Under the Midnight Sun

by Tracie Peterson

  One approached her. “May I help you with your luggage, miss?”

  Tayler gave him a smile. He barely looked old enough to shave. “I would love to have your assistance, young man.” She handed him the tickets for her checked cases. “Would you point me to the manager’s office?”

  He took the tags and then pointed to the door underneath the canopy that read Curry Hotel and Depot. “If you go to the front desk, I’m sure they will direct you to Mr. Bradley’s office. I’ll meet you there with your luggage and you can check in.”

  “Thank you.” Tayler handed him a large tip. The young man didn’t know she was an employee of the hotel. At least not yet. Some days it was hard to remember there were lines between the working class and the wealthy. Today, she needed lots of help, and a worker was due his wages and more. “I’d appreciate it if you could help me get it all to my room after I’ve spoken to Mr. Bradley.”

  He looked down at the bill in his hand and his eyebrows shot up. “I’ll be waiting for you, miss.” He gave her a huge smile.

  She smiled back, though she grimaced inside. Hopefully her tip wouldn’t spark gossip with the workers. But she couldn’t take it back. Besides, the boy would earn it with all her luggage. There was always a chance he wouldn’t say anything. Tayler took a moment to get her bearings and looked down the boardwalk. Buildings stretched in both directions, making up this little town of Curry. But it was the wild flowers on the hillsides that spoke to her. She couldn’t wait to pull out the new books she’d purchased in Seattle and get a closeup view of the plant life. While her studies in college had given her a good background, she found that a lot of Alaska’s plants only grew here, and she’d never seen them in person.

  A group of young socialites interrupted her reverie.

  “Heavens. Is this where we are supposed to stay? All summer?” The tallest of the group turned her nose up at the hotel. “What an ugly brick building.”

  An impeccably dressed man walked up behind her. “Esmerelda, my dear, this is an extremely highly rated and luxurious hotel. The only of its kind in all of the territory. The President even stayed here when it opened.” The man puffed out his chest. “I’ve asked to be placed in the same accommodations.” The man must be her father. He walked a few steps ahead, and a woman tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow.

  The woman looked over her shoulder at the girls. “It may not be up to our usual standard, but please, be courteous.”

  The couple walked into the hotel while the three girls stood and chattered. Dressed in their finery, the girls stayed on the platform and looked among the crowd, whispering to one another.

  Probably about their clothing and station in life.

  Tayler shook her head. She knew all too well—because she came from that crowd. The elite. The spoiled. The group that Tayler never wanted to fit into. She’d discovered years ago that most young women her age were caught up in material things, and while she had plenty of money and material things to her name, Tayler wanted so much more than the shallow life her peers yearned for.

  Shaking her head free of those thoughts, she decided it was time to meet her new boss.

  Following the crowd of passengers through the front doors, she couldn’t help but gasp at the interior of the hotel. It was lovely! Gleaming dark wood framed the entire lobby, and the red carpets were beautiful. Her favorite color.

  Delicious smells assaulted her nose. Some type of bread was baking and it made her mouth water. Looking to her left, she noticed an elegant dining room. That must be where all the guests ate their meals. As Tayler Hale, the socialite, she’d eaten many fine meals in dining rooms like that one, but as Tayler Hale, the hardworking naturalist, she’d have to find where the staff ate their meals. As long as it smelled as good as what was wafting her direction just now. Her stomach rumbled.

  The line at the desk moved at a nice pace as boys brought luggage to the passengers and then escorted the people to their rooms. The staff seemed incredibly efficient. And a well-run hotel meant the manager was top-notch.

  Excitement filled her even as exhaustion pulled at her mind. Mr. Cunningham was wonderful to have told her about this opportunity and given her the recommendation. It seemed the perfect place for her. Now as long as Emerson didn’t get word of where she was, maybe he would leave her alone for a while and things would settle down. She could only pray.

  “Welcome to the Curry Hotel. How may I help you?” The pleasant young woman behind the counter gave her a big smile.

  “My name is Tayler Hale. I believe you have a room for me? And I will need to speak to Mr. Bradley.”

