Claire and Charlotte smiled fondly at one another before Claire walked over to take a biscuit from Giuseppe.
“Have you given my offer any consideration, Miss Hawthorne?” Arthur asked. “I’d love for Gertrude to have some more time to relax in the coming years. With how much her knees have been bothering her lately, she’ll likely need the help.” He looked over at Giuseppe. “And Mr. Caputo here has no intention of being a permanent part of my household. He still hopes to find work somewhere else eventually, probably at another mill.” He smiled wryly. “Although, perhaps he’ll be a permanent part of the household through Patrick soon enough.”
Giuseppe’s face reddened.
“Patrick and I are only friends,” he said.
Arthur hummed, pursing his lips to temper his simpering smile.
“Forever friends,” Jesse mumbled, intentionally loud enough for Giuseppe to hear.
Giuseppe kicked his shin in retaliation.
“Ow! Jesus!” Jesse spluttered.
Arthur chuckled beside him, and Jesse shot him a look. Claire laughed too and then took a bite of the biscuit, shielding the crumbs from falling to the floor by catching them in her hand. She walked over to Charlotte and sat on the arm of the chair as she continued to munch on the food.
“Iamthinking about your offer, Mr. Hughes,” she said, still chewing. “But I haven’t told my parents about it yet.”
“Oh, I know what that’s like,” Arthur said. He took another bite, sending more crumbs tumbling onto the couch. “Jesse, Charlotte, and I were just talking about my intention to tell my parents about Emma’s future job as a journalist.”
“It’s incredibly sweet of you to want to support her,” Claire said. “I haven’t even heard of a woman journalist, personally. But some of my old friends have started working in somewhat unconventional professions over the last few years. I even know one who recently became a stenographer!”
“Really?” Charlotte asked, looking up at her lady, her eyes wide.
“Mm-hmm,” Claire said. “Everything is changing. And I really commend Emma for wanting to be at the forefront of it all.”
Arthur sat up straighter, a smile splitting his face. Joy practically radiated off of him, causing Jesse’s chest to swell with secondhand pride, too. Emma really was something special. Jesse couldn’t help but be impressed by her. Over the last few months, he had really become fond of her, and he hoped that once she started school, he could help her with her studies if she ever needed it. Not that she would. Smart and tenacious, Emma was sure to excel in college.
Giuseppe set the tray of biscuits next to the tea. He took one and then sat on the floor, crossing his legs. He broke his biscuit in half, sending bits of it falling onto the hardwood. Jesse crooked an eyebrow at him.
“Oh, Arthur’s made a mess of the place already,” he said with a dismissive flick of his wrist.
Jesse held back a laugh. It was just like Giuseppe to make things harder for himself later.
Over the next fifteen minutes, everyone chatted while having biscuits and tea. Jesse kept fairly quiet, instead ruminating on the conversation that he’d had with Arthur and Charlotte before. More specifically, he kept thinking about poor Arthur and how badly the man wished he could prove to Emma that he believed in her and would stand behind her as she worked toward her dream.
Just as it was very like Giuseppe to make more crumbs that he’d have to clean up himself only hours later, it was very like Arthur to think that simply making the promise to Emma itself wouldn’t be enough.
After taking another bite of his biscuit, the hint of bitterness mixing with sweetness over his tongue, Jesse thought back on how Arthur had managed to earnhisforgiveness. Arthur had thrown that ridiculous (and ridiculously sweet) party. He had changed the theme to be something that might show Jesse how much he himself had changed. He had printed the invitations himself as well. Arthur hadn’t sent Jesse a simple letter or shown up at Putnam Press to say that he was sorry. He had been bold. Boldandridiculous. And, consequently, Jesse had been able to see how truly sorry Arthur was.
Maybe, then, what Arthur needed was another ridiculously showy plan. One that would make Arthur feel as though he was proving to Emma and to himself that he’d keep his promise to her.
Jesse’s thoughts were interrupted when Arthur placed a hand on his knee.
“Do you remember where I left my copy of Emma’s article on the World’s Fair?” he asked. “Miss Hawthorne wouldlike to read it.”
“Uhm...” Jesse paused to think. “In your study.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.” Arthur clapped his hands together a few times to “clean” them and stood. “I’ll be right back.”
He walked out of the room and returned not two minutes later with the article, which he then handed to Claire. Claire smiled from ear-to-ear as she read it.
“Oh my, this is wonderful!” she exclaimed. “She really is a fantastic writer.” Claire’s eyes continued to move over the page. “Everyone should read this!”
Arthur let out a happy laugh and patted Jesse’s knee.
“Did you hear that, Jesse? Fantastic writer!”
