Rita led Carrie to a small home across the dirt road from the eating house. She hadn’t noticed it before, when she’d ridden along in the coach, but it wasn’t really much worth noticing either. It was a squat, dull brown house much like all of the other buildings in this town. There were some red shutters on the windows, and a red door. They were the only things that were noteworthy about its outer appearance. Carrie knew that she had to bid farewell to the idea of living on a California ranch by staying here, but the thought of living with a bunch of like-minded young girls made her feel too happy to worry about it. She hoped that soon she’d be able to boast that she was living amongst friends!
Chapter 3
After setting her suitcase onto the floor in front of her tall oak wardrobe, Carrie stood still and allowed Rita to measure her with some white and red measuring tape. She felt a bit shy to be prodded and looked at so critically, but she knew that it was all for the uniform that she would have to wear to work in the eatery. “Thank you very much for your help,” she said, turning around so Rita could size up her calves for the regulation black tights.
“You’re quite welcome,” Rita replied, rolling up the measuring tape now that she was finished. “It’s no trouble. I enjoy welcoming in new waiter-girls to the House. We’re one big family here, as you’ll soon see. I’ll just get your measurements written down and let the seamstress know to make your uniform. I anticipate that you’ll be out on the floor by mid-next week.”
She nodded at that as if confirming it to herself. Carrie couldn’t get over how lovely Miss Rita was. She had black hair and brown eyes, and her skin was a tannish hue, as if she had been gently baked in sunlight her whole life. The dimples on her cheeks served to bring cuteness to her look and soften things a bit so her striking beauty wasn’t so overwhelming.
Carrie wished to be just like Rita. But she knew that she wouldn’t have much chance of that. Especially if she was forbidden to wear makeup. “Is the training easy?” she asked. “I mean… I don’t mean easy, as I should like to have a bit of a challenge, but is it the sort of thing that should come quickly to me?”
Rita gave her a reassuring smile. “I think so,” she replied. “I’ll make sure to pick someone suitable for helping you. I know all the girls well, because I’m the chaperone here in the dormitory.”
“You must keep very busy,” Carrie said, impressed.
Rita’s eyes crinkled a bit at the corners as she smiled at her. “I like keeping busy,” she said.
With that, she left the small room that had been given to Carrie. There were two beds as well as the shared wardrobe, two small wooden desks, and a standing mirror in a black frame. She didn’t know who her roommate was to be, but she had a feeling that she’d know as soon as the shift was over in the eating house.
Carrie sat down upon her new bed. The mattress was pretty stiff and the blankets were made of scratchy wool, which was going to take some getting used to, but she was satisfied with what she had.
She decided that, in the free time that remained to her before starting this new job, she should write the letters to the people she’d thought about writing to… Even if she didn’t entirely want to. It would be best to not dawdle. She’d never forgive herself if she waited and then found out that she had absolutely no free time in which to write again for a year!
Carrie sat down at the desk that had been apparently assigned for her, and brought out some paper and a pen. This wasn’t a letter that she wanted to write, and she hoped that he could understand that.
My darling Mr. Jacobs,
It pains me to have to write this letter to you. This is not the sort of thing that I could have ever anticipated happening, but here we are… I am afraid that I shan’t be joining you in California as we had planned. After much careful consideration, I’ve realized that I couldn’t achieve what I wanted all of the way out west, and chiefly with you. I know that this will surely hurt you and for that I am exceedingly sorry. But I must be true to my own heart. I cannot go along and lie to you, for that is much the same as not being faithful to you.
I have accepted a position at an eating house along the Kansas railway line and I fully intend to repay your kindness in installments as soon as I begin to earn my wages. Please know that I’ve never meant to hurt you and I pray that you will find peace and happiness. I shall always hold you in high regard.
Sincerest wishes,
Carrie
She folded up her letter and carefully placed it into an envelope, sealing it safely shut with some wax from her candle. She sighed then, feeling that there wasn’t any way she could avoid hurting him and letting him down without letting herself down.
Without waiting and giving herself more time to mope, Carrie prepared another piece of paper in order to write to her sister. At least this one would be less sad.
My dearest Beverly,
You will not believe the journey that I have had! I know that it will come as quite a shock to you, but I’ve decided to forgo the rest of the trip to California and instead I have taken up residence in a dormitory in Wallace, Kansas. I have accepted a position as a waiter-girl at an up-and-coming eating house. I met with the owner and he’s very kind and handsome, and a bit strict but that’s to be expected when the man is trying to start a new business. There appears to only be a handful of waitstaff and I am to be among them as soon as I’ve received my uniform and completed my training!
I miss you madly, my sweet little sister. I hope that things are going well for you. Kansas is not so very different from Ohio. It’s quite a bit dustier and less green… I suppose in that way, it is quite different. But there are a lot of little farm houses here. They do make me homesick. I will write again to let you know how my new job is. I wish you were here so that you could experience all of this exciting new stuff with me.
Give my love to Mother, Father and the little ones.
