Cat's Meow (Sweethearts of Jubilee Springs #6) Read online

  Catherine watched as at the conclusion of Andrea’s wedding to Aaron Brinks, Aaron’s family swarmed around the newly married couple to congratulate them and welcome Andrea into their family. Next, Catherine, tears in her eyes, hugged her. “I’m so happy for you, Andrea.”

  Andrea whispered in Catherine’s ear. “It will work out for you, Catherine. You and Harold were meant to be. It will be your turn before you know it.”

  Catherine squeezed Andrea in response and stepped back with a forced smile on her lips. Were Andrea’s words true? They had to be true. She didn’t think she could live without Harold, especially now that she had met him.

  Catherine stayed long enough to add her name as a witness in the registry. Afterwards, she simply could not stand it anymore. She had to get away.

  Catherine turned to Andrea. “I need to get back and check on Sunny.” Then, knowing an offer of a ride would be made, she cut off Aaron’s words before he could speak them. “It’s not that far so I’ll walk. I need a few minutes to myself to think about a few things anyway.” She turned towards the boarding house before anyone could stop her.

  She had only gone a few yards when Gretel ran up to her and began talking. “Miss Everett, do you have Sunny with you? Do you think I could take him home and play with him for a little while?”

  Catherine smiled at the girl, and shook her head. “Not right now, Gretel. Let me get home and get her fed first. I’ll bring her to the Independence Day celebration a little later. Will your family be there?”

  Disappointed, Gretel nodded. “Yes, we’re coming. I’ll wait until later to see Sunny.”

  Catherine fought back tears. She was being true to her word. She was taking care of Sunny instead of abandoning the kitten to take its chances. She was doing the right thing—wasn’t she? If so, why did she feel so miserable? Why did she feel like she had made a terrible mistake?

  After taking care of the kitten, Catherine packed up her valise, ready to move to a smaller room once Andrea moved her things and it was time for Mrs. Howard to clean the room they had shared for the next guest. She folded all the clean cloths she had for Sunny and put them in the bottom of the picnic hamper. The ones that were soiled she bundled and planned to leave outside the Howard’s back door until she could take them to Hackett’s laundry the next day when they were open again. She didn’t want to inconvenience Mrs. Howard by asking if she could wash her personal laundry while staying there.

  Once she was ready to leave, she placed Sunny in the hamper and left for the park. She realized with the limited funds left to her, she needed to eat at the community picnic to save food money since Mrs. Howard would not be preparing a midday meal that day. Then eyes downcast, with Sunny’s hamper in her hand, she walked to the park.

  The movement of someone walking towards her prompted Catherine to look up. It was Harold. He stopped about six feet away from her, a look of yearning in his eyes. Catherine swallowed, wondering if the longing for him she felt inside radiated from her face.

  Harold nodded at her, then he pointed to the wicker hamper. “I see you still have the cat.”

  Catherine glanced at the hamper and then back at Harold, her entire body aching for him. She wanted to rush to him and throw her arms around him. However, she knew she dare not. Not only would her gesture not be welcome, it would send him into another sneezing fit. “Yes. The Hackett children asked to play with her for a little while. I told them I would bring her to the park.”

  His feet spread, Harold folded his arms and stretched to his full height. “But, you still have the cat.”

  Catherine fought back tears as she looked at the ground. She swallowed sobs that threatened to escape. “Yes. I already explained, Harold. I cannot in good conscience abandon this kitten to take its chances. You already warned me the coyotes and bobcats could come down out of the hills and go after her. How can she fight off an attack like that?”

  Harold blew out his breath and his whole body seemed to deflate. “You are so tender-hearted, Cat. That is one of the reasons why I fell in love with you. I just wish physically I could live with a cat around, but I can’t. It’s been bad enough when I’ve been around you, with my eyes watering and head getting stuffy. If I get too close to a cat, sometimes my throat will threaten to close up. I can’t live like that.”

