Riss

Riss Elliot stepped off the stage coach with the help of the man she had ridden with since Topeka. He hadn't said two words, but he was polite and for that she was grateful. She didn't know her way around the town yet, but it seemed to be laid out a lot like most larger towns she had seen. A lot like Topeka had been. Tecumseh had been a long ride on one of the two farm horses, her brother beside her on the other one so he could lead Davy back when she reached the stagecoach. Manhattan had taken longer and she hadn't realized it was so much further away when she had written about the job.

She made her way to the inn and stepped in nervously. The letter had said to ask a man there named 'Barty' where the boarding house was and then 'Alta' would get her settled in and show her to the building where she would be working.

Barty was a large man with a ruddy face and a ready smile, the kind of man who made you want to smile back. He grinned at her and spoke up, "You must be Miss Elliot, Mr Hawkins said to expect you. I'll have my boy Junior take you to Ms Thayer's house. JUNIOR!"

"Yes Papa?" the boy asked coming from a room above the stairs, leaning over the balcony.

"This is Miss Elliot, take her over to Alta Thayer's place."

"Yessir," the boy answered, hurrying down the stairs. "Hi ma'am, you the new teacher?"

"No, Junior, I will be working in the main office of the lumber and sawmill with Mr Hawkins."

"Oh!" the boy said thoughtfully. He was maybe twelve, but she was betting on ten or eleven and big for his age like his father. "Never seen a lady working at anything but teaching. And cooking I guess. Mama cooks at the inn. She's a great cook, you gonna eat there, right? All Ms Thayer's boarders eat there free. This bag ain't so heavy, ain't got much, do ya?"

"No, just my good working dress," she answered with a smile. "And some paper and a pencil to write home."

"How old are you, if it ain't rude to ask?"

"Twenty two."

"You look it, but you are kinda short. What's your name?"

"Deloris, but I have been called Rissy since I was a baby. My older brother, he shortened Deloris to Ris, then combined it with sissy and it just sort of stuck. I only hear Deloris when my Ma is mad."

"Not your Pa? He don't get mad?"

"Not anymore," Rissy answered sadly. "He passed last winter, him and Paul, my older brother."

"Sorry to hear it ma'am. So just you and your Ma then?"

"Would that it were," she half laughed. "No. I have fourteen little brothers and sisters."

"Wish I had a brother or sister," the boy groused. "Any of'm my age?"

"Three are around your age. Margie, Liam and Todd."

"Will they ever visit you?"

"Doubtful. If I have any time off, I may go visit them."

"Only kids my age that go to school are girls," he sulked. "Boys all stay on the farms mostly. The ones that do come are little. There's Ms Thayer's there. The big white house. C'mon, I'll introduce you. She has cookies sometimes, pie if we're lucky."

Rissy followed the boy with a smile, glad that it seemed like the widow who ran the boarding house was kind. The older woman did indeed have cookies and a smile that warmed Rissy's heart.

"You'll be on the first floor here with me. The upper floors are all for the men, but you and Miss Lydia will both have the two bedrooms across from mine. She's the new teacher, should be here before school starts. Take her bag on to the yellow room Junior, then you can have a few cookies to take back for you and Barty."

"Thanks Ms Thayer!" the boy called, running down the hall.

"Sit and have tea and tell me about yourself!" Alta said excitedly, taking tea off the stove and gesturing to the cookies on the table. "I want to hear all about how you got a job at Millers Lumber office!"

Rissy sat with another smile for the older woman and told her about how she had applied by letter and corresponded with Mr Hawkins, who had posted about needing someone smart and exceptional at math to keep books and more. When he had sent word for her to come, she wrote another letter, telling him that the 'D' in D. Elliot stood for Deloris, he had taken longer than usual to write back and she had assumed he had opted out. But after a full month, he wrote back saying she was more qualified than the other applicants and he would 'smooth it over' with Mr Miller. She went on to tell her about how her father and older brother had passed last winter and how her family was counting on this income. Todd, Liam and Frank were doing the best they could with the farm, but they were all young, only 14, 12 and 10. Her little sister Amelia also tried to help, but the girls in her family were all as small as their mother and even at 16, Amelia wasn't much help. Her sister Elizabeth had come home in the spring pregnant with twins after she lost her husband Derrick to the same pneumonia that took her father and brother.

