An Unconventional Lady Read online

  “I like the area here, and I can be a great asset to her business, if we don’t turn it over to her daughter to run. We’ve considered traveling the Santa Fe Railroad to see this great country of ours.” He stood and clapped Dallas on the shoulder. “It’s good of you to worry about these fine women, but rest assured, my intentions are honorable.” He left Dallas alone.

  That went well. Dallas set the rocker in motion, knowing Annie would soon join him. He wasn’t disappointed. The door had barely shut behind Mr. Harris before she rushed out.

  “Tell me.” She took the chair vacated by her mother’s suitor. “Does he plan to marry her?”

  “Yes.”

  Annie sat so long without speaking, Dallas would have thought she’d gone inside except that he could smell the rose-scented soap she’d washed with. Instead of her uniform, she now wore the dreaded split skirt with a flowered blouse. He shook his head, wishing she’d worn a regular, feminine skirt. He didn’t mind the puffy hairdo. It led him to believe that, brushed out, the strands would fall down her back like a golden waterfall. His fingers itched to feel her hair’s softness. He sat on his hand rather than embarrass himself. “Are you upset that your mother may be married soon?”

  “I’m not sure.” She started rocking, a rhythmic squeak joining the conversation. “I shouldn’t be. After all, I want my mother to be happy, but it seems so sudden.”

  He nodded. “I guess things move faster as people get older.”

  “Maybe. Did you enjoy Dottie’s company?”

  He turned to stare at her. “Did you send her?”

  She shrugged. “She likes you. A lot.”

  “That was the first time I’d spoken more than a few words to the girl, and she’s as immature as I feared.” Dottie had asked him whether he liked her new hairstyle and whether the Harvey uniform drowned out her complexion. He felt certain he’d lost some of his intelligence by carrying on the simple conversation. “I don’t need help finding a girl, Annie.”

  “All right.” She stood. “Thank you for your help tonight. I felt questioning the man should be left to a man. You did admirably.”

  There she went again, being all sweet and defenseless. Did all women have two such contrasting sides? He directed his thoughts to his mother. No, Ma seemed the same all the time.

  What in the world had gotten into Annie?

  Chapter 10

  Another Sunday, and Annie had agreed to spend the afternoon with Pastor McMurray. She made a face at her reflection in the mirror. While no one else had made any references during the past week in regards to her impending spinsterhood, Annie decided it was time to take steps to prevent becoming the subject of people’s pity. So, since Dallas was out of the question with his old-fashioned ideas about wives, she chose another man who loved the Grand Canyon.

  After sticking the last pin into her hair, she smoothed her split skirt and straightened the collar on her blue blouse. The color brightened her eyes. With pinches to her cheeks, she headed downstairs to the kitchen, where Mother had made a picnic basket.

  “He’s waiting in the parlor.” Mother handed her the basket. “You took too long.” She eyed Annie’s skirt and sighed. “Really, daughter, I thought you could at least wear a proper dress or skirt today. Do you want to run him off before he’s even had a chance to get to know you?”

  “I don’t want a man if he doesn’t want me the way I am.” Annie snatched the basket from her hands and marched to the parlor, where a folded quilt lay on one of the chairs.

  Pastor McMurray turned from studying a photograph on the fireplace mantel. “Your father?”

  “Yes.” Tears stung Annie’s eyes. “We miss him.”

  “You have his bearing. Please, allow me to carry that.” He took the basket from her and crooked his free arm.

  Annie grabbed the quilt and grasped his elbow. What did he mean, “Papa’s bearing”? Did that mean she was stout? Manly? Annie wasn’t sure she liked Pastor McMurray at all. Even the roughest of men rarely commented on a woman’s form, especially in a derogatory way. She clamped her lips shut before she said something she shouldn’t.

  She caught Mother peeking around the corner of the kitchen door and waved her away. If the grin on her face was any indication, she was already planning Annie’s wedding.

