Eugenia's Embrace

by Cassie Edwards

  * * *

  Chapter Twelve

  The darkening of the sky outside the tower window made Eugenia aware of the time. Her wrists throbbed and her head ached from being in one position for so long. She had listened closely, all day, for the return of Clarissa or maybe even Frederick. But nothing. She had just been left to fret over the situation she had now gotten herself into. It was unbelievable to her that so many evil things could keep happening to her, and in such a short length of time. But it would probably all end now if Frederick had his way with her and treated her as all past girls, as Clarissa had said. Yes, maybe it would all end. Maybe she would be left on her beloved mountain as feed for a black bear, or possibly a bobcat.

  She looked toward the window again, wishing she could see her mountain. If only she hadn't ventured around its base, had stayed home with her Mama, Papa and Elizabeth. If only she hadn't wanted more from her life than what her Papa had planned for her. But it was too late now. Her life was drawing to an end. She just knew it. She could still see the hate in Clarissa's dark eyes. Maybe if she had let Clarissa have her way with her, let her touch her, kiss her. Maybe Clarissa wouldn't have done this to her. But Eugenia was proud that she had refused. At least she would die filled with pride, not shame.

  Her eyes settled downward to the shadows of small objects lying on the floor below her. Drew's gold watch glistened back at her, almost mockingly, through the semidarkness making her remember so much about Drew. In a way, it made her almost hate him for having deserted her once again. She had expected to have been left behind, had even almost resigned herself to that fact. But she had thought he would see her once more, explain to her once again the reasons why. But Eugenia knew that if he had waited to tell her these things he would have surely been caught by Clarissa and sent back to jail, or maybe hanged. She had seen, once, only briefly, the hangman's noose behind the jailhouse, and had wondered how many lives had been snuffed out by this ugly piece of rope. The thought of Drew possibly hanging from it made nausea rise in her throat. She swallowed hard, so relieved that Drew was indeed gone, and hoped that he would keep traveling until he was out of the reach of the law—and Frederick. And maybe, in the future, they could meet again.

  A stirring of noise behind the door that led from the room to the hallway drew Eugenia's keen attention. She even slowed her breathing, to listen more carefully. And when the door began to open slowly, she slid her body more closely against the coldness of the wall, waiting, then let her body grow limp when she saw the small, smiling face of Kiyomasu.

  "I'll get Missie Genia free," he said, scurrying across the room, the whiteness of his attire so identifiable against the now almost dark room. "I told you this was a house of crazies," he added, pulling a key from his front apron pocket. He reached up and unlocked the shackles on Eugenia's wrists, then caught her in his arms as she fell away from the wall.

  "Kiyomasu, how did you know?" she asked, tears beginning to fall, watching his slanted eyes also begin to mist.

  "When Clarissa said you were too ill to eat for two days in a row, I grew much suspicious," he said, helping Eugenia toward the door. "I remembered seeing you yesterday morning. You didn't look sick to me, so I decided to check a little while ago. To see for myself."

  "You did?" Eugenia asked, so surprised to know that someone actually cared so much. "What if you'd been caught?"

  "I waited until Clarissa left before I searched your room. She's gone now. By carriage. To town."

  "Is Frederick home?"

  "He hasn't been. All day. I'd know because he'd be demanding to be fed."

  Eugenia's knees wobbled as Kiyomasu led her through the door, out into the hallway. Her heart began to race, only having to imagine where Clarissa would be headed. If Frederick hadn't been home all day, Eugenia knew that Clarissa had waited long enough for his return, and was more than likely on her way to search him out herself to tell him the news of all her discoveries of the day—and that he had a plaything hanging from a wall, waiting. It made her grow more lightheaded envisioning his approach as she would have stood there, shackled, waiting. She could even now see the redness of his face, the hanging jowls of his cheeks, the sleeked-down black hair, and his usually sweaty, pudgy fingers. She could even see him raise his cane to tap it on her shoulder, like he would a freshly purchased prize horse.