  “I know, Harold. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  Harold looked over and saw the crowd gather around Royce Bainbridge. He pointed towards him. “It looks like Mr. Bainbridge is getting ready to do the drawing to see which house the married couples will end up with. We might as well go see who tied the knot and find out which house they get. Just…just don’t walk too close to me, not while you have the cat.”

  “All right.” Catherine was willing to anything as long as she could be by Harold as long as possible. She feared she could not find a job that would pay enough for her to be able to support herself and earn enough money to pay back the bridal fee to the Prosperity Mine. That meant she would need to choose another miner to marry. But, she didn’t want anyone but Harold. She certainly couldn’t bear to think about it this day.

  The numbers were drawn. Andrea and Aaron Brinks drew the house that was almost to the far end of the group of houses. Her back yard faced the mountains. She was close to a lot of wilderness and open space. Catherine knew her friend would like that since she was used to living on a ranch with wide open fields. Aurelia and Ellen, two other brides, ended up in houses with backyards facing the mountains, but they were closer to the mine. It would be a shorter walk for their husbands to go to work. Josephine, an older bride, dropped out. Catherine heard she would live with the woman who happened to come to town the same day Lizett and the brides did. Catherine should have been the fourth bride to marry one of the Prosperity Mine miners, but here she was, unmarried and looking spinsterhood full in the face—all for Sunny.

  After the houses were assigned and congratulations were offered, Harold, his face wearing a scowl to mask his disappointment and sorrow, turned to Catherine. “I guess that’s that. Have a good day, Catherine. Good luck to you and whoever you end up marrying. I’m going to go back to the bunkhouse. I sure don’t feel like celebrating.”

  Before Catherine could reply, Harold hurried off without looking back. Catherine felt like sinking into the ground as she watched him go. Her sorrow over her loss felt like it would crush her. She had been abandoned again, this time by another man she had hoped would be her husband.

  “Hello, Miss Everett. May we play with Sunny now?”

  The voice of Gretel Hackett pulled Catherine out of her maudlin thoughts. She turned to see both Gretel and Hansel standing before her, looks of anticipation on their faces. At the same time, Sunny began to meow and scratch at the wicker. She wanted out to play with the children as much as they wanted to play with her.

  Catherine forced a smile on her face. “Why, certainly you may. Do you hear her? She wants to come out and play with you.” Catherine set the basket on the ground and Gretel bent to open it. She lifted Sunny in one arm and began to pet him with the other.

  Next to her, Hansel pouted and jammed his fists to his waist. “I want to hold Sunny too. You always hold her and don’t give me a chance.”

  Gretel conceded reluctantly. “All right. You can carry him back to Mama and Papa. But be careful and don’t drop her. I’ll bring the basket.”

  “I won’t drop her. I know how to carry her.” Hansel walked away before his older sister could change her mind.

  Catherine smiled at the young girl as she stooped to pick up the hamper. “I have extra clean cloths in the bottom in case Sunny gets tired and you want to put her inside for a little nap. Also, there is a piece of yarn in there she likes people to wiggle in front of her so she can play with it. Sometimes it helps get her to come to you.”

  Gretel stood and held the hamper with both hands. She looked at the ground, obviously sorrowful. “I wish we could have our own kitty. But, there aren’t many cats in town so there aren�
�t hardly any kittens people are trying to give away.”

  “Really?” Gretel’s statement surprised Catherine. There were always plenty of cats where she had lived in Kansas. It was very easy to find someone looking for new homes for a litter of kittens. “Why aren’t there many cats in Jubilee Springs?”

  “Papa says it’s because it’s a new town, and mostly miners came here at first. Some of them brought dogs, but Papa says a dog wouldn’t work where we live. But people who move here don’t bring cats. For one thing, they won’t let cats on the train. They leave them with someone back where they used to live.” Gretel looked up at her, curiosity written on her face. “You came by train. How did you get them to let you bring a kitten?”

