Chapter Six
When Amalee opened the door of the Cartwright's suite, Tom Maguire introduced himself.
"Mrs. Cartwright is expecting you, Mr. Maguire. Please come in," said Amalee, moving to the side to allow him to enter.
He stopped short and burst out in laughter at the sight of Adam on his hands and knees with Abel and Aaron on his back and Shiloh at one side of him holding onto Aaron while Adam crawled around and whinnied.
Stopping short, Adam nervously laughed and began to straighten with a hand at Abel's bottom as the boy slid off. He'd already felt Aaron's weight disappear as Shiloh lifted the baby into her arms. "Tom, you're early," said Adam as he got to his feet.
"No, I believe I was supposed to see Adam the horse." Both men laughed. "Sadly, I've never had time for a wife or family. After shaking Adam's hand, he looked at Shiloh and said, "Shall we?"
"Yes," said Shiloh as she passed Aaron to Adam. "But I wanted to make sure you told the musicians that because this is a benefit, they won't be paid for their time."
"We did have that discussion, and that's why I took volunteers. Some of them, the younger ones especially, say the experience would be worth it. The older ones enjoy working with you and understand this little introduction could make our season."
"Tom, they do know I won't be here to perform this year at the opera house, don't they?" asked Shiloh, not wanting to mislead them.
"They do. But they enjoy your music," said Tom with a slight bow.
Taking her cape from a small closet, Shiloh asked, "Shall we be on our way then?"
Adam opened the door to the suite. He waited for Tom to pass through, took Shiloh's cape and moved it around her and over her shoulders, then bent and kissed her. "Come straight back. I invited Mr. and Mrs. Anthony and William to lunch today."
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At the Coon's home, Mrs. Coon guided Maguire and Shiloh to the garden. As both walked the patio area, Maguire said, "Maybe half. What do you think?"
"I'm sure I can put something together with just half," said Shiloh. "We'll have to practice a day or two before we perform. I'd like to ask Titus if we can do one of the songs from the play to give people something to talk about even though it won't be ready this year. We could do the one from Genevieve, and a few from my opening. Considering the benefit includes dinner, I don't think we'll have to do more than three or four, maybe five if we're asked to do one more before everyone leaves."
Tom looked around him, studying where he might place the orchestra back among the flower and urns. I'll bring the best. In these close quarters, I don't think I want anyone that might make a mistake." Turning, he looked at an area in front of a block wall. "There, I think. It will carry the sound as you walk around."
Following his gaze, Shiloh nodded. "If you'll tell the musicians who will be accompanying me, I'll let Titus know we'll be working on the benefit the next few days. He can take the younger men to the back room at the hall and help them brush up on the scores for the play."
"Very well," said Tom. "Then I think we're ready to take our leave. I'll escort you back to the Lick House."
Adam heard the suite door open, then heard Shiloh saying goodbye to Maguire. Once the door closed, Adam poked his head out of the bedroom door. "Are you ready for lunch?"
"Lunch?"
He rolled his eyes and smiled. "With the Anthony's?"
"Oh! I forgot." She moved past him into the bedroom. "I'll be ready in just a minute."
"Relax. We have a good half hour before we need to go downstairs," he said, brushing a loose lock of hair back away from her face. I missed you," he said, just before he kissed her, and when she relaxed into him, he slightly smiled and kissed her again. "Are you feeling all right?"
She kissed him back before she answered. "I feel fine. Why do you ask?"
"Because I heard you this morning in the wash room. You're still getting sick, aren't you?"
"I have inside of me another of your children," she said with a twinkle in her eyes as she moved her arms up and around his neck. "If I'm sick, it's your doing. Are you proud of yourself?"
His chuckle moved smoothly into an "Mm hm", before he moved to her neck and breathed in the essence of rose, a scent that had become his favorite. He always thought of Shiloh when he smelled roses regardless of what produced the scent.
"It passed. I haven't felt ill the rest of the morning, and I'm hungry," she said with her head back, allowing him access to whatever he wanted.
He groaned at the necessity to leave, otherwise, he might have encouraged her to take a nap. "We should go."
"I need the minute back you just used," she said, laughing as she went into the washroom. "Have the boys had lunch yet?"
"Yes. They're already down for their nap," answered Adam.
Shiloh didn't take very long. She removed her hat and adjusted her hair, straightened her blouse and pinched her cheeks before she walked back to Adam where she moved her arm in his and smiled. "Any problems?"
Smiling as he opened the suite door, Adam said, "None at all."
As the two walked into the dining room at the Lick House, Adam surveyed the room and quickly found Mr. and Mrs. Anthony and their son, William. The Anthony's had already been seated, so Mr. Anthony and William stood when the Cartwrights approached the table.
"Mrs. Cartwright, it's nice to finally meet you," said Mr. Anthony. "Amalee admires you greatly. May I present my wife, Charlotte Anthony, and my son, William."
Shiloh took Mrs. Anthony's hand in both of hers. "Mrs. Anthony, may I say you've raised a fine daughter. We consider her a member of the family."
