by Angel Moore
“You think I’m grumpy?”
“You are grumpy.” He leaned his head to one side. “It’s going to give you wrinkles, too. You better stop it or you’ll have lines between your eyes, and people won’t see your freckles because they’ll be buried in the crevices of your wrinkles. You’ll look like a grandmother before you ever marry. You’re much too pretty to look like a grandmother. Yet.” He laughed.
She leaned away from him and stilled. “You think I’m taking them too seriously?”
He sobered to match her mood. “I do. You’ll never be happy if you listen to everything people say to you. Or about you. All you need to do is pray. God will direct you. In subtle ways that will comfort you. Not by berating you with the town’s busybodies.” He pushed away from the cabinet. “Now, go check on those two before they get into something. I’ll manage the desk for the rest of the day. And we need to get out of this kitchen before Mrs. Baxter arrives to cook supper and finds this mess we made.”
Nathan held the door open and followed Charlotte into the restaurant. At the doorway to the lobby she turned back to him.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not hurting Sarah’s feelings in church. You knew it would wound her if you refused to sit with her.”
He raised his brows. “I didn’t think you were pleased about that.”
“At the time, I was uncomfortable, but it was because Junior and his father were gossiping like two jealous cranks at a wake.”
Nathan chuckled. “Those two are used to pushing their will on others. I remember how Junior was always there to take credit for some project or another, but I don’t seem to be able to recall him ever doing any of the actual work.”
She smiled. A pretty smile that crinkled her eyes and rounded her cheeks in a way that showed her freckles at their best. “He’s still the same. You know, he doesn’t even have a job. I’m not sure why his father lets him meander through life without a purpose. My pa wouldn’t put up with any of us being idle.”
“Your pa was a good man.”
They went into the lobby, and Charlotte opened the door to her parlor. “Let me know if you need me. We’re going to be here for the rest of the day.”
“I will.” He opened the journal he’d looked at earlier. “Will you send Michael to see me? We’ve got quite a few people checking out in the morning before the train runs. I want to ask him to help me tomorrow.”
“I will.” The joy in her eyes was all the thanks he’d ever want for having helped her and her family.
He tried to remember that the next morning when Michael tossed a valise down the steps and left a guest standing, mouth agape, on the landing.
Chapter Twelve
Charlotte opened the door of the parlor just in time for Michael to plow into her skirts. “Michael, what’s the matter?”
Her brother untangled himself from her grasp and ran into his room. The door slammed.
She looked over her shoulder into the lobby. Nathan stood at the foot of the stairs apologizing to Mrs. Peabody. The lady and her daughters had stayed with them for three days and were leaving on the morning train.
Charlotte hurried to see what had happened.
Nathan picked up Mrs. Peabody’s valise and dusted it off. The handle was broken. “I’m very sorry, ma’am. Please allow me to send someone to the mercantile to buy a new valise for you. I can have Miss Green transfer your belongings while you eat. Your breakfast will be complimentary, of course.”
“I don’t understand what got into the boy.” Mrs. Peabody frowned. “I must insist that someone else retrieve the rest of our things from our rooms. The child’s behavior was unacceptable.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll take care of it myself.”
Charlotte extended her arm in the direction of the restaurant. “I’ll show you into the restaurant and see that you’re taken care of.” She led the lady and her daughters to a table and left them in the care of Mrs. Atkins. She returned to the desk.
Nathan gave Nora Baxter, the maid, some money from the money box. “Make certain that the valise is of an equal or greater quality to this one.” He showed her the broken valise. “And hurry, please.”
Nora nodded and tucked the money into her skirt pocket before she left.
“What happened?” Charlotte had tried to assist Nathan but, now that everything was under control, she wanted an explanation.
“I don’t know. Last night I told Michael what I needed him to do this morning. He seemed excited to be here. Then, as Mrs. Peabody was following him down the steps, she said something, and he threw down her valise and ran off. I simply cannot allow him to be in the lobby if he can’t behave properly.” He pointed at the broken handle. “We’ve just had to pay for three meals and a new valise. The profit we’ve made on their visit is greatly diminished because of that.”
“It makes no sense that he’d do such a thing. Michael has never been one for throwing a tantrum.”
Charlotte picked up the valise and set it on the registration desk. As soon as she did, the scent of roses drifted to her. Visions of her mother danced in her mind. The aroma was strong and brought raw memories of love and loss with it.
“Oh, Nathan. I know what upset Michael.”
“What? There was nothing said to him. Mrs. Peabody assured me.”
“It wasn’t something she did or said. It was this.” She pointed at the valise. “It smells like our mother. Mrs. Peabody must use rose water like our mother wore. If you lean close you can smell it. I’m sure Michael had to use both hands to carry it. When he lifted it near his face, all the memories of our mother must have overwhelmed him.”
“Why do you think that would cause such an outburst?”
“He hasn’t really grieved. You’ve seen how angry he’s been. It’s been easier for him to lash out at others than to feel his own pain. He has barely cried or shown any emotion except anger.”
