Barbara: Lady's Maid and Peeress

by Mrs. Alexander

Excerpt from Barbara: Lady's Maid and Peeress What between my apprenticeship and my engagement as first "skirt hand" I was nearly six years with Madame Clothilde; and though in the season work was hard and hours long, I don't think any of us girls had very much to complain of. Madame had a temper, I must admit; but she had a heart, too. Many a day when she had chivied and driven us, not to say sworn at us (for her language could be strong sometimes), she would send up a big tray with sandwiches and biscuits and nice hot comforting coffee, just as we were all but fainting.
Anyway, she gave me every opportunity to improve myself, for she saw I was anxious to get on.
When I had turned twenty, however, I had got a little tired of "all work and no play;" so when father said he would give me sixty pounds to start me in a business of my own, I asked time to think about it.
Of course I was very thankful to father; more especially because I never believed he cared much about me. The two boys were his pets.
I was not particularly fond of him. Mother was enough for me. She was good and kind and thoughtful.

266 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Mrs Alexander was the pseudonym assumed by Annie Hector (née Annie French) (1825-1902), novelist. Born in Dublin, she moved to Liverpool, then London. In 1845 she became a magazine writer with encouragement from Mrs [Anna Maria] Hall, issuing her first novel, Look Before You Leap, in 1865.

Reviews

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un altro piccolo gioiello di Mrs. Alexander (Annie French Hector). La Barbara del titolo non è la protagonista della storia, ma una ingenua testimone, e anche se il suo destino muterà drammaticamente negli ultimi capitoli resterà fino alla fine un personaggio collaterale. Molti colpi di scena, nella tradizione di Mary Braddon, ma anche una scrittura finissima e dei personaggi ben descritti