Finding her way home

Having fled her privileged upbringing for a failed romance, Rebecca Heaton knows her pride has kept her from returning home. Now at her mother’s boardinghouse in New York City, she’s determined to forge a new life for herself--and her daughter. She just never expects to find a new love in the process…

Ben Roth has always been compelled to help the downtrodden—including single moms like Rebecca. But if the past has taught him one thing it’s that offering his trust can lead to disappointment. Could these two wounded souls make one another whole…and come together as a forever family?

Boardinghouse Betrothals: Hearts taking shelter—and forging new beginnings

“I’m sorry to be so much trouble.”

Ben glanced at her quickly. “You aren’t any trouble. Besides, I feel it’s partly my fault you fell.”

“I wanted to try on my own, remember?”

“But I shouldn’t have let you.”

She chuckled. “I don’t think I gave you a choice. Still, thank you for helping me.”

“You’re welcome.” They were safely down the stairs and he turned to her. “But truly, it’s been my pleasure.”

Rebecca felt color flood her face and she felt all jittery inside as she said, “You can put me down now and I’ll try my crutches.”

Ben eased her to her feet, holding her at the waist to steady her, which did nothing for her flutters. He bent down to whisper in her ear, “You aren’t very good at asking for help, are you?”

“I suppose I did get used to doing things on my own.”

“That is understandable, but you have people more than happy to help you now.”

And he’d been one of them in so many ways. But the more he helped the more she began to see him as the hero her daughter did. And she knew better. She didn’t believe in heroes anymore.

JANET LEE BARTON loves researching and writing heartwarming romances about faith, family, friends and love. She’s written both historical and contemporary novels, and loves writing for Love Inspired Historical. She and her husband live in Oklahoma and have recently downsized to a condo, which they love. When Janet isn’t writing or reading, she loves to cook for family, work in her small garden, travel and sew. You can visit Janet at www.janetleebarton.com.

A Daughter’s Return

Janet Lee Barton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

If we confess our sins, he is faithful

and just to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

—1 John 1:9

To my readers who love this series as much as I do,

To my family who always encourages me to keep writing,

And always,

To my Lord and Savior for showing me the way.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Heaton House, New York City, January 1897

After helping her mother take down the last of the Christmas decorations, Rebecca hurried upstairs to check on her napping daughter. It was the Monday after New Year’s, and she still found it hard to believe she and Jenny were finally moved into her mother’s boardinghouse.

The past few months had sped by—reuniting with her family, staying with her brother, Michael, and his wife Violet, to help out with her sweet nephew, who had been born two weeks before Christmas, and the weddings of several of her mother’s boarders.

Here it was, 1897 already—a new year and a whole new life for her and Jenny. What would the Lord have in store for them this year?

Rebecca entered the suite her mother had given them and still couldn’t believe the space they each had. Compared to the tiny apartment in the tenements she’d left only a few months ago, the suite seemed huge and sumptuous. Her room was done in the blues and yellows she loved and the colors in Jenny’s were her favorites—pink and lavender. After living in the colorless tenements, she loved having color around them once again. The two rooms were connected by a bathroom they shared—a real luxury after having to share a bathroom with everyone on one floor of the building they’d lived in.

“What do you think, Jenny? Are you going to like living here at Granma’s?” she’d asked that very morning. Rebecca had smiled, realizing she’d begun to say granma like Jenny did—without the d.

“Oh yes, Mama.” Jenny’s eyes had sparkled. “I love being with Granma every day and I like all the others here, too,” Jenny had said. “And you won’t be so sad anymore. We’re going to have good days now, aren’t we, Mama?”

Rebecca’s breath had caught and her heart twisted in her chest at Jