“I’d be happy to, Mr. Raines. I’ll fix that tear in your suitcoat first thing in the morning, as well.” Elizabeth eyed the frayed edge on the lapel of his suit. “Thank you for having faith in me, Mr. Raines.” Elizabeth smiled, walking out of the office door.
Once she reached the street, she took a deep breath and restrained herself from doing a jig. She had a position! Now, she’d be able to support herself, at least for the next month. For that, she was grateful. Spending the money to buy needles and thread the other day was a wise decision, even if she thought it unwise when she’d gotten home.
The first step was to cancel her notice for Friday’s newspaper on her way home. Then maybe she’d stop for a few minutes and tell Willa there was no need to put up notices in the boardinghouse as per their agreement.
To think she might have missed this opportunity if she had waited until tomorrow to come into town. Through all her doubt about placing the advertisement and the days perfecting it had led Elizabeth to becoming the first seamstress at the Grand Hotel.
Was this the opportunity she really wanted? Judging by his “sent his suits out” comment, was he the type of man who looked down on his employees? Or was he a rich man who happened to own the Grand Hotel? He had those kind eyes; how could she think he’d be a tyrant?
She would definitely stop at Willa’s on the way home after all. She’d know if she was making a mistake or not. Not that it mattered because Elizabeth had made the commitment for at least the next month. Enough time for her reputation as a seamstress to get around town, and then she could start her own business in her home.
“Yes, that’s it. A chat with Willa will ease my nerves,” Elizabeth said, stepping back into The Chronicle.
CHAPTER 4
Auggie stood in his office doorway watching Elizabeth Hamilton walk back out into the street. This woman was different from the debutantes he’d known. She wanted no one but herself. She wanted to do things on her own. And by God, Auggie knew that Elizabeth would eventually be a force to be reckoned with.
And for some reason Auggie couldn’t fathom, he found that aspect of her quite appealing.
“Stewart?” Auggie stepped out into the lobby and over to the door, his gaze on Elizabeth as she strolled toward the newspaper office.
“Yes, Mr. Raines?” Stewart called out, coming down the hall from the kitchen with a tray of breakfast food.
“Let it be known that the Grand Hotel now has a resident seamstress.” Auggie smiled, turning toward his desk clerk.
“We do?” Stewart said, surprise radiating in his eyes, the plates rattling on the tray.
“Yes, we do.” Auggie chuckled, taking the tray from Stewart’s hands before the young man dropped it. “I’m afraid I’ve made more work for you and the staff. I will need to have one of the storage closets emptied and fixed up for Mrs. Hamilton. Put any nonperishable items stored there up into the attic until they are needed.”
“Yes, sir,” Stewart said, his mouth all but gaping open.
“And make sure there is a comfortable chair, as well as a worktable or small desk. Also, the lighting must be bright enough for her to see while she is mending,” Auggie instructed, grinning as he walked back toward his office. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be having pretty wallpaper hung in the closet to brighten the small area up.
“How soon do you need this done, Mr. Raines?” Stewart asked, following Auggie into the hotel office.
“By eight in the morning.” Auggie placed the tray on his desk, savoring the smell of bacon and eggs. His stomach rumbled in response to the thought of what lay on the plate under the still-warm dome. “I’m sorry for the short notice. But I am confident you will have the task completed by then.”
“Yes, sir.” Stewart nodded, his gaze on Auggie. “Where shall I get the furniture from for this room? There may be some things in the attic.”
“Good question.” Auggie mulled it over for a moment. “Not the attic. I don’t want to take the chance that anything up there might be in need of repair. I should think one chair and a small table would not be missed from the dining hall. As well as a good lamp to see by.”
“I believe that is possible. I do have an idea that may work,” Stewart offered, his brows raised in question. “Would the storage room off the dining room be sufficient? It does have two windows that would provide daylight. I could set up the table and chair near the west window.”
“Yes, I think that will do quite well.” Auggie sat in the chair behind the mahogany desk, hands folded in his lap. “Thank you again, Stewart. I knew I could depend on you.”
