Posted April 16, 2021
“All right, but you come too. Don’t worry, it’ll be all right, we won’t go in the saloon, we’ll go round the back where I make the deliveries. I don’t think I’m in Arabella’s good books right now, but she’ll do anything for you.” Jacob replied.
"Oh...alright," Clara seemed reluctant but not because of Arabella, she did actually like the girl, in small doses. But saloons were not the sort of places a proper young lady was to be seen in...of course to be blunt now she realized she actually wasn't a proper young lady anymore.
When the couple reached the back door and Jacob was about to open it, it suddenly opened before his hand could even touch the doorknob. There was Matilda Devereau who instantly recognized the lad at least, he delivered food stuffs on occasion from his farm, vegetables for Cookie's popular stew. The saloon made no real attempt to compete with the local diner establishment but they did at least serve a tasty stew that customers enjoyed. Personally Matilda thought Cookie added too much salt but one thing you never do was tell a cook how to do their job. That is if you wanted her to stay working for you. Now recognizing the lanky jasper and knowing his full name were two different things though.
"Oh....yer the ....Lutz boy, right? " as she asked she looked at the brunette practically glued to the lad's side and then past them both. No wagon in the alley. Hmmm.
"You got a delivery for us?" she then asked.
"Yes, Dear"
Posted April 16, 2021
Every single time Jacob had been to that back door it had been opened either by Arabella or the Saloon’s rotund cook, Messalina McMahon. Oh, and by Mr Flandry, the barman, once. But to be faced my Matilda Devereau, the owner of the place, was a bit of a shock, and Jacob was speechless for a moment.
"Oh....yer the ....Lutz boy, right? " as she asked she looked at the brunette practically glued to the lad's side and then past them both. No wagon in the alley. Hmmm.
“Yes Ma’m!” yelped the Lutz boy nervously and snatched off his hat in deference.
"You got a delivery for us?" she then asked.
For one horrible second Jacob thought she meant delivery as in a baby being delivered, but then realised that was ridiculous and the women had only ever seen him deliver farm produce. What an idiot he felt.
“Er, not today Ma’m, we were wondering if you could tell us if the Reverend Reed was at home to callers, or if he’s moved on to another abode.” God, why was he speaking so formally? It was nerves, he felt like the woman could see right through them and knew exactly what they’d been up to, what condition Clara was in, and why they desperately needed to see the man of God.
It didn't help that Arabella was always telling him stories about how cruel and heartless and terrifying an employer Matilda was.
Posted April 16, 2021
Matilda was actually quite a skillful liar and commenced to prove it.
"Rev. Reed? Ohhh, yes that new preacher in town. Who said he lived here? Nonsense. He's a man of God and this ain't a house of God," she declared, really to protect the clergyman's rep more than anything.
"He did come in here....once, when he first showed up in town. To ask directions and get the lay of the town. But he never lived here," she then smiled.
"One of my employees is an avid churchgoer, she might know where he lives now," she added.
"Yes, Arabella," Clara interjected since no either introduced her nor asked who she was.
"Yes, that's her in all her glory," smirked the woman.
Clara blinked, "If you say so, ma'am."
"Well come on in, get enough bugs in the place without holding the door wide open for more to sashshay in," Matilda now stepped back to allow entrance.
"Oh ...umm, " Clara began but Jacob went right on in so she figured she better follow. The saloon was open, one could easily hear the sound of customers' laughing and shouting, apparently having a good time.
"So....Mr. Lutz, I seem to recall you have an older sister, is this her?" Matilda asked.
"What?" Clara was pretty sure she had just been insulted, "No, I am not."
"Yes, Dear"
Posted April 16, 2021
"Rev. Reed? Ohhh, yes that new preacher in town. Who said he lived here? Nonsense. He's a man of God and this ain't a house of God," she declared, really to protect the clergyman's rep more than anything.
Jacob manfully resisted the urge to point at Clara and say “She did!” Instead he gave a nondescript shrug.
"He did come in here....once, when he first showed up in town. To ask directions and get the lay of the town. But he never lived here," she then smiled.
Jacob thought he’d better make an effort to show he believed her, like it mattered if he’d lived there or not. Wasn’t Jesus friends with publicans? “Who knows how these rumours start, huh!?” he proffered, feeling like his words were strangely pompous somehow.
"One of my employees is an avid churchgoer, she might know where he lives now," she added.
"Yes, Arabella," Clara interjected since no either introduced her nor asked who she was.
"Yes, that's her in all her glory," smirked the woman.
Clara blinked, "If you say so, ma'am."
