it.”
Elizabeth held her envelope with trembling fingers. She had earned what it contained—she was now able to provide for her mother and her daughter. A deep feeling of satisfaction swept over her, even greater than how she’d felt when she shot that tree. It was a heady feeling, knowing that she now had the tools she needed to turn their situation around. “Elizabeth Caldwell” was written on the front of the envelope. She liked how her name looked in Mr. Brody’s handwriting.
“We’ll be opening the hotel on Monday, the day after tomorrow, much earlier than I had first anticipated. Our draperies should be arriving by train in a few days, and in the meantime, we’ll make do. I’ve spoken with the station manager, and he knows we plan to be ready for Monday’s first train. He has agreed to point people in our direction, and Tom will be there as well, holding a sign. I’ll need you all ready bright and early, wearing starched white aprons, looking neat and comely. Tom, I expect you to look neat, but you needn’t plan on wearing an apron.”
Everyone in the room tittered, and Tom grinned.
“Miss Hampton, have the girls been trained how to serve?”
“Yes, they have.” Her calm voice was the perfect counterbalance to the restrained excitement Elizabeth heard in Mr. Brody’s tone.
“Excellent.” He smiled. “I’ll stop by the store and make sure our food order is arranged.”
Miss Hampton nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
Elizabeth glanced around the room. Everyone seemed eager. They’d put in the hours of scrubbing and repairing and trying to prepare themselves for every scenario, and now it was time to see if they could really do this.
Mr. Brody cleared his throat, and the attention of the room was immediately back on him. “Now to discuss something else. Miss Hampton, have you told everyone about yesterday’s incident with Miss Caldwell?”
Elizabeth’s cheeks immediately began to burn. She hadn’t expected to be the subject of a staff discussion. The door was too far away—she couldn’t slip out unnoticed.
“I have told them,” Miss Hampton said. “Our deepest sympathies, Miss Caldwell. That must have been a terrible thing to experience.”
Elizabeth nodded her thanks.
Mr. Brody clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s crucial that every young lady working here in the hotel—and living in the town—be on the lookout for these two men. If they were brazen enough to attempt such a thing on Miss Caldwell in broad daylight, who knows what other tactics they might employ. I’ve just spent some time teaching Miss Caldwell how to shoot a gun. I carry a firearm on my person at all times except when I’m doing manual labor. Tom also carries a weapon, and Miss Hampton has one as well. If anyone else would like to be trained, please speak with me, and I’ll see to it. There’s simply no reason why a lady should be at the mercy of any ruffian who crosses her path.”
Harriet, Abigail, and Jeanette each nodded, their eyes huge.
“Miss Caldwell, will you come with me? The rest of you, please continue with whatever you were doing.” Mr. Brody waited until the room had cleared out, and then he turned to Elizabeth. “I owe you an apology.”
Elizabeth’s brow furrowed. “An apology? I don’t understand, sir.”
“When I saw the conditions of your home this morning, I felt thoroughly ashamed of myself. As your employer, I have a responsibility to you, and yet, I never gave your situation a second thought. I just assumed you had what you needed. But your roof is in poor repair, and I imagine you’ve been counting on your wages for basic supplies. If I’d realized that, I would have advanced your pay. I should have been more attentive, but I intend to make up for it now. Tom has prepared the buggy, and we’re going shopping.”
“Shopping, sir?” Elizabeth couldn’t decide which part of his speech had surprised her more.
“You can hardly carry your groceries home on the
Elizabeth held her envelope with trembling fingers. She had earned what it contained—she was now able to provide for her mother and her daughter. A deep feeling of satisfaction swept over her, even greater than how she’d felt when she shot that tree. It was a heady feeling, knowing that she now had the tools she needed to turn their situation around. “Elizabeth Caldwell” was written on the front of the envelope. She liked how her name looked in Mr. Brody’s handwriting.
“We’ll be opening the hotel on Monday, the day after tomorrow, much earlier than I had first anticipated. Our draperies should be arriving by train in a few days, and in the meantime, we’ll make do. I’ve spoken with the station manager, and he knows we plan to be ready for Monday’s first train. He has agreed to point people in our direction, and Tom will be there as well, holding a sign. I’ll need you all ready bright and early, wearing starched white aprons, looking neat and comely. Tom, I expect you to look neat, but you needn’t plan on wearing an apron.”
Everyone in the room tittered, and Tom grinned.
“Miss Hampton, have the girls been trained how to serve?”
“Yes, they have.” Her calm voice was the perfect counterbalance to the restrained excitement Elizabeth heard in Mr. Brody’s tone.
“Excellent.” He smiled. “I’ll stop by the store and make sure our food order is arranged.”
Miss Hampton nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
Elizabeth glanced around the room. Everyone seemed eager. They’d put in the hours of scrubbing and repairing and trying to prepare themselves for every scenario, and now it was time to see if they could really do this.
Mr. Brody cleared his throat, and the attention of the room was immediately back on him. “Now to discuss something else. Miss Hampton, have you told everyone about yesterday’s incident with Miss Caldwell?”
Elizabeth’s cheeks immediately began to burn. She hadn’t expected to be the subject of a staff discussion. The door was too far away—she couldn’t slip out unnoticed.
“I have told them,” Miss Hampton said. “Our deepest sympathies, Miss Caldwell. That must have been a terrible thing to experience.”
Elizabeth nodded her thanks.
Mr. Brody clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s crucial that every young lady working here in the hotel—and living in the town—be on the lookout for these two men. If they were brazen enough to attempt such a thing on Miss Caldwell in broad daylight, who knows what other tactics they might employ. I’ve just spent some time teaching Miss Caldwell how to shoot a gun. I carry a firearm on my person at all times except when I’m doing manual labor. Tom also carries a weapon, and Miss Hampton has one as well. If anyone else would like to be trained, please speak with me, and I’ll see to it. There’s simply no reason why a lady should be at the mercy of any ruffian who crosses her path.”
Harriet, Abigail, and Jeanette each nodded, their eyes huge.
“Miss Caldwell, will you come with me? The rest of you, please continue with whatever you were doing.” Mr. Brody waited until the room had cleared out, and then he turned to Elizabeth. “I owe you an apology.”
Elizabeth’s brow furrowed. “An apology? I don’t understand, sir.”
“When I saw the conditions of your home this morning, I felt thoroughly ashamed of myself. As your employer, I have a responsibility to you, and yet, I never gave your situation a second thought. I just assumed you had what you needed. But your roof is in poor repair, and I imagine you’ve been counting on your wages for basic supplies. If I’d realized that, I would have advanced your pay. I should have been more attentive, but I intend to make up for it now. Tom has prepared the buggy, and we’re going shopping.”
“Shopping, sir?” Elizabeth couldn’t decide which part of his speech had surprised her more.
“You can hardly carry your groceries home on the
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