River

Beverly

I have tried to maintain a cordial relationship with Gregor, despite him having taken my Rosy away from me. She was my first charge, just a child when I met her. I took care of her at the brothel in Kentucky where her stepfather sold her when she was twelve years old. She was such a sweet child, such a calming presence to everyone around her. I grew so fond of her that when I moved to Natchez to run this brothel, I wanted her with me. I waited until she was sixteen to have her start serving the customers directly.

I suppose I should have anticipated that with her placid and accepting nature she would soon attract men who wanted more from her than the brief services of a prostitute. And so she did. Gregor became so enamored of her that he visited several times a week for months, always refusing to consider hiring any of the other ladies here.

Then when Gregor left and Mason arrived, he was just as obsessed with Rosy. Although their interests in her seemed very different. Gregor obviously truly loved her, so much so that he threatened to purchase this brothel from the man who owns it and discharge me, unless I agreed to let him pay her debt and take her away. It was aggravating but also somehow adorable. Young love can be quite fierce.

Mason just wanted to hurt her. I know that it was apparently because he had some sort of grudge against Gregor, which I have never really understood. But I thought we were past all of that now. Mason left town, Rosy left the brothel with Gregor, my establishment went back to normal. Except for the occasions on which Gregor has arrived to summon Rosy’s closest friends for a visit, of course always paying me generously for their time.

However, now Mason is back, has abused Jenny as he used to abuse Rosy, and was asking questions about Gregor and his wife.

It is troubling.

I don’t wish to allow this to develop into an ongoing problem. I am willing to overlook the occasional injury inflicted on one of my ladies. It goes with the territory. But Mason’s sadistic impulses skirt the edge of my leniency. He went too far with Rosy, and I had allowed it, and hadn’t been able to find a way to stop it without having to confront him directly about it. I was relieved when he left. And I am unhappy that he has returned.

I look out the front window in the morning, early, before the ladies are ready to receive visitors and the parlor is still empty. The dockwork project that Gregor is involved with is very close by, the strange construction being framed almost directly outside my window. Yesterday Gregor was not there as he is most days, but this morning I see him.

I go to the kitchen to find the young orphan boy who I employ to build fires and do other simple tasks. I ask him, “Do you know Mister Gregor?” When he nods his head yes, I tell him, “I want you to go outside and tell Mister Gregor that Madam Beverly would like to have a word with you, please. Say it back to me.”

He says, obediently, “Madam Beverly would like to have a word with you, please.”

“Yes. Go on now.”

Gregor

I leave for Under-the-hill as soon as Moses arrives in the morning. I will not leave Rosy unguarded within the house any longer. In fact, before I depart I tell them both that if she has any errands to run, or visits to make, I would like for him to accompany her. He nods solemnly, realizing that this is related to my request of him last night to be watchful. Her eyebrows lift, but she asks no questions, only saying, “Of course, Gregor. I will see you later. Have a fine day.”

“She is curious about why, but realizes that you must feel a need to protect her. She feels safe knowing that Moses will do so. She is not unduly concerned, only categorizing this as another one of your undisclosed secrets.”

Good.

With that handled, I am able to turn my attention to the pile driver that we are building to install the dock extension. I believe that the driver’s framing is almost complete. It is a huge structure, very sturdy and powerful. When we are ready to start, men will repeatedly pull on the ropes to lift the drop hammer with pulleys, which will then plummet down onto the logs standing in the water, driving them into the silt. The pilings will form the beginning of the dock extension for the steamboat. I’m looking over the construction when a boy, about ten years old, approaches me.

“Hello, Jake,” I tell him. I’ve seen him before at Beverly’s, have given him small coins or treats from time to time. I have a soft spot in my heart for orphan boys.

“Madam Beverly would like to have a word with you, please,” he says, very clearly reciting this message from memory.

“Is that so? Well, lead on,” I tell him, and follow him the very short distance back over to the brothel. I reach into my pocket and draw out a penny to give to him before we get inside, and enjoy seeing his eyes light up.

She’s waiting for me in the parlor. “She wants to warn you about Mason,” Wolk tells me, the wolf trotting invisibly alongside me.

“So I assumed,” I say silently.

“Good morning, Madam Beverly,” I tell her, inclining my head toward the middle-aged woman, with her not-quite respectable garments and heavily rouged cheeks. I always try to behave civilly towards her. My wife’s friends are under her control, and I would not want to aggravate her to the point that arranging visits might be awkward. “How can I help you?”

She glances around the parlor, apparently to confirm that nobody else has come in yet. “Sit down, if you please.”

I comply, willing to go along with this even though I know what she has to tell me.

“I feel that I must warn you, Mister Gregor, that a customer was here yesterday asking questions about you, and about Rosy.”

I nod, waiting to let her finish whatever else she will say.

“This customer had caused some trouble here before, when you were away on your journey.”

I wait.

“He returned after a long absence, and he immediately began asking questions about Rosy. I did not want to provide any details, but one of my girls told him she had married you. He seemed … unhappy about this information. I thought you should know.”

“I appreciate that very much, Beverly. Are you worried he might cause trouble again?”

“Yes, not just for me, but for you and Rosy. I do care about her, you know, Gregor. I wouldn’t want to see anything go wrong for her.”

I really should appreciate Beverly more. I can believe that she cares about Rosy, but there is just something that prevents me from warming to her. Perhaps it is the mercenary way that she whored out my wife.

Wolk huffs out a laugh.

Fine.

“Thank you very much, Beverly. I appreciate the warning. I will certainly keep my eye out. And if this fellow returns, and seems to be causing any trouble, please let me know. You can send somebody to fetch me. If it gets bad enough, perhaps eventually this is something the militia will have to handle.”

She doesn’t give me more details, so I don’t mention that I know who it is, and that he harmed Genevive. I’m always very careful about letting on how much I know with everyone except Rosalind, who is growing used to it.

I have to admit that I am glad to be able to count Beverly as an ally in this. I don’t know what will happen with Mason, but I am gathering the resources I will need to deal with it.