Victorian San Francisco Stories by M. Louisa Locke Read Free Book Online Page B

with raspberry compote?”
    Kathleen, the boarding house maid, leaned between her and Jamie to take their plates and continued, “But your son sure had a good appetite, and I don’t even have to ask if he wants dessert.”
    Barbara found her spirits lifting as they often did around Kathleen, a freckle-faced young Irish girl whose sparkling blue eyes radiated good humor. She replied, “Oh, Kathleen, it’s just too hot. I don’t know how you and Mrs. O’Rourke can stand it down in the kitchen; it must feel like you are in an oven. Do tell Mrs. O’Rourke how much I did enjoy the soup. I don’t want her to feel her efforts were wasted on me, and they certainly weren’t wasted on Jamie!”
    Kathleen placed the dishes on the stack she had been accumulating on her tray and said, “Well, the kitchen is in the basement, and that is a help. I don’t know how you can sleep nights up there on the third floor! When I went up to sweep this morning, I like to died from the heat!”
    This comment prompted Barbara to ask a question that had been niggling at her for several days. “Kathleen, that reminds me, with the windows open in the evening I have been hearing the woman across the alley play the piano. Quite lovely. I wondered if you knew her name or an ything about her? I do believe they moved in this spring.”
    Kathleen’s face lit up, “Oh, Ma’am, that would be Mrs. Francis. Don’t that piano sound gl orious? She was famous, used to do concerts and everything. That was before she was married. Her husband, though, I dunno. I heard he dotes on her, but I also heard he's a rough sort. They do say opposites attract. He runs a store for second-hand tools in the first floor of the house. Well, I guess Mrs. Francis does most of the work in the store while he just runs around town, finding goods to sell.”
    Barbara watched as Kathleen moved away to finish clearing the table, and she wondered about Mrs. Francis, “who used to be famous.” It had been so long since she had someone with whom she could share her love of music. She had hoped that she might find one of the teachers at her school compatible, but so far there had been no one she really felt she could trust. Schools could be such gossipy places, and she couldn’t afford to make any enemies, which somehow meant she hadn’t been able to make any friends.
    *****
    The next day, Barbara found herself again wondering about Mrs. Francis when her thoughts were interrupted by Dandy, who was barking in great indignation at an emaciated hound who was tied to the hitching post outside the Ellis Street butcher shop. Saturday mornings she walked Dandy while Jamie made spending money by doing errands for Mrs. O'Rourke. This Saturday, despite the continued heat, she had extended her usual route so that she could go past the Francis house.
    Barbara had some vague idea that she might stop in the store and, if Mrs. Francis was alone, strike up a conversation. But she had forgotten the butcher's dog, which always sent Dandy into a frenzy. Dandy was still a pup and didn't weigh more than fifteen pounds, so she wasn't worried he would get away from her, but he was creating a good deal of commotion on the crowded sidewalk.
    She scooped Dandy up in her arms, immediately subjecting herself to several swift doggy kisses on her nose, and she laughed, saying, "Oh, you rascal. Proud of yourself, aren't you? D efended me against that ruffian. Now settle down."
    Having made it safely past the butcher shop, Barbara put the wiggling dog down at her feet, just in time for him to begin straining at the leash again. Looking up, she saw the object of his excitement was a short, boxy black dog with a shaggy coat that was pulling his mistress towards them with equal fervor.
    "Oh, Mrs. Francis. That is your name, isn't it? I have so wanted to meet you," Barbara exclaimed when she noticed that the slender blonde in front of her was her back alley neighbor. Before the woman had a chance to respond, she