by Zina Abbott
Delphinia wrinkled her forehead in consternation. She answered slowly. “A maid cleaning it would be better. I suppose until we found one I could do so, subject to the agreement you will do a better job of keeping the downstairs clean. I certainly won’t do it. I won’t have people gawking through the windows at me while performing that kind of work.”
Bennett agreed regarding not wanting people to see her performing manual labor in his showroom. “I could agree to that. You do know how to clean, don’t you, Miss Brown?”
Delphinia shrugged. “It involves a little dusting, sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes. I’ve seen it done, Mr. Nighy. How hard can it be?”
Bennett choked back his laugh. This lady had never cleaned a house in her life. “Speaking of washing dishes, do you cook?”
“Cook?” Delphinia suddenly felt lost, as if she had been confronted with a foreign concept. She knew how to discuss menus with a cook, but to actually prepare food herself? She had no idea how to go about it. She licked her lips, an action she had no way of knowing it prompted a flip-flop sensation inside Bennett’s chest. “I do know how to make tea and toast. Cook once showed me how to boil an egg, but someone would need to remind me how long to leave it in the boiling water.” She huffed with exasperation. “I don’t know why we couldn’t continue your present routine of taking meals several days per week at Howard’s, and maybe…well, whatever it is you do for meals.”
Delphinia glanced his way and took note of his disapproving expression. “All right, Mr. Nighy. I am willing to learn to cook a few basic foods. However, there is a perfectly good bakery in town. I see no reason to learn to bake. And I won’t do laundry. I hear working with hot water and lye soap is extremely hard on one’s hands. It would never do to have them red and raw while taking care of your customers.”
Bennett couldn’t resist baiting her. “You could wear gloves.” Bennett acknowledged to himself if he were to ever agree to her insane scheme, he would want to send their laundry over to Hackett’s the way he did his now rather than to see her beautiful hands roughened by doing laundry.
Fearing he was mocking her, Delphinia glanced his way once again. “May I assume you find those terms agreeable, Mr. Nighy? If any additional issues arise, I’m sure we can work through them.”
“You mean like your part in assisting me with the deceased?”
“Deceased? As in, dead people?”
“Yes.”
“I did take a peek into your work area. I found two items that looked like caskets. Do you make caskets, Mr. Nighy? It does make sense that for those who can afford it you would wish to have some high quality caskets available for them to choose from when a loved one dies. Those do take time to build, so of course you would have a few on hand. I imagine I would handle their sale the same as any other furniture.”
“I’m not talking only about the caskets. I’m talking about the deceased themselves.”
“You’re a furniture builder. What does that have to do with you?”
“Because I know how to nail boards together well enough to build a pine box, the town calls on me when someone dies and needs a coffin. Somehow the job has evolved so that I am the town’s unofficial mortician. Although the good ladies of the church will wash and lay out most of the residents who die, and the mine owners will take care of their own, I sometimes find myself needing to perform that service for those who don’t have close ties with Jubilee Springs. One of the terms would need to be you would help me with the deceased, Miss Brown, particularly those who are female.”
Delphinia’s face blanched. “I’m sorry, Mr. Nighy. I don’t do dead. I…I can’t touch anything that has died.”
“Nothing? Have you never had a favorite pet you held after it passed from this life?”
“We were never allowed pets. My mother…” Delphinia clamped her lips shut. It was best she not allow the conversation to veer anywhere near the topic of family. “No, I have never touched anything dead, not even after the head, feathers, hide and feet had been removed and it has been made into meat. Cook handled the raw meat. I only saw it after it was prepared and served as part of a meal.”
Bennett stared at her in disbelief. He couldn’t believe how sheltered she had been raised. His guess that she had come from a well-to-do family was confirmed if she had never cleaned, plucked, and cut up a raw chicken for Sunday dinner. However, he was not going to completely let her off the hook. “Perhaps I don’t need to make it a condition that you actually touch the deceased, Miss Brown. However, I occasionally need a hostess to sit with the body while it is laid out. It’s customary, you know. Also, it’s a nice touch to have someone to act as hostess to those who wish to pay their final respects by coming to view the body. You can manage that, surely.”
Delphinia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t know, Mr. Nighy. I’ve never seen a dead person in real life. I don’t know how I would react.”
Bennett tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “You have never attended the funeral of someone close to you?”
Delphinia rapidly shook her head. “No. My grandmother died when I was younger, but my mother thought seeing her body in her casket would be too upsetting for me. She made me stay home and in my room. I didn’t go to a viewing or attend the funeral.”
Much to his dismay, a pang of empathy for this woman coursed through him. If she ever was confronted with death, especially a violent one or one without warning, she would probably fall apart and not easily recover. Bennett decided to change tactics.
“What about the sleeping arrangements?”
“For the deceased? Wouldn’t their casket be sufficient?”
“I wasn’t referring to the deceased. I meant for us.”
“Oh.” Delphinia clapped her hand to her chest as if to catch her breath. She straightened up and lifted her head, jutting forth her chin. She was once again on familiar territory. “I assume I will take the bed in your spare room.”
