House Work

He enjoyed these mornings with Anna, whose perfect bookkeeping almost made his appearance at the bordello unneeded. He loved sitting in the large kitchen of the Mansion, however, with its wood wainscoting and flocked papered walls. What no one knew was that it was almost an exact replica of his mother’s kitchen in France, before his family had moved to New York. He also enjoyed Anna, although many people would have found that surprising, if not miraculous. Anna’s sharp tongue and barbs were well known among the citizens of Mountain Junction. The truth was, Anna reminded him of his sister Adele, whose sharp tongue had often left his mother speechless. André had always respected the way Adele never allowed their mother to turn her into a fawning coquet. When Seizemain had bitten their mother when she offered him a carrot, André had apologized and wrapped his mother’s arm with a bandage. Adele, on the other hand had laughed. Somehow, he knew that Anna would have laughed as well.

Although Anna could not attend the social on Sunday for obvious reasons, she had still heard about it from customers the following night at the Maison. When the books were handed back to her, she handed him another cup of coffee, two more of her biscuits, (he had already eaten 4) and sat down for a full account of what had happened. Although André was never what one would call forthcoming, he did fill her in briefly on the social. He was much more animated describing the race the next day, and Anna could not help but notice the change in his face as he described Julie getting the better of him at the end. She smiled at the thought of anyone besting that demon he swore was a horse, especially a woman riding such a tiny little animal as he described. Anna did not know Julie well, but had been impressed with the way the women in the braid and buckskins had helped her in the general store when she first came to town, and she knew of the woman’s business success. New respect grew, as she envisioned Julie showing a man such as Jermond that she could get the better of him. She was brought out of her vision and realized he had still been recounting the events of the day before.

“ ... And that preacher, while nice enough, knew nothing about horses,” André said. “He called Seize a “nice horse.”

“Nice?” Anna said with a laugh, “that beast is many things, André, nice is not one of them.”

“Did I mention that he actually let Julie stroke his nose?”

“Who? The preacher?” His answering laugh could be heard in the foyer. She was enjoying seeing André so taken with a woman; obviously, Julie had made quite an impression, she thought to herself. “So, when are you going to see her again?”

André smiled, he had known that Anna would react much better to the story of Julie’s beating him at the race than her beauty at the ball. Anna, being a Madame, was used to beautiful women. Smart ones, on the other hand were much more interesting to her. “I asked her to the concert on Friday night,” he added with a smile. “She said yes.”

“Oh Andre, not that horrible brass band? I thought you liked this one?”

“Good God no! I wouldn’t take anyone to one of their concerts. That tuba player always turns an appalling shade of purple, and still can’t manage to hit his notes! No,” he said with a grin, “it’s the same band that played at the social on Sunday. Ronny has them sounding passable.”

“I suppose you will be needing a picnic for this scheme of yours,” she said in feigned annoyance.

“Actually no. I have been invited to her home. Evidently, she is having a few friends in.” Anna noticed the dark cloud that crossed his face. “The Carmacks will all be there.”

“You and that ... political bore in the same room for dinner? I hope she has plenty of bicarbonate.”

André decided to let the comment pass. “Actually, what I really need is a picnic this morning, and please, do it yourself,” he said in a low whisper. “ I have watched what that one cooks”

Anna looked at him in surprise. “Today? You rouse the house this morning, get business booming again, and now you want me to cook you a picnic lunch?” She enjoyed watching his look of chagrin at showing his hand to soon. “Well, I suppose I can squeeze it in ... for a price.”

“Anything, if you throw in a large amount of these biscuits,” he said with a smile. Looking out into the foyer, he saw Henderson walking into the parlor. As he got up to follow him, he casually said “and I will be out of here in about an hour.”

Crossing the foyer in long strides, André stopped Henderson at the pocket doors. “I would like to talk business with you, if you have a moment.” Justice, relaxed from his breakfast, nodded and followed André into the formal sitting room on the other side of the foyer. This room was often used for “unofficial” business meetings, since most of the time the five-member board of trustees of the town could be found there. More city business was conducted at the Maison than at the Town Hall.