  She allowed the pastor to lead her outside, then headed away from her favorite overlook. That was a special place. One he hadn’t earned the right to enjoy with her yet. Instead, she motioned for him to go farther down the canyon’s edge until they reached a cleared area under some pine trees.

  “Will this do, Pastor?” she asked. At his nod, she spread out the blanket.

  “Please call me Sean. I don’t have a church here and would like to think you call me friend.” He set the basket on a corner of the quilt, then lay on his side, crooking his arm and resting his head in his hand. “What a beautiful day for a picnic. You’re lucky to live here.”

  “Mostly. Winters can be harsh.” She lowered herself to the blanket, sitting with her legs to the side and wondering why she didn’t feel like indulging in conversation. The man was pleasant enough, even good-looking in a slimmer, not-as-tough-as-Dallas sort of way.

  She studied him from lowered lashes as she set out the food. Auburn hair was slicked back from a face with sharp angles and eyes the shade of pine needles that had plenty of rain. Although he’d carried the basket, he now lay there as if he were a king waiting to be waited on. Annie had no idea what to talk about. Hopefully, Sean would carry the conversation.

  He accepted a glass of lemonade she offered him. “Do you enjoy your job at the El Tovar?”

  “It’s wonderful as far as jobs go.” She sipped her drink, trying not to grimace at the sweetness. She preferred her lemonade a little more tart. “Most of the girls are friendly and the head waitress is easy to work for.”

  “It must be wonderful training for a woman to learn the proper ways of running a home.” He smiled. “Not that most young ladies don’t learn at their mother’s knee, but with the company’s strict rules, it reinforces what has already been learned, correct?”

  Annie tried not to roll her eyes. Did every man in northern Arizona have antiquated ideas? “Do you believe that ladies can’t have opinions of their own?”

  “Why, certainly they can.” Sean straightened. “They just shouldn’t express them in public, and definitely not in mixed company.” He reached across the space between them and set his hand on hers. “I can see that you are a beautiful, yet willful woman. You may feel free to express your opinions when we are alone. I promise to give them my utmost consideration.”

  “Why, that is mighty kind of you.” She slipped her hand free and tossed him a sandwich. What she wanted to do was throw it against his head.

  “I do try to take people’s feelings into consideration.” He picked up the sandwich and smiled again.

  How soon could Annie plead a headache and get this picnic over with? She stifled a sigh. Mother would kill her if she didn’t at least make an honest attempt toward getting to know Sean. She forced a smile in return. “That is very Christian of you.”

  “That’s a good thing for a man in my position.”

  Yes, he definitely seemed to enjoy his own company very much. Annie glanced toward the canyon. There was a safe topic to discuss. “Tell me about your trip to the canyon floor.”

  “One of God’s greatest creations.”

  Annie hung on his every word as he described the plants and animals he’d seen, the brisk-running river, the eagles flying overhead. She could tell from the contented look on Sean’s face that he assumed a different meaning from her rapt interest than she intended, but he had been where she so desired to go.

  She could barely eat her sandwich as he described how the striped walls of the canyon looked as if they were painted by God’s paintbrush
and how darkness fell so much quicker as the walls blocked out the sun. While they’d held their simple church service, a hawk had soared on a current of air, lending its cries to their worship. Tears filled Annie’s eyes, and she put a hand to her chest at how beautiful it all sounded.

  A shadow fell across the blanket.

  * * *

  Why was Annie crying? Pastor or not, if McMurray did or said anything to upset her, Dallas would knock him flat. “What’s going on here?”

  Annie smiled through her tears. “Sean was describing his trip to the canyon floor. It sounds beautiful.”

  Sean? They were on a first-name basis? Dallas’s heart fell to his knees. Maybe he really was nothing more than an employee. Most likely, thinking he and Annie were friends was all in his mind. He turned to leave.

  “Would you like to join us?” Annie patted the quilt. “Mother packed plenty of food.”

  Dallas noticed the scowl on Sean’s face. “No, thanks. I’ve work to do.”

  “On a Sunday?” Annie frowned.

