Crimson Palace (19 page)

She found herself in a bit of a quandary. She couldn’t just walk up to a stranger and ask for directions to Sofie’s cat house. She didn’t even know what Sofie would be calling her newest establishment, so she couldn’t ask for it by name. Also, she had heard that there were some unscrupulous procurers who would actually kidnap women to work as prostitutes. She wasn’t about to let that happen to her.

Deciding a bath and a meal were her most immediate needs, she picked up her bags and trudged wearily up the street until she found a fairly decent looking hotel. It had taken her this long to get to Virginia City, she decided, she could wait another day to find her friends. Besides, when she met up with Alex and Sofie again, she wanted them to see her at her best, not all rag-tag like she was after the long coach ride.

She was so tired she had to force herself to stay awake as she soaked in the wonderfully warm water.

Too sleepy to think of food, she climbed between the sheets and was asleep as soon as she lay her head on the pillow.

The next morning she took her time preparing for the search. She had learned while living with Sofie in Placerville that no one in Sofie’s profession stirred from bed before noon, so she dressed leisurely, tried combing her hair in several styles before deciding to allow the curls to bounce freely, then paced about the room for several minutes more before venturing down to a restaurant for a pot of coffee and several pieces of toast. She contemplated ordering eggs and ham, but the thought of the greasy food had a most unpleasant effect on her stomach.

As she nibbled on her toast and drank her second cup of coffee she finally admitted to herself that the queasiness she had experienced on the stage coach was more than likely caused by her current condition and that she might as well get used to it for a while. She still had moments when the thought of being pregnant threatened to overwhelm her. Depending upon her mood, she might be suddenly terrified or furious, desperately sad or ecstatically happy. But always, no matter which mood was upon her, she felt protective of the tiny child she and Linc had created. In a very real sense, her life now centered on this unknown person.

She buttoned the heavy coat up to her chin and wrapped her woolen muffler carefully around her neck.

It was still quite cool outdoors, and she was determined to take very good care of herself. She stepped out of the restaurant to a crystal clear day. The desert air, spiced with the scent of sagebrush, smelled wonderfully fresh as she began to walk the streets of Virginia City. She passed a doctor’s office, a lawyer’s, a couple of assayer’s offices and a general store. Across the street was the office of The Territorial Enterprise, the town’s newspaper.

After walking several blocks and not seeing a single business that had the remotest resemblance to a brothel, she decided that the sporting side of town must be located elsewhere. She glanced up the hill at the many homes and businesses that were strung along the streets above. They all looked quite prosperous and neat. She saw several rather impressive homes. Somehow she couldn’t imagine that she would find the red light district up there.

That left the lower part of town. As she walked down the steep road from C Street to D, she was certain she had made the correct assumption. One tiny crib after another was lined up one beside the other for several blocks. Although she was sure Sofie would never be found in one of those miserable rooms, the girls who lived in them would most likely have heard of her and would be able to direct Shinonn to her establishment.

It was still early for their type of business, but Shinonn finally spotted one of the girls leaning against an open doorway, watching the street for an early customer.

"Looks like you got yourself lost, lady. Or was it a job you’re looking for?" The girl gave a short, unfriendly laugh.

"I’m looking for someone. I ... I thought I might find her around here somewhere."

"And who might that be? A missing sister, maybe? You think she might have been lured down here against her will?" Sarcasm fairly dripped from the young prostitute’s lips.

"No, I don’t think my friend was lured here against her will. What I think is that she probably has the best cat house this town has ever seen. I’m looking for a woman named Sofie Gunderson and her Friend, Alex Santini. I’ve been told that they’ve settled here in Virginia City."

"Why didn’t you say you was a friend of Sofie’s?" The girl’s attitude changed immediately. "If you’re a friend of hers maybe you could get me in with her. What do you think?"

"I’d be happy to put in a word for you if you’ll tell me where I can find them."

Shinonn wasn’t at all surprised at the girl’s reaction. She knew that Sofie had never had trouble getting girls to work for her. But she was choosy about who she hired, and this unfortunate girl stood a poor chance of ever being one of Sofie’s girls.