After sitting and discussing pleasantries for a few minutes, André got to the point. “I need an agenda item brought up at the town meeting next month.”

“If you open another saloon, the temperance ladies will be all over it,” Justice laughed. “Besides, isn’t there enough avarice in this town for you?”

André smiled, but let the comment go. “No, it’s not a saloon. I want to build a fire department. The town needs one; half of downtown went up last year, when the firebugs got to Harper’s shoe store. Not only did all those business owners lose their buildings, they lost their heads. Surely you remember that?”

Justice frowned at the reminder. Money had led a pack against Harper and some of his friends, brandishing guns and threatening to shoot them if they didn’t pay for the rebuilding of his Barbershop and the other businesses. It had looked like there was going to be an old fashioned shoot out, had Reverend Stanton not stepped in to cool the tempers of some of the more trigger-happy citizens. Justice could see the need for the fire department, but was surprised that it was André who brought it up. He was about to ask about that, when Money entered the room, and plopped down on a settee.

“We have discussed the need of a fire department before, my friend. But there is always a problem with water.” You know there are not a lot of options there.”

“Well, I am planning to talk to some friends of mine affiliated with the railroad, to connect with their water supply in case of fire. John Irribane owns the warehouse near the depot, and lost his own building last year. He will help me convince the railroad.” André smiled when he saw Justice’s eyes widen in surprise. “I talked to John last night, at the Can Can. He said that he would see what he could do.”

It never failed to amaze Justice how André could get things moving quickly. But, there was still something not quite right about the discussion. Finally Justice, not knowing how to broach the subject subtly, was direct. “So, my friend, what is in this for you? There is no profit in a fire department. Are you trying to drum up a fat contract for Carmack’s Mill?”

“No, not lumber Justice. The building will need to be built to house the engine and equipment of course. But that,” he added pointedly, “will need bricks.”

“Bricks?” Justice sat at attention. “You want me to build the building? Jesus! André, Carmack’s never going to go for that!”

“He won't have a choice, Justice. Trust me. Now, we know that he will vote against this, as will that sad excuse for a livery owner, Marx, but if you and Irribane push for it, the vote will lie totally on Doc Hanson’s vote.” André smiled. “And his clinic went up last year.”

“André, there is something your not telling me here. Why in God’s name do you want me to get this contract? Especially when everyone knows that you are a partner in the Mill?”

“A good question, and one that will be asked at the meeting, I’m sure,” Money said from his seat.

“Its simple, Justice. It needs to be in a fireproof building. I’m not going to provide the town with state of the art equipment that could be destroyed before it’s taken out to be used.”

Justice knew there had to be more to it than that, but the presence of Money was making his friend keep it to himself. When the clock in the Foyer chimed ten, Justice knew he had to get back to his brickyard. Standing, he said, “Alright my friend, I will put it in the agenda announcement on Sunday, but you’d better have more sufficient answers for people’s questions by the time the meeting actually takes place.” He paused for a moment. “And,” he added, “a communication from the Railroad giving the OK for a connection to their water supply could go a long way to stop any arguments.” The men shook hands, and Justice left the room.

“You're never going to convince Carmack to use bricks,” Money said simply. “And what the hell do you want to do public works projects for anyway? That’s a bit ... socially acceptable for you, isn't it?”

“Maybe I just want to give back to the community that keeps me so solvent,” André said with a sneer. “Or maybe I just want to make sure that if any more fires break out, I don’t loose any of my buildings. It’s funny how many of the fires seem to start when a business owner seems to step on particular toes around here.”

Money was about to respond, when a rash of curses and thumps came from upstairs. Leaving Money alone in the sitting room, Andre was out in the foyer, joined by Anna. Down the stairs ran Steven Carmack, boots in one hand, hat in the other, cursing with every step. André grabbed his arm at the bottom and pulled him into the kitchen. “Damn it boy, I know you mother. She taught you better than to go barreling down staircases and disturbing people.”

