"Yes, I know Alison," Eugenia said, smiling weakly in Alison's direction, seeing nothing but contempt in her eyes. Eugenia could even remember that first day she had seen her, when Alison had made her grand entry into the bathroom and had plopped herself on the pot so boldly as Eugenia sat bathing. Even then Eugenia had seen the hardness around Alison's eyes. And such a sullen mouth! Yes, Eugenia could see what Dawn had meant about Alison's undesirable outer appearance. It could even chase men away from the establishment, not draw them to it. She had to wonder why Dawn had let her remain. But then she could only think of one answer to that. Dawn's desires for another woman. More than likely Alison had been the one, and this was why Alison had thought she would follow in Dawn's footsteps. Eugenia hated to think about the future, how she would have to deal with Alison if Dawn did pass away. But she would deal with it when the time came.
"And, Eugenia, my two Japanese twins," Dawn said, gesturing toward the two Oriental girls who were attired in brightly colored kimonos. Their hair was sleek black and was cut short and shaped around their lightly colored skin. Eugenia looked from one to the other and couldn't find one thing that was different about their faces. They had to be identical twins. Something that she had never seen. And their eyes were so beautiful, as Eugenia's good confidant Key's eyes were. But they were not as friendly. These two sets of eyes were penetrating, making Eugenia wonder what was behind their stares of silence. But, then, suddenly, they were smiling broadly back at Eugenia, but they didn't utter a sound.
"We call them Aimee and Denise. They speak very little English. The main word that they use is the word 'yes,' " Dawn added. "They're here for special services. I'll explain later."
Thinking further about the Japanese twins, Eugenia had to wonder what Key would think about them being in such a place and the type of work they were doing, remembering what he had said about his sister dying here.
"And the girl sitting next to Aimee is Pearl," Dawn continued.
Eugenia's gaze met Pearl's. She could see the green of her eyes—almost the same as her own—but the color of her hair was much different. It had most noticeably been dyed a shining silver, possibly to draw more attention to herself, to make herself different in appearance from the other girls. And her skin was pale. Except for the light application of face powder, it would even make one think she was also ill. No, Eugenia didn't like the silver of the hair. She would have to tell this girl that it did make her different in appearance, but it also made her look much older than she really was.
"And my sweet Nell," Dawn continued, laughing. "Always smiling and never sitting still. She's a marvel to be around."
Eugenia smiled, noticing exactly what Dawn was speaking of. Nell's fingers were fidgeting with the skirt of her pale blue dress, and her thick, dark lashes were fluttering like butterfly's wings, as she smiled warmly back at Eugenia. Eugenia could tell with one glance that Nell's hair was not dyed. It was a natural color of gold, resembling the color of Papa's wheat field in early autumn. Her eyes settled on the fluttering lashes once again. They were Nell's own, but covered too heavily with mascara. That was something she would suggest to Nell; to not go so heavily on the mascara. Just a touch to those beautiful lashes, and she would be a raving beauty.
"And then there's Lola," Dawn said, turning her head from the girls to cough once again. The room grew silent with each seizure. It was quite noticeable when each girl breathed more easily as Dawn's coughing ceased. "She's been known to draw men clear from Denver, just to see her. Alone. She's quite an asset to our house. Aren't you, Lola?"
Lola smiled and took a sip of her tea, watching Eugenia in silence. The dark black hair hanging loosely around her narrow face drew attention to the slant of her eyes, making her appear to be a bit Oriental and also to possibly be the most wicked of the women. But Eugenia didn't know quite how to define the word "wicked" when it came to the ways of The Old Homestead Parlour. She would surely find out. And soon.
"And the last," Dawn said, "Laura. One of our newest girls. From Colorado Springs. She's only fifteen, but she looks twenty. Don't you think so, Eugenia?"
