Seashells Ch. 03

"Of course," Georgia said, wondering what brought such a strange response from her.

There was silence as the girl seemed to think it over. Finally, she said, "Yes, I will come with you if what you say is true."

"Good, then we'll leave early in the morning, after breakfast."

"Why did you ask me this? Is there something someone said?"

"No, why?"

"I just wondered, is all." The girl walked down the narrow space between the tables, picking up empty dishes as she went.

"Well, that was interesting," Bill said. "I wonder what brought that on."

Chapter 9

The next morning, as soon as the breakfast dishes were washed, the three girls, each carrying a small suitcase, walked out of the orphanage and waited by the Ford. The Mother Superior came out of the building and prayed with them, asking God to watch over them and protect them from harm.

With a hesitant wave, they got into the back of the Model T and waited while Bill spoke with the nun. "Sister, thank you for your help. I know that you probably had some misgivings about them coming with us."

"I spoke with Georgia and that changed my mind. I will trust in God and believe what she said, Mr. Doyle."

Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "This is for your work," he said, handing her several hundred dollars, the large greenbacks bright in the morning sun.

It was a quiet journey back to Carmel where he stopped once again at the department store they had visited before. "Girls," he said, getting out of the automobile, "we're going to get you some new clothes. I want each of you to get five new dresses and a couple pairs of shoes. If you need, uh, you know, then get those too. Georgia, please get some new dresses for Ellen and Liza, will you?"

"Yes, sir," she said.

He handed her eighty dollars and said, "I'm going to get some gasoline and I'll be back shortly. If you're done before then, just wait here."

They did not arrive back to Windcliff until nearly dinner-time, the second half of the drive much noisier as they talked excitedly about what to expect. Georgia tried to be supportive, hoping to allay their fears about Jack.

Jack heard the approach of the Model T and as it came closer, the honk of its horn. Looking out the window, he could see what looked like three passengers crowded together in the back seat. "Thank God," he said to himself. "Where the hell have they been?"

'It's a good thing the Ford isn't bigger,' he thought. 'They might have brought even more home.' He caught himself. It was the first time he considered Windcliff 'home.'

"Georgia! My God, where have you been?" exclaimed Jack as they entered the house through the kitchen door. "I've been worried... I mean, we've been worried..." He saw the girls. "I take it your journey was successful. And who are they?"

"I'm sorry, it just took longer than we thought and we had to an orphanage between Monterey and Salinas and... I'm sorry; there just wasn't any way to let you know."

"It's just that I was... I'm glad you're home, that's all. I... so, tell me about these girls you brought me."

Georgia introduced each girl in turn. If he had qualms about what she and Bill had done, he was silent.

"Perhaps we should have waited before hiring anyone."

"Of course not... I am quite willing to abide by your decision in the matter. If I look surprised, it is only that I did not expect you and Bill to accomplish so much in such a short time, that is all. But, to be honest, I don't know why, I could tell from the moment I met you that you were able to accomplish many things. If this new girl can cook as well as you say, she will be a wonderful addition to the staff here. I figured you would be tired when you arrived so I'm fixing dinner tonight. Steaks and salad and some of that apple pie that Bill made yesterday, how does that sound?"

"Steaks and pie?" Georgia was so overwhelmed at his excitement that she didn't really know what to say beyond that. She felt such a glow of pleasure that when he had complimented her that it proved she was not as impervious to his charms as much as she had hoped.

"This won't do," she said to herself as she left to change for dinner.

Dinner that evening was a more successful affair than Jack had thought. He had neither time nor expertise to prepare a very complicated meal but the few dishes he had brought to the table were a vast improvement to what everyone had eaten before Bill took over the kitchen duties.

He handed around the dishes with a surprising efficiency and for the first time, the new girls were served all they could eat. They were quiet, somewhat mystified at his behavior.

"Most of what I bought," Bill said, "will be delivered soon enough. This dinner is excellent. If I had known you could grill like this, I would have let you take over the kitchen. Oh, well, we have a new cook, now, and I can return to my life of leisure."

Jack laughed at his friend, never having seen him laze about. He smiled across the table as he saw Georgia return. She smiled back and then caught herself. She was trying so hard to control her feelings for him and found it harder moment by moment.

For a moment, Jack sat silently. He had noticed the change in her face as she watched him. At last he looked up with an embarrassed smile. "My chief business tomorrow will be to go to the sheriff and see to the butler. I wonder what kind of excuse the man will have."

"I remember," Georgia started, "he was quite upset when your uncle died."

"Surely, that's no excuse for stealing."

"They had been here for more than twenty years. Perhaps, they thought they were owed more than whatever they had already saved. I don't know."

