Page 6 of Beyond Ivy Walls

Otis found her note at midday while walking Wolf, and he’d since read it more times than he cared to admit. Now he patrolled

the parlor, peering out the windows, waiting for the letter writer to arrive.

“You look nervous,” Leon said as he stepped into the room. “You intend to offer her a job. That makes you the employer. You’ve

no reason to be nervous. Relax—look the part.”

“The part? If I were playing the part my father played, I would have sent her off last night.”

“I did not say be your father, only to remember you’ve no reason to be nervous.”

Otis shook his head, his black hat shifting with the movement. “You forget, I do have reasons to be nervous.”

“You’re offering her room and board, not matrimony. It makes no difference what you look like.”

Otis chose not to argue with him, but he was not convinced. His looks did matter. They always had, and they likely always would. While traveling from the Crawfords’ to Monticello, he had met the eyes of a young boy. Those small blue eyes had locked on his, but then his mother had looked up, seen Otis, and tucked the child behind her. Leon, with his old eyes and blurred vision, may not care, but others would. His own father had.

Leon stepped outside, gardening shears in hand. From Otis’s spot near the window, he watched as the elderly employee trimmed

bushes near the front of the house. Pruning back one branch and then another, he gave the shrubs a uniform shape.

Otis remained frozen, waiting for Jane Squatter, regretting his impulsivity. When she arrived, she stopped and talked to Leon

first. Otis could see her brown skirt and birdlike arm, but the rest was hidden behind the bush Leon trimmed. It was poor

manners to watch and even worse to eavesdrop, but it was his property. Without giving it another thought he cracked the window and leaned closer.

“No need to apologize for your appearance,” Leon said.

“I did try to bathe in the creek...” Her voice trailed off.

“That’s right. The master of the house said he saw you.”

She gasped and Otis groaned. Leon made it sound as though he were a Peeping Tom, when in fact he’d been trying to find his

dog and seen only the faintest glimpse of white.

“No need to worry,” Leon said.

“Is... um... I was asked to come here today. I have a meeting.”

“He’s here. I’ll show you in.”

Otis kept his ear turned toward the window. Though their voices drifted as they made their way to the front entrance, he heard

enough to know she was telling Leon about her father’s health and her job at the Hoag factory.

“Come along.” Leon’s voice was in the entrance. “You’ve an appointment to keep. And have no fear, there is nothing to worry

about. These ivy walls might seem a bit intimidating, but it’s not such a bad place.”

Otis stepped away from the window. He backed himself against the wall, regretting their ridiculous letters and his invitation for her to come. But his regrets came too late—there was nowhere to go, nothing to do but face her. The door creaked open. He tugged at his hat, lowering it further on his head, and braced himself.

***

“What name can I give him?” Leon asked as he led Sadie through the foyer of the portentous house. When she had time, she would

write to her sisters and tell them of the magnificent inlaid floor, high ceilings, and stained glass.

“Tell him that Jane Squatter is here,” she said, earning her a sideways glance and a smirk. She found Leon a welcoming sort

and could only hope he had a sense of humor that matched the twinkle in his eye.

“Very well,” he said as he opened the door to his right and motioned for her to enter. She left the grand entryway with its

wide staircase and gold-painted trim. “This way.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said. The parlor’s splendor exceeded the entryway’s, leaving her awestruck and extremely aware of how

out of place she must look.

“The late Mr.Taylor spared no expense.”

Sofas with carved legs, wingback chairs, lights with dangling crystals, and rich papered walls affirmed that he certainly

hadn’t. Wolf ran to her with a wagging tail. She crouched and petted him behind the ears. “Hello, Blue.”

“Wolf.” A voice from the corner startled her. She bolted upright and faced him. She’d not seen him when she first entered, but there he was, her mysterious man from the night before. Tall and broad with a hat on his head, which created shadows that covered his face, leaving her in want of a better view.

