“Mary Colter designed the Hopi House and it was completed just a couple weeks ago. She wanted it to be timeless, like the people it represents.”
“Fascinating. You say a woman designed it?”
“Yes, you’ll have to meet her. She is truly one of a kind.”
“Is it true that there are real Indians there?”
“Yes. The Hopi people are very talented and have sold a lot of artwork already. I’m sure it will be another great attraction for our guests.”
So many thoughts were on the tip of Emma Grace’s tongue, but she had to bite it so she’d keep them to herself. It wouldn’t do any good for Ruth to find out about her past by her spilling her knowledge and education. Over the years, that had been the hardest part, always needing to think before she spoke. Something she’d been horrible at as a child.
It had become a part of her daily routine—necessity had proven a valued teacher—but obviously, she was tired and had begun to let her guard down around Ruth. Already. Which was strange for her. She’d have to work harder at it.
They walked in silence for several moments until they’d made a circle from where they started at the train depot. Ruth pointed to the door she’d stopped at earlier. “This is the basement, where our quarters are. Most of the time, you’ll need to use this entrance.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“No need to be so formal when it’s just the two of us.” Ruth waggled her eyebrows.
“I’m sorry, it’s a habit.” Another thing that she’d had to work diligently at when she first went into service five years ago. And a habit she didn’t want to break. The carefully crafted façade she’d kept up all this time had to stay in place. The reminder rang in her brain like a bell. “But I appreciate your warm welcome.”
“You are most welcome, Emma Grace—may I call you that?”
“Of course.”
“After your experience all these years as a Harvey Girl, you’re quite familiar with the rules at all the other locations. Rules that we also follow here in a professional capacity. But things will be different since we are so remote. It’s important that we all work together in the professional Harvey capacity but also learn how to work as a family unit as well.” Ruth opened the door for her. “We’re going to have to rely on one another more than ever before. It won’t be easy living this far away from anything and everything. We don’t want anyone to feel lonely or left out. That’s why all of the workers have been handpicked, not only for their experience and excellence handling guests, but also for their reputations of working well with others, their loyalty, and their ability to adapt. I’m sure Mr. Harvey would be very proud of what has been built here. He always wanted to leave a legacy—something he’s done and that the Harvey company continues. But I also think that El Tovar will be the crown of that legacy.”
Everything within Emma Grace at that moment wanted to talk about Mr. Fred Harvey and all the times he’d dined at her family’s table growing up. All the countless conversations she’d listened to as he described each place in great detail, how he organized the employees, and planned out the service. But it was another piece of her past that had to stay hidden. No one could know she’d known the man himself.
Tears pricked her eyes and she blinked them away. Mr. Harvey had been a bit of salvation for her. It was his stories that had given her hope and a way of escape.
In all honesty, he was the reason she’d become a Harvey Girl. Mr. Harvey’s passion for what he did had poured out in every story he’d told. It had fascinated her when she was younger and all the facts she’d learned had helped her secure a job. He’d inspired her to be passionate about the work as well. Something an heiress was unaccustomed to.
Blinking several more times, she followed Ruth into the building. If the basement was any indication of the floors above, she had no doubt that El Tovar being Harvey’s crown jewel was true. Cleaner, brighter, and shinier than any other Harvey House she’d visited, it gleamed new and modern. Their steps echoed down the long hallway.
Ruth pulled out a key and unlocked a room. “This will be yours.”
A single bed, dresser, desk, and wardrobe filled the space. Ruth carried in Emma Grace’s two cases that had been sitting outside the door.
“This is all just for me?” She’d had to share at every other establishment. “I thought only the head waitress had her own room.”
“It’s all yours.” Ruth’s face lit with another smile. Her eyes were the lightest of blues. The contrast with her fair skin and dark hair made her quite striking. Why wasn’t the woman married? “We’ve decided that things will be a bit different here, as I assume you read in my letter.”
“No. I apologize, it must not have arrived before I left.”
“Oh, well, no wonder I see the confused look on your face. You have been chosen to be a head waitress in training, meaning that you will fill in for me when I am gone and assist me with my duties. You will, of course, still need to serve tables. But eventually the management would like to have two head waitresses, and you will be one of them.”
Ruth clasped her hands in front of her. “Now, I’m sure I’ve overwhelmed you with all this news and the view, so I will leave you to unpack. My room is right next door in case you need anything.” She held out a key. “Always keep your door locked. Best thing to do is hang it around your neck under your uniform. That way there’s no risk of leaving it in your pocket if you have to change uniforms during the day. Or worse, it falling out of a pocket during your shift and then having to retrace your steps to find it later. The manager—Mr. Owens, I’ll introduce you to him later—and I are the only ones who have access to a spare.” She stepped toward the door. “Oh, and thank you for sending your measurements. Your uniforms are hanging in the wardrobe. All laundry is done on Tuesdays and Fridays. The iron and steamer are down the hall, but I can show you those after dinner.” She smiled. “Since we don’t have guests coming for a few days, the staff who are here get the luxury of eating together in the dining room and tasting all of the chef’s delicacies.”
