Diane T. Ashley

by Jasmine

  “All right, Jasmine, have it your way.” He sounded so defeated. So tired. “I’ll stay on board the Ophelia until it reaches St. Louis, since that’s the end of its current run. But that’s it. I think you’re trying to run from God. Be careful that you don’t get too far away to call on Him.”

  She watched him cross the gangplank with a heavy heart. Had she thrown away something precious by refusing to listen to David? Had she forfeited his protection? Jasmine hugged her arms as a damp gust of air blew against her face. Why couldn’t David see that she was the same person she’d always been?

  She would show him the truth. She would reach her goals in spite of his doubts. And she would use her influence to make changes in the world that impressed even David Foster.

  Jasmine awoke to the low tone of a steam whistle very close by. What time was it? She rolled over in her bed and groaned when she realized Clem was already dressed and gone. She had overslept again, thanks to her sleeplessness during the night. Ever since her talk with David, slumber had eluded her each night until the wee hours of the morning.

  The past few days had been difficult for everyone. Hot, long days that led to short tempers, outbursts, and arguments. Jasmine had gone to visit Vance once before the U.S. marshal arrived. It had been an uncomfortable experience, and she was relieved she wouldn’t have to repeat it.

  Angelica had talked the Easleys into letting her reassume her role as the second leading lady, reducing Jasmine to the status of an understudy. No matter which play they performed, the most she got to do was the bit parts, the same as the rest of the stock troupe who received no recognition.

  So much for her determination to show David how she could use her talents. At least they were supposed to leave Cairo today. The residents had seen all the plays in the Ophelia’s repertoire, even a reprise of their patriotic vignettes. Last night, the audience even booed poor Rafe.

  The barge shook under her feet as she considered whether or not to bury her head in her pillow again. Were they already underway? Deciding it was too late to fall back asleep, Jasmine got up, hurried through her toilette, and headed for the dining room. Maybe a cup of coffee would clear the cobwebs from her head.

  “Here’s Miss Johnny-Come-Lately to join us. Clem said you needed your beauty sleep, and I have to say I agree with her.” Tabitha’s words contained the sting of a wasp.

  Jasmine felt like sticking her tongue out at the snippy female. “I didn’t realize we were on a schedule.”

  The others in the room paused for a moment before returning to their meals, except for Mr. Easley, who looked at her from his seat at the head of the dining table, his eyes narrowed. “Are you ill?”

  “No, sir.” She picked up a plate and chose some crisp bacon and a piece of toast from the buffet before sliding into a vacant chair next to Clem and across from Rafe and Angelica.

  Jasmine noticed that Angelica’s face looked blotchy and swollen, like she had been crying. What was she so upset about? From her woebegone expression, anyone would think she’d lost her best friend … but Rafe was sitting next to her.

  “I hope not.” Mrs. Easley took a sip from her coffee cup. “We’ve had enough of bad luck lately.”

  It was the same thing Jasmine had heard again and again since Vance was arrested. At first everyone had been shocked and unbelieving, but as the days wore on, they adjusted. Rafe was not as convincing as the male lead, and Mr. Easley was beginning to lose patience. She glanced at the man across from her, wondering what was bothering him. Maybe she should try to get him alone and question him. Offer him a sympathetic ear and even give him helpful advice.

  “Everything will be better once we reach St. Louis.” Rafe glanced at Angelica, a question in his eyes.

  Perhaps she should start with Angelica. Whatever was bothering him most likely involved her as well and might be the root of the blond actress’s obvious distress.

  “I doubt you’ll be much better.” Mr. Easley sent a dark frown his direction. “But that may not be my problem by then anyway.”

  Angelica pushed back from the table and ran from the room. Tabitha made a face but said nothing.

  Jasmine exchanged a confused glance with Clem. Something she didn’t understand was going on. Her stomach churned. Even though she’d grown up with two older sisters, she had never liked emotional scenes. Especially at breakfast.

