“I won’t. At least, not yet. It will come out soon anyway. Maybe by then I’ll have figured a way to help her.”
~~~~~
Pearl breathed a sigh of relief. Two positive things had occurred. One, she still had her job at Townsend and Wyatt. Her waist was thickening but not so much to be noticeable yet. Within a month she would either need to quit or Mr. Dimmick would realize her condition and remove her from her position.
He’d been much nicer since she’d made the bed jacket for his wife. Pearl had practiced the motifs and connection stitches for the wedding gown by using them in the design of the bed jacket. Mr. Dimmick thought the garment was lovely and was very pleased it had been completed so quickly. Pearl hoped she would find a way to return to her job after the baby was older, and staying on Mr. Dimmick’s good side was part of that goal.
The second positive thing was that Mr. Guy Clary was not evident when Pearl took the bodice to be fitted. The garment was now ready to be seamed together and the skirt begun. That would take longer since it was so much bigger and more involved. The motifs would begin small at the waist and increase gradually in size as they descended to the hem and on the train.
The late July day was sunny and promised to be hot. That was why the fitting had been so early in the morning. Pearl had arrived shortly after breakfast. Daisy’s delight in the bodice pleased her. Mrs. Clary smiled affectionately as her daughter exclaimed over its beauty. The three women had shared glasses of cold lemonade on the wide porch that surrounded three sides of the house when the fitting was done.
Pearl crossed the street as she walked to the trolley stop.
“Mrs. Ward, you are looking lovely today, as usual.” At the sound of Guy Clary’s voice, the smile on Pearl’s face faded. He was leaning against a large Maple tree, obviously lying in wait for her since he’d been hidden by the trunk until she walked passed.
“Thank you, Mr. Clary.” Pearl kept walking.
Mr. Clary fell into step beside her. “Mrs. Ward.” There was that slight inflection as he said her name that made Pearl think he didn’t believe the honorific was correct. “I was wondering if you and I could take lunch together? There’s a fine little place overlooking the river. Quite private where we could get to know each other better.”
Pearl never looked at him. “I’m sorry Mr. Clary. It’s impossible. Thank you for the offer.”
“Oh, Mrs. Ward.” His tone was sickeningly sweet. “I don’t think it’s as impossible as you say.” Guy picked up her left hand. “I don’t see a ring on this finger. I’m not even sure there ever has been. So, you see, I know what ‘calling’ it is that has you calling yourself Mrs. Ward.”
Pearl stopped in her tracks and faced him. “Mr. Clary, you know nothing about me but my name and that I am making the lace gown for your sister’s wedding. I am not interested in your advances. My circumstances are none of your business. I will give you one bit of information which you can easily verify.” Pearl felt tears rising, making it difficult to get the words out. “You can find my husband by taking a right lane, then left, right again in Mount Mora cemetery. He’s near the road at the back. His name is Patrick Ward. The date of his death is April 11, 1910. You go tell him you just made an improper suggestion to his widow. Good day, Mr. Clary.”
Pearl was shaking as she marched away from him. How dare he infer she was a woman of low moral character. How dare he assume she had never been married and was engaged in an illicit line of work. She wiped the tears that slipped down, escaping as she tried to blink them away.
Oh, how she missed Patrick. Missed his smile. The way he would grab her around the waist when he returned from work and kiss her until she was breathless. His endless teasing about how she burned the first meal she ever cooked for him. The tender way he loved her in the night.
Pearl sat on the bench at the trolley stop. Uncertainty and fear warred within her. Would Mr. Clary say anything to his mother about how she had spoken to him? Would she lose her commission? Would he badmouth her work even if she did complete the gown? Would anyone care that a man didn’t like his sister’s wedding gown?
That last thought made Pearl grin. As if his opinion on how his sister looked at her wedding would matter to any woman with the means to place a special order for her lace. The grin faded. It would matter if he made aspersions on her character.
Pearl’s shoulders slumped. There was nothing she could do to prevent him from doing so. She was going to lose her job at the mercantile, and now she’d made an enemy of the son of an influential client. All she could do was pray he hadn’t taken offense at her rejection and begin spreading lies about her around St. Joe.
As the trolley approached, Pearl dug out the coins she needed to pay the fare to take her back downtown to the shop.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Mrs. Ward, would you please close out your cash register and come to my office fifteen minutes before closing?” Mr. Dimmick asked.
Pearl looked up from sorting skeins of embroidery floss a child had mixed together while the mother shopped. “Yes, sir. I’ll be there promptly.”
She watched him walk away. Could this week get any worse? It seemed that every woman brought their ill-behaved child into the fabrics department. She supposed it was just about to. Multiple times a day she was sorting, picking up, or gently removing items from small hands.
The day had finally come, she was sure. This would be her last day at Townsend and Wyatt. It seemed as if overnight her stomach had increased in size. Yesterday, she’d had to move the buttons on the waistband of the skirt she wore to work. Today, it was tighter again.