All my love & kisses,
Carrie
She sat back, smiling and missing her home and her family. She didn’t for an instant regret venturing forth into the world a bit and having her own experiences, but it was something she’d be getting used to for a while. The biggest adjustment was not having her sister with her. Beverly was her best friend. Carrie didn’t think that any of the other girls here could compete with that, but only time would tell.
Feeling sleepy, she placed the letter into an envelope and sealed it. Then she lay down on her new, scratchy bed and did her best to nap a bit. She would do better if she was rested. Hopefully her excitement for her new life would allow her to sleep at least a little!
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Preview of Beverly: The Butcher’s Bride, Book 2 of the Stewart House Brides Series by Charity Phillips
Wallace, Kansas – 1890
Chapter 1
“Rise and shine, everyone. Breakfast call will be in approximately one hour and we need you in your places before then.”
Beverly rolled over in her bed, wishing she could continue on with her dream. A bright light coming from her window shade prevented such things, but this worked out splendidly because sleeping in was not an option for her any longer. Ever since Beverly Nelson first set her bag down in the Stewart House restaurant, she’d been on the go. Her sister Carrie hadn’t been kidding when she informed her in letters about all of the hard work that went into being a waiter girl.
It comes with plenty of rewards too, of course, Carrie had written. Chiefest among them, at least for me, is independence.
She threw off the blankets and got out of her bed, stretching as she watched her roommate – her sister’s former roommate – Annie O’Brien put on her waitress uniform. The long black skirt, long-sleeved black shirt, and white apron and bow. Beverly couldn’t get over the bows. They looked so childish. She wrinkled her nose a little, just thinking about putting that on again.
Her training had to be rather quick, o
n account of the fact that her sister Carrie had recently left the position and they needed Beverly to take her place. The manager, Rita de la Cruz, had been kind enough – or bossy enough? – to take charge of Beverly’s training. And she was the one who barked their orders when they first rose that morning.
“Must she always sound so harried?” she asked Annie as she undressed and changed into her black and white attire, too. Swiftly, she tied on her large, white bow. It sat there in her curled, red hair and made her look like some kind of doll. She grimaced slightly as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Annie giggled a little. “Rita can be a bit agitated, particularly in the mornings. But it’s only because she wants this place to run smoothly. She’s rather fond of this job. You’ll notice that soon, if you haven’t already.”
“Oh, I have,” Beverly laughed back. “Golly.” She attempted to style her hair bun into a more attractive look, but then nothing could ever be attractive once a hairnet was placed atop it. She sighed slightly. Being flashily attractive was not a part of the job, so she’d best get used to that.
Annie shook her head a bit, smiling at her. “Come on, we don’t want to keep her waiting.”
Together, the two girls left their room in the dorm, meeting several of the other girls on their way out of the squat, tan-colored building and strolling over to the other small, tall building next door.
Stewart House, a sign out front proudly proclaimed. The eating house inside was larger than one might assume by simply judging from the outside. It was made of one large room with wooden floors and furnishings, including tables and chairs and a bar on the far wall. There was also a kitchen, a small back room for the girls to congregate on their short breaks, and an office for the owner himself. Mr. Stewart was there, bright and early every day, though Beverly couldn’t say exactly what all he did. His business was successful and widely discussed, so she had to agree that he was doing things well. To be sure, the place was never empty while it was open.
Beverly and Annie filed into line along with the other waitresses, waiting for their cue from Rita or Mr. Stewart to enter the eating hall. There was a tiny circular window on the white door which led out there, and Beverly could just make out a few of the heads of their new customers. Passengers on the morning train always arrived hungry, that was for sure.
“Smiles, girls,” Rita said to them, smiling exaggeratedly as she held the door open and they filed into the restaurant, each going to a different table. There were twenty or so girls and about fifty tables, along with five stools at the small bar, so the waitresses were sure to be on their toes during the entirety of the breakfast rush.
Beverly sidled up to the table she’d been assigned to, all smiles and merriment. “Good morning and welcome to Stewart House. What may I get for you?”
Her table consisted of a middle-aged man with a mustache, a lady, and a small boy. She assumed that they were a family. Ever since the train lines had opened up all over the west, traveling for some sightseeing was becoming more and more common. No one had to stay stuck on the eastern coast any longer. Beverly wished that such things had been around when she was the age of the boy at her table. The man cleared his throat, looking over the menu ravenously. “Two coffees, one juice, and three plates of your finest bacon and eggs, please.”
Beverly nodded. “Right away, sir.” She scooted off to the back rooms where she could relay their order and have the cooks in the kitchen get to work with their food. In the meantime, she poured a tall glass of apple juice and placed it onto a silver tray along with two white mugs and a pot full of piping hot coffee. Carefully, she carried the drinks tray back out to her table. She placed the juice in front of the boy and the mugs in front of his parents. Then, she carefully poured coffee into their mugs.
“I’ll be right back with your breakfast,” she told them cheerily.
“Can you please bring some milk and sugar, too?” the woman asked her.
Beverly nodded. “Yes, certainly.”
Before she could go back to the kitchen, she had another table to visit. There was very little time for her to focus on one table at a time. The train wasn’t going to be stopped there at the station for too long.