Auggie smiled, slid forward in the chair, and poured cream into his coffee. He heard his door click softly as Stewart left him to mull things over.
Despite himself, Auggie found Elizabeth Hamilton comely and very pleasant. Mostly, he thought there was a woman hiding inside her that was stronger than she seemed. The kind of woman he would have swept off her feet at one time.
Those times were long past. He wasn’t open to a relationship, possibly love, only to be turned away once his disfigurement was revealed.
The Grand Hotel’s seamstress would be nothing more than an employee. Plain and simple.
Elizabeth lifted her skirt and jogged up the steps of the boardinghouse. Knocking on the door, she paused a moment before walking into the parlor.
“Willa!” she called out, her heart pounding against her ribcage. She hoped her actions wouldn’t give away her excitement. She wanted to hold on to the moment of joy for herself a bit longer.
“In the kitchen,” Willa answered, the sounds of pots clanging in the background.
Elizabeth walked through the dining room to the back where the smell of freshly baked bread grew stronger with each step. The kitchen was small but functional, and Willa appeared to be at home there.
“Oh my! That is the best smell in the world,” Elizabeth exclaimed inhaling deeply then setting her chatelaine bag on the small table for two.
“I was about to have a late breakfast. Would you like some?” Willa asked, wiping her hands down the front of her apron. “I’ve got honey and sweet butter, as well as preserves. And a fresh pot of coffee to wash it all down with.”
Elizabeth nodded in agreement as she took a seat at the corner table. Willa cut a few slices of bread and poured them each a cup of coffee. Elizabeth watched, remembering the joy such a simple act gave her on the mornings her Steven was home. For once, a memory that didn’t cause sadness in her heart.
“Did you get your errands taken care of?” Willa asked, smearing honey on her buttered bread. “You were certainly in a hurry earlier this morning.”
Elizabeth took a slice of bread for herself, trying her best to maintain her composure. It was more difficult than she thought it would be, keeping a happy secret. Every fiber in her was jumping with joy. She hadn’t felt joy in so long.
“I did, in a way.” Elizabeth poured a spot of cream then dropped one cube of sugar into her cup, stirring the contents until the coffee turned a light caramel color.
“Did something happen?” Willa asked, slowly placing her bread on the plate. “Are you all right? You seem to be, but if something has happened, you can tell me. Maybe I can help; listen, if nothing else.”
“I’m fine, Willa. I couldn’t be any better right now.” Elizabeth took a bite, then placed her slice of bread onto her plate, dusting off her fingers. “I was in a rush this morning, and I apologize if I was rude to you; it was unintentional. I went to place an advertisement in the paper this morning. That’s where I was going when you stopped me. When I got there, Mr. Wagner was already printing tomorrow’s edition.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. I know you must have taken your time in perfecting that notice.” Willa reached across the table, patting her on the hand. “You can put it up here, you know that.”
“Yes, I know. There’s more to tell. I did miss that edition. It could go into the next one, but that won’t be until Friday.” Elizabeth took a sip of h
er coffee, watching Willa over the rim of her cup.
“Clint read over my advertisement,” Elizabeth continued, setting down the cup. “He told me two very interesting pieces of news.”
“What were they?” Willa had a worried look on her face. “Were they good or bad?”
“A bit of both.” Elizabeth feigned a scowl, sighing loudly. “The first was that my notice wouldn’t appear until Friday. The second was that the Grand is hiring a seamstress and their notice is going to appear in tomorrow’s paper.”
“Elizabeth! How splendid and lucky for you. It’s a wonderful coincidence,” Willa exclaimed, a twinkle in her eye. “Did you go down to the Grand and inquire? I had been watching for you, wondering if I’d missed you returning home or not.”
“Yes, I did.” Elizabeth smiled, feeling quite proud of herself. A month, even a week ago, she wouldn’t have done such a bold thing. “And Mr. Raines hired me for a thirty-day trial. If he likes my work, then I can only presume he’ll offer me the position permanently.”