  The young woman looked down at her ledger and then quirked an eyebrow in her direction. “I’m so glad you’re here. Why don’t you speak to Mr. Bradley first and then I will get you settled?” She came out from behind the counter and led Tayler to a door behind the reception area. She knocked and opened the door. “Mr. Bradley, Miss Hale is here to speak with you.” The receptionist looked back to Tayler and smiled. “I’ll be at the desk when you’re done.”

  The manager sat behind his desk, with his head buried in a ledger. “My apologies. I’ve only got a few minutes, Miss Hale. I’m waiting on a new employee to arrive.” He looked up and stood. “How may I help you?”

  “I’m your new employee.”

  “I’m sorry, but if you’ve been hired for kitchen work, you need to see Mrs. Johnson. Let’s head down there and I will introduce you.”

  “No, I’m not here for kitchen work. Please.” She stuck out her hand. “Mr. Bradley, it’s a privilege to meet you. I’m Tayler Hale.”

  The manager blinked rapidly.

  Tayler tilted her head. Was she not the employee he was waiting for? Had he forgotten she was coming? “You hired me through Mr. Cunningham? I’m from Yellowstone. You needed another guide and lecturer—a naturalist and interpreter?”

  “You’re Tayler Hale?” Mr. Bradley shook his head and ran a hand down his face. “Please have a seat.”

  “Is there a problem, Mr. Bradley?”

  The man paced behind his desk with his hands on his hips. “Um . . . well . . . My apologies once again, Miss Hale, but to be blunt, we were expecting a man.”

  “A man?”

  “Yes. Cunningham didn’t mention that you were a woman . . . and he sent your name and stellar recommendations. I just assumed . . .” He let the words fall and straightened. “My apologies, but your name is quite unusual for a woman.”

  “Sir, I promise you that I’m more capable than most of the men I worked with in Yellowstone. Not that men don’t do a good job—I didn’t mean that—but I’ve got a great deal of experience and expertise. From the time I was a young girl, my father had me camping and exploring the Rocky Mountains. I graduated college at the top of my class. I had to work with men who had little more knowledge than the ability to set up their tent. If that.” Tayler felt the heat rising to her face. This couldn’t be happening. “As to my name, it’s unusual for a woman, yes, but my father gave me my name. It was my grandmother’s middle name and has been passed down through our family for some time.”

  Mr. Bradley cleared his throat and pointed to a chair. “Why don’t you have a seat?” He sat in the chair behind the desk.

  “Sir, I came a long way for this job, and I know you need the help.”

  He held up a hand. “Oh, I’m sure you’re quite capable. Cunningham wouldn’t have sent me anyone less. But the other guides are men and I’m not sure . . . well, I just wasn’t planning on hiring a woman for this position.”

  “But, sir, if I may be so bold, this is 1929. Women have the vote and are even serving in Congress. I’ve worked for Yellowstone for five years. That’s got to tell you something of my abilities.”

  He chuckled. “Well, you’ve got spunk, I’ll give you that. And I’m sure you were wonderful at your job in Yellowstone—”

  “Please”—she couldn’t let this opportunity pass—“will you allow me the chance to prove myself?”

&
nbsp; Mr. Bradley leaned forward and put his elbows on his desk. “I don’t think you need to prove yourself, Miss Hale, but I do need to speak with the other two men who run all the outdoor programs. I’ll leave the decision up to them.”

  He stood and walked toward the door.

  Tayler stood and felt a bit defeated. Surely she could prove to these men that she was capable.

  “Now, if you’ll follow me, let’s go find Mr. Brennan and Mr. Smith.”

  Without any other options, she followed him out the door and prayed that Mr. Brennan and Mr. Smith would have compassion.

  Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow as he handed Allan another of the crates shipped from the mountaineering store in Seattle. It still amazed him that a man with such a large amount of money would work side by side with him every day. Yet Allan and Cassidy Brennan treated everyone the same and lived simply. Although, this past winter, they did spend a good bit of money to build a larger house. It seemed the twins were taking up a lot of space. The thought made Thomas laugh. Who knew that two toddlers could turn the world upside down?

