Page 38 of Beauty and the Baker
“Your friend, Ian, he escaped?”
Charlie nodded. “He got away before they tortured him.”
“And that poor boy.”
“Georgina, you need to think carefully if you really want to follow this path to San Francisco. A young girl like you. That is what these men prey on.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Charlie pulled her close to him. “I want you to be safe. You are very important to me.”
“I am?” Georgina squeaked.
“Yes, you are. And perhaps if my story didn’t convince you, this will.”
Charlie leaned down and kissed her.
Georgina was ready to close shop. It had been a busy day. The customers came in non-stop until an hour ago. Georgina sold out of every cake and cookie she baked and most of the jelly tarts.
One of her last customers stopped by with a letter. It had been misdelivered to their residence instead. When Georgina looked at it, she could see that the numbers were transposed. She thanked the woman with a complimentary cookie and put the letter in her pocket.
Charlie looked at her and shook his head. Then he left, saying he would be back later to walk her home. He needed to find a church and pray.
She reached her hand in and touched the letter. It was from Lawrence. It was the same bold strokes as the letter he sent her in Baltimore. She wasn’t sure she wanted to read it, especially after Charlie shared his story.
She patted her pocket and made a note that she would read it later. Charlie’s questions weighed heavily on her mind. Was Lawrence all that he appeared to be?
Would he do the right thing if he was called on to do it? Thinking back on his letters, he seemed very far removed from the day-to-day operations of the ships. Instead, he only shared with her stories of long voyages and exotic places. Was that really the life she wanted? It sounded too complicated, being on a boat all the time.
She wanted simplicity.
Maybe Charlie was right. She had finally found her home and she needed to stay. She finished up washing and put her pans out to dry. The last of the cakes for tomorrow would be ready and she could pull them out to let them cool until the following day.
Charlie returned to walk her home, but after their conversation, she wanted to be alone for a bit. She sent him on ahead with a promise that she would leave as soon as the last cake was pulled from the oven.
The front door to the bakery opened and Georgina heard the tinkling of the bell as the door passed underneath it. Maybe Charlie came back to see her.
The thought of never seeing Charlie again pained her heart beyond words. Everything he had done he did because it was the right thing. She couldn’t even tell her family about Lawrence’s letters and her plans to run away and marry him.
Charlie was right – if you had to hide it, it was wrong.
Georgina walked to the front of the store. There was a lady in a long deep blue gown. Her hair was white-blonde and piled in curls on top of her head. She wore a blue hat that matched the gown with a large feather coming off of it. In her hand there was a parasol.
Georgina had never seen a woman like her before. She screamed rich. In fact, she hadn’t seen a woman quite like her in the short time she had been in Creede, and she had seen quite a few people.
“I’m sorry, we’re closed.” Georgina said.
“This won’t take long.” The woman looked at Georgina and wrinkled her nose like she caught wind of a terrible smell. “I’m looking for a Georgina Jacobs.”
Georgina put the towel in her hand down. “I’m Georgina. Who are you?”
“My name is Victoria Sweeny. You’ve been corresponding with my husband.”
Charlie returned to the bakery the next morning. The door was locked and there was a note on the door sayingclosed until further notice.
That’s odd,he thought. Georgina didn’t say anything about closing the bakery.
He hoped she hadn’t left for San Francisco. He knew she had received another letter from that man. Charlie was so angry that she accepted it and put it in her pocket he had to leave the shop.