Sarah came out of the parlor. “Charlotte, come quick. Michael’s crying. He won’t let me in his room, and he’s crying something awful. He makes me to go away when I open the door.”
Charlotte turned to Nathan. He put a hand on her arm. “You go take care of him. I’ll get Nora to handle Mrs. Peabody’s things.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Thank you.” The comfort she drew from that small touch was something she’d think about later. For the moment she needed to concentrate on Michael.
“Sarah, I want you to go into the kitchen and play with your doll at the table. Don’t get in Mrs. Atkins’s way.”
Nathan asked Sarah if she’d like to sit on the chair behind the registration desk. “You can help me put the keys on the board when our guests leave.”
“Can I, Charlotte?” Sarah looked hopeful.
“You may.” She smiled at her sister and closed the door to the parlor.
Charlotte heard Michael’s cries when she entered the hallway. She tapped on the door. “Michael, I’d like to come in.”
“Go away!” He yelled the words, but they were muffled as if he had his face buried in his pillow.
She opened the door enough to see him sprawled across the bed. Sobs racked his small frame. For all his anger and strength, he was a six-year-old boy without his parents. Charlotte had known this time would come.
She sat on the side of the bed and rubbed the back of his shirt, grateful when he didn’t push her away.
A full ten minutes passed before he said another word. He rolled to one side and dried his eyes on the bedclothes.
“I want them to be here, Charlotte. I miss them so bad. It hurts in here.” He pushed on his chest with both hands.
“Me, too.” She opened her arms, and he flung himself at her.
“Why did they have to die? I miss how good Momma smelled. That lady smelled like Momma.”
Charlotte hugged
him close and rocked him back and forth the way she’d seen their mother do time and again. “I don’t have an answer for why, Michael. Only God knows the answer to some questions.”
While he cried until he had no more tears, Charlotte rocked him to sleep. She laid him back against the pillow and tiptoed out of the room.
The door closed with a quiet click, and she went to her room to splash her face with water. The bowl and pitcher had been her mother’s. The mother who had given her birth. The sweet memories she had every time she used it flooded her mind. She knew Michael and Sarah would heal from the pain that tormented them now. Just as she’d healed when she’d lost her mother. But watching them grieve was as hard on her as grieving for their parents. She’d gladly bear their pain if it were possible.
A glance in the mirror showed her swollen eyes. The cool water had helped, but she’d have to face Nathan and her job anyway. It wasn’t fair to leave him alone. She hoped to be able to speak to Mrs. Peabody and explain Michael’s actions.
Sarah was standing on a chair behind the registration desk when Charlotte entered the lobby. She grinned as she slid a key into the highest row of slots on the wooden cabinet. “I’m a big girl, Charlotte. Mr. Nathan is making me work.”
Nathan thanked the guest who was leaving. “We look forward to having you stay with us the next time you are in Gran Colina.”
“Making you work?” Charlotte asked. She was so relieved that Michael had finally broken through the wall of anger to his pain that she would gladly tease Sarah and Nathan. “Isn’t Mr. Nathan supposed to be working for you? You’re one of the owners of this fine establishment.”
Sarah giggled. “I’m too little to be a boss though. Mr. Nathan said so.” She climbed from the chair. “I don’t want to work anymore. Can I go play on the porch?”
Libbie opened the front door at that moment, so Charlotte sent her sister out to play under her watchful eye.
Nathan marked the registration book. “Is Michael better?”
She nodded. “He’s asleep. He’s cried his heart out. After all this time, I was worried. He’s kept it all bottled up inside. The pressure of trying to hold himself aloof from it was overwhelming. I think he’ll start to heal now.”
“I’m glad.” Nathan handed her the valise Nora had bought for Mrs. Peabody. “This should make up for the inconvenience. Nora transferred everything from the broken valise. I told her she did well to choose this one. She may be a good person to move up as we hire more staff in the future. She’s a smart young lady with plenty of enthusiasm. What do you think?”
The ease of Nathan asking her opinion on matters to do with the business of running the hotel boosted Charlotte’s confidence. “I agree. She’s always punctual and does her best. She never argues when asked to work late or do things that are out of the ordinary for her.”
Nathan took out his notepad. “I’ll make a note of it.”
Mrs. Peabody and her daughters came out of the restaurant. Nathan picked up the valise, but Charlotte took it from him. “Let me talk to her, please.”
He nodded and turned his attention to the journal he had open on the desk.
“Mrs. Peabody, please accept my sincerest apologies for my young brother’s behavior.”
“It was most shocking.”
Charlotte agreed. “You are quite right. Your disapproval is understandable, but I’d like to explain if I may.”
“We’re in a bit of a hurry to get to the train station.” Mrs. Peabody folded her hands together and held them at her waist. Her velvet reticule hung from one wrist. The bag must have cost a week’s wages. The elaborate beadwork was unlike anything Charlotte had seen at the local mercantile. This lady was a person of means and would no doubt share her opinion of the service at Green’s Grand Hotel with others in her circle of friends. Charlotte couldn’t risk a bad reputation. Not for the sake of her family privacy and pride.
