Page 64 of Native Hawk
When she cracked open the door, Jenny stood there, shaking, her face obscured by her hands and strands of her tangled hair.
Without a word, Catalina immediately widened the door and ushered her in, closing it carefully after her.
Jenny began sobbing at once.
Catalina narrowed her eyes in concern. “What’s wrong?”
When Jenny lowered her hands, Catalina could see her swollen, bloody lip and the bruise on her cheekbone.
She gasped in shock, and her gaze was drawn lower, to the tear in the beautiful yellow gown she’d altered for the girl.
She didn’t need to ask what had happened. It was obvious. Jenny’s client had been rough with her.
Catalina’s shock turned rapidly to fury. “Where is he?”
“Gone.”
“He cannot do this to you,” Catalina growled in frustration, wishing she could wring the bastard’s neck.
“He called me bad names,” she whimpered, as if that were worse than the beating he’d given her.
Catalina was filled with such rage, she was trembling. But if he was gone, she couldn’t do anything to the man who had hurt Jenny now. She had to do what she could to help the poor girl.
“Come.” She took Jenny gingerly by the elbow and patted the bed. “Sit here.”
Jenny hesitated, furrowing her brow at the mess of feathers. “What happened?”
“Nothing. An accident.”
Jenny perched carefully on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry about the dress. You worked so—”
“It is not important.Youare what is important, Jenny.” She bit back her anger. “It is not all right, what he did.”
Jenny lowered her head. “It’s on account of I don’t know what I’m doin’,” she said, sniffling. “I never done this kind o’ thing before.”
“That makes no difference,” Catalina said with fierce conviction. She too was inexperienced, but that didn’t excuse a man being rough with a woman. Drew had not been rough with her. “What he did is wrong. If Miss Hattie knew—”
“I don’t want Miss Hattie to see me like this.”
“Sheshouldsee you,” Catalina insisted. “It is not right for a client to beat you.”
Jenny clutched at Catalina’s hand in desperation. “Please don’t tell her. I need this job. I don’t want her to find out I don’t know how to do it. Please, Catalina, promise me you won’t say anything.”
Catalina gulped. There was a terrible logic to Jenny’s words. And yet the situation was so wrong. She placed a calming hand atop Jenny’s and nodded. “You must let me help you.” She wasn’t sure how she could help, but she couldn’t let more harm come to the girl.
“Can you…can you fix this?” She held up the ragged edges of her dress.
“Of course.” Catalina could mend the garment. She only wished she could repair Jenny’s damaged body and self-worth as easily.
Jenny popped up and began removing the dress. Catalina didn’t realize the girl meant for her to start work at once, but she was willing to do what she could to keep Jenny close…and away from whoever had done this to her.
“He is not coming back, is he?” Catalina ventured.
Jenny gulped. “I…don’t know.”
Catalina fetched her sewing kit. While the two of them sat silently on the bed in their drawers and camisoles, she worked on the torn fabric.
As she stitched, she began thinking about Jenny’s situation. Jenny was a timid, earnest, hard-working girl. She should be able to find a way to earn money without working as a soiled dove. She should not be subject to such wretched mistreatment, nor should she be made to feel so insignificant.
