Page 32 of Beauty and the Baker
She heard the gentle sounds of her aunt snoring coming from the sitting room. Pour soul. She had spent so much time the past week teaching Georgina her recipes, no wonder she was exhausted. Georgina took a blanket from the back of the settee and covered her aunt. There was no need to tell her aunt she was leaving, as she would only be gone a minute.
She quickly dashed down the alley way and around to the front of the Blue’s house. Cassie came to the door after the second knock.
“Georgina, what brings you here?”
“I forgot my basket. I need it to carry my supplies to the bakery tomorrow morning.” She looked by the door. “I thought I left it right there,” she said, pointing to the spot where she had placed the basket.
“You did. I didn’t know who it belonged to, so I moved it. I put it in the study. That seems to be a catch-all for everything nowadays.”
“Thank you for dinner. I know auntie enjoyed it and I certainly did.”
“We were so glad to have you. You should stop by for tea sometime.”
“I’d like that.”
“I’m just getting ready to pin a costume that I need to sew this week. Charlie has been kind enough to be a dress form for me.”
“I don’t see him standing still.”
Cassie laughed. “I think I might agree with you. He was always on the move when we were younger. But something happened right before he came here. He’s changed. I wish I knew what it was.”
They walked into the study and Georgina let out a gasp. Cassie let out a cry and her fingers flew to her mouth. “Oh, my word. Charlie,” she said.
Georgina saw he was trying to unbutton the costume so he could change into it. His back was to them, but he had taken off his shirt.
Georgina let a sob escape and moved further into the room. His back was covered with whip marks where someone had beaten him so badly the flesh had been torn away, leaving deep scars. On top of that, the flesh was scarred as if it had been burned from his back.
Charlie spun around. A pained looked came over his eyes, and he backed himself into a corner.
Georgina moved closer. She had heard about a patient at the hospital where she worked that had injuries such as these.
He was found unconscious in a warehouse along the river. He had been tortured, but he was still alive. Barely. The doctors kept him in a comatose state until he had finally healed enough.
Georgina had never seen the patient herself, as it was too gruesome for a nursing student, the doctor said. Only the doctors and one nurse attended to his care.
Now that patient was standing in front of her.
She walked to Charlie, who was looking for a way to escape. She put her hand on his cheek, so he was forced to look at her.
“Charlie?” she asked, “Who did this to you?”
Chapter 9
October 1873
Georgina pulled the last of the cookie sheets from the oven. She quickly dropped them on the racks, shaking her fingers where the heat burned her through the apron.Oh bother, she thought, as one of the cookies broke when she dropped the tray. She would save that one for a cup of tea later.
She couldn’t believe that the bakery had been open a month. She owed most of the success to Charlie. He was always suggesting new ideas for cakes or pies. In fact, he suggested a variation on fruitcake that was more cake and less fruit. The initial tastings were a huge hit and Georgina secured several orders for the upcoming holidays.
He still hadn’t spoken about what happened to him that night she saw his back. He begged her to leave and Georgina finally relented. She wished she could take some of the pain away. She had never seen anyone with so much pain in their eyes.
Georgina was afraid he wasn’t going to show up at the bakery the next morning, but he surprised her. He acted like nothing was wrong and threw himself into reading recipes out loud to her or tasting the treats before they went for sale.
The first day was a disaster. Georgina was unprepared for the number of people that graced their doors. She thought she had arrived early enough to prepare enough types of treats, but when the bakery opened only two types were ready.
Charlie thought maybe she was trying too hard. He suggested she limit it to two pastries and one type of cake, changing the cake flavor each day.
It simplified her prepping immensely and even Maybelle said the profits from the bakery were none like she had ever seen. People actually placed orders weeks in advance for a specific type of cake.