  “What’s so funny?” Allan’s face was red as he smiled. “Wondering if this old man can keep up with you?”

  “That’s not at all what I was thinking. But I was thinking about your twins and how they take up a lot of space.”

  Allan rolled his eyes. “You’re telling me. If you ask Cassidy, she says they’ll soon take over the world with all their blocks, toys, and balls. And the fact that we’ve been acquiring two of everything.” He sighed. “It’s no wonder I can’t keep up with a young college graduate like yourself. You still get your sleep.”

  Thomas laughed. “I didn’t say you were old. Just for the record.”

  “You didn’t have to. I’m feeling my age today.”

  “Only because of all the hefty crates. Good grief, how much stuff did you order?”

  Allan smiled. “Perks of owning the company. I can get whatever I want.” He winked.

  “Well, next time, why don’t you have them send a guy to do all the heavy lifting while you’re at it.”

  Mr. Bradley rounded the corner at quite a pace. His face looked flustered, like he was upset about something, but the man was on edge most of the time trying to keep the hotel running at the highest of quality. A small, shapely woman was several steps behind him. Someone Thomas didn’t recognize.

  He straightened and wiped his face and neck again with his handkerchief. They must look a sight, all sweaty with their sleeves rolled up and their jackets tossed on one of the crates.

  “Gentlemen, I’d like you to meet someone.” Bradley held out his arm and watched as the lady caught up.

  Now that she was closer, Thomas got a better look at her. Her brown hair was curled, and most of it was tucked up into her hat, except for the few curls that escaped on the sides. She smiled at them. And when her dark-eyed gaze met his, Thomas’s heart did a little flip.

  Dressed in a stylish suit, she exuded confidence. The closer she got, the more Thomas noticed that she was . . . short.

  “This is Miss Tayler Hale.” Their manager’s lips were a tight, thin line. “She’s come to us from Yellowstone as the new naturalist and guide.”

  That name? It hit Thomas in the gut. They’d all been expecting a man. And here stood a woman. A short woman at that. No wonder Mr. Bradley looked upset.

  Allan held out a hand to Miss Hale. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Allan Brennan, and this fella is Thomas Smith.” He elbowed Thomas.

  Sticking out his hand, Thomas nodded. “Nice to meet you, Miss Hale.”

  Mr. Bradley walked over to Allan and whispered something in his ear. Then he turned on his heel. “I’ll be up in my office, Miss Hale.” Then he walked away.

  Thomas looked to Allan.

  But his friend just smiled and motioned for them all to sit on the crates. “So, Tayler, tell us about yourself.”

  She lowered her brows. “If you don’t mind my being direct, didn’t Mr. Bradley tell you his concerns?”

  “What? That you’re a woman, and we all thought you’d be a man?” Allan laughed and crossed his arms, looking relaxed and calm. “I’m not worried about that. Tell us what you did at Yellowstone and a little about your experience.”

  Thomas wasn’t sure what to think as Miss Hale told them about her experience in the Rocky Mountains as a young girl and then studying for her degree in botany. Apparently, she’d been working at Yellowstone in the summers for the past five years, guiding tourists in a better understanding of the park and even saving a few from bear and moose attacks. Impressive. If the stories were true. But could she do the job here? There wasn’t much to her. Short and pretty, she definitely was a woman with plenty of curves, which made Thomas blush that he was even sitting here thinking about it. It was all a bit too much like with Caroline. And that had ended in disaster. Thomas shook his head to get rid of the memory.

  “I’m impressed.” Allan slapped Thomas on the back. “What do you think?”

  Not ready to be put on the spot, he cleared his throat. “Well, um . . . it sounds like you indeed have a lot of experience, but Alaska is a whole lot different from Colorado or Yellowstone—at least as far as I’ve heard and read.”

  Miss Hale just gave him a sweet smile. “Yes, I can see that for myself. I’m willing to learn. And as soon as I heard of the position, I started doing extensive research.”

  Allan looked back at him as if he was expecting Thomas to say something profound. His friend raised his eyebrows. “Well, Mr. Bradley asked us to make the decision about Tayler, since we weren’t expecting a woman.”