“Mother?! Oh Sweet Jesus! What am I going to tell her?” Steven said, wild eyed.

“Well, the first thing you're going to do, is sit down, and have some coffee,” said Anna. “And then, you can explain to us why you're here, when your father left at a decent hour last night.”

Steven didn’t argue with her. At seventeen, he thought himself a man, but the truth was, he was still enough of a boy to automatically give in to the voice of female authority. He took the offered mug of coffee, but the liquid was visibly sloshing as his hand shook. “Well, Miss Anna,” he said sheepishly, “I ... I was not through yet, and well, Mother used the buggy last night, so we came on our horses, and ... Dad told me to come home when I was ... done.” Taking a gulp from the cup, he added, “Then I ... must have fallen asleep.”

Andre and Anna both fought the laughs that were on the tips of their tongues. So close were they to the breaking point, they could not look at each other. Anna simply filled Steven’s cup again, as André pushed over the plate of biscuits. Coughing, André tried to sound stern, but the mirth in his voice was not lost on Anna. “You're telling me boy, that you have slept the entire morning away, even with the piano playing and singing that was going on?”

Steven’s face went pale. “Well ... no sir, but, well ... I ... she .…”

André looked at Anna. “Make sure David gets billed for this.” Anna nodded, trying desperately not to laugh.

Steven, still upset said, “Oh no sir, it’s payday. I can pay for this morning myself.”

Anna, quick witted as usual quipped, “it seems to me your going to be paying for this for a while.”

Steven was spent. He just ran his fingers through his curly hair, and fought the urge to cry.

André seeing the boy in a different light then the obnoxious, loud-mouthed teenager he was used to, couldn’t help but feel for him. “Look boy, its not as bad as your’re making it. I’m sure between the three of us, we can come up with something that will placate your mother.” And get back to your father, he thought to himself. “What exactly, was the ‘decent hour’ you mentioned?” he asked Anna.

“Around 10, I think. He said he had an early meeting this morning.”

“True, he did.” André looked at Steven. “You left at 10:30, and ran into me on the road. I was late from the Can Can, and my rig lost a spoke. You stopped to help me, but it was so late, I just took you home with me when it was fixed. I left early in the morning, and assumed that you were already gone. That will explain why I didn't mention it to him this morning.”

“Stopping to help someone in need always appeals to mothers,” Anna smirked. “Even if it’s André Jermond.”

“Dad is not going to believe that,” Steven said simply.

“No, but your mother will, and he will keep quiet for her sake.”

Steven could not argue with the truth of that. His father was forever “protecting” his mother from his various activities. This time, he would be protecting her from his son’s activities as well. Somehow he knew, however, that a trip to the Maison was not going to come around again for quite some time.

Anna handed the boy his hat. “You should get to the Mill, Steven. Its already 11:30.” Steven took the hat, as they all walked out into the foyer. Money, who had been lurking near the kitchen, put his hand on the knob, as if he was leaving as well.

“Thanks Mr. Jermond, Miss Anna,” Steven said as he walked out the door. “I wont forget this.”

“Neither will I.” Andre said as the door closed. Turning to Anna he grinned. “And make sure David gets billed for this morning. Now, is my hamper ready?”

Chapter 1 ... André
Chapter 2 ... Julie
Chapter 3 ... Clyde
Chapter 4 ... The Welcoming Party
Chapter 5 ... Sunrise
Chapter 6 ... Tabletop
Chapter 7 ... The Race
Chapter 8 ... Missed Lunch
Chapter 9 ... Something To Chew On
Chapter 10 .. Back to Business
*Chapter 11 .. House Work
Chapter 12 .. Idyllicus Interruptus
Chapter 13 .. House Repair
Chapter 14 .. Day’s End
Chapter 15 .. TBA
Chapter 16 .. TBA
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