Miranda Takes a Stand

by Jordan Bollinger

  "If you'll agree to make me a new set for my wedding night, you may have that one. How does that sound?"

  "But... I couldn't take yours. It was a gift from your aunt."

  "Oh, please. I have more elderly aunts than kernels of corn on a cob! And, while it's a beautiful set, it's much more you than me. Besides, if I ever wore it, I'd probably trip over it and break a leg. Not my idea of a way to spend my honeymoon!

  "For some reason, my aunts not only think I'll come back to Philadelphia, marry someone 'suitable', and produce a baby a year, but that I'm six inches taller than I am. I think I'll be much happier with a simpler and shorter set."

  "Victoria..."

  "Please, Meg, don't fight me about this. Seriously, you're getting married in two days. And, you'll look lovely in it. Besides, I have at least two months before I need mine. Please, let me do this for you. You've been nothing but a wonderful, supportive friend since I first met you all when I was barely off the train. Finally I can do something for you."

  Margaret sighed. "Maybe this is a bad idea. I know I wanted Reverend Cleary to marry us, but it's all too soon."

  "No, it's not," Victoria argued. "You just thought you'd have more time to plan things. I know you, you are a planner. I've seen those lists you write out."

  "Well, yes, but I didn't know you thought it amusing."

  "I don't. After all, I am too, mostly. But lately I've been seeing that sometimes you need to let things happen without planning for every contingency."

  "That's not me," Meg said. "It sounds more like Gus."

  Victoria burst into peals of laughter and informed her, "It describes both of you two, to a T!"

  *****

  "How are you feeling, Lynn?" Colleen asked holding out a cup of steaming tea.

  "I'm not cold anymore. But, I'm not sure I want the tea. Thank you, though. I think I'm going to walk around outside for a while. I feel very restless."

  "Would you like me to go with you? I could do with some exercise," Colleen said.

  "No. I mean, no thank you. I just want to be alone for a while. Please."

  "Certainly, Lynn. I just don't want you to feel like you had to go alone. But, it's different that you choose to go alone.

  "It's cold out there, so bundle up. You don’t want to get cold again and have poor Jake splitting firewood all night."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Colleen carried the cup of tea upstairs to where Kathy was pretending to read. "Here, why don't you drink this while it's still hot?"

  "I don't want anything, Miss. I don't feel right. I don't feel ill, but I don't feel right."

  "All right, Kathy. Why don't you try to take a nap? You aren't really reading anyway, are you?"

  Kathy hung her head down, and answered, "No, ma'am."

  "Try to rest and later I'll read to you. Would you like that?"

  Kathy smiled and said, "I think I would, Miss, thank you. And I bet Lynn would, too."

  Colleen entered the kitchen, still carrying the cup of tea. She set it down and turned to Miranda, who was taking a ham from the ice box.

  She said, "I thought I'd slice some off and make ham and eggs for dinner. Would you make the toast?"

  "Of course, Miss. But," Colleen paused, "perhaps we should just have scrambled eggs. Kathy isn't feeling 'quite right', and Lynn is restless and walking outside. I think we'll have much more of a chance of getting them to eat, if we keep it to just the scrambled eggs and toast."

  "But, surely you'd like something else?"

  "Personally, I would love fried ham and eggs, with toast dripping with butter. However, I think we'll be safer to keep food smells to a minimum."

  "Yes... I suppose you're right." Miranda looked at the girl and said, "Although, I'm afraid we are going to become tired of a diet of scrambled or soft boiled eggs and toast."

  "I suppose you're right, but then the girls will as well. Perhaps, our sticking to scrambled eggs and toast most of the time will show we're going through this with them, if only mentally.

  "Besides, maybe we can take turns going into town in pairs, and eat real food at the restaurant now and then. I think the others could manage for a few hours.

  "In fact, it's probably a good idea take a break from here, even if it's only for a little while. As the girls get more irrational and unpleasant, all our tempers will be put to the test."

