by Beth Bennett
As they climbed in, Jimmy smiled broadly and tipped his hat. Liza whispered. “Jimmy is just a friend. Just in case you were wondering.” The rig rattled over the cobblestones but it blended in with the sound of all the other late night cabs.
Olivia was amazed there were still so many about. “What are all these people doing out this time of night?”
“Oh,” Liza exclaimed. “New York goes on nearly all night long.”
They wound their way through the city streets until finally arriving at a brightly lit warehouse. A lively tune floated out the front door. Suddenly a man came stumbling out onto the street followed by a ruffian who jumped on top of him. The large man at the doorway yelled. “Take it outside.”
Olivia looked at Liza. “Do you really think we should be here?”
Liza simply laughed. “You’ve got a lot to learn about New York.”
Jimmy tied up the rig and helped them down.
“I’m so glad you decided to come,” he whispered in her ear.
He was more handsome than she remembered. “I’m glad too.”
“Stick close to me tonight. Sometimes these gatherings can get a little rough.” Olivia nodded, wide-eyed.
When they entered the old warehouse, she was overwhelmed with the bright lights and noise. A makeshift bar had been set up to one side. The whole place was filled with drinkers, dancers and card players. Every vice Aunt Bessie had ever warned her about was going on. A tall young man ran up to Liza and wrapped her in an embrace, picking her up off the floor and turning her round and round.
“So glad to see you tonight, lovey.” He kissed her on her cheek as he put her down. “And who might your friend be?”
“This is Olivia. You know Jimmy already. Olivia, this is Jack O’Callihan. Jack and I go way back.”
He laughed gaily and tipped his hat. “Indeed we do me darling. Can I get ya a pint ta drink?” Liza nodded and went with him.
Jimmy spirited Olivia away. He grasped her by the arm and took her to the bar. It was so crowded, there was hardly a place to stand. Jimmy flipped the barkeep a coin and a huge mug of beer was placed in front of her. Olivia watched as Jimmy downed nearly half his glass in one draught.
“If I drink that, I won’t be able to walk,” Olivia shouted over the din.
Jimmy laughed. “Just take a few sips then.”
Olivia picked up the mug and took a drink. It was strong but delicious. She especially liked the froth at the top.
She watched as Jack twirled Liza around, then tossed her in the air. Looking over Jimmy’s shoulder, she scrutinized several groups of men playing cards. Thinking of the dime novels she had read, she silently hoped no one tried to shoot each other.
“Come on, Livia. Let’s dance.” Jimmy took her by the hand and began leading her toward the dance floor, while a man in the corner pounded out a tune on a broken down piano. A string bass and fiddle joined in the merriment.
“I never danced before in my whole life.”
“There’s nothing to it.”
Jimmy took her hands in his and they joined in the melee. Round and round they went until Olivia was out of breath. Jimmy even picked her up and she felt her dress float up as he set her down. Embarrassed, Olivia looked around to see if anyone had seen her bloomers. She needn’t have worried. The other women were kicking up their heels oblivious to whatever sights they were showing.
“Let’s go sit down, Jimmy. I think my legs are going to fall off.”
He laughed and she took his arm as they joined Liza and Jack at some rickety old chairs and small tables set off to the side. He ordered two more beers.
Looking over his glass, his brown eyes held a twinkle. “I was thinking about the last time I saw you. I never imagined in all my life we would ever meet again, much less in New York City. I’m so glad you could come. You look beautiful tonight.” He reached over and took her hand giving it a squeeze. “I never stopped thinking about you, Olivia.”
“You know I never stopped thinking about you, either.”
To Olivia’s shock, Jimmy leaned over and kissed her on the lips. It was the fumbling kiss of a boy. Nearly the same as the one he had given her as a child. Only this time, the eager and new expectation she had known then, had changed. He did not thrill her heart as he once had. It surprised her. She loved Jimmy. She always would, but his kiss had not stirred her a bit. It felt more like the kiss of a brother.