The breakfast rush did just that and within the hour, the restaurant cleared up as the train whistles signaled that all passengers must board again in order to continue on with their journey. Beverly was glad for the bit of a break. There were of course still some customers, but the people from town weren’t quite as demanding as the customers who came from the trains. It wouldn’t be long before she and her fellow waitresses were running around once again to serve the lunchtime train.
“What did you do for fun in Ohio?” Annie asked Beverly as they sat together at a table in the dormitory, taking a break and having a meal themselves.
Beverly smirked at her. “That’s a fair question, if you’re at all familiar with Ohio,” she joked. “As you probably know, my sister and I worked on a farm there. Our family’s farm. Outside of that, I mostly read books or made things to pass the time.”
“Made things?” Annie asked her curiously, biting into her ham and cheese sandwich. Room and board was provided by Mr. Stewart, which meant that the young ladies never had to worry about where they would get their meals from. Beverly however wished that sometimes their meals could be a tad nicer, like the ones served at the restaurant. I know that Mr. Stewart would have to pay top dollar in order to pull that off, though, she thought.
“Yes,” she replied. “I would make dresses and toys for the little children around our town. I also love to cook. I almost applied to work as a cook instead of as a waiter girl, only Carrie convinced me that the pay and placement was better for a waitress.”
Annie nodded. “Oh yes, the cooks don’t get to live in a nice dormitory like ours. They have to live in a hotel nearby, amongst all the other people who pass through town. I imagine it’s nowhere near as pleasant.”
Beverly ate her sandwich, daydreaming about what it might be like to open a restaurant out west like Mr. Stewart had done. “I think it must be so wonderful to have your own business. I can see why Mr. Stewart took a liking to this town, too. It’s always so busy; it never seems to get dull. And it’s right near the railway, so even if one does get bored, one can just hop on a train and go for a new adventure!”
“Yes, I do believe that was what Mr. Stewart was going for,” Annie agreed with a smile. “You so remind me of your sister, you know. I can tell just by looking at you that you have an adventurous spirit. That’s certainly the kind of spirit that’s needed here in a place like this. Why, you fit right in with all of the people who come out here to explore and vacation.”
Yes, Beverly agreed to herself. Except that it’s not quite a vacation for me. It’s a relocation.
When the lunchtime rush came, she and Annie and all of the other girls were back in their places, smiling and acting supremely friendly towards all of their new guests. There was a lot of call for Stewart Steaks, a thing that Beverly had never heard of until she started working there. She went back to place her first order with the cooks and saw them open the ice box, pulling out some frozen steaks that looked more like blocks of brick than anything edible.
“People pay to eat those?” she asked Rita innocently enough.
“Of course,” Rita said defensively. “Those are the famous Stewart Steaks, advertised on trains throughout the country. A lot of folks come in here because they want to try one themselves.”
Beverly didn’t think for one moment that people all over the country knew about those frozen hunks of meat. But she supposed that word got around enough when people traveled out west and then came home to report on things. She couldn’t imagine ever wanting such a thing herself, though. The stews seemed much more appetizing.
“I thought there might be a butcher in town, is all,” Beverly said with a shrug. “I thought I saw one when I arrived.”
Rita raised an eyebrow at her. “There is a butcher all ri
ght. He’s our main competitor.”
“Oh,” Beverly said dumbly. She supposed that made sense. Competition was often good for business too. She just wondered how it was possible that so many people wanted to eat steaks that were delivered via ice box car when they could just go down the street a ways and enjoy a fresh steak elsewhere. Perhaps it’s just that the butcher doesn’t cook.
Seeing the way that Rita reacted to the very implication that their steaks might not be as good as could be, Beverly decided not to push the topic any further. She’d remember not to question things like that to her.
“She’s very devoted to this place,” Annie informed Beverly as they enjoyed their longer break before dinnertime. “Be careful that you don’t mouth off too much or the next thing you know, she’ll have told Mr. Stewart what you’ve said. She can be strict like that, when she suspects disloyalty or rule-breaking.”
“I didn’t mean to seem disloyal,” Beverly said defensively. “I just wondered if there mightn’t be a better way. But Mr. Stewart is the professional in this area, not me.”
All the same, Beverly hoped that she might be able to meet this butcher at some point soon, so she could find out if he really felt like a rival. She wondered if he might have been at Carrie’s wedding. It seemed that the whole town was there. That’s what I should do, she thought excitedly. I’ll ask Carrie about it!
She knew that she’d be safe discussing such things with Carrie, because they shared a sisterly bond like no one else Beverly had ever known.
Chapter 2
During her long break before the dinner rush the following day, Beverly made her way up the dirt lane to her sister’s home. Carrie was married to a local stagecoach driver, and though Beverly knew that she could hire him to take her to his house, she preferred to walk there so she could explore the town a bit. As she strolled, she passed by the butcher’s shop. Maddox Meats read a sign above the door. She smiled a little to herself. If she had her way, she would be meeting that man soon enough.
Annie: A Bride For The Farmhand - A Clean Historical Western Romance (Stewart House Brides Book 3) Page 96
