“Good morning, Molly,” Lucy greeted. “I made breakfast. Sit, it’s ready.”
Rose stumbled into the kitchen wiping sleep from her eyes. “I slept very well; I didn’t want to get up. The bed was more comfortable than anything I’ve slept on in my life.”
Molly smiled knowing how thankful she was when Sarah invited her to live above the seamstress shop. She thanked God for the opportunity to help Lucy and Rose.
Picking up her coffee cup, Molly turned her head toward the door. “I think I hear someone downstairs.”
“Where’s the gun?” Lucy asked. “If it’s Underwood, I’ll shoot him.”
Sarah’s voice floated up the stairs. “Molly? Are you awake? I’m on my way up?”
Molly shook her hands in front of her. “Calm down, Lucy. It’s my friend, Sarah. She owns the shop. You’re safe.”
Molly opened the door and ushered Sarah into the kitchen. “Come in; I have two friends here for breakfast. I invited them to live with me for a while.”
Sarah smiled and hugged Molly. “It’s your home, dear. You don’t have to explain. I told you when I married Giles, that these rooms were yours.”
Molly introduced Sarah to Rose and Lucy.”
Sarah asked, “Are you new in town? I don’t believe I’ve met you before, have I?” She held out her hand to Lucy.
Rose’s eyes held tears, and her hands shook. Would this well-dressed woman kick them out and back onto the street? She owned the shop. Lucy and her presence might cause her to lose business. Terror filled her heart at the thought of going back to Underwood’s.
Molly quickly explained why Lucy and Rose moved into the apartment. Sarah smiled.
“I’m pleased Molly offered you a warm, safe place. Of course, you’re welcome for as long as Molly wishes you to stay. I wouldn’t want you to go back to Underwood’s either. My husband is a lawyer. I’m sure you have rights. I’ll ask him when I see him for lunch.” She took the coffee Lucy offered her and sat at the kitchen table.
“That’s settled,” Molly announced. “I’ll mail the letter to Mrs. Brutherington this morning, and it should go out on the early train. Mail between Gentle Falls and Chicago doesn’t take long thanks to the rail line. We should hear back by the end of the week.”
Rose’s hand flew to her chest. “That soon? I hope she approves of me. I want to put as many miles between Underwood and me as possible.”
“She will,” Molly insisted. “Soon you’ll find someone, too.”
“Too? Who else found someone?” Sarah asked.
Molly lowered her eyes and whispered, “Ben asked to court me. He kissed me last night.”
Sarah’s slow smile lit her face. “I have a shipment of fabric expected by the end of the week. I ordered several bolts of satin in case more women ask for holiday dresses. Christmas and the Christmas Eve dance is just a month away. Molly, you may have first pick of the fabric for a wedding dress.”
“Wedding?” Molly stammered. “Who said wedding.”
Sarah leaned closer. “Did our good sheriff say he wanted to court you or not?”
Molly nodded.
“Did Sheriff Clay say he was courting you because he had nothing better to do or did he say he was serious?”
Molly blushed a deep red. “He said he’d marry me right now if I said yes.”
“I knew it,” Sarah exclaimed. “Didn’t Nell and I tell you he was smitten? What about you, Molly? Do you want to marry him?”
“Yes, but I nearly left town, Sarah. I didn’t tell you, but I wrote to Mrs. Brutherington. I asked her to help me find a husband. I needed references and asked Ben for one. He took me to lunch instead and asked to court me.”
“I knew it. Well, you will pick out the fabric.”
“We don’t have time, we have a lot of orders,” Molly insisted.
“I can help,” Rose offered. “I can’t sew as well as you, but I can sew on buttons or trimmings. Anything to help.”
Lucy chimed in, “I can’t sew well either, but I can clean and cook. I’ll clean up here and the shop to free you to sew. I can clean your home, too, if you’d like Mrs. Sarah. I can cook meals here or for you, Mrs. Sarah.”
