“Train after train after train,” Sophia moaned, unlacing her shoes, and slipping them off her throbbing feet after a long night. She rubbed her arches and flopped back on the straw tick mattress, sighing. “Remind me again why we do this?”
“Money.” Nora tossed Sophia’s apron in the dirty clothes hamper to be sent on the train for cleaning before reaching into the closet for a gown.
“Well, I can definitely say that out of the many things being a Harvey Girl has taught me, the value of the dollar has been the most pathetic lesson. All these hours for only $17.50 a month.” She stretched and yawned.
“I don’t know what you are complaining about. We get food, lodging, uniforms, and a fair wage for doing a reasonable, honest, and honorable job.” Nora laughed as she buttoned her uniform, readying for her seven o’clock morning shift. “But if I dare to guess, back home you’d probably spend a month’s wages in a week.”
More like a day. Sophia closed her eyes for a moment, but a fierce knocking broke her sleep, and she fought back a disgruntled comment as Nora opened the door to the offending person.
“Yes, Dolly?”
Dolly pushed past Nora and strode over to Sophia. “You left your station with a spoilt tablecloth!” She planted her hands on her hips. “Are you trying to get me removed from the running as head Harvey Girl? I would’ve thought after yesterday you would’ve been going over everything, scrutinizing every single detail.”
Sophia struggled to sit up. “You mean after I accidentally dropped a napkin and had to return to the linen closet for a replacement as the patrons arrived?” It was most likely only a tiny speck of coffee I missed on that tablecloth.
“It’s Miss Dolly to you, Miss Sophia, because you are still on duty,” Dolly corrected her. “Now, are you going to get out of bed and fix that tablecloth, or am I going to have to report you to Miss Harriet?”
Sophia glowered. “I think Harriet would understand as I have worked a fourteen-hour shift and through the night because there was a full house, and I couldn’t rest. I think one tiny speck of coffee will hardly be noticed.”
“The Harvey system revolves around perfection. Now, you have two minutes to get downstairs and remedy the situation, or I shall report your negligence to not only Miss Harriet, but Miss Trent, along with your disregard for the Harvey standards, and have you on the road to dismissal.” Dolly twirled on her heel and slammed the door.
“Well, then. I guess I’m not done after all.” Will she ever forgive me for standing up for Nora and her new gown? She leaned over, grabbed her shoes, and slipped her foot inside. The toe of her stocking caught on something small in her shoe. “What in the worl—?” Her words cut short with a scream as she felt a needle pierce her foot.
“Sophia! Oh, Sophia. Why didn’t you shake out your shoes?” Nora cried as she ran to her, seized the boot, and threw it across the room.
Sophia’s screams contracted into hysterical sobs as she sank to the floorboards, clutching her tingling foot, and spied a scorpion crawl out of the top of her boot across the room. In a flash of skirts, Nora squashed it with the rug beater. I’ve been stung. The room began to spin. The poison was already taking effect.
“Sophia?” Nora gently slapped Sophia’s cheeks, tears streaking down her own. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry! Stay awake for me.”
She grabbed for Nora’s hand, but her vision blurred, and she had trouble formulating words. She blinked again and again, but her eyes grew so heavy she was forced to relinquish herself to the darkness and collapsed into Nora’s arms.
She was first aware that she was no longer sprawled on the floor, but in bed when she heard the clink of glass. She dragged an eyelid open to see the lamps had been lit and a man in a black suit was mixing something in a glass vial.
“While most scorpions aren’t lethal, there’s always the chance,” the man explained to Nora. “Since you were able to kill it, I was able to determine that it is not lethal. We will just have to wait and see how Miss Bird reacts to the venom as it has only been in her system for twenty minutes, but for most people, this kind of scorpion sting would only cause slight swelling and mild discomfort.” He cleared his throat, further waking her.
I have been unconscious for twenty minutes?
“If it wasn’t lethal, why did she scream like a banshee, Doctor?” Nora replied. “She scared me near to death!”
“It’s likely that since she is from Charleston, she has heard all manner of things regarding the gravity of a scorpion’s sting . . . nearly all of which are greatly out of proportion, which has led to her fainting spell.” He finished the concoction and proceeded to pack away his instruments and medicines.
Sophia chuckled. “So, I’m being a weak, city bred woman?”
“Oh, thank God,” Nora cried as she sank down on the bed beside Sophia and grasped Sophia’s hand. “I was so worried.”
“I’m afraid I might have been a tad bit theatrical, but in all fairness,” Sophia looked at the doctor, “it hurt worse than anything I have ever felt, but I have never had a high tolerance for discomfort.” Sophia gingerly tested her injured foot by pressing it against the bedpost and found that, although it stung, it was far from unbearable. Apparently, every novel she had read about the subject had greatly exaggerated the power of the scorpion’s sting.
“Just stay off your foot for the rest of the day and let me know if it swells any more,” he replied, unamused as he lifted a spoonful of bitter medicine to her lips. “Get some rest, ladies.”
At the doctor’s departure, Harriet sailed into the room and crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. “Surely, you could’ve thought of some better scheme to not change the table linens? It’s only too bad that you chose not to wait until just before your shift begins again at six o’clock this evening. I may have given you the night off.”
