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"Government handouts," she whispered

My back straightened instantly

"What makes you think that?" I demanded

"I hear all yer black folks in America is, is all"

"You hear wrong," I said "I guess there's a lot I'll be able to teach you"

Her eyes seearet held her breath, and then Mrs Chester let out a loud cackle and pressed her hands against her round stomach

"Ain't no tellin' what'll coot 'is work cut out for 'ioin' ta enjoy co as ya here, that is," she said with a wink "Okay, dearies, let's get ta work Set out two extra plates tonight, Mary Margaret They got guests?'

She laughed to herself and turned back to her dinner preparations She was , which she explained was a popoverlike bread served with roast beef, s, flour, and s of the beef I had to admit to aret called the afters, desserts, she had made custard to pour over a Madeira cake, a kind of pound cake

"Mrs Chester was born within the sound of Bow bells, but she's been a cook in the finest houses," Mary Margaret said as we prepared the dining room table

"Bow bells'?"

"That's what a Cockney is An East Ender," she continued I shook my head

"Less jabberin' out there and more work, ya hear?" Mrs Chester called from the kitchen

Mary Margaret zipped her mouth shut and worked faster This is a house of slaves, I thought, slaves who order slaves

Mama, we didn't have it so bad, after all

I laughed to myself and folded the linen napkins Afterward, I had so I thought I would just lie down for atook hold and I fell into a deep sleep