With the number of grown men who had died last winter, everyone was blaming the peddler who had come through selling 'premium tobacco' grown by the natives down south. He sold it cheaper than what you could get at the package store and most the men in town bought him out of it. Most of the men who had bought it caught 'pneumonia' and died that winter.

By the time she was done telling Alta all about how she had come to work for the Lumber company, it was getting close to supper time.

"I kept you long enough!" Alta smiled. "We can talk more later. Go get washed up and Barty will feed you. You'll see most the other boarders up there, they head straight there after their shifts at the mill. They start askin' after you, you let'm know right off you are boardin' here and they'll leave you alone quick enough! Keep a special watch on a man named Lewis. He's too pretty by far and knows it! He's had more than one girl in tears around here, pining over him after he left them on the hook. Sure as shootin; he'll try'n make eyes at you too."

"I'll be careful," Rissy promised.

"Be sure of it. Young woman, pretty as you and not married. Half the single men in town'll be knockin down my door askin after ya'."

"I'll try not to make trouble," Rissy answered, slipping into her room to wash up before Alta could say more. She was starving and she wanted to have a look around before she had to report in for work on Monday morning.

The walk back to the inn seemed longer than the walk to the boarding house, but she supposed it was because she didn't have Junior asking her so many questions and distracting her. She took the opportunity to look around as she walked. It was a clean town, but the ground looked like it would be a mess when it rained. Judging from the ruts and planks that crossed the streets. The blacksmith was close to the edge of the main street and that seemed odd to her. Did the constant hammering and smells not bother the other businesses? She could see the school and a small church as well, and the package store with a small sign that read 'post office' and 'telegrams'. That would be where she could send her pay back home.

She looked over the other places as she walked and she gave a curious look at the saloon. She had never been in a saloon before and the women sitting on the balcony above, looking down into the streets made her curious. Their dresses weren't very modest.

She went into the busy inn and looked around. Barty waved at her with his huge grin as several men looked at her. The room was full of sweating me who had obviously just come off of shift at the mill.

"Sit anywhere that's empty!" Barty called.

Rissy moved off to the little side area that wasn't as busy and sat at the table that was all the way in the back, near the door to the kitchen. Junior brought her out a glass of tea and a plate heaped with ham, potatoes and corn. More than she could possibly eat. "Supper tonight is Ma's ham! You're lucky!" he grinned before hurrying back to the kitchen.

Rissy smiled and began eating, hoping they would let her take some home so it wouldn't go to waste.

"You are sitting at my table," a man snapped at her.

She looked up, shocked. He was a diminutive man, sharply dressed. He looked cold and angry, reminding her of the preacher back home. Was he a preacher too?

"Barty told me to sit anywhere that was empty, and this table was. I am already eating, perhaps you..."

"No! You will move, now!"

"Sir, you cannot be serious!" she chided, feeling like the man was being unreasonable. "There are plenty of other tables that are empty!"

"THIS is MY table. Move or I will move you!"

"Sir," she answered angrily, standing to her fullest height, which was still almost a head shorter than the small man. "You are rude and hateful! This place was so pleasant until you showed up! I will NOT move. You can find..."

The man took her by the arms and bodily moved her out of his way before picking up her cup and plate and slamming them on the next table. He used his handkerchief to dust off the seat, then sat down, looking at her coldly.

"You are a despicable creature!" she hissed. "No true gentleman would put a hand on a woman!" She turned, before the tears that were threatening sprang to her eyes and left. She heard Barty call after her, but she fled back to the boarding house and to her room.

Hateful hateful man! Just see if she would attend his sermons or have a pleasant word to say about him in her letters home! Odious, loathsome, spiteful little cad!

She worked herself into a fury, pacing and wiping away angry tears. Sleep was so long in coming that she slept in the next morning. She didn't really care, she hadn't planned on attending church here now anyway.

She went down to the inn and asked Barty if she could have lunch to go and avoid the after church crowd and he happily obliged her after asking about the night before.

"You left so sudden, food didn't make you sick, did it?"

