Delia, notorious for rising late, made a face. “You needn’t remind me I’m awake before the birds today,” she said, clearing space on one side of her desk to make room for the tray. “But with Calderon in charge, I don’t dare slack. What’s this?” she added, noting an envelope on the tray.
“A cable from Rome, my lady. It arrived this morning, so I brought it along.”
“At last.” Relieved, she plucked the envelope off the tray and tore it open, pulling out the printed missive inside. But if she’d been hopingfor some advice from her mentor that would be helpful, she was disappointed.
Calderon wants to ruin everything I’ve built at the Savoy. Do not help him do it.
—Ritz
“That’s not very helpful, César,” she murmured under her breath.
“My lady?”
“Nothing, James.” She shoved the telegram in her skirt pocket. “How is the staff adapting to the new regime?”
“It’s been a bit hard, my lady, I admit. We’ve lost two waiters and a kitchen maid in the restaurant.”
“Yes, I heard,” she murmured, thinking of Escoffier raging about that fact in her office the evening before. “Cost-cutting measures, I was told.”
“We were told the same. And it’s not just the restaurant. Two cashiers and one of the maids were let go as well, and rumor has it they aren’t done yet. It’s got us all on tenterhooks, wondering who might be next to get the boot. Most of the staff live hand to mouth, you know. We can’t afford to lose our jobs.”
Delia nodded, sympathetic but not surprised. “I know, and I’m sorry. I wish I could do something.”
“Couldn’t you talk to him, my lady? Tell him that we’re working ’round the clock and we can’t afford to lose any more people?”
“Calderon doesn’t listen to me, I’m afraid,” she replied, the words bitter on her tongue. “He doesn’t like me.”
“Oh, my lady, I don’t believe that for a moment.”
She smiled at this show of loyalty. “It’s a shock, I know,” she saidwryly, “but it’s true, nonetheless. We got off on the wrong foot from the moment we met, and it’s gotten no better since then. In fact,” she added lightly, “the next person let go might very well be me.”
“He’d never fire you. Why, you’re a countess, my lady. He wouldn’t dare giveyouthe sack.”
From what she could see, Calderon would dare anything in the name of his precious profits, but she didn’t say so. “The same could be said of you, James,” she said instead. “The restaurant is so busy; I can’t imagine he’ll dismiss any more waiters.”
“I hope not, my lady. And in the meantime, there is one benefit to being short-staffed. Our share of thetroncis bigger for those of us who remain.”
She knew at once what he meant. Thetroncwas the accumulated total of all the day’s tips, which were divided equally among the waiters who had worked that day, and it was the only pay they received. “I suppose that’s something. And the extra money is quite a help to you right now, I imagine. How are you enjoying fatherhood, by the way? Your wife had a boy, I heard?”
The young man beamed at her mention of his newborn son. “A fine, healthy boy, my lady.”
“Excellent. And Lizzie? She is recovering well, I trust?”
“Oh, yes. She’s already back in the laundry, hard at work.”
“Already? But she only had the baby two weeks ago. She shouldn’t be working! At least, not yet.”
“She vows she’s up to it, my lady. And as I said, we need the money.”
“Of course,” Delia said at once, appreciating that not everyone had the luxury of working only when and if they wanted to.
“Anyway, Lizzie and I are just crossing our fingers Calderon doesn’t decide to let either of us go.”
“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. But please don’t allow Lizzie toovertire herself. And tell her I have a gift for the baby. It should be arriving any day now.”
“Thank you, my lady. That is most generous of you. Will there be anything else?”
“No, thank you, James. You may go.”
