Narrow Escape

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"Well I think everything looks nice and clean," Evelyn Michelson said as she stood back and surveyed the clean rooms above the shop. She had joined Belle, Eleanor, Amada and Charlotte early this morning and two other ladies. The only information they were informed of was that Charlotte was starting a dress shop and needed some help to clean the building up, nothing about the wedding later in the day.

They had started downstairs dusting, sweeping and moping before the women then progressed upstairs and the rooms there.

Charlotte had enjoyed meeting the two ladies, both widows. Mabel Redding and Martha Prentiss were both around sixty. They were both warm, sweet welcoming ladies and happy to help Charlotte get the building cleaned and ready for use. They both enjoyed meeting Amanda Sellers, a woman close to their own age. They told Charlotte before they left they looked forward to her shop opening and planned on being some of her first customers.

"I do not know how to thank you," Charlotte said as she looked around her new home. All the furniture sparkled having been cleaned and waxed as had the hardwood floors and other wood surfaces. The sofa and chairs in the pallor area had their cushions dusted and cleaned. The stove had been cleaned as were all the kitchen cabinets. The whole place sparkled and smelled wonderfully like lemon and beeswax. "We are done long before I thought we would be. Bob Draper said he would have his men deliver my trunks here as soon as they arrived in town."

It was after ten and she hoped her trunks would arrive soon in order to select the dress she wanted and time enough to press the wrinkles from it. Evelyn had told her how and one of the things on Belle's list was an iron. She prayed she wouldn't burn the dress she wanted to wear. Charlotte knew she had many things to learn but she was eager to. She wanted to make Lane Preston a good wife. Not one that would have to have other people taking care of her. She wanted to be the one to take care of Lane not the other way around.

"All we have to do, now, is get the things you need for housekeeping," Belle said. "I've made a list of what I think you will need but I want all of you to go over it with me to be sure I haven't forgotten anything."

The ladies sat at Charlotte's dinning table and went over the list together and added a few more things. Once they were done the five ladies left for the general store where Belle gave Angus her list and Charlotte watched as his eyes widen.

"Charlotte is opening a dress shop here in town and will live above it, she needs all this to set up housekeeping with," Belle told him. "We'd like the items delivered by noon if we could? A few items we will take with us now."

"I will have you order delivered for you by noon Miss Hastings," he replied.

"Good," Belle told him taking charge of it all. "I want it put on my account."

"Yes, Missy," he replied and Charlotte realized for the first time he call all single women Missy.

"We'll pick out the linen, dishes, silverware, pots and pans now," Belle informed him as the five ladies set about the task with enthusiasm and good humor.

Charlotte was glad for all this distraction because it kept her from being more nervous about her wedding this afternoon than she all ready was. In a few short hours she would become Charlotte Preston, Mrs. Lane Preston, wife of the sheriff of this town.

With the three of them working it didn't take long to get the items they wanted and put them on the counter for Angus to have delivered while he filled the rest of the order and took the items they wanted with them, the linens for the beds and curtains for the upstairs widows. Charlotte knew it her order would total to a large amount but she couldn't talk Belle into letting her pay for at least half of it.