“Mr.Taylor, a MissJane Squatter.” Leon’s voice was laced with laughter. “I’ll leave you two.”

There was no longer a need for a clue. This was the much-talked-about bachelor, the famed Otis Taylor. She stepped farther into the room. “If you prefer Jane Squatter, I

will do my best to grow accustomed to it. But most everyone calls me Sadie West.”

“Most everyone?”

“My father often calls me his little bird, and my sisters call me Captain or General when they feel I am bossing them unjustly.”

“I will keep that in mind.” He nodded but still looked ill at ease. “I am Otis Taylor.”

“It’ll take some adjusting to think of you as Otis Taylor and not Mr.Rochester.”

“I pitied Rochester, even if I did not agree with his choices.”

“If nothing else, he teaches us to be thoughtful when choosing a life companion. He may have led an entirely different life

if he’d been a bit more cautious.” She wrung her hands together. “I am rambling. I apologize, and I will do my best to remember

that you are Otis Taylor.”

“Does Otis Taylor not fit me?”

“I’m not sure. It seems everyone in town has an opinion of the Taylor family, but I am not from here and so I cannot say if

you are anything like your late father or brother.” She looked closer at him, wishing he would take off his hat so she could

see his face better. “As for Otis, I find it a good-natured name. Would you say that you are good-natured?”

“No,” he said without even a moment’s pause. “My manners are... well, they are out of practice. Ask Leon. He’ll tell you.

I am ill-tempered, especially being back in this house.”

“The house is very grand. I suppose one could feel lost in it. But it’s not as though you have to stay here all the time.”

“It has nothing to do with its size, though it is gaudy.” He spoke through gritted teeth. “You wouldn’t understand. No frivolous

girl could. What I’ve endured within these ivy walls...”

Sadie looked at her threadbare dress, a testament to all that she’d endured. It was true she had many frivolous dreams, but

at present she wasn’t living them. His words and assumptions hurt like a slap in the face after her many weeks of sacrifice

and hardship.

“I may dream of trivial things.” She steadied herself, refusing to be bullied by a stranger. The rest of the town may have

romanticized Otis Taylor, but she hadn’t. Quite the opposite, each word he spoke put more distance between him and the pedestal.

“I long to have a night of respite from the life I am leading, I admit that. I would love to go to the socials and the skating

rink, but you can’t claim to know me or what my life has been like.”

“I don’t claim to. I know very little about you other than your propensity for bathing in the creek and claiming abandoned

buildings as your own,” he muttered before running his hand over his chin. “I told you, I’m not a good-natured man. And this

house, it has me...” He shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you’ve summoned me here. Tell me, and then I will be on my way.”

He stepped out of the corner and motioned toward the chairs. “Will you sit?”

“Yes,” she said, though she hated thinking that the chair would now smell like the factory. There was something unusual about

Otis’s appearance, but she could not decide what it was. His clothes were tidy, his hands clean—far cleaner than her own—but

his face... Something was different. Was that why he hid beneath his hat?

“Your note mentioned a proposition?” she said, breaking the silence. The sooner they concluded this conversation, the sooner she could find a new place for herself. She’d have an easier time finding a place to lay her head when it was still light, and daylight was already fading. “If you’ve changed your mind, I can go now—no need to drag this on.”

He rapped his fingers against his knee. “I... I was led to believe your situation was dire, and though you are not my responsibility,

I thought...” He stood and his features grew tense. His lips pulled into a firm line. “Forget it.”

“Forget what?” She, too, stood, utterly confused by this man. “I am in a dire situation. I owe the bank money again next week. If you won’t let me stay at the factory, I have nowhere to go,

and people are depending on me. I don’t care about my own security. Look at me, I am dirty and desperate, but for them—”

“You said you would pay the owner back. I am the owner.”

“I said I would grovel too.” Her voice rose an octave. “What are you saying? You want payment for the nights I spent there?

Is that why you wanted me to come? So you could ask me for money? Or did you have some other payment in mind?”

