As she exited the shop, the man on the door lifted an umbrella and growled, “Gedouttahere you little mongrel!”For a second Tessa thought he was talking to her, but when she turned indignantly, she saw who he was addressing in such a violent manner: the small scruffy dog sitting a short distance from the entrance.
“Don’t touch that dog,” she snapped.“He’s with me.”
The doorman gaped.“With you, miss?”
“Yes,” she said haughtily.“With me.”
She marched off down the street, the little dog trotting along beside her, and when they reached the corner, she burst out laughing.“Well, little fellow, that cheered me up no end.Horrid man.But you’d better go off now.I’ve got a few more places to try before I give up.”
But she was given short shrift at the next five places as well—though none as rudely as at the silk merchant’s.And each time she emerged from an unsuccessful interview, there was the little dog, waiting for her, his eyes bright, his ragged little tail wagging in welcome.
In the face of all her rejections, the scruffy little creature’s welcome kept her spirits from plummeting.His was the friendliest face she’d seen in days.She looked down at him and made up her mind.
“You’ve adopted me, haven’t you, little one?”she said.“Very well, Edgar will hit the roof when I arrive home with you—he hates dogs—but I need a friend.You’re coming home with me.”
As she walked, her feet aching with every step, she looked down at the little dog prancing happily along beside her.It was a rash decision, she knew.If she got a job as a companion or a nursemaid, she would never be allowed to keep a dog.But that was a problem for another day.
At the very least the little dog would get a few good feeds and a wash and brush.And if she did get a job, who knew, she might find someone who would take him for her.
Chapter Four
Avoiding the frontdoor, she entered the house by the steps down to the basement entering via the kitchen, and startling the maidservant, who said, “Oy, Miss Tessa, watch out!There’s a nasty little mongrel follerin’ you.G’wan, ya filthy little rat!” She went to shoo him out, but Tessa stopped her.
“He’s not nasty at all, Lottie.He’s mine.”
The maid stared.“Yours, miss?”
“Yes.If there’s any shepherd’s pie left over from last night, please bring some of it.The dog is very hungry.”
“Shepherd’s pie?For a dog?”
“Or if there’s none left, bring something else—bread and milk if there’s nothing else.With an egg broken into it.”
Muttering, the girl went off and returned in a few minutes with a bowl containing a mess of stale bread, milk and an egg.The little dog fell on it hungrily.
“Thank you,” Tessa told the girl.“Now please set up a tin bath in the back yard, and I will want several large cans of warm water.”
