by Mona Ingram
His attitude made her determined to see the woman. “No, I don’t know her,” she snapped. “But she looked to be badly hurt, and I want to check on her.”
The man shrugged and pointed to a long room, lined with pallets on either side. The lighting was poor, but even so she could see the thin, dirty blankets covering the patients, some of whom were lying in their own excrement. “I think the one you’re looking for is down there, on the left. Behind the curtain.” He disappeared up a set of stairs.
Overwhelmed by the misery on all sides, Sarah moved down the room. It was unbelievable to her that people who had come here so full of hope had been reduced to sleeping on the floor in such dire conditions.
Pale light from a narrow window fell on a pallet and she recognized the woman from last night. Dark eyes challenged her as she paused. The woman was not going to make this easy. “What do you want?” she said at last, her voice surprisingly strong.
“I came to see you,” said Sarah, moving closer.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those do-good preacher women.”
“No, I’ll leave that to someone who knows what they’re doing.” Sarah pointed to the blanket covering the woman’s leg. “May I have a look?”
Doubt flickered across the woman’s face. “Why?”
Sarah tried not to let her frustration show. “Because I have some medical training.” She kneeled down and lowered her voice. “And I’ve heard that the care in here can be questionable.” She lifted the blanket before the woman could respond. “Are you in pain?”
“What do you think?”
Sarah’s lips twitched. “You’re right. Foolish question.”
The expression on the woman’s face softened. “It’s not as bad as it was.”
Sarah looked into her eyes. “Are you on laudanum?”
“No. They offered, but I didn’t want to be at anyone’s mercy, if you know what I mean. This hospital isn’t safe for a woman and that flimsy canvas divider doesn’t offer much protection.”
Sarah shook her head as she examined the woman’s leg. “The dressing looks good, but you should come home with me. I don’t know how anyone heals in here.”
“What’s your name?” The woman offered a tentative smile.
“Sarah.”
“I’m Madeleine.” She studied Sarah’s face, as though trying to make up her mind about something. “Thank you for your offer, but my friend said she’d come to get me around noon.” Her gaze moved to the woman in the next bed. “If you want to help someone, you should help her. That’s Adaline.”
Sarah could see nothing of the woman. A frail form under a blanket and some dirty blonde hair was all that was visible.
“Is she a...” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word.
“... a prostitute? Yes.”
“You know her?”
Madeleine looked uncomfortable. “Nobody knows much about her background, but she’s been here about six weeks, working on her own.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
Madeleine looked away, then brought her gaze back to Sarah. “Hiram decided he wanted her in one of his cribs, but she was determined not to fall under his influence. She’d been drinking a lot and when Hiram discovered that, he started providing her with brandy, only she didn’t know it was laced with opium.”
“Laudanum,” murmured Sarah.
“His plan was to make her dependent on him, but when he found out that she’d somehow weaned herself off his brandy, he beat her.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Someone dropped her off here last night.” She stopped abruptly. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. I could get into serious trouble.”
“I understand.” Sarah touched Madeleine gently near her bound leg. “Make sure you change the dressing, and keep it clean, all right?”
Tears welled up in Madeleine’s eyes and she nodded. “Thank you, Sarah.”
Sarah had already turned to the next pallet. “Adaline?” she said softly. “Can you hear me?”
A soft moan was her only answer. Sarah pulled back the threadbare blanket and revealed a face swollen beyond recognition. The woman’s right eye had turned purple, and a streak of blood was smeared from her nose across her cheek, where she’d made a feeble attempt to wipe it away. Sarah could only imagine what the rest of the woman’s body looked like.
“Adaline,” she said again, and the woman stirred. “I know you’re in pain, but do you think you can stand up?”
Adaline rolled slowly onto her back and lay there for a moment, gasping from the effort. When she’d caught her breath, she looked at Sarah through her functioning eye. “Why?” she croaked, through swollen lips.
“Because I’m going to take you out of here.”
Sarah thought she saw a flare of hope on the woman’s face, but it was hard to tell. “Why?” she asked again, displaying the ingrained caution of a woman who has had to protect herself.
“Because you need help.”
Adaline turned her head toward Madeleine, an unspoken question in her eyes.
“It’s all right,” said Madeleine. “Go.”
Adaline relaxed back onto the pallet and for a moment Sarah thought she’d passed out. “Thank you,” she said, her words barely audible. “I think I can stand up.”
“Good, but wait until I find a cart. I’ll be right back.”
* * *
Spotting a man who had just delivered a load of lumber to the building next door, Sarah offered him money to take them to Sacramento Street. Supporting Adaline, she walked out the front door and into the cart, covering the woman with the hospital’s blanket. Despite the odd moan of pain from beneath the blanket as the cart lurched over ruts in the road, few people paid them any attention as they made their way back to Sarah’s house.
The driver’s head came up as they approached the house. “Something smells good,” he said, a hopeful smile on his face.
“We’re setting up an eating house,” she said, using the local expression. “We just made our first batch of meat pies today. If you’d like to wait, I’ll get you one.” She smiled at him for the first time. “And if you like it, I hope you tell your friends.” She helped Adaline down while the driver held the horses. “I’ll be right back.”
