Gilbert felt a wave of gratitude for his brother. That had been a difficult conversation, and he appreciated the emotional privacy he’d been given. “I asked around, and Mr. Appleby has a spare room above the general store. I think that will do for now, but I want to keep looking just in case, and we’ll eventually want to build a place of our own.” He glanced back and forth between Stephen and Sarah. “I realize this is frightening. I’ve just blown into town and made a preposterous suggestion, and you’ll need time to think as well as time for me to arrange the details. I’m willing to take the full bulk of the financial responsibility upon myself so that if it fails, I’m the only one it hurts, but if it succeeds, we’d split everything evenly.”
Stephen shook his head. “Absolutely not. That’s completely unfair.”
“It’s a generous offer, but we couldn’t allow you to do that,” Sarah added.
“Let’s keep talking, and then give us a day or two to think it over. If we do this, we’ll do it as equal partners both in the risk and the reward,” Stephen said.
Gilbert pulled in a deep breath. “Thank you,” he said. “You’re exhibiting a lot of faith in me, and I appreciate that.”
Stephen reached out and clapped his shoulder. “I believe it’s deserved.”
Chapter Seven
After they finished eating, the pastor and his wife visited with the Brodys until Grace was finished with her dining room tasks, and then she took them upstairs to see Nora. Nora had been brought a dinner tray, and she looked much better than she had when Grace had come to check on her earlier.
“Pastor Osbourne, Mrs. Osbourne, this is Nora Denning,” Grace introduced.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the pastor said, stepping forward to take Nora’s hand. Then he turned and pulled the two chairs in the room closer to the bed. “Grace, is there an extra chair I can fetch so we can all three sit down?”
“I’m fine standing, but thank you,” Grace told him, then took a couple of steps back so she wouldn’t be intruding in their private conversation. She’d be there for Nora as much as she could, but she didn’t want to take over or be in the way.
The pastor nodded, and he and his wife sat down.
“When the doctor stopped by my house, Jeanette indicated that this was a delicate situation, so I thought I’d bring my wife along in case that would be helpful,” he said. “Women have a way of speaking to each other that men don’t understand.”
“Isn’t my husband wise?” Oliva interjected. “I’ve trained him so well.”
Nora smiled faintly. “Thank you for coming, Mrs. Osbourne. Pastor, thank you too. I’m . . . well, I’m sort of at a loss for where to begin.”
“Wherever you feel comfortable,” he replied.
“That’s just it. I don’t feel comfortable about any part of it.” Nora took a deep breath and then exhaled in a rush. “I suppose I should just say it and get it over and done with. I was assaulted a few months ago, and now I’m expecting a baby. Dr. Wayment is taking care of me and says I’ll deliver in the fall.”
Olivia reached out and grasped Nora’s hand, but didn’t say anything.
“Has the man been arrested?” the pastor asked.
“No. I didn’t know him, and I only caught glimpses of his face—it would be difficult for me to identify him. Then I left the area. I just want to move forward, if that’s at all possible.”
“Where are your parents, Nora?” Olivia asked.
Nora looked down at the blanket and then back up. “They threw me out, and that’s what brought me here looking for work. The Brodys have said that I may stay as long as I need to.”
“Excellent,” the pastor replied. “Adam and Elizabeth are two of the most generous souls I know. They’ll take good care of you.”
“I’ve been amazed at everyone’s kindness,” Nora said. “Really, someone in my position couldn’t ask for more.” She paused. “Except for one thing.”
“What’s that?” the pastor asked.
Nora glanced over at Grace as if to draw strength, and Grace smiled and nodded. Nora could do this. She knew she could—she’d already exhibited a great deal of courage.
“I’ve never been very religious, but for the last few months, it seems that’s all I can think about,” Nora began. “Pastor, I need to know my standing before God. Have I lost all hope as far as heaven is concerned? What will become of me from this point on?”
