ENTER GRACE THOMAS
NB: Many thanks for all your reviews. It sure is uplifting and I appreciate you all. I hope you like Chapter 5.
Chapter 5
They made it to town without any fuss, Davy chatting all the way and Cathy keeping silent about the bumpy ride. The first thing to do was drive to the mercantile to leave their list of supplies for Hop Sing.
"Are you going to stay in the wagon, Cathy, or do you want to come with us. We shouldn't be too long." Adam asked.
"I'll come too. Maybe Alice is at home. I'd like to see her if she is."
"Okay." Adam said as they made their way into the store.
"There's plenty of time for this," Adam smiled, as he handed the list over to Jake Cahill, "we're staying in town for lunch today and we'll be back this afternoon to pick the supplies up. "But in the meantime, we need to look for a new pair of pants for this young lad here." Adam said ruffling Davy's hair.
"Right over there behind the shoes," Jake said as he pointed out where they were. Adam thanked him as they made their way across the store.
"Mr Cahill?" Cathy asked.
"Yes, Cathy."
"Oh, you know my name."
"Yes, Alice told me about you two getting together for lunch that day in school and has talked about you many times. She is upstairs. If you go through that door," Jake said pointing to a side door in the store, "there's the staircase right in front of you."
"Thanks, Mr Cahill." And with that Cathy darted to the door and was through it without giving her Pa a thought.
Adam and Davy were soon sorted and made their way over to the counter to pay for the pants when Adam realised Cathy was nowhere to be seen.
"Jake, you didn't happen to see where my daughter went did you?" He asked, beginning to be concerned.
"No need to panic, Mr Cartwright, she went upstairs to see Alice."
"Adam, please. Call me Adam. Hearing Mr Cartwright makes me imagine my father is standing behind me."
"Adam it is then. It seems our daughters have become good friends."
"Yes, and I'm pleased. Alice appears to be a good influence…" Adam was interrupted by Davy pulling on his jacket sleeve.
"I'm thirsty Pa. Are we going yet?" He whined.
"Yes, Davy, as soon as we get Cathy, we'll be off." Adam paid for the pants and Jake made his way over to the side door and called for Alice to bring Cathy down.
"Her father is ready to go." Then the inevitable thunder of feet sounded on the stairs as both Cathy and Alice rushed down and through the door.
"What have I told you about running down stairs, Cathy?" Adam admonished.
Cathy immediately lowered her eyes. "Sorry Pa."
"You too Alice." Jake smiled at Adam.
"Sorry Pa."
The family of three made their way to the front door of the mercantile. Cathy turned and gave a short wave to Alice as she went through the door.
"Cathy's nice Pa. She's a little behind in school though, as she hasn't had a regular school to attend, 'til now. I thought maybe I could help her." Alice said, as she jumped up and sat on the counter.
"Well make sure it's okay to help. I don't want you upsetting Cathy or Adam Cartwright. But if it's all right with them, then it's all right with me."
"I'll ask first Pa." Alice said, as she jumped down and returned upstairs. ….
Adam and the children arrived at the restaurant for a drink to last them 'til lunchtime, when they would be back. He took this time to remind the children about running down stairs and interrupting adults when they are talking.
"But I was very thirsty Pa." Davy uttered in a soft voice, knowing he had done something wrong, from the tone of Adam's voice. 'Sometimes I could wait for ever', he thought.
The library was the next port of call. The library was fairly new to Virginia City. One of Adam's idea once the children were a permanent fixture. He felt it was a good idea, especially for those who couldn't afford to buy new books. So he arranged an occasion, with refreshments, where everyone in Virginia City were invited.
He announced the idea of starting a library. If anyone found a book or books that they no longer needed, they could be donated to the library. He would be donating books also. He suggested a very small charge for the loan of the book, the money from this would go towards buying more books, and eventually loaning of books would be free. There were some people who were totally agreeable to Adam's suggestions and others not so. That was inevitable, of course, but happily a great majority of the attendees voted a firm 'YES'. And so a library was established. An old building towards the end of town was appropriated and renovated, all at Adam's expense.
Adam and the children entered the library. Cathy went up to the desk to hand in her book.
"Pa, can I go on my own this time to find a book?" Cathy asked.
"Of course. We'll stay an hour and then we'll have lunch and after that we'll collect the supplies and head home. Davy and I will wait for you over there where the seats are. Okay?"
"Yeah, sure Pa." And off she skipped.
Adam found a newspaper on the small table in front of the settee, sat down and started reading. Davy soon became bored and wandered off on his own too, but Adam wasn't concerned until three quarters of an hour later he realised he had not returned. Better look for him, he thought.
He started walking around the library, when suddenly he heard a voice he recognised coming from an alcove near the corner. He stopped and listened.
…Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor with us, they said. He who wants to eat bread must earn it. Out with the kitchen-wench. They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old grey bed gown on her, and gave her wooden shoes. Just look at the proud princess, how decked out she is, they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury - they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the hearth in the cinders. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella.
