Chapter Five

Searching for Work

Mae's Café

"You've certainly stirred up the gossip mill around here," Mae Whitman said, her ruddy pink cheeks lifting with her smile.

Adela shifted nervously in her seat. "That wasn't my intention."

"Of course it wasn't, my dear. You were blindsided by a scoundrel of a man."

Her abbreviated laugh was the first relief she'd felt since she arrived. "Maybe not a scoundrel, in the true sense, but definitely a cad."

"Do you think the higher ups at Dutton Savings and Loan will punish him for his change of heart? Maybe replace him?" Mae asked.

"Probably not. And, despite being rejected a week before my planned wedding, I'm not so vindictive that I'd want to see him lose his position."

"That's very, very kind of you." Mae refilled their teacups, before adding, "What will you do now?"

"I'd thought of going back to Denver. I have a sister there, but she's expecting her second child and has her hands full. Given I know very little I know about babies, I wouldn't be much help. Besides, I think I like the idea of being in a growing town like Comstock. Assuming, of course, I can find employment and a place to live."

"Have you tried the boarding house?"

"If it were ‘ladies only' I'd consider it, but I don't feel it's proper to board with men in the house as well," Adela admitted.

"We don't get enough young women looking for rooms that it would pay for someone to devote their entire house to just the ladies. However, I know the Bailey sisters take in boarders from time to time."

"So, I've been told," Adela confirmed. "I've an appointment to see them later this afternoon." She hedged only briefly before asking, "I don't suppose you need help around the café, do you?"

"Have you ever worked in a café serving food?"

"No, but I have had experience working at large parties, seeing to the guests, and replenishing the buffets. I know it's not the same, but I'm a hard worker and learn quickly."

"Tell you what… you go ahead and get your room situation straightened out, and then come back here on Friday, around eleven. My regular helper is away visiting family. I'll have you help me with the lunch rush and, if things work out, you can work the supper rush too. It's payday for the miners, so things can get a bit busy around here."

"Wonderful," Adela responded with a sigh. "I'll be here."

Later that afternoon, Adela tapped lightly on the front door of the quaint cottage belonging to the Bailey sisters, two spinsters in their early sixties. According to the clerk at the hotel, the women came here as prospective mail-order brides during one short-lived gold rush. Though husbands had never materialized for either sister, they'd managed to build themselves a house, and provide nursing assistance to the traveling doctor.

It was also rumored that, when they were younger, they often entertained men… for the night… to earn extra income. Now they lived on an inheritance, and pin money they made from selling their tatted lace and knitting. Or so the story went.

When the door swung open, Adela met the gaze of a very tall, and stout, gray-haired woman. "You must be Miss McIntrye," the woman said. "I'm Belinda Bailey. Come in. We'll take a seat in the parlor. My sister Melinda will be along with tea in a moment."

They'd barely taken their seats when the second sister arrived. The exact opposite of Belinda Bailey, the younger Melinda was short, thin as a rail, with blonde hair streaked at the temples with telltale gray.

"Melly, this is Miss McIntyre," Belinda announced.

Melinda rolled her big blue eyes. "Well, of course it is, you old ninny. I met her earlier when she made the appointment. Plus, she's the only company we were expecting."

"Old ninny, am I?" the elder Bailey sibling shot back. "I'm not the one who nearly forgot to put on her pantaloons before church last Sunday."

Melinda grinned broadly. "Who says I forgot?"

It was all Adela could do to keep from bursting into fits of laughter. The two women were delightful. "Please, ladies, call me Adela."

"Adela," Melinda repeated. "What a lovely name."

"We understand you're looking to let our extra room," Belinda clarified.

"Yes, if it's available. And, of course, if you don't mind keeping company with the subject of the town's latest gossip."

"Mind? Are you kidding?" Melinda squealed. "We live for it. Your arrival, and subsequent unfortunate circumstances, has provided the most excitement this town has seen in ages."

"Well then, I'm happy to bring a bit of entertainment to the residents of Comstock."

"You do seem to be taking this entire situation with an unexpected grace," Belinda commented. "Most women would have been throwing tantrums and demanding satisfaction."

"I'm not most women," Adela admitted. "And, to tell the truth, I was having qualms about an arranged marriage to begin with. When Mister Wentworth rejected me, once I recovered from the shock, I saw it as a relief. At least I wasn't the one letting down my former employer and sullying her efforts to see I was taken care of."

"Let's take a look at the room," Melinda suggested. "If it suits your needs, we can discuss a barter of services."

"A barter?" Adela questioned.

"We don't need the money. We'd much rather have someone to help us entertain, to accompany us to social functions, and just provide the occasional evening of conversation," Belinda explained.

Again, Melinda's eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. "What my sister means to say is, we're getting tired of each other's company. Having someone new around, especially someone who can keep us abreast of the town's latest news, would be worth more than a few dollars of income."

Adela closed her eyes for a few brief seconds and let the idea run through her thoughts. It would seem she was to, once again, become a lady's companion. Only this time, she had two charges, both of whom seemed far more interesting than anything she'd experienced with her beloved Hermonie Dutton.

