that is,” she said stiffly. James glared at Pendleton and nodded.
The man stood there with a sick look on his face. He wasn’t looking forward to what was coming next.
“As for you,” Jewel said, turning to Mr. Pendleton and pointing her finger at him, “I’m not having dinner with you. Not tonight, and not any other night. If you so much as look sideways at me again, I’ll make you regret it. I come from New York City and I learned at a young age how to take care of myself on the streets. Keep that in mind.”
James smiled brightly at her and tipped his hat. She returned his smile. With that she turned and walked into the hotel lobby.
Chapter 15
Jewel had entered the lobby serenely, but that was just for show. She was angry. She stormed up the stairs to her room as soon as she knew she was out of sight. She slammed into her room where she startled Maria, the maid. The young woman had been in the midst of changing the sheets when Jewel burst through the door, looking as mad as a nest of hornets.
“I’ll, I’ll just, um, finish up in here, ma’am,” she stuttered, hurriedly cramming a pillow into its case. Jewel just sighed and sat down. Suddenly, she was exhausted.
Maria finished her duties and made to leave, giving Jewel a small curtsey.
“Please don’t go,” Jewel said suddenly. She gave the maid a pleading look. “I desperately need someone to talk to. A friend.”
Maria paused.
“I’m sure you don’t want to talk to the likes of me, ma’am,” she said, averting her eyes.
“What are you talking about? I’m not some kind of heiress.” Jewel stood and crossed her arms. Then she started pacing back and forth across the small room.
“You’re a high-born lady, ma’am. Your type doesn’t talk to servants like me,” Maria said. Jewel stared at her.
“Oh, Maria. I’m not a high-born lady. I’m a seamstress.” Maria looked up, totally surprised. “My father’s a stable manager and my mother is a housemaid. I’m no more high-born than you are.”
“Jiminy. Then why’re you here to marry Mr. Harland?” Maria asked, still disbelieving.
“I’m not sure myself. He put an advertisement in The Matrimonial Times and I answered it. At the time, I felt like it was God’s will that I come here,” Jewel grumbled. “And he knew full well what I was from the beginning. I don’t know why he’s acting so childish. He asked me to come out here in the first place.”
“That’s just Mr. Harland. He’s famous around here for being as soft as a porcupine,” Maria said dismissively. She had gone from subservient maid to gossiping girl in moments. “What with you walking around town with Mr. Pendleton, it’s no surprise he’s all upset.”
“Is there something between those two?” Jewel asked. “James, I mean, Mr. Harland has been at Mr. Pendleton’s throat since I arrived. And Pendleton’s been trying to needle his way in.”
“Oh, yes. Those two hate each other. They’re both after the same thing, you see. Both of ‘em want to run for mayor.”
“Mayor?” Jewel’s eyebrows flew up. This was the first she’d heard of that .
“Surely. Poor Mr. Harland hasn’t got a chance, but Mr. Pendleton won’t leave him be. Anything Mr. Harland tries to do, Mr. Pendleton will try to interfere.” Maria glanced around the room before leaning in to Jewel’s ear. “Between you and me, Mr. Pendleton just ain’t scrupulous.” she whispered. “He probably thinks he can charm you away from Mr. Harland and ruin his marriage, too.”
“Goodness.” Jewel was too shocked to think of anything more to say. Unscrupulous, indeed.
“Mind you, he’s sure got more charm than Mr. Harland. And more money.”
“I don’t know if charm and money can make up for that kind of character,” Jewel said weakly. “Besides, why doesn’t Mr. Harland have a chance at mayor? Surely he doesn’t go around sabotaging people.”
“No, he just goes around being rude. Folks say he’s a fine lawyer,
The man stood there with a sick look on his face. He wasn’t looking forward to what was coming next.
“As for you,” Jewel said, turning to Mr. Pendleton and pointing her finger at him, “I’m not having dinner with you. Not tonight, and not any other night. If you so much as look sideways at me again, I’ll make you regret it. I come from New York City and I learned at a young age how to take care of myself on the streets. Keep that in mind.”
James smiled brightly at her and tipped his hat. She returned his smile. With that she turned and walked into the hotel lobby.
Chapter 15
Jewel had entered the lobby serenely, but that was just for show. She was angry. She stormed up the stairs to her room as soon as she knew she was out of sight. She slammed into her room where she startled Maria, the maid. The young woman had been in the midst of changing the sheets when Jewel burst through the door, looking as mad as a nest of hornets.
“I’ll, I’ll just, um, finish up in here, ma’am,” she stuttered, hurriedly cramming a pillow into its case. Jewel just sighed and sat down. Suddenly, she was exhausted.
Maria finished her duties and made to leave, giving Jewel a small curtsey.
“Please don’t go,” Jewel said suddenly. She gave the maid a pleading look. “I desperately need someone to talk to. A friend.”
Maria paused.
“I’m sure you don’t want to talk to the likes of me, ma’am,” she said, averting her eyes.
“What are you talking about? I’m not some kind of heiress.” Jewel stood and crossed her arms. Then she started pacing back and forth across the small room.
“You’re a high-born lady, ma’am. Your type doesn’t talk to servants like me,” Maria said. Jewel stared at her.
“Oh, Maria. I’m not a high-born lady. I’m a seamstress.” Maria looked up, totally surprised. “My father’s a stable manager and my mother is a housemaid. I’m no more high-born than you are.”
“Jiminy. Then why’re you here to marry Mr. Harland?” Maria asked, still disbelieving.
“I’m not sure myself. He put an advertisement in The Matrimonial Times and I answered it. At the time, I felt like it was God’s will that I come here,” Jewel grumbled. “And he knew full well what I was from the beginning. I don’t know why he’s acting so childish. He asked me to come out here in the first place.”
“That’s just Mr. Harland. He’s famous around here for being as soft as a porcupine,” Maria said dismissively. She had gone from subservient maid to gossiping girl in moments. “What with you walking around town with Mr. Pendleton, it’s no surprise he’s all upset.”
“Is there something between those two?” Jewel asked. “James, I mean, Mr. Harland has been at Mr. Pendleton’s throat since I arrived. And Pendleton’s been trying to needle his way in.”
“Oh, yes. Those two hate each other. They’re both after the same thing, you see. Both of ‘em want to run for mayor.”
“Mayor?” Jewel’s eyebrows flew up. This was the first she’d heard of that .
“Surely. Poor Mr. Harland hasn’t got a chance, but Mr. Pendleton won’t leave him be. Anything Mr. Harland tries to do, Mr. Pendleton will try to interfere.” Maria glanced around the room before leaning in to Jewel’s ear. “Between you and me, Mr. Pendleton just ain’t scrupulous.” she whispered. “He probably thinks he can charm you away from Mr. Harland and ruin his marriage, too.”
“Goodness.” Jewel was too shocked to think of anything more to say. Unscrupulous, indeed.
“Mind you, he’s sure got more charm than Mr. Harland. And more money.”
“I don’t know if charm and money can make up for that kind of character,” Jewel said weakly. “Besides, why doesn’t Mr. Harland have a chance at mayor? Surely he doesn’t go around sabotaging people.”
“No, he just goes around being rude. Folks say he’s a fine lawyer,
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