  Clem cleared her throat and glanced toward the door—a signal for Jasmine to follow as soon as possible—before excusing herself. She must know something that she couldn’t discuss in front of the others.

  Jasmine toyed with the food on her plate, sipped her coffee, and covertly watched the others. What had happened before she arrived? The Easleys exited next, leaving Tabitha, Rafe, and Jasmine in the dining room. Time to make her escape. She tossed her napkin over her plate and stood. “See you later.”

  Neither of the other two said anything as she exited. She looked for Clem on deck, in the theater, and in the prop room but found no sign of her friend until she returned to her room. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Angelica.” Clem opened her eyes wide and twisted her mouth.

  Jasmine understood she was supposed to infer something from Clem’s expression, but she had no idea what. “What about Angelica? I saw she was upset. I don’t understand why unless she’s afraid I’m going to get her parts again.”

  “Angelica is the one.” Again that odd twist to Clem’s mouth.

  Jasmine shook her head.

  Finally Clem made a disgusted noise. “She’s the one who is going to— She’s going to be a mother.”

  “What?” Jasmine couldn’t believe what her friend was saying. With all the extra drama lately, she had forgotten the rumor that someone was in the family way. Everything fell into place. The way Angelica had been gaining weight. Her moodiness.

  “The truth was bound to come out sooner or later.”

  “Is Rafe the … the one who …” Her face colored. She couldn’t get the words out.

  Clem raised her shoulders in a shrug. “Who knows? But you still don’t get it. Have you thought what this is going to mean for you?”

  First Vance turned out to be a criminal. Now Angelica was—Disgraced was the only word she could assign to Angelica’s scandalous condition. What was wrong with these people? At this point she wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that Tabitha was an alcoholic or that the Easleys ran a gambling den. Now Clem wanted her to be happy about assuming Angelica’s roles on a permanent basis? “I can’t believe you said that.”

  Clem looked as though Jasmine had slapped her. “Why? Haven’t you heard that ‘It’s an ill wind blows no good’?”

  “Angelica is far from the most pleasant woman on board, but I can’t take pleasure in such a thing. Her life is going to change dramatically. She needs our prayers.”

  “When did you turn into such a goody-goody?”

  Jasmine caught her breath. Had she strayed so far from her beliefs that her best friend on the Ophelia didn’t know where she stood on spiritual matters? Did she even know anymore? Although Clem’s cutting words hurt, Jasmine found herself more disturbed by the realization that David had been right that night. She had strayed a long way from what she once held dear.

  It was time to find her way back to the person she used to be, back to the important things in life, back to God and her faith. She would start by trying to help Angelica. “I’m sorry you’re disappointed in me, but we’ll sort things out when I get back.”

  “Where are you going?” Clem’s voice followed her into the hallway.

  Jasmine continued on her mission without answering. She would tell Clem later. Right now she needed to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Easley before they did anything rash.

  She passed Angelica’s room on her way to find the manager and his wife, coming to a halt as she realized she could hear sobs coming from within. Her heart ached for the actress. She couldn’t ignore Angelica’s distress. Jasmine knocked on the door, turning the knob when the w
eeping continued. “Angelica, may I come in?”

  “Go away.” The actress was lying face down across her bed, her hair loose.

  Ignoring Angelica’s order, Jasmine sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the actress’s back. “It’s going to be okay, honey.”

  Angelica turned her head toward the wall. “No, it’s not. My life is over.”

  “You do have some difficult days ahead of you.” Jasmine knew that sugarcoating the situation would not help Angelica. She needed someone who would help her face her future and perhaps even appreciate the blessings in her life. “You also have a lot of things going for you.”

  “You don’t know anything about it.” Angelica sniffed and sat up. “If I don’t do something, I’m going to have a baby. My life will be over if that happens.”

  “What do you mean … if?”

  “Tabitha says she knows of a doctor in St. Louis who can take care of my problem.”