"I suppose my lack of response to your letters gave them the impression that I didn't care. I'm sorry about that. This could have all been avoided if that damned Higgins hadn't done what he did."

All through this exchange, all the girls sat quietly, listening as they ate. They were surprised that they, as servants, were all eating in the dining room, together with the owner of the house. Ellen and Liza were interested in whatever caused the change. Susan wasn't quite sure yet what the dynamics of the house were and resolved to be silent until she could decide for herself what was happening. She knew that the colored woman had a position of power in the household and seemed to be his friend. At least, that was how he treated her. As strange as things were, she was determined not to return to the orphanage.

"He didn't take all the silver, just a few pieces."

"You're not excusing him, are you, Georgia?"

"No, just trying to understand why he did what he did, that's all. So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure, probably ask the sheriff to let them go and give them enough to leave the area. They certainly can't return here, now. Theft is still theft, no matter how he might have tried to justify it to himself."

"You look surprised, Georgia. Do you think I should do more or...?"

"No, if anything, I would say that you are going to do too much. He did commit a crime, after all. Giving them money after seems like rewarding their behavior."

Everyone looked at him, now, wondering what his answer would be.

"I see what you mean. He's not a hardened criminal, though and he made a grievous error. I hope he will be able to put this behind him and find something, a fresh start, somewhere else."

"You are being very generous," she finally said.

The rest of the evening was spent having the all the girls introduce themselves and give a brief account of their skills.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you are able to prepare, Susan. Ellen will be able to show you where everything is and as you become comfortable, you may move things around until they are how you would like them. I want... I expect the two of you to work together. Since you have the experience, you will be the cook and she will be your assistant. I want you to train her as you work together."

"Thank you, sir. I hope that you are not disappointed. What time do you wish to have breakfast?"

"Let's say, eight o'clock, that's good enough. Georgia, tomorrow morning, I would like to go over the accounts with you so I can see what everything has cost and how much cash I will need to get from the bank to settle with the grocer."

"Yes, sir," she said, setting the tone for the girls as to how they would address him. As Bill had said, they were going to be answerable to her and it was necessary that that be established at the beginning.

"This," Georgia said, "is your bedroom, Susan." The girl walked into the room, enchanted by what she saw. The room had a dormer window that overlooked the coast and she saw her own bed covered with a beige and blue spread. Near it was a closet where Liza had already hung her new clothing. There was a chest of drawers and a rocking chair to complete the furnishings. She twirled around, amazed at what she had and sat down on the bed, bouncing on the mattress.

The other two girls were shown similar rooms; the only difference was the view from the windows.

All three rooms were across the hall from those of Ellen and Liza and as curiosity struck Catherine, she saw they were nearly the same.

Chapter 10

The next morning, following a breakfast of pancakes and honey, Jack seated himself in the drawing room, waiting for Georgia to bring in the account books. A cheerful fire crackled and burned in the fireplace, and several lights had been lit, bathing the room in a warm light.

"Please, sit down," he said, patting the sofa cushion next to him.

Self-consciously, Georgia did so, clutching the ledger books to her to shield herself. She suddenly felt shy in his presence. As much as she tried to tell herself this was only a business discussion and he was only her employer, she could not help being aware that he was a man as well, a man that she had continued to dream about. The electric lights gleamed off his hair and touched his face with a subtle glow, making him look, if possible, even more handsome than she had thought. It was with an effort that she pulled her eyes away from him and opened the ledger.

He took the book and bent over it. She tried to keep her eyes on the ledger also, but in spite of herself they kept straying to his face. He read with concentration, his expression deeply absorbed. She caught herself and made herself look away again. Folding her hands in her lap, she fixed her gaze on the fireplace. She could herself his measured breathing and an occasional rustle as he turned over a page in the book. They were the only sounds in the room besides the crackle of the fire. As she regarded the dancing flames, she was conscious of a growing tension inside her. When he suddenly spoke, her heart gave such a start that it was all she could do to keep from jumping up from the sofa.

"This number here," he said, pointing to a figure in the book. "Does this represent the whole amount of fuel oil for the generator and firewood for the quarter year, or only for the month?"

She bent down and looked at the ledger. "It must be for the quarter, Jack," she said in a slightly breathless voice. "I am sure that it means for the quarter, it is too much for the month, I would think."

"But, look what he had written here," Jack said, pointing to another line in the ledger. Georgia bent down to read the line he indicated. He shifted the book to his other knee to allow her to see it more clearly and in doing so his arm brushed against hers. Its touch affected her like an electric shock. She drew back sharply, conscious that her heart was beating fast and there was an excitement running up and down her body.