“You’re both hired. As my employees, you can’t possibly go back to work for Underwood. I’ll give you a reference, Rose. It will all work out well for everyone. Are we ready to work, Ladies?” Sarah stood and walked to the door. “Lucy, if you want, I’ll take you to my home this afternoon. You can cook a meal. Giles will be thrilled I’m not cooking. I didn’t learn as a maid before I married Harold and after, there was very little food to cook.” A moment of sadness crossed her face at the memory of her abusive, deceased husband, but her smile soon returned.
~ * ~
Ben ate three leftover biscuits from his previous evening’s supper and washed them down with a cup of strong coffee. He needed to investigate the saloon fire, but his mind kept drifting to the kiss he shared with Molly. Two kisses. He would have kissed her again, but they were near the large window of the shop. He didn’t want her reputation tarnished if anyone saw them. He didn’t think anyone would be out in the storm, but he wouldn’t take the chance. If anyone saw them, he wouldn’t hesitate to march over to Pastor Reynold’s and ask him to marry them on the spot, but he knew Molly needed time. How much time? Not much, if he did everything he could to convince her.
Pulling on his coat, he decided to question the men he’d arrested recently for fighting at Underwood’s. Even if they were angry, he doubted any of them would burn down the saloon. These men needed to drink, and Underwood’s was their only source of alcohol except for their bottles at home which they usually purchased from Underwood. No, he couldn’t see any of these men destroying their favorite place in town. That left a kitchen accident.
He strode out of his office heading for Underwood’s home. He didn’t believe the church ladies caused the fire, and the male patrons didn’t either. Rose and Lucy were together when it started; that left Underwood’s stew overheating or Miss Jewel. Underwood’s home was a better living environment than the saloon and Miss Jewel most likely enjoyed it but if she started the fire would she know that Underwood would take her home? Ben needed to be sure before he spoke to the judge.
Ben climbed the porch steps and knocked on the door. Miss Jewel answered, but he barely recognized her. Her face, void of the garish face paint, appeared younger than he expected. Dressed in a dress that was acceptable for church, she didn’t resemble the woman who did her best to convince him to visit upstairs each time he made his rounds.
“Good morning, Sheriff. Would you like to come in?” Miss Jewel’s still husky voice asked. Maybe she couldn’t change everything about herself.
He kicked the snow from his boots and pulled off his hat before he entered. “Thank you, Miss Jewel. I’d like to ask you a few questions about the fire.”
“Certainly, please sit down. Would you like coffee or a drink?”
“No, thank you,” Ben answered settling on a chair near the door. “Can you tell me where you were when you noticed the saloon was on fire?”
“I was still in bed. The ladies and I are up quite late and sleep until afternoon. I heard Lucy’s shouts about the fire and Rose’s screams. I ran out of my room and headed for the back stairs. I should’ve followed Rose and Lucy down the main stairway since the smoke was heavy, but I could walk that way in the dark. I held my breath, ran down the stairs, and out the backdoor.”
Ben stared at her hoping his ability to read people paid off. “Did you see Lucy or Rose upstairs?”
“Yes, Lucy called to me to follow them, but I panicked and bolted down the stairs nearest my room. I nearly died in a fire as a child and needed to escape.” She gripped her hands tightly in her lap as she spoke.
Ben stood, “Thank you, Miss Jewel. That’s all I wanted to ask.” Ben turned to leave and stopped before pulling the door open. “You don’t suppose it was a kitchen fire, do you?”
Miss Jewel shrugged. “It wouldn’t be
the first time, but it certainly would be the worst if it were.
“Who caused the others?”
“Underwood. He’s the only one allowed to cook that stew of his. He tends to forget his cooking when a customer walks in the doors.”
“Thanks, Miss Jewel. Have a good day.”
Ben strolled back to the site of the fire thinking about the possibilities. Over the years, he’d seen buildings burn to the ground. Fires starting in the kitchens were the most common reason. Arson was a consideration, but who? He needed to ask Underwood about any enemies.
Ben found Underwood digging through the remnants of his saloon.
“Morning, Underwood. Find anything useful?”