Willa shot out of her chair and around the table before Elizabeth could blink an eye.
“This is wonderful, Elizabeth!” Willa pulled Elizabeth into a hug, squeezing her gently. “This calls for a celebration. I’m positive he’ll hire you on permanently. He’d be a fool not to.”
“Wait, Willa.” Elizabeth laughed, all the worry of how she was going to survive faded away. “I have a number of things to do in preparation. I need to go through my sewing box and discard any weak thread. And I also need to mend a couple of my own dresses if I am going to look presentable to customers—and to Mr. Raines.”
“I will bring you down something later then,” Willa offered, a tear slipping down a cheek.
“Willa, are you all right?” Alarm crept through Elizabeth. She’d never seen Willa shed a tear—not even at the funeral for the miners. “What has happened? I was so enthralled with my own joy that I didn’t notice something was wrong.”
“Oh, Elizabeth!” Willa laughed, swiping at the tear. “I am so happy you are on this path, that is all.”
“So am I, Willa.” Elizabeth picked up her bag and strolled through the dining room. “Now you won’t have to put up that notice for me after all. I owe you so much,” she said, squeezing Willa’s hand. “You are a good friend, Willa. Blessings Valley needs you. I need you.”
Elizabeth hugged her friend, then bounded down the porch steps, and headed for home.
“Stewart, please gather the staff and have them come here to the lobby. We are having a quick meeting,” Auggie instructed, pacing the floor in front of the hotel doors.
“Yes, Mr. Raines.” Stewart walked away with an urgency in his step.
Auggie had made it a practice to keep the hotel staff aware of any changes. And the addition of a seamstress was big enough that he wanted to squash any gossip that may follow when the news broke that he’d hired one of the widows before the newspaper came out.
Mary Hall was the first to arrive, her hands folded in front of the apron hanging from her shoulders. She was his longest and most faithful staff member, having arrived days before he’d opened the doors. Auggie’s mother was none too happy that Mary had followed him from her kitchen to his.
“Augustine, is everything all right?” Mary asked, stepping into his path. “You seem a bit tense.”
“Do I?” Auggie stared at her, then blinked. “Everything is fine, Mrs. Hall; you’ll see.”
Mary smiled then walked over to the lobby desk as James Butler and Lee Johnson, the hotel bellboys, and Stewart joined them. They all stood quietly watching him, waiting with controlled anticipation.
“I can fetch Sally, Mr. Raines. It won’t take but five minutes,” Stewart offered, a crooked grin on his face.
Sally Jenkins, the hotel maid, had gone home earlier after her duties were completed. Auggie had a suspicion that Stewart had more than a passing interest in her, judging by his eagerness to get her.
“No need, Stewart. You can take a note to her later this afternoon.” Auggie smiled, rocking back on his heels.
“Now, I’m sure you are all wondering why I called you together.” Auggie clasped his hands behind his back to keep from sticking them in his front pockets. A social mistake his father drilled into his head at a young age every time he was caught with his hands in his pant pockets.
“There is going to be an advertisement in tomorrow’s paper. It will indicate that the Grand Hotel will be conducting interviews for a seamstress.” Auggie continued pacing and looking down at the carpet to hide the uncustomary smile on his face. “While this is true, the position has been filled this morning, quite unexpectedly.”
“Was it the young woman I noticed this morning?” Mary asked, a twinkle in her eye.
“As a matter of fact, yes, it is.” Auggie smiled, meeting Mary’s amused gaze. “It’s one of the recent widows. Mrs. Hamilton comes well qualified, and I expect great things from her.
“Stewart will need help moving items from the storage closet adjacent the dining room to the attic. James and Lee, I trust you’ll assist him with whatever he needs.
“Once the room is emptied and looking presentable, Stewart will move one of the armchairs, a small sawbuck table, and a lamp from the dining room into the former closet. Stewart and I have briefly discussed how to set up the room to fit Mrs. Hamilton’s needs. Once that is done, I’ll make any adjustments, then approve the arrangement.
