weeks. The feeling of making her own way, paying her bills, and taking care of Pops.
“Well?” Miss Annie said. “Are you coming?”
“Miss Annie, I’m sorry—”
“Now, Betsy, honey. I know we said we’d go back to how things were. But I can offer you another dollar a week. I think you’ve certainly proven you are worth a little more than I’d pay other girls, and we’ll just call your room part of your wages rather than taking two dollars each week. How would that be?”
She’d be a fool not to take it. Betsy knew the woman was getting desperate. But she had another reason for wanting to have different hours. “I’m grateful.”
Miss Annie’s face brightened. “Then let’s get inside and get to work.”
“What I mean to say is that while I’m grateful—and I truly am—my pops isn’t doing too well. He’s got himself sick with pneumonia, and I need to see him more than a few hours each Sunday. The hours here don’t allow me to visit him.” And she was terrified he was going to die without her there to soothe him.
Sudden anger flashed in Miss Annie’s eyes. “How are you going to find another position? After I tell every business owner in town how you berated a customer and walked out without so much as a day’s notice, everyone will see that you’re as unreliable as Old Joe.”
She’d been about to offer her assistance until seven thirty when she had to be at the store, but no longer. “I’ve already procured another position. And a roomful of witnesses saw and heard you order me out and tell me never to come back. So I did not just walk out without notice.”
“Betsy, I need your help. How will I get through the day alone?”
Compassion rose in Betsy, but after what she’d said about Pops? She wouldn’t be stepping foot back inside the restaurant for the rest of her life. Besides, Miss Annie knew all she had to do was put a sign in the window and someone would ask for work. No less than two girls and one gentleman had come in looking for work while Betsy had been there. People were moving into the area all the time, and with winter coming, those who were new to the township would be needing funds to feed their families.
“Oh, never mind. Go, just go.” Miss Annie’s voice quaked with anger. “Go on. Get out of here.” She spun around and hurried back to the restaurant.
Betsy tightened her scarf against the biting wind. Two-and-a-half hours remained before Stuart would be opening the store, but since she had nowhere else to go, she crossed the street and made her way to the boardwalk just outside the store. Wrapping her coat closer, she folded her arms to provide more warmth and sat on the bench by the door. Mercy, the temperature must be below zero. Her face had grown numb while she stood talking to Miss Annie. She couldn’t feel her fingers or toes, even with her gloves and boots and thick stockings. Her body began to shiver, and her teeth chattered so hard she was afraid she might break one. She stood and stomped up and down the boardwalk for the next forty-five minutes. The minutes dragged on, and she finally dropped onto the bench again. How long before frostbite set in?
She began to feel more comfortable, warmer, though she knew without the sun, she shouldn’t be. Her eyes began to close.
Chapter Nine
A t six o’clock, Stuart stepped up onto the boardwalk two stores down from the general store. He squinted. Horror slapped him as he recognized Betsy’s coat. He broke out into a run. What on earth was she doing lying on the bench? Had Miss Annie forced her to leave her room last night? Oh, dear God, had she been on that bench all night?
He shoved his hands into his pocket, retrieved the key to the store, and quickly opened the door. He spun back to Betsy. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the bench next to the stove. To his utter relief, she began to stir as he built up the fire. He could only thank God for waking him up early and giving him the idea to
“Well?” Miss Annie said. “Are you coming?”
“Miss Annie, I’m sorry—”
“Now, Betsy, honey. I know we said we’d go back to how things were. But I can offer you another dollar a week. I think you’ve certainly proven you are worth a little more than I’d pay other girls, and we’ll just call your room part of your wages rather than taking two dollars each week. How would that be?”
She’d be a fool not to take it. Betsy knew the woman was getting desperate. But she had another reason for wanting to have different hours. “I’m grateful.”
Miss Annie’s face brightened. “Then let’s get inside and get to work.”
“What I mean to say is that while I’m grateful—and I truly am—my pops isn’t doing too well. He’s got himself sick with pneumonia, and I need to see him more than a few hours each Sunday. The hours here don’t allow me to visit him.” And she was terrified he was going to die without her there to soothe him.
Sudden anger flashed in Miss Annie’s eyes. “How are you going to find another position? After I tell every business owner in town how you berated a customer and walked out without so much as a day’s notice, everyone will see that you’re as unreliable as Old Joe.”
She’d been about to offer her assistance until seven thirty when she had to be at the store, but no longer. “I’ve already procured another position. And a roomful of witnesses saw and heard you order me out and tell me never to come back. So I did not just walk out without notice.”
“Betsy, I need your help. How will I get through the day alone?”
Compassion rose in Betsy, but after what she’d said about Pops? She wouldn’t be stepping foot back inside the restaurant for the rest of her life. Besides, Miss Annie knew all she had to do was put a sign in the window and someone would ask for work. No less than two girls and one gentleman had come in looking for work while Betsy had been there. People were moving into the area all the time, and with winter coming, those who were new to the township would be needing funds to feed their families.
“Oh, never mind. Go, just go.” Miss Annie’s voice quaked with anger. “Go on. Get out of here.” She spun around and hurried back to the restaurant.
Betsy tightened her scarf against the biting wind. Two-and-a-half hours remained before Stuart would be opening the store, but since she had nowhere else to go, she crossed the street and made her way to the boardwalk just outside the store. Wrapping her coat closer, she folded her arms to provide more warmth and sat on the bench by the door. Mercy, the temperature must be below zero. Her face had grown numb while she stood talking to Miss Annie. She couldn’t feel her fingers or toes, even with her gloves and boots and thick stockings. Her body began to shiver, and her teeth chattered so hard she was afraid she might break one. She stood and stomped up and down the boardwalk for the next forty-five minutes. The minutes dragged on, and she finally dropped onto the bench again. How long before frostbite set in?
She began to feel more comfortable, warmer, though she knew without the sun, she shouldn’t be. Her eyes began to close.
Chapter Nine
A t six o’clock, Stuart stepped up onto the boardwalk two stores down from the general store. He squinted. Horror slapped him as he recognized Betsy’s coat. He broke out into a run. What on earth was she doing lying on the bench? Had Miss Annie forced her to leave her room last night? Oh, dear God, had she been on that bench all night?
He shoved his hands into his pocket, retrieved the key to the store, and quickly opened the door. He spun back to Betsy. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the bench next to the stove. To his utter relief, she began to stir as he built up the fire. He could only thank God for waking him up early and giving him the idea to
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