"Spare the rod, spoil the child"
Caroline just smiled and waved it off, "It is not rude but it is bold. Still I like 'bold'. People say I'm often far too bold and I say 'so what'."
"Quite right, too." the grim looking nurse agreed. "It is rather bold of them to presume to criticise your boldness!" she added, pointing out the paradox.
"But to answer the question, yes and no. I am with a handsome young man currently but there are no long terms plans to get married."
"No?" Adelheid asked, displaying curiosity but not judging.
"In my job you cannot afford to get married or even pregnant. Well, on those accounts, there is no chance of either for me so it all works out."
It occurred to Adelheid that if her new friend and her young man copulated on a regular basis, then she would possibly get pregnant, married or not. But Caroline Mundee seemed like a woman of the world, she must either practice some form of contraception, or knew herself to be barren.
"So where you from? Me, I'm from Chicago. Raised in a saloon and now I work in one. It's the only life I know and I'm good with it."
"Good!" Again, that very slight smile, as if the nurse dared not display any more joy than that. And yet she seemed an oddly joyful person for one so po-faced.
"I am from Manheim, Pennsylvania. My family are Mennonites but they shun me because I used modern medicines and equipment when I nursed my late sister." she explained "Luckily for me, my cousin Mrs Armentrout, who recommended me to Mrs Wigfall, her side of the family are Lutherans, and they still accept me."
'Shunning' was a tool officially used by the Mennonite anabaptists to shut out anybody who strayed from the tenets of their faith.
Caroline shared her past, well a bit of it and the woman reciprocated.
"I am from Manheim, Pennsylvania. My family are Mennonites but they shun me because I used modern medicines and equipment when I nursed my late sister." she explained "Luckily for me, my cousin Mrs Armentrout, who recommended me to Mrs Wigfall, her side of the family are Lutherans, and they still accept me."
Late sister? Guess her nursing couldn't save the sibling? Well, when it was a person's time, it was time. Caroline believed in fate.
"Mena ..knights? Never heard of 'em," Caroline wasn't much for religion anyhow, any religion.
Of course everyone had heard of Lutherans, even this uneducated saloon gal.
"Well, hang in there, hon. I for one am glad we got these modern medicines and doctors and nurses. Glad to have ya in town and hope you like it here. If ya ever need a shoulder ta cry on, come see me. Only one saloon in town. Most wimmenfolk don't go in there by themselves but yer a bold one. It's not illegal and you'd be safe enough. I will see to it you get a drink on the house...be it liquor or sasparilla."
"Spare the rod, spoil the child"
"Well, hang in there, hon. I for one am glad we got these modern medicines and doctors and nurses. Glad to have ya in town and hope you like it here. If ya ever need a shoulder ta cry on, come see me."
"I might just do that" Adelheid gave that little smile again. "It looks like a very comfortable shoulder. Mine are a little bony!"
"Is it that the saloon where you work?" She asked, pointing to the Stardust, which was just down the road apiece from Wigfall's, where they were standing now.
"Only one saloon in town. Most wimmenfolk don't go in there by themselves but yer a bold one. It's not illegal and you'd be safe enough. I will see to it you get a drink on the house...be it liquor or sasparilla."
"I will do that!" Nurse Armentrout confirmed. She wouldn't walk in the front of course - a nurse must appear respectable at all times. But maybe... maybe she could go around the back and meet up with this friendly and appealing young woman.
"Well, it has been so wonderful to meet you, Caroline. I will look forward so to seeing you again" the frowsy bespectacled woman said and for a second she looked like she might try and hug the saloon singer, but with great self control she turned and entered the boarding house where her patient lay.
That might have been the end of the peculiar encounter, but as Caroline neared the saloon, a strange hissing noise coming from somewhere across the wide street. There was nobody there, but a glance up revealed Arabella, wearing a man's dressing gown and hanging out of a second floor window of the hotel, beckoning to her.
"Pssssstt! Caroline! CAROLINE!!! Come up here quick! I got to tell you something. It's important! Room...?" she turned and a male voice could be heard indistinctly. Arabella leaned back out of the window "2B... like in Shakespeare, 2B or not 2B" she added, unhelpfully.
"I might just do that" Adelheid gave that little smile again. "It looks like a very comfortable shoulder. Mine are a little bony!"
"Nonsense, who cares?" Caroline wished the young woman wasn't so hard on herself. She then invited her to come into the saloon some day and get a free drink. It would be bold of her, but this frail looking young miss seemed to have plenty of boldness. A characteristic Caroline liked.
"I will do that!" Nurse Armentrout confirmed.
"Good!" Caroline grinned.
"Well, it has been so wonderful to meet you, Caroline. I will look forward so to seeing you again"
"Yes, nice ta meet you too. Take care of yerself, hon. It's a small town, we'll see each other plenty," Caroline assured her.
