Chapter Twenty Five
Anna woke up early and dressed. She wanted to see Nick before he left out for the day on the ranch. He was surprised when he came down in the morning to see her with an apron in the kitchen. His smile was as wide as it could go. She was helping Silas pack lunches for the day.
"Coffee?" she smiled.
His eyes grew big as she poured his cup. She lingered her fingers for just the slightest moment on his. He swallowed at the unexpected pleasure.
"Biscuits with ham are on the sideboard. Eggs? Silas is close on those."
"Only if you will eat with me."
"It's too early but I would love to sit with you for a moment," she lowered her voice.
They sat down at the kitchen table and she fixed his plate. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Silas turned his back twice not to laugh at the couple. Making breakfast an intimate moment was something he had never seen before. Normally Nick was grumbling and shoving food down quickly to head out for the work day. He was slowly savoring each bite, never taking his eyes off Anna.
Heath bounded down the stairs and stopped in surprise. Anna's hand was on Nick's passing the butter. He couldn't help himself but chuckle.
"He's got it bad."
He sat down and Silas brought his plate over.
"Good Morning, Heath," Anna said kindly.
Nick made a disgusted sound with the interruption.
Heath mischievously went on and on about the work on the ranch needing to be done "While we are sitting here buttering biscuits."
Nick got madder and madder. Anna concealed her smile recognizing the brother's interaction—-she had watched her brothers do the same their whole lives.
Heath finished eating, "Well come on. It's a working ranch and all."
Anna gave Nick a private wink, "See you later. Have a good day."
"I will, thank you for this fine start to my day."
Heath grinned, "See ya later Anna. Thanks Silas. Let's go Nick."
"Hmpf, " and he put his hat on.
Silas and Anna shared a look and a laugh as they left.
"They's good boys."
" I know. I have two brothers."
—-&-
Preacher Jehu walked the streets of Stockton talking to townsfolk and inviting them to church. He stopped by the bakery and asked Grete, "Could you spare some bread for the Lord's servant?"
"Of course. And a loaf for home?" she said with a slight annoyance. He didn't pick up on the slight inflection.
"Ah, you are a true believer." He grinned and eyed the blonde widow with appreciation.
Kai brought it to the preacher from behind the counter.
Adolf came around the corner with his cane and sat with the preacher. The upright Adolf agreed with so many of the positions that Brother Jehu took: no gambling, limiting the hours of the saloon, closing Big Annie's and no casino—and the couples cohabitating in town should marry or leave Stockton.
"I would be of a mind to attend your church. Visit. We attend Reverend Stacy's church and we plan to stay there but I admit—never heard him preach on those things. We need to hear them in Stockton."
Grete winced behind the counter; she was enjoying going to church with Heath but her family ties would take her with cousin Adolf.
Kai came over to the table with the wrapped bread, "I am raising quail now. Mista Heath helped me and my new friend Henry fix a pen for them."
"Kai, that's good. Idle hands are the devils hands. Good to be working at your age."
"I am heading out there tomorrow to check on them. Henry is feeding them twice a day. Mista Nick and Miss Anna are checking on them too. Henry can't wait for his mother to come home from her trip with Mista Jarrod. She's going to be proud of him."
Brother Jehu frowned, "Isn't Mista Barkley seeing our lovely Miss Davina?"
"Yes sir. She got to see our pen too. But his mother is on a trip with Mista Barkley."
Kai went back to the counter and Grete reprimanded him for talking too much.
She came around the counter and explained, "Kai spoke out of turn. She is his uh—client. They are taking care of her business."
"A woman traveling with a man alone is unseemly. And a woman in business? She should be home caring for her son."
Grete frowned, "Her father just passed away."
"Where is her husband?"
She stammered in Danish not wanting to continue. Heath had told her they had been separated since Henry's birth and he had absconded with quite a bit of their money."
"I am not sure. I need to get back behind the counter."
Brother Jehu looked at her, "She is the woman with the casino I heard about? And the Barkleys are helping her?"
She scurried back behind the counter mortified that she had added to the town gossip without meaning to.
Cousin Adolf frowned at her, "I had no idea so much had happened since I was in bed."
"I shall pray for your family." He picked up his loaf of bread and headed back to his church, "Let us speak again on those personal matters."
—-&—-
Several of Buck's ranch hands ended up at Harry's. They took a cheap room with other transient men so as to not draw attention to themselves. Within three hours, they heard about the Widow Jones death and how the tide turned for the town to build the hotel and casino. They heard the city had reneged on the land deposit and Lisette forfeited a great deal of money. They jotted down the information for their boss. Jarrod Barkley was courting Davina Franklin, the judge from San Francisco's daughter. She was living in town with her aunt.
"Wasn't Barkley shacked up at the hotel with the Taylor woman? She's still married, isn't she?"
"Yep. To Paul Taylor, his crony Miller was the one that negotiated with the boss."