Something grabbed at Eugenia's heart. Only fifteen? And living such a life? Now that didn't seem right. The girl's life had really just begun at that age. And to be spending it in such a way was horrible. She was so beautiful. An innocent beauty. Innocent because of her youthfulness. Eugenia could tell that Laura had taken special efforts to look pretty for this tea. She had put her makeup on to perfection, and lightly, not the least bit gaudy, as most of the other girls more than likely wore theirs when they entertained in the afternoons and evenings. Eugenia loved the way Laura had mingled pigtails through deep, long golden curls. It seemed to Eugenia that Laura had managed somehow to have created a new hair style. And Eugenia highly approved. But so young? But then, Eugenia had to only remember her own age. Was she truly only sixteen? Somehow she felt so much older.
"There you are. My girls," Dawn said, relaxing now against the back of the red velveteen chair. "What do you think?"
"Each one is beautiful in a different way," Eugenia said, moving her gaze from one girl to the other, seeing a reaction of approval from them as a result of the compliment paid them.
"Girls, as you know, I've been ill for sometime now," Dawn said, setting her teacup down on a table beside her, then clasping her hands together on her lap, with the white handkerchief sticking out from the top. "I met Eugenia some time ago and know you will all grow to love and respect her. I don't wish to hurt any of your feelings for not having chosen a madam from among you. I only know that Eugenia will be the fairest of madams and can only be of help to all of us. That's what is important, isn't it?"
The girls shook their heads in agreement, some looking more closely at Eugenia, some smiling, and some not. Eugenia didn't know…
"I only hope that you'll decide to accept this decision that I've made and make it easy for Eugenia," Dawn continued. "I need her support. Only remember that, and I'm sure it'll be easier for you to accept what I've done."
The next hour became more relaxed and the room slowly began to be filled with chatter, the tinkling of teacups against saucers, an occasional bout of laughter, and the never-ending coughing of Dawn.
"And now, Eugenia," Dawn said, rising. "I'd like to show you around. Let you see how we run our establishment. The girls must get to their baths and get ready to resume their activities for this afternoon."
Eugenia watched as each girl rose and left. Then the room was empty except for she and Dawn.
"Truly. How do you like my girls?" Dawn asked, clasping on to one of Eugenia's hands. "I want you to be honest with me. Tell me exactly what you think. That's the only way we can work together. By being honest. Right down the line."
"I saw a few things I'd change in their appearances," Eugenia said. "But maybe these things are different once they get prepared to begin their day's work. Let me see them in the night. Then I'll let you know what I think."
"Fair enough," Dawn said, covering her mouth with her free hand and coughing. "Come. Let's show it all to you. I'm anxious for you to see a couple of things that will surprise you, and I hope won't offend you."
"Oh?" Eugenia said, rising. She followed close behind Dawn as she led her up the staircase. At this point in her life, she knew that nothing would surprise her. She was prepared to see most anything that Dawn had to show her.
"In here," Dawn said, opening a door on one side of the hallway.
Eugenia stepped into a small room of darkness. She looked around her. "It looks like a closet," she said. "Why did you want to show this to me?"
Dawn sprinkled a cough with a quiet laugh. "It's not just a closet. Watch."
Eugenia did watch and gasped in disbelief as Dawn pulled on a tasseled rope, opening drapes, to reveal a small window behind it. Then Eugenia gasped further when she saw what this window revealed. She was looking into a room of mirrors… the walls and ceiling completely covered by one continuous mirror, except where a lighted g
as light flickered behind a brightly decorated Japanese light on each wall. She continued to watch in silence as Aimee and Denise walked into this room, a room that didn't even hold a bed, but only a large, red silken-fabric covered mat stretched out on the floor.
"Is that… ?" Eugenia began, then was interrupted by Dawn's soft laughter at her side.
"Yes. That's our two Oriental girls' room. Extra special, isn't it?"
"It's beautiful," Eugenia answered, but looked questionably at Dawn. "But why this window?"
"Men pay almost their full month's earnings in gold to watch through this window."
Eugenia was beginning slowly to understand as her eyes searched through the window once again. Aimee and Denise were placing jars of something on each side of their mat, smiling widely at one another while taking their small, scooting steps across the carpet around the mat—a carpet of white that looked like some type of animal's fur.