As Caroline headed back toward the saloon, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Pssssstt! Caroline! CAROLINE!!! Come up here quick! I got to tell you something. It's important! Room...?" she turned and a male voice could be heard indistinctly. Arabella leaned back out of the window "2B... like in Shakespeare, 2B or not 2B" she added,
Caroline had stopped of course to look up. Of course, Arabella and now what the devil was she up to? It sounded urgent but it didn't sound like the tone of voice that it might be dangerous or life threatening.
"Oh alright, be right up there!" she called up to her friend, former fellow employee.
***
Once she stood in front of the door to 2B, she rapped sharply.
"It's me," she stated the obvious.
Upon being told to come in, she opened the door and stepped on in. And stopped short at the sight that greeted her, what was going on?
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Arabella was standing in a tin bathtub, hands on top of her head, stark naked except for creamy soapsuds on her armpits, legs and nether-parts. Standing next to her was her actor friend Mr Astin holding a shaving cup and brush and adding to the froth. He didn't even look up when Caroline entered.
The little actress, however, gave her a broad smile.
"Oh good, come in, take a seat. Johnny will fix you a drink if you like!" she chirped.
"I've got my hands full" he murmured. Not unfriendly, just a statement of fact.
"Oh well, fix yourself a drink if you like!" Arabella corrected. The room was a bit of a tip, Arabella's big bible, men's clothes, women's clothes, woolen stockings, underdrawers, discarded scripts, an illustrated book about athletics in Ancient Greece, a half -full bottle of whiskey, a scary looking doll with one leg and a broken porcelain face, a disturbed double bed. It was all rather redolent of co-habitation.
"I need to have a word with you, Caroline, about that Armensnout woman you were just walking with. I was watching you out the window while Johnny was filling the bath tub. Keep away from her, she's dangerous. She one of us and she's got designs on you!"
Mr Astin had put the shaving dish and brush to one side on a crowded dressing table, and he now returned with a lethal-looking straight razor which he used to shave Arabella's left armpit, pushing her arm back to get the stubbly skin taut and flat. The actress grunted with either pain or pleasure.
"It's Armentrout, and she's not 'one of us', and she's not dangerous..." he said as he twisted the black haired girl around so her right armpit was facing his razor, and her unfashionably slim bottom was facing Caroline.
He glanced at Caroline.
"She's just jealous... and crazy, of course" he said, by way of explanation for Arabella's odd warning.
What a sight! A naked Arabella covered in strategic places with soap suds and this man with a razor. Definitely not the town barber and besides no town barber would do this sort of job. Only someone as crazy as...say....Arabella. Who was this fellow anyway?
"Oh good, come in, take a seat. Johnny will fix you a drink if you like!" Arabella chirped.
"I've got my hands full" he murmured.
"I know how to pour a whiskey, thank you," Caroline rolled her eyes. She would do just that, in a minute.
"I need to have a word with you, Caroline, about that Armensnout woman you were just walking with. I was watching you out the window while Johnny was filling the bath tub. Keep away from her, she's dangerous. She one of us and she's got designs on you!"
Caroline frowned, "What?"
"It's Armentrout, and she's not 'one of us', and she's not dangerous..." the man said as he twisted the black haired girl around so her right armpit was facing his razor, and her unfashionably slim bottom was facing Caroline.
He glanced at Caroline.
"She's just jealous... and crazy, of course" he said.
That was enough. She needed to have a talk with Arabella, Caroline decided.
"You! Whoever the fuck you are...........get out! Get out or I will take that razor and cut yer balls off....if ya got any," she sounded very serious, giving him a baleful glare.
"We ladies need to talk in private!" she spared a glance then to Ara, "Now!"
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"I know how to pour a whiskey, thank you," Caroline rolled her eyes. She would do just that, in a minute.
"You're telling me" joked Arabella, but refrained from wasting her breath on her usual Temperance spiel.
"I need to have a word with you, Caroline, about that Armensnout woman you were just walking with. I was watching you out the window while Johnny was filling the bath tub. Keep away from her, she's dangerous. She one of us and she's got designs on you!"
Caroline frowned, "What?"
"Arm-men-snout... that horrible nurse woman!" Arabella repeated.
"It's Armentrout, and she's not 'one of us', and she's not dangerous..." the man said as he twisted the black haired girl around so her right armpit was facing his razor, and her unfashionably slim bottom was facing Caroline. "She's just jealous... and crazy, of course" he said.
"You! Whoever the fuck you are...........get out! Get out or I will take that razor and cut yer balls off....if ya got any," she sounded very serious, giving him a baleful glare.
The man straightened and looked at Caroline and then Arabella.
"Well, you said she was feisty, but... really!" he declared.
"We ladies need to talk in private!" she spared a glance then to Ara, "Now!"
"Go and see Pettigrew, I'll be all right." the soap-sudded starlet told her fellow actor with a nonchalant laugh. "Give her the razor." she instructed.
