by Cyndi Raye
The street stirred. People milled around the shops lining the wooden board walks. She peeked out the window, taking her hand and rubbing it against the dirt spots on the window, making it worse. Looking around, Rebecca found a small towel on the night stand and began the task of cleaning the dirty window. She poured a small amount of water from the pitcher in to her wash basin, dipped the rag and began to clear a large area, enabling a large enough space to see the street below. Obviously, the windows were not a priority. Someone should clean them before letting out a room, she thought to herself. Especially in such a top-notch hotel like this.
Satisfied, Rebecca washed her hands and stood by the window, people watching. She wanted to make sure there was no sign of that horrible man, John Abbot, if that was his real name, which she doubted. Wagons burst on the scene, trampling through the dirt streets, the clopping of horses hooves loud enough for Rebecca to hear as far as the third floor. She tried to push open the window but it wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, she turned to get dressed, determined to start her day with a bit of fresh air.
Luckily, her carpetbag wasn’t lost back at the other stop. She sighed, blowing out air from deep in her lungs as she dressed in her dusty skirt and blouse, swiping at yesterday’s filth the best she could. Not owning much never occurred to her, she always decided to be satisfied with what she had and tried to make the best of it, in hopes that someday she’d have a better life. In light of her soon-to-be husband turning out to be a no good rotten, lyin’ scallywag without a conscience, the desire of having a family and taking care of children were feared to be a thing of the past.
Rebecca had enough of wanting a life with a man for now! She had learned a long time ago to depend on herself, and she had. Watching how the orphanage had turned out others had made her determined it wouldn’t happen to her and she prepared for years for the day when she would be asked to leave. In a way, the excitement of living on her own without harsh punishment pushed her even more to keep any xtra money earned hidden from the sisters at the orphanage.
She checked in her reticule to make sure her money was still there. Picking up her boot, she stuffed a large amount down inside before stepping into it. Keeping a small amount safe never hurt, and would reassure her if anything happened.
Taking a long, deep breath, she turned the porcelain knob on the door and began her trek downstairs. Stopping at the front desk, a different man from the one when she checked in turned to face her.
Young and determined to please his customers, he held out his hand to Rebecca. “Good morning, Miss. How may I help you today?”
Rebecca took his hand, giving it a firm shake. The man behind the desk lifted his brows.
“Well, sir, may I speak to the manager of the hotel, please?”
His brows furrowed. “That would be my father, Mr. Douple. I’m sorry to say he isn’t here at the moment. May I help you?”
Rebecca placed a finger at her chin. She tapped her booted heel a few times, pretending to be contemplating whether to speak to him regarding her problem. “Sir, I assume you have the same authority to take matters into your own hands, so, I would like to offer my assistance.”
The young man clasped his hands together. “How so? We are not hiring at the moment.”
“I do believe you may want to reconsider, sir.” She put both gloved hands on the counter and pressed against it, lowering her voice. “There is terrible dirt and grime on my windows. I had to clean them before I was able to look out upon the street. This is a fine hotel, but someone is not doing their job.”
The young man’s cheeks actually reddened. “I am so sorry for the lack of cleanliness. To be honest, we did have to fire two housekeepers in the last several weeks. Our new one is in training. But, no worries, I’ll have someone take care of this right away, even myself if need be.”
Rebecca gave him a wide smile. “No, sir. It is cleaned. I did it myself.”
His face contorted. “We can’t have our guests cleaning the windows! What kind of message does that send out to our customers! I apologize profusely.” He reached for the cash register. “Let me give your money back for your night’s stay here.”
Rebecca held up her hand before placing it over his. His blush was disturbingly adorable. “I’m not sure what to call you, sir.”
He cleared his throat, his eyes wide open. “Jack. Jack Douple, ma’am.”
Rebecca almost giggled at his squeaky voice. She almost felt sorry for the fellow. “I do not want my monies returned. However, I do have a proposition for you. Since you do need more help, I’d like to offer my services as a housekeeper for a discount on my room. I would love to stay here until further notice.”
And that was how Rebecca got to live at one of the finer hotels in Dallas, Texas. She paid a smidgeon of the full price for helping to clean windows, run errands and occasionally serve food in the restaurant. Mostly, she stayed behind the scenes, working out of the public eye. She didn’t want to be seen by Abbott if he happened to come to town. There was still a trepidation of fear surrounding her at all times. Rebecca didn’t like having to constantly search a room or check the street to make sure the way was clear. It became a habit non-the-less.
Sooner or later, she knew her time here would end. She had sent Miss Aloise another message, letting her know where she ended up, hoping it was received by now and someone was on their way to fix this. Rebecca had demanded Miss Aloise come to her rescue, after all, it was their fault she was in this mess. Not that she couldn’t survive on her own, she had done so living in one of the largest cities on the east coast. But, when a wrong was done it was only proper to make it right.
Rebecca still had dreams of becoming a bride with a family. When Miss Aloise sent a telegram responding to her plea, the matchmaker promised to fix her up with someone she could trust.