“Good old Reb!” chimed in Jacob, feeling he ought to chime in.
"Well come on in, get enough bugs in the place without holding the door wide open for more to sashshay in," Matilda now stepped back to allow entrance.
"Oh ...umm, " Clara began but Jacob went right on in so she figured she better follow. The saloon was open, one could easily hear the sound of customers' laughing and shouting, apparently having a good time.
"So....Mr. Lutz, I seem to recall you have an older sister, is this her?" Matilda asked.
Despite the strangeness of the situation, Jacob couldn’t help having to stifle a laugh at this. Lee would have been horizonal in a dead faint by this point in the proceedings, Clara was made of sterner stuff.
"What?" Clara was pretty sure she had just been insulted, "No, I am not."
“Just another pal of Arabella’s” explained Jacob, deciding not to bandy Clara’s still good name around.
Arabella, in a room just off the kitchen when the laundry got done, heard the familiar voices but it never occurred to her that the female one could be Clara Redmond, not here in this disgraceful den of iniquity. Jacob, on the other hand.
“Hey! Is that Hayseed?!!” she yelled with leather lungs. “Get in here, stranger, I need a hand pullin’ down ma bloomers!” she implored, for indeed, the annoying garment had got stuck in the mangle and needed a strong arm to pull them down and out.
Posted April 17, 2021
Clara was not happy with being confused for Jacob's older sister, older indeed! She was actually younger than the boy.
"Just another pal of Arabella’s” explained Jacob.
Clara frowned, was he not going to even introduce her? Apparently not as the conversation took a new turn with a familiar voice bellowing from another room.
“Hey! Is that Hayseed?!!” the speaker yelled, oh yes, Clara knew that was indeed Arabella, “Get in here, stranger, I need a hand pullin’ down ma bloomers!”
Matilda pinched the top of her nose between two fingers, "Oh god."
"Go talk to her. I'm sure it's not what it sounds like," actually Matilda wasn't completely sure! But she had other things to do.
Jacob certainly knew the way into the kitchen, the lad had dropped produce in there more than once. So the two of them then entered the kitchen, Clara half wondering just what Arabella was doing this time? Jacob took the lead but Clara was on the alert right off behind his right side.
"Hello, Arabella," she left it at that.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Posted April 17, 2021
As Jacob and Clara entered the small and steamy laundry room Arabella was practically dangling off the legs of the pantalettes trying to pull them out of the mangle. That thing had never been the same since she’d tried to put one of Mammy Cookie’s corsets through it.
“Howdy Reb.” Proffered Jacob in greeting, relieved they’d lost the scary in-charge lady. Arabella didn’t flinch as she yelped “Gimmi a hand here, y’lunk!” But Clara’s voice made her let go of the bloomers with a yelp and spin round, positioning herself in front of the offending articles of underwear. It was odd that she didn’t mind Lutz seeing how shabby, patched and, frankly stained, her underthings were, but the thought of the wonderful Clara Anne Redmond seeing these awful exhibits? Lord no!
“Hello, Arabella,” she left it at that.
“Clara!” exclaimed Arabella, wide eyed in shock. She pointed dumbly at the tiled floor “In my laundry room!”
“Never mind her” Jacob hissed urgently “Where the heck can we get hold of that Father-Reverend-Pastor Reed feller, we need to see him!”
Arabella rolled her eyes. “Oh, Brother Thomas! is that all? That’s easy, he’s in his Love Shack Mr Ryker built him at the back of the church. It ain’t love like hearts and flowers, it’s like the love that Jesus Christ Our Saviour has for all of us, even Mrs Devereau. Course it’s only me what calls it that and…”
Suddenly the penny dropped. Arabella looked at Clara, then at Jacob, then back at Clara and her eyes narrowed and she pointed at Clara’s stomach and mouthed the words ARE YOU PREGNANT?
The reply was irrelevant. Arabella had already put one and one together and gotten three, which, in this case, was the correct answer.
Posted April 17, 2021
How did she manage to get caught up like that? Honestly, that girl never failed to confuse Clara it certainly seemed anyhow. The girl was ordering Jacob to help her. Only then did she seem to notice Clara was standing there too.
“Clara!” exclaimed Arabella, wide eyed in shock. She pointed dumbly at the tiled floor “In my laundry room!”
"To be more specific, I believe it is the saloon owner's laundry room," Clara calmly pointed out. No need to ask Arabella how she got in that predicament, it was Arabella, there was your answer.
Jacob annoyed her now, "Never mind her! Where the heck can we get hold of that Father-Reverend-Pastor Reed feller, we need to see him!”
