Crown of Beauty

by Cecily K Wolfe

  “That came up quick. I hope no one is caught up in it, especially on the water. I know some of you like to gad about in your boats and such.”

  Catherine smiled to herself. Gad about. She would have to remember that the next time she had to chaperone Sarah, although she shouldn’t tease her about her social habits. Just because Sarah liked to spend time with people whereas Catherine preferred books . . .

  “You’re all soaked! Just stay right there, and I’ll find some blankets.”

  A woman’s voice rang out loud and true over the quiet that followed the thunder, and Catherine and Grace both moved quickly to the waiting area, which was just outside the kitchen. Grace had explained that this building had been a bakery at some point, which explained the arrangement. Two figures, tall and broad, held up a third one, tall as well but smaller, and as the two men at the sides wore coats with hoods over their heads, the third one’s head was bare, his dark blonde hair plastered to his head and face with rain. Catherine stood beside Grace in the doorway, fighting the urge to step forward and help. What could she do, she wondered, and why would she want to, when she had overheard plenty of strangers come in during the day and she and Grace worked, with no desire to leave the heat of the kitchen and discover who it was or why they were there. Grace touched her arm gently, and when Catherine looked over, she saw the hint of smile on the older woman’s face.

  Chapter Ten

  He must have been wallowing in a puddle of water, or mud, or a combination of both, Will thought as he tried to lift his head. Funny, he was sure he had stopped drinking in the early hours of the morning, so the fuzzy head he had when the sun rose earlier that day should have worn away by now, especially after the long walk in the rain and his fortunate meeting with some dock workers, who explained where he could find a ship that was headed into Newport that evening. Still, he felt swollen and groggy, as if he had drowned and brought back to life. It was entirely possible at this point. Anything was. A part of him wished that if he had indeed drowned, whoever had found him had let him be. He wasn’t of any use to anyone in this condition or any other as of late.

  There was rustle beside him, but when he managed to open his eyes no one was there. He was on a small bed, a cot, really, in a dark room. Was it a hospital? Had he been hurt in some way?

  “Oh, sir, just rest a bit more, won’t you?”

  An older woman with a kindly expression, not quite a smile but a gentleness in her eyes, was patting his shoulder, and to his embarrassment, tears rushed to his eyes. He had so many memories of his mother, but he worried that in time they would fade. He never imagined that they would, but his father had commented at times about how he himself was forgetting small details of his wife’s mannerisms, her speech patterns, idiosyncratic details that made her unforgettable. Will knew that it upset his father, and in turn, him. He knew, however, that he would never forget the sound of his mother’s voice from when she read to him as a child, as his eyes drifted shut and his mind carried the echo of that voice into his dreams. He quickly closed his eyes now and squeezed them shut tightly to fend off the emotion.

  “That’s a good boy. Mr. Arthur will be wanting to speak to you later, but for now, you’re safe and sound. And dry, for the most part.”

  Dry?

  He kept his eyes closed but wiggled around just a bit under the blanket, discovering that he was in underclothing that was, as she said, dry, and only his hair was damp. A groan slipped out before he could stop himself. Someone had taken his wet suit off and put these on, from who and where he couldn’t say, and he hoped that it had been a man and not this kindly old lady. He didn’t think he was overly modest but the idea of this complete stranger disrobing him and outfitting him again like an infant was horrifying.

  “Are you hurt, sir? The gentlemen who carried you in didn’t think you were, but I can fetch a doctor if you need tending.”

  He rolled his head from side to side on the cot and heard her sigh. There was no pillow, he noticed, but he wasn’t uncomfortable. Funny, he thought, he had never before slept without a pillow under his head. He supposed that many people had, though.

  There was movement at the corner of the room, and a rustle like the one he had heard earlier, when he had first woken. He rolled his head back and opened his eyes, blinking away unshed tears. There was a girl, perhaps his age, in a pale gown of high quality, wearing an apron that was covered in streaks of what looked like flour. She was looking at the older woman, who didn’t notice her until Will did.