Rebecca no longer trusted anyone, not even the matchmaking service. But her dream of a family and a husband who would love her would never die. Not even after this. When she had been beaten by the nuns for being cheerful, Rebecca made up her mind so long ago that she would never lose faith in herself. That she would always choose to be positive and never give up. Those nuns were awful, trying to force her and everyone else to live in misery, but she would not do so. They had tried to break her and failed.
As she cleared a table in the dining room, a secretive smile emerged as she remembered her only solace was in the library. Sneaking away at ten years old to a place that held wonders and magnificent stories urged her to keep dreaming. She remembered sitting on the window seat caught up in a fairytale when a boy a few years older pushed his way through rows of books and sat in the corner beneath the window.
“Get out of my space,” she had threatened, trying to sound mean.
He had looked up at her and grinned, an awful nasty black eye sticking out like a sore thumb. “It isn’t your space,” he had told her, refusing to move.
She had placed a foot against his shoulder and tried to push him from the spot. That’s when he grabbed her ankle and twisted.
Rebecca was tougher than dirt. She wasn’t about to give in.
“Say uncle,” he had demanded.
“Never!” she had proclaimed. “If you don’t let go of my foot, I’m calling Miss Parker.” She was the librarian who would dismiss anyone who caused trouble. Many times Rebecca watched her take a swat at someone who was too loud.
“Is there something going on here?” Miss Parker happened to come around the corner, her horn-rimmed glasses pushed down to the tip of her nose. They were attached to a beaded necklace around her neck.
That quick her foot was released. “No, ma’am,” he said.
Miss Parker tilted her head, staring directly at Rebecca. “Miss Williams?”
Miss Parker demanded her to answer. She gazed at the top of the boys head. She was a regular here and all she had to do was tell Miss Parker he was bothering her and he’d be thrown out. Yet, he hadn’t hurt her. He just seemed to want a space to sit and read. She s
hrugged and shook her head. “Everything is fine, Miss Parker.”
The librarian stiffened before taking a middle finger and pushing her glasses back up her nose. “Make sure you remain quiet, or the both of you will be gone from here like yesterdays news.”
As she turned to go back to her place at the desk, her high heeled boot got caught in a crack in the floor. The librarian reached out to catch herself before she tottered to the ground. “Oh, pussyfoot!” she growled, causing Rebecca to giggle. She slapped a hand across her mouth so she wouldn’t be heard.
That’s when she noticed the boy’s shoulders shaking. Was he that scared? What a crybaby! He began to hiccup as she realized he was trying hard to keep from laughing. Right before he yelled out, she slapped a hand over his mouth.
His spittle was on the palm of her hand, but she kept it there until he nodded for her to remove it, sure the librarian was far enough away. Slowly, she did. “Yuck! You spit on me!” she fumed, her nose wrinkling at the liquid on her hand. She desperately wiped it on the hem of her dress.
He turned. “I’m sorry I grabbed your foot. Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head. Dark curls bobbed around her head. She liked when she could let them bounce instead of having to tie them back in one big bun. “No. But if you want to sit here and read, you better be quiet.”
“Deal.”
They shook hands and it became a routine.
Each day she had slipped away to the library, he had been there, sitting in the same spot. She was curious where he lived so she asked him, making sure to keep her voice so low the librarian wouldn’t hear. “Where do you live, Jackson?” He had told her his name a few days before.
“At the orphanage right up the street, but not for long. I’m going to find a job soon so I can be on my own.”
“I live there, too. On the other side, away from the boys.”
That’s when they became the best of friends. Two orphans who understood the need to spend time in a quiet place with their thoughts. They would meet every day for over a year until one day he told her he was leaving on the mercy train.
Rebecca remembered how sad she felt that day he left.
“I told you I would get a job. This seems like it’s the only way. In reality, I have no choice,” he told her right before he gave her an awkward hug. She clung to him outside the library that day, sad she was losing her best friend.
He had looked back, grinning. “Someday I’ll come back here for you,” he told her right before he gave her a punch in the shoulder.
She tried to duck, pretending to laugh while she was aching inside so bad. Her best friend was leaving. “I doubt it. You’ve probably all but forgotten me already.”
He turned, giving her that grin she learned to love as best friends do. “Never. I’ll never forget my best friend.”
The library had never been the same again.
“Miss Williams? Is there a problem?”
Rebecca shook herself, realizing she had been rubbing one spot on the wooden table while reminiscing about a time so long ago. “Oh, there is a spot that is hard to clean, but, I think I got it.” She swiped the cloth one more time before turning away from the table and froze.
From where she stood, the front desk was clearly visible. That horrible man, John Abbott stood there, his eyes concentrating on his coat as he began wiping droplets of rain from the dark material. Rebecca slowly took a few steps back out of the view of the front desk. If he turned, he was sure to see her there. She had to get back to her room but the only way was by the way of the stairs.
Her throat constricted, fear edged its way up her spine. Tiny drops of sweat trickled around her hairline. Rebecca cursed herself for not leaving this hotel. She knew staying in one place for too long was dangerous. She had been waiting for Miss Aloise to do something. Rebecca should have known better. No one would rescue her. She had learned that a long time ago.
