19th Century Seamstress

chapter 20

It was breakfast time, and outside, sleet was falling with a mix of light taps and steady splashes. The sky was dim. Eloise took a pancake, speckled with crisp, charred spots, and warmed it up in the cast-iron skillet. It was chewier than when fresh out of the oven last night. She cracked an egg, its frosted shell breaking open in the pan. In no time, a thin, sizzling white layer began to form around it.

Eloise loved her eggs just like this—crisped on the edges with a soft, runny yolk in the center. When she woke up and saw the gloomy weather, she hadn’t expected to enjoy her favorite breakfast. But after washing up, she’d smelled the wonderful aroma of the pancake and saw the straw hat by the door, still dripping wet. Her aunt must have braved the weather to get the eggs. Eloise felt a bit embarrassed; this woman wasn’t even related to her by blood, yet she’d shown more kindness and care than any family she’d known in two lifetimes.

“What are you staring off for, Eloise? Today’s your turn to take Bella to school.” Louise climbed down from the top bunk and glanced outside, adopting a dramatic tone: “Oh, poor Eloise, it seems you’re not in luck today.”

Eloise, still basking in that warm feeling of family, snapped back to attention, giving Louise a mock-angry glare before quickly jumping out of bed, dressing, and putting on her shoes. Louise, with her long fingers, was calmly brushing her hair. “If you’re willing to pay me fifty cents, I could go with you to drop off Bella.”

“No money, no deal,” Eloise replied, stuffing a mouthful of the fragrant pancake as she spoke.

Ten minutes later, the three sisters set off, wearing straw hats and scarves, and headed towards Bella’s school. After seeing her off, Eloise and Louise faced a bitterly cold wind, which seemed to turn New York into a pool of swirling sludge, forcing them to run down the streets to avoid the worst of it. They arrived at the hotel, bedraggled and breathless, and went their separate ways. Eloise, who was running a bit late, changed into her uniform just as Mrs. Morrison arrived.

Everyone straightened up, preparing to face the formidable Mrs. Morrison, while Eloise joined the others at the back, hands folded, standing respectfully as the woman cleared her throat to speak.

“Who was on duty yesterday for fireplace cleaning?” Mrs. Morrison’s face was unreadable, giving no hint of her emotions. Since Eloise hadn’t been on duty yesterday, she felt relieved and a bit smug as Laura and Ryan stepped forward. Laura had tried to get away with a flexible schedule, often taking side gigs in the dining hall.

Mrs. Morrison gave a cold smile, her eyes fixed on Laura’s nervous hands clutching the front of her dress. “I received a complaint yesterday from a guest on the sixth floor, who mentioned you by name. You didn’t clean the fireplace properly.”

“It was my oversight. I’ll make sure it’s spotless next time,” Laura replied. Surprisingly, Mrs. Morrison didn’t dwell on the matter, simply nodding and moving on. Eloise couldn’t understand it; it seemed strange for Mrs. Morrison to call someone out in front of everyone only to let them off so easily.

Once the crowd dispersed, Eloise headed to the supply room, only to run into Amy, who’d come looking for her. Amy wasn’t on duty today, but since she lived near the kitchen, it was easy for her to come up. Today, she looked worn out.

“What brings you up here?” Eloise asked, surprised.

“Eloise, could you cover for me tomorrow?” Amy asked in a tired voice, explaining that she’d heard from her brother last night that their mother was unwell, and she wanted to visit her family in their farmhouse in Brooklyn, which was far enough away that she’d have to stay overnight.

Eloise readily agreed, and they began chatting about Nasha.

“You saw her yesterday? Do you know where she’s staying now? Her family came to the hotel yesterday asking about her. Rumor has it she’s gone off with some rich man, and they’re even threatening to go to the police,” Amy said.

“Really?” Eloise didn’t mention where Nasha was living, simply saying she’d run into her by chance and that she seemed to be doing okay.

When Laura and Ryan entered, the two fell silent, and only continued their conversation after leaving the room.

Ryan looked troubled, following them with her gaze. “Were they talking about Nasha just now?”

Laura, feeling irritable, replied, “Who cares.”

“Do you think Mrs. Morrison will hold this against you?” Ryan’s tone was uneasy. She’d been standing lookout while Laura had snuck off for a side job the day before. Laura felt a pang of regret; seeing how Nasha had managed to slip away with such ease had tempted her to try her own luck, but it had backfired, and now she was worried people would gossip about her.

But Laura reminded herself that Mrs. Morrison, for all her strictness, had a soft spot for her staff. She hadn’t bad-mouthed Nasha even when her family had shown up looking for her, so she probably wouldn’t fire Laura either.

Later, Eloise and Amy went upstairs to clean the fifth and sixth floors, finishing their tasks quickly. Just before noon, Amy left for the outskirts on the tram, leaving Eloise to rest in the supply room. But she ran into a coworker who asked her to help replace a carpet in the Opal Suite on the seventh floor, where a guest had accidentally spilled coffee.

“It’s really kind of you, thanks so much,” the colleague said gratefully.

Nearby, Laura stepped out from behind a corner, her eyes narrowing as she watched Eloise chatting and laughing with the others.

Eloise put away the cleaning bucket and headed back upstairs to help with the suite. The suite’s fireplace was roaring, and the desk was stacked with manuscripts. She helped roll up the expensive Persian carpet and replace it with a new one.

“Did Mr. Merkin skip the bank today?” the waiter asked Eloise’s coworker, who shook her head.

“No, he was meeting someone from the press this morning, not sure where he is now,” replied the server.

The suite was filled with luxury items, so Eloise kept her eyes forward, working quietly. After replacing the carpet, she excused herself and headed toward the staircase.

The seventh floor was a bit of a maze, with a winding hallway that led to a rooftop garden. The staff corridor was a confusing series of turns, designed to stay out of the guests’ line of sight. Just before she reached the terrace entrance, Eloise was intercepted by Laura, arms crossed, clearly waiting for her.

“So, Eloise, did you tell Amy you’d seen Nasha?” Laura looked down on Eloise, who she found too simple-minded.

Eloise didn’t deny it. “Yes, I saw her, but only in passing.”

“Oh? She’s living the high life now, isn’t she?” Laura’s voice was tinged with envy.

Eloise shrugged. “I have poor eyesight and didn’t see anyone with her.”

“What about her outfit? Was she wearing silk?” Laura pressed.

Eloise chuckled, “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never touched silk in my life.”

Laura narrowed her eyes, frustrated. “And here you are, altering clothes for people, yet you don’t even know fabrics?”

“The ones I work with are mostly linen and cotton—no wool even. If you’d like, I can give you a discount,” Eloise replied, steering the conversation elsewhere.

Laura hesitated, then huffed, “You’re just going to stay a tailor your whole life, knowing nothing…” She looked at Eloise with disdain.

“That’s right!” Eloise replied brightly. “Being a tailor is my dream. Thanks to you, I’ll keep working hard at it.” She gave her the most genuine smile, showing eight perfect teeth.

Laura, taken aback and annoyed, walked away with a scowl. As her skirt disappeared around the corner, Eloise turned and glanced at the terrace doorway. Her smile faded.

The ornate wooden doors to the terrace were ajar, revealing the bleak weather outside, with heavy snow and a biting wind. And there, standing behind a half-body statue, was a tall figure with a cigarette. His gaze was cold, distant, and though Eloise couldn’t tell if he’d overheard anything, it unsettled her.

Eloise brushed her nose with her hand, feeling unexpectedly cheerful as she made her way downstairs to clock out.

Time to go home!