Читать книгу Once Upon A Texas Christmas - Winnie Griggs - Страница 14
ОглавлениеAbigail stepped into the kitchen to find all the staff assembled, looking as if they were about to meet their executioner.
She supposed it was natural for them to be concerned since they were exchanging one boss for another. Hopefully she and Mr. Reynolds would be able to set their minds at ease.
Since the construction began and the number of guests they were accommodating had been cut back, the hotel staff had also been reduced from six to three. In addition to Della Long, there was Ruby Mills, the maid, and Larry Scruggs, the night clerk.
Mr. Crandall stepped forward as soon as she and Mr. Reynolds entered the kitchen. “Folks, this is Mr. Seth Reynolds, who’s come here as the new owner’s representative to oversee all the construction work being done. And you all know Abigail Fulton. She’s going to be working with Mr. Reynolds while he’s here.”
The man then turned to the three staff members standing behind him and introduced each in turn. When he’d finished, Mr. Reynolds took control of the conversation.
“I want to assure you that even though Mr. Crandall is leaving tomorrow, everything will remain as it is for the time being.”
Abigail noticed that the three employees were each reacting to Mr. Reynolds in their own way. All had obviously taken note of his cane. Larry couldn’t seem to meet the man’s gaze, Ruby appeared unable to tear her gaze away from the cane and Della appeared merely curious.
Mr. Reynolds continued speaking in the same businesslike manner, seeming not to notice anything amiss. “Over the course of the coming weeks, as we expand and redesign the interior of this hotel, we’ll also be looking into menu and service changes that will add to the overall atmosphere we wish to provide to our guests.”
Abigail almost rolled her eyes. Was he trying to reassure the staff or make them more anxious? “Not that there’s anything wrong with the meals and service you’ve been providing,” she said as he paused. “We merely want to try a different approach, something to go with the new look the hotel will have when the renovation is complete.”
He shot her an irritated look, then continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I’ll be talking individually with each of you over the coming days to discuss these changes and how they will affect your responsibilities. I’ll also answer any questions you have and work up a timetable.”
“In the meantime,” Abigail added, “we know you’ll continue to offer your usual high quality of service.” She turned to the former owner. “We also want to let you know that we wish you and your sister the medical cure you’re seeking in Chicago and that our prayers will be with you both.”
The rest of the staff nodded and offered their well wishes. Even Mr. Reynolds had the grace to do the same.
After that the meeting broke up. As they moved back to the lobby, Mr. Reynolds cut her a sideways glance. “I take it you don’t approve of the way I handled the staff.”
“Perhaps a bit more empathy in the way you deliver your information wouldn’t go amiss.”
“Mollycoddling employees rarely provides the desired results. They are Judge Madison’s employees, not our friends.”
“They can be both. And being kind isn’t the same as mollycoddling. Employees who feel valued are employees who will go the extra mile for you.”
“And just how many employees have you dealt with thus far?”
Her cheeks warmed. “None, of course. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to deal with people.”
“People are not the same as employees.”
Before she could respond, he changed the subject. “Would you be so good as to give me directions to the judge’s granddaughter’s home. I’d like to stop by sometime to pay my respects.”
“Actually, I can do better than that,” she said impulsively. “There’s a group of four families here in Turnabout who have connections to Judge Madison. Reggie Barr, the judge’s granddaughter, is naturally a part of that group. Tomorrow is Sunday and we all get together for lunch after the church service. Why don’t you come as my guest?”
He seemed slightly taken aback at her invitation. Surely he wasn’t so staid as to consider that too forward of her?
“I don’t know—”
She quickly interrupted his protest. “I assure you, you’d be most welcome. And in addition to the Barrs, you’d be meeting a number of well-respected citizens of Turnabout in a relaxed, informal setting. And that includes the rest of my family.”
And just maybe, once he got to know folks better, he’d drop some of his standoffish demeanor enough for them to become friends.
* * *
Seth didn’t consider intruding on an established social gathering with a room full of strangers, no matter how congenial, to be a relaxing pastime. But she was correct, this was a way to get himself into the social mix of the town in an expedient manner. “Very well, if you’re certain I wouldn’t be intruding, then I accept.”
“Wonderful. And I’ll be happy to accompany you to the service tomorrow as well. I’m in the choir, but you can sit with my brother and his family during the service.”
“Of course. Thank you.” Seth had had an uneasy relationship with God for quite a while and didn’t make attending Sunday service a priority. But he knew it would be expected of him.
Then he remembered something she’d said earlier. “I’m curious—how did there come to be four families here with connections to Judge Madison? I understand the Barrs—their connection is familial. And you mentioned he once did your brother a kindness. But that still leaves two others.”