“No,” Underwood grunted. “The fire destroyed everything. I can replace it all except for my painting of Olivia. She was my first and favorite girl. You’ve seen her. Her painting hung above the piano. Lovely girl. I might have to find a painter and have Jewel pose for a portrait. I’ll ask Henry to run an ad. Must be someone who can paint around here.”
“Maybe,” Ben said. “The question will be if anyone is willing to paint another picture for a new saloon. If I remember correctly, that other painting was revealing.”
Underwood laughed. “Yeah, you could say that. I could get a painting from a larger city. I don’t care if it’s Jewel or not. If the woman’s a looker and well endowed, I’m happy.” He flung a piece of burnt wood several feet away and pulled up a large pot. “Here’s my stew pot. Stew’s pretty burned now.”
Ben walked around the saloon and realized the worst damage was right where Underwood stood. It was where the fire started. Underwood claimed he heard a crash and smelled smoke. How to prove it?
Ben asked, “You said the fire started in the kitchen and the liquor caught. Did you have a door leading from the kitchen to the outside?”
“Of course.”
“Was it locked?”
“Always is. It’s a heavy door. I don’t want anyone to break in and steal my liquor.”
“I understand. What about windows?”
“None. They’re too easy to bust and have someone get my supply. I make sure it’s safe. Do you know how much it costs to replace it all? Why do you ask?” Underwood looked up from where he searched.
“Just wondering about how someone broke in and started the fire.” Ben kicked at a piece of charred beam.
“Ask Willoughby; I told you he hired someone to start the fire.”
“All right, but how did they get in?”
Underwood stood anger flashing in his eyes. “Are you insinuating I caused it? Ask Lucy and Rose. I wouldn’t be surprised that one of them let whoever did this in and helped set the fire.”
“I’ll do that. By the way, Underwood, neither Rose or Lucy work for you any longer. Under no circumstances are you to bother either of them. If I hear of it, I’ll arrest you.” Ben turned and walked away listening to Underwood yelling about how Lucy and Rose owed him and couldn’t quit.
Ben smiled and made his way to the seamstress shop. It was time for lunch, and he would share it with Molly. He strode down the boardwalk and saw Giles Bowen striding from the other direction. They both stopped at the door to the shop.
“Anything wrong, Sheriff? You don’t need a dress do you,” Giles broad smile made Ben smile.
Ben stood taller and answered, “No, I’m here to escort Molly to lunch.”
“And I’m here to take my wife to lunch,” Giles replied. “I didn’t know you and Molly were…”
“I’m courting her.”
Giles grinned and pulled the door open, “After you, Sheriff.”
Chapter 5
Ben and Molly enjoyed a quiet lunch. Nell suggested they take the corner table in the back of the restaurant. “It’s quiet at this table. Lunch can get a bit hectic.” She bit her lower lip and smiled at Molly.
After ordering beef sandwiches and fried potatoes, Molly asked, “Do you know how the fire started?”
“No, wish I did. Rose and Lucy were together upstairs, and Rose said she saw Miss Jewel leave her room and run toward the back stairs. The few patrons all accounted for each other and Underwood was behind the bar. He said he kept the kitchen locked tight because of the liquor storeroom.”
“That’s true,” Molly agreed. “Other than the back door and the door leading into the saloon there isn’t anywhere for patrons to access the kitchen and they aren’t allowed down the inside hall.”
“Inside hall?”
“Yeah, if you walk past the main staircase just beyond the bar, there’s a short hallway leading to the back door of the building. The door is usually locked because it also leads to the back stairs.”
Ben stirred his coffee slowly and looked up at Molly. “Can you access the kitchen from that hall?”
“Sure, there’s a door leading off the hall into the storeroom, and then you can enter the kitchen from the storeroom,” Molly smiled at him before sipping her tea.
“Let me get this straight. If I were to walk down the back stairs, I could either go out the back door or enter that hallway. Once in the hall, I can get into the storeroom?”
