The barmaid pulled the window down to block out the heavy rain mixed with salty sea air outside and then continued wiping down the table. She picked up the glasses to return them to the back in the kitchen where they would be washed along with all of the other dirty dishes.
The ocean side tavern was bustling with noise and filled over capacity with sailors and townspeople seeking refuge from the storm. Three shipmates had put hazardous trust in the wooden table beneath them as they danced and sang merrily atop it. A few others had formed their own band, playing the fiddle, flute, and beer mugs.
The barmaid navigated carefully though the throngs of people, making her way to the kitchen. When she entered, she saw the dishwashing girl sitting in front of an empty bucket of soapy water with a stack of messy plates and cups off to the side. The girl’s eyes were glazed over as she stared out the window into the black night.
“I’d pay a penny for the thoughts going through your head right about now,” the barmaid said quietly as she added the glasses to the stack of dishes.
Hadley jumped slightly, blinking rapidly. She gave a bashful smile at the barmaid’s amused look. “Sorry, Maeve,” the young girl apologized, picking up a few plates and placing them in the bucket. “I guess I got distracted again.”
Maeve glanced behind her towards the bar where the owner of the tavern and their boss was busy giving out drinks. “You know I don’t mind you daydreaming, kid, but you’re testing your luck with Cain. He’s worried you won’t be able to focus on the job.” Maeve paused, kneeling in front of Hadley so that she was eye level with her. “He’s been talking about letting you go.”
Hadley’s head shot up quickly, her eyes widening at the words. “But, Maeve, this job is my only chance!” she objected.
“I know. And I told him that,” Maeve said. “Just . . . try to work a little harder, okay?”
Hadley swallowed nervously and ducked her head, scrubbing harder on the plate in response. Maeve opened her mouth to offer words of encouragement, but, her own patience running thin, decided against it, fearing any comfort that she did give would undermine the threat now looming over the young girl’s head. Instead, she pursed her lips, turning around and heading out of the room. Hadley glanced up to watch her retreating form before getting back to her work, eager for her shift to end so she could go home.
At midnight, Hadley was allowed to leave. There were still a few customers lingering around, but Maeve assured Hadley she’d take care of everything and to go on the house. Hadley feigned reluctance as she left, but on the inside she couldn’t be happier that the day was finally over.
She pulled her jacket tighter around her as she walked down the street. The storm had calmed to a light drizzle, which was an appreciated lift from the heavy rain that had lasted close to three days. Hadley carefully avoided muddy puddles and breathed in deep the salty air. It beat the smell of smog any day. She was so glad she had found Port Kingston. It was much better than her hometown of Gairta, although it was missing her family.
At the thought of the old city, a shiver went down her spine and she instinctively checked her surroundings. She saw no one; however, she quickened her pace, the chill in her bones not quite going away.
Minutes later she arrived at the place she and Maeve lived that seemed more like a rundown shack with an attic than an actual house. Hadley resided in the attic and Maeve on the bottom floor, which only had three rooms: the kitchen, the bathroom, and then Maeve’s bedroom that had originally served as a den.
Before Hadley had shown up in Port Kingston, Maeve lived on her own, barely able to support herself. But when Maeve stumbled upon the starving, nine-year-old Hadley on that icy morning, she didn’t have the heart to turn her away. So, wrapping the little girl in as many blankets as she could find, Maeve guided her to the tavern where she worked and scrounged up some soup to feed her.
Presently, Hadley came upon the small shack and lightly pried open the door. It was completely darkness inside, so Hadley maneuvered over to the table where a few candles sat. She struck a match and then lit one of the candles, bathing the room in a soft glow. Grasping the handle of the candlestick, she made her way to the second floor.
Hadley continued up the stairs, as a habit avoiding those that had started to decay after her foot fell through the rotting wood over a week ago. Maeve had told her that she would talk to Henry, the local carpenter, about repairing it but after talking to him at the tavern the other day for an hour about his family, her job, and every other piece of news they each had to offer, Hadley assumed Maeve had forgotten.
Walking into her room, Hadley took the candle in her hand and lit the one that stayed in her room on the bedside table. She then changed into her nightclothes and slipped into bed, exhausted after working all day.
A loud noise followed by a mumbled curse woke Hadley up before dawn the next day. Her heart started beating faster at the thought of an intruder and she slowly leaned up, supporting herself on her elbows. She remained as still as possible, holding her breath to listen for any other noises. What she heard was Maeve complaining to herself about the table in the middle of the floor and the pain in her leg. Sighing in relief, Hadley pushed the blankets off of her and went downstairs to see Maeve.
“You’re really late,” Hadley commented quietly once she got about halfway down the stairs.
“Yeah, I had to finish cleaning up, and then a couple of travelers came in late so I had to make sure everything was taken care of for them,” Maeve answered, taking her jacket off and throwing it on the chair in the corner.
“Oh,” Hadley nodded. She bit her lip, feeling guilty for having left Maeve to do most of her work, since it was basically her job to take care of all the cleaning after everyone left.
Maeve smiled, as if reading Hadley’s thoughts. “Don’t worry about it, kid. It was a late night, and Cain understood that. You’re only thirteen; you’re not supposed to be able to have all of the responsibility of an adult yet.”
“Still,” Hadley gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I should pull my own weight.”
“And you are,” Maeve assured her. “Look, just forget about it, okay? It’s late, so you should go to bed.”
Hadley nodded and turned around, going back up the steps.
The following day, around noon, Hadley was at work again, clearing tables and cleaning the dishes. As she was picking a couple of lunch plates up from a table in the corner, she heard two women, Kat and Charlotte, at the next table talking with each other. She tried not to eavesdrop, since Maeve always told her it was wrong no matter how good the gossip might be. Still, they weren’t trying hard at all to be quiet, so Hadley couldn’t help but pick up on what they were saying.
“I heard that Deidre Atherton’s girl has run off with their stable boy,” Charlotte
“But, wait, I thought she was betrothed to Gavin Fleet?” Kat said, aimlessly stirring her potato soup.
Kat placed her hand over her heart sympathetically while she shook her head. “Such a sad story.”
Kat scoffed. “She only says that because she’s ashamed of her daughter. Everyone knows that if it was say, Rhoda’s daughter, who had done the same thing Deidre would be sitting right here with us sharing every ounce of knowledge she was able to scrape up.”
“Of course!” Charlotte
“Well,” Kat started in a hushed tone. Hadley instinctively slowed as she gathered the dishes, despite her conscience disagreeing with her action. “Did you hear about the raids in Terryville?”
Hadley froze completely, her fingers starting to tremble. She drew back her hand, wiping her now-sweaty palms on her apron. Her mouth was suddenly dry, and she swallowed.
“No! Terryville?”
Kat nodded eagerly. “Shaw told me about it when he got home from his boating trip. One of the sailors on board apparently came from Terryville. He told these horrible stories of families getting burned alive in their own homes!”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Kat waved her hand in dismissal. “Port Kingston
Hadley had heard enough. She turned around and practically ran to the back into the kitchen, almost throwing the dirty dishes into the water bucket. Sinking to her knees, she tried to calm herself. She had time, and she knew it. She’d be gone by the time they got around to Port Kingston.
