"Oh, I don't know, I think a nice frock in Prussian Blue would bring out my eyes, but we've already got one feller in the regiment who's taken to wearing dresses, I don't want to step on his range." joked the Lieutenant casually.
"I hope yer just kiddin' about that," Caroline could not imagine the US Army whose job it was was to kill people letting some soldier promenade about in a dress.
"What I'm more after is a new dress uniform. We used to have a Major up at the fort, Brittles, insisted we all wear dress uniform in the officers' mess for formal dinners. You ever tried eating sour pork and beans in epaulettes? Well, anyway, he's gone, thank God, but so is my once resplendent dress uniform!"
"Umm, so what happened to it then? Did this Brittles take it with him?" Caroline wondered aloud.
The waiter showed up and took their dessert order before heading back toward the kitchen.
"So, I need a new uniform making, and the local tailor here isn't that great, so I'm wondering if a ladies' dressmaker might make a better job of it. Did they make that dress you're wearing? That's nice! Say, how do you mean when you said they made you a 'special' dress?"
"I imagine he'd probably agree, he does fine work. But nope, not this dress. I ordered this dress from back East, Philadelphia. It was in a catalog. Glad you like it, I think I look good in it," Caroline answered.
"Special.....umm, it was purposely made so it would or at least could when I choose to, reveal a bit more of me than the usual dresses," she smiled, "The customers love a quick glimpse of parts of me they ain't supposed to see. And I oblige........on occasion."
"Er, would you fellers mind awfully standing to attention?"
"Umm, so what happened to it then? Did this Brittles take it with him?" Caroline wondered aloud.
Greene tipped his head "Well, he was a pretty queer customer, but he wasn't light fingered. It just got too tired and stained and tattered for meeting Generals in" he shrugged.
"So, I need a new uniform making, and the local tailor here isn't that great, so I'm wondering if a ladies' dressmaker might make a better job of it. Did they make that dress you're wearing? That's nice! Say, how do you mean when you said they made you a 'special' dress?"
"I imagine he'd probably agree, he does fine work. But nope, not this dress. I ordered this dress from back East, Philadelphia. It was in a catalog. Glad you like it, I think I look good in it," Caroline answered.
"I know you look good in it." the Lieutenant went one better. "So, special..."
"Special.....umm, it was purposely made so it would or at least could when I choose to, reveal a bit more of me than the usual dresses," she smiled, "The customers love a quick glimpse of parts of me they ain't supposed to see. And I oblige........on occasion."
"Oh, I see..." he grinned enthusiastically "Nape of the neck, inside of the elbow. yeah, I get it. Say though, he wouldn't accidentally put anything like that in my dress uniform would he?! Imagine if I when I went to salute the General, my pants fell down and my hat flew in the air! Bang goes promotion right there and then. Unless it's Gibbon."
"I know you look good in it." the Lieutenant threw her yet another compliment which she naturally soaked up, "So, special..."
"Thank ya," Caroline smiled then amplified on the topic at hand,
"Special.....umm, it was purposely made so it would or at least could when I choose to, reveal a bit more of me than the usual dresses," she smiled, "The customers love a quick glimpse of parts of me they ain't supposed to see. And I oblige........on occasion."
"Oh, I see..." he grinned enthusiastically "Nape of the neck, inside of the elbow. yeah, I get it."
Caroline had to laugh, no, he did NOT get it. He was far too naive this refined young gentleman officer. Maybe if he would spend some time in the saloon.
"No...oh nevermind," she shrugged. The young man had placed her high on a pedestal of his imagination and she decided not to tear it down with reality.
"Say though, he wouldn't accidentally put anything like that in my dress uniform would he?! Imagine if I when I went to salute the General, my pants fell down and my hat flew in the air! Bang goes promotion right there and then. Unless it's Gibbon."
"Why on earth would you even want that? Win a few battles against the Injuns once, that should get you a promotion or two," was her sage military advice.
As for this Gibbon, she had no idea who that even was. But honestly did not care either.