“There is no spare room or spare bed, Miss Brown. There is only one bedroom and one bed. If you wish to sleep in that bed, you will find yourself spending your nights next to the man who owns the bed. I built a very nice headboard for it.”
“Oh.” Disconcerted once again, Delphinia’s eyes shifted from side to side as she absorbed what he had just revealed. “Beautiful headboard or not, that would never do, considering the nature of a marriage of convenience. I perhaps could sleep in the living area. If necessary, we could set up a pallet down in here your office which can be rolled up and stored out of the way in the daytime. We can work that out later.” Delphinia inhaled and straightened. She reached deep within her to muster as much confidence as she could dredge up and faced Bennett. “If we are to enter into this business arrangement, we next need to discuss when and where the ceremony will take place."
“No.”
“No? Then you won’t agree to it?”
“Not today. And if I were to agree to it, the where part would be non-negotiable. It will be at the Community Church, as sacrilegious for your purposes though it may be.”
“There is nothing sacrilegious about a church wedding in and of itself. It’s just in these particular circumstances…” Delphinia paused and bit her lip. “When will I know your answer, Mr. Nighy? I see no need drag out negotiations over an extended period of time. I think it reasonable to expect and answer soon so I…so we can have something in place by Monday morning.”
“Why, Miss Brown? What happens Monday afternoon?” Bennett watched Delphinia stare at him in silence, her eyes wide. He didn’t need for her to tell him. The train from Denver would arrive Monday afternoon. She was afraid of who might arrive on it.
“I’m not sure exactly when. I will think on it and get back to you, Miss Brown. Tonight I’ll be busy. I’m going to the harvest dance—for the food—not to dance. Sunday I’m going fishing.”
It was subtle, but Bennett watched as something shifted in Delphinia’s face. Her eyes wavered slightly at his words before her featur
es softened. Her lips parted seductively. Her stance relaxed and she leaned towards him.
“You fish, Mr. Nighy? Where can one fish around here?”
Warily, Bennett studied Delphinia. “The Arkansas River. Not a great variety of fish, and this time of year I doubt I will have much success. I go more to commune with nature and enjoy the solitude. However, I have been known to pull some nice brown trout out of the Arkansas.”
Delphinia licked her lips, an action she had no idea affected Bennett far more than he wished. Her plea came out voiced as a whisper. “Will you take me fishing with you, Mr. Nighy? I promise I won’t get in your way or discuss this matter further if you don’t wish it. I won’t say a word. In the event I’m unable to stay in Jubilee Springs, I would like to go fishing at least once while I am here.”
Bennett stared at her in disbelief. Before him stood an entirely different person than the stiff and proper high-society woman he had known for the past three days. This same Sarah Brown wanted him to take her fishing? “Have you ever fished before, Miss Brown?”
“Yes. In the Catskills. My father used to take me as a child until my mother decided it was not appropriate for a young lady of….” Delphinia stopped and bit her lip. She had revealed far too much. Hopefully, Bennett had not picked up on it.
But he had.
So, we have narrowed it down she’s from lower New York. If not the city itself, nearby.
“Being from Albany, I’m familiar with the Catskills, Miss Brown. However, my family tended to spend more time in the Adirondacks.” Bennett inhaled deeply. He knew he was going to hate himself for this. “Along with your business proposition, I will consider your request for you to barge in on my fishing trip the way you have barged in on my store. I’ll get back to you with my final answer later. Now, if you will see your way out, I’m going to my work room to try to get some furniture built.”
The old Sarah Brown that he recognized returned. “Of course, Mr. Nighy. I will come back later with supplies with which to construct paper folders. I trust by the time I am ready to leave you will have completed the repairs on the dressing table bench and have it out in the showroom next to the door of your work shop so I may return it to the boarding house.”
Bennett took Delphinia by the arm, led her to his chair she had taken over the past two days and pressed on her shoulder until she sat down. At last he had the height advantage. “I will have the stool ready today, but you will not be carrying it back to Howard’s, Miss Brown. I’ll take it there myself.”
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CHAPTER 18
~o0o~
Again Delphinia waited until the last minute to descend the stairs to the supper table. As much as she didn’t wish to socialize with the women who were being allowed to select grooms, not to mention Lizett Millard, she needed to eat. She now regretted she had not taken a room at the hotel. At the River Valley Inn, not only could she minimize her contact with Lizett Millard, et al, she could have asked the clerk to send a light supper up to her room.
Delphinia took her seat on the end chair at the foot of the table. She glanced at the head of the table, grateful to see Mrs. Millard sitting next to Daniel Howard and on the same side of the table as her so she had no occasion to look at the woman while eating.
Delphinia’s eyes sought out the person directly across from her. She fought back the pang of disappointment that instead of it being Bennett Nighy, it was Etta, the bride intended for the ranch foreman. The young woman looked much improved with the altered dress she had given her, one of the store-bought dresses from Chicago. Delphinia smiled at the lace that peeked over the top edge of the stand-up collar. She noted that she had been correct about a bow of black grosgrain ribbon at the neck with small loops and long tails setting off the otherwise plain royal blue wool gown. Someone must have helped her with her hair, because for the first time since Delphinia had laid eyes on the girl, the flyaway locks on the sides of her head were neatly secured in the horn combs Delphinia had given her. She felt a sense of satisfaction that she had helped improve the appearance of the woman who would be seen by her groom for the first time at the harvest dance this night.
