The Golden Bride

by Kimberley Woodhouse

  She delivered the pie and smiled at the woman. “Your dress is beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” It was almost a genuine smile.

  “Did it come from a store here?”

  “No.” Julia looked down again. “It’s from New York.”

  “Well, it’s lovely and it looks wonderful on you.” Could this conversation be any more awkward? Olivia sighed. What am I supposed to do, Lord? No answer came. “Let me know if you need anything else.” At least she’d tried. She turned to go.

  “Olivia?”

  She looked back. “Yes?”

  “Why are you being so nice to me?”

  The question completely took her by surprise. “Well … I believe God tells us to love everyone.”

  “But surely you must know who I am? What I do?” She cast a glance around the room. “Everyone else in here seems to know, and they’ve all given me quite the stares as we’ve been talking. It’s almost as if they’re trying to protect you from me. They don’t want you tainted by merely talking to me.” The edge in her voice on the last words made Olivia want to throw her arms around the woman and hug her. So much bitterness and pain.

  “I don’t care about what you do, because God loves you no matter what, and I’m going to do the same.” Olivia took a chance and sat down in the chair across from the gorgeous Julia. “You’re not a disease. I don’t scare away that easily.”

  Julia let out a half laugh. “I’m glad. I’m sorry to be so prickly, but I don’t know what I’m doing. I just came back to the city after traveling for …” She let the sentence hang. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I heard you had a Bible study here.”

  “We do.” Olivia perked up at that. “We’d love to have you join us. We meet every day after lunch.”

  “You’d allow me to come?” The shock on Julia’s face was astonishing. Had people really treated her that horribly? “You mean, you wouldn’t be ashamed to have me here?”

  “No.” She could say that with all sincerity. If this woman wanted to know more about the Bible, that was exactly what they’d set out to do. Teach the Bible. “Not one bit.”

  “Are you sure the men won’t mind?”

  “No, they won’t mind. I’m sure of it.”

  “Can I come today?”

  “Of course.” Olivia smiled. “Why don’t you stay until then? You can take your time eating lunch, and I’ll come over and check on you as often as I can.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Good. Well, I better get back to it.” Olivia stood and walked away.

  Over the next hour, she’d dashed around faster than she ever had not only so she could check on Julia, but because everyone in the restaurant seemed to be curious about why they were serving a lady such as she in Livingston’s.

  After fumbling around with explanations at the first few tables and becoming quite aggravated with the attitudes of some of the men, she resorted to quoting scripture to them. And it wasn’t a complimentary verse either. It made them all hush up quite rapidly.

  Charlie was still hanging around, sitting at his table with his arms crossed. She filled his coffee cup again and gave him a smile. “What has you so brooding, Charlie?”

  “I don’t like it, that’s all.”

  “What don’t you like?”

  “That woman. She shouldn’t be in here.”

  “And you should?”

  “Of course.” The look he gave her showed he was offended she’d even ask it.

  So she decided to tell him the same thing she’d told the others and hoped he would still come back. “You know, Charlie, the Bible has some great advice on this. ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’ “ She watched his face.

  He softened a moment. “I still don’t like it, but I respect your opinion.” He stood and nodded at her then left.

  Olivia glanced over at Julia—the woman had been watching. She hadn’t heard that, had she?

  “Livvy.” Daniel’s voice made her turn around.

  Relief washed over her. “I’m so glad you’re back. I need to talk to you right away.”

  He smiled. “If it’s about the fact that you’ve been serving and talking to a local madam at lunch today, don’t worry. I’ve already heard all about it.”

  After Bible study, Olivia sat at the table with Julia while Daniel and Joseph took a few of the younger men off to pray in the corner. She’d shared a Bible with the woman and now watched as Julia seemed glued to the page.

  “That verse that you quoted to the men. Did Jesus really say that?”

  It made Olivia smile. “He certainly did. Let me find that passage for you.” As she turned the pages to John 8, she prayed for the right words. “Here it is.”

  Julia read the chapter and looked up at Olivia with a slight grin on her face. “You would stand up for me like that?”

  “It’s what Jesus did.”

  The beautiful woman leaned back in the chair. “You sound like the missionary I met.”

  “Is that why you came today?”

  Julia nodded. “I told you I just came back from traveling—which is true. On the ship on the way back, I met a man who was a missionary. He was going to South America, and he sought me out every day even though he found out what I was. He said he didn’t care, and he couldn’t leave until he’d told me about Jesus.”

  The missionary sounded like someone Olivia would like to know. It made her smile. “And did he?”

  Julia laughed. “Did he ever. He talked to me about Jesus for the next two weeks. Most of the time, I tried to ignore him, but after a while—when everyone else on the ship was shunning me—his words started to sink in. I even prayed with him and asked Jesus to take over my life.”

  “Julia, that’s wonderful!”

  “You can imagine what this means for me, though. My business. All my girls. I talked to him at length about what I should do, but it’s a lot more complicated than just stopping. Does that make sense?”

  “It does, I think. It’s because you feel responsible for your … employees.”

