollars and two bits. Katie’s heart stopped. She’d figured her salary at the rate Mr. Archer had written her. She would have been paid nearly twenty-one dollars a month.
“That is half the pay,” Katie said quietly. She didn’t mean to complain; the loss simply came as a shock. She’d depended on that salary to finish filling up her savings.
“You will have half the duties,” Mr. Archer pointed out. “And half the hours.”
“I understand. The salary is more than fair.” And ’twas a far sight better than no salary at all. “I accept.”
“Let us be clear, though, this is only until the new housekeeper arrives,” he said. “And only if the O’Connors agree to continue taking the girls every day.”
“Yes, Mr. Archer.”
He gave a quick nod of his head and turned
Mr. Archer looked over at her as well. “Thank you.” The words were spoken with relief so thick Katie fancied she could see it hovering in the air around them.
Though she hated the thought of taking advantage of the poor man’s desperation, she found a measure of reassurance in his sincere gratitude.
With the girls eating, the time seemed best for talking with him. If nothing else, he could ponder her suggestion over his meal, a fine edible meal she doubted he could produce on his own.
“Mr. Archer? Might I ask you a quick question?”
He turned to his girls. “You two eat, now. We’re already late leaving for the O’Connors’.”
The little ones tucked into their meal in earnest. Mr. Archer motioned Katie once more onto the back porch. She was not generally a superstitious person, but having been fired on that very spot once already, Katie couldn’t help thinking her chances were dwindling.
“I’ll not keep you long from your morning meal,” she assured him. “I’ve had a thought I wanted to pass by you and see what your opinion was on it.”
“Go ahead.” Whether he was curious or wary, Katie couldn’t rightly say.
“I noticed you’ve more to do than you’ve time to do it in.” She told herself not to lose her courage entirely, as it seemed to be abandoning her in spades. “You said yesterday you mean to search out a replacement as I’m not quite what you had in mind. But, as you’re needing someone until you find a replacement, I’d like to suggest you keep me on for a time. I can certainly put your house to rights and keep it that way until a new housekeeper arrives. ’Twould be a temporary arrangement only.”
He shook his head immediately. “The girls—”
“I thought they might go to the O’Connors’,” she added before he had a chance to fully reject her idea. “You meant for them to go there today, as I suspect they have before.”
He turned to face her more fully, leaning his back against the closed door. “I am to pay you the enormous salary I promised so that you can do only half the job I hired you to do? Does this reduced work load still come with room and board?”
His tone was not promising in the least. Yet, he’d hit upon another of her pressing worries.
“I realize there’d be a reduction in pay. Likely in hours, too. Though—” She took a fortifying breath. Begging for consideration never came easily to her. “I haven’t a place to live just now, so if it were possible to rent the housekeeper’s room, only until you have need of it otherwise, I’d be appreciative.”
She watched his expression change from thoroughly unconvinced to thoughtful. That, Katie told herself, was a good sign. He wasn’t dismissing her out of hand.
“I could work here mornings and evenings, and a full day on Mondays for laundering,” Katie said. She’d need the afternoons to search out other work. As she’d told Mr. Archer, this position was decidedly temporary, more so even than her sojourn in the town itself.
He mulled that over a moment. Katie held her breath.
“I’ll pay you ten dollars and two bits a month, with the room and meals included,” he finally said.
Ten dollars and two bits. Katie’s heart stopped. She’d figured her salary at the rate Mr. Archer had written her. She would have been paid nearly twenty-one dollars a month.
“That is half the pay,” Katie said quietly. She didn’t mean to complain; the loss simply came as a shock. She’d depended on that salary to finish filling up her savings.
“You will have half the duties,” Mr. Archer pointed out. “And half the hours.”
“I understand. The salary is more than fair.” And ’twas a far sight better than no salary at all. “I accept.”
“Let us be clear, though, this is only until the new housekeeper arrives,” he said. “And only if the O’Connors agree to continue taking the girls every day.”
“Yes, Mr. Archer.”
He gave a quick nod of his head and turned
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