The Last Honest Seamstress Read Online Free PDF Page B

to her conversation.
    Coral rose from the table and motioned for Fayth to follow her. She led her back to the entryway. "You'll have to excuse Lila. She's mean in the morning. Who's your man?"
    "Captain Con O'Neill."
    Coral squinted, looking thoughtful.
    "Tall, auburn hair, bearded?" Fayth looked at Coral hopefully. Oh, but that description hardly did him justice.
    "No," Coral said, "I know who you mean. His bookkeeper comes in once a week. He jokes about the Captain not joining him. I can't be sure the Captain doesn't go elsewhere, but if his bookkeeper comes here, I can't imagine he'd go to a house of lesser stature.
    "Thank goodness you've finally picked a decent man, Fayth. I've been worried about you." Coral shook her head. "Rusty would toss out most of the men you've been seen with lately. At last you're moving up to our class of man."
    Even among prostitutes a hierarchy existed, along with a sense of pride in the establishment where they worked, and the class of clientele they attracted. Fayth bit back a response. She hoped she was picking a class of man who didn't patronize whorehouses at all . "You'd let me know if he ever did?"
    Coral touched her gently on the arm. "You know I would. In a heartbeat."
     
    For two days, Fayth was too busy to find out when the Captain was due back in town. But she hadn't given up on her plan. She telegraphed her family lawyer, Mr. Benchley in Baltimore, requesting legal advice regarding how to protect her business in the event she married.  
    Mr. Benchley telegraphed back that he had no expertise in the laws governing Washington Territory, and therefore could be of little help. Further, he advised caution. A young woman of her standing was vulnerable, easy prey for the scoundrels out West.
    She crumpled his response without bothering to read the rest of his ridiculous admonitions, dropped it on her desk, and headed for the Captain's offices.  
    Dust nipped at her heels as she approached the wharves. The city was abnormally dry for the time of year. Small dust devils whirlpooled in the streets, stirring up dirt and debris, only to end their short lives colliding with building corners. She strolled along enjoying the June sunshine, thinking. When she pushed aside thoughts of the Captain's handsome smile and appraising hazel eyes, she didn't feel nervous about approaching him. After all, this was business, not personal. And if the Captain should turn down her offer, his frequent absences would give her time to recover from any embarrassment.
    The Captain's office was built on the end of a long, well-maintained pier. She saw his sign immediately: O'Neill's Shipping. It was sturdy and well made, and spoke of a prosperous business. If all went as she hoped, she would be Fayth O'Neill. An odd thought, but another thing in his favor——her name sounded good with his. She headed straight through the office door without pausing to look out over the sparkling waters of the Sound, or notice the ships moored at the wharf. A small bell rang over her head as she opened the door. A man in the front office called out to her without looking up from his books. "What can I do for you?"  
    "I'm looking for Captain O'Neill."
    It was worth the walk to the waterfront to see the expression on his face as he heard her voice and looked up.
    "Oh, pardon me, ma'am." He stood awkwardly, as if not used to a lady's presence. He was tall and gangly with angular features too sharp to be pleasing to the eye. A small nameplate on his desk read Silas Tetch. She heard other masculine voices, muffled through a closed door, coming from what she assumed was a back office.
    "You're Mr. Tetch? The Captain's bookkeeper?"
    "Yes, ma'am."
    "Fayth Sheridan." She extended her hand with amicable intent.  
    He took it uncertainly and shook it limply. "How may I assist you, Miss Sheridan? Are you interested in shipping something?"
    "No." She replied slowly, working on a quick lie. Why hadn't she thought up something beforehand?