Niabh's entire philosophy behind seeking employment as a lady's maid had been twofold. For one, she had certainly seen what maidservants did, and it did not seem beyond reason for a quick-witted novice to catch on in a very few days. A little sewing, a little dusting, delivering notes, making up beds...anyone could do that, and Niabh prided herself on being a quick study. None of it was half as strenuous as most of her duties back home, and all of it was much safer. It was indoor work, for one. There might even be another maidservant to befriend and gossip with--all the maids back home seemed to be boon companions--and a pleasant mistress from whom she could learn close up how to model her own behavior and dress.
The other thing was Mother had been quite insistent that, unless circumstances were extremely dire, she should not become a prostitute. Tultharian men, Mother said, were riddled with diseases of the kind that had never even been heard of on the islands, things that could do a woman grave damage, and Niabh would want children someday. Best not to take the risk. "Not unless you're starving, sweetness," she'd warned, her beautiful blue-grey eyes grave and full of worry. "And even then, you have two hands; you can steal."
Now, as she undid the sleeves of Patience's rose silk gown for yet a third time, sighed loudly, and tried to figure out how to get all the tucks going in the same direction and still keep the ribbons from bunching up, she thought grimly that she might have been better off going for prostitution after all. That line of work seemed a little less exacting. And the prospect of indoor work was a little less comforting and more confining than she expected. She glanced out the window at the daylight she was missing, and sighed again before bending her head back to work.
She only hoped Patience didn't need this gown before tomorrow. At the rate she was going, it would take her that long just to work her way around one sleeve.