The Vicky Series: Book 1: Chasing a Dream

Chapter 36

It was amazing watching the woman prepare her meal. It looked so easy. She had biscuits in the oven, Stew on the back burner and was packing plates and jellies and such into a basket. Vicky noticed that there were only two plates and she had a very funny feeling she was about to be set up.

She settled down to read a little poetry while Katie "whipped up a proper lunch." She really needn't have worried. Katie was trying to set her up. Ernest told her so while they supped under the shade of a mesquite tree near a fountain in the plaza.

"She's rather like a mother to me. She's got a son but he took off to seek his fortune ten years ago and no one's heard from him since. Mrs. Larraby came here to look for him. She couldn't find him and then her money ran out. She was the first to start a dress shop in town and she did rather well for herself."

Vicky nibbled on her lunch and listened quietly.

"My mother passed away when I was sixteen and I came out here to look for gold. I almost ended up in one of them pine boxes. My best friend came out to look for gold with me. Someone jumped our claim and he was killed. I felt so bad and didn't have the money for a casket, so I stole some boards from someone's sluice boxes and built my own."

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Naw. It worked out. It's how I ended up in the undertaker business. See, I carved a fancy cross for a grave marker for Benjamin. Somehow the undertaker heard about it he offered to pay me if I would carve some for him. I was hungry, without money or a claim, so I took the job."

Vicky was surprised at how interesting his life was. Somehow undertaker didn't conjure up any images of adventure, but he'd certainly had a few.

"He taught me how to chisel the stones, how to make proper caskets, and all the other non-exciting stuff. When he passed away the business fell to me by default since he'd left no kin or will. That's how I met Mrs. Larraby; she ordered a memorial for her son. I started looking in on her using the marker I was carving as an excuse. After we became friends she started inviting me for meals."

"It's worked well for you both then." Vicky smiled.

"Sure has. She's the one who tricked me into helping with the mail. Then when the telegraph came, she volunteered me to learn to work it. My black suit was a Christmas gift from her a few years ago. Last Christmas she gave me the top hat. She said 'a proper undertaker wears respectable clothes for mourning'."

Vicky chuckled at his attempt to mimic her Irish brogue.

"Ernest, I wonder if you could tell me, does Katie know how to read?"

"Some, but not very well. It's not something we talk about much. I read to her some nights, usually Sunday after dinner. She claims it's her eyes."

"I see." Vicky sighed and began packing up the remains of their lunch.

When they'd finished packing up, Ernest draped their blanket over one arm and took the basket from Vicky before he offered his free hand to help her up. As they started to leave, Ernest stopped suddenly.

"I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a telegram for her.

As she read it aloud, Ernest led them back to the post office. Mr. Hargrove applauded her bravery and offered his regrets that he could not offer her "official and financial support". He added that if she needed advice, he would be available.

"Will there be any reply?" They'd reached Katie's home and Ernest held open the door to let Vicky pass first.

Katie was smiling coyly, looking at them over her reading glasses as she sat stitching in the corner. Vicky let it go without argument. She was leaving day after tomorrow and Ernest was a perfect gentleman as well as delightful company.