Delphinia had taken small portions and finished her meal quickly so she could be one of the first to leave the table and return to her room. Most of the brides appeared already dressed for the dance. However, only at a dinner-dance would Delphinia risk eating in the one ball gown she had brought with her. The mauve satin flattered her coloring, but it was not the most stylish or ornate gown she had owned. However, Annie had followed her instructions and chosen a gown with minimal bulk and not requiring a large bustle. She had taken the gown wrapped in a sheet to Hackett’s Laundry to have the wife press out the wrinkles from it being squashed in her trunk.
Delphinia sat before her dressing table to tackle the task of styling her hair to go with the dress. She piled her hair high and secured it with combs before she added the head wrap that went with her gown, Delphinia realized at that point how much she missed Annie’s talents. She could only hope that as a result of her escape, Annie had not suffered. She hoped the reference she had left for Annie had helped her to get a new position with an employer who was kinder to their servants than Helena Blakewell tended to be.
Just as she had not brought special dancing slippers, she did not have a stylish color-coordinated coat in her trunks to go with the ball gown. Delphinia decided to use the light pink and lavender paisley shawl as a neck scarf under her gray wool coat she wore with her everyday clothes. She took some comfort in knowing she was not in New York, but Jubilee Springs. Most people here would not know her clothing combination veered more towards plebeian than couture. And the two inch high button-top boots she had been wearing since she arrived would have to do.
Delphinia descended the steps to find Clara Howard buttoning her coat. Her landlady looked up at her in surprise. “I didn’t know you were still here, Miss Brown. I assumed you had gone on to the dance with the others. I have a cobbler that is finally cool enough to carry. I welcome you to walk over with me, especially if you don’t mind carrying the lantern. We’ll need it for the trip home.”
The two ladies exited the front door, Delphinia carrying the lantern that had already been lit and set to low. She noticed the snow had quit almost as soon as it started, leaving a light covering on the ground where it had not already melted in the late afternoon sun. Thankfully, her gown did not include a train that she needed to worry about keeping out of the mud. On their way to the schoolhouse where the dance was being held, she silently listened to Clara chatter away about the planning that had taken place for the event. The hope and anticipation of possibilities she had entertained just a couple of days ago had been dashed to pieces by Lizett Millard’s pronouncement that she was not allowed to consider one of the miners as a marriage partner. However, she had promised Archie Long she would dance with him. She intended to honor her commitment, even if she left the dance shortly afterwards.
Forcing herself to not sink into depression, Delphinia realized the chances of her marrying within the next few days were slim. She had made a fool of herself approaching Bennett Nighy with what she considered a perfectly legitimate and mutually beneficial business offer. That out of necessity due to her being female it had to be managed as a marriage of convenience should not have deterred him, especially since he had made it clear he had no interest in entering into a traditional marriage. Instead of him taking it seriously and giving her an answer one way or the other, he had used her offer as an excuse to interrogate her, badger her, and leave her dangling with uncertainty about her future.
Delphinia would safer if she could be married by Monday morning in case her father or some of his men arrived on the train Monday afternoon. Her room was paid through Wednesday morning. However, if she had no solid prospects of marriage within the week, she knew she needed to take the train leaving for Denver on Tuesday.
Clara Howard’s words broug
ht her back to the present. “I think they have plenty of gas lights on inside for us to see. Set the lantern out front here where you can remember which one was ours, maybe by that large rock. You may put your coat on one of the desks in the upstairs classroom before you join the crowd. I’ll be bringing mine up there as soon as I drop off this cobbler.”
Delphinia placed the lantern by the rock, entered the front foyer of the school building and climbed the stairs to reach a room full of desks. In the fading light of the evening, she took note of the maps, drawings and charts that marked this as the classroom for older students. She smiled as she noticed smaller-sized school desks stacked against one wall, no doubt removed from downstairs to make room for the dance. As she descended the stairs, she passed Clara coming up.
Delphinia once again found herself in the front foyer where wooden pegs had been placed for the children’s coats and scarves on the walls of each side. Evidently, many of the men chose to make use of them rather than climb the stairs where the ladies kept their coats.
She entered the door to the downstairs classroom. In the far corner on the right, on what appeared to be a raised platform, a fiddler played a rousing country dance. The teacher’s desk on the left had been turned into the table holding liquid refreshment, which apparently from what she could see through the glass of the three punch bowls, featured apple cider. She wondered if one or more had something extra added. The tables for the food were lined up on the left wall.
The first person Delphinia recognized in the room was Bennett Nighy. He had warned her he planned to come only for the food. Evidently true to his word, he had wasted no time finding the spoon to Mrs. Howard’s cobbler, for she spied him now scooping out a helping to add to a plate that already held a slice of pumpkin pie and a wedge of chocolate cake.
Clara Howard came up behind Delphinia. “Looks like you’ve caught the eye of many of our residents with that beautiful gown of yours.”