  Jasmine was horrified at the suggestion. “You cannot be serious, Angelica.”

  “What do you know about anything?” Angelica could be a pretty girl, but the sneer on her face distorted her features, making her look like she was wearing an evil mask. “You waltz in here all fresh and innocent like you aren’t planning to step into my shoes the minute the Easleys dismiss me. I know you want to steal my career.”

  “I have to admit I’ve enjoyed playing larger roles, Angelica. I want to be a serious actress, too. But I’ve always been eager to give them back to you.”

  “Well, you can have them now, unless I decide to go see Tabitha’s doctor.”

  “You can’t do that, Angelica.” Jasmine reached out and pushed Angelica’s hair away from her face. “You’re carrying a life inside you. A life God has given you.”

  Angelica didn’t pull away from her touch. An encouraging sign. Jasmine decided to risk going a step further. “I can’t say I approve of the way you went about this—and we both know God is not pleased when we go against His Word and choose our own pleasure over His will. But you can’t change the situation now. What you have to consider at this moment is the precious baby you’ll get to love and care for.”

  “But what about my career?”

  “That has to come secondary to the precious life you will bring into this world. That’s what any loving parent does: put what’s best for the child before his or her own dreams and wishes.” Jasmine felt an inward prick as Lily came to mind. She knew deep down her oldest sister always wanted what was best for her. She pushed aside her guilt for now, as she needed to concentrate on Angelica. “Who’s the father?”

  “Rafe, of course.” Angelica frowned at her.

  “What does he say about the baby?”

  Angelica twisted her hair and pushed it behind her shoulders. “He says he’ll marry me.”

  “See? There’s your answer.” Jasmine paused as another thought occurred to her. “Do you love him?”

  “I suppose so. But even if we do get married, I still won’t be able to continue acting.”

  “That’s true. But you’ll be busy with an even more important role. You’ll be raising a beautiful son or daughter.”

  Angelica rubbed her nose with the heel of her hand. “Do you think I can do that?”

  “I’m sure you can. God gave you this baby because He knows it, too. You and Rafe can make a good life for your child. God has a plan for all three of you. All you have to do is follow Him.”

  A tiny smile appeared on the other woman’s mouth. “You remind me of a lady from my hometown. She was always telling me about God and Jesus, too. You know, you’re not as bad as I thought you were.”

  Jasmine couldn’t help laughing at the backhanded compliment. “I’m glad to hear that.”

  Angelica pushed herself up from the bed, a look of hope on her face. She moved to her dressing table and pinned her hair in a bun. “Thanks, Jasmine. I’m going to think about what you said. I may even go talk to Rafe.”

  Feeling better than she had since David arrested Vance, Jasmine left Angelica’s room. She didn’t know if the couple would turn to God, but she prayed they would.

  David heard the Miss Polly’s paddlewheel stall. He looked back to see if he could identify the problem. No sign of a snag or sandbar. What was wrong?

  A hint of black smoke rising past the blades of the paddlewheel made him wonder if something had happened to the pistons under the deck. The engineer stuck his head out of the boiler room. “I’ve got pressure building up in here.”

  Several of the crew ran away from the engineer, but David moved toward him. Boiler explosions were the most common reasons for the loss of a riverboat. And for the deaths of passengers and crew. If the boiler exploded, the ship often sank. Those who survived the initial explosion were in danger of drowning. In his years with Jasmine and her family, he had seen the ghastly remains of more than one such incident.

  David threw open the door and ran to help Sal Benson, the engineer. Outside the cramped room, men yelled, and he thought he heard a splash. Had someone decided to jump before knowing whether or not it was necessary?

  Throwing his weight against the largest valve, David prayed for the safety of the tugboat, the showboat it was pushing, and the lives of everyone aboard both vessels.

  Sal kept one eye on his gauges as he tackled the other valves. “I think we’re getting ahead of the problem. The needles are beginning to drop.”