Well, husband to be, way to be nonchalant about it, Clara sighed. The girl did know and started telling them far more than just the needed specific location, something about a Love Shack? Only she did not finish. The look on her face changed too.
Arabella looked at Clara, then at Jacob, then back at Clara and her eyes narrowed and she pointed at Clara’s stomach and mouthed the words ARE YOU PREGNANT?
Clara let out a breath, denying it now would only bring out a torrent of questions and insistent declarations she was in the right. Clara was tiring of all these denials anyhow. She nodded very slowly then added.
"And keep quiet about it. I am asking you as a friend, Arabella. Please."
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Posted April 18, 2021
Arabella looked at Clara, then at Jacob, then back at Clara and her eyes narrowed and she pointed at Clara’s stomach and mouthed the words ARE YOU PREGNANT?
Clara let out a breath, denying it now would only bring out a torrent of questions and insistent declarations she was in the right. Clara was tiring of all these denials anyhow. She nodded very slowly then added.
"And keep quiet about it. I am asking you as a friend, Arabella. Please."
Arabella’s mouth was so wide open you could see her tonsils and she went so lightheaded that she had to steady herself on the mangle. She had wondered, after that odd interlude in the vestry when she’d burst in on the two of them and instead of kissing and slobbering over each other, they’d been having a very, very serious talk indeed, but this confirmation rocked her world. It was a shock, to be sure, but she felt immensely privileged to be in on the secret – a secret which despite Clara’s misgivings, wild horses could not have dragged from her.
She turned to Jacob and gave him an eloquent look which said 'Oh, well done, you idiot!' and then tiptoed toward Clara, taking her request to keep quiet very literally, and whispered “Can I feel her?” She had already decided that the baby would be a girl.
The urgent need to find the Reverend Reed clunked into place like a jigsaw piece and begged another question. She looked at Jacob and then back to Clara. “I'll take you to Brother Thomas right now, but... do you need any money?” she whispered, biting her lip in shared angst about what clandestine ceremony needed now to be undertaken.
Posted April 18, 2021
Arabella seemed to be deep in thought regarding her request, Clara noted but slowly moved forward looking very solemn (plus she wasn't chattering away for once!). Stopping short Arabella then had a request of her own.
“Can I feel her?” and said in a whisper too not her usual high volume.
"There is nothing to feel yet, it is far too early," Clara softly explained, "And we cannot be certain it will be a girl either. Or is that what you are hoping for?"
Honestly she had not really spent much time thinking about it, she would be happy with either as long as the baby was healthy.
She looked at Jacob and then back to Clara.
“I'll take you to Brother Thomas right now, but... do you need any money?” she whispered.
"No, I mean Jacob has some but the marriage should not cost us anything other than perhaps a dinner for the minister. We just need you to help us find the man for now, Arabella. One thing at a time," Clara was really a bundle of nerves but trying very hard to keep calm and focused.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Posted April 18, 2021
“Can I feel her?” and said in a whisper too not her usual high volume.
"There is nothing to feel yet, it is far too early," Clara softly explained, "And we cannot be certain it will be a girl either. Or is that what you are hoping for?"
Arabella didn’t answer. She just put out her hand, ever so slowly, and lightly touched Clara’s still relatively flat looking tummy. She looked up with shining eyes from the sacred spot from whence new life miraculously sprang and gave Clara a small but encouraging smile.
She looked at Jacob and then back to Clara.
“I'll take you to Brother Thomas right now, but... do you need any money?” she whispered.
"No, I mean Jacob has some but the marriage should not cost us anything other than perhaps a dinner for the minister. We just need you to help us find the man for now, Arabella. One thing at a time," Clara was really a bundle of nerves but trying very hard to keep calm and focused.
Arabella nodded and started to sneak to the door of the laundry room and looked about outside. “Come on!” she beckoned the other two to follow her. It wasn’t clear why all this cloak and dagger stuff was needed inside the Saloon, but once they had snuck though the kitchen, grabbing her bonnet and shawl on the way, and made it outside, Arabella started to act a bit more normally. Well, normal for her.
She led them a strange route to the Church which brought them to the back of the building where a peculiar sort of shanty had been constructed with no little skill, it had to be said, but peculiar all the same. At the door of this ‘Hermitage’ Arabella, who had been strangely silent and uninquisitive during their tramp, gave three stentorian knocks on the door and whispered at the crack “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” It was her own idea, the knocks and the codes, so that the tall Patriarch form the Desert would know it was his own little helpmeet who was asking for an audience.
She listened at the crack in the door, awaiting The Word to Come Forward.