“Now to ease your minds, the hotel can manage an extra employee on payroll. Mrs. Hamilton will be working a thirty-day trial period, for now. I know you will all make her feel welcome at the Grand.”
“When will Mrs. Hamilton begin her duties?” Mary queried, that twinkle back in her eye.
Evidently, something was pleasing her. Did she have some dresses that were in need of repair? Doubtful. Mary would make the repairs herself, not pay someone to do it.
“At eight o’clock tomorrow morning,” Auggie answered, looking at each of the staff. “Now, if that is all, there is work to be done.”
Stewart gathered James and Lee, and the trio left the lobby in a flurry through the dining room. Mary hung back until they were out of hearing range.
“I’ll have breakfast ready for her. No reason for her to start on an empty stomach.” She turned to go back into the kitchen. Pausing for a moment, she looked back at Auggie, a big smile on her face and a tear in her eye. “You’ve done a good thing here, Augustine. You’re a good man, don’t you ever forget that.” And with that, she left him alone in the lobby.
Auggie smiled, shaking his head. Mary had always seen the best in him since he was a little boy. But she was right. Somewhere between two damaged suitcoats and hiring Elizabeth Hamilton, his world seemed a little brighter.
CHAPTER 5
Elizabeth pulled her hair up, twisting it into a bun. She was excited and a bit nervous. Starting her position at the Grand Hotel today had led to a restless night. This was the first major step she’d taken in getting on with her life and her new social status.
Widow.
She hated the word and all that it implied. What a lonely sounding label and frame of mind. It conjured up the image of an angry, lonely woman who may never love again. Who may have lost her way on the dark path of grief. And while Elizabeth may never love another man again, she would live her life to its fullest and try to be kind and caring to everyone she met.
After returning home from Willa’s yesterday, Elizabeth had immediately set about inspecting the condition of her various threads. She’d just replenished her supply of needles, so there was no need to purchase more. At least not until one broke.
For the next thirty days, she’d show Mr. Raines how frugal she could be by saving the hotel some money—no matter how small the amount. She didn’t want to give him any reason for not taking her on permanently.
Standing over the table, Elizabeth made herself a sandwich of butter and preserves for lunch, then grabbed an apple, dropping both into a sack. They were things she c
ould eat quickly without spending much time away from her work. And she wouldn’t have to spend any of the money she’d put away on lunch. Until she had a steady income, she wasn’t about to spend what little she had for eating at work when she had the makings of a sack meal in her kitchen.
Rechecking her sewing box for the tenth time, Elizabeth glanced at the mantel clock. Seven o’clock. One more hour before she had to report in at the hotel. What would she do with herself over the next thirty minutes?
Elizabeth paced the floor, feeling like she should be doing something. She was too worked up to sit and wait. She’d been up since dawn getting ready. Making sure that she was presentable. She wanted so badly to make a good impression on Mr. Raines. Her life in Blessings Valley depended on it.
“I can’t wait any longer. I’m going to leave now, Steven, but I’ll be back later today.” Elizabeth spoke to the wedding picture as she did every day. Talking to it was her way of feeling connected with her beloved in her mind, as well as in her heart.
Shawl around her shoulders, sewing box in her hand, Elizabeth walked out her door and down the steps. The sack lunch she’d prepared sat on the table where she’d left it, but it was far from her mind as she passed the church.
The door remained closed this early. The rising morning sun shone brightly on the stained-glass windows, the panes colorful and mesmerizing.
Her heart and soul might be slowly mending but not enough to walk through those doors again. Ignoring the invitation the message in the windows offered, she continued on her way to the hotel, a slight heaviness claiming a spot in her heart.
Elizabeth strolled into town, the promise of a new day wrapping around her. It was still a bit too early for most of the businesses to be open. She saw Vera Baldwin duck into the door at Nana’s Laundry. Poor Vera was another of the widows who’d lost her beloved in the same accident that had claimed Steven.
Elizabeth (Widows of Blessings Valley Book 1) Page 4