An Agent for Pearl Read online

  “Don’t you have to pack?”

  “It is easier for me. I don’t need dresses, clean aprons, fancy products.”

  “Are we going straight to the hotel?”

  Zeke nodded and picked up a bag by the door. I’ve arranged for a hackney.”

  “I need to say goodbye to Marianne and get a few things from the kitchen.”

  “We’ll be back on Thursday.”

  “I’ll only be a moment.”

  Zeke pulled out his pocket watch. “Five minutes. No more.”

  Pearl ran to the kitchen where Marianne and Jacqueline were going over the menus for while Pearl was gone. Pearl tried to make it as easy as possible on the young girl by selecting things that were easy to cook and didn’t require much preparation beforehand.

  “Zeke said that we are leaving. I just wanted to let you know.”

  “Just think how grand it would be if you returned with that grand prize,” Marianne said as she held out her arms. Pearl wasn’t used to any type of affection, so she was hesitant at hugging her employer and friend. As Marianne’s arms wrapped around her, it only took a moment for Pearl to return the hug. “Don’t worry about a thing. We have everything under control.” Marianne released Pearl.

  “Please don’t ruin my kitchen while I’m gone.”

  Jacqueline laughed. “I make no promises. Do you know what they are going to have you prepare?”

  Pearl shrugged. “Not yet. I do know that we have to make dinner and dessert. I’m taking my recipe box.”

  “Oh!” Jacqueline interrupted. “You should make those fried chicken things, with the white gravy. They were so delicious.”

  “Croquettes?”

  “Yes. Those were divine.”

  “I think I have that in my box.”

  “For dessert you should make a pie or a pudding.” Jacqueline passed Pearl a small wooden box from the counter. “No one can compete with your food, Pearl.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Are you going to come to the award ceremony?”

  “Pearl! Five minutes are up. We have to leave,” a voice called.

  Pearl looked at Marianne and smiled. “I hope he doesn’t do that when we are at the hotel.”

  “You go. Enjoy yourself and I’ll make sure that Jacqueline and I are there for your award ceremony.”

  Pearl took the small box from Jacqueline and gave her a quick side hug before leaving to find Zeke in the foyer.

  “Pearl!”

  “I better go.” Pearl gave a little wave and headed back to the foyer. She picked up her bag and placed the wooden box inside.

  “What’s that?” Zeke asked.

  “Just my recipe box. I’ll figure out what I need once I know what I’m making.” She secured her hat to her head and wrapped her cloak around her shoulders. She wore a wrap regardless of the weather.

  Zeke held the door open and she could see a carriage on the road waiting for them. He assisted Pearl in the carriage. Once she was seated, he climbed in next to her and signaled to the driver to proceed.

  The carriage ride went around the park. Pearl had always wondered how it would be to take a carriage ride around the park. She realized that it was faster to walk to her house than use a hired rig.

  Zeke didn’t say anything on the ride to her house.

  “Do I have flour on my face?” Pearl asked.

  “No. I was just noticing that you are a little tense.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a light squeeze. “Everything will be alright.”

  “I know. It is just a case of the nerves.”

  “About the contest?”

  Pearl gave a nervous laugh. “About seeing my mother.”

  “What’s going on there?”

  “She’ll wonder why I’m home early.”

  “That’s all?”

  “That’s all,” Pearl confirmed. Zeke looked as though he didn’t believe her. He reached over and placed his hand over hers. For a moment, Pearl wanted to pull it back, but his grip felt strong as he held her hand.

  “You can tell me anything, Pearl. I’ll always be here for you.”

  Pearl simply nodded and gave his fingers a little squeeze. “Thank you,” she said, knowing she would never take him up on his generous offer. She would keep to herself and count down the days until the annulment happened and Zeke would be free to return to Texas. Then she would spend her days counting down again until the agent with the deep brown eyes was banished from her mind forever.