  "We must hurry, Kiyomasu," she gasped, putting her fingers to her throat. "I must make my escape before Clarissa and Frederick return."

  "Where will you go, Genia?" Kiyomasu asked, now opening the door that led to the staircase that would take them downward to the second floor of The Towers. From that point on, it could be very dangerous. If the front door of The Towers opened it would reveal all activity surrounding it in the interior of the living room, long hallway, and the spiral staircase that led to opened hallway and the second-story rooms.

  "I'll have to go to my friend Dawn's establishment," she whispered. "The Old Homestead Parlour."

  She could feel a slackening of Kiyomasu's hold. "The Old Homestead Parlour? Do you know what kind of… ?"

  Eugenia laughed, amazed at herself for being capable of laughing at such a time as this. "Yes. I know what kind of establishment," she said. "But I have no other choice. And you, Kiyomasu? What's to become of you if they figure out who aided in my escape?"

  There was a slight pause, then Kiyomasu laughed. "Do you think your friend could make room for me at her establishment?"

  "You're serious, aren't you?" Eugenia said, stopping to study his dark eyes. Even though he had laughed as he had spoken, she could see fear etched all over his soft face.

  "I want out of this house of crazies also," he said quietly. "I've seen too much for too long and have kept my silence. But I don't wish to be put in that position any longer."

  "Do you mean you knew these things were actually happening? That there were other girls… ?"

  "Yes, Missie. I was made to bring food up there. Many times."

  Eugenia gasped. "How could you? Why didn't you tell the authorities?"

  "I have much family scattered all around in Cripple Creek. Clarissa told me that Mr. Heinmarch would see to it that they'd all be sent back to Japan if I ever told."

  "And now?"

  "It's now been many years. My family all have close ties with their employers. They won't get sent back to Japan. I feel free to leave this place now and begin a life of my own."

  "Come with me," Eugenia whispered, heading for her bedroom. "I must get my cape, then you and I will go to my friend. If I'm to live there, I'd want you for my cook anyway."

  "You really mean that, Miss Genia?" Kiyomasu asked, his eyes lighting up.

  "Yes. But we both have to get to safety first. Out of this house." Then something grabbed at Eugenia's heart. In her haste, she had forgotten her combs and Drew's watch. They were now her only possessions in the world. And each object reflected a closeness for two male individuals who she would always love dearly. Yes, she'd have to take the time to rescue them also. She turned to Kiyomasu, bending to meet his height.

  "Kiyomasu, I left some things of importance in that room upstairs," she said, clasping onto his arm. "Could you run up there and get them while I go to my bedroom to get my cape?"

  "What is it you want?"

  "On the floor, close to where I was standing, you'll find two combs and a gold watch. I want them. They mean much to me."

  "The extra time spent getting them might cost us our lives," Kiyomasu said hastily.

  "Please," Eugenia pleaded.

  "Yes'm Miss Genia," Kiyomasu said, then turned and disappeared into the darkness of the steep staircase.

  Looking cautiously around her, Eugenia creeped on toward her bedroom, realizing the risk of being caught. It made her stomach feel as though it had a rock weighing it down as she opened her bedroom door and hurried inside. For fear of the light being seen from the street, she fumbled through the darkness until she found her closet door, then pulled it open, letting her fingers touch the
smoothness of silk and satin dresses that were no longer hers. She had felt so much like a queen these last few weeks and months, never believing it was her real reflection looking back at her from a mirror, having been furnished with the most elegant clothes "From Paris," Frederick had said.

  Her fingers made contact with the fur trimming of her cape, so she pulled it from a hanger and hurriedly draped it around her shoulders. Even if she had been able to put a light on, she wouldn't have wanted to look around her for this last time. She wanted to remember it the way it had been before Clarissa's discovery, she wanted to remember how she had loved the room, the colors of lilac so peaceful and cool and the adjoining room with the fireplace. It had all been hers. She wanted to remember how innocently she had accepted these gifts, not the reasons behind them all. She wouldn't let her mind spoil what she had had. She would only remember the good. Not the evil.

