Hidden in a Whisper Read Online Free Page B

to Ivy’s plots and schemes. Manipulating such a creature would hardly be a challenge at all, but then, it was better that way. Faith would do as she was told without question, and Ivy would never have to worry about informing Faith of her comings and goings, especially when those activities kept her out past the ten-o’clock curfew.
    Ivy smiled to herself. I might be the most inexperienced Harvey Girl on staff at Casa Grande, but if I have my way, it soon won’t matter .
    When Rachel finished with Gwen, she made another boring speech about the details of Fred Harvey’s beloved system. Ivy found the entire matter unimportant. Her only reason for demanding that her aunt Esmeralda allow her to work as a Harvey waitress was in order to set herself up to acquire a wealthy eastern husband. The railroad restaurants owned by Harvey were, as she had noted in the local paper, notorious for bringing couples together. Ivy would have seen this as an answer to prayer—if she’d been the type to issue such requests. A husband would be the answer to all of her problems. He would be rich enough to see her kept in a fashionable style, with all the comforts she could possibly desire, and he would live somewhere other than Morita, New Mexico. These were the most important requisites for the man she would marry.
    Rachel concluded with some sort of nonsense about the Harvey Girls keeping themselves spotless at all times. As if a person working in and around food and sloppy diners could be responsible for such a matter. She further enraged Ivy by instructing that should their uniforms become stained or spotted, they were to immediately retire to their bedrooms and quickly change their clothes. The idea was ludicrous, but Ivy kept her mouth closed on the matter. She wanted and intended to have the head waitress job in spite of her inexperience. She might be new to the system, but her aunt was wealthy and influential, and Ivy intended to use that to her benefit. Already she’d penned her aunt a letter and sent it by way of one of the hotel maids. Esmeralda might have stupid notions about making Morita into some sort of desert oasis, but Ivy knew she was capable of even more impossible feats and intended to enlist her aunt’s help in the matter. Until then, Ivy planned to bide her time, doing what she could to ease her discomfort while plotting to change the Harvey system.
    When Rachel dismissed them with high praise for a job well done, Ivy grabbed hold of Faith’s arm and fairly dragged her back to their room.
    â€œWe need to talk,” she told Faith, and the easily influenced girl simply nodded her head enthusiastically and followed after her new mentor.
    Once inside the small bedroom, Ivy began stripping off the hated white apron and black skirt and shirtwaist. “I am embarrassed to have to be seen this way,” she said, unbuttoning her skirt. “I believe Mr. Harvey to be unusually cruel to dress us as nuns in a church.”
    â€œAt least we don’t have to pay for the uniforms,” Faith offered in a singsong voice. She plopped down on her bed and smiled.
    Ivy cut her with a glance. She knew the power of a look and had spent many an hour crafting her expressions to be just right. “You fool.
    It certainly doesn’t excuse the fact that I must go about looking ridiculous while handsome men of influence and fortune make their way about the resort grounds.”
    â€œI don’t understand,” Faith replied, her tone more modest and sober.
    Ivy pulled the net from her hair and unpinned her thick blond hair. Shaking it out, she reached for her hairbrush and began to stroke through the lengthy mane. “I couldn’t care less about Mr. Harvey or his rules and his resort,” she explained. “I’m simply here to get a husband of means and to leave this sad excuse for a town behind me.”
    â€œOh,” stated Faith as though such an idea made no sense