Pearl had known this day was coming. She had ever since she’d realized she was expecting. Now that it was here, she realized she would miss the job. As much as her feet hurt by the end of the day, Pearl enjoyed helping her customers. Her knowledge of fabrics, flosses, and yarns had increased too. That would serve her well in the future as she branched out into more specialty laces. She might even try some other types of lace making.
Pearl eyed the display of crochet cottons and silks. She would purchase as much as she could afford before she lost her employee discount. She would have more time now to crochet. A lot more time. The thought both pleased and depressed her.
Her last sale was to herself. Pearl had taken the opportunity of her last break to run to her bank and take out enough money to pay for the threads she wanted to purchase. The amount she left on the shelves would not last long, so she wrote up an order for replacing all that she had bought.
With a word to the sales clerk in the next department, Pearl gathered her handbag and all the items in her small cubby in the ladies’ employee lounge. She wouldn’t be coming back. With one last look around, Pearl went to Mr. Dimmick’s office.
“Come in and have a seat, please, Mrs. Ward.” Mr. Dimmick stood as she entered the small room. He gave her a sad smile. “First, my wife loves her bed jacket. She even wears it when she isn’t confined to the bed. I’m hoping you will consent to making a warmer one for the winter. I plan to give her one for Christmas. We can discuss that at a later date.”
“Thank you. I look forward to helping you give her a gift she will use and enjoy.”
Mr. Dimmick sat silently, studying her. He tapped a pencil on the blotter on his desk. “Mrs. Ward, I’m sorry to have to ask you this as it’s a most personal subject, but company policy says I must.”
“There’s no need, Mr. Dimmick. I know. Yes, I am in the family way. I didn’t know when I took the position. My husband had just passed away and I needed a job.”
“You don’t need to explain. I’m sorry, but company policy doesn’t allow for your further employment at this time.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve cleaned out my cubby and left an order for needed items in my department. I want to say, I’ve enjoyed my time working here and hope you think I was an asset to Townsend and Wyatt.”
Mr. Dimmick smiled. “Yes, Mrs. Ward. You’ve proven to be an exemplary employee. I’ve plac
ed a letter of recommendation into your file in case you ever want to return or need it to seek work elsewhere. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and having you under my supervision.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He handed her a slip of paper. “Take this to accounting. They will write out your final paycheck. You’ll see that I have added two more weeks worth of pay. I hope it helps.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dimmick.” Pearl rose to leave.
“One more thing, Mrs. Ward. Please tell Miss Miller that I hope she learns to keep hold of the items she purchases in the future.” Mr. Dimmick’s grin and teasing comment softened the blow of losing her job.
~~~~~
Pearl entered the shop. Will took one look at her and went around the counter, meeting her in the middle of the room. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m no longer employed at Townsend and Wyatt.”
Will couldn’t help it. He pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, honey.” That was all he could say, not wanting to reveal he knew of her condition.
She leaned against him for a moment then straightened. “Where’s Lillian?”
“Vernon collected her a few minutes ago. He’s taking her to supper and then dancing, I think. Lillian was begging to go to the movie house and see what was playing there.”
“Are you staying to work? I can fix supper for us.” She moved behind the counter, placing the bag she carried on the workbench.
Will wanted to tell her he knew why she no longer had her job. Wanted to tell her everything would be fine. Wanted to tell her his plan, but also knew he needed to approach the topic gently. That she offered no reason for why she was now unemployed warned him not to start asking a lot of questions.
“Yes, thank you. I would appreciate that.”
Pearl turned away and began climbing the stairs. Will looked at the bag she had left behind. He looked in and saw the skeins and cones of the thread she crocheted with. He knew she received a discount on what she purchased at Townsend and Wyatt. She must have bought out all they had, taking a final advantage of it.
While Pearl made them a meal, Will worked and thought about how to bring up the subject and some way to convince her of the correctness of his plan. He’d thought of little else since he’d found out about her condition. He was no closer to a method when she called down that supper was ready than he had been before. He went up the stairs praying for inspiration and that she would be accepting of his suggestion.
Pearl was setting a platter of pork chops on the table that already had potato salad, green beans, and muffins waiting to be eaten. There was a pitcher of cool water, too.
“I didn’t make dessert, but there are some cookies in the jar,” Pearl said as she sat down across from him.
Will said grace and they filled their plates. She was a good cook, more talented with herbs and spice than Lillian or his mother. He watched as Pearl ate a few bites then began pushing the food around on her plate.
“Pearl, you have to eat.” Will laid his fork on the edge of his plate.
“I’m not very hungry.” She was looking down at her plate.
“Still, you have to eat,” he said softly.
Startled eyes flew their gaze to his. “You know. Lillian told you. She promised she wouldn’t say anything.” Pearl jumped up, intending to run from the small kitchen. Will caught her before she escaped, grabbing her shoulders from behind. He pulled her back and put an arm across, pressing her shoulders against him. She stood stiff in front of him.
“Don’t blame Lillian. I pressed her, and you know how she is. Little clues just spilled out. I’d been concerned about you for weeks. I finally realized what it was. I didn’t say anything, knowing you’d have to say something sometime soon. It’s not as if you could keep it secret forever.”