"Oh no, what I had was delicious. I am sorry for being so rude," she offered, not wanting to tell him about the man in case they were friends. She left in a hurry with her food, more than enough for lunch and supper. She spent the afternoon walking out to the mill and back so that she knew how long it would take her to get to the office, and then she walked down to a small grove of fruit trees to sit back and read.

"Hi there," a man said smoothly, offering her a small bouquet of wildflowers.

She smiled up at the handsome man and took the flowers.

"You look so lovely out here with the evening sun shining on you, I couldn't help myself. My name is Lewis, Miss?"

"Miss Elliot, but my friends call me Rissy. I am boarding with Alta."

The man flinched. "I see. I supposed she warned you not to talk to me? It really is unfair of her. I asked after one girl and when we did not get on she threw such a fuss, my reputation was completely ruined!"

"I am sure," Rissy offered with an amused smile. "It is late, perhaps you might walk me back?"

"I would be honored, lovely Miss Rissy. Is Rissy your true name? It seems... childish if you forgive me saying so?"

"My name is Deloris, but I have been Rissy since I was small. Deloris sounds like I am in trouble."

"I see. Perhaps just Riss?"

"If you like. You seem nice Lewis, but I must tell you: I am here for my family. I have fourteen mouths counting on me since my father and brother passed. Not a situation any man would be inclined to take on. Not to mention, I have no want to get involved and lose focus on my work. You understand, I am sure."

"I understand, but you will forgive me if I still wish to see you again? Ask you to walk with me to supper perhaps?"

"I am not going to supper, I have plenty of my dinner left from earlier and I have no wish to be wasteful. Goodnight Lewis, it was nice meeting you," she said as he opened the door to the boarding house for her.

"Lewis Montgomery, you leave that girl alone!" Alta warned, but it was a fond warning. She liked the man despite her warnings. He must really be a charmer.

He grinned at the woman. "Can I bring you anything special Ms Thayer?"

"You just go on!" Alta chided as Rissy slipped into her room quietly.

She went back to pacing, but it was nerves this time. When she finally fell asleep, she kept waking up in worry, wondering if it was time to get up yet. She was so stressed that she was sick to her stomach when the time did finally come. She skipped breakfast, knowing she would never keep it down and dressed carefully and slowly. She pinned her hair up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her family needed her, she had to do this. It didn't matter what other people thought. Mr Hawkins said she was the one for the job. No one else mattered. Mr Hawkins was the one who mattered.

She forced herself to smile confidently and left. The other boarders had left for breakfast already, so she walked to the mill office alone. She was early, but it didn't seem to be a problem as a tall man stood up from his desk and came around with a smile.

"You must be Miss Elliot. You are younger than I imagined! Or perhaps just smaller. Come in and have a seat, I am Mr Hawkins. John Hawkins."

"Rissy."

"Rissy? I was given to understand your name was Deloris?"

"Oh, yes! It is. Rissy is what I have been called by for so long, it's what I answer to. Deloris is fine if it is more professional."

"It is. We can't let the boys take liberties like nicknames, they may see it as an invitation. One thing we are very firm on is that you may not enter into a relationship with anyone who works for Miller Lumber. You will be in a position of authority and it would be very damaging to our reputation if you were to be seen giving favor to... anyone."

"It is a non-issue sir. I have already made it clear I am here to work and work only."

"Yes. Your family. It is very noble of you to take on so much and give up your own happiness for them."

"It is not so much, sir," she answered with a smile. "I love my family and I am happy to do what I can for them."

"Of course. We do have some paperwork this morning, then we will do a tour of the mill and the grounds, then I will get you started with the books and training you. You won't be seeing Mr Miller until morning I am afraid, he takes Mondays to visit the logging sites. He has asked to meet you first thing in the morning though, so do not fear."

"I will try not to worry too much," she offered with a smile.

"He is strict and very... he has to have things done a certain way. His way is the only way, he is very firm on that. Do not mind it so much, he is perfectly pleasant otherwise. It only takes getting used to his mannerisms and how he likes things done. Ahh... I do have to mention... I have not told him you are female."

"You haven't?" she asked, terrified.

"No... you see, he picked out your resume himself. Now that you have been hired and he has it in his mind that you, D. Elliot is to be running the office and his paperwork, he is more and more set in the idea every day. That is how he is. He won't be able to change his mind upon seeing you are a girl. Do you understand?"