Sophia and Nora laughed, and Harriet’s fake scowl shifted into a soft smile.
“I changed the tablecloth myself and no one shall be reported to Fred Harvey.” She sent Sophia a smirk. “At least, not tonight anyways for I’m sure Dolly will only watch you all the more closely. Now, shall we get you in the parlor where you can rest and read should you awaken?”
* * *
Carver waited for Nora to slip outside for her morning shift to beg her to allow him inside to see Sophia. Against her better judgement, she allowed him into the parlor, looking over her shoulder at every creak of floorboards.
“I could get into some serious trouble for this, Mr. Ashton. Only the doctor is allowed in here at this hour. Will five minutes do? That’s all I can spare watching in the hallway before my shift,” Nora whispered.
With a nod of thanks, he slipped into the tiny parlor, crossing to where she laid on the settee in a cream shirtwaist and pink skirt with a poetry book nearly touching her nose. He tripped over the corner of the braided rug in his haste to get to her and upset the side table.
“Carver! You can’t be in here!” She gasped as he righted the piece.
“I know, but I was so worried when I heard about the scorpion. The entire hotel was talking about the incident.” He scooped Sophia’s hands to kiss them, studying her face. She was quite pale and the dark circles had returned under her eyes.
“Well, that’s embarrassing, but it probably wouldn’t be the best indicator that our marriage would go well if you weren’t worried.” She gestured to her foot. “I was a little more dramatic than need be, but in my defense, I had no idea some scorpions are less, um, lethal, than others.”
“I had a horrible time trying to secure permission to see you. We need to inform people of our engagement because I’m afraid it is the only way I would be able to convince Miss Trent. I had to sneak in with Nora’s aid.”
“It was fun keeping it to ourselves while we could, but I agree that it isn’t the most practical of things. When do you wish to announce it?” Sophia looked up at him through her eyelashes in a way that made him want to kiss her again.
He shook his head free from the fog Sophia always seemed to bring about his usually sharp mind. “Now. I need to leave tomorrow evening to finish some deals in New Orleans to get the department store stocked and well, after a discussion with the sheriff, I think it is best the town knows.”
“When will you be back?”
“In October.” Just saying the words brought a pang to his gut, but he pushed forward. “It will take that long to get the store up and running and for me to find a house worthy of you living in it. And I was thinking it might be for the best that you finish out your six-month contract. I’d hate to take you to a new place and start our lives together in a hotel room when you love it here so much with your Harvey sisters.”
Sophia offered him a smile. “We will just have to enjoy the time we have together between shifts.”
“But first.” He nodded to the necklace he knew was under her high collar.
She laughed and coaxed the gold out of her collar, slipping the ring from the chain and handing it to him.
He held it up in the morning light streaming through the parlor windows, the diamond sparkling and dancing against the walls. “It was meant for you, someone who brings light and joy everywhere they traverse.”
Her cheeks turned rosy as he gently slid the ring on her finger. “I’m almost afraid of wearing it in public for fear of having it stolen!”
Carver grinned. “The ring I can replace, but I don’t want any fool to get it into his head you are up for the taking and try to run off with my future wife.”
She held her hand out to examine her ring. “I think I would have a thing or two to say about that, but I suppose people will just find out one by one as the girls begin to notice my ring.”
“Sophia, I brought you some tea.” The parlor door creaked open, despite Nora’s protesting, and Harriet entered with a tray with Nora close behind. They caught sight of Sophia’s extended hand, and both released squeals that could wake the house.
“Which won’t be long!” Carver laughed.
“Sophia Bird! Look at the size of that ring.” Harriet poked her head into the hallway and shouted, “Jenny! You have to come see this.”
“Don’t shout! We’ll get into trouble,” Nora hissed.
“The afternoon calling time won’t apply for a gentleman visiting his injured fiancée!” Harriet reassured her as heels clomped on the hardwood floor from the hallway and stairs as the girls flooded the room.
Nora grasped Sophia’s hand to study the ring. “How long have you two been thinking about this?”
“We’ve been secretly engaged since the social,” Sophia admitted.
Nora’s jaw dropped as she placed her hand over her stomach, shaking her head in disbelief.
“You’ve had a secret that delectable for this long and you didn’t share it with me?” Jenny engulfed Sophia in an embrace. “I’d be angry, if I wasn’t so happy for you two!”
Sophia giggled as she untangled herself from Jenny’s embrace and reached for Carver, her face wreathed in smiles. “We wanted to keep it between us for only a few days, but I’m so glad you all finally know, and I can actually wear my ring on my hand.”
Nora’s eyes welled as she bent and hugged Sophia. “I’m so surprised and happy for you. I only wish you could’ve told me sooner,” she whispered, pulling away and running out of the room.
“What’s this I hear about an engagement?” Miss Trent bustled into the parlor, the room erupting in squeals as the Harvey Girls rushed to explain all.
Carver glanced to Sophia. He didn’t know Nora, but her reaction to their engagement was beyond odd, but as Sophia was all smiles, he didn’t mention it and enjoyed his future bride’s laughter.