  Stiffening, Eugenia looked toward the door, seeing it moving open, then smiled when she could make out the outline of Kiyomasu standing there waiting. "Miss Genia ready?" he whispered.

  "Yes, Kiyomasu," she whispered in return. "Let's flee from this house of crazies."

  Her heart was warmed by his giggles. He was a man of almost fifty, but he always had the gaiety of a young boy. She had always liked him. She was so glad that he was going with her, to be her friend forever. She looked downward as he handed her the watch and combs. She clutched them to her heart momentarily, then dropped them deeply inside her cape pocket. "Let's go," she said firmly.

  Side by side, they made their way down the spiral staircase, then paused at the bottom, carefully listening for any approach of horse's hoofs. "Let's make a dash for it, Kiyomasu," Eugenia said, and began to run down the hallway toward the back door. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kiyomasu pull a jacket from a hook by the door. She felt as though they were going to make it to safety, when a sudden noise erupted from the living room.

  "Shhh," Eugenia said, pulling Kiyomasu into the darkness of a closet. She listened more closely, then heard footsteps walking away from them instead of toward them. They were footsteps of a woman, not a man, and there was obviously an absence of the tapping of a cane. "It must be Clarissa," she said. "But I didn't hear any carriage."

  "No matter," Kiyomasu said. "Let's go."

  One step outward onto the back porch and Eugenia saw why there had been no sound of horse's hoofs or carriage wheels against brick pavement. A heavy snowfall had covered the already fallen snow, giving the street a silent cover. But this made Eugenia's heart pump with joy, knowing that the snow falling in thick masses would also hide her and Kiyomasu's foot tracks leading from the house.

  "Once we're away from this yard, we're safe," she whispered. "We'll just be two more people in a crowd." Eugenia hadn't used the hood of her cape the previous day when she had worn it, wanting to show off her new fur hat. But now the hood was welcomed. Both for warmth and for giving her a hidden identity. The only thing she was worried about was Kiyomasu's outfit of white. Not too many hired cooks walked leisurely along the streets with their employers, as most would think Eugenia to be by her attire. "We must make it to Myers Avenue. Fast," she said. "We can't take the risk of staying on Bennett Avenue for very long."

  "But Miss Genia, the Opera House is on Myers Avenue. We'll have to pass it to get to your friend's establishment."

  Eugenia's heart seemed to stop. She had never thought that Frederick's Opera House could be on Myers Avenue, with the establishments that she could remember seeing there. They had all been of the lowest esteem. Then she laughed softly, eyeing Kiyomasu. "And how do you know so much about Myers Avenue and where The Old Homestead Parlour is?" she teased.

  "One of my sisters had to work there for a while, when we first arrived here in this country," he said sadly. "She died there. From pneumonia."

  Remembering Dawn, and her condition, something tugged at her heart. She wondered if this happened often to young women of Cripple Creek. She only hoped herself to be stronger and able to cope with all the odds that she knew that she would more than likely have to face in the near future. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Then she held onto his hand as they fled down a side street from Bennett Avenue, on down a block's length, until they stepped out onto Myers Avenue. Eugenia cringed inside. She hadn't ever wanted to return to this street. She hated it, and all that it stood for. But life had led her to it, and she knew that she had no other choice.

  "Over there," Kiyomasu said, stopping, pointing.

  Eugenia's gaze settled on a large white building that stood out from all the rest of the other buildings. She now knew why she hadn't seen it earlier. She hadn't been down on this far end of Myers Avenue. She had entered on the other end, and had only made her way halfway down the street when she had come to The Old Homestead Parlour.

  Noticing the many carriages lined up outside the building, she watched as ladies and men stepped from them, dressed in the height of fashion, not even seeming to be aware of the steady snowfall around them. Lights glowed in unison around the front door of the building, and Eugenia froze inside when she made out the figure of Frederick standing right inside this door, bowing deeply to some who were entering, and shaking hands with the others.