  "Yes, that's a good idea. We wouldn't be much use if we're snapping at each other and arguing among ourselves.

  "Please remember to say something to the doctor, should I forget."

  "Yes, Miss. I will," Colleen replied.

  *****

  "I've news," Judge Preston told Gus. "And, you won’t like it."

  "About what?"

  "Judge Williams. The judge who'll be hearing the case."

  "Why?"

  “Because he's very soft on prostitutes. He thinks legalized brothels would keep the streets 'cleaner' for the general populace.”

  "But that can't include brothels staffed by kidnapped children, can it?"

  "I would certainly hope not. But I'm not sure. The good news is, he's announced that there will be four trials."

  "Four separate trials? I thought they'd all be tried together."

  "Yes, so did Harding. Unfortunately for him, his attorney—Clarence—arrived in town a bit late. And Williams had already decided they would all be tried separately.

  "There was a battle. At least, that's what I heard. It seems Williams' clerk asked Jim to 'show him the ropes', so to speak. So he couldn't help but be a witness to the shouting match. Apparently it got so bad that Williams threatened to bar him from the trial.

  "That would mean he would have to find someone else willing to act as Harding's lawyer in court. But, even without getting Clarence banned from the trial, having them separated is to our advantage. After all, while Mrs. Porter and Mr. Lee probably knew about the murders, or at least, most of them, there's no direct evidence tying them to any of the deaths."

  "Oh, please."

  "I'm afraid it might even get worse."

  "How can it get worse?"

  "Williams hinted that if any of them plead guilty, he might allow them to avoid trials and just be sentenced."

  "Can he do that?"

  "He can."

  "But they're bad people. They need to pay for their crimes."

  "Well, technically, they will be."

  "You know what I mean, Jon!"

  "Yes, I do. But really, Gus, it's not as if any of them will be going free. And, I believe that no matter what happens here, Mrs. Porter will be sent back to New Orleans to stand trial for the stabbing death of her... ah... husband."

  "Oh, and what if she gets off?"

  "She'd still have to serve whatever sentence she's given here."

  "And, you're worried this judge will be sympathetic to Harding.

  "But," Gus argued, "you can't be serious that this judge—Williams might hinder the trial?"

  Judge Preston scowled before he answered, "I'm just warning you he might be more willing to agree with the defense's objections. But, bad as that is, I'm afraid if Harding is found guilty of anything less than murder, he will give him the lightest sentence he can."

  "I hope you realize the women are going to take this badly—extremely badly. And, I'm afraid you'll be the one they hold responsible." Gus shook his head and added, "That's not a position I envy you being in."

  "Nor I," the judge agreed, "but you're probably right about their anger."

  "If it was only one or two, I wouldn't be concerned. But, all five, plus Ma and Eva? We don't stand a chance to escape their combined ire. We'll be lucky if they don't hang us.

  "And that's not taking into account how the girls, themselves, will feel about any of this."

  "I'm sure you're right," Judge Preston said, "but I don't know what we can do about it, other than just help the prosecuting attorney prepare an airtight case." He went quiet for a minute, before adding, "Of course, he's had more than enough deali
ngs with Clarence already. If the man continues being argumentative in court, Williams might not be so sympathetic.

  "In fact, from what Jim told me, it might even be to our advantage."

  "Is there any reason you can think of to request a different judge?"

  "I can try to come up with one. But, I can't promise it would be successful."

  "Well, I'm sure you'll do the best you can. Also, remember you are on your own for the next week," Gus told the older man. "But don't tell anyone, because it's supposed to be a secret. Meg and I are getting married Sunday afternoon and will be gone for several days."

  "Yes. Yes, I'll remember."

  Chapter Eleven

  Victoria checked on the girls early Saturday morning. She wanted to make sure they would be all right until late Sunday afternoon. And, even though they were becoming more and more cranky and restless each time she saw them, she was sure she could leave Miranda, with Colleen and Kit's help, alone for the next thirty hours or so.