It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them. Beautiful dresses, said one, pearls and jewels, said the second. And you, Cinderella, said he, what will you have. Father break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home. So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it. And it grew and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for.
It happened, however, that the king gave orders for a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When the two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called Cinderella and said, comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the wedding at the king's palace. Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so. You go, Cinderella, said she, covered in dust and dirt as you are, and would go to the festival. You have no clothes and shoes, and yet would dance. As, however, Cinderella went on asking, the step-mother said at last, I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in two hours, you shall go with us.
The maiden went through the back-door into the garden, and called, you tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the good into the pot, the bad into the crop. Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again.
Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival. But the step-mother said, no, Cinderella, you have no clothes and you cannot dance. You would only be laughed at. And as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go with us. And she thought to herself, that she most certainly cannot do again. When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and cried, you tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick the good into the pot, the bad into the crop….
During this narrative, Adam slowly manoeuvred his way to the corner of the alcove where to his surprise he saw Grace reading to a small group of little children with Davy ensconced in her lap totally mesmerized by the story. Adam leaned into the wall, crossed his right foot over his left and folded his arms over his chest. With his left eyebrow raised, he watched the scene, wondering how long she had been doing this, when suddenly Grace looked up from the book and spoke to the group.
"Would you like to know more about Cinderella, if so….." She suddenly spied Adam leaning there with that look of disbelief on his face. Oh Lord, she thought. "maybe your parents will borrow the book for you to hear the rest of the story, but in the meantime, why don't you all make a drawing about the story you've heard so far," Grace instructed, addressing the children, "and we can all look at them next time."
"I can't do that." Davy cried. "Well, I can do it, but I won't be in town again for some time.
"I tell you what, draw a few pictures of what I read today and keep them safe and then the next time you come
into town you can come show them to me then. How about that?"
"Okay," said Davy, getting down from Grace's lap. "Thanks for reading to me. I like being read to. My Pa usually reads to me when I…" He spied his Pa. "Oh, there's my Pa. I think I'm in trouble for wandering off. I'd better go."
"Off you go children, we'll start another book next time," Grace announced, as she watched the children disperse, some to parents who were sitting waiting in the library and some to outside to wait for a parent to arrive.
"Well, if it isn't Mr Cartwright." She said and boldly walked up to him as he straightened himself, inside feeling remarkably less bold than she was trying to portray.
"Good morning, Miss Thomas." He said, taking hold of Davy's hand. "You were very good with the children. I get the feeling you've done this before."
Ignoring his comment. "All new children who attend the group get to sit on my lap. It helps them to settle in, that first time."
"Well, it seems to have worked in Davy's case. We're off to lunch right now and would welcome your company, if you would join us."
"Well, actually…" Grace was interrupted before she could decline the offer.
"You do have a lunch break don't you?" Adam asked, trying to ensure she didn't wriggle out of it.
"I do. A half hour only. I could join you for a sandwich and coffee. Thank you." She gave in as she didn't want to cause a scene with Davy right there.
"Good. Let's go then. I'll just get Cathy." He said as he wandered off to find her.
"Who is Cathy?" Grace asked Davy, who had grasped her hand and was pulling her along after his Pa.
"She's my sister. Pa adopted us last year."
"And what about your mother. Is she at home?"
"Oh no. Our mother died some time ago. I don't remember exactly when."
"Do you have an adopted mother as well as a father?"
"No we don't have a mother now, just Pa. But we have a Grandpa and two uncles and Hop Sing."
"Who is Hop Sing?" Grace asked, smiling at the way Davy was divulging facts that she was eager to learn.
"He looks after us all and I love him too. We all live together on the Ponderosa."
"Yes, I've heard mention of the Ponderosa. And do you like living there?"
"Oh, I love it. There's lots to do. And I work hard with animals with Uncle Hoss and Uncle Joe is teaching me checkers. I'm not very good though, yet."
"All new things take time to learn before one can become an expert, Davy." Grace smiled at the chatter from Davy and sensed the love he had for Adam and vice versa. Adam was surely a mixture of emotions.
By now Grace could see Adam at the desk with a young girl, whom she assumed was Cathy, and made her
way, with Davy, still holding her hand, over to him.
"We're just sorting ourselves out here and then we'll be ready to go for lunch." Adam said, smiling at Grace.
Grace was beginning to like his smile and seeing how good he was with his children, helped with her opinion of him. He definitely had a character worth studying. But what will he think of me should he find out about my past, she thought. Just enjoy today, having lunch with him and his family.
Cathy suddenly realised her Pa was talking to a woman she didn't know and wasn't overly happy about it.
"See you in half an hour Grace." Mary Deacon, the elderly librarian said, giving her a knowing smile.
"Yes, I won't be late." Grace replied, as she followed Adam and the children out through the door. Cathy immediately rushed to Adam's side and took hold of his hand and made sure she walked between her Pa and this woman.