The door opened before they reached it. Melissa’s gaze darted back and forth between the horses and the strange apparition coming toward her. She backed up as Sarah guided Adaline into the house, and the blanket fell away.
“What is it...” Anna’s mouth fell open. “Good Lord, Sarah, what’s happened to her?”
“I’ll explain in a minute, but this is Adaline and she’s going to be staying with us. Let’s find somewhere comfortable for her to lie down.”
Anna took over. “We’ll put her in the back room. Missy and I moved upstairs this morning while you were gone.”
“Thank you.” Sarah picked up one of the meat pies. “I hope these are good. I promised one to the driver.”
“They’re great. Missy and I tested one.” Anna exuded positive energy. “Give him an apple one as well.”
Sarah presented the man with the beef, and he wasted no time. “Amazing,” he said, spraying pastry flakes as he spoke through a mouthful. “These are going to be popular.” He finished and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“And this one is made with apples.” Sarah handed him the other pie. Anna had sprinkled it with sugar, and he made short work of it.
“Is that your little girl?” he asked, motioning to Missy, who was back in the door.
“No, she’s the daughter of a friend.”
The man’s expression softened. “Do you mind if I give you a tip?”
“No, of course not. I’ve just arrived, and I’m still learning.”
His voice was suddenly husky with emotion. “There are a lot of us family men here, and we miss our children.” He cleared his throat. “Get the child to help you sell your pies, and you won’t be able to make them fast enough.”
“Wouldn’
t that be...” Sarah searched for the right word. “... exploitation?”
“Not really.” He waved at Missy, who waved back. “You’d be doing us a favor. We don’t get to see very many children. When we do see one, it reminds us of why we’re here.”
Sarah nodded. “I see what you mean.”
“Well, I’d better go. Good luck with your eating house, ma’am.”
“My name is Sarah.”
“Albert,” he called over his shoulder. Sarah walked slowly back to the house, absorbing his words. It did seem like exploitation, but if it helped their business, could it hurt? She’d need to find time to talk it over with Anna, but at the moment, Adaline needed her attention.
Anna met her in the hallway. “Sarah, that woman’s been beaten within an inch of her life.” She gave her head a confused shake. “I thought you said she had a broken leg.”
Sarah looked blank for a moment. “Oh, that was Madeleine. She has a friend coming to get her today. This is Adaline.”
Anna glanced over her shoulder. “She’s a...”
“Yes. Is that a problem for you?”
“Heavens, no.” Anna’s back stiffened noticeably. “She needs our help. I filled the water reservoir in the stove while we were baking the pies, so we have lots of hot water. Would you like help cleaning her up?”
Sarah thought for a moment. “I think perhaps one person is all she wants seeing her injuries for now. She hasn’t uttered a word since we left the hospital.”
“I’ll make her a cup of tea.” Anna looked hopefully at Sarah. “You didn’t find milk, by any chance?”
“Sorry, but I did get the sugar. It’s in my bag.”
“Oh well. Maybe next time.”
* * *
Sarah’s anger grew as Adaline’s injuries were revealed. The other woman sat quietly, staring into the distance as Sarah removed her soiled dress and undergarments. She made no sound as Sarah bathed her bruised body, even though she must have been in pain.
Sarah slipped one of her own night shifts over Adaline’s head and lifted a section of dirty hair. “Shall I do your hair? If you could manage to lean over the washtub, I could wash it for you.”
Tears rolled silently down Adaline’s cheeks.
“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
“No.” Adaline looked directly at her for the first time. “It’s just that nobody has been kind to me for a long time.”
A knock on the door saved Sarah from tears. She opened it to reveal Anna with a cup of tea. Adaline’s gaze went immediately to the teacup and she swallowed involuntarily. “Thank you,” she said softly, accepting the cup and closing her one good eye as she drank. “That tastes wonderful.” She handed the cup back to Anna with a shy smile and turned to Sarah. “I think I feel strong enough for that hair wash now.”
* * *
“When was the last time you ate?” asked Sarah once she had finished washing Adaline’s hair. Long and luxurious, it was a soft ash blonde color, and Sarah could tell it had once been the other woman’s pride and joy.
“I don’t remember.”
“Anna and I made two types of pies this morning. Meat and apple. We’re planning to sell them eventually, and we’d welcome your opinion if you’d like to try them.”
“Why are you doing this for me?” Adaline seemed genuinely puzzled.
Sarah lifted her shoulders. “Because you needed help. I have no hidden agenda, if that’s what you’re thinking.” She lifted the bucket of dirty water. “I can bring you some more tea and a couple of pies, or if you prefer, you can join us in the front room. Anna has a new baby, and he should be awake about now.”
Chapter Thirteen
“How is she?” asked Anna when Sarah sat down.
“I think she’s going to be okay. I invited her to come out if she wants more tea, or something to eat.” She paused for a moment. “I was just thinking. Let’s call the pasties pies from now on. It’s so much easier than trying to explain about pasties.”
“The pie that fits in your hand,” said Anna, turning to Melissa. “How does that sound, Missy?”