  Chapter 5

  The carriage rolled towards the Ameristar Hotel outside of town. Pearl spent most of her time gazing out the window. She engaged Zeke in small talk, mostly asking questions about his time in Texas and his family.

  He loved being a ranger, and he didn’t have any family after his mother died five years ago.

  Zeke learned that Pearl wanted to own a small farm. She eventually wanted to grow enough crops that she could be one of those farmers who had a small booth at the market selling fresh produce to the folks in town. Or maybe she could sell baked goods? Everyone enjoyed a fresh baked cake.

  “Oh look!” Pearl cried, pointing out the window. “Here it is!”

  “Here’s what?”

  “This property has been for sale as long as I can remember.” Zeke looked out the window. He saw large fields of green pasture with a broken fence around it. Suddenly a small farmhouse came into view. It looked as if it had seen better days. The porch was broken, and the roof that covered it had collapsed. Shingles needed to be replaced on the rest of the roof.

  There was what looked like an overgrown garden off to the side. Blue shutters littered the yard.

  “It looks like a dump,” Zeke said.

  “It just needs some work. Imagine how beautiful it was years ago. It was bright and white with these light blue shutters. Children and dogs played in the yard. Momma would ring the triangle on the porch to call everyone home for dinner.”

  Zeke shook his head. Pearl looked dreamily out the window. He just didn’t see it, but it sounded like it was something Pearl envisioned in her mind.

  She chatted happily about her plans once she won the prize at the cooking competition. She would use the money, along with a bit she had saved to purchase the property and old home. The big range would go in the kitchen and Pearl could spend her free time fixing up the house.

  Zeke doubted she even knew how to hold a hammer, but he didn’t want to discourage her from that. “What are you going to do if you don’t win?”

  Pearl looked at him, her blueish purple eyes bright as she thought about it for a moment. “Failure won’t be an option,” she replied, turning back to watch the scenery pass.

  Pearl watched as Zeke pushed open the door to the hotel room. He moved aside to let her enter. The room was medium size and beautifully decorated. Patterned papers lined every corner.

  Against the back wall was a bed, larger than Pearl had ever seen, covered in a dark blue and gold brocade cover. It looked too nice to sleep on. Her own bed at home was a small mattress and she layered blankets to keep warm. She looked forward to stretching out as far as she could when she went to sleep.

  Two gold sconces with glass globes were attached to the wall. Pearl walked over and could see that they were gas lights. She turned the knob on the side of the base, and a low light emitted from a glass tube inside the shade.

  There was a large window letting in light and Pearl was instantly drawn to go and take in the view. She could see the center of town in the distance. It looked so small from the third floor where she was staying. She extinguished the glow and went to look out the window.

  As she approached, her foot caught a wooden structure no more than a foot high. It was directly beneath the window. How peculiar that there would be a box there, she thought.

  She leaned slightly over the box; her forehead nearly pressed against the window as she looked down below. The window overlooked a small courtyard in the middle of the hotel. There was a large fountain surrounded by green and lush
plants. A stone path weaved its way through the brush, forming a walkway. The courtyard also had several bistro tables clustered together in the shade, away from the afternoon sun. Pearl could see a man carrying a silver tray as he moved from table to table.

  Pearl moved away from the window and sat in the velvet Queen Anne chair situated next to the small desk. She squeezed her fingers against the edge of the seat. The fabric crushed underneath her fingertips, leaving patterns where she had applied pressure.

  She ran her finger over the edge of the desk, tracing the scalloped carvings inlayed in the wood. She stopped when she spied a large envelope on the desk with her name on it.

  “What’s that?” Zeke asked, walking into the room and placing her bags on the wooden box beneath the window.

  Pearl opened the envelope and pulled out the papers. Scanning them quickly, she said, “It appears to be instructions for tonight and the competition.” She laid the papers back on the desk. “I’ll read them later.”