"What do the men watch?" she asked, almost shyly, afraid that she might already know the answer.
"There are many different things to see," Dawn said, covering her mouth, coughing into her handkerchief. "But the main attraction is when Aimee and Denise let the man watch them apply perfumed oils from the Orient all over each other's bodies, in the most seductive manner. And if the man has more gold dust to spare, he can enter this room and let the girls spread the oils on him, then have them both do what he pleases for the remainder of the night."
"The girls actually don't mind being watched by strangers?"
"It's what they're here for."
"I must say. It is something different," Eugenia said, walking away from the window and on out into the hall. She wasn't as shocked as she would have been several months earlier.
Dawn pulled the drapes shut, then shut the door behind her. "One day, you'll have to let the girls give you a massage and apply the ointment to your body," Dawn said, lifting her skirts, heading for the staircase once again.
"Do you mean you've… ?" Eugenia stammered, lifting her own skirts and stepping downward.
Dawn laughed softly, eyeing Eugenia with a trace of a twinkle in her blue eyes. "Yes, my dear," she answered. "Before I became ill, I let these two beautiful girls send my mind into a million different worlds by their skilled fingers."
Eugenia's thoughts went to Alison, wondering also about her.
"But now," Dawn added. "The grand tour of the first floor of our establishment. First the kitchen."
Eugenia followed Dawn, her eyes searching for Key the moment they entered the room of mouthwatering aromas. Then she saw him. He looked so tiny in comparison to a buxom lady by his side, and it was quite obvious that they were disagreeing about something by the quickness of their chatter. But Eugenia laughed to herself, not understanding a word being spoken. Key's foreign tongue of Japanese was being applied, to mix with the broken Spanish of the dark-skinned lady.
"God! What do we have here?" Dawn exclaimed. "The beginning of a civil war between cooks?" She started to walk toward them to put a stop to it, but was stopped by Eugenia.
"Let's leave them be," Eugenia whispered, smiling. "They'll have to learn to settle their own differences if they're going to work together."
Dawn shook her head in agreement. "Of course. You're right," she said.
"Whatever they're brewing in those pots, it's got to taste good," Eugenia said, eyeing the many pots and pans on the large, wood-burning kitchen stove. Steam and smoke were rising so thick from them that it looked like the thickness of a morning fog over Eugenia's mountain.
"We serve only the finest food in our establishment," Dawn bragged further. "Come. I'll show off the dining room."
The room was only one closed door away from the kitchen. Eugenia was again taken aback when she pushed her way through the swinging door. Like her bedroom furniture, the long, narrow dining table was of dark red wine mahogany with many matching chairs pushed neatly beneath it. And to enhance the atmosphere of the room, another large chandelier hung from the ceiling over the table, reflecting softly onto the rose-decorated wallpaper, even though several candles were placed in cut glass candleholders on each end of the table.
"Quite beautiful." Eugenia sighed.
"Over here, Eugenia," Dawn said, walking to a window. "See that small house in back?"
Eugenia peered outward onto a small one-storied white house. "Yes, I see," she answered. "What about it? Who lives there?"
"I house a few colored girls for any gentleman who might prefer them to white."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I do run across such men. White men. If that's their pleasure, it's fine with me."
Eugenia's mind went to Clarissa. "Dawn, do you remember the woman who met you at Frederick's? The maid?"
Dawn's gaze met hers. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"I've often wondered if she's colored."
Dawn laughed, making a sudden bout of coughs erupt. "Hon, I can always tell. At first glance."
"And?"
"She's colored. No doubt about it. Just probably had a white mother and black father."
"Do you mean she may have been born in America?"
"It's possible."
"But she told me that Frederick brought her here from Germany."
"God, girl! Do you always believe everything everyone tells you?"
Eugenia was quite aware of her naivete and gullibility. No one had to remind her. "Yes, I guess that's a habit I'm to be forced to break. I should know better by now. Wouldn't you say?"
