I make mine with buttermilk, and I think that makes all the difference. Make yourself some small circles of dough. Put in a generous scoop of the meat mixture and fold over the crust and pinch it closed. Then you bake ’em till they’re golden brown. Ain’t nothin’ to it.”
“Sounds delightful. I might even be able to manage it on my own.” Faith beamed at him.
Andrew marveled at how open she was with the black man. Most women wouldn’t even speak to his crew, but Faith made a point of it. He could well imagine her calling Remli one of her friends. And yet she sat there very prim and proper, looking every bit the lady of society.
After lunch, Faith seemed far less agitated, and Andrew decided against asking her anything more about Berkshire and Lakewood’s doings. Instead, he would go see Seth and let him know what had transpired in the past and what Berkshire had just asked of him regarding supplies in Astoria that he wanted delivered to Wheatland. Wheatland would put them in a perfect location to take on to Grand Ronde, and Andrew figured that, as large as the order was, they might very well be ready to push for their hostilities.
“Thank you for the lunch,” Faith said as she prepared to leave.
He wanted to encourage her to stay but knew he had plenty of work to do. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you could make it, but I’m sorry for the circumstances of your open schedule.”
She sighed and looked so sad that Andrew wished he could take her in his arms. “I know God has a plan even in this, but I’m afraid I can’t see it. I’m trying hard not to lean on my own understanding, but honestly . . . my heart is broken. I’ve planned for my surgeon’s certificate for a long time. I wanted to have it so people would take me seriously as a physician.”
He smiled. “I think when they see your work, they’ll take you plenty seriously.”
“Yes,” she murmured, “but they have to be willing to let me perform first in order to see what I can do. Without the certificate, I doubt that will happen.”
Andrew again fought the urge to embrace her and assure her that everything would be all right—that he would see to it. He cared for her more than he could ever admit, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try to right some of the wrongs done to her.
Faith noted the time as she caught the trolley. It wouldn’t be long before her friends gathered for their afternoon study period. Hopefully they would go to one of their regular places, and she could meet with them and explain what happened. She would start with Brickerson’s, and if they weren’t there, she’d go to one of their other favorites.
Thankfully, Brickerson’s was the restaurant of choice. Faith was once again frozen to the bone and wanted no part of a citywide search. Malcolm was already seated and sipping hot coffee when Faith made her way to his table. He put the cup aside and jumped to his feet to help her with a chair. “At last. Where have you been? You never came to class.”
“I was expelled.” She said it so matter-of-factly that it sounded as though it was nothing of importance. She sat and began to remove her gloves.
“Expelled? For how long and why?” Malcolm’s tone was disbelieving, and his gaze searched her as if waiting for her to tell him it was all a joke.
“Permanently. They were livid at my having spoken on behalf of Indians. Well, let me restate that. Lakewood was livid. He made them dismiss me.”
“But graduation is just weeks away, and you hold the highest marks.”
“I know.” Malcolm sank to his chair, and Faith continued. “I wanted to come and let you know what happened. I’m not sure what I’m going to do regarding school. I’ll speak to my father. As a lawyer, he may know recourses that elude me. As for our lectures, I plan for them to go on. In fact, I’m more devoted to them than ever before and plan to let everyone know what has happened to me. I’m going to get in touch with Mrs. Jackson and implore her to come. I’m sure once she hears what happened, she’ll be more than willing.”
Malcolm had grown quiet, and for a minute Faith thought he was going to suggest they cancel the lectures.