She looked up at the cacophony of people, of sound and of noise. The merriment seemed to lose its’ appeal. Dancers flew by and the raucous laughter of men, full of too much beer became annoying.
Jimmy’s smiling face interrupted her thoughts. “Dance with me again.” He took her hands in his. The music had slowed to a waltz and the dancers leaned against one another. Olivia held Jimmy at arm’s length as she tried to follow his steps. He did not try to pull her close. For that, she was thankful.
“What are you thinking about, Livia?”
The walls passed by as the waltz moved them round and round the room.
“I guess I was thinkin about home.”
“New York isn’t like our mountains, is it?”
“It sure ain’t.” She said it on purpose. Jimmy laughed at the joke.
“It takes a long time to get used to the city.”
“Oh, Jimmy, I don’t think I ever will. I just don’t fit in.”
“You fit in with me.”
Olivia felt a tug on her arm. It was Liza. “We’ve got to be going. It’s past midnight and I have to work tomorrow.”
Olivia nodded and she and Jimmy followed Liza and Jack out the front door. Jimmy took her hand again when she stepped up into the rig. “I want to see you again.”
“We’ll talk, soon.” She demurred. Jack kissed Liza good-bye.
The street lamps lit their way back to the brownstone. “Did cha have fun?” Liza asked.
In truth, Olivia had felt just as out of place at the dance as she had in the rest of New York. “It was nice,” Olivia murmured. “Thank you for asking me.”
They were home. Jimmy brought the rig to a stop and tipped his hat as Liza pulled Olivia out of the carriage and up the dark kitchen steps. Giggles and hushed tones of “Shhhh” sounded out. The back door rattled before they could get it completely closed. “Hell and Damnation” Liza whispered, which made Olivia giggle all the more. Olivia reached to turn up a lamp when suddenly, a large male hand got there first. Light spilled over the room lighting up Jackson’s face. He was seated at the kitchen table. Olivia’s heart caught in her throat. Liza gasped.
“And just where were you two?” He looked forbidding and angry.
“Oh Lord,” Liza whispered as she held her chest.
Olivia swallowed…hard. Her hand had nearly touched his when she reached for the lamp. She took two steps back and found herself against the back door. Slowly, she reached for the door knob.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, young lady. I’m much faster than you are.” Olivia removed her trembling hand. Two chickens, caught by a fox in the hen house. That’s what we are.
Jackson leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He splayed his legs straight out in front of him and crossed them at the ankles. For dramatic effect, he laid his pistol on the table. Olivia thought Liza’s eyes were going to pop out of her head. The girl’s mouth was wide open. She hoped there weren’t any flies in the kitchen. Liza might just swallow one.
Liza’s terror had a disastrous effect on Olivia. It caused a giggle to form at the back of her throat. She was horrified. It must be stopped. She could not laugh. Not now. She closed her mouth tight and pinched her nose shut. The giggle threatened to erupt and blow her brains out through her nostrils. The pressure kept building. Olivia glanced at the table. What was Jackson going to do with a pistol? Shoot them? Liza’s face was now blue and Olivia was sure she was hyperventilating. Poor Liza did not find any of this funny, whatsoever.
Then, Olivia went and did it. She snorted. It was not a ladyli
ke snort or a small sneezy type of snort. It was a giggle snort. Olivia placed the flats of her palms against her face and mouth. She simply had to get control of herself. “I’m so sorry, Jackson.” Came the muffled sound. “We, hee, hee. We didn’t mean to…hee hee hee.” Olivia went back to holding her nose.
Jackson barked, “Miss Liza, your indiscretions will be addressed by Mr. Simmons in the morning. I would not hold out much hope that you shall be keeping your position with this household. You may leave.” Liza scurried down the stairs. A trail of weeping following behind. That sobered Olivia.
“As for you, young miss.” Jackson rose and crossed the room to stand towering over her like some grim reaper. His hands were on his hips but he looked like he was about to throttle her any moment.