“Thank you.” Emma Grace looked around the room. This was a dream come true. Comfortable, homey, with a cozy atmosphere. “This is quite a surprise, and it’s all so very lovely.” She fingered the latch on the wardrobe and pulled the door open. Five long black dresses hung neatly on hangers, with a row of bright white aprons next to them. Seven, to be exact. Always extra aprons in case anything got spilled on them during the day. Fred Harvey had been insistent upon the highest of standards.
Without warning, a memory rushed into her mind’s eye. Mr. Harvey was dining with them back in Boston. She had been, what? Ten or eleven at the time? Their butler had just served dessert. A lemon meringue pie, which was Father’s favorite. The silver gleamed in the light of the chandelier as Mr. Fred Harvey looked down at his slice and asked if that was all he was going to be served. Father chuckled, but poor Jones stumbled and stuttered until her father rescued him.
“Don’t mind Mr. Harvey, Jones.” Father’s eyes had twinkled. “He was just making the point that they serve whole quarter pieces of pie at the Harvey establishments.”
A touch to her shoulder made the memory disappear and brought the wardrobe back into view.
Ruth’s light laughter washed over her. “Don’t worry, when I’m tired, I often daydream as well.”
“I’m sorry. Would you repeat what you said?” Emma Grace felt the heat rushing into her cheeks. Not the greatest impression to her superior.
“It wasn’t anything important. I was just explaining about the water closet and bathing chamber, which are also down the hall. But why don’t I show you those before dinner? Unless you need them now?”
“Before dinner is fine. I’m sure I can find them on my own if I need to. Thank you.”
“Of course. All right, then, you have about an hour, so feel free to unpack and lie down to rest your eyes for a little bit. I’ll come knock before dinner.”
“That would be wonderful.” She s
tifled a yawn. “I slept very little the past few days.”
Ruth nodded and gave an understanding look. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Thank you. For everything.”
The door closed behind Miss Anniston, and Emma Grace plopped onto the bed. Leaning back, she draped an arm over her forehead and let her mind go over everything. Was she really at the Grand Canyon? It seemed so . . . surreal. But here she was. With an unexpected promotion to boot. It was a beautiful place. And very far away from anything and everything . . . and everyone she’d ever known.
Allowing her eyes to close, she relished the warmth of the room and the softness of the bed. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to move again. She could just stay hidden here forever.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
“I know they say it can’t be done, but I’ll find her.”
He always found them. Not that he went around bragging, but everyone knew it. That’s why they came to him.
Hands behind his back, he casually strolled around the room as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The fancy desk and polished bookshelves were an obvious attempt at showcasing the power and wealth of the owner of the office, but it didn’t fool him. A man was a man, no matter his status. He couldn’t care less about the prestige of anyone who hired him. He did a job. That was it. Lifting his chin, he turned back to the desk and the full chair behind it.
“Glad to hear your confidence in the matter because it’s been five years and everyone else has come up empty. I’m tired of waiting.” The man—his new employer—let out an exasperated sigh. Fingers drummed the leather arm on the chair. One eye twitched. “I really need her found—alive. It does me no good if she’s not. I expect results this time.”
“That’s what I deliver. Results. Mark my words . . . I’ll find her. Before the year is up.” He placed his bowler back on his head and turned to leave. The best way to make an impression was to have the final word.
After the door was shut behind him with a solid click, he buttoned up his overcoat. The wind had quite a bite to it, but he put his mind to the task at hand. This wasn’t an easy case, proven by all the men who’d failed. But that only spurred him on. With a guarantee of all his expenses covered—plus a nice stipend to get him started and a hefty finder’s fee in addition to all that—Peter calculated the profit. Even if he found the woman faster than he guaranteed, he’d still find himself sitting pretty.
Maybe one day he wouldn’t have the reputation that he had. The people he found were the lowlifes. Not him.
Brisk steps brought him back to his tiny office. Quite a contrast from the one he’d just exited. But he found there was no need to spend funds on anything extravagant. People hired him because he was good at what he did, not because they liked him or thought his office was fancy. And frankly, he didn’t care what people thought of his means or status.
The musty smell of a room being shut up for too long with the windows closed to keep the heat in made him long for fresh air. No matter. He’d get plenty of it on this new search. All he had to do was buy a train ticket, grab his travel case, and head west.
His instincts would handle the rest.
3
Moving his camera stand a few feet to the left, Ray took in the view, trying to memorize everything he saw. Never in his life had he seen anything that could rival the magnitude of this place.
When they’d checked into the El Tovar a few hours ago, he had done nothing more than see his room before grabbing his camera equipment and heading out to the overlook. The railroad had been genius. To build this luxury hotel a mere twenty feet from the rim of this glorious canyon was visionary. Ray could only imagine what it was like in the different seasons. With the snow dotting the landscape around the rugged rocks, everything glistened. What would it be like in the heat of summer? How would the colors shift?
The light before him changed. Just a few more minutes and the sunset would be upon them. If only his camera could capture all the colors.
