Chapter 20

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​⁠When Abel Gay paid Valancy her first month’s wages—which he did promptly, in bills reeking with the odour of tobacco and whiskey—Valancy went into Deerwood and spent every cent of it. She got a pretty green crêpe dress with a girdle of crimson beads, at a bargain sale, a pair of silk stockings, to match, and a little crinkled green hat with a crimson rose in it. She even bought a foolish little be