Barbara Wilkes pushed a laundry basket through the bowels of the Montgomery Estate as she followed the housekeeper, Mrs. Taplin, into the vast folding room. Although she was glad to have found work on the Montgomery Estate, Barbara hadn’t counted on feeling tired, achy, and old so fast. The one thing she couldn’t do was age fifteen years in six months because she was doing work for people that they could very well do these tasks for themselves. At least for this afternoon, she was being sent to the folding room to press, scent, and fold bed linen. It was a thankless job which is why she kept reminding herself that her plan superseded all else.
“Don’t be too long with folding everything,” snapped Mrs. Taplin. She was a stern birdlike woman who smiled with glee whenever a task seemed just miserable enough. “The family likes to have new sheets on their beds every night!”
“I’ll be as fast as I can.” Barbara watched as Mrs. Taplin marched off to leave Barbara to her task.
“Need some help?” asked Ada from the doorway. “Mark told me that Old Taps sent you in here and told me to help you out.”
“Old Taps?” laughed Barbara.
“Yeah. She’s like a drill sergeant or something. Thinks she’s big stuff because she once worked for the Viscount of Hornbly.” Ada helped Barbara dump the laundry bag onto a giant table. She quickly explained to Barbara how to get the linen just so before saying, “I saw you in town on Monday. Called out to you, but I don’t think you heard me. You were going into the Kingsport Arms.”
Barbara immediately smiled because she didn’t want to admit that she had heard Ada, but she couldn’t risk her ruining her plan. “Oh, Ada, I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you,” lied Barbara.
“Can’t believe you could afford to stay at the Arms. It’s so expensive.”
“I just went for breakfast,” said Barbara, kindly.
“I went for a Mother’s Day breakfast years ago. My kids saved all year to treat me. Those snobbish waiters were above themselves, but my Tony told one of them that his ma worked for the Montgomery family! Well, service got a whole lot better after that, let me tell you.” Ada swiftly handed a pillow case for Barbara to scent and fold.
“They were very nice to me,” lied Barbara. “The food was wonderful. I enjoyed it.”
Ada chuckled. “Don’t let the family find out that you’re dining where they eat. They don’t like it.”
“It’s a free town. I can eat where I please. Anyway, I haven’t even met the family. Well, the daughter, India, snapped at me when we were waiting on their dinner party. I doubt she remembered my face.”
“Still. Don’t be getting high above your station, Barbara…”
“I’m not!”
“Look, I know you’re a nice girl,” sighed Ada, “but there are a lot of nice girls who like to pretend they’re something more than what they are in this town and it blows up in their faces. Going to the Arms once is fun. Going all the time is dangerous. Just go to Zelda’s or the Rusty Nickle. Good honest places. Meet a nice boy who works at the docks or in an office. You’ll be much happier that way, Barbara.”
Barbara listened and nodded with a compliant smile. However, deep inside her soul, she wanted to scream. Ada sounded like every fish wife she’d known until the day she arrived in Kingsport. If she wanted to eat breakfast at the Arms, she would! If she wanted to better herself and not get locked down with some loser on an hourly wage, she would! The last thing Barbara wanted for herself was to work for the Montgomery family for twenty years, never meet them, and go to the Arms once after saving for a year like Ada and her little brats. No, thought Barbara, she would have to begin to quietly distance herself from everyone in order to ensure she could rise in the world. She knew it would take a little bit of time, but little did Barbara know, her luck would change in a way she couldn’t predict.
Dylan Davenport finished his beer while he contemplated how he would spend the rest of the day. Since he stepped down last year from the role of CEO at Davenport Technology, the publicly listed company still controlled by his family, his days were spent in idle contemplation instead of hurrying to get to the next challenge. As the oldest Davenport child, Dylan was told from birth that he had to be someone special…someone superior. Now, at forty-five, he had become special, but he didn’t think anyone noticed. His mother and siblings never thanked him once for keeping the stock price of the company stable which ensured quarterly dividends flowed into their trust funds. While he didn’t seek the approval of his family, he would have appreciated it. Dylan glanced at his watch when he saw his sister, Lisa, walking over to him. “I thought you were in New York.” Dylan stood up to greet his sister. “This is a nice surprise.”
Lisa took in the sight of the Kingsport Country Club’s grille restaurant with a slight smile. “I came back last Sunday for the Memorial Day party at the country club and Oliver started school on Tuesday. Jackson is still in New York on business.”
“Huh. I’m surprised you trust Jackson alone in New York City with his roving eye.”
Lisa took a deep sip of her brother’s beer. Everyone knew that her husband was a serial cheater, but it didn’t bother her. That was his issue. Their finances were separated which meant that none of his angry lovers could ever come after her money. “I’ve accepted Jackson for exactly who he is, Dylan. He’s a great father and a great provider for Oliver, so I have no complaints. He keeps his affairs a secret. I have someone I call upon when I need him and the world is a happier place.”
“You do you, Lisa.”
“Actually, I’m glad I ran into you. I went over to Mom’s house on Monday before I went to the country club and she was in a mood about Eli.”
“What’s he done now?”
“Mom is concerned because India is back in town. She thinks Eli will leave San Francisco and move back to Kingsport so India can spend time with Faren.”
Dylan shook his head. He knew all too well how much their mother loved to control every situation which came her way. It was part of the reason why Dylan had resigned as CEO of Davenport Technology. Sheila’s constant meddling was her biggest character flaw. “Eli will do whatever suits him. We know that. I don’t know why Mom gets herself into a bother over him.”
“She blames him for Daddy’s disappearance.”
Dylan took a long sip of his beer. “Still?”
“Yes. She hasn’t mentioned it in years, but she did the other day. Dylan, you remember more about that time than I do… Mom isn’t right, is she?”
The last thing Dylan wanted to think about were the events which transpired thirty years ago. Their father, Larry, vanished one day and no one had heard from him since. There were rumored sightings in Monaco and Manila, but nothing concrete. As far as Dylan was concerned, they were better off without Larry. “No, I don’t think Mom is right. Just because Eli was the last person seen with Dad doesn’t mean he was the last person with him.”
Lisa considered her brother’s statement. “I suppose… It’s always struck me as odd that Mom is so insistent that Eli stay away. She barely sees Faren because of this grudge. Oh, and she nearly jumped down my throat when I mentioned that I’d spent time with Eli in Switzerland.”
“Mom has her reasons, Lisa. It’s not for me to say. I will say that a lot did happen back then, but I think it’s best if we just let it go. Eli will stay in San Francisco. I doubt he wants Faren around India on a consistent basis. To be honest, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.” Even as Dylan said the words, he didn’t believe them. He knew all too well some of the things that had happened thirty years ago between the family and Larry. Dylan also knew that Eli was being blamed for something that anyone could have done because there was a darker reason why Eli stayed away. There always had been. Dylan thought he knew way… He thought he knew Sheila knew way, too. However, Dylan knew that the only person who could shine some light on the ugliest part of the Davenport family’s history was Eli. And Eli had kept his mouth shut since that fateful night thirty years ago. Dylan knew Eli held the answers they were seeking. But, Dylan also knew that keeping a secret buried is the only way to move on…
In our next installment, Barbara takes a risk…
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