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Authors: Cynthia Hickey
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threatened to lodge in her throat, and she grabbed for a glass of water on the side table. How could she quash the silly girl’s dreams, dreams that would only lead her to ruin? Abigail was heading to the same den of iniquity the pastor back home thought the Harvey restaurants were.
Tabby moved to the small window nestled between the beds and raised the window. She spotted a familiar figure running to the train station. “Are you sure that’s what you want? Those places are dangerous, I’ve heard.”
“They can’t be that bad. Besides, Josiah will marry me, and we’ll be happy no matter where we are.” Standing, Abigail grabbed a dress from a hook, then shoved it into a satchel.
“The same Josiah who is getting on the train this very moment?” Tabby watched as, without a backward glance, the young man grabbed a handrail and hoisted himself up the ramp.
Tabby faced a stunned Abigail. “I don’t think the man plans on sticking around.” Her gut clenched for the pain on her friend’s face.
“He left me?” Abigail sank back to the bed and covered her face with her hands. “What am I going to do now?”
“Wait here.” Tabby dashed out of the room and ran downstairs. She should have saved the candy. She could have used it to sweeten the head waitress’s attitude.
She found Miss O’Connor in the kitchen. When Tabby entered, Adam turned his back to her, and the pale-faced head waitress stared with an unblinking gaze out the back door.
“Miss O’Connor.” Tabby twisted her hands in her skirt.
The woman heaved a sigh. “Yes, Miss McClelland.”
“I’m asking you to reconsider letting Abigail go. Please, have some mercy.”
“Impossible.” Miss O’Connor clamped her lips together.
“She has nowhere else to go. I saw Josiah boarding the train. Please, give her another chance.” Tabby took a deep breath. “I will be personally responsible for her.”
“Very well.” Miss O’Connor waved a hand and strode for the door. “I’m too disheartened to care that one of my girls would behave in such a manner. Tell her to be at her station in the morning as usual.”
Tabby clapped her hands together. “Thank you so much.” She hefted her skirts and raced back to her room, her headache all but forgotten.
* * *
Adam slammed down the lid to the stew he was helping prepare for the Sunday cook. He didn’t need to prepare meals on his day off, but usually the work relaxed him. Not today. Even after a peaceful, rejuvenating Sunday morning at church, his nerves were strung tight. Now, he was short a helper again. All because somebody couldn’t keep his hands off the girls. Adam shook his head, remembering Josiah’s warnings about Tabby. The man should have heeded his own advice.
An advertisement in tomorrow’s newspaper ought to round up help soon enough. Adam lowered the flame on the stove. His day had gone from pleasant to disappointing all within the space of an hour. Hopefully, Tabby would meet him on the stoop later that evening.
By the time the sun dropped behind the horizon, he couldn’t wait to step outside. He hoped conversation with a pretty girl would chase away his rotten mood. Throwing a dish towel on the counter, he shoved the back door open and stepped into the mild spring night.
A cloudless sky lit by thousands of diamondlike stars invited him to sit, lean back and gaze at the night sky. A slight breeze carried the sweet aroma of honeysuckle. The squeak of the door and a floral scent alerted him to Tabby’s presence. He smiled and kept staring at the sky. The rose water she wore brought back memories of Marilyn’s lavender scent. He thanked God the women were different. It wouldn’t do to start comparing them.
He didn’t know how long they sat there, not speaking, only that he enjoyed every moment of sharing the heaven’s wonders with her. Occasionally, she’d shift, bringing her arm into contact with his and sending tremors up his spine. After a while, she sighed, stood
Tabby moved to the small window nestled between the beds and raised the window. She spotted a familiar figure running to the train station. “Are you sure that’s what you want? Those places are dangerous, I’ve heard.”
“They can’t be that bad. Besides, Josiah will marry me, and we’ll be happy no matter where we are.” Standing, Abigail grabbed a dress from a hook, then shoved it into a satchel.
“The same Josiah who is getting on the train this very moment?” Tabby watched as, without a backward glance, the young man grabbed a handrail and hoisted himself up the ramp.
Tabby faced a stunned Abigail. “I don’t think the man plans on sticking around.” Her gut clenched for the pain on her friend’s face.
“He left me?” Abigail sank back to the bed and covered her face with her hands. “What am I going to do now?”
“Wait here.” Tabby dashed out of the room and ran downstairs. She should have saved the candy. She could have used it to sweeten the head waitress’s attitude.
She found Miss O’Connor in the kitchen. When Tabby entered, Adam turned his back to her, and the pale-faced head waitress stared with an unblinking gaze out the back door.
“Miss O’Connor.” Tabby twisted her hands in her skirt.
The woman heaved a sigh. “Yes, Miss McClelland.”
“I’m asking you to reconsider letting Abigail go. Please, have some mercy.”
“Impossible.” Miss O’Connor clamped her lips together.
“She has nowhere else to go. I saw Josiah boarding the train. Please, give her another chance.” Tabby took a deep breath. “I will be personally responsible for her.”
“Very well.” Miss O’Connor waved a hand and strode for the door. “I’m too disheartened to care that one of my girls would behave in such a manner. Tell her to be at her station in the morning as usual.”
Tabby clapped her hands together. “Thank you so much.” She hefted her skirts and raced back to her room, her headache all but forgotten.
* * *
Adam slammed down the lid to the stew he was helping prepare for the Sunday cook. He didn’t need to prepare meals on his day off, but usually the work relaxed him. Not today. Even after a peaceful, rejuvenating Sunday morning at church, his nerves were strung tight. Now, he was short a helper again. All because somebody couldn’t keep his hands off the girls. Adam shook his head, remembering Josiah’s warnings about Tabby. The man should have heeded his own advice.
An advertisement in tomorrow’s newspaper ought to round up help soon enough. Adam lowered the flame on the stove. His day had gone from pleasant to disappointing all within the space of an hour. Hopefully, Tabby would meet him on the stoop later that evening.
By the time the sun dropped behind the horizon, he couldn’t wait to step outside. He hoped conversation with a pretty girl would chase away his rotten mood. Throwing a dish towel on the counter, he shoved the back door open and stepped into the mild spring night.
A cloudless sky lit by thousands of diamondlike stars invited him to sit, lean back and gaze at the night sky. A slight breeze carried the sweet aroma of honeysuckle. The squeak of the door and a floral scent alerted him to Tabby’s presence. He smiled and kept staring at the sky. The rose water she wore brought back memories of Marilyn’s lavender scent. He thanked God the women were different. It wouldn’t do to start comparing them.
He didn’t know how long they sat there, not speaking, only that he enjoyed every moment of sharing the heaven’s wonders with her. Occasionally, she’d shift, bringing her arm into contact with his and sending tremors up his spine. After a while, she sighed, stood
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