  At least, they were both still eating. And they were drinking several cups of sweetened tea a day. However, all three women had reported growing disagreements between the girls. If they were in the same room, they would bicker over something. They were also speaking more sharply to the women.

  But the doctor refused to let Meg know of this change in the girls and their increasing drama. She was going to have a quiet wedding and then a wonderful, though brief, wedding trip.

  *****

  "Miss Miranda," Colleen called out the back door. "You and Kathy need to come inside now. It's snowing. I've got tea ready. Lynn has even agreed to sit at the table with us." Then she stepped back in and waited to hang their coats near the parlor stove.

  Kathy was the first to get back to the porch and was smiling as she burst through the door. Her cheeks were rosy, and she seemed calmer than when she'd gone outside to pace around the yard, again. And, while she didn't seem cold, Miranda was shivering when she popped through the door.

  "Lord! It's cold out there," she said, as she stomped her feet. "I can't feel my toes anymore."

  Kathy plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table, looked around, and asked, "Is there any toast?"

  "I'm more than happy to make us all some," Colleen said. Then she took Miranda's coat and placed it where it could dry. "It won't take but a minute. Come and have a cup of tea to thaw you out, and I'll have your toast made before you're ready for your next cup."

  Miranda sat down in her chair, poured cups of steaming tea, and passed them out. She fixed hers to her liking, and picked it up, curling her fingers around it, and stared out through the kitchen window. After several thoughtful minutes, she murmured, "I hope it doesn't keep snowing."

  Colleen looked over and asked, "Why? What difference does it make? Were you planning to go to church in the morning?"

  "No! No, of course not," she answered quickly.

  Colleen eyed her but said nothing. There would be plenty of time later, after the girls were at least in bed, if not asleep.

  Kit came down the stairs carrying a bundle of laundry. "Well, I hope it doesn't keep snowing, or this laundry will never dry." She ducked down to see out the window and added, "Although, I suppose it's too late to wash now." She shrugged and said, "If it's still snowing in the morning, I'll just wait. We aren't in desperate need of anything."

  "Come sit down, Kit, and have a cup of tea," Miranda said. "Colleen is making us toast." She looked at the girls and asked, "Do you like cinnamon toast?"

  "Cinnamon toast, Miss?" Lynn asked.

  "I don't think we ever had that, Miss," Kathy added. "What is it? Does it take time to make?"

  "No. You mix a little cinnamon and sugar together, and instead of spreading jam or honey on your buttered toast, you sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar mixture." She sipped her tea, before she added, "If it's not something you think you'd like now, we can always make some later."

  Kathy made a kind of face and told her, "I think I'd rather have honey, please, Miss. But, I would like to try that sometime."

  "Certainly, dear."

  "I think you should sleep downstairs, Kathy. It is freezing out. You were outside for over an hour, before I went out to walk with you," Miranda told the girl.

  "I'd rather sleep upstairs, Miss. I like it up there. It's cool. And, I get awful hot in the night. Sweating, even."

  "All right," Miranda conceded. "We want you to be as comfortable as possible."

  "Then I want to stay upstairs."

  If Miranda or Colleen noticed Kathy's answer was firmer than needed, neither of them acknowledged it. This was just another example of the girls' ever increasing mercurial tempers. And they'd all independently decided to ignore sharp words or scowls.

  Colleen brought a plate of toast to the table, along with some butter, honey, and jam, as well as plates and knives. "Here we are," she announced, "lots of hot toast for everyone." Then she poured out more tea for the five of them.

  Miranda noticed how Kit remained silent, sipping on her tea and watching the others. It was as if she sensed there was something going on, a secret. And, for several minutes, Miranda considered telling everyone about Meg's fast approaching wedding.

  But she'd promised the doctor she wouldn't tell anyone. The thing was it wasn't as if they would see anyone to tell. Then she thought it might worry Kit or Colleen that they were losing some of their help.

  So she would keep her promise.

  *****

  Dr. Thorne left the surgery and, carrying a large Gladstone bag she crossed the street. She climbed up the steps to the porch and knocked on Meg's door. When Eva answered it, she looked at the bag and asked, "Did you get a new medical bag?"