"They got a place down at the end of the road there. But it’s only temporary. Wait ‘till you see the place she’s having built up on the hill."

Shinonn recognized the same tent that Sofie and Alex had set up in Placerville. When she walked in, her two friends were the only two people there. Alex was busy wiping down the bar while Sofie sat at a table drinking a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper.

Alex was the first to see her as she entered. His blank expression of unrecognition was quickly replaced by an expression of utter astonishment.

"My God, I don’t believe my eyes! Sofie, can you believe this?"

Sofie’s cup settled onto its saucer with a clatter; the paper fell to the table.

"I don’t believe it!" she screamed. Her chair toppling to the floor, she rushed to embrace her long lost friend.

"Where have you been? We never heard one word from you!"

She clasped Shinonn in such a tight hug that the girl couldn’t have answered if she had tried. The next thing Shinonn knew, Alex had pulled her away from Sofie’s arms and was swinging her around.

"How wonderful you look! When did you get here? You’re not going to leave again, are you?"

The air rang out with their enthusiastic welcome. She stood before them, tears swimming in her yes.

"You don’t know how good it is to see you two... to know you’re both here for me when I need you."

She was mortified when tears began to spill down her cheeks. She had certainly not intended to break down and cry in front of her friends.

"It looks like it’s time for a little woman to woman talk. Alex, do you mind? I’m sure Shinonn will catch us up on all the news when she’s had a minute to calm down."

"Sure, sure. You two ladies take all the time you need. I have some things to pick up at the general store anyway."

He quickly donned his black jacket and left the two women alone. He had learned long ago that there were times when a man was better off leaving the ladies to iron out their own troubles.

"Well, I’d say you found your gambler. Do you want to talk about it?

"Yes,... no,...well, I guess so. Oh, Sofie, I made such a mess of it all! I did everything wrong! I really made a total fool of myself."

"Don’t we all, at one time or another."

"But I loved him so much! I didn’t know anyone could be so much in love. And I thought he loved me too. He said he did, over and over. I still can’t believe he left me."

Shinonn sobbed into Sofie’s comforting shoulder. The older woman patted her friend tenderly, much as a woman would comfort a small child.

"Ah, honey, go on and cry. He’s a damned fool for letting you get away. He’ll regret it. He probably already does."

"I doubt that very much," Shinonn sniffled, trying desperately to stop the tears. "I imagine he’s had quite a few laughs at my expense already. And he doesn’t even know the biggest joke of all. I’m going to have his baby."

"Oh, you poor thing. Are you sure? Maybe if we took you to a doctor right away... What I mean is, it may not be too late..."

"No, don’t even say it, Sofie. I want this baby. I’m going to love it with all my heart and nobody will ever take it away from me."

"We’ll help you, sweetheart. You know we will. Don’t you worry about a thing, everything is going to be just fine."

"I knew I could depend on you and Alex. That’s all I’ve been thinking about ever since I realized he wasn’t coming back to me.

"At first I thought I would ask you to give me a job as one of your girls. After the time I spent with Lincoln, I figured I was just like most of them anyway. But I can’t very well ask you that now, can I? I’ve got to find work somewhere."

"I’m sure we can work something out. In fact, I may have the perfect answer. Come on with me, I want you to see the place we’re building up on the hill. After we look it over we’ll start making some plans."

***

"Don’t just stand there gawking, come on in." Sofie called. Shinonn stood in the middle of the road, gaping at the enormous building that towered above her. Sofie came running back down the double tiers of steps to grab Shinonn’s hand and pull her into the nearly finished building.

"It’s really something, isn’t it?" Sofie glowed with pride. "We’re going to set this town right on it’s ear come opening night. Why, we’ll be such a classy honky-tonk, our customer’s will need reservations just to walk through these doors."

The doors Sofie referred to were of elaborately carved mahogany with etched and beveled glass inserts.