"Please, call me Charlotte. We are very happy Amalee has found a position with you. She gets to see firsthand that her own aspirations are possible."
Both husbands seated their wives before Adam waived over the waiter. Once their orders were placed, Adam asked, "James, how's the work I'm giving you? Is it challenging enough?"
"You seem to have quite an imagination, Adam." James smiled. "I can't speak for William, but for myself, it's very satisfying. As old as I am, there are still things for me to learn."
"The same goes for me, Adam," said William. "My father and I have generally worked locally when our friends refer us to their friends and families. Neither of us have worked commercially before, and based on what you did in the courthouse, we probably would have never had the opportunity to do the kind of work your firm does."
"Well, we certainly have enough work for you both, and based on the way San Francisco is growing, we'll have work for years to come," said Adam. He raised his glass. "Here's to rebuilding San Francisco in style."
"Here, here," came from all around the table.
As the men spoke about work, Mrs. Anthony and Shiloh talked about children, their homes, and finally Amalee. "Charlotte, I wonder if you might give me some advice. We'll be going home to our ranch in Nevada soon. With two small children and another on the way, I'm going to need help. I want to ask Amalee to go with us, but I don't want to make her feel she has to." Shiloh bowed her head. "I know she's spent most of her life in a city." Looking back up at Mrs. Anthony, she smiled. "I don't want her to go out of a sense of duty if she really doesn't want to leave you."
Moving her hand over Shiloh's, Mrs. Anthony smiled back. "Shiloh, we raise our children to be independent…to think for themselves. We've tried to give them skills they can use to support themselves. Amalee has always spoken of being able to help her aunt in her work toward women's rights. I am very proud of her. I believe she would be delighted at the opportunity to work for you full time until such time she feels she's ready to work for her aunt."
Cocking her head and wearing half a smile, Shiloh said, "And what about you? Won't you miss her?"
"Well, of course I'll miss her," replied Charlotte with a polite laugh. "But Amalee has four younger brothers and sisters who will keep me busy, so I won't have much time to think about it. And you'll be coming back to San Francisco now and again, so we'll see her."
"Charlotte's right, Shiloh," said Mr. Anthony. "As Quakers, we teach our children to be kind and strong, and when it's time, we let them go…sort of like fledgling birds, but with the goodness of God in their hearts and minds. We feel it's the best way to make the world a better place."
"It seems to be working," said Adam. "I've never been made to feel unwelcome by a Friend." He rolled up the plans he'd been discussing with the Anthony's since the dinner plates had been removed.
"May I take these plans?" asked William. "I think I speak for my father when I say we'd like to study them before we meet with Mr. Mills."
"Of course," said Adam. "Bring them with you to the office tomorrow. We'll be presenting them to Mr. Mills in the morning."
"Very well," said James, standing and offering his hand to his wife.
"Dinner was excellent, Mr. Cartwright," said Charlotte. "Shiloh, it was very nice to meet you. It's good to know that Amalee is in good hands."
The Cartwrights walked the Anthony's to the lobby of the Lick House, waiting with them for a carriage to take them home. After waving goodbye, Shiloh still had a smile on her face when she looked up at Adam. "I don't understand why people are nervous around Quakers. They're very sensible people."
"They think differently. Sometimes that's all it takes," said Adam, offering his arm to Shiloh to escort her back up to their suite. They would be working the next day before they went back to the stock ranch, and Adam wanted to be sure she had plenty of rest.
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Tom Maguire sat at the back table in the garden where the benefit to rebuild San Francisco would be held this evening. Mrs. Coon's staff moved in and out of the cluster of tables, decorating, adding place settings and arranging the flowers that would be the centerpiece of each table. To the left was a patio of sorts in front of a wall about six feet in height, and beyond the wall, trees and shrubbery. The wall would amplify the sound. That didn't bother Maguire as the small orchestra and the highlight of the evening would be facing away from the greenery toward the tables where he now sat, listening to them practice with Shiloh directing who should be louder and who should hold back.
One of the staff walked swiftly down the walk toward the garden, stopping just at the entrance and waiting for Isabella Whitney to finish the song she was singing. After the last note, she made her way toward Isabella, and again waited until Miss Whitney had finished addressing the orchestra. "Mr. Maguire will be acting as your conductor," said Shiloh with a wide smile. "So if he errs, please ignore him and play what you know." Everyone laughed and began to shuffle their music into the correct order. "Relax. I'll have to make a change for the last song, so there will be a very short break, but not long enough for you to leave your seats. Mrs. Coon has been gracious enough to have a waiter taking care of you, but while we're performing, please limit it to water."
"Excuse me, Miss Whitney, but the guests are beginning to arrive. Are you ready to dress?"
"Yes, thank you," Shiloh answered as she followed the young woman who had been assigned to help her change clothes into the house. As she climbed the stairs, she looked down into the foyer for Adam. She hadn't seen him since they'd arrived, and though she still didn't see him, she smiled when she heard his unmistakable voice sounding as if he was enjoying himself.