"We're going over to the local restaurant. We usually have lunch there. But if we are in town for an occasion or we're staying in town, for one reason or another, we eat at the International Hotel." Adam informed Grace.
Grace began to worry when she realised where they were going to have lunch. Keep cool, she told herself.
They arrived at the restaurant and found a table.
"Forgive me Grace. I haven't introduced you to my children. Cathy, Davy, this lady is Grace Thomas. We met the other day."
"How do you do Cathy. Davy and I met earlier." Grace said, winking at Davy and smiling over at Cathy, who didn't return her smile, but just sat staring at her. Fortunately for her, Adam didn't notice her snub of Grace, as he was looking at Grace.
The waitress arrived to take their order, who looked at Grace with surprise, as she had her hand poised to write down their order.
"What are you doing here, Grace?" At hearing this, Adam lifted his gaze from the menu to the waitress and then to Grace.
"Grace is having lunch with us." Adam said. "Is that a problem?"
"No, not at all. It's just that as Grace works here, it's unusual to see her eating in the restaurant."
Adam glanced at Grace with raised eyebrows, as Grace lowered her eyes she seemed to blush. Adam knew this was neither the time nor place to question Grace on what was going on here. So instead he gave their order after having asked all three what they wanted to eat.
While they were waiting, Grace decided she should tell Adam that she worked there.
"I do work here, after I finish at the library." She confessed.
"What do you do here?" Adam asked.
"I'm the laundress. You know, tablecloths, napkins, aprons. I get it all ready for the next day."
"So, if you work at the library and then here, what is it you do so early in the morning that has you sleeping at 8 o'clock?"
"I don't think this is the moment to discuss all that. We're boring the children. Let's change the subject." Then looking over at Cathy, who had her arms folded across her chest, "What book did you choose, Cathy?"
"The Six Swans." She told her, without enthusiasm. This time Adam did notice Cathy's reluctance to address Grace. I may be going to have a problem here, he thought.
Davy piped up and talked nineteen to the dozen about the story Grace was reading to him and the others in the library.
"All right Davy, take a breath. Our food is just arriving, so use your energy to eat it. If you manage to eat it all up," he said, turning to Cathy as well as Davy, "we might just indulge ourselves and have some ice cream."
"Oh yeah!" Davy cried. "Sorry, too loud?"
"Yes. Now just sit quietly and eat." He could see he would have no trouble on that score where Cathy was concerned. She just concentrated on her sandwich and milk.
They continued to eat in silence. Grace was feeling embarrassed at being there and couldn't wait to be done and get back to the library so that Mary could have her lunch break and she could escape the looks Adam was giving her.
"Excellent children. Are you ready for your ice cream dessert?" Adam said, breaking the silence.
"Not for me, Mr Cartwright. I need to get back." Grace said. "Thank you so much for the lunch." She added, as she stood to take her leave.
He called the waitress over and ordered two ice cream desserts for the children. "I want you two to stay where you are and eat up your ice cream when it arrives. I'll just see Grace back to the library. When I return we'll go back to the mercantile, collect our order and make our way back home."
"Yes, Pa" They said as one.
"There's no need to accompany me back, Mr Cartwright. I can find my own way."
"I insist." Adam said, firmly taking her elbow and leading her out of the restaurant.
As they made their way back to the library, Adam asked. "You don't work on Sundays, do you?"
"I do have some work, but not at the library."
"What time are you free on Sundays?"
"Between 10 am and 4 pm."
"Okay. I would like to take you out for a picnic and I won't take no for an answer."
"But, Mr Car…"
"No buts. And if you continue addressing me as Mr Cartwright, you're going to be in trouble. My name is Adam. Please use it."
"I realise I owe you an explanation, but you really don't have to invite me out for a picnic for me to do so."
"I said no buts. Please indulge me. I have concerns about you and would like to help you, because I believe you could do with some help." And without giving Grace any time to reply, he continued on. "I would very much like to see you again, and this time without children to interrupt us. Now please say you'll come."
"If you put it that way, I can't refuse."
"Good. Now where shall I pick you up, at the livery stable?" Adam said jokingly with a smile.
"Yes." She replied.
"What!" Adam was startled. "You're not back sleeping in there are you?"
"Will 10am be okay with you?" Grace ignored Adam's look, knowing she was probably in trouble with him, yet again.
"Yes, that's fine. I'll be there. We'll have a lot to talk about, won't we?" Adam said, giving her a look that told her he was not pleased.
They arrived at the library. Grace opened the door and stepped inside, turning around to close it, she said as she looked at Adam, "You have lovely children, Adam. You are a lucky man." She blushed as she used his name for the first time, and closed the door.
Adam smiled as he turned away. There is a lot to understand about Grace Thomas, he thought, and I shall look forward to finding out all there is to know of her.
He returned to the restaurant to find both Cathy and Davy had finished their ice creams. They all returned to the mercantile, picked up their order and made their way home.