  “The, uh, animals still need tending.” He hurried away before she asked more questions. The animals didn’t need feeding for hours, and Annie would know that if she thought about it for a moment. He’d embarrass himself if she called him back.

  Mrs. Rollins didn’t serve meals on Sunday except for breakfast. Most times, she invited him to dine with them anyway, since he was the only hired hand. Today, he needed a pretty face and conversation. He headed for El Tovar.

  Dottie was working the lunch counter with a girl Dallas didn’t know. Without thinking too hard on it, he picked a stool in Dottie’s section. If he’d stopped to consider, he might have realized how the gesture would encourage her. Wrong or not, Dallas needed a gal to pay him some attention.

  “Mr. Baker!” Dottie’s faint brogue rolled off her tongue. “Coffee?”

  “Please.” He studied the menu and chose a bowl of chicken soup. The hotel served huge chunks of fresh bread with their soup. Exactly what his stomach needed.

  Dottie poured his coffee and leaned one hip against the counter. “I’m usually off on Sundays, but one of the other girls took sick. Maybe we could sit next to each other at church next Sunday.”

  “Maybe.” Dallas flashed her a grin. She really was a cute little thing, if a bit immature. Maybe that could actually work in her favor. A man could teach her the things she needed to know in order to keep him happy.

  Something his ma said once niggled at his brain. Something about a woman being a man’s helpmate, not his maid. He brushed the thought aside. He must remember it wrong. Ma always waited on Pa hand and foot. She seemed to enjoy her role as wife and mother. That’s what Dallas wanted. A gal just like his ma.

  He turned on his stool when Dottie moved to serve another customer, and studied the girls flitting around the room. Every one of them was comely. They all had a smile that led each customer to feel as if he or she were the only person in the place.

  Annie could do that, too. Even while showing how much spirit she had. Dallas grinned. Annie would take some taming. Too bad he wouldn’t be the one to do so. No, a ranch took a lot of work. It didn’t leave time to teach a woman how to do things.

  Turning back around, he lifted his mug. Maybe a spirited wife wouldn’t be a bad thing. Annie was fun and spoke of current events with intelligence. Could Dallas possibly be wrong in the traits he was looking for in a woman?

  He continued to watch Dottie and the other girls. What were they like when not in uniform? It was quite possible he couldn’t judge a woman by the job she did at the hotel. “Dottie, I’d like to take a walk with you after work tomorrow evening, if you’re willing.”

  “Oh, Mr. Baker, I’d be most pleased. Or, if you’d rather, we have a parlor upstairs where we can entertain company.”

  That might be best. He’d heard of the strict moral rules for the girls. It could also be less intimate with a chaperone. He didn’t want to lead Dottie on falsely, just get to know how different the girls were when out of their stiff dark dresses.

  He’d noticed how several of them were wearing their hair in the same high upsweep as Annie. Hopefully, Dottie wouldn’t arrive in the parlor with a split skirt. If so, Dallas would have lost all hope in women.

  “Thanks for the coffee, Dottie. I’ll be around after supper tomorrow.” He nodded and headed back outside. He was relieved to see that Annie and McMurray no longer stared into each other’s eyes under the pine trees. He didn’t think he could stomach any more of their courting that day.

  He spotted Annie sitting on her familiar log, and considered going on into the barn without stopping. But the sun glinting on her golden hair, and the breeze teasing the few fair strands that had come loose, drew him.

  “Mind if I sit a spell?” he asked, turning his hat around his hands. When had he become shy around her?

  “Certainly.” She scooted over and moved her skirt aside.

  “How was your picnic?”

  She shrugged. “Confusing.”

  He hoped she’d elaborate. When she didn’t, he asked, “How so?”

  “The only thing Sean and I seem to have in common is our love of the canyon. He has the same old-fashioned ideas as—” she glared at him “—most of the men around these parts.”

  Dallas couldn’t help the leap of joy in his heart that her picnic had been less than perfect. “Surely the man has something that drew you to spend time with him.”