  “Yes, I do. So James—the missionary I told you about—he told me to find a church or small group of people that studied the Bible. He made me promise that I would do it the first day I was back so that I wouldn’t get sucked back into my old lifestyle.” Julia wrapped her arms around her middle. “But I tell you, I don’t know if I can do it. I want to change and turn my life around, but you don’t understand how difficult this will be. If I hadn’t made myself walk to the church this morning—all because I’d made James a promise—I wouldn’t have seen the sign posted about the study here every day. And then when I was walking here, I thought of at least a hundred different excuses why I should turn around and quit. Then once I was here, I was pretty sure that you all would get rid of me as quick as you could. Your customers definitely didn’t appreciate my being here.”

  Olivia smiled at her new friend and leaned forward to pat Julia’s knee. “But you’re here. And we want you to be here.”

  “Yes, we do.” Joseph walked up beside the table and laid a hand on Olivia’s shoulder. “It’s amazing what God can do in our life when we give it over to Him.”

  Julia blinked at the tears forming in her eyes. “I still can’t believe you all are being so kind to me.”

  “We want to be your friends.” Olivia felt tears sting her own eyes.

  “And we want to help you in whatever way we can.” Her brother had joined them and sat in the chair next to Julia. “So let’s make a plan. What do you need to do to take care of your employees and let go of your former life?”

  Three weeks had passed, and nothing had changed, at least not where the slave trade was concerned. Joseph was beside himself. Oh, he loved spending time with Olivia, but she’d noticed that he and her brother had been hovering. A lot. He’d told her that he just wanted to be with her as much as possible while he had the time. She’d smiled and kissed him on the cheek, but it didn’t stop the churning i
n his gut.

  He regretted not telling her the truth, but he didn’t want her to worry too. Besides, she already had to be on guard all the time in San Francisco, especially now that she’d helped Julia basically dissolve the biggest brothel in town. Word had spread like wildfire, and several of the customers made their displeasure known to her. It hadn’t stopped some of the girls from starting up a new one, but at least they’d helped several of the ladies travel back to their families or start over with a new, respectable business of their own.

  If only all of this were over. If they could catch the ringleaders, the people being held could be saved, and he and Olivia could go on and be happy.

  Patience.

  That word kept pummeling him.

  As he sat in the restaurant and watched Olivia navigate her way between tables, carrying multiple dishes, he tried to get his mind off the threats.

  Daniel sat down in the chair next to him. “Any word?”

  “Nope. Nothing. But I am meeting with Captain Fallon today. He sent me a message this morning.”

  “Maybe it’s good news.” Daniel stood up. “This place is growing so fast, we can’t keep up. I can’t imagine how Alcalde Geary is doing, not to mention the police. Look, I have to run, but let me know what the captain says.” His friend patted him on the back and headed toward the kitchen.

  Joseph pulled out his watch. It was about time for him to head to the police office on Portsmouth Square. Scooting his chair back, he stood and looked around for Olivia. She was headed in his direction and smiled.

  He loved looking into her blue eyes. When he was close enough, he took her hand for a brief moment and squeezed it. “I have a meeting with Captain Fallon. I’ll be back for dinner.”

  She gave him a nod, her smile making his heart do unusual things. “I’ll be praying for you.”

  He lowered his voice. “I’d like nothing more than to kiss you right now, but I don’t think we want the spectators.”

  She covered a light laugh and then lifted her chin. “Well then, I guess I shall just look forward to the next time we have the opportunity.”

  He winked at her.

  She turned and went back to work.

  Joseph breathed in deeply. What he wouldn’t give to be married to that wonderful woman already. Shaking his head, he knew he’d better get his mind focused, and he left Livingston’s Restaurant.

  The ride to the police office was brief. Joseph dismounted and tied his horse at the hitching post. Maybe today they’d finally make progress. He swung open the door and headed for Captain Fallon. “You sent me a message?”

  “I did.” Fallon grabbed his arm and pulled him over into a corner. He looked around the room and spoke in a hushed tone. “I’ve found a way to get the proof that we need, but I need a man for the job. … ” The captain grimaced. “I need you to do it.”

  Joseph let the weight of it sink in. It only took him a second to think it through. “I’ve already been doing what I can—I’m glad to help with anything you need.”

  “Well, it’ll mean leaving immediately. You’ll have to change your appearance and go by a different name. I’ve got a friend down at the docks who can get you a job. He says the witnesses and proof are there. But there are tons of men looking for work, so it’ll look suspicious if he doesn’t fill it right away.” The captain looked at his pocket watch. “You’ve only got about an hour. You can’t let anyone know what you’re doing or where you’re going. It’s the only way we’ll keep this a secret. Son, I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need someone to get inside and get the proof we need. Everything needs to look normal. Tell your foreman that you’re on a business trip or something.”

  A million different thoughts exploded in his mind, but the one first and foremost was Olivia. What would she think? How could he possibly leave without saying goodbye? At the same time, he knew he had to do this. It was the only way.

  He nodded at the captain. “I’ll get it done. Just tell me where to go.”

  The police captain gripped his hand and shook it. “Thank you.” He whispered the man’s name in his ear, and Joseph ran outside, got on his horse, and raced home.