Crisp clouds moved at a brisk pace from west to east across the blue sky. Pinks edged the clouds on the west side, giving them the most glorious glow. He lifted his watch out of his pocket. It was getting close to the dinner hour, but he wanted to see the sunset on the canyon for himself.
For once, he was thankful for the trip Dad sent him on. All the other times, he had to sit through tedious meals and take copious notes on things that didn’t really interest him. But for his father and the company, he’d endured, understanding that one day all this would be worth it.
As he watched the sun slip lower and lower into the west, his thoughts went back to years prior. Before he’d gotten his life straight with the Lord. Back when he’d been just like all his other rich friends, eager to spend the family fortune and live off everything that had been amassed by their fathers and grandfathers. Caring little about working or how the business had been run. Concerned only about how he could take his father’s place at the helm and have enough money to burn.
With a hard shake of his head, he sent the memories back to where they belonged. He wasn’t that person anymore. But they kept pushing to the forefront. Vying for his attention.
In his mind, a red hoop bounced in front of the headlamps of his 1901 Locomobile. Tires screeched.
“Ray.” One of his father’s men broke through the scene replaying in his mind. “You’ve been out here quite a while. Aren’t you freezing?” Michael had his hands shoved into his coat pockets, his hat pulled down low.
Shaking off the vestiges of the all-too-vivid memory, Ray pasted on a smile. “Have you not seen the view out here? I could look at it all day long, every day for a year, and not get enough of it.” He looked back through the viewfinder in his camera to distract himself.
A few of his father’s men who had been with the company a long time remembered what he’d been like. It had taken a good bit of time to prove he was different and earn their respect. But the past few years, Dad had hired a whole slew of younger men—all a bit like sharks circling the waters, always on the hunt. The three men with him were like that. And Ray wasn’t sure what he thought of them. They’d risen up in the ranks of seniority faster than he could comprehend.
“How many photographs have you taken?” Michael stepped closer to the edge, which gave them only a hint of safety when looking at the depth of the canyon in front of them.
“Not enough. Even though it won’t do the picturesque scene justice, I can at least try.” Perhaps the light would play off the clouds and colors in the canyon and shade the photo nicely. But it would all be grays and blacks and whites. Not the glorious colors before him right now.
Even if there was a way to take color photographs, he doubted that they would be able to capture the beauty and grandeur. This was something a person had to experience themselves. Something he would definitely have to convey to his father.
“It is truly magnificent, I agree, but the delicious smells wafting from the dining room are making us all go mad with hunger. We secured a table by the window, so you can still take in the view. Besides, I don’t think your father would appreciate you freezing to death trying to take pictures.” Michael’s laugh sounded a bit forced.
Watching the sun make its final descent, Ray nodded. “There will be plenty of other chances to see the sunset. I wouldn’t want any of you to starve on my behalf.” No matter if they were his father’s right-hand men, they still had to wait. Because of him. The boss’s son. And that wasn’t a good way to earn their loyalty as a leader. He wasn’t better than them and didn’t want them to get the impression that he thought himself to be better than them. So, he lifted his camera off the wooden tripod and tucked the bag of glass plates under his arm.
Michael reached out. “Let me carry something.”
Not wanting to risk damaging one of the plates, Ray handed him the tripod. “Just unscrew the legs and you can fold them up so it’s easier to carry.”
They headed for the front entrance, the arched windows in the stone fac
e greeting them from the porch. A warm glow emanated from the multiple fireplaces within the welcoming Rendezvous Room. Dinner did sound very appealing, especially now that the sun no longer cast its warmth on his face and he realized how cold his limbs had become. A shiver worked its way up his spine.
“I don’t know how you stood it out there for so long.” Michael opened the door for him with his free hand.
“I was too enraptured with the scene before me until we started packing up. Now I’m downright frigid.” He walked across the patterned carpets over to the grand staircase. “Here, hand me the tripod and I’ll get this put away in just a moment.” He looked down at his clothes. “I better change for dinner as well.”
“That’s all right. I’ll head up with you. I need to change too. The boys will hold our table, I’m sure.”
Taking the plush red-carpeted steps two at a time, Ray journeyed up to the third floor as fast as he could. His stomach rumbled with every step. The smells from the dining room were quite enticing.
As he approached his room, Edgar opened the door. “Mr. Watkins, sir. I have your dinner attire laid out.”
“Thank you, Edgar.” Ray nodded at Michael, who was unlocking his own door, and entered the room. How his valet knew exactly when he was coming was beyond him. The man was impeccable at his job. But why Dad insisted that they have servants travel with them was also something he didn’t understand. It was all about appearances to his father. Having the wealth wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to make sure that everybody knew it.
It was one of the things that bothered Ray the most since he’d come to know the Lord. While the Good Book didn’t say that being wealthy was evil, it certainly did state that the love of money was the root of all evil. There were so many good things that they could do with their fortune, but every time he brought up a new charity or way to show philanthropy, it ended in an argument.
A Deep Divide Page 5