Olivia set her jaw, tilted her head, and looked him straight in the eye. “You made me laugh.”
His face was full of fury. “Me? How dare you! This is an extremely serious infraction.”
“Don’t you think the pistol was a bit much? How could you expect me not to giggle when you did that? Good heavens.” A few giggles continued to drop from her mouth.
“I am very upset with you, young lady.” His words had lost a little steam.
“And well you should be. If you must know, I was at a dance hall down by the docks tonight. I shouldn’t have done it.” She looked at the ceiling. “And after all that, I didn’t even like it.”
“That doesn’t excuse away any of this behavior.”
Olivia dropped her hands and looked down at the ground. “You’re absolutely right.” She looked back up at Jackson with the most pleading, innocent, expression she could manage. The giggles were now quiet but still hung around the edges of her lips. “If I tell you why I really went out, will you promise not to dismiss Liza?” Jackson was silent. “Poor Liza. Her family are immigrants and they depend on her income. They’ll starve if you put her out. She’s a good girl and this was just a mistake. It will never happen again I promise.”
“And just how do you come by all this information about the maid?”
“She and I are good friends, of course.”
“You know I told you not to fraternize with the help.”
“I’m a dirt poor farm girl from Virginia who, by some twist of fate, made it to New York City, due to the good graces of you and your family. I’m not even worthy for Liza to call me her friend. If you had not sent me here, your mother probably wouldn’t have even hired me to muck out the horse stables.” Olivia looked into the depths of his blue eyes. He visibly relaxed. “Do you want me to tell you the truth, or not?”
Jackson stepped back and put a hand on his hip. He sighed, sounding very annoyed. “You have a far lower opinion of yourself than I do.” He cast her a sideways glance. “Yes, the truth.”
Olivia raised her finger. “But first, you must promise. Liza shall get to keep her position.” She licked her lips and thought a moment. “And you mustn’t tell your mother about it. I don’t think even she would tolerate what we did tonight.”
Jackson ground his teeth. “Of all the…” He pointed to the kitchen table. “Sit down. I promise. Liza shall stay but she will no doubt be punished. That goes for you as well. Now, let’s have it.”
Olivia sat demurely at the kitchen table. Thank heavens the giggles had dissipated. “I went out to meet a boy and I needed Liza to go with me.” The dark scowl on Jackson’s face deepened. “His name is Jimmy Simpson, Mr. Whitlow’s groom. I ran into him by accident at a picnic at Jerome Park not long after I first arrived in New York. Jimmy is from Goldsboro. I couldn’t believe it.”
Jackson leaned toward her in surprise. “You mean you ran into someone from that little town, here, in New York?”
“Too strange for words isn’t it?”
“I should say.”
“He didn’t recognize me until I told him who I was, on the curb, in front of the Astoria Hotel that night we held your welcome home dinner. There wasn’t time to talk and I needed to find out what had happened to him. We all thought he had been killed during the war. He left to join up and never came home again. His name never appeared on the lists. I read the newspaper for months. We never knew what had happened.”
“Why didn’t he contact his family?”
Olivia smoothed her skirt. “He told me he had been injured and by the time he was well, his family had already left town. We were children. I don’t think he even thought about contacting me, though it would have saved me much grief if he had.” Olivia looked up into Jackson’s face. His blue eyes were warm, his face relaxed. “They were terrible years. Almost as bad as the years that followed, when Paw died.”
A sad smile formed at the corner of Jackson’s mouth. “I lost my best friend in the war.”
Olivia sat up. “You did?”
“Yes. His name was Stephen Ramseur and he fought for your side. He was a confederate.” Olivia sat completely still, hardly daring to breathe as Jackson continued. “Stephen was a friend from my days at West Point. He was an extremely youthful Major General. Quite a rank for one so young. He was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek, near your home, in fact. I made it to his bedside after the confederate surrender.” Jackson’s eyes got a far-away look. The room was absolutely still—Stephen, clad in his major general's uniform, lay on his back in the bed, eyes closed. “Ramseur, do you know me?”