"I don't understand... I am quite sure he meant it for the quarter," said Georgia. "He must have written 'month' by mistake."

"I don't think so. Look here. See how this total is? It must be for the month and it's an impossible amount for a month's worth of fuel, especially considering how cheap my uncle was. I think the butler was lining his pockets with the extra amount."

As she bent to look at the book once more, she could feel his breath warm on her cheek. This affected her even more powerfully than the touch of his arm had done a moment before. She became aware of his arm resting on the back of the sofa and his leg brushing against her dress. Even as she noted this, he shifted on the cushion so that his leg touched hers for a brief instant and that touch seemed to set her whole body trembling.

"I guess you're right. As you say, it's an impossible figure. He must have been stealing." She pulled out a second book. "Please, look at these later figures in blue ink. I can answer better for them for I have written them in myself since I've had to take over the housekeeping. But that might be just because we've had a mild spring and summer, and the reduced number of people living in the house and the lack of electricity."

She turned the page and tried to draw away from him on the sofa. He looked at the new page and bent over it, running three fingers through his hair with a frown. She felt a sudden impulse to reach out and run her own fingers through it. She wondered what he would do if she did. He might well respond by kissing her again and it was a serious question whether she could withstand his touch again. If he were to suddenly sweep her into his arms and lower his lips to hers...

"Well, this seems to be all in order and makes much more sense. You seem to keep accounts as you do everything else. Is there anything else you wish to show me?"

"No. Are you still going to the sheriff?"

"After seeing all this, I think he can sit in jail for a while longer. I think I'm going to press charges against him, now."

Afraid, she knew she should not watch him but she did, admiring his profile as he bent over the book. His vivid eyes were narrowed in concentration as he studied the columns of numbers.

A fine line of perspiration formed above her upper lip and suddenly the room felt too warm, too close. She found herself imagining what it would be like to be kissed again, his arms around her, holding her close, his eyes looking deeply into her own as he slowly lowered his lips to hers...

The room was so quiet that she could hear the tick-tick-tick of the mantel clock.

Suddenly, she found she was not just imagining but hoping for such an embrace. Her skin tingled in anticipation of his touch and she felt as though a touch would be enough to assure her surrender to him. Already there was a hungry ache that reminded her of her dream the night before.

"Well, Georgia, I don't see..." Jack began, then stopped short as his eyes met hers. For a long moment he looked at her without speaking. She looked back at him, also without speaking. She felt as though a spell had been cast over her, making it equally impossible to speak or look away.

At last and with great effort, he withdrew his gaze from hers. "Uh, I don't see any problem, uh, here." He slowly looked down at the ledger again. "Your accounts are, uh, clear and everything seems in order."

There was a faint flush at the back of his neck. "That's good," she said, hardly knowing what she said.

"Oh, yes," Jack agreed, in a voice slightly less natural than before. With great care he shut the book, placed it on top of the other one and leaned back. "Well," he said, looking intently at her and then away again.

"Well," she began, then could think of nothing more to say. They sat in silence for what seemed a very long time. When a log in the fireplace suddenly collapsed, sending out a shower of sparks, both of them jumped at the sound. Jack cleared his throat.

"Well," he began again.

But by this time, she was beginning to control herself again and the shower of sparks reminded her of her father's sermons about the fiery fate that waited for sinners in hell. A particularly hot place had been reserved for those who succumbed to the temptations of the flesh. She knew she was being tempted, tempted so it became a question whether she possessed the necessary strength to flee.

She rose shakily to her feet. "I must go," she said, in a voice as shaky as her legs. "Please, excuse me, uh, Jack, it is necessary that I go now."

"Must you?" he asked. She did not dare look at him; even the sound of his voice and the disappointment evident there, made it difficult to keep her resolution.

"Yes," said Georgia, keeping her face averted from his. Picking up the ledgers, she left the room as fast as she could.

After she had gone, he remained sitting where he was. He could not have explained what had just taken place between the two of them a moment before. He knew their earlier kiss had affected them both but what was he to do? It thrilled him when they had looked into each other's eyes. She had beautiful eyes, he thought, intensely dark and deep yet possessing a spark of fire in their depths.

He thought about what she might look without her clothing and then with a sensation of guilt, he caught himself. It was none of his business to imagine Georgia naked. She might be an attractive woman but she was also his employee and colored and it unacceptable to think of her in any other capacity, no matter that they had once kissed.

He reminded himself that she had come within inches of quitting and leaving, and if she knew the kind of thoughts that ran through his mind, she would run as fast as she could. However, he could not quite rid himself of the thought that something extraordinary had passed between them, but he had to tell himself it was only his imagination. He was playing with fire.