Pearl relaxed her stance. “What am I going to do, Will? I’ve been let go from my job. I can’t rely on the lace making to support me. It’s too uncertain. I’m not going to be able to keep living here. There’s not enough room for Lillian, me, and a baby.”
She raised a hand and brushed at her cheek. Will realized she was crying. He turned her around and wrapped his arms around her. He placed his chin on top of her head. “It’ll work out. God has a plan. Right now, I want you to eat. You need it, and so does the baby. After, we’ll talk about it. Come, sit down. Let’s finish the meal. There’s nothing that won’t wait.”
~~~~~
Pearl forced down every bite. Will was right. She needed to eat. Neither one spoke as they finished the meal. Will helped her do the dishes, then took her hand and led her to the davenport in the parlor. They sat facing each other.
“Pearl, do you have a plan as to how to proceed?” Will asked.
Pearl looked at his hand holding hers. “No, not really. I’ve been saving every penny, but I haven’t any idea how long it will last. The wedding dress, I should be able to complete it more quickly now. I thought maybe I could place an advertisement in the newspaper or some publication wealthy people read. I don’t know what it would be though.”
“Those are good ideas. If you make some larger items, we could display them in the windows. That might help bring in new customers and lead to more commissions.” Will squeezed her hand. “I have another idea. One that would bring you more security.”
Pearl studied his face. “What?” She watched as he took a deep breath and released it.
“You and I could get married.”
“Oh, Will, that’s a most generous offer, but you don’t need to, and shouldn’t, sacrifice your future for me. I’ll find some way to manage.”
“It’s not a sacrifice. I’ve been drawn to you from the first time I saw you. You have brought something into my life that I didn’t even know was missing.”
Pearl tilted her head to the side. “I did? What could possibly be missing from your life? You have a successful business, a loving family? What could I bring to it?”
“Peace. You exude peace, Pearl. You know my mother and Lillian. You have to admit, neither one of them are peaceful to be around. That’s what you’ve brought to me. When you are near, there’s a calmness, a peace, a relaxation of tension. I love my family dearly, but calm and restful are not adjectives associated with them.”
His comment made her smile. He was correct, no one in his family could be considered tranquil. “Wanting some peace in your life isn’t a reason to marry.”
“No, but if you are attracted to the one who brings that peace, it can be. Pearl, I am very attracted to you.”
Pearl was surprised and yet, when she thought about it, she wasn’t. Will had always been attentive, showing her every courtesy and respect. The way he treated her on the Fourth of July was more than as a friend. She hadn’t wanted to admit he was treating her more like he was courting her than simply being the other chaperone for Lillian and Vernon. She hadn’t wanted to admit that she enjoyed it also. She was still in mourning for Patrick, after all.
“I don’t know, Will. It seems like such a drastic thing for you to do. Give up the possibility of finding someone to love by marrying a woman expecting a child.”
“Love is more than an emotion. It’s an action. An act of the will. If we decide to love the way it is demonstrated in the Bible, then we could have a love grander than anyone who simply falls in love.”
“You make it sound so easy. Marriage isn’t easy, Will.”
“I know it’s not. Remember, I’ve seen my parents be married my entire life.”
Pearl gave a weak chuckle. “Still, it’s not that simple; the decision to get married.” She looked down at her lap. Will squeezed her hand.
“I want you to think about it. Sleep on it. You are tired. It had to be difficult to lose your job. We can talk about it more tomorrow. Just know this, I am not only willing to marry you, I want to. I also want to raise your child as my own. When the time comes, we will tell him or her about Patrick. That’s only right, but the child will have Miller as a last name.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
As Pearl lay in bed, she stared at the ceiling. Light from the street lights filtered in through the lace curtains, making intricate patterns on the ceiling.
What was she going to do? Will had offered to shoulder all her difficulties. Solve all her problems. To chase away the fearful demons chasing her. From that viewpoint the choice was simple. Marry him and let him take care of her and the baby.
Looked at from a different angle, was it fair to Will? He’d be taking on a wife, whom he said he was attracted to. She could believe that. Pearl also had to admit she was attracted to him. She hadn’t thought that would be possible so soon after Patrick’s death.
She had loved Patrick with all her heart. For weeks after his death, Pearl had cried herself to sleep from missing him. During those first days working at Townsend and Wyatt, she’d spent her break times crying in the ladies’ retiring room. Each day had gotten easier.
Pearl still missed him terribly, in all ways, but concerns about her future and that of their child overshadowed her grief. She had to make plans and deal with the everyday aspects of life and what was to come. She couldn’t focus on what she had lost.
Could she be a wife to Will? A wife in every sense of the word? If she didn’t think that was possible, then marriage didn’t need to be considered. It wouldn’t be fair to Will. He was giving up the possibility of finding his true love. Her being a ready and willing lover was the least she could offer.
Pearl remembered their trip through the Old Mill Waterway at the amusement park. She’d felt his intense desire for her. At the time she denied it, as she’d been confused with her own yearnings. She still loved Patrick.
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