  “Is there something I can bring you, to help, or . . .”

  The girl’s voice was soft, as if she didn’t want to attract attention, but she had already caught Will’s. He kept quiet as the woman responded.

  “No, no, Catherine. You’re very sweet to ask. I do think it’s time your brother took you home now, as the weather’s calmed a bit.”

  The girl nodded but didn’t smile.

  “Is he . . . ?”

  She tilted her head towards Will but didn’t look at him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  “He’ll be fine, I’m sure. Just caught in the rain, as so many are. You’ll see come tomorrow.”

  The girl, Catherine, looked down quickly, then raised her gaze, this time to Will. When she saw him watching her she stood up straight and turned away in a rush of fabric, her skirt whirling behind her.

  “She’ll be back tomorrow. If you tell me your name, perhaps I can introduce the two of you properly. If I’m not mistaken and can judge by the cut of the suit you ruined in that storm, you come from her set.”

  Her set? Certainly a girl from a wealthy family wouldn’t spend her days doing whatever it was she did to get so dusty. She did have a fine dress, that was a fact, but there were no young ladies of his set who would ask after a strange man who showed up soaked and dirty in whatever this establishment might be.

  “Oh, I’m not sure.”

  She frowned.

  “You’re not sure of your name?”

  He almost smiled at the opportunity set before him.

  “No, I’m not. I’m afraid I don’t remember anything at all.”

  Catherine didn’t have to worry about explaining her interest in the handsome stranger to her brother on the ride home. It took a little longer than the ride to the shelter that morning, probably because of the puddles of water the horses had to pull the carriage through, some deeper than others, and the carriage swayed a bit now and again with the unexpected depth. Arthur was tired, that was clear, and she could feel him sigh quietly several times as they sat close together, but he was tired in a different way than she was. She was dirty and sweaty, but she had been confined to one area, with one task, and that was a very pleasant one with a kind companion. Arthur had been . . . well, she wasn’t entirely sure where he had been. She knew he spent time soliciting donations and gathering them, and making arrangements for others to help, and also searching for more volunteers for every aspect of the shelter. Grace had told her that her brother found temporary homes for the families, with special effort made for those with young children and babies. Did he go around knocking on doors? Catherine had wondered aloud, not expecting an answer.

  “Yes, he does. Sometimes that is all he can do. He has so many connections, but when he has worn those out, he isn’t above showing up on a doorstep or two. A braver young man I have yet to meet, Miss Catherine. He isn’t afraid of failure if it means helping someone find a home, even for a few days or weeks.”

  Catherine had felt herself shrink from the words, even knowing that Grace hadn’t meant them as a reprimand. She knew that Grace wasn’t judging her, but she still felt as if she had wasted so much time on parties and games that didn’t even mean anything to her. She could never regret the time she spent reading, though. That meant everything to her, the ability to travel far and wide through stories and reporting, until she was able to do so herself. What should be as important, she knew, was making the time to help others, just as Arthur did. He didn’t do it for atte
ntion or praise; in fact, she was fairly certain that her parents and sister knew little of the effort he put into the shelter, with only Josie holding full-knowledge of the depth of his devotion to their joint endeavor. It was this shared pursuit that brought the two of them closer together.

  “We might have to move to her mother’s, at least until the worst of it has passed.”

  “What? Oh, I’m sorry. I can’t seem to stop daydreaming. What do mean, move?”

  She was leaning into him, gathering his warmth against her, and a part of her was sad that they had spent so many years apart, just as she was glad that they were close now. She had never imagined such companionship with her brother, and now, he was becoming as much a friend as a brother.

  “She’s so sick. Every day, it’s the same, and I can’t help her. Dr. Colt and her mother agree that it’s a bit more serious than normal, but there isn’t anything they can do.”

  Catherine reached over and took one of his hands in hers, surprised at the boldness of her move. She had never held her brother’s hand before, but he seemed to need the support.

  “She does look thinner, and so tired. I don’t want to bring it up when I see her at home, especially since she’s so excited about the baby.”