He murmured my name and opened his eyes in recognition. He spoke with a great deal of effort. “Daniels, you don't know how I suffer." He then relapsed into silence closing his eyes—not, however, before extending his hand and firmly grasping mine. Not long afterwards, he died.”
Jackson’s voice was full of emotion. His eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “I don’t know why I told you that. I’ve never told another living soul that story.”
Olivia’s face was filled with compassion. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m glad your Jimmy is alive.”
“I am, too.”
“I understand why you went out. But as much as it pains me to say so, your actions call your judgment into serious question. Respectable young women do not go out at all hours of the night. You should know that.” Jackson stood up and began to pace back and forth. “What you did was not only rash, it was downright dangerous. You could have ruined your reputation, not to mention being seriously hurt. As much as I’d like to, I can’t let this go unpunished. It’s my duty to protect you. Liza shall keep her job and Simmons will mete out her punishment. I shall mete out yours, tomorrow afternoon.” He pointed to the door. “Now go to bed.”
Chapter 18
He was going to have to spank her when he got home. There was no help for it. Despite the seemingly innocent reasons for her actions, he must not waver in his decision. Olivia needed to learn more caution. He could think of no better way to teach her than some good old-fashioned discipline.
He put it out of his mind and turned his thoughts back to the account books. Where was the discrepancy? Argus Hatchgrove had been the manager for a year. According to him, business was booming. According to the bank, the company was falling short of funds. He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. He needed the books from the bank to make a comparison.
“Got a headache, old man?” Albert Winestock sauntered in from the yard. He’d recently been hired to oversee the company’s shipping interests. “Haven’t found the problem yet?”
Albert was a good man and Jackson was lucky to have him. He just didn’t feel like discussing the company’s woes at the moment. “I’m still looking. This is what happens when you let someone else manage your company.”
Albert gave a nod. “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
“I am sure Argus Hatchgrove knows something he’s not telling. When I find out what it is, there will be hell to pay. I’ve even found several personal charges he made. Things he’s been buying for a woman. He’ll be docked wages for that. It doesn’t add up to nearly enough to account for the problems the bank has been reporting, though.”
Jackson fixed Albert with a suspicious eye. “Oh, no, no, no. Don’t pretend you don’t know who she is. I’ve never seen a man make such a bee line for a young woman as you have. She’s my ward and as such, off limits to you.” He surprised himself at the vehemence of his reaction.
Albert held his hands up in protest. “I was simply inquiring as to the lady’s welfare.”
“In a pig’s eye.” Jackson scoffed. “She has no experience. None. She is far too elevated for you.”
Albert pretended offense. “I’m shocked you should think so low of me.” Albert fiddled with the cuffs on his sleeves. “You seem a bit over wrought about her.” Albert raised an eyebrow in question but Jackson refused to answer. “Well, I’ll honor your request and leave the little peach alone but hear this; a young woman that beautiful shall soon find herself courted by all manner of gentlemen. If you wish to throw your hat in the ring, you’d better do so at once, before someone else snatches her out from under your nose. Or, your house, as the case may be.” Albert donned his hat. “I’m off to check on the latest shipment. I’ll be at the docks, if you need me.”
Jackson acknowledged Albert’s farewell and turned back to the books. Olivia was indeed beautiful. Her natural attractiveness had only been enhanced by the polish of New York. A competent sophistication had settled on her small shoulders but the earnest sweetness of Virginia remained. Albert was right. As soon as the single men got wind of her, they would be buzzing around her like flies to…well, he didn’t want to think about it. He must speak to that Jimmy Simpson and warn him away as well. It was only for Olivia’s good. She was here to study and earn an education. Not to frolic around with young men. He would see to it that nothing got in the way of that.