The pastor took a deep breath. “Nora, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about God, not just from my time as a preacher, but from living life myself, it’s that He is full of mercy. He wants to give us chances. He wants us to be able to move forward, as you said. His judgment would come upon your attacker, not you, and you should feel no hesitancy about pursuing a daily walk with Him.”
“But . . . but I’m not pure anymore,” Nora said, not meeting the pastor’s eyes. Grace could only guess what she was feeling—no one could know the hurt Nora had experienced but Nora herself.
“That is a notion you must put from your mind,” Pastor Osbourne said. “If you believe what God has said, then you must believe that He can make right what has gone wrong, and that His grace is sufficient for all. In fact, I think there’s a whole book written on that very topic.” He smiled. “I’m sorry—I always complained that church put me to sleep, and now here I am, giving you a sermon. You must understand, though, Nora, that none of this hurts you in the eyes of a loving God. The fact that you are seeking His approval must be very pleasing to Him, and He will help you create a new life for yourself from this day on.”
Nora wiped her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Now, you look completely done in,” Olivia said, standing up. “I think the best thing for you is a good night’s sleep. Shall we come visit you again tomorrow?”
“I’d like that,” Nora replied, and Grace noticed that she had a look of peace about her that she hadn’t before.
“Then we’ll plan on it.” Olivia turned to Grace. “May I speak with you for a minute? Maybe you could walk down with us.”
“Of course.” Grace turned to Nora. “I’ll be back in a little while, all right? Sarah said we have quite a lot of leftover pie—I’ll bring you some.”
Nora smiled in response, and Grace led the way downstairs.
There was no one in the parlor, so Grace sat down across from Olivia and the pastor, knowing they wouldn’t be overheard. “Thank you so much for coming,” she told them. “Nora looks content for the first time since she arrived.”
“I’m glad we could be of help,” the pastor said. “Real comfort comes from God, of course, but it’s always a pleasure when we can help someone reconnect with that truth.”
Olivia reached out and touched Grace’s arm. “And now it’s you I’m concerned about.”
Grace blinked. “Me? Why are you worried about me?”
“Maybe because you’re one of the sassiest people I know, next to me, but I don’t see a single spark in you right now. What’s the matter, Grace? What’s troubling you?”
Grace let out a long breath and sat back in her chair. “It’s that obvious?”
“It’s that obvious.” Olivia fixed her with a look. “Tell us what’s going on or we’ll have to employ certain . . . tactics of convincing you.”
“Tactics? What kind of tactics?”
“Withholding pie, for one thing. I know you enjoy pie.”
Grace laughed. “All right, I’ll tell you. No need to become devious about it.” The smile faded from her face. “I’m just worn out. Right to the very bone. When Giselle left on her honeymoon, she asked me to run the dining room in her place, and I was happy to help—she hasn’t had much time off in ages, and everyone deserves to have a honeymoon. But it’s been a lot harder than I thought it would be, and we ran out of clean napkins and had to resort to the emergency stash, and then all this with Nora . . .”
Grace rubbed her eyes. She was so tired. “I want to help her, and I’m sorry if I sound like I’m compl
aining, but I don’t know what to do for her. This is so far beyond anything I’ve encountered before, and while she hasn’t asked for a lot, I do still feel exhausted from trying to support her. It’s the worry more than anything. And now she’s having pains, and what if something goes wrong—there’s so much that could happen here. She could be in danger of losing her life.”
Olivia scooted to the edge of her chair and wrapped her arm around Grace’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry that you’ve had such a burden to bear.”
“I’m grateful that my friends feel they can trust me to help them. That’s an honor. I just don’t feel up to the tasks. I’ve never been a leader—I’ve always been a follower. And I’m a good friend and confidante, but I’m terrible at giving advice. All I can think is, why me? Why did they choose me?”
“I don’t think you give yourself nearly enough credit, Grace,” Pastor Osbourne said. “Why are you expecting perfection from yourself? That’s an awfully hard thing to live up to. Hasn’t Giselle ever made a mistake?”
