Dillard Beach Mystery – 61

Just after dawn, Shady Perkins gave a solid rap on the bed chamber door.

“Mister Ballard, you have customers!” she shouted. “There are people downstairs looking to trade.” She paused and listened for a response. “Should I send them away?”

Charles Ballard, barely awake, quickly tossed the bed covers to one side. “Mistress Perkins? Is that you?”

“Who else might it be?” She asked, her voice filled with frustration. “I be knocking on your door these last five minutes. Get up! You have customers waiting below.”

Emma moved under the covers towards her husband. “Charles can you hear?”

“How could I not?” he declared. “That woman is insufferable!”

Despite his displeasure with Perkins, Charles rose from his warm bed and quickly dressed. “I will go down and see to things. You stay here and sleep for as long as you are able.”

Emma nodded and pulled the quilt over her head. She fell back to sleep, only waking when sunlight streamed through the shutters.

She dressed quickly and made her way to the first floor. She found Charles and Rebekah in the front room where they were busy unpacking boxes.

“Good morning, Emma,” Rebekah remarked. “You must have been exhausted to sleep so late.”

“What time is it?”

“Well into the morning. We have already served several customers this morning.”

Emma looked about. The floor was strewn with empty crates, the contents already having been set up in neat displays on the tables that lined the room.

“What do you think, Emma?” Charles asked. We can use the storage room for keeping our wares safe and use tables and display shelves in here to show them off to customers.”

Emma looked at the long table filled with a variety of food stuffs and fabrics. “I thought this area could be for household goods you sell,” Rebekah explained. “Small garden tools could display against the wall and farm tools, carts and such like could be just outside.”

Emma looked puzzled. “I do not know what is best. It is all too much for me to handle so early in the day.”

“Are you all right, Emma?” Charles asked. He gave his wife a look of concern.

“What are we doing here, Charles?” she asked.

“We are setting up the trading post, Emma. What do you suppose we are doing?”

Emma turned around, looking flustered. “I do not understand. Am I not in charge? Could you not wait for me, Charles? You told me it would be up to me to decide how things are to be displayed in our trading post.”

“And it is up to you, dear. Rebekah and I just thought we might get started while you rested.”

“Well, I am rested now, and stand here ready to take charge.” She turned to Rebekah. “I thank you for your help, Rebekah, but I think it best if you rest a little now and leave the organizing for me to do. Perhaps you should take Ezra out for a walk?”

Rebekah was surprised at her friends sudden change in attitude. But rather than discuss it, she left the room and went in search of her son. She found him playing outside the rear entry.

“Ezra! Would you like to come with me and do some exploring?”

Just at that moment the sound of men cursing in the front hall could be heard.

“Be careful or you’ll drop it!” a man shouted.

“I am being careful!”

This was immediately followed by the sound of breaking glass. Charles appeared in the doorway.

“What is going on?” he demanded.

Two men stood in front of the large front window, holding a long wooden bench between them. The window was shattered and glass shards were spread across the floor. “Sorry Mister Ballard. Seems the bench is a bit too big to get around the corner after all.”

Charles looked at the damage and shook his head. “Mister Perkins, you must be more careful. These windows are quite valuable and hard to replace.”

“I s’pose you’ll dock me pay to make up for it?” he asked.

Charles did not answer, but shook his head.

“You should know better’n let him handle your valuables,” declared Shady Perkins, stepping into the hall. She had arrived just in time to watch her husband and his friend try to maneuver the heavy bench into position. “He’s never been too careful. You should see the scars and dings he’s put on our chairs.”

Rebecca looked from one man to the second and decided it was best to remove herself and Ezra from the scene. She signaled the boy to follow her to the back porch and once outside, the two headed across the grassy lawn towards the river.

“Is Mister Charles angry, mama?” Ezra asked.

Rebecca shook her head. “I amd afraid he is. Those men were not careful and a window was broken. Moving furniture is not an easy task. You need to pay attention to what you are doing or mistakes happen.”

“Like it did with those men?”

“That is correct. But do not worry. Charles and Emma will straighten things out. And while they work here, we can explore the river for lost treasures. What do you say to that?”

The boy gave his mother a broad smile and pulled on her arm. “Come along, Mama. We hunt for treasures.”

Mother and son headed towards the nearby shoreline.