But Emma Jane didn’t look up from the shirt she was mending. As women of the night, none of the women in the barn owned anything proper, even if it hadn’t all burned up in the fire. Church members had donated what they could, and she, along with others, worked to make them fit.
She held up the shirt to the light, examining her handiwork. In that, no one would find fault. Her stitches were tiny and even.
“I hope you’re not thinking of taking that for yourself,” Flora said, dropping a pile of clothes in front of her. “It is last season, but I’m sure it’s finer than anything you’ve ever owned.”
Emma Jane’s face heated. Her throat constricted, preventing her from saying anything as she put the shirt into the pile of clothes she’d finished mending.
“Then again, you’re used to cast offs, aren’t you? I believe many of your school dresses came from the church, didn’t they? I’m sure I’ve even seen you wearing one or two of mine.”
She tossed her golden curls and looked down her nose at Emma Jane. “You’re so fortunate that Mother insists I always wear the latest fashions. My clothes are always in perfect condition when we donate them, since I never wear them but more than a few times.”
Flora turned to her companion and laughed in that high-pitched, fake way of hers.
“It is such a chore being fashionable.”
As the other girl turned more into the light, Emma Jane recognized her. Sarah Crowley, who had often vied with Flora for Jasper’s attention. Apparently, nothing united two rivals like a common enemy. Her.
“It’s also a chore doing penance for so many of your crimes against humanity.”
Emma Jane swiveled at the sound of Polly MacDonald’s voice.
“Honestly, I don’t know how you sleep at night.” Polly glared at the other two women. “You should be ashamed of yourself for the way you’re talking about Emma Jane.”
Polly picked up the pile of clothes Emma Jane had been mending. “You did a fine job, Emma Jane. Sarah might need a lace machine to make such beautiful trim, but I declare this cuff is exquisite.”
She held up one of the gowns Emma Jane had repaired.
“The old lace was torn too badly to fix, and it seemed wrong not to have lace on that dress. So I improvised.”
Improvising was something Emma Jane had to be good at. Flora was right in that a lot of her clothes had been cast offs. Unfortunately, that meant clothes from girls who were taller, shorter, fatter and thinner than she was.
“And that is why Flora is so nasty to you.” Polly glared at the other girl. “She knows that you’re far cleverer than she is, and that rankles. You always got better marks in school, and every one of us was green with envy at all the times you were chosen as an example of excellence.”
Flora snorted.
Then Polly leaned in toward the other girl. “Now that Emma Jane is married to Jasper, you’re even more jealous. I saw how you tried to get him to kiss you at the church picnic. Even though you told everyone he stole a kiss, I saw him spurn you.”
The image of Jasper sitting in the mine came back to Emma Jane. He’d looked so anguished at the mention of his romance with Flora. Everyone, including Emma Jane, had assumed they were a couple. Jasper had denied it, but everyone had heard Flora’s bold declarations of stolen kisses.
Maybe Jasper deserved a little more credit than Emma Jane had been giving him.
Sarah nudged Flora. “Is that true?”
“Of course it’s not. She’s just making up lies to make that creature feel better.”
“That creature is Mrs. Jasper Jackson,” Polly declared hotly. “And she’s a good woman, far more virtuous than the likes of you.”
Flora tossed her head. “As if you’d know anything about womanly virtue. I don’t know why you’re taking up for her, but I’m sure when word gets out, your already meager invitations will dwindle down to nothing.”
Polly looked down at Emma Jane. “As long as I’m on Emma Jane’s invitation list, I couldn’t care less.”
Emma Jane closed her eyes and swallowed, willing herself to speak. Why, oh, why, could she never speak up against bullies? But Polly was speaking up for her, and she deserved Emma Jane’s support.
She smiled weakly up at Polly. “Of course. You’re always welcome in my home...”
“We’ll see what the real Mrs. Jackson has to say about that.” Flora turned on her heel and walked away, Sarah trailing behind her.
The real Mrs. Jackson. That was the real problem, wasn’t it? Jasper’s mother refused to accept Emma Jane, and based on what the gossips were saying, everyone knew it.
Polly shifted her weight. “I, um...I should probably apologize to you.”
“For what?”
“For not taking up for you before. Even at the church picnic, when Mary stood up for you, I told her she was crazy for supporting you. I think we were all too afraid of Flora’s pernicious tongue to do anything.” Tears filled Polly’s eyes. “The truth is, we’ve all been victims of Flora’s treachery, and we weren’t brave enough to defend ourselves. I think everyone was just relieved that she’d found you to pick on and was leaving us be.”
Emma Jane’s heart constricted. The pain she’d been suffering all these years...her own eyes filled with tears.
“I was so caught up in what she was doing to me, I hadn’t realized that I wasn’t alone,” she said, more to herself than to Polly.
Would things have been different had Emma Jane reached out? Had she looked around at the other girls in her class and at church? Could Emma Jane have seen that she wasn’t the only one suffering?
“We all should have stood up to her a long time ago, and again, I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to do so on your behalf.”
“I should have stood up for myself,” Emma Jane whispered,