"Let's head back to Modesto and let the boss know what we found out."
"We got time to stop by Big Annie's?"
"Shore. Charge it to the boss."
—&—
Jarrod came down to breakfast to find Lisette already there with the twins.
"Please Aunt Lissy. Will you give us a painting lesson?"
"It's been a long time."
Prudy encouraged her, "We can do a still life. I have watercolors and pastels—-don't think the girls are ready for oils."
Baxter looked over at Jarrod over his morning paper, "Coffee?"
"Sounds marvelous."
Both of the girls greeted Jarrod with big smiles, "Mister Jarrod, will you convince Aunt Lissy to paint with us?"
"Aunt Lissy has quite the mind of her own. But I would love to see her paint with you two, lovely ladies."
Prudy came in, "Lissy, the flower market is close to your hotel. We can get some flowers after we go by the construction site. And lunch at Como's?"
Lissy looked at Baxter and Jarrod then Prudy, "The flower market was one of my favorite places in the city. Let's go. And add the bookstore for Henry."
"Yippee!"
"Finish up your breakfast and we will get ready for the day."
Jarrod smiled across the table and Lisette returned it. Bax and Prudy looked knowingly at each other. They had discussed it earlier before breakfast. Prudy had spent the night with Lissy and made it back to the master suite to see her husband.
"Bax, she was attacked in Modesto. Bruises all over her. Jarrod saved her. The men escaped. She looks as if she was uh—- violated. She didn't say for sure."
He sat down on the velvet commode stand, "Not our Lissy. What more can she endure?"
"It breaks my heart. I think Jarrod Barkley has the key to her happiness. She says he has a lady back in Stockton. But did you see the way they looked at each other? She said he stayed at her side the whole weekend after the attack."
"Prudy, I know men and Jarrod doesn't just see her as a client. He may just not know it yet."
"I agree, my love."
—-&—-
The Vanderpool carriage took the group to the hotel reconstruction site. It was deserted. Most of the burned building had been cleared but the newer work was at a girls stayed with the driver and the adults got out and walked around. Lisette finally ran into a watchman at the back of the hotel.
"Sir?"
"Ma'am?"
"I am Mrs. Taylor. This is my hotel. Where are all the workers? The materials?"
"Men all quit. Two weeks ago. No wages. I was paid for the whole month and I got one more week then I am gone. Materials all stolen when the workers left. Wasn't worth losing my life over."
"True. Nothing is worth losing your life." she barely whispered.
She walked through the rest of the hotel that was not damaged in the fire. Even the light fixtures had been stolen. Marble pried off the counters and bars—-
Jarrod followed her at a respectable distance to allow her to process the loss.
Baxter and Prudy went back outside and sat with the girls in the carriage, "Poor Lissy. Every which way she turns."
She pulled a handkerchief out of her back and wiped a few tears away. Jarrod came up behind her and pulled her close. She cried on his shoulder. He allowed her to get all the tears out and just held her.
She found her composure, "Well, this settles this. I will deal with the bills tomorrow and the agent."
He took her arm still silently respecting the enormity of her situation.
"Jarrod, let's go. We have some flowers to buy." she swallowed and found her voice.
"And I can't wait to see these masterpieces." he whispered huskily in her ear.
—&—
They drove to the corner of Kearney and Market Streets, between Lotta's Fountain and Podesta & Baldocchi florists. (Original site in 1880's)
The San Francisco flower market was filled with rows of bright colors and greenery. Buckets after buckets of fresh cut flowers were picked over by household servants and ladies of every station.
Samantha and Sarah stood on each side of their Aunt Lissy. Jarrod stood behind with Baxter watching the ladies ooh and ahh over the many choices
Sweet peas, snap dragons, dahlias, stock, delphinium, hollyhocks,roses and zinnias. And more chrysanthemum than any place in town or even the state—-every color and petal count.
Samantha chose as many pinks as she could find. Sarah chose multi-colors. Prudy picked pastels. Lisette had a variety of pinks, oranges and yellows with some greenery in her arms.
The ladies stood in line with their purchases to be wrapped in paper and delivered to the Vanderpool mansion.
Jarrod had his arm in Lisette's. He whispered in her ear, "I am proud of you. The girls will have a wonderful memory with their Aunt Lissy, their godmother."
"We will get Henry's books too." she whispered.
She impulsively leaned up and kissed Jarrod on the cheek, "Thank you. I couldn't do any of this without you."
The ladies next to them stopped and watched, "Mr. Barkley?"
"Yes?" he turned around still with Lisette's arm in his.
"Pauline. Judge Franklin's housekeeper. You stayed with us last month."
Jarrod blanched and Lisette discreetly pulled her arm away.
"Good to see you, Miss Pauline."
He was almost speechless.
"Will you be calling since you are in town?"
"Not this trip. I am working on a case with my client,"
She narrowed her eyes at Lisette, "I see." with obvious disapproval.