  Zeke came and stood in front of her, blocking her view of the city outside the window. “I think that’s it. You should be very comfortable here.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever stayed anywhere so grand in my entire life! I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave.” Pearl held her breath as Zeke squatted to be eye level with her.

  “You might even turn into a lady of leisure while you are here.” He gave her a smile that turned Pearl’s insides to mashed potatoes.

  “I – I don’t think there will be an issue of that happening.”

  Zeke tapped her nose and stood. “I need to meet with Mr. Warner and Mr. Sous to go over the plans for the next few days. I think there is some event tonight to welcome everyone.”

  “Will you be there?”

  “In an official capacity. No one knows that Mr. Warner has hired security. I’ll just be walking around taking everything in tonight.”

  “I won’t say a word,” Pearl promised.

  Zeke winked at her. “Perhaps we can have breakfast together tomorrow?”

  “I’d like that,” Pearl said.

  Zeke walked to the window. “There is a small restaurant on the first floor. You can get yourself some lunch there, if you are hungry.” Pearl didn’t want to betray her lack of coins. She had some money she brought to the competition, but nothing extra. “Have it charged to your room,” Zeke said as if he heard her thoughts. “Then the Agency will pick up the bill.”

  “I can’t do that. I shouldn’t do that.”

  “You are an agent for the next few days. Even if it isn’t in an official capacity.” Zeke kissed her forehead and moved towards the door. “I’m on the second floor, Room 17 if you need anything.”

  Pearl nodded. Not that she would ever go seeking him out. She listened to the sound of the door click behind him. Gathering her thoughts for a moment she quickly opened her bags and unpacked her few belongings and placed them in the wardrobe.

  Her stomach growled, reminding Pearl she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She grabbed the papers from the desk and went in search of that small café on the first floor.

  She ignored the looks and murmurs of the people as she followed the sound of running water and low voices to the café. She had become immune to it. Most folks react with curiosity, but then once they had their fill of looking at her, they moved on.

  She entered the café and stood just inside the door. The café was bright and open, with tables of different sizes covered in whiten linens.

  “Are you here for afternoon tea or a late lunch?” a man asked, stepping from behind a bush. Pearl gave a little shriek and put her hand over her heart.

  “Goodness me, you scared the daylights out of me.”

  The man looked at Pearl and a look of surprise came over him. Pearl recognized that look well. Not many folks had seen someone as pale as she, so she was used to the immediate reaction. The man immediately recovered and picked up a menu from behind the bush. “I apologize, miss. That was not my intention.”

  “No harm done.” Pearl could see that there was a podium in the shadows and that is where he must have been standing. Judging by his black vest and tie along with the towel draped over his arm, Pearl thought he must be one of the servers.

  “Afternoon tea or full-service luncheon?” he repeated.

  Pearl glanced around the dining room. Several women were seated drinking tea with a tower of treats in front of them. Others looked like they were eating a full meal.

  “Is that the tea service?” Pearl asked, pointing to one of the towers filled with small sandwiches, cakes and other treats.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “I’ll do that, I think.”

  The man nodded and placed the menu back on the podium. “Would you like indoor or outdoor seating?”

  “Indoor, please. But by a window if you have one,” she quickly added.

  “Follow me,” he said as he turned on his heel to lead her through the restaurant to a table near the door leading outside. “Will this do, ma’am?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  He held out the seat, while Pearl adjusted her skirt. She sat down, allowing the man to push her seat in.

  “Mr. Davis will bring your tea shortly.”

  Pearl thanked the man and waited for him to leave before pulling the papers from her bag. The papers were an itinerary of the events for the competition. Tonight, there was an informal dinner in the dining room to allow all the contestants to meet each other and the competition sponsors. The following day was a meeting to go over the rules and determine the recipes to be used so everyone was judged fairly.

  The final paper was a list of all the sponsors for the contest – the stove company, businesses that had donated prizes, and the grocers in town that donated the food to be prepared.