  He looked down at their hands, his tight in hers.

  “When did you grow up, Cat?”

  She smiled. Arthur hadn’t called her Cat since there were very young, when they still played together and he often pulled at her hair and Sarah’s.

  “Mother knows, although she hasn’t said it outright. Fortunately, Sarah and Father haven’t caught on to her comments, but I think Mother might be upset that you and Josie haven’t told her.”

  His grin faded and when he looked at her she could see that his eyes had a pink tinge, as if he hadn’t slept well for a long time.

  “We will. I think we were waiting until Josie felt better, but by then it might be obvious. If Mother has figured it out . . .”

  “She figures everything out.”

  He nodded.

  “We’ll tell them tomorrow, just as we’ll tell them that we’re going to move in with Josie’s mother, so she can be with her until she’s well again. She might as well be alone in our house when I’m not there, and I really think it’s best for her to have the comfort of her mother at a time like this. Surely there is something that can be done to help her.”

  He wiped his free hand over his forehead, then covered his eyes as he spoke again.

  “I realize that this is not a proper conversation for an unmarried girl, especially with a man, but . . . I know Josie told you, and I trust her judgment in all things, so I hope you don’t think I’m being indelicate in sharing all of this with you. I think Josie would approve.”

  Catherine knew that he was right, and that their mother would be appalled at what she knew. It wasn’t as if she had been told anything intimate, she considered, only that when women were in the early stages of pregnancy they could become ill. It was good information to have, for her own sake and anyone else who might have the same difficulty. She might be in a position someday to help a mother-to-be who was suffering in the same way.

  “I’m sure Josie has asked you to pray for her, and we both appreciate that, more than we can say.”

  His statement roused her from her wandering thoughts.

  “But what can it do? If you’ve prayed, and I have, and she’s still sick, how do we know it is helping?”

  His smile was sudden and charming, as if something had been lit up within him.

  “Faith. We have it, we practice it, we share it. We know He is listening, and that He knows what is in our best interests. We might not understand, but we have to trust Him.”

  Catherine narrowed her eyes at him. It still didn’t make much sense to her, but she did believe in God, so she decided to be open to whatever her brother said. Perhaps it would become more clear as time went on, and as she continued to pray and listen to Arthur and Josie, she might be able to understand why Arthur was so certain of so much when it came to God.

  Chapter Eleven

  The screeching was almost inhuman, and as Catherine rolled over in her bed, she discovered not only that Sarah had crept in during the night, but her sister was somehow still asleep as a woman’s voice continued to yell in apparent astonishment. Unwelcome astonishment. The voice was definitely their mother’s.

  She looked at her little sister, soft and sweet like a child in her slumber, so unlike her defiant state that had been so common of late. Sarah’s cheeks were flushed pink, warm from curling up against Catherine’s back, and Catherine couldn’t help but smile. The brief moment of calm was interrupted as her mother shouted again, and Catherine heard a knock at the door as she was going to get up and go to it, just to open it enough to listen. She knew it wasn’t right to eavesdrop, but her mother didn’t make a scene over much, so whatever was happening, it was important and would most likely affect her and Sarah as well.

  She reached for her pink satin robe, one that she imagined she would have to switch out with a heavier one as the weather continued to change, and walked quickly and quietly to the door to avoid waking Sarah. If the racket downstairs didn’t disturb Sarah, she didn’t want to be the one who did.

  “Josie?”

  Her sister-in-law was hugging herself, her head down as she stood nearly up against the door, leaning back only slightly when Catherine opened it. Catherine took her by the arm and led her into her bedroom.

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think you would still be asleep, and I didn’t know that Sarah was in here, too.”

  Catherine couldn’t help wrapping her arms around the smaller girl and hugging her, feeling Josie tense at first then relax against her. She rubbed Josie’s back as she did with Sarah at times to calm her, unsure if she should be doing even that. Josie was clearly ill, obviously tired, and felt too thin in her arms. Sarah suddenly spoke up.

  “What’s happening? Why is Mother having a fit?”