Molly nodded. “It’s how we made food for ourselves without having to go through the saloon. Underwood didn’t want any of us to appear in the saloon without being dressed appropriately for his patrons. We’d go down the back way to make a sandwich or get some fruit. Living on Underwood’s stew every day could kill you. It’s terrible.”
He stared into Molly’s beautiful blue eyes and felt like kissing her right in the middle of Callahan’s but thought it might cause a scandal. She might have helped him solve his investigation.
He calmly asked, “Was Miss Jewel easy to work for?”
“I didn’t work under her since I only played the piano and sang, but the girls said she was decent to them. We all think she’s in love with Underwood, and he might love her, but she’s too good at what she does. He wouldn’t marry her and keep her out of the saloon. Money is his top priority in life. Is that important?” Molly looked back at him with pursed lips.
“Might be, look here’s our lunch.”
Nell placed full plates in front of them. “I have peach pie for dessert. Let me know when you’re ready for it.”
Ben dug into his meal as if he hadn’t eaten for two days. Molly sat and stared at him.
“What?” He questioned.
“Do you always eat that way?” She wondered out loud and silently pondered whether she could cook enough to feed him if they married. Married. She sent up a silent prayer that he meant what he said and wanted to marry her. Certainly, he was sincere. Please, Lord, let his feelings be true.
“Not always. I had a busy morning and only a couple of leftover biscuits for breakfast.”
“You eat leftovers for breakfast?”
“Not every day. Most mornings I eat at the hotel or Callahan’s. Some days I have bread and coffee. It depends on how much time I have. Why? Are you worried about me?”
Molly blushed. “I was curious.”
He leaned closer and whispered, “Just so you know, I like scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, toast, jam, and coffee for breakfast. You’ll know what to cook for me. You can cook, can’t you?”
“Molly blushed deeper. “Yes, I know how to cook. I don’t know much about you. Tell me about your childhood.”
“I grew up on a farm in Ohio. I have two brothers. One brother is ten years older than me. He took off when I was a teen, and I helped my Pa until he died when I was seventeen. Ma and I couldn’t keep the farm once she took ill and we moved to town. We received word that my oldest brother was the lookout when a murder occurred during a bank robbery. He claimed innocence and the three other men said he wasn’t part of their gang, but the jury found him guilty. The judge agreed with the defense that if there was a shred of doubt, he shouldn’t be hung with the others. The judge sentenced him to life in prison. It nearly killed my Ma. I promised my Ma that I would always stay on the right side of the law. She worried about
me. My second brother is two years older than me and took off when he was eighteen.” Ben admitted and scooped a forkful of potatoes into his mouth. He wasn’t sure if he should tell her more about his life or let the past stay in the past.
Molly reached out and gripped his hand. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how difficult that was for your mother and you.”
“I think it killed her before her time.”
Molly tried to stop the tears she felt in her eyes, but they ran freely down her cheeks. “I’m sorry about your mother. I lost my Mama, too.”
He held her hand and said, “I made you cry. I didn’t mean to do that. I should have kept my brother out of our conversation.”
“No, Ben, if we’re going to get to know each other we need to know the good and the bad. You’re not your brother, and I am sure your mother was proud of you.”
He nodded, “She said she was before she died.” His brows furrowed and he blinked several times.
Molly, desperate to cheer him up, asked, “How were you in school? Were you the boy who had to sit in front so the teacher could keep an eye on you?”
“How did you know.”
Molly laughed. “I had a feeling.”
Ben laughed with her, and Molly shared her darkest fear that she would become a soiled dove like her Mama. “I studied hard in school when I could go and swore I’d die before I did what Mama did, but I still loved her. I’m an only child, and I don’t know who my father is. Does that matter to you?”
“No, I love you, Molly, not your parents.”
Love? Did he just say he loved me? Molly swallowed. “What did you just say?”
“Didn’t you hear me the other day when I said I would marry you that day if you said yes. I would never do that if I didn’t love you. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. I knew for sure the day you tried to save Doubles from drowning in the horse trough. Only a woman with a good heart would do that.”
Molly's Heart Page 3