  With an air of conspiracy, Catherine leaned forward and whispered. “I snuck Sunny on board. I had a lot of porters and conductors mad at me. I even had to bribe one with sweet rolls and dried fruit so he’d let me stay on the train and continue my journey.”

  Gretel looked up with a big smile and her eyes twinkled. “I’m sure glad you did. I’m glad you brought Sunny. We really like playing with her.” With that, she turned and followed after her brother.

  Catherine watched the girl, Sunny’s hamper swinging at the end of her arm, as she walked to join her family. She felt even more abandoned than ever with Sunny gone, but she knew the kitten enjoyed being with the children, and they loved to play with her.

  Catherine felt more alone than ever, even more than after Manfred broke off their relationship and after her sister married and moved away. As much as she felt alone when her aunt died and Arnie informed her she had to move, she had not felt as alone and abandoned then as she felt right at that moment.

  Catherine stood up straight as she realized with a start that her thinking was all wrong. Harold had not abandoned her. She had abandoned Harold. And, if she could find a good home for Sunny with people who would love the kitten, she would not be abandoning her. Perhaps there was a way she could make everyone happy, including herself.

  Almost running, Catherine hurried in the direction she had seen the Hackett children take Sunny. She came upon Gretel and Hansel playing with her under the shade of a tree. “Gretel, are your parents here at the park?” Gretel pointed towards a family on a blanket two trees over.

  Struggling to maintain proper decorum, Catherine walked over until she saw Heide Hackett. Sharing her blanket was the napping form of the little girl she had seen at the bakery, a young blonde woman in her late teens or early twenties, and a man she assumed was Mr. Hackett. “Mrs. Hackett? May I please speak with you for a few minutes?”

  “Ya. Please join us. This is my husband, Otto, and my oldest daughter, Hannah.”

  Catherine acknowledged the introductions and sat on the corner of the blanket. “Mr. and Mrs. Hackett…”

  “Otto and Heide, please. Jubilee Springs is a small town. We are all friends now, ya?”

  Catherine smiled wide. “Thank you. Heide, I have met a man I have fallen in love with and dearly wish to marry…if he still will have me. Unfortunately, he is very allergic to cats. Just me being around him when Sunny is nowhere near has made him ill. I need to find a new home for Sunny if I am to be with him. He’s told me about the predators in the surrounding hills that will go after a cat, so I need to find someone in town who would take good care of her. And I thought that since your children….”

  Heide held up her hand as she and Otto exchanged a glance. She turned back to Catherine. “Ya, we will take the kitten. The children have begged for a pet. With our business and where we live, a dog would not work out, but it is just right for a cat. It will make our children happy to have Sunny.”

  A wave of relief rolled over Catherine. “Oh, thank you. You have no idea how important this is to me to find a new home for Sunny where she will be happy. I have most of her things with her hamper. She is almost house-broken, but I keep a few rags around for bedding and for just in case. I have some soiled ones in a bundle behind the Howard Boarding House which I’ll wash up and bring to you….”

  Otto Hackett interrupted her. “No, no. You take Gretel with you to get the dirty cloths. We’ll wash them up for the kitten. We run a laundry, you know.”

  Seeing the twinkle in the man’s eyes, Catherine laughed at his joke. “Thank you. I’ll have her follow me right now so she can come right back.” She stood to run her errand, but turned back, hesitant to ask her next request. “I need to go find Harold—Mr. Calloway—and I’m not that familiar with Jubilee Springs yet. What is the best way to get to the bunkhouse for the miners?”

  “You mean for the single miners?” Otto leaned back a wary expression on his face. “It is over the bridge next to the sawmill. But, I suggest you not go there by yourself. There’s the Corner Saloon on this side of the river you must pass, and with everyone off work and celebrating, it would not be safe for you. Then, on the other side of the river, not all the miners are gentlemen, if you know what I mean, and if you turn the wrong direction, you will run into…”

  “No more, Otto.” Heide jerked her head meaningfully towards Hannah. “It is enough to warn her it is not safe to go alone.”