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
Good food, good wine (in Joseph's opinion, anyway!) good company. All in all it had been a very enjoyable occasion and one that the Cavalry Lieutenant, for one, was keen to repeat. But all good things come to an end, and duty called for one of the pair of diners. Surprisingly, it wasn't the soldier, it was the singer, who had a set to deliver soon. We will not dwell on the words he whispered to her as they parted, or the chaste kiss he planted upon her dainty fingers, let us look forward, instead, to the strange sight that greeted Caroline as she headed back toward the saloon: that of Jemima Wigfall sallying out of that den of iniquity which, in normal times, a hundred horses could not have dragged her to!
Jemima and Caroline could not have been more dissimilar: the beautiful, blonde siren in her gaudy and alluring red dress at whose dainty feet adoring men threw themselves; the plain, dark-haired drudge in her workaday smock and stained apron who couldn't get a date with a blind pig. They had hardly ever spoken, and that just a few words of financial exchange at Mr Pettigrew's dress emporium.
The fact that they only had one thing, or rather one person in common, made the use of names unnecessary as the frowsy scrubber approached the glamourous showgirl, looking Caroline warily up and down as though the sin and ill-fame might be contagious.
"She's collapsed." announced the Wigfall girl "Brain fever, again. I've just been with her the last three hours and she's sleeping nice and mild now. They've sent for Frances Grimes to play your music for you." she said simply, her words monotonous and flat, but her eyes dancing around Caroline's face as if searching for the answer to some tantalising secret.
Arabella had told Jemima about Caroline many times in extremely flattering terms that would have possibly surprised the blonde, whom she often needled and teased in real life. For Arabella had told Jemima that although she was a wonderful, pure, good human being: an angel in fact: she had a strange occult power that could make any man fall in love with her. What Jemima wouldn't do for an Nth of that power!
Caroline thought it a bit strange that the gentleman officer had not decided to escort her back to the saloon but whatever, she had definitely enjoyed the dinner and he had been pleasant company alright. She dared to hope that someday he would ask her out again. Then she would hem and haw, pretend to ponder the offer but (of course) accept.
But the saloon girl was jaded, maybe he only took her out on a dare amongst some of the soldiers in the fort, maybe he had not been as impressed with her as he seemingly had acted? Maybe he realized they were socially from two different worlds?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a young woman's voice.
"She's collapsed." announced the girl.
"What? Who?" but no sooner had Caroline asked she realized it had to be Miss Drama Queen of course.
"Brain fever, again. I've just been with her the last three hours and she's sleeping nice and mild now. They've sent for Frances Grimes to play your music for you." she said simply, her words monotonous and flat, but her eyes dancing around Caroline's face.
Caroline rolled her eyes. Not that old excuse again. Arabella had used that one before, she really should come up with new material.
"More likely she came up with a painful sliver from crawling around on the hotel floors," Caroline huffed.
"Sound asleep so I won't be able to yell at her when I get back, how convenient," she added, "Frances Grimes? Wait......isn't that the town's blind girl?"
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
"What? Who?" but no sooner had Caroline asked she realized it had to be Miss Drama Queen of course.
"Our Mutual Friend" Jemima said. "Brain fever, again. I've just been with her the last three hours and she's sleeping nice and mild now. They've sent for Frances Grimes to play your music for you." she said simply, her words monotonous and flat, but her eyes dancing around Caroline's face.
"More likely she came up with a painful sliver from crawling around on the hotel floors," Caroline huffed.
Jemima's perpetual frown deepened, but who knew what the two saloon girls got up in hotels together, something disreputable, no doubt.
"Don't know about hotel floors, but she up and keeled over on the saloon floor. They couldn't find Doctor Danforth, probably carrying on with that so-called nurse of his..." she said bitterly "... so they called my Ma over cause she used work in a druggists. I've been mopping her brow for the last three hours. Muddy's brow, that is, not my Ma's." she clarified seriously. "Anyhow, like I say, she's asleep now. I'd just let her rest."
"Sound asleep so I won't be able to yell at her when I get back, how convenient," she added.
Jemima just shrugged. Funny, Arabella always went on about Caroline like she was the sweetest angel on the planet; but she seemed more like a grumpy old cow to the boarding-house keeper's daughter.
"Frances Grimes? Wait......isn't that the town's blind girl?"
