Chapter 4.
Following Audra's Bon Voyage party, Emily received a flurry of social invitations, many of which she accepted, particularly the young ladies' recitals, teas, and a request to join a committee concerned with city beautification. And when she returned home from these events, she would congratulate herself, then, sigh with relief to be home and alone. The social outings got a little easier, as she knew they would, and her new social life gave her something to write about in her letters to her father, alleviating his concern for his shy daughter, as she knew it would.
By mid-April, a few weeks after Audra's departure, Victoria Barkley paid a visit to Emily's shop and invited her to tea at one of Stockton's finer restaurants. Emily gladly accepted, donning hat and gloves, and closing shop for the rest of the day.
Emily asked after Audra, how excited she was, and had the family heard from her yet. Victoria was relaxed and kind and was greeted by the restaurant staff with the kind of attention given to favored customers.
The two women talked about local and personal news and Mrs. Barkley asked her to call her Victoria. That, alone, made Emily feel welcomed by this important woman.
Victoria asked her about Sam and Emily recounted how she'd known Sam since childhood, his engineering interest in how fires can be prevented, contained, and stopped. How he had died in cannery fire by the waterfront after they'd been married four years. She hadn't shared her story with anyone in its entirely before because most of the people who knew her knew the story already. It almost felt like she was hearing it for the first time herself.
"You must have been very young when you married," Victoria observed.
Emily nodded. "I was eighteen and Sam was twenty three."
Victoria did the math: Married four years, widowed for two. Emily was twenty-four years old.
"And you moved to California after your marriage?" Victoria remarked.
"Yes, immediately after. Sam was offered a position with the San Francisco Fire Department. He had worked with the Cincinnati Fire Department which helped to pioneer the science of fire fighting," Emily explained.
"Nick tells me you were planning on acquiring orchard land," Victoria was smiling at her and Emily smiled back, remembering the dream.
"We were in San Francisco for two years or so before we started talking about buying land. We had our sights set on the Santa Clara Valley where there's good orchard land and enough towns that Sam could continue his work," then she laughed a little, "But we never did agree on what exactly we would grow: pears of oranges or lemons or cherries, maybe walnuts or almonds"
"You worked," Victoria, indicating an interest in what Emily was doing those four years since there were no children from the marriage.
Emily nodded. "I took in piece-work to augment our savings towards buying land."
"And did well enough to create your own business," Victoria added, knowing this young woman did more than just take in piece-work. Emily may have started with piece-work but she was no common seam sewer, she was an artist.
Emily nodded, a slight blush rising in her cheeks.
"And after Sam died, you chose not to return to Ohio," Victoria added.
Emily lowered her head and said a quiet "no." Then her demeanor shifted and she looked at Victoria and explained, "It was my dream and it was Sam's dream to come to California. I am sad and sorry that Sam was not able to . . . but I want . . . to . . . find out what's here for me. Ohio is always an option but I am here now."
Victoria smiled because she understood very well. Despite her shyness, the young woman had the determination to succeed Out West. Whether she had the grit remained to be seen.
Victoria placed her hand on Emily's and said, "Emily, thank you for sharing your story with me. I'll share a bit of mine, that is, things you may not have already heard," and she smiled. So Victoria shared the highlights - and the lows – of her own life, of Tom, of building the ranch. She also told her about Heath.
"Victoria, I already know about Heath," Emily offered. "People are quick to share such information about others and this, I think, is the moment to tell you how much I admire and respect you for your response to the situation. I believe children should never pay for their parents' transgressions and I also believe that love, more than blood, makes a family."
Victoria escorted Emily back to her shop. Before leaving, Victoria said that she and her son, Nick, were planning to ride out to check progress on their orchards and Victoria thought perhaps Emily would like to accompany them. Emily accepted the invitation.