Diantha by Zina Abbott

Author:Zina Abbott [Abbott, Zina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

.

.

.

.

Chapter 15

~o0o~

September 18, 1884

D iantha could not contain her restlessness. Her mind and heart still felt tied in knots over the confrontation with Mortimer Crane and the sweet, but horribly embarrassing, intimate confession to Hank Cauley two days earlier. She already finished her maid duties in the two rooms she rented out weekly. She needed to do something else to distract her thoughts.

Diantha’s fingers fidgeted too much for her to continue her needlepoint project. Another step she took to claim the hotel as hers now Eugene was gone included making a new feminine cushion for the desk chair where she worked on the accounts. Besides adding beauty to an otherwise stark set of furniture, the cushion would bolster her petite frame, making it easier to work at the desk. However, she knew if she put her hand to the project today, she would end up tearing out as much as she stitched.

She could not bear to stand behind the registration counter in an empty hotel lobby. As for going outside, as much as she would enjoy visiting with Hilaina, this was not a day to wash hotel laundry. Diantha knew Hilaina and her mother took in private laundry at their home on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Although Diantha had offered the use of her stove, copper pot to heat water she bought from Nissa, and the clothes lines, Hilaina declined. “Ain’t right using up your firewood when it ain’t for the hotel.”

Diantha entered the lobby and stepped over to the front window. The weather looked clear, although mud in the streets and patches of snow on the ground reminded her winter would soon make its appearance. Across the narrow valley, she admired the yellow leaves of the aspen trees against the backdrop of the evergreens. She knew if she opened the front door, the cool breeze would bring with it scents from Garnet’s Crystal Café to the north of her building. Across the road and Moose Creek, and off to the right, the spare mules used by the Wells Fargo stagecoach rested in the corral. Beyond that she could make out the railroad tracks, now unused ever since the Uintah Railway stopped service to Wildcat Ridge once Mortimer Crane decided not to reopen the mine following the collapse.

Diantha turned to look through the double doors leading to Hank’s stationary store. Although Hank had placed a sign on an easel just inside the door announcing he was open, no customers had come to shop. She had not seen or talked to him since the confrontation with Mortimer Crane and her mortifyingly embarrassing confession afterwards.

Before that incident, Hank had told her how pleased he felt over the sale of a few items in his store, but most sales came on Wednesdays and Saturdays, within the hours following mail delivery. They both hoped that as the Arrastra Mine developed, the railroad would resume service to Wildcat Ridge, bringing more customers to the Ridge Hotel and Hank’s shop. They also looked forward to next spring

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.