"Yeah, but what'dya mean, you're gonna yell at her?" Jemima asked. Sure Arabella was a terrible, annoying, and sinful person, but she was also Jemima's friend, and she didn't have a lot of those particular precious articles: she suddenly felt quite defensive about her ill lil pal. And when Jemima Wigfall got defensive, she got Mama Lioness defensive.
"Three hours. We weren't even in the hotel fer three hours and she was in there with us for part of it. She even took a bite of my gentleman's dinner when he was not at the table," Caroline wondered what it was with all these young gals in Kalispells and their exaggerations.
This one (she looked sorta slow minded in truth) had bought Ara's act it seemed, didn't mean she was gonna fall for it.
"Frances Grimes? Wait......isn't that the town's blind girl?" Caroline wondered aloud.
"Yeah, but what'dya mean, you're gonna yell at her?" Jemima asked.
"That's between Ara and me. I don't need to tell you a damn thing. Now you gave me your message, I'll thank ya to leave me be so I can get back for my work shift," Caroline was blunt and in no mood for all this.
" ... - - - ... "
"Three hours. We weren't even in the hotel fer three hours and she was in there with us for part of it. She even took a bite of my gentleman's dinner when he was not at the table," Caroline wondered what it was with all these young gals in Kalispells and their exaggerations.
Jemima looked at the blonde floozy with distain: she was either crazy or drunk, both probably: for all the praise Arabella heaped upon her, to Jemima's mind she was still just a slutty saloon singer. The lowly but respectable floor scrubber and general dogsbody realised her mistake in lowering herself to talk to the jade.
"Frances Grimes? Wait......isn't that the town's blind girl?" Caroline wondered aloud.
"Yeah, but what'dya mean, you're gonna yell at her?" Jemima asked.
"That's between Ara and me. I don't need to tell you a damn thing. Now you gave me your message, I'll thank ya to leave me be so I can get back for my work shift," Caroline was blunt and in no mood for all this.
Jemima just looked at the rude woman with her black piggy little eyes: she had a pretty slow burn, but once a hatred was planted in her heart, the fuse would creep along at its own pace and in a few days, or a few weeks or even a few years, she would get her revenge. The Wigfall girl was like an elephant: she never forgot.
The frowsy girl put her nose in the air, like she was trying to raise it above a bad smell, and walked on.
_ _ _
When Caroline got into the saloon, all was bedlam: apart from it being a busy evening anyway: with Ralph hard at work supplying the liquid refreshment needs of a number of impatient customers, Mammy McMahon of all people was front of house: a very rare occurrence! Her eyes rolled gratefully heavenward when Caroline trooped in.
"Oh thank the Lawd!" she hollered, and bustled up to the blonde singer "Now don't you fret Miss Caroline; we got Mr Hector here and Miss Frances to do your music, and Miss Bridget's upstairs now with that poor child. It's the Brain Fever, again. Doctor Danforth says the next few hours'll be critical but there's nothing we can do but wait and pray!!" she waved her hands in the air and looked like she was about to cry.
Although Arabella could be a pest: Mr Fortner had sent for a doctor immediately, no matter what the expense.
Hector Wigfall came over, holding his fiddle and bow in one hand and quite attentively put the other hand on the plump older lady's shoulder.
"Don't you worry Mrs McMahon, we'll take care of things with Miss Mundee, you get back to your cooking and another of Arabella's friends is going to be coming over in an hour to spell Miss Monahan." He glanced at Caroline. "My sister's gone to tell Miriam Kaufmann, she'll probably want to come over and sit up all night with her." he explained, inexplicably going rather rosy cheeked at having to say the name of the young Jewish girl.
"Frances and I are pretty sure we can play all of your usual numbers, we'll just make sure we get the right key for you. I know Arabella would have wanted the show to go on." he said, sniffing back a manly tear himself now. "Do you know Frances?" he asked and turned to see Miss Grimes sitting at Arabella's piano stool, waving in almost the right direction toward them with a sympathetic smile on her face.
So was Arabella gonna play the 'oh dear me, I'm sick' card yet again? Caroline entered the saloon to find it busy. And Mammy was even out front. That was rare and not necessarily wise either. More than one of the customers were plainly not happy about a negro mingling with them, one could tell by the glares they gave the woman.