  With so little time, his mind went through all the scenarios. How could he accomplish all this? When he made it home, Dewei was on his front porch. Joseph sent a prayer heavenward. He needed an ally. But how could he tell him without actually telling him?

  He nodded at his foreman as he hurried inside. Dewei followed him silently.

  Joseph turned on his heel. “I need your help.”

  Dewei nodded. “Anything.”

  “Will you help me shave off my hair?”

  The man’s eyebrows rose, but he nodded.

  As Joseph looked through all the items he’d purchased for disguise, he landed on a couple things he hadn’t worn yet, things that looked like someone at the dock would wear. He found a round knit cap that reminded him of what he’d seen sailors wear. He threw a few items in an old potato sack and then sat down so Dewei could shave his head. What else could he do to change his appearance?

  “You grow beard and mustache.” Dewei was nodding as he shaved Joseph’s head.

  How the man knew what he was thinking, Joseph would never understand, but he appreciated the man’s astuteness. He looked at himself in the mirror and realized it wouldn’t be too hard for him to do that. It would take a few days to fill in, but he always looked scruffy by the end of the day anyway. He’d just have to keep his head shaved.

  “How’s the mine?”

  “Very good. Came here to inform of new vein. Lots of gold. Very good. Will need to build new tunnel.”

  Exactly what he needed. He could have Dewei go to the restaurant and tell Daniel and Olivia about the mine’s new prosperous find and that Joseph was needed there as the new tunnel was built and work increased. Then he could ask his man to help spread the word so people would understand Joseph Sawyer’s disappearance. It would hurt him in the long run because very few people knew that he owned a mine, but it would be his cover for now. And he needed that more than anonymity. He could deal with the fallout later. Now he just needed to write a note to Daniel for Dewei to deliver. He couldn’t give details, but perhaps he could at least give a hint.

  Dewei finished with the shaving, and Joseph turned to him. “Thank you, my friend. I can’t tell you what I’m doing, but I need your help. First, you’ll need to go tell Mr. Livingston and Mrs. Brighton about the mine.” As he filled in the details, Dewei nodded and responded with his customary “Very good.”

  “I’m going to write a note for you to deliver to Mr. Livingston when Mrs. Brighton goes back to work so she doesn’t see.”

  His man nodded.

  “Then I’m going to need you to hire more men. Not to work the mine at this time; we’ll deal with that later. But for security, because once you tell people around town, there are bound to be some problems. Can you handle that?”

  Another nod. The man lifted his chin. “You go help family … brothers?”

  Joseph wiped a hand down his face. “Yes. But you cannot say a word to anyone. I can’t tell you where I’m going.”

  “Very good.” Dewei bowed. “I do everything you say.”

  “Are you sure you understand everything?”

  His loyal foreman repeated everything in precise detail.

  Joseph gripped the shoulders of the man who’d worked for him tirelessly. “Thank you. I know I can trust you to take care of things.” He ran over to his desk and penned a note for Daniel:

  Our project has come to fruition. I will be busy with this new job. Please pray that we find all the treasure that we can. The wharf is beautiful this time of year.

  Having no idea if Daniel would pick up on his clues, Joseph didn’t have time to rethink the matter. He folded the missive, poured on the wax, and sealed it. Handing it to Dewei, he sighed. “Please get my horse from the police office at Portsmouth Square later today. I’ll have to leave him there.”

  With that, Joseph lef
t out the front door.

  Olivia stood up from the table and stretched. Today for Bible study it had just been she, Julia, and Daniel, but it had been good. She’d missed Joseph’s presence, though. All her brother had told her was that he’d had a meeting with Captain Fallon. As she picked up her Bible, a Chinese man walked up to her and bowed. The man’s appearance was immaculate. Black hair with silver shining through especially at his temples. Not tall or broad in stature, but his eyes held wisdom. Could this be Dewei, Joseph’s trusted foreman?

  “Dewei.” Daniel walked back over to them. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “Mr. Livingston.” The man bowed again. “Mr. Sawyer sent me with news.”

  “If you all will excuse me.” Julia squeezed Olivia’s hand. “I need to get to the bank.”

  “Will you be back for dinner?” Olivia gave her friend a smile.

  “Of course.” Julia waved and left the dining room.

  “Would you like to have a seat? A cup of tea?” Daniel offered to Dewei and gestured to the table.

  “No. But very good, sir.” Dewei stood with his hands clasped in front of him. “Mr. Sawyer’s mine very prosperous. Very good. New gold found. Will take very long time to build new tunnel.”

  “I don’t understand.” Olivia furrowed her brow.

  “He be busy. Very busy for long time. He wanted me to let you know so you do not worry.”

  “You mean he won’t be coming around for a while?” Daniel leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

  Dewei nodded. “Very good. Yes.”

  Olivia didn’t understand why this man was telling them these things. Why couldn’t Joseph? Didn’t he have plenty of workers to handle all this? Wouldn’t he want to share this exciting news at least with her?

  Daniel’s brow furrowed. “Are you telling us that Joseph sent you to tell us that we won’t see him for a while? Not at all?”

  “Very good.” The small man nodded again. “Mr. Sawyer very busy.”