  She had just finished scanning the list when another man walked up with a pot of tea and one of those stands with two trays. He placed both down on the table and adjusted the cozy that was covering the pot. “Do you need anything else, ma’am?”

  Pearl shook her head and the man left, leaving her alone to look at the feast before her. She had never had a tea service before. Marianne had told her all about them. Marianne’s mother had tea every afternoon. Marianne attempted to carry on the tradition at the office, but she was so busy that there was never time to just have a bit of a break.

  When she was able to have tea, it usually involved sitting at the dining room table with a plate of cookies. Pearl longed to have one of the high teas that Marianne discussed. Now the opportunity was right in front of her!

  The top plate of the silver tower was filled with assorted cheese and two types of finger sandwiches. Small rectangles were filled with a reddish spread and there were circles that Pearl could see had cucumbers and a green garnish.

  The bottom tray contained small cakes enrobed in different colored icing, a tart filled with a yellow filling and an assortment of scones and sweet breads. She longed to have company to share this delectable feast with. She wondered if Zeke had ever participated in a high tea.

  Pearl took a croissant and placed it on the plate in front of her, along with several slices of cheese. The server reappeared and placed a plate with butter and jam down next to her.

  “Is everything to your liking, Miss?” he asked, removing the cozy from the pot and turning over the china cup on the table.

  “It looks lovely. What are these?” she asked pointing to the small cakes. The waiter carefully poured the brewed tea in her cup before returning the tea pot to the table and covering it again with the cozy.

  “Those are called petit fours. They are small cakes filled with cream and jam.”

  “They are too beautiful to eat.”

  The waiter smiled. “I’ll be sure to let the baker know.”

  “And what is this?” she asked pointing to the small rectangle sandwiches filled with the reddish filling.

  “Those are pimento cheese sandwiches. These are cucumber and watercress. The tart is lemon curd and tod
ay’s scone is brown sugar and cinnamon. Is there anything else I can get for you, Miss?”

  Pearl shook her head. “Thank you for explaining everything to me.”

  “My pleasure, Miss. My name is Mr. Edwards, if you need anything else. Simply signal and I’ll be right over.”

  Pearl looked around the restaurant. “Where will you be?”

  “Right there, Miss,” he pointed to an area that was hidden behind more of those large plants. He gave a light bow and left Pearl alone to enjoy her repast.

  She tore the croissant apart and lavishly spread it with butter and jam. The flavor of strawberries exploded in her mouth and she gobbled the rest in several bites. Adding sugar and cream to her tea, she sipped as she watched the women in the courtyard.

  Several were wearing beautiful velvet gowns with layers of fabric in the back. Fashionable felt hats adorned their heads, decorated with feathers and jeweled pins. Pearl looked down at her own modest outfit. She wore a dark blue skirt which was several years old. Her blouse was a light blue. Zeke said it picked up the color in her eyes.

  She didn’t wear a bustle because of the dangers around the stove. She learned that lesson the hard way when she bent over to pick up some kindling to feed into the wood stove and the back of her skirt caught fire.

  Pearl wondered if those women were competing in the competition. They looked as though they hadn’t cooked a day in their lives. Pearl felt the callouses on her own fingers as she rubbed them together. No, she would never be a fine lady, and that was alright with her.

  To console herself, she picked up one of the pimento sandwiches and took a bite. Looking back out the window she made up stories about the women who were mingling in the courtyard.

  There was one woman with brown hair in ringlets around her face. She wore a caramel brown dress with a large bustle in the back. Her lips were colored with a deep red rouge that Pearl had never seen before. She had large eyes and a hawkish nose which reminded Pearl of a bird of prey. Pearl giggled as she imagined the woman as the witch from a fairy tale who was gobbling up naughty children.

  Her companion was younger with the same dark locks. She looked like a canary in a bright yellow dress the color of sunflowers. Pearl decided that this woman tried to trick the witch by singing, which warned the children to stay away.