  Hannah’s soft voice cut in. “Mama, I know about the bordello over there. You don’t need to try to hide its existence from me.”

  Heide turned to her daughter. “We do not discuss these things in public, Hannah.” She turned back to face Catherine. “Maybe after you take Gretel to pick up the bundle of dirty laundry for the kitty, you can find someone to go get Mr. Calloway for you, ya?”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for all your help.”

  Catherine’s heart lifted as she witnessed the joy on Gretel’s and Hansel’s faces when she told them their parents had agreed they would keep Sunny to be their family’s pet. They both assured Catherine they would give Sunny the best of care. Excited at the prospect of having Sunny live with them from that point forward, Gretel willingly came with Catherine to retrieve the bundle of soiled rags.

  After the girl ran back to her parents with it so she could return to the kitten, Catherine walked back towards the park. She studied the people relaxing in the shade or taking leisurely strolls through the grass. She saw Lizett walking with Royce Bainbridge. The two seemed engrossed in conversation and she didn’t wish to disturb them. She didn’t see any of the brides who had come in on the train with her. She thought as she walked back to the alley behind the boarding house she had seen several people milling around out in front of the mercantile. Some she recognized as newlyweds, some were strangers. The rest of the women she knew through the bridal agency no doubt were off somewhere preparing their new houses and enjoying their new married status. She surveyed the park area again, but didn’t see anyone she knew.

  Catherine sucked in her breath with determination. Dangerous or not, she had to find Harold and tell him she had found a new home for Sunny. She was unwilling to wait until the next day to do it. For one thing, by the time the miners got off work on Tuesday, it would be too late to look for him. She needed to find him right away.

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  CHAPTER 14

  ~o0o~

  Wishing to avoid the crowd in front of the mercantile, Catherine hurried down the back alley between the buildings that fronted Telegraph Street and Main Street. At the end, she turned to the left to walk towards the river.

  “Hey, pretty lady, can I help you with something?”

  Catherine stopped dead in her tracks. The man walking towards her weaved as he walked. She looked at the building next to her and realized she was by the one saloon Otto Hackett had warned her about. She swiftly shook her head and ignored the wolf whistle as she ran across the street to what appeared to be a private home. She turned north again. Directly ahead of her was some kind of mill. She decided it must be the sawmill she had heard mentioned. Thankfully, no one was working there that day, because the mill was shut down to celebrate Independence Day.

  A quick glance t
o her left, and Catherine saw the entrance to the Corner Saloon set where the corner had been chopped off and the door was set at an angle to the two walls. She followed the road in front of the house, and saw where the street angled east to cross the river where it made a bend to flow south instead of east like where the mine owners had built the company houses. Catherine hurried in the direction of the bridge.

  As Catherine hurried over the bridge, she realized the road on the other side was not as well-maintained as the ones in town or the one leading to the new company housing for the married miners. Beyond the intersection of a road that looked like it led to the mine, she saw a big two-story structure ahead of her. Several people stood or walked around out front. Catherine suspected she was looking at the saloon and bordello.

  Several women stood on a second floor balcony. Catherine gasped and averted her eyes when she realized one of them wore nothing but a white camisole and knee-length drawers edged in white lace, red and black striped stockings and a red corset with black lace trim cinched tight around her middle. She knew what prostitutes did to earn their living, but she had not expected one to so blatantly advertise her wares in such a manner.

  Catherine hurried down the road going west towards the boxy two story structure she guessed was the single miners’ bunkhouse Harold had mentioned. Her steps slowed as she approached what she guessed was the front door.

  Catherine eyed an older man sitting on a bench next to the door. From the way he slouched against the outside wall, had his arms folded and hat tipped over his eyes, she suspected he was dozing.

  “Excuse me.”

  Startled, the man’s arms and legs flew every direction before one hand grabbed his hat to keep it from falling from his head. He jumped to his feet and squinted at Catherine. “If you’re looking for Lance James to try to get a job, he’s at the Silver Dollar over there.” The man pointed in the direction of the bordello.