Page 21 of Beauty and the Baker
Chapter 6
“Charlie,” Cassandra called upstairs. “Can you come downstairs; I need to talk to you for a moment.”
Charlie put aside the book he was reading and walked downstairs to follow his sister to the dining room. She motioned for him to sit. There were two cups of coffee on the table.
Charlie settled onto the chair and picked up the cup taking a sip of the warm brew. His sister seemed out of sorts as she looked at him across the table.
“I don’t have any pastries this morning and Mrs. Brown hasn’t stopped by.”
“She stopped by last night,” Charlie said.
“She did?”
Charlie nodded, taking another sip from his cup. “She brought a pot. Like something you’d cook beans in. She put it on the stove.”
“Oh! I didn’t see it.” Cassie got up and quickly went to look in the kitchen, she returned and sat back down. “I guess she did. I was thinking that she’d be by this morning.”
“I take it she didn’t go to the theater with you?”
Cassandra shook her head. Her brown hair bounding against her shoulders. Charlie had always thought his sister was beautiful. In fact, he wasn’t above threatening to thrash someone for looking at her wrong. Even Ian, who was sweet on her, knew better than to mess with Charlie’s little sister. “No. She and Father never showed up.”
“Father seems to be spending quite a bit of time with her. What are your thoughts about that?”
Cassie’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know much about her. She is very nice, and they seem to enjoy each other's company very much. I’m glad to see Father happy.”
“Me, too.” Charlie paused for a moment. “Sometimes I can’t remember what Mama’s face looks like.” He hung his head and looked at the lace tablecloth, tracing the pattern with his finger. “You know, Ian couldn’t find her picture.”
“Her picture? Why was Ian looking for it?”
“I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go back to the house. So, Ian went for me and gathered what little bit was left.”
“He is a good friend.”
Charlie nodded. “The best.” Charlie drained his coffee cup.
“Do you want some more?”
“Sure,” he said handing the cup to Cassie.
She disappeared once more, returning in a few minutes with another cup of coffee and some toast. She slid the plate in front of Charlie before grabbing one of the buttery pieces for herself.
“You forgot to leave the lamp lit?”
“What?” Charlie asked between bites.
“I asked you to leave the lamp lit by the door. We were fumbling for the matches in the dark.”
Charlie hit his palm to his head. “I am so sorry. It was a bit of a difficult evening.”
“Did Mr. Gladstone escape?”
Charlie’s gaze shot across the table to her. “Why do you ask that?”
“I thought I saw him in the alleyway.”
“Where does he go when he escapes?”
Cassie took a sip of her tea. “I honestly don’t know. Max normally finds him. I think he visits a lady cat up the street.”