  "No," she answered, without thinking. Then she hurriedly added, "Well, yes, I suppose I did. But, I'm not sure I will use it. I think it's too big and awkward." Then she looked at the younger girl, and asked, "Are you about ready to go out to Miranda's later to spend the night?"

  "Yes, but I would like to go to the mercantile first. You aren't going to leave right away, are you?"

  "No. I need to talk with Meg about something. Why don't you go on and we'll head out when you get back?"

  "Yes, ma'am. I won't be long." Then she threw a shawl around her shoulders and rushed out.

  "Meg! Margaret!" Victoria called out from her bedroom.

  "What? What's wrong?"

  "Nothing," Victoria answered, as she pushed through the door. "But it is lucky that Eva had an errand." She plopped her bag on the bed and said, "I have the things for you." She opened the case and lifted a little bag and some evening gloves. Then, she pulled out something large and black and said, "Here's the evening cape." And then she dived back into the case and produced a small heap of sheer, pale peach silk and lace.

  Meg reached over and picked up the nightgown and sighed. "Oh, Victoria, it's beautiful. But, it's too much. I can't possibly take this."

  "Of course, you can. I want you to have it." She held up the peignoir and said, "I don't sew and even I can see that the only way to shorten this or the gown would be to take it completely apart, cut bits off, and then put it back together again."

  "But, Victoria—"

  "No, take this. And make me a new one when you get back."

  "But—"

  "I said no buts! Now, we need to put these things away, before Eva gets back."

  "But—"

  "You aren't to worry about anything. I'll run Eva out to Miranda's and come right back." She made a face. "Well, I'll need to stop long enough to check on the girls; but I'll be back soon.

  "After all, I don't know how long it will take us to pack your traveling trunk. And, that's just the beginning."

  "I don't even have a regular traveling trunk, just the huge ones from my mother."

  "Don't worry about it. I've taken care of everything. You need to trust me."

  "I feel as though I'm taking advantage of you."

  "Don't be silly. Didn't you tell me how much you helped your friend, Susan,
before you left Massachusetts? Can't you see I'm doing the same thing?"

  "I suppose you're right."

  "Didn't I just tell you not to worry? Neil will bring the trunk for you as soon as he sees Eva and I leave town. And, he'll come over tomorrow morning before church, and pick it up and deliver it directly to the train station, before he'll meet us in church."

  "Whatever is Gus going to think when I take a trunk for a mere four days?"

  "He'll understand. Besides, he's going to want to show you off."

  "I'm still not convinced this is a good idea."

  "It's a wonderful idea."

  "I certainly hope so."

  *****

  "I didn't think you were coming out today?" Miranda said, as she waited for Eva and the doctor to come through the back door.

  "I know I'd originally said that," Victoria told her, "but, I needed to bring Eva out, so she can spend the night here. We'll come out for her later tomorrow afternoon."

  Then, after a moment, she added, “She needs to be back early enough so she's well rested, since she'll be supervising both sides of the workshop Monday.”

  Eva's head whipped around, but neither of the older women answered her unasked question. Instead, they turned and looked at Colleen as she came downstairs, carrying more laundry.

  Kathy's night sweats had morphed into continual all day and night sweats. They were going through a lot of linens and night things trying to keep her and her bed clean and comfortable. Washing laundry in the winter was bad enough, but getting things dry was a nightmare.

  Luckily, Lynn still wanted the parlor kept broiling hot, so Kit rigged up makeshift clotheslines in there.

  "So," Victoria said, as she unbuttoned her coat, "how is everyone today?"

  "All in all, not too bad," Miranda answered. "Kathy's hot all the time, but we take turns giving her sponge baths. And, Lynn's still freezing, so we keep the stove in the parlor burning so hot it almost glows red.

  "The good news is they're both eating tea and toast throughout the day. They even have eaten a few bites of scrambled eggs, every now and again."