Astin walked over to Caroline and handed her the blade, making a 'hands up in surrender' motion straight after.
"Farewell, Miss Mundee" he smiled, rather affably considering what he'd just threatened to do him.
It didn't take him a second to put on his hat and coat and leave.
"Well, that was rude, what's got your goat?" Arabella asked when he was gone. "Say, get over here and finish shaving me, will you? This water's going cold. You know I feel the chill."
"Go and see Pettigrew, I'll be all right." the soap-sudded starlet told her fellow actor with a nonchalant laugh. "Give her the razor." she instructed.
"Sure, I can do this," the saloon gal held out one hand.
Astin walked over to Caroline and handed her the blade, making a 'hands up in surrender' motion straight after.
"Farewell, Miss Mundee" he smiled, rather affably.
"Sure," Caroline didn't give him a second look as he ducked out of the room, her gaze, you might call it a glare, was focused on Ara.
"Well, that was rude, what's got your goat?" Arabella asked when he was gone.
"Rude? You are the Queen of being rude," Caroline countered.
"Say, get over here and finish shaving me, will you? This water's going cold. You know I feel the chill."
"Yeah, I can tell, your nipples show it," Caroline smirked then held up the remaining arm with her free arm and started shaving the young lady's armpit," You don't even have much to shave ya know."
"So what is the fuss over that new nurse anyhow? And where's your Jew girl? You two have a fight or has she just got sick of yer constant dramatics?"
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"Rude? You are the Queen of being rude," Caroline countered.
"Actresses aren't rude, we're just 'temperamental'!" Arabella laughed. "I'm the Queen of Temperament"
Actually, she was far from being a temperamental actress, although her and that old tragedian Mr Edward Darling had the knack of bringing out the hissy cat in each other.
"Say, get over here and finish shaving me, will you? This water's going cold. You know I feel the chill."
"Yeah, I can tell, your nipples show it," Caroline smirked then held up the remaining arm with her free arm and started shaving the young lady's armpit,
Arabella looked down and laughed her tinkling laugh again. "Oh, no, that's just 'cause you're here!"
Caroline scraped away dutifully and with skill.
"You don't even have much to shave ya know."
The sheep being shorn shook her head "Like they say in a closing down sale 'Everything must go" I gotta wear this real sheer flesh-coloured body-stocking thing in the next play, like when I was Mother Eve at the beginning of the season. My 'raven black tresses' show through it. Darling was very rude about it, said if he 'wanted to see the Black Forrest' he'd 'visit Germany'"
It was true that Arabella's body hair was as black as the long mane that hung from her head, and even the mere two months growth she had now would be noticeable.
"Wish I didn't have to, it itches like the Dickens when it grows back!" she informed her old partner in musical crime.
"So what is the fuss over that new nurse anyhow? And where's your Jew girl? You two have a fight or has she just got sick of yer constant dramatics?"
"For your information, Dolly loves my constant dramatics." again, the naked girl in the bath chuckled at Caroline's dry acerbic comments. Oh she did miss her; almost to the point of visiting her sometimes. "Funny, you'd think working for hours sewing dresses and listening to Jemima Wigfall's scintillating conversation would be excitement enough for the sweet little darlin'"
"Anyway, you can do down there now" she pointed her barber to the area which Mr Darling had found so objectionably hirsute "I couldn't have Dolly on a job like this, she'd get carried away, and I'm in a hurry today. Rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals!" she sighed wearily "Course, I'm word perfect, it's the others, you know."
She was so busy talking about herself, and enjoying the ministrations of the beautiful golden haired saloon singer, that she'd quite forgotten the question about ugly Nurse Armentrout.
Arabella looked down and laughed her tinkling laugh again. "Oh, no, that's just 'cause you're here!"
Caroline starting shaving and huffed, "There never was really nothing between us, stop with the nonsense. It was one drunken night."
Arabella did not accept that she didn't really need a sheep shearing. In fact blamed it on her boss at the theatre. Caroline had her doubts, she learned early that one could never really be sure of the truth to anything the girl ever said. And for all that the saloon girl still had a strong fondness for the girl.
But back to the matter at hand, "So what is the fuss over that new nurse anyhow? And where's your Jew girl? You two have a fight or has she just got sick of yer constant dramatics?"
Ara assured her that Miriam was still in her life. And that Caroline believed, Miriam seemed to be almost wholly under Ara's thumb for better or worse. She was mousy and nothing about Ara was mousy.
"Anyway, you can do down there now" she pointed her barber to the area which Mr Darling had found so objectionably hirsute "I couldn't have Dolly on a job like this, she'd get carried away, and I'm in a hurry today. Rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals!" she sighed wearily "Course, I'm word perfect, it's the others, you know."
Caroline knelt down on one knee to get a more level view of her next task,"Heaven forbid you ever did anything wrong or forgot something. Just how do you tolerate us lesser folk?"