  "Maybe he won't even notice us as we pass," she whispered, seeing that Kiyomasu was also observing the immensity of this man in the doorway. "We're clear across the street. Surely he won't see," she added, trembling. Clutching Kiyomasu's hand tightly, they hurried on their way, until they were in the next block, free of anyone questioning them now. From all observations, Eugenia could see many types of people brushing by her on the sidewalk. And, again, as before on that one night, she was aware of the loud music blaring from the saloons and the boisterous laughter from both the men and women. She stopped suddenly, pulling Kiyomasu back with her as a man was shoved from an open doorway of a saloon, falling in a heap onto the whiteness of the snow.

  "And don't you never come back in here again," a man was shouting at him. "You're nothin' but trouble. Take your cards elsewhere. Where they 'low cheatin'."

  Eugenia's eyes widened as this man rose, brushed his clothes, then a round-topped hat, turned and gave her a swift look, then walked on around she and Kiyomasu.

  "Whew!" she sighed, then walked on, knowing only a couple more blocks of this, and she would be knocking on Dawn's front door. She knew that Dawn would be surprised to see her, and especially to see Kiyomasu. But Eugenia thought sullenly to herself, not half as surprised as I. She still couldn't believe that she was actually returning… to that house.

  Kiyomasu held something up in the air before him. "See this?" he said, twisting and turning it in his small, yellow fingers.

  Eugenia tried to look more closely. It looked like a key. "What is it?" she asked.

  "The key to the shackles in that house of crazies," he giggled.

  Eugenia gasped, putting her hands to her mouth. "I forgot to ask earlier. Where did you get it?"

  "From Clarissa's apron when she took it off before leaving for town."

  Laughing, Eugenia could just imagine Clarissa's exasperation when she discovered the two of them missing.

  "I'm going to throw this thing away, so they won't be able to capture any more innocent girls and keep them in such a way," Kiyomasu said, tossing the key down onto the slush-filled street.

  "Kiyomasu, we've got to tell the authorities about Frederick and Clarissa," Eugenia said flatly.

  "Waste of time," Kiyomasu said solemnly.

  "Why?"

  "The authorities are paid by Mr. Heinmarch. You couldn't get them to do anything about him. Too bad, but true."

  "Maybe someday we can do something to get him," Eugenia said stubbornly.

  "Someday," Kiyomasu said softly.

  "Kiyomasu, how did you come to speak English so good if you're from Japan?"

  "Mr. Heinmarch made me take lessons as soon as he took me in."

  Eugenia threw her head back and laughed loudly. "My God! That man has a thing about
wanting everybody around him to speak perfect English. He did the same to me. You should have heard the way I spoke when I arrived in Cripple Creek."

  "I still speak Japanese. When I get angry," he grumbled.

  "No kidding! So do I," Eugenia blurted. Then laughed. "I mean, I speak my old way when I get angry." She laughed once again. "Not Japanese."

  "I think we have plenty fun together, Miss Genia," Kiyomasu said, smiling widely up at her, making his eyes more squinted at the corners.

  "Me, too," Eugenia said, then stopped and looked upward at the white, two-storied house they were now standing in front of. On the front she read, "The Old Homestead Parlour." Whether she wanted to believe it or not, she had just stepped in front of her new home. She had to wonder, though, for how long. It seemed as though things were meant to keep changing for her. She was fast getting educated to the ways of life.

  "We're here," she said, eyeing Kiyomasu. She could see that he was frowning. She didn't know if it was because of his sister who had died in this house, or because of the type of house it was that he was going to be working in. But no matter, they both were doomed to live there.

  "Can I ask you one thing before I knock on the door, Kiyomasu?" she asked.

  "Sure," Kiyomasu answered cheerfully, his frown having been replaced by his usual smile. Eugenia had to think that he had just reconciled himself to the fact, also, that this was to be his home, that he had no other choice.

  "Can I call you Key, short for Kiyomasu, and for the key you rescued me with? I get my tongue twisted sometimes when I start to say your full name. What do you say? Is that all right?"