“Well, yes, but she always figured out a way to make it work.”
“I’d say that you did too. You said there were emergency napkins somewhere. And perhaps I’m speaking absolute blasphemy, but I have to say, I don’t consider a lack of napkins to be the end of the world.”
Both Grace and Olivia looked at him in shock. Olivia recovered first. “My dear, how does one run a proper dining room without napkins?”
“I assume that one could just eat their food and be glad to have it.”
“But how would one wipe their mouth?”
Pastor Osbourne chuckled at his wife’s response. “I see that I don’t understand all the ins and outs of this, so I’ll move on. I think the issue at hand is convincing Grace that she’s doing an excellent job, even if she doesn’t believe she is.”
Olivia turned back to Grace. “It’s very kind of him to admit when he knows nothing about something. Listen—you’re done for the night, aren’t you? Why don’t you go to bed early? Ask one of the other girls to check on Nora, and you get some sleep.”
Grace’s first impulse was to say no, but the idea did sound wonderful, and she realized that was exactly what she needed. “I think I will. Thank you, Olivia. Thank you, Pastor.”
“You’re welcome,” Olivia said.
At the same time, the pastor said, “And no offense meant to your napkins.”
Grace chuckled. “None taken.”
She bid the Osbournes goodnight, asked Posy to check in on Nora, then climbed the two flights of stairs to the attic room shared by all the waitresses. Within moments, she was ready for bed and had slipped under the covers. It felt so good to relax, knowing that someone else was taking over her responsibilities even if just for a few minutes.
Chapter Eight
Grace awoke with a start when she heard the train whistle. It couldn’t be time for the train already—why hadn’t she heard the other girls get up? Why didn’t any of them tell her it was morning?
She pulled on her work dress and fastened the buttons as quickly as she could, fumbled several times as she did up her shoes, and raced down the stairs.
“Slow down there,” Olivia Osbourne said, meeting Grace at the foot of the staircase. “No need to rush.”
Grace came to a stop. “Olivia? What are you doing here?” The dark-haired woman wore a black dress and a white apron, and looked for all the world like she was ready to work.
Olivia grinned. “I’m here to give you a day off. I arranged it all with Elizabeth before I left last night.”
“I’m sorry—I don’t understand.” Grace was still rattled from waking up so suddenly, and she couldn’t piece together what Olivia was saying.
“I’m going to take your shifts today, and you’re going to do whatever you like. I had the girls let you sleep this morning—they were more than happy to—and you can go back to bed or go shopping or even read a new book.” Olivia stepped off to the side and picked up a sack. “I have a friend with a fantastic collection of novels, and she chose out ten of her favorites for you to borrow.” She thrust the sack into Grace’s hands.
“Ten? Really?” Grace couldn’t even remember the last time she’d sat down with a new book, she’d been so busy. “I love novels!”
Olivia laughed. “I know you do. And that’s what today is about—you’re to do all the things you love to do. You need to get your spark back, Grace.” She put her hand on Grace’s shoulder. “You need to take care of yourself while you’re taking care of everyone else,” she said gently. “If you lose who you are because you forget to be kind to yourself, you’re really not accomplishing as much as you think you are.”
“It feels selfish to take a whole day just for me,” Grace admitted. “And for you to take over—is that even fair?”
“Nonsense!” Olivia retorted. “A day off is exactly what you need, and it will make you a better waitress in the long run because you won’t be so exhausted. Elizabeth tells me that you’ve been working long hours since before Giselle got married. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes,” Grace said. “We lost several waitresses all at once, and we still need one or two more, with the extra trains that were added to the schedule.”
“See? This has been going on for a while, and Elizabeth says that you fill in for the other girls when they take time off. She appreciates that, but she says you’re entirely too generous. And as far as me taking over for you?” Olivia put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you remember that I was one of the first waitresses here at the Brody? I know this place inside and out, and I’m more than capable of stepping in. Now, we’ve wasted ten whole minutes of your day off standing here arguing about whether you should even have one. Shoo! I have customers to feed.”