  “Well...” She scrunched up her nose and gazed into the distance. “He’s fairly handsome and quite intelligent. Not to mention he’s a man of God. He’d make someone like my mother the perfect husband.”

  “What about you?”

  She speared him with her glance. “He has definitely not been struck off my list of prospects.”

  She had a list of potential husbands?

  Chapter 11

  Annie placed menus on tables set with fine china and starched white tablecloths. Soon, hotel guests would arrive for breakfast and the first train of the day would pull into the station. The quiet of the morning would erupt with noise. Although she went home each night with exhaustion weighing on her shoulders like a heavy blanket, she didn’t mind the work too much. With her salary she was able to help her mother and keep aside a bit for herself. Pa used to say any honest work was often hard. Well, there wasn’t a job much more honest than that of a Harvey Girl.

  She lifted her head and glanced out the window. Already a few hotel guests rocked on the massive front porch, newspapers or novels in hand. She transferred her attention to the ceiling above. What were the rooms like? What luxuries did the hotel offer? Somehow, she needed to find a way to look around. Then she could come up with new ideas for the boardinghouse. They needed to either modernize or close.

  The girls’ dorms were on the top floor. What would prevent Annie from “visiting”? Since she went home each evening, would she be allowed to see the parlor? What would happen if she were caught peeking into empty rooms on the guest floor?

  “Good morning, Annie.” Miss Cartwright bustled past with a basket of rolled silverware. “Do you mind setting these out? The other girls are busy in the kitchen rolling.”

  “No, ma’am.” She preferred being busy to being idle. Lack of work allowed her mind to wander in dangerous directions.

  “Something on the roof?” Miss Cartwright glanced up.

  “No, ma’am. Just thinking.” Annie took the basket. “Actually, I was wondering whether I would be able to tour the hotel. I’m curious as to what all it offers.”

  “And to scout out the competition, I’d wager.” The head waitress smiled. “We’ll have to ask Mr. Lawrence. He can be a bit prickly about his girls wandering where they aren’t allowed, and since you don’t live here...well.” She patted Annie on the shoulder. “We’ll ask him and see.”

 
; Annie had just placed the last rolled silverware beside a plate when the doors opened and the breakfast crowd arrived. She hurried to the lunch counter, wondering when she’d have the opportunity to move up in her position. Maybe the prized spot of drink girl went only to the waitresses living at the hotel.

  The drink girls only had to glance at the position of a glass in order to know the customer’s beverage of choice. Annie did it all at the lunch counter. Not that she was complaining, but maybe with another position, she wouldn’t be as exhausted when she went home, and could help out there more.

  She turned with a full pot of coffee, and almost dropped the silver-plated carafe when she saw her mother strolling into the restaurant on Mr. Harris’s arm. With a wave in Annie’s direction, the glowing woman took a seat at one of the dining tables.

  Why wasn’t she at home baking? The hotel had recently increased its order of morning pastries. Without help, Mother would never manage to fill the order.

  “Cover me, Dottie. Please.” Annie set the coffee back on its warmer and weaved through the tables to where her mother sat. “This is a surprise.”

  “Well, yes.” She smiled. “Mr. Harris wanted to treat me for once rather than have me wait on him. Since our last boarders just left, I’ve the time.”

  Annie tilted her head. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “You might as well, Esther. It won’t be a secret for long,” Mr. Harris said, spreading his napkin in his lap.

  Mother took a deep breath. “Mr. Harris proposed to me last night. I was going to tell you when you arrived home this evening that I’ve said yes.”

  Annie’s knees weakened. “I’m...happy for you. What does this mean for the boardinghouse?”

  “Well.” Mother looked at Mr. Harris. “We plan on taking a trip to California for our honeymoon, and were hoping you would take over for us. We won’t leave until your contract with the Harvey Company is fulfilled. Your experience here will be invaluable for taking over, and I’ve hired a young Indian girl to help with the baking. She starts tomorrow.”