“It will only take a moment.”
Mrs. Peabody huffed a short breath. “Do be quick then.” Her posture reinforced her desire to leave as soon as possible.
“My brother is recovering from the loss of our parents a few weeks ago.” A tiny shift in the woman’s shoulders let Charlotte know she was doing the right thing. “Michael has been angry ever since their accident. I’ve been ever so worried that he hasn’t cried like my sister and I have. He’s kept his pain tucked away in his heart.”
“So this anger is your excuse for his behavior?” The shoulders stiffened a bit.
“No, ma’am. Just the opposite. You see, Michael is so small that carrying your valise was a big job for him. No doubt, he had to tuck it up under his chin to take it down the stairs.”
“If he’s not able to do the work, he shouldn’t be given the task. You might be better served to wait until he’s older.”
“But our pa taught us that we should learn to work at a young age. He said it builds character and strength.”
A nod of approval was Mrs. Peabody’s reaction.
“The point is, when Michael lifted your valise up near his face, he caught the scent of your rose water. You see, our mother wore rose water. Holding your case and smelling the scent of our mother broke the dam of pain that he’d built up in his heart. While you ate your breakfast, he wept and wept. He’s asleep now, and I daresay it’s the best sleep he’s had in the weeks since they passed.”
Mrs. Peabody wiped a tear from her cheek and put her hand on Charlotte’s arm. “Oh, the poor dear. I’m so sorry. If I’d known, I’d never have been sharp with the boy.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Please tell him not to worry about it. Not for a minute.”
“I will.” Charlotte smiled with relief. “I didn’t want you to leave here thinking that I would tolerate such behavior in our hotel. We value your business and welcome you to stay any time you are in Gran Colina.”
“You may count on it.”
Charlotte lifted the valise, and Mrs. Peabody took it from her. “This is a lovely bag. And thank you for the wonderful breakfast.”
As the door closed on the Peabody family, Nathan came to stand beside her. “You were marvelous, Charlotte. I tell you, there isn’t a Turner in Dallas who could have smoothed over an issue with a guest any better than you did.”
She looked at him. “But I wasn’t trying to smooth anything over. I was making things right. She deserved to know the truth, and Michael deserved mercy given the circumstances.”
“All of that is true. Not only did you handle it with professionalism, your motive was pure. You have all the makings of a fine businesswoman.”
Charlotte’s face warmed with his unexpected praise. It took great effort to whisper her thanks. She hadn’t wanted his help in the beginning, but to win his approval meant more than she could express.
Would she be ready to take the lead on managing the hotel quicker than Nathan imagined? She hoped so. The sooner she learned everything, the sooner she could pay the bank and secure the future of her family.
And the sooner Nathan would be free to get on with his life.
She remembered the list of salary requirements he’d presented when he’d first arrived. He’d made it clear that he’d stay for the long term. She’d agreed to his terms with conditions.
Would she still want him to leave after he’d taught her all he knew?
* * *
On the first Monday in September Nathan waved to Michael and Sarah. “Be good in school, and I’ll let you help me this afternoon.”
Sarah held tight to Charlotte’s hand and beamed at Nathan. “Me, too?”
“You, too.”
Michael swung his lunch pail in a slow rhythm. “I’ll help with the hard work. Miss Henderson said she’s gonna teach us math at school, so I can write in the journals like Pa did.”
“Study hard, and you’ll be ready before you know
it.”
“We best be going. You don’t want to be late on the first day.” Charlotte smiled at the children. She caught Nathan’s eye. “I won’t be long.”
Nathan spoke with the maids about which rooms still needed to be cleaned. If things went as he hoped, the new furnishings would arrive at the end of the next week. The curtains would be ready by Friday. It seemed everything was on schedule for Mr. Thornhill’s meeting.
There was one other thing that troubled him. He’d speak to Charlotte about it when she returned.
The maids went to turn out the next room on their schedule, and Nathan looked over the list of names of possible staff to help set up the new furnishings and take care of the extra work that would come their way when Mr. Thornhill’s group arrived.
He was crossing off a young lad’s name who hadn’t impressed him when Mr. Freeman came into the lobby.
The banker stopped inside the door and looked around. “I don’t see a lot of guests milling about. Is Miss Green having a problem keeping the guests happy? I heard about an incident with her brother last week.”
“Good morning, Mr. Freeman.” Nathan wouldn’t dismiss proper business manners to appease the man who’d brought him here under false pretenses.
“I’m not interested in pleasantries, Mr. Taylor. I’m interested in my investment paying off at the bank.” He lifted a hand toward the restaurant. “And unless that room is full of paying customers, I think we have a problem.”
“No, sir. We do not have a problem. You just arrived at a time of day when the lobby is empty. Many of our guests are having breakfast, but some are packing for their departure. Remember that the hotel business is built on people coming and going. You can’t judge by how full the lobby is. Any more than you’d want people to think there was a run on your bank when you have a line at the teller’s booth.”
Mr. Freeman bristled at the comment. “I’ll need more proof than your word. The Turners could easily improve this situation without delay.”