  Josie didn’t move and Catherine pushed her away just enough to look into her eyes. Josie looked as if she might just fall asleep right there on her feet.

  “Move over, won’t you?”

  Catherine instructed Sarah and Sarah cooperated without a sound. It was too easy, Catherine thought. No questions, no exclamations. Still, Sarah could see as well as she could that Josie needed to lie down.

  “Here,” Sarah reached out and took Josie’s hand. Catherine was behind Josie and couldn’t see Josie’s expression, but Sarah was smiling, so Catherine knew the two of them must be exchanging agreeable looks.

  “I’m not ready to be up and about yet, so you can just stay with me for a bit. Catherine can wait on us, right, Catherine?”

  Catherine waited until Josie was sitting comfortably, as far as she could tell, beside Sarah, the two of them so different except for their youth. Josie was pale and blonde, delicate as one of the porcelain dolls she used to dust when she was a maid in these very rooms. Sarah still carried the dark color of the summer sun, her chestnut hair thick and unruly falling down her back as she reached around Josie and pulled her close against her.

  “And you’re not sorry one bit, are you, Sarah?”

  Catherine put her hands on her hips, a smile on her face ensuring that Josie understood she was teasing. She dropped her arms so they fell to her sides, and she looked pointedly at Josie.

  “Is there anything that helps? I won’t mention anything in particular, in case just hearing about it makes you feel terrible.”

  Sarah squinted at her.

  “Helps what?”

  Josie looked down.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Sarah wasn’t angry, but she was confused and Catherine knew that one of them would have to tell her. It should be Josie, she thought, but Sarah might have to wait and give Josie a few moments. Sarah wasn’t very patient, and Catherine was concerned for just a moment before she could tell from Sarah’s expression that she wasn’t in a hurry. She was, h
owever, worried, and for Sarah to look outside of herself for once and past her own wants and needs was something to be grateful for indeed. She wondered if that was something to pray about, a prayer of thanks rather than one with requests. It seemed right to do so, so she thought in her head quickly, a thank you, and sighed gently as if that small breath would carry her prayer up to heaven.

  “A baby,” Josie whispered, quiet but firm, as she so often was. She looked sideways at Sarah, a small smile at the edge of her lips.

  “Oh,” Sarah nearly jumped off the bed. “Oh, Josie! Really? A baby!”

  Catherine waved a hand at her, hoping Sarah would understand that she needed to calm down.

  “We’ll have a baby in the house! I’ll be an aunt! We’ll both be aunts! Oh, Catherine, it will be so much fun. We can take the baby to the beach. Do babies like to swim?”

  Catherine was momentarily stunned. When had Sarah become interested in babies?

  “I’m so sick, though,” Josie managed, and Sarah stopped bouncing. “I’m afraid the baby will become ill, too, if I can’t eat, and then . . .”

  Sarah hugged her tight and leaned her head against Josie’s as Catherine saw a tear slide down one of Josie’s cheeks. It wouldn’t be good for her to be so upset, she thought.

  “Come now, let’s just rest. Or rather, you and Sarah rest. You can lie down here and just close your eyes.”

  Josie nodded almost imperceptibly and wiped at the tear.

  “Sarah would sleep all day if you let her, so it’s no trouble to have you in my bed along with her. Besides, Sarah, whatever brought you into my bed last night in the first place?”

  Sarah wrinkled her nose and Josie huffed a small laugh.

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m here now, and that’s a good thing, right, Josie?”

  Sarah and Josie settled down among the bedclothes, and Catherine adjusted the blankets and pillows for them, turning away just as a gentle knock came at the door. She stepped quietly towards it, intending to leave just after she explained to whoever was there that Sarah and Josie were not to be disturbed. When she turned the knob and saw who was waiting in the hallway, she opened the door a little further, however, so their visitor could see that his wife was already sound asleep, her tiny face nearly hidden in the blankets. Sarah smiled and leaned her cheek on the top of Josie’s head slightly, so as not to wake the other girl.