Chapter Six
A couple of hours later, he awoke to a servant talking to Elizabeth in the hall. With all the transoms and windows open, Jarrod could hear every word.
"There are several of our men dead as many injured. The fire wagons are there and have the fires almost out."
"I will be dressed in a moment. I am going," Elizabeth responded.
"M'am, we don't have a manservant to go with you. The docks are not safe, you know that. All the men have gone for the evening after the dance and Joe is sick with gout. He can't walk that far.."
"I am fine and I can handle a buggy...I will take a gun. They are my men"
Jarrod opened his door, "I will go with you".
She nodded yes and hurried to dress. They met in the carriage house.
"There was an explosion at the dock. It may have been an accident or another incident by drunken rabble-rousers."
They made the quick ride to find orange flames and smoke obscure their view. She jumped out of the buggy and Jarrod tethered the horse.
Her manager met on the wharf. "You shouldn't be down here. Already had some looting. Lost three men and a couple won't make it until morning. All the ships and structures are safe. Just some cargo lost. Doc's here working."
Lis passed him and walked straight into the fray and bucket lines. Jarrod followed. They both grabbed a spot in the waterline and began work. They brought a few more injured out. She went over and started tending their injuries until the doctor could see them. She made eye contact with each man and spoke to them.
Jarrod kept a protective eye on her the whole time as he worked on the bucket brigade. He took over halfway through and the men respected his natural leadership instinctively.
Elizabeth noticed immediately the most hardened seamen obeying his command. No man can do that without the sheer force of personality.
Jarrod dragged a slight-built boy-child out of the smoke...
"Oh, Pete." She ran over to a young man about 14 with a mutilated limb. She held onto him tightly and he bled on her gown.
"Tell my momma I love her and give her my pay, please Miss Elizabeth. Don't let her go to the poor house."
"I will I promise"
She soothed him knowing he wouldn't last the night in his condition. She put his head in her lap and began to sing to him. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me…"
Her clear low alto voice wafted through the docks. Men grew silent to listen as she sang a boy to heaven. Jarrod closed his eyes and hummed in his baritone softly. He needed that song as much as the injured men.
Dawn broke over the Gulf of Mexico and a new day was here.
Jarrod and Elizabeth headed back to the Esplanade, dirty and bloodied from the night's work. Five men were dead and others had their lives changed with one explosion. Life was fragile.
When she got back to the buggy, she allowed herself the freedom to cry. She had held it in as long as she could. Jarrod covered her with a blanket as she shivered and put his arm around her tightly. They sat in the buggy silently pondering the night and holding each other.
Jarrod tipped his head and went to kiss her sisterly on the cheek as he helped her down. Her head turned by chance and his kiss fell directly on her lips. She responded to him in a way she never imagined. His kiss turned serious. They stood and kissed intensely for a few moments then they parted remembering themselves. He could imagine what came next and that scared Jarrod Barkley. Impulsivity was not his friend. They awkwardly walked inside.
Elizabeth called Ophie and asked for hot baths and some food afterward. She quickly told her sisters and Daisy what had happened. "It looked like illegal whiskey smugglers again."
"Could you all go down to the hospital later and visit our men?" she said to her sisters.
"I will go see Pete's mama after I get some rest and cleaned up"
Jarrod went up to the hot bath and ate his breakfast tray. He lay down for a brief rest and drifted off thinking about the kiss. It was an impulse which I am rare to do but...I feel like a schoolboy again. Stop, Jarrod...stop...
Elizabeth went to her hot bath and added lots of lavender salts. She washed her long hair and brushed it out carefully thinking of Jarrod. She soaked her whole body under the water and looked at herself in the full length mirror across the room by the tub. It was just the emotion of the moment...he will be gone soon...enjoy the moment, Lis...he doesn't know who you really are…the nun had called her defiled...
Jarrod escorted the sisters to the hospital that afternoon. They had their sister's compassion and ability to connect with people. He visited with the men from the shipping company and saw the loyalty they had for Elizabeth and before that, John. He got to hear some good stories about his old friend and his deeds. He wanted to memorize them for Daisy one day. How in the world would he ever explain this to her when she was a woman?
Meanwhile, Elizabeth and the manager visited Pete's grieving mama. They brought her his check which she eyed greedily. The rock gut and cheroot were getting low.
"I hate to pension that woman but I will keep my word to Pete. He was such a sweet kid working so hard for her."
"Miss Elizabeth, I remember John telling you, 'you can't save everyone".
"But I will keep trying." and she winked at him. He shook his head in return.
The next days passed quickly. Jarrod escorted the family to each of the funerals. Elizabeth spoke at each one thanking the man for his service to the company. She educated Daisy in etiquette and how to speak condolences to take part as a member of the family.
Jarrod kept being amazed at Elizabeth's poise. The stench of several of the folks she embraced was overpowering and yet she didn't flinch.
She told Daisy in the carriage that "we can't judge people by how they look or smell but only how they act. The Lord taught us that. Jesus hung out with fishermen and shepherds, and you know how they smell."
Miriam was falling short in comparison to each day living with the Beauforts. He had instinctively known she wouldn't accept Daisy in his life from the first day here. The scandal was abhorrent in her world. There was no doubt Daisy was in his life to stay. He couldn't see Miriam mothering someone else's child at all. Only their children one day...
He tried to imagine the beautiful blonde holding a dismembered, bloody boy in her lap and singing to him in his last moments. Or comforting a toothless elderly father who lost his son. Or manning a fire bucket line. Or even sweat stains under her arms serving gumbo out of a vat to servants … There was not that kind of mettle in Miriam.
But Miriam wouldn't have to in this world either...he would take care of her. She would never need to do such things. Miriam was the toast of San Francisco and she would be a supreme hostess. Their home would be the center of the political and social circles. She was beautiful and charming. She was exactly what he needed if he was to enter the political ring one day.
Elizabeth belonged to New Orleans. She was a child of this city; she may not have been born here but it was her home. Miriam belonged to San Francisco.
He couldn't imagine Elizabeth in San Francisco society. She probably would roll her eyes when Leland Stanford went on and on with the Governor in his self-important manner. Of course, not to his face but in a later conversation. He could imagine commiserating with her over wine and chess every night. She had already given him her opinions on Victorian society and its mores. She had even gone as far to joke about if men had to wear corsets, they would be gone tomorrow. Not even his mother and sister would have gone that far. She believed women should get the vote and be educated along with men. She would love Tom Lightfoot and his wife. She had voiced her opinion on how the Indians had been treated quite adamantly.
He was more confused than ever on what to do. That frustrated him the most...He prided himself on knowing the right thing to do. Could Daisy come to his world?
He had a lot to think about on the way back to California. What did he want? What was best? Were they the same or opposite?
He and Elizabeth did not manage another private moment before he left. They only exchanged pleasantries or details about Daisy. She was courteous and he was polite. Neither could decide if that was by choice or providence or fear. Or ALL three...
He stood on his private car rail for the longest time listening to "Bye Pappy, I Love You." Elizabeth turned and left the platform first.