  “And?” Thomas wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. He swallowed.

  Brennan just laughed again. “And . . . so I’m asking for your opinion. What do you say?”

  It was almost like the breath had been knocked out of him. Looking at Miss Hale, he had to admit she was attractive—very attractive, which could be a problem—but it embarrassed him to voice his thoughts about her working with them. How could he do that in a professional manner? The memory of Caroline’s antics, promises, and accident couldn’t be easily forgotten. Her screams as she fell with the landslide—of her own making—were still easy to recall. She too had come with promises of her abilities and knowledge, but those had been lies or at best exaggerations. How could he trust that Miss Hale wouldn’t be the same?

  “I . . . that is . . . well, as much as I respect women’s rights to hold different jobs and to vote and all that . . . I’m concerned that the conditions up here may be more than she can manage.” And that she might be too distracting. But he shook his head of that thought.

  Miss Hale stood.

  Thomas stood. He towered over her by a good foot.

  All smiles gone, she placed her hands on her hips. “Have you ever scaled a fourteener, Mr. Smith?”

  “No.” He swallowed again, but his mouth had gone suddenly dry.

  “I have. Have you ever spent the better part of a summer living completely off the land?”

  “Well . . . uh . . . no.”

  “I have. Have you ever had to rescue one of your hikers—single-handedly, mind you—because they ventured too close to the dangerous hot springs?”

  “No, miss, I haven’t.”

  She stepped closer and tilted her head back to look up at him. “Well, I have. I have faced down mama bears and angry moose on multiple occasions and had to keep tourists from getting trampled by the buffalo. I’m an excellent shot with a rifle and a pistol. Not only that, I’m not so prideful of my abilities that I don’t realize there’s always something to learn.” Her eyes sparked with intelligence. “I’ve come a long way for this job, and I was recommended by one of the top men of the field in this country.” She lowered her arms and stepped back a pace.

  Thomas was instantly sorry. Not for how he felt about her working with them, but that he missed her presence as soon as she moved.

  “I’d be forever grateful if you all would allow me to do my
job here. It’s hardly fair to judge me by my appearance or because I’m a woman. God looks at the heart. I can assure you my heart is to be the best naturalist and tour guide I can be, and I’d appreciate your at least giving me a chance to prove myself.”

  Allan walked over and winked again at Thomas. “I like your attitude, Tayler Hale. As far as I’m concerned, you can stay. Of course, if you fail to learn, can’t keep up, or cause any upheaval, we’ll have to find someone else. That would go for any new employee. You will come to find out that safety is our utmost concern here. Not just for the guests, but for all of us as well. We have strict guidelines and rules that we expect to be followed.”

  Her smile was back and her shoulders lifted. But she didn’t look at Thomas. Her attention was all directed at Allan. “Thank you, Mr. Brennan. I won’t let you down.” She shook his hand again.

  Allan turned to Thomas. “What do you say?”

  He nodded his head and swallowed. Allan was his boss and his friend. He couldn’t argue with him. At least not here. Maybe he could voice his concerns later—tell him about Caroline and how her lies nearly got an entire group of field researchers killed. “Of course, everyone deserves a chance.” He tried to give her a smile, but it felt lopsided. What was wrong with him?

  Tayler Hale shook his hand too, but her smile had dimmed. “I’d better get back to the lobby. I had a boy watching all my luggage, and I don’t want to keep him waiting any longer.”

  Allan held up a hand. “Dinner is at eight thirty for all the staff in the downstairs dining room. You go ahead and get settled. We will see you at dinner and then you can meet us back here at seven sharp tomorrow morning.”

  She beamed another smile toward Allan, then turned and walked back the way she’d come.

  Thomas watched her for several moments. They’d just hired a woman. Somehow it felt like a catastrophe in the making. And not just for the Curry Hotel.

  8

  The Curry kitchen bustled with the finishing touches for the dinner hour. Margaret watched over all of her workers to make sure that the meal would be up to her high standards. After all these years running the Curry kitchen, it never ceased to thrill her to put out fine, exquisite meals.