Lady Lucie Duff Gordon chronicled Egypt in the 1860's, when a
Turkish-appointed ruler ransacked the country and abused its people for
his own purposes. At one point, she was "urged" to abandon her letters
home so as not to upset the Bey. Her maid, Sally, a dedicated,
no-nonsense woman who - in the unspoken rules of the day for hired help -
has stayed unmarried and on call almost around the clock, is the
fascinating main character of this story, a tale of loyalty and
devotion, love and temptation, punishment and vindication. Sally, who
should have adhered to the rules governing intimate helpers such as
lady's maids, instead is seduced by the ancient auras of Egypt, and
falls in love. The inevitable happens - the one inevitable sure to ruin a
maid's life - and Sally's life takes a drastic turn. Written from
Sally's viewpoint, and based on the true story of both Lady Duff Gordon
and her personal maid, you'll find this hard to put down. It's a 4.5 on
my scale.
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