She nodded. “Actually, all four men, including Mr. Barr, are originally from the Philadelphia area, which, come to think of it, should give you some common ground with them.”
“Four different men moved here from Philadelphia?” Something suddenly clicked. That’s why the name Everett Fulton had sounded familiar. “Your brother, Everett, you said he runs the newspaper here—he was a reporter for a newspaper in Philadelphia six or so years back, wasn’t he?”
She looked pleased. “He was. Do you know him then?”
“Only by reputation.” There’d been a scandal attached to the man’s name, something about an inaccurate article that led to a public figure’s downfall. No wonder he’d moved so far away. But why had Judge Madison gotten involved? And did Miss Fulton know about the scandal?
“Everett had a rough time of it for a while.” Miss Fulton said. “I’m not sure of the details—he doesn’t like to talk about it so I don’t pry. But things have really turned around for him since he moved here. Especially since he met and married Daisy. I’ve never seen him happier.”
So she didn’t know about the scandal. Perhaps that was for the best. Such knowledge would definitely dull the sparkle of her rose-colored outlook.
“As for the connection between the four families and Judge Madison,” she continued, “he’s the one who arranged for all four men—my brother, Adam Barr, Mitch Parker and Chance Dawson—to travel here together. His reasons for doing so are between him and the men.” She grinned. “I’ve always thought it added an air of romance and mystery to the group and I used to spend hours making up stories about it in my head.”
He certainly believed that—she seemed the type to romanticize even the most mundane of happenings. But it was interesting that all four men had traveled here together.
She brushed at her skirt. “I know you’re probably still tired from your trip. Would you like me to come by here in the morning before the service or would you rather meet us in front of the newspaper office?”
“I’ll come to you.”
She gave him directions and then made her exit.
As Seth climbed the stairs he tried to get his thoughts in order. This job was turning out to be something quite different than what he’d anticipated, but not because of the work itself. Having to keep up with the unorthodox Miss Fulton was going to require a whole extra layer of his attention.
But he was confident he could handle it. Strange, though, that he was feeling more intrigued than irritated by the prospect. When had his attitude shifted?
He shook his head. All he needed was a good night’s rest and he would be up to facing any silly scheme she tried to throw at him.
In fact, he was rather looking forward to it.
* * *
Abigail took her accustomed place with the rest of the choir at the front of the church the next morning. Her gaze turned Mr. Reynolds’s way more often than was entirely proper, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.
He’d met her, as planned, in front of the newspaper office. Punctual, of course. She’d introduced him to Everett and Daisy and had been a little surprised at his demeanor. While he’d been polite, he hadn’t exactly been warm or neighborly. Of course, he’d been standoffish with her at first, too. But there was something different about this interaction that troubled her, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Perhaps it was just her imagination. Because Seth sat in the pew next to Everett and she didn’t sense anything amiss now.
Reverend Harper moved to the pulpit and Abigail turned her gaze in his direction, determined to pay attention to the sermon.
Later, when the service had ended, Abigail was pleased to find Mr. Reynolds had waited for her rather than making his exit with her family. She linked her elbow to Constance’s and pulled her from the choir. “Come on, I want to introduce you to Mr. Reynolds.”
A moment later, they were face-to-face. “Mr. Reynolds, this is Constance Harper, who is also the reverend’s daughter, the town’s pharmacist and my best friend.”
She turned to her friend. “Constance, this is Mr. Seth Reynolds, the gentleman who’s come to oversee the renovations to the hotel.”
Mr. Reynolds executed a short bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet a lady who holds so many auspicious titles.”
Abigail was delighted to hear Mr. Reynolds attempt to be charming, especially when it was aimed at her best friend.
Constance smiled. “Thank you. And welcome to Turnabout. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here.”
“I’m sure I will.”
They headed toward the front doors.
“Abigail has been talking of nothing else but the hotel since she received Judge Madison’s letter,” Constance said. “It sounds as if it will be quite grand when the work is complete.”
“That’s our plan.”
So, he was back to short answers.
They had reached the door by this time, so Abigail introduced him to Reverend Harper and then they were out in the sunshine. Constance moved off to join her mother, leaving Abigail alone with Mr. Reynolds.
“Everett and Daisy have already headed to the restaurant. Shall we head that way or is there anyone here you’d like me to introduce you to?”
He swept a hand outward. “I’m at your disposal. Please, proceed as you normally would.”
Since he didn’t seem particularly eager to tarry, she nodded and moved toward the sidewalk. “Then we’ll head on over to the restaurant so I can help Daisy get things ready.”
He fell into step beside her, and other than pausing for the occasional introduction or to exchange pleasantries, they didn’t speak until they were out of the churchyard.