“I am famished!” his burly voice roared over the open room. “But first I need to wash some suds down at the saloon across the street. I’ll be back in about an hour. Make sure to keep a plate nice and hot for me!”
Rebecca held her breath as he turned to go out the front door. She stepped forward but froze when he turned back to the desk manager. “There’s a bag that needs to get up to my room. Make sure you get it there,” he ordered, then slammed the front door behind him.
Rebecca didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she felt the air leaving her lungs. The moment he was gone, she lifted her skirts and raced up the stairway in the main lobby.
“Miss Williams!”
She didn’t have time to stop and explain. Flinging the worn carpetbag on the quilted bed, she stuffed her two dresses and nightdress inside, shoving her toiletries in a corner. Closing the bag, Rebecca raced back down the stairs, past the front desk and out the door. She glanced towards the saloon, which sat catty-corner to the giant hotel. Slipping down the alley beside the hotel, she wound her way from the backside of buildings, following an escape plan she had memorized in her head the very first day she had arrived.
Rebecca wasn’t about to let anyone take her by surprise! She had mapped this route right to the train station in case she had to leave in a hurry. It was her way, always ready to make a run for it.
Because Rebecca knew she’d never have that knight in shining armor to fall back on. It was all up to her.
John Abbot strolled out of the saloon the moment she took a step onto the platform at the train station. She ducked behind the office building, waiting a few moments before taking a peek to see if he was still standing there. When it seemed clear, she went and stood at the counter, tapping on the glass to get the man’s attention. When the ticket man slid the window open, she hurriedly asked him when the next train is due.
“In about twenty minutes. Don’t tally if you plan to be on it because this stop is like quicksilver. The train stops to unload and load up and it’s off again. Five minutes tops, ya hear?”
“I’ll take a ticket.”
“Where to, Ma’am?”
“Where ever this takes me,” she told him, shoving a pile of money through the window.
He whistled as he checked the schedule. “Why, this amount can take you as far as Californy.”
She turned to see John Abbott looking up and down the dusty street. “So be it,” she said. “Give me the ticket. Hurry.”
Sticking the paid ticket in her reticule for safe keeping, Rebecca moved to the other side of the station, where those cold eyes of John Abbott would not see her. Fear like she had never felt scorched her from the tip of her toes to the top of her head.
She kept glancing at the tracks, willing the train to be early. Fat chance of that, she thought, grimacing to herself. Taking another peek around a large pole, Rebecca’s stomach fell when she saw him heading towards the train station.
The horrible man stomped down the street as if he owned the town, his boots stirring the dust in the street, a tiny trail of dust bellowing around him.
Her ears perked up when she heard the distant sound of a whistle blowing through the air. Fear like nothing she had ever felt penetrated her whole body, she wasn’t sure the train would get here on time. Abbott was getting closer, his booted heels picking up speed when his head shot to the train closing in.
Did Rebecca have any chance of getting on that train? She didn’t even have money to live in californy but that didn’t matter. What did was her high-tailing it out of this town so Abbott didn’t try to take what he thought he deserved. He was a horrible man.
Clenching her carpetbag closer, the rumbling of the tracks caused her to sigh out loud. She took a step back when her worst fear came true. Abbott was now standing on the platform, his beady eyes peeled on her. “Stop that woman from getting on the train!” He smashed a fist to the window of the teller, demanding the man to pay attention.
The glass window slid open. The teller was pale, his voice shaking when he spoke. “She bought a ticket,” he told
Abbott.
“Where to?” he roared.
“Californy,” the teller said, tossing her under the wagon.
Rebecca could hear the conversation, their voices were so loud in her ears even though the train’s heavy metal wheels were squealing so loud. She glared at the teller, even though he didn’t have a clue she was trying to stay out of the horrible man’s clutches.
The frightened teller pointed straight to her, regardless of her hand motions to not tell.
Abbott placed a hand on his hip as if he were going to go for the pistol hanging on his side. Fear reared its ugly head as she gripped onto the carpetbag and took another step backwards. She was vicariously close to the edge of the platform but she’d rather fall and break her neck than be a victim of this man’s horrible deceptions.
“You there! Stop! Do not get on the train!” Abbott ordered.
“Please! Go away!” she shouted above the squealing brakes as the train came to a stop. Rebecca knew without a doubt she could not get on the train. He would come after her knowing where she was going. He had said he would find her and she’d pay!
The only money she had was spent on one ticket out of desperation. It had been a horrible mistake. A costly one.
Rebecca didn’t know what to do.
Her life was going from bad to worse.
Did she even value her life any more?
What did she have to look forward to?
Life with a horrible man who would sell her to the highest bidder or use her as a soiled dove? There was no way she was going to give up and yet it seemed as if she were at a cornerstone.
As her mind toiled with these thoughts, she never heard the horse and rider coming up alongside the train station. A deep voice came out of nowhere. “You’re not about to give up that easily, are you?”
She shook her head. “W-what?”