THE OVERCAST DAY did not dim Camille's mood. She'd woken with a smile and now found herself humming as she wiped down the counter.
The scales were gleaming and shelves dust free. The bell over the door tinkled as two women walked in. She recognized both and greeted them.
"My, doesn't it just smell divine in here," the older woman of the two exclaimed to her friend. "I love walking in here."
Ruth and her daughter, Gertrude, made a beeline for the shelf stacked with different fragrant soaps Camille made.
The younger woman, Gertrude, smiled at Camille. "Mother says that every time we come in here. I bet you hear it all the time."
"I do," Camille replied, returning the smile. "But I never tire of it."
Ruth smiled warmly at Camille. "And I never tire of telling you what a wonderful, dear girl you are. It was a godsend when you stayed with Gertrude for an entire week while Leonard and I visited my sick sister," she said, referring to her husband.
The woman picked up a bar of soap and sniffed it. "You have no idea what a burden you took off our shoulders. I was able to take care of sister without worrying about Gertrude being alone since Leonard had to take me."
The women purchased soaps and then asked for specific teas and herbs. While they waited for Camille to measure and package, she invited them to taste the elderberry tea she'd just brewed.
When the bell jingled next, just one woman entered. Immediately, the mood of the room changed. Ruth and Gertrude bristled at the presence of Lacy, the saloon madam.
Unlike the women who immediately paid and took their leave, Camille greeted Lacy warmly. "Hello, Lacy. You look pretty in that green dress. How are you feeling?"
The woman had come to her a week earlier, complaining of a constant stomach ailment. Camille had given her a mixture of herbs to brew and drink to help with whatever caused her discomfort.
"I’m much better. I must tell you that I cannot start my day now without drinking my tea first."
When the woman's gaze lingered a bit too long on her, Camille shifted. "Do you need more?"
"Yes, please." Lacy finally slid her eyes to the jars on the shelves behind Camille. "And some chamomile, too, please. One of my girls loves to drink it."
"I will give you a bit extra. Also some peppermint tea for Molly. Tell me, how is she doing?"
"Much better. She'll be glad for the tea, thank you."
Camille busied herself measuring and placing the tea into folded bags she'd made out of paper. "If you find your stomach pains return, I can add more peppermint to the mix.
Lacy took a breath. "I heard you and McKade were over at the restaurant last night."
Camille wasn't sure why the woman felt the need to bring up her dinner the day before. Unwilling to discuss Lucas, she focused on what she'd eaten. "Oh yes, the fried chicken supper was very good. I thought my mother made good chicken, but I think last night the meal was so much better. The biscuits were good, too. Now I'm going to want to return whenever she's making it again.”
Camille considered that, in the future, she could pick up the food and bring it back to avoid eating there alone. "Have you tried it, Lacy?"
The madam straightened and lifted a brow. "No. They don't take well to my kind in family establishments."
It didn't occur to Camille how different of a life Lacy had than her. "I'm sorry, I didn't think. If you'd like, we can eat here one day. I am planning to pick it up and bring it back, since it's not comely for a woman to eat alone. I suppose we have that in common." Camille chuckled.
"You're a nice person." Lacy studied her with something between envy and sadness. "I may have to take you up on that offer." The woman's painted lips curved. "How much do I owe you?"
Camille told her the price then picked up several sample bars of her soap. "Please, share these with the other girls."
After Lacy left, Camille couldn't help but feel that the woman had come for something more than just the tea. She'd studied Camille as if seeing her for the first time. It was possible Lacy cared for Lucas, maybe even been intimate with him before. In her occupation, that was very possible.
However, Lacy had to know there would never be anything more between her and any man who visited her establishment. A sad life for sure. At considering what could have possibly happened between Lacy and Lucas, she let out a slow breath. Why should she care? What he did or didn't do wasn't her business. She hoped to know more about him, but it was a stupid idea.
In that respect, she and Lacy had another thing in common. No matter how attracted she was to Lucas McKade, he could never truly be hers.
When he'd kissed her, it was as if he'd read her mind. The entire walk home she'd hoped for a kiss, but never expected it to happen. Although soft and rather brisk, it was perfect. It was enough to keep her smiling the entire day. Silly to react to it like a young girl after a first kiss, but Camille couldn't help it.
The smile returned and she shook her head. "Enough of this foolishness, Camille," she stated out loud.