“Are these Sunday luncheons always held at your sister-in-law’s restaurant?”
Surprised by his apparent interest, Abigail nodded. “We used to rotate the hosting duties among the families, but the group has grown so large that Daisy’s restaurant is about the only indoor space large enough to hold everyone.”
“How many people are in this group?”
Did she detect a note of wariness? “Not counting you, there are eleven adults and eight children.”
“That’s quite a crowd.”
“Which is part of what makes it such fun.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, before long you’ll feel right at home.”
She still detected a hint of tension in him, so she decided to change the subject. “Did the Crandalls get off okay?”
He gave a short nod. “They were headed for the train station as I left to join you for church service.”
“I pray the doctors in Chicago can help Norma. And not just for her sake. She and Edgar are so close. They’re twins, you know, which makes them doubly close.”
Something flickered in his expression, something involuntary, there and gone before she could identify it.
They’d arrived at the restaurant, however, so she didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Abigail made a few introductions, then left him in her brother’s company while she headed to the kitchen. She knew it was foolish to worry about how he’d fit in. Traveling as he did, Mr. Reynolds must be accustomed to finding himself in unfamiliar places with strangers for company.
Still, she felt responsible for him while he was here.
* * *
Seth watched Abigail head to the kitchen and for just a moment felt as if he’d been set adrift. Strange how he’d become accustomed to her presence after such a short acquaintance.
Which was absurd. He was used to being among strangers—in fact he normally preferred it. Strangers had little power to distract or disappoint you.
“What do you think of Turnabout?”
He turned to see it was Everett Fulton who’d addressed him. “From what I’ve seen so far, the place carries a certain small-town charm.”
Everett smiled. “Quite different from Philadelphia, isn’t it? But it definitely has its fine points.”
“Your sister indicated all four families here have ties to Judge Madison.”
“We do. About five or so years ago, Judge Madison was instrumental in convincing the men in this group to move here from Philadelphia.”
Which was information Miss Fulton had already provided. He’d hoped for a little more, so he tried a little prodding. “I suppose he was working to improve his granddaughter’s hometown even then.”
Everett looked amused. “You could say that.” The door opened and Everett waved a hand. “Speaking of the judge’s granddaughter, she just walked in with her family. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
Regina Barr turned out to be a confident, interesting woman, with eyes that seemed to see more than the physical aspect of the person she was speaking to.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said as she shook his hand. “My grandfather has told me so much about you.”
She released his hand and continued. “I’m sorry I didn’t greet you properly yesterday, but I’m glad you could join us today. I trust my grandfather was well the last time you saw him.”
“Yes, ma’am. And he sends his best to you.”
“In his letters to me, he speaks very highly of you, and my grandfather isn’t one to praise lightly.”
Seth gave short bow. “You flatter me, ma’am. I have the utmost respect for your grandfather. He tells me you’re a talented photographer.”
She nodded, acknowledging his compliment. “It’s something I enjoy.” Then she handed the child she’d been carrying to her husband and accepted the hamper he’d been carrying in return. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I’m going to see if they need my help in the kitchen.”
After that, the other members of the group arrived in rapid succession and Seth was introduced to each in turn.
With practiced ease, the men rearranged the tables to form one long dining surface. After a moment’s hesitation, Seth set aside his cane and pitched in. He was always self-conscious about his ungainly gait when he walked unaided, but that was no excuse for not helping.
The conversation among the men was convivial and while they made an effort to include him, much of it contained references to people and events Seth was completely unfamiliar with. But he listened and absorbed what he could. He’d learned long ago that it was always helpful to learn as much as possible about the people around you.
Seth was pleased no one tried to give him special treatment due to his limp. His assistance was accepted as a matter of course, a consideration he didn’t always receive.
Once the tables were properly arranged, cloths were brought out, followed by the meal itself. Everyone pitched in, even the older children—obviously no one here considered setting up the meal to be women’s work.
Once everything was set out, he went to retrieve his cane and found one of the children, a little girl who looked to be four or five, eyeing it curiously.
“I like your stick,” she said when he approached.
“Thank you.” He took it and leaned into it, relieving some of the weight from his aching leg. “I like it, too.”
“Do you use it because you walk funny?”
Seth stilled, unused to being questioned so directly. But there was no judgment in this little girl, only curiosity. So he managed to smile and give her a simple answer. “Yes. It helps me to walk when my leg hurts.”
She nodded, then skipped away to rejoin some of the other children.
Seth turned and stilled as he found Miss Fulton watching him. The idea that she might have overheard his exchange with the child left him feeling uncomfortably exposed.
“I see you’ve made the acquaintance of the judge’s great-granddaughter, Patience.”
He still couldn’t tell if she’d overheard anything. “She seems a bright child,” he said cautiously.
Miss Fulton nodded and then changed the subject with a wave toward the other end of the room. “I thought I’d give you a look at my library.”
“Of course.” He followed her across the room, deciding that she probably hadn’t heard anything after all.
The three bookshelves that held her collection were crammed full, with many of the shelves weighted down with books stacked two deep. And the range of titles included was impressive.
“What do you think?” She studied him earnestly, as if his answer really mattered to her.
He wasn’t used to such regard. He cleared his throat. “You have an impressively eclectic selection. There seems to be a little something for every taste and age level.”
She smiled as if that had been a huge compliment. “Thank you. I try to have something for everyone, but as you probably noticed I’ve run out of room to add anything new. In fact, the last batch Judge Madison sent is stacked on a chair in my bedroom. I’ve had to ask him to stop sending books until I figure out a way to accommodate them.”
Which must be when Judge Madison decided she needed a new space for her books. “Does your library get much use?”
Miss Fulton nodded as she fussily straightened a few volumes. “Absolutely. Several patrons have read every book I own, some more than once. And many have asked to be notified as soon as I acquire new titles.”
The small desk in front of the bookshelves held an open ledger and he idly studied it, curious as to her record-keeping skills.
The page contained row upon row of neatly penned entries containing book title, checkout date, return date and the borrowing patron’s name. The woman was surprisingly well organized for someone who seemed so flighty.
Perhaps there was more to Miss Fulton than he’d initially credited.
Then again, managing a small subscription library and managing the creation of a cohesive design for a major business were two entirely different undertakings on two entirely different scales.
A moment later everyone began taking their seats. It appeared all of them, including the children, sat together along the long row of joined tables, and Seth found himself seated between Miss Fulton and Chance Dawson, the youngest of the four men who’d journeyed here together.
Mitch Parker, who Seth had learned was one of the town’s schoolteachers, stood and gave the blessing over the meal.
When the amens were said, conversation picked up again as the food was passed around the table. Apparently this group believed in keeping things informal.
As he passed the bowl of peas to Miss Fulton, he resumed their conversation about the library. “I see now why you’re anxious to find a new place for your library. We’ll have to decide on a space soon.”
“I’m so glad you agree. Perhaps we can discuss it tomorrow.”
“Of course.”
The judge’s granddaughter said something to her from across the table and their conversation ended. Seth took the opportunity to look around.
The group nearly filled up the restaurant. In addition to the four couples and Miss Fulton, an elderly couple, the Peavys, were there. They were apparently the housekeeper and handyman that lived with the Barrs. And there seemed to be kids everywhere, from infants to adolescents. In addition to Miss Fulton’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Parker, the schoolteacher’s wife, was apparently expecting as well. Seth hadn’t been part of a family or even a community gathering of this sort in a very long time.
How would Jamie feel about being a part of a gathering like this? Of course, the boy no doubt took part in large gatherings for the students at his boarding school.
But did they have the same kind of family feel as this?
Throughout the meal, everyone did their best to make him feel comfortable, going out of their way to include him in conversations, explaining some of the references that were foreign to him, asking him questions that showed interest without being too personal.
But he knew himself to be an outsider here. Except when he looked at Miss Fulton. Strange how just glancing her way seemed to anchor him. Perhaps it was because it was she who had met him when he arrived.
When the meal ended, he helped put the restaurant back to rights, then turned to Abigail. “I should get back to the hotel so I can relieve Miss Mills.”
The staff took turns watching the front desk on Sunday mornings so no one person had to miss services every Sunday. Today it had been the maid’s turn.
“And when would you like me to come by and relieve you?”
Miss Fulton apparently took her role as his partner seriously. “This being Sunday, I can cover things until Mr. Scruggs comes by for the night shift. Why don’t you plan to come by tomorrow morning?”
She nodded. “Perhaps we can also discuss what sort of budget I have for the furnishings and fabrics I’ll need to purchase.”
Her question caught him by surprise, though he thought he did a good job of covering it. He was uncomfortable with the idea of giving her a budget to manage on her own. But now was not the time to mention that. He’d begun to feel the effects of a headache.
“Of course. I can work out some preliminary figures based on what Judge Madison and I discussed for the overall project budget. We can discuss how to work things out in that area when I see you tomorrow.”
A few minutes later he stepped outside and headed toward the hotel. The fresh air helped his headache some but he couldn’t shake it completely. Perhaps he should have taken Miss Fulton up on her offer to help this afternoon.
Then he rolled his eyes. He’d never been one to let something as minor as a headache stop him before. Surely he wasn’t letting the intriguing Miss Fulton get to him?
He had too much on the line to let himself be distracted by a sunny smile and spirited personality.
