there in case she needed anything, and he’d see her the next day. He chuckled and shook his head. Abigail Connors was taking up entirely too many of his thoughts.
❧
Abigail was glad to see Bea early the next morning. She’d washed her hair and needed the maid’s help in making herself presentable. Bea also gathered the gowns that needed to be pressed and the other garments that needed to be washed and took them down to the hotel laundry for Abigail.
“Thank you, Bea,” Abigail said as the young woman put her hair up for her.
“You are welcome, Miss Connors. I’m glad to do it. I talked to the manager, and he said that if you need me to help you on my days off, I could. So just let me know what you might want me to do for you and what time you need me. One of the regulars who’d taken a month’s leave is back, and I’ll only be working on Tuesdays and Thursdays now.”
“Oh, well that will work out wonderfully for me. What are you being paid for your day here?”
Bea told her, and Abigail nodded. “I’ll pay you that for each day you come to help me out. I’d like you on Saturday mornings and the weekday mornings that you aren’t working. If I need you to help me get ready for a special evening function, do you think you could do that?”
“Of course! I’d be happy to.” Bea’s smile was wide.
“Good. I’ve been able to make myself presentable, but I have to admit that I’ve missed my housekeeper. She always helped me get ready to go out. I’m hoping to learn more from you so that I can manage on my own better.”
“I’ll be glad to help,” Bea said. “It’s really not that hard. You’ll do fine.”
Her sweetness touched Abigail. It was nice to hear encouraging words, even if they were from someone she barely knew—and a maid at that. Not normally one to exchange small talk with servants, Abigail surprised herself by confiding in the young woman, “Thank you, Bea. I hope so. But I’m afraid I’ve been quite spoiled.”
By the time Marcus came to pick her up to visit the bathhouses, Abigail felt she looked very nice. She’d chosen a blue-and-brown-plaid walking dress, accessorized with a blue hat and parasol. Bea had arranged little curls to peek out from under the hat on Abigail’s forehead, and she felt quite stylish when Marcus arrived.
He looked quite nice and professional in his suit and bowler. Seeing that dimple flash as he smiled gave her that fluttery feeling again, and she wasn’t sure she welcomed it. She wasn’t even sure what it meant as she’d never experienced it before.
“You look very nice this morning,” he said as they went downstairs. “Have you decided which bathhouse you want to visit first?”
She shook her head. “I thought maybe we’d just start out from here and visit the closest one first.”
“That sounds good to me. It’s a lovely day out. Would you like to walk?”
They stepped outside. Noting the blue, cloudless sky, Abigail nodded. “Yes, let’s. It will be easier than getting in and out of a buggy, anyway.”
Marcus chuckled. “That’s what I thought. Besides, this way you can see more of the city up close.”
Abigail did feel a little nervous as she and Marcus set out for the first bathhouse. This was the first time her father had ever sent her to look into any kind of business venture for him, and she wanted to make him proud. “What is the difference between the springs at home and the ones here in Hot Springs?” she asked as Marcus took her arm and steered her out onto the walk.
“They are totally different. The springs here are hot.” He grinned down at her. “Hence the name of the town. The springs in Eureka Springs are not hot. They are known for what many believe to be their mineral healing properties. Our springs start out at around 143 degrees and have to be cooled before they can be used in the bathhouses. Many people who have suffered from ailments have found that the hot waters have helped them. Others come
❧
Abigail was glad to see Bea early the next morning. She’d washed her hair and needed the maid’s help in making herself presentable. Bea also gathered the gowns that needed to be pressed and the other garments that needed to be washed and took them down to the hotel laundry for Abigail.
“Thank you, Bea,” Abigail said as the young woman put her hair up for her.
“You are welcome, Miss Connors. I’m glad to do it. I talked to the manager, and he said that if you need me to help you on my days off, I could. So just let me know what you might want me to do for you and what time you need me. One of the regulars who’d taken a month’s leave is back, and I’ll only be working on Tuesdays and Thursdays now.”
“Oh, well that will work out wonderfully for me. What are you being paid for your day here?”
Bea told her, and Abigail nodded. “I’ll pay you that for each day you come to help me out. I’d like you on Saturday mornings and the weekday mornings that you aren’t working. If I need you to help me get ready for a special evening function, do you think you could do that?”
“Of course! I’d be happy to.” Bea’s smile was wide.
“Good. I’ve been able to make myself presentable, but I have to admit that I’ve missed my housekeeper. She always helped me get ready to go out. I’m hoping to learn more from you so that I can manage on my own better.”
“I’ll be glad to help,” Bea said. “It’s really not that hard. You’ll do fine.”
Her sweetness touched Abigail. It was nice to hear encouraging words, even if they were from someone she barely knew—and a maid at that. Not normally one to exchange small talk with servants, Abigail surprised herself by confiding in the young woman, “Thank you, Bea. I hope so. But I’m afraid I’ve been quite spoiled.”
By the time Marcus came to pick her up to visit the bathhouses, Abigail felt she looked very nice. She’d chosen a blue-and-brown-plaid walking dress, accessorized with a blue hat and parasol. Bea had arranged little curls to peek out from under the hat on Abigail’s forehead, and she felt quite stylish when Marcus arrived.
He looked quite nice and professional in his suit and bowler. Seeing that dimple flash as he smiled gave her that fluttery feeling again, and she wasn’t sure she welcomed it. She wasn’t even sure what it meant as she’d never experienced it before.
“You look very nice this morning,” he said as they went downstairs. “Have you decided which bathhouse you want to visit first?”
She shook her head. “I thought maybe we’d just start out from here and visit the closest one first.”
“That sounds good to me. It’s a lovely day out. Would you like to walk?”
They stepped outside. Noting the blue, cloudless sky, Abigail nodded. “Yes, let’s. It will be easier than getting in and out of a buggy, anyway.”
Marcus chuckled. “That’s what I thought. Besides, this way you can see more of the city up close.”
Abigail did feel a little nervous as she and Marcus set out for the first bathhouse. This was the first time her father had ever sent her to look into any kind of business venture for him, and she wanted to make him proud. “What is the difference between the springs at home and the ones here in Hot Springs?” she asked as Marcus took her arm and steered her out onto the walk.
“They are totally different. The springs here are hot.” He grinned down at her. “Hence the name of the town. The springs in Eureka Springs are not hot. They are known for what many believe to be their mineral healing properties. Our springs start out at around 143 degrees and have to be cooled before they can be used in the bathhouses. Many people who have suffered from ailments have found that the hot waters have helped them. Others come
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