Dawn patted her on the cheek. "Yes. I'd say so," she said. "Now let's see the rest of the house, then we'll sit down and talk serious business."
"Serious business?"
"Yes, Eugenia," Dawn said solemnly. "You are now 'the' Madam Eugenia. No one can take the title from you as long as you want it. And, as I told you earlier, along with that title goes many responsibilities. I'm going to teach it all to you, so when I'm gone you will carry on with what I'm proud to have accomplished here in the short time I've been Madam Dawn."
"Please don't talk about your dying," Eugenia said, her eyes misting.
"If it's to be, it's to be," Dawn said. "But for now let's forget that and get on with the business for this day. I treat each day as a precious jewel. I want each day I have left to shine even more so than the day before."
* * *
Chapter Fourteen
The parlor was quiet as Eugenia and Dawn entered. Eugenia knew that if a person entered this establishment, not knowing what kind it was, they would not guess that it was a house of girls, nor would they think it just an ordinary house, lived in by simple people. They would think it a grand house, with only the best of furniture and interior decorations. Indeed it was lovely. All of it. Even with the boldness of the red accessories.
"Want some more tea, Eugenia? While we talk?" Dawn asked, leaning forward to pour herself a steaming cup of tea. "It might warm your insides," she added, smiling.
"No, thanks," Eugenia said. "I've never been much of a tea person myself." While on her parents' homestead tea had been considered a luxury. It was only served on special holidays. But Eugenia hadn't liked the taste of it even then. The same was true of coffee. She preferred a nice cold drink of water to any other type of beverage. Even when she had had to pump for what seemed an eternity at the sink in her parents' kitchen. When the water had finally come to the surface it had been ice cold, having come from the depths of a deep well. The water in Cripple Creek did not compare with it. It seemed to be doctored up with some unidentifiable chemical to Eugenia.
"And now. To begin," Dawn said, coughing into her handkerchief. "We have enforced physical examinations required of each girl before we can accept her here in our house."
Eugenia leaned back and relaxed her back and hips against the fullness of the thick, soft stuffing in the upholstered chair. "And why do you do that? Has there been a problem with some of the girls' health?"
Laughing lightly, Dawn smiled at Eugenia, again seeing her naivete. She would have to learn. "So
me diseases are spread quite rapidly from women to men. Venereal diseases. Diseases spread only by sexual intercourse. We have to make sure our girls don't have any of these diseases."
Feeling a blush rising, Eugenia fidgeted with her chair. She hated being so dumb about everything. But she would learn. In time. She knew that by running an establishment such as this she would get a quick education. Maybe not one her Mama and Papa would desire for her, but one that would make it easier for her to get by in this world. A world that seemed to only be guided by sex.
"All visits are planned well in advance here in our establishment," Dawn continued. "Sometimes we accept a one night's call, but usually I plan ahead; a week in advance. A man will call and I'll arrange for his party for an evening, or weekend."
"I would've thought you would have let any man come any time of the day," Eugenia blurted. "You know. To get more business that way."
"No. It might be that way in other parlors in town," Dawn said. "But not here in ours. Usually only the local mining kings frequent our house. They entertain out of town business associates. We serve them the finest food, liquor, and entertainment. And the most beautiful and witty girls that we can get in."
A sudden loud tapping noise at the front door drew Eugenia's attention away from what Dawn was saying. She turned her eyes in the direction of the foyer as she saw Alison pass by, hurrying toward the door.
Dawn rose, frowning darkly. "No one comes to our door in such a manner," she said in a huff. She swept her skirts up into her arms and hurried out of the room.
Eugenia started to rise when she heard the familiar voice. Its gruffness, its deepness. It was Frederick! Her heart seemed to stop as she listened to him expressing threats at Dawn if she didn't let him see Eugenia. The arguing ended up in a bad bout of coughing for Dawn, and Alison was heard taking over. In only one more second, Frederick's bulkiness was standing in the doorway leading into the parlor, with his cheeks flaming red and his eyes bulging. Eugenia's eyes met his gaze and her heart seemed to settle in her throat.
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