  “Thank You, Lord. “David grabbed one of the coal shovels and used it to jam his valve open.

  Sal pulled a filthy handkerchief from his pocket and staunched the beads of sweat from his broad forehead. A gray streak caused by the swipe of the dirty cloth stood out in stark relief to his parchment-hued face. “That was a close one.”

  “What do you think happened?”

  “I have no idea. I had just added fresh coal to the boiler when I realized it was too quiet. Even tossing a bucket of water on them wasn’t enough to stop the pressure from building up. If you hadn’t come to help me …” His voice trailed off.

  Captain Ross’s face appeared at the boiler room door. “Is everything all right in here?”

  Sal nodded. “Thanks to David. He was the only one who wasn’t too scared to help me get the boiler shut down.”

  “Is the Ophelia okay?” David didn’t want to dwell on his actions. He hadn’t been any braver than the engineer standing beside him.

  “Yes, but we’re going to have to land and figure out what’s happened to our paddlewheel. Luckily we’re only a few miles north of Wittenberg, Missouri. I hope to negotiate a safe landing there.” He tugged on his cap and left them alone.

  When David left the engineer, he helped the others knot lengths of rope around several grappling hooks. The plan was to hurl the hooks toward trees or any other targets that could hold their boat against the current of the river. He was glad they were far enough north of Cairo that the rough water of the confluence wouldn’t be a danger.

  A glance toward the barge showed that most of the passengers were on deck watching the activity on the tug. He caught a glimpse of Jasmine’s windblown dark hair. Even though David told himself that he was no longer responsible for her safety, he knew better. Just seeing her tentative wave brought a smile to his face and made the muscles of his stomach loosen. Who was he kidding? As long as he drew breath, he would love Jasmine. But if she didn’t soon change her ways, he would have to sever their contact. Watching her destroy her life was something he couldn’t do.

  After some tense moments, they managed to get the Miss Polly secure against the riverbank at Wittenberg. The showboat suffered no visible damage, but he knew the ride had been rougher than the actors were used to as the river current tried to separate the two boats. Finally it was done.

  He crossed to the showboat and began searching for Jasmine and Clem, finding them in the prop room picking up the costumes and props that had become jumbled up during the maneuvers. “Are the two of you okay?”

  Clem picked up a bouquet of silk flowers. �
�What’s wrong with the Miss Polly?”

  “A piston rod splintered.”

  Jasmine looked at him. “That’s serious. I wonder how long it will take to replace it.”

  David shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. He had been avoiding Jasmine for days in an attempt to give her time to think about what she wanted to do with her life. Had his tactic worked? Had she considered her future from a different point of view, or was she still clinging to the belief that she could serve two masters?

  “I’ve got to go check on something in our room.” Clem put the flowers on a table before leaving.

  A backdrop painted to resemble Macbeth’s Great Birnam Wood leaned against a papier-mâché arch. David pushed the plywood stage set against the wall. “I heard you’ve been busy over the past week.”

  “I don’t have that much to do.” Jasmine folded the costume in her hands and put it in one of the open trunks. “I mostly spend my time helping Clem.”

  “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

  He heard her soft laugh. “I didn’t do anything worth mentioning.”

  David stopped trying to straighten the arch. It would need professional attention. “Rafe has been singing your praises to anyone who will listen. He says you intervened on his behalf with the Easleys. That you begged them to keep him on since he’s about to be a father. That took a lot of pluck.”

  “I was worried about him and Angelica. They’re going to be a family. I know they should have gotten married first, but Angelica told me they’re going to see a pastor as soon as we get to St. Louis.”

  “Which is going to take several days longer than expected.” David picked up a skull, shuddered, and set it on a table as Hamlet’s soliloquy about death rang in his ears. “I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you.”

  “Will it take that long to replace the piston rod?”

  “I can’t believe Wittenberg will have the proper replacement parts. We’ll probably have to order it from St. Louis.”