"Oh thank the Lawd!" the negress hollered, and bustled up to the blonde singer "Now don't you fret Miss Caroline; we got Mr Hector here and Miss Frances to do your music, and Miss Bridget's upstairs now with that poor child. It's the Brain Fever, again. Doctor Danforth says the next few hours'll be critical but there's nothing we can do but wait and pray!!"
Seriously? She even fooled a doctor, well Caroline's opinion of that medical man certainly fell. Caroline nodded though and wanted to calm their cook, "Oh, really? Well, thank you. I'm sure everything will be alright. Ara is tough. Just say a prayer for her or whatever you religious types do."
"I'm gonna quick go up and see her." 'Maybe slap her conscious......
Now that telegraph boy approached, fiddle in hand. He was good with it too, she knew that much. Caroline appreciated musical talent.
"Don't you worry Mrs McMahon, we'll take care of things with Miss Mundee, you get back to your cooking and another of Arabella's friends is going to be coming over in an hour to spell Miss Monahan." He glanced at Caroline. "My sister's gone to tell Miriam Kaufmann, she'll probably want to come over and sit up all night with her.
"Oh sure, Miriam will be so worried," Caroline liked the little jewess, in fact thought the much more sensible girl was probably good for Ara. God knows she seldom seemed to have much luck with the girl.
"Frances and I are pretty sure we can play all of your usual numbers, we'll just make sure we get the right key for you. I know Arabella would have wanted the show to go on." he said, sniffing back a manly tear himself now. "Do you know Frances?"
"Thank you, I'm sure we will do just fine. And if any of us makes a mistake you just keep goin', half these folk here won't even notice," Caroline replied.
She looked over to the piano and this girl was waving, not at her but it was a game effort anyway.
"No, we never met. But glad you can make it, Frances. I appreciate it," Caroline called out to her.
Just then a rather lubricated cowpoke barged into the conversation, "Hey there! Now you gotta go tell yer boss that nigra shouldn't be out here none!"
"Go fuck off! Or I'll let Ralph know yer botherin' me," Caroline snapped, in no mood for this.
The man beat a hasty retreat. Regulars knew enough not to mess with Ralph.
The poor blind girl couldn't see what was going on, she must be so confused, Caroline felt badly for her and approached closely to talk, "Hey, Frances, it's me, Caroline. Glad yer here and just wanna let you know, I promise you are gonna get paid for this tonight. Do the best you can, we'll be fine, hon."
"I'll be back to start in a few minutes, wanna go up and see how poor tragical Arabella is doin'...be right back."
Want... dolls!
"I'm gonna quick go up and see her."
"That'd be real nice for her, Miss Caroline, that little girl just thinks the world of you, even though she don't always show it." Messalina nodded, but then Hector came over and explained how he and the blind Frances Grimes were going to fill in for the ill girl. introductions were still going on when Caroline had to beat down a cowpoke who was rude to the black cook. Frances looked around frowning at the altercation.
Caroline felt badly for her and approached closely to talk, "Hey, Frances, it's me, Caroline. Glad yer here and just wanna let you know, I promise you are gonna get paid for this tonight. Do the best you can, we'll be fine, hon."
Frances smiled and nodded, her eyes rolling around focusing on nothing behind her green lensed spectacles.
"I'll be back to start in a few minutes, wanna go up and see how poor tragical Arabella is doin'...be right back."
Frances reached out a hand and managed to judge it well, touching Caroline's arm. "Please give her our love, tell her Hector and I will do our best for her."
- - -
Bridget looked up from where she was sitting next to Arabella's bed. The patient was sleeping soundly now, pale and still, her breaths were shallow but regular. On the bed next to her was her big bible: her hand on top of it, and Bridget's hand on top of Arabella's.
It was the singing lady, Caroline. Arabella's friend. Bridget smiled and glanced down at the girl in the bed. She looked so peaceful. Bridget made an effort to speak.
"Likes. Likes... book." she stammered out, then looked up and smiled at Caroline again.
Maybe Arabella's friend wanted to be with her alone. Bridget got to her feet, her wooden limb knocking slightly on the bare floorboards. she walked over to the saloon singer. "Be with... Arabella."