She opened them wide, giving Shinonn a full view of the reception hall.

"You’ll have to use your imagination a little, but I think you can get the idea of what it’ll be like. This is the room where the girls will be waiting. We’ll have couches and tables scattered about. It’s going to be pure elegance - oriental rugs, lamps from Tiffany, huge vases of fresh hothouse flowers, satin and brocade sofas. And of course, mother’s piano over there in the corner.

"Now, off to the left here will be Alex’s bar."

They stepped into the nearly completed room.

"This room’s just about finished, so you can get a fairly good idea of what it’s going to look like."

An ornately carved mahogany bar ran along the entire back wall. The traditional brass rail glistened before it. On the wall behind the bar were rows of shelves for the liquor, topped by the largest beveled mirror Shinonn had ever seen. Lamps, hung with green glass shades hung throughout the large room.

"I thought about putting carpeting in here too, but decided against it. The richest men in town can still get sloppy drunk, and it’s a whole sight easier to clean up spills from hardwood than from a woolen carpet.

"Now, over here is something new we thought we’d try."

Sofie led the way out of the bar, across the reception hall and into a room of the same proportions of the bar.

"This room will be strictly for gambling. Over there will be the roulette table and over here we’ll have the Faro game. Over in that corner we’ll set up for Monte. And scattered everywhere else will be poker tales."

A door led off the room, into the back of the house. This was to be Sofie’s office. From this room a small private stairway led to her bedroom which was located directly above her office.

"Alex has the same set-up behind his bar," she explained to Shinonn. "This way, we can have a little privacy but still be right here checking up on things."

A wide stairway led from the main reception hall to the upper rooms the girls would be using. Shinonn counted eight of the medium sized bedrooms as they walked down the hallway.

"If you go up these back stairs you get to the help’s rooms. With a place this big, we’ll be needing a good sized staff. We’ll need a cook, a cook’s helper and at least two maids."

Sofie turned to Shinonn with a happy grin on her face.

"I’d say we’re coming up in the world, wouldn’t you? I’m finally getting a place as nice as the one my mother had in New Orleans. Maybe better!"

"I’ve never seen anything like it, Sofie."

"I shouldn’t think so, honey. I don’t imagine you’ve taken to hanging out at bordellos since I last saw you," she teased.

"Now, let’s get back to Alex. The three of us have some talking to do."

***

"You’re the answer to our prayers," Alex said with a huge smile. They were all seated at one of the round poker tables. It was still early and only a few patrons lounged around sipping beers while they talked to a couple of the girls.

"That place on the hill is going to take a heck of a lot of management. Sofie and I have done fine so far, but we’ve never tackled anything as big as this before."

"We’ve been going over and over how we were going to handle everything between the two of us. We sure don’t want some stranger poking his head in our business. But now that you’re back, why our troubles are over."

"Just what do you want me to do? Alex has the bar and you take care of the girls. It sounds to me like that’s all there is to it."

"Not by a long mile, it isn’t," Alex said. "That’s only what you see when you walk in the door. Who’s going to cook for all those girls" Who’s going to clean up after them? We’ll be needing a whole staff to keep the place running smoothly and that’s where you come in."

"Right. What we need is a housekeeper, like they have in those big fancy houses in the French Quarter in New Orleans. It’s the housekeeper that keeps everything running just right."

"I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m not even sure I’d know what to do."

"You can do it. I’ve never known anyone brighter than you." Alex gave her a comforting hug.

"But I can’t even read or write!"

"Then I’ll teach you. Believe me, Sofie and I wouldn’t ask you if we weren’t sure you could handle it."

"And it will be the perfect job for you, what with the baby coming along. You’ll have all the help you need, so you won’t ever have to do any of the heavy work. Believe me, it’s the perfect answer for all of us. What do you say, are you with us?"

Shinonn sat for a moment looking at her two friends. She smiled and shook her head in amazement at the entire crazy idea of her being a housekeeper at a fancy bordello. She would like to see the look on Lincoln Bradley’s face if he were to ever find out where she was working!