“No,” he barked. “I don’t want you to grovel or pay. I am botching this.” He exhaled and she held her breath, waiting. Wolf

pushed his nose against Sadie’s hand. She responded by scratching behind his ears. Otis focused on her hand and his dog. “Even

my dog is abandoning me.”

“What?”

“I’ll have Leon talk to you.”

“Leon? Can you not tell me?”

He shook his head, then left without looking back. Stunned, Sadie remained in the parlor, unsure what had just transpired. Leon did not come, nor did Otis return. Like a dunce, she waited. Just as she was about to see herself out, an older woman stepped into the room. She introduced herself as Mildred, Leon’s wife.

“My dear,” she said as though they were already well acquainted.

“Did I do something wrong? He was cordial enough, and then he wasn’t... and then he just left. I don’t understand.”

“That’s our Otis.” Mildred’s lips raised in an affectionate smile, reminding Sadie of the smile her mother so often wore.

“Poor boy, he tries, but... well, it’s hard.”

“Is he angry with me? I didn’t mean to cause a problem. It was an empty building.”

“No, his anger doesn’t have anything to do with you. He’s been through a lot, that’s all. He has matters that keep him in

town, but he doesn’t wish for anyone else to know he’s here. He’s a solitary man.”

“I won’t tell anyone that he is here.” She looked toward the door that Otis had gone through. “I would have told him that.

I can respect a man’s desire to be left alone.”

“He’ll be glad to hear it.”

“Should I go?”

Mildred shook her head. “No, please stay. He wants to offer you a job, if you’re willing.”

“A job?” Her hand went to her heart. Was she hearing correctly? Time slowed as her mind tried to understand this turn of fortune.

“I’m getting older and Otis plans to sell the house. We intend to go through all the belongings, clean every room, and of

course there will be daily maintenance until a buyer is found.”

The thrill of the offer was tempered by reality. “I would like to help, but I work at the duster factory.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

The creases near Mildred’s eyes deepened. “You smell an awful lot like turkey.”

Heat raced up Sadie’s neck, all the way to her ears. “I would have bathed, but—”

“No explanation needed. What do you say? Do you agree? You work in the evenings, and in exchange you can stay in the staff

quarters, eat with us, and you’ll earn a decent wage. Our accommodations are nothing fancy, but they’re better than the floor

of the factory, and from the sound of it, a little extra money would be helpful.”

It was too good to be true. To live here and to have additional income... But she’d heard the distrust in his voice.

“Are you certain Mr.Taylor wants me here?”

“I don’t know if he knows what he wants.” She laughed, the sound jolly like the ringing of bells. “Don’t worry about Otis.

We’ll get you settled, but you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone he’s here. It’s his one demand.”

“Demand?”

“Request.”

“Of course, I promise.” Relief—sweet, blessed relief—sent Sadie’s heart dancing, and a few tears of pure joy ran down her

face. “I’m sorry,” she said as she wiped her eyes. “I’ve been praying for a miracle. This is... unexpected. I’m so grateful.”

“Oh dear, we’re the ones who are grateful. Both Leon and I have been hoping for a way to help Otis. And now you are here,

and you may be exactly what this house needs.”

Sadie had no idea what she meant, but she smiled as she wiped at her face. “I’ll work as hard as I can.”

“I’m sure you will. Now tell me about yourself.”

Sadie told Mildred about her father, her sisters, and their plan to save their farm. More tears came with the telling, but

not regret, not even when she talked about her cold nights in the factory.

Mildred patted her on the cheek. “You have endured a great deal.”

“He’s my father. We’ve got bank debt and doctor bills. They need me.”

Mildred took her hand. “You sweet girl. I am quite certain you are exactly the miracle we need. Come along, let’s fill your

belly and get you cleaned up.”

***

... I have now set foot in the finest house I have ever seen. It’s as breathtaking as it is mysterious. The type of place

an author would use for the setting of a novel. There must be a story here....