“I like it.” Melissa turned to Sarah. “How long is that lady going to stay here?”
“I don’t know, Missy.” She exchanged a quick glance with Anna. “But she’s welcome to stay as long as she wants. She needs our help right now.”
Missy nodded. “What’s her name?”
“Adaline.” They all turned to see her standing in the doorway, Sarah’s shawl pulled over her shoulders. “But my friends call me Addie.”
“Then we’ll call you Addie too.” Missy smiled at her. “Would you like to meet Walter?”
Addie fussed over the new baby and declared the meat pie to be excellent. After washing it down with another cup of tea, her fatigue became obvious. “I’m sorry,” she said, fighting to stay awake. “But if you don’t mind, I’ll lie down now.” She gave Sarah a lop-sided smile and walked slowly back to the bedroom, wincing with every step.
The women remained silent for several long minutes after Addie left the room. Finally Anna spoke up. “I like her,” she said with an emphatic nod. “I hope she stays.”
“So do I,” Sarah agreed. “I wonder if she...” She was distracted by a man coming up to the door. Judging by his features and his dress, he was Chilean.
“Now what?” she murmured, opening the door.
“Miss Howard?”
“Yes, I’m Sarah Howard.”
“Bueno.” The man smiled, revealing dazzling white teeth. “I have delivery for you.”
“Are you sure? I’m not expecting anything.” She stepped outside and looked toward the street, where another man waited in a cart.
“Is from Mr. Jamie,” the man announced, motioning for the man in the cart to start unloading. They threw back a canvas cover, revealing a high-backed rocking chair and a comfortable-looking padded armchair. “You like, no?”
“Yes, I like.” It occurred to Sarah that she’d been too busy to think about Jamie. She showed the men where to position the items and they turned to leave. “Wait,” she said, looking for her bag. “I’ll pay you for the delivery.”
“No, senorita. Mr. Jamie paid.” The man’s gaze fell on the plate of pies.
“Then let me offer you one of these,” she said. “These are meat, and the ones with the sugar are apple. Take one of each.” She held out the plate to the second man. “You, too. Help yourself.”
Anna watched the men lick their fingers and gesture back and forth. “They liked them,” she said, stating the obvious. “If we keep this up, pretty soon everyone in San Francisco will know about our pies.” Her eyes danced with excitement. “I wonder if Addie knows how to cook.”
Sarah turned thoughtful as she watched the men drive away. “We need to offer something besides the pies if we’re going to be successful, although they can be our main product.” She wandered into the kitchen and assessed their food supplies.
Anna nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it most of the day while I was working. We need something we can make in large batches. Something we can feed the men who want to sit down. The pies are basically beef stew inside a pastry shell. We can offer the stew with some of your bread, and fruit pies for a sweet. It’s not fancy, but it tastes good and it’s filling.”
Sarah’s gaze fell on one of the bags that had been delivered from WindSprite. “Have you ever made baked beans? I haven’t, but it can’t be too difficult. Pork is available. We could offer pork and beans and bread.”
“And coffee.” Anna’s enthusiasm bubbled over. “Let’s be known for our excellent coffee. We can even offer tea. It will remind the men of home.”
Sarah shot a tentative look at Anna. “Speaking of which, the fellow who drove Addie and I home from the hospital said something interesting.” She glanced into the dining area, where Missy was seated in the rocking chair, playing quietly with a doll. “He said that the men rarely get to interact with children, and that Melissa would be a real draw.”
&n
bsp; When Anna didn’t respond, she wondered if she had insulted her friend. “Anna?” she said, moving to where the other woman couldn’t avoid looking at her. “What do you think?”
“Sorry.” Anna came back from wherever she’d been. “I was thinking about Walter. About what he would say.” She looked at Sarah, her eyes surprisingly clear. “But he’s not here, and I have to make my own decisions. I think the driver was right.” She gave a short laugh, but Sarah could tell she was deadly serious. “This is about making a living; it’s about our future, and if seeing Missy reminds the miners of home, and brings them to our door, then why not?” She lifted her chin a few degrees. “We can try it for a day or two, and if it makes us uncomfortable, then we get her to stay in the background while we’re serving.” She reached for her makeshift apron and tied it around her waist. “I’m going to get started on a batch of pies for tomorrow while you experiment with the baked beans.”
* * *
Jamie forced himself to listen to the man on the other side of the desk. The businessman had a highly inflated opinion of his own importance; he represented a lot of business for the minting machine, and he knew it. Having to deal with customers like this made him wish he’d never agreed to spearhead his company’s expansion into California. Jamie’s own business philosophy had always been simple: deal with companies who provide the best service. If this man couldn’t see that his company offered an honest, superior service, then he wasn’t sure he wanted his business.
Quite simply, he didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be with Sarah... to see if the furniture had been delivered, and if she liked it. He smiled at the thought, and the man across the table misinterpreted his expression.
“Aha. So you agree.” He knocked the ash from his cigar and stood up. “Wonderful. I look forward to working with you.” Jamie shook the extended hand and left the office. It didn’t matter that he’d momentarily lost his concentration; nothing had changed in the terms of their agreement.
* * *