"I... I think so. Are you sure?"

"I am positive that he is who he is. It is not in his nature to deviate from a course he has set himself on. Come now, do not worry over it. I am certain it will all work out. And if it does not, for some unforeseen reason, I will see you well compensated for your time. Let's get started."

Rissy did worry. She worried all day. Mr Hawkins walked her to the inn for lunch and sat with her, telling her about the town, then walked her back, still talking. The man did love to talk, but she was happy to listen. He was a nice man and he seemed fair minded. He told her about his wife and kids and he seemed incredibly proud of his two sons. That made Rissy warm to him even more. He walked her to the inn when her shift ended, a troop of dirty, sweaty millworkers walking all around them as they spoke. When they arrived, he called out, "Foreman Gil, this is Miss Elliot. Please see that she is not bothered when she is here with your men?"

"Of course sir," the stocky man answered, then gave her a cursory glance before motioning her to a table off to the side but close to the men where he could watch them. "You Mr Hawkins family?" he asked, halfway through his meal.

"No sir, I started working in the office this morning. Today."

"You?!? Guess times are changin', but it is only papers and such, isn't it. Close to school teachers work I guess. Don't let the boys bother you, tell'm right off."

"Yes sir."

"N'stay away from Lewis especially."

Rissy laughed. "So Ms Thayer said as well. I already told him I was not interested."

"Won't stop'm."

"Don't worry. I have no problems being curt if I must."

"Good. He'll need it. You done?"

"Yes sir."

"I will walk you to Alta's place then." The stocky, gruff man walked her to the boarding house silently and stopped at the door. "I stay with the other two foremen just two houses down. The one that needs paintin'. You have trouble with the boys, you come see any of us."

"Yes sir, thank you," she answered, then went in. Alta was peeking out the window at Gil.

"He's a fine man, he is," Alta said, blushing as she stepped away from the window. "You could do much worse than the likes of him!"

Rissy laughed. "He is old enough to be my father almost twice over again! He seems closer to your age if you ask me. Maybe you should invite him to tea?"

"Me invite him?!? Absolutely not! No, that's not how it's done!"

"But if I were to invite him? To talk about work? Would that be out of the question? On a day that you made one of those pies I hear so much about?"

"Well, if you need to speak to him about work and such, you will need a place to do it. Obviously. And of course I would make some pie for you and your guest if you wanted."

"And you would join us? So that it wouldn't look untoward for me to be alone with a man?"

"Of course!"

Rissy smiled and hugged Alta close. "Goodnight!" she called, going to her room happily. She had always loved to play matchmaker, she loved love even if it wasn't something she wanted for herself. She fell asleep smiling.

It was only when she woke that she remembered that she would have to meet the persnickety old Mr Miller this morning and he would discover he had hired a woman and not a man.

Once again, she was too sick to go and eat breakfast. She very carefully got herself ready again, then walked slowly to the office. Mr Hawkins was once again already there and he gave her a smile when she came in. She was able to smile back, but only barely as she glanced at the closed door in the back of the office.

"Don't worry," Mr Hawkins whispered. "It will be fine!" He grinned as he went and knocked on the door. "Mr Miller? Our new bookkeeper is here and ready to speak to you?"

"Send him in," came the clipped reply, muffled through the door.

Rissy took a deep breath, then marched to the door as Mr Hawkins opened it. She got three steps in before she stopped short and stared wide eyed at the diminutive man from the inn.

He looked up, then glared at her. "What is that little bitch doing here?" he demanded acidly. "Get her out!"

"Sir!" Mr Hawkins gasped in shock. "Sir this is D. Elliot, the applicant you chose to hire?"

"Her?!? No. Absolutely not! Get her out!"

"Sir," Mr Hawkins said, stepping between them. "May I have a word?"

"What, John?"

Mr Hawkins turned to her and eased her out the door. "Give me two minutes," he whispered, then shut the door.

Rissy stood there numbly. That hateful, horrible creature was Mr Miller? He was too young. Too small! Lumber men were always large! Like Lewis and Gil! Even Mr Hawkins who just did paperwork was tall... Her boss was evil incarnate! She reeled and sat down hard on the floor. She couldn't do this. She couldn't work for him!