“Thank you, Olivia. I won’t argue with you anymore.” Grace gave the pastor’s wife a quick hug, then turned and went back upstairs. A day off to do whatever she wanted . . . just what was that? It was so hard to decide.
The first thing she did was change her dress. Brody Hotel waitresses wore dark dresses with white aprons, but today, she was just Grace, and she wanted to wear something that looked like spring. She chose out a light blue dress and fixed her hair differently, a little looser and less severe, then spread out the borrowed books on her bed.
She couldn’t hold back a chuckle as she read over the titles. They were all new to her—ten stories she’d never seen before. It was like Christmas and her birthday all at once. She picked one to take with her and slipped it into her bag, then headed downstairs.
The meal service was in full swing and she didn’t want to interrupt anything, so rather than going through the dining room, she went out the front door and around the side of the building, reentering at the kitchen door. Sarah and Ruth looked up as she came in.
“I’m making a tray for Nora,” Ruth said, indicating the table where the tray was set out. “We want you to enjoy your day.”
“I feel spoiled,” Grace said. “Like I should be staying here and sending you out to have some fun.”
“We already get time off. You haven’t taken any,” Sarah replied. “Sit down at the table and have some breakfast. Then what are your plans?”
“I thought I’d go down by the river and read for a while,” Grace replied.
“I’ll pack you a picnic lunch.” Ruth held up a finger. “And no arguing.”
Grace had been put in her place so many times in the last fifteen minutes, she wasn’t about to protest. It wouldn’t do her any good anyway.
She ate her breakfast, gathered up the picnic Ruth had prepared, and left the girls to clean up the dining room while she went back outside. Her plan was to ask Tom to saddle a horse for her, but when she reached the barn, she saw that he’d already done just that.
“How did you know?” she said when she saw him.
He grinned, his blond hair sticking up a little in the back like it sometimes did. “One of the girls came out and asked me already. I can’t see the future or anything like
that, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Maybe just a little. Thank you, Tom. I appreciate it.”
He gave her a boost and helped put her things in the saddlebags, and off she went.
The Kansas River flowed a few miles north of town, far enough away to be secluded and peaceful, but close enough that the townspeople enjoyed outings there quite a bit. When the waitresses needed a break from people and chaos and noise, they’d come out this way and sit along the banks and listen to the water as it churned on its course. That was what Grace needed more than anything.
Once she reached her favorite spot, a place where the banks were grassy and inviting, she spread out the blanket Tom had provided, took everything out of the saddlebags, and let the horse graze while she made herself comfortable. Ruth had packed her some bread, meat, cheese, a cherry tart, and a jar of water. Grace took a sip of water, settled back, and began to read.
Before long, her eyes began to droop, and she closed them. The story was fascinating and she wanted to keep reading, but the sound of the water and the warmth of the spring sun were casting a spell on her, and she couldn’t help but succumb.
But then she heard a twig snap. It wasn’t the horse—he was to her left. This sound had come from her right.
In a flash, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small pistol she’d hidden there. “Who is it?” she called, holding the pistol at the ready. “Show yourself.”
“Grace, it’s me. Gilbert.” He stepped out from the trees, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture. “I’m unarmed, and I’m not going to rob you or toss you in the river. I promise.”
“All right, you may come closer. But only because you promised.” She slid the weapon back in her pocket, and he sat down on the blanket. “What brings you all the way out here?”
“I was riding around, looking for available properties, and one of the men I was speaking with told me that I should look at spots near the river. I’ve been thinking that if I’m going into the shipping business, it might be wise for me to ship by boat as well as by train. And then my horse threw a shoe, and here I am.”
An Unspoken Dream (Kansas Crossroads Book 13) Page 5