The Search for the Elusive Miss McIntrye

Key took a seat behind his desk and opened the first set of reports. He'd spent his morning searching for Comstock's newest arrival. He didn't need to, he supposed, but he thought it only proper to introduce himself and offer his assistance, if necessary.

Truthfully, he was curious. In all his years as a peacekeeper, he'd seen his share of jilted brides. Usually, they sought him out, demanding he do something about the wayward groom. But not Miss McIntyre. If anything, she seemed to be going about her business as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"So, did you get a chance to talk to Miss McIntyre?" Jack Baker asked from across the room. "What did you think of the woman?"

"I haven't met her yet," Key explained. "Not that I haven't tried. She's left a trail of dust all over town in her haste to get settled in."

"What do you mean?"

"I went to the hotel to introduce myself," Key began. "The clerk said she'd left a half-hour earlier in search of a place to live once her time at the hotel runs out. I went to the boarding house, but Missus McClary said I just missed her."

"Did she take a room?"

"No. She wasn't keen on the idea of a boarding house that rented to both men and women. Missus McClary suggested the Bailey sisters, so I went there. Apparently, I missed her again. Miss Melinda was the only one home, so Miss McIntyre made an afternoon appointment to meet with both sisters."

"And?" Baker prompted.

"I'm not sure. I heard she was back at the café looking for work. I missed her again, so I gave up after that. I figure if she needs my assistance, she'll come looking for it."

"Makes sense," Baker agreed. "According to Molly at the mercantile, Miss McIntyre was asking about church services. If nothing else, you'll get to meet her on Sunday like the rest of the congregation."

Sunday Services

Comstock United Church

Key took his usual seat in the third row, right pew. The church was filling up quickly. With each opening and closing of the door, the women in front of him and all sides turned to see who had entered. Given they all turned back as quickly as possible, Key surmised the town's newest arrival.

With barely more than five minutes left before the service was to begin, the double doors opened one more time. And, as before, heads turned.

"Oh my," Missus Elsie Carroll, seated in the pew in front of him, whispered to her sister. "Look at the beautiful dress."

Ethel jabbed her older sister in the side, and responded, "Never mind the dress. Look at that hat. It's the fanciest hat I've ever seen."

Key swiveled in his seat, curious to see what had both women so excited.

Miss McIntyre stood in the middle of the aisle, flanked on each side by the Bailey sisters. With a nudge, Miss Melinda sent both her companions down the aisle to their usual spot in the second-row pew to his left.

Elsie and Ethel had been right in their assessment. The cream lace dress Miss McIntyre wore was, indeed, lovely. The blue ribbon circling the waist matched the flowers in a very ornate hat. Key closed his eyes and drew a breath, memories of his life in Albany coming back in an instant.

Miss McIntyre reminded him of all the young women he'd met back in New York and at school in Cambridge. Polite, well-raised, and about as far out of place here in the small town of Comstock as one could get. He'd give her two weeks, a month at the most, before she hightailed it back to Boston. Or, at the very least, to Denver.

The reverend made a point of welcoming Miss McIntyre to Comstock. Then, thankfully, given the heat, kept his sermon fairly short. Or, at least, short by his usual standards. When the doors opened, the congregation swarmed out into the yard, and Key followed in their wake.

"Blessedly short sermon today," Jack Baker said, giving Key a quick jab to his side. "Although it's just as hot out here as it was in the church."

"At least out here we get the occasional breeze," Key noted. "No missus today?"

"Naw, she stayed home to rest. That baby's due in a month or so and she gets overly tired in this heat."

"Rest is probably a good idea," Key agreed. "Why don't you head home and give her a hand with things? I can finish out your shift today."

"I'd appreciate that, Key."

He'd turned to watch Jack hurry toward his tethered horse when someone tugged on his shirt sleeve. He spun around to find Melinda Bailey at his side.

"Good morning, Miss Bailey," he greeted.

"Have you met our newest Comstock resident, Marshal?" Dragging the woman forward, Melinda Bailey added, "This is Miss Adela McIntyre. Adela, dear, this is the town's marshal, Keynan Bristol."

"Miss McIntyre, it's nice to finally meet you," he said, nodding in her direction. Adela McIntyre extended her gloved hand, and he took it in his much-larger grasp.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted," Melinda said softly. "I need to catch Missus McGruder before she leaves and remind her to return my recipe box."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Marshal. I heard you were looking for me. Or at least that's what Miss Melinda said."

"I was," he admitted. "I'd heard about your unfortunate meeting with Mister Wentworth and wanted to make sure you were okay. And, of course, to offer my assistance in any way I could."

"That's very kind of you, but Mister Wentworth's reneging on our engagement was no cause for alarm. I've met many men like him over the years. I was just glad to get his measure before the wedding."

"Yes, I do suppose that's fortunate. I hear you took a job at Mae's Café."

Her soft laugh tickled his ears.

"Let's just say, she gave me a trial run at it. I was obviously not made for waiting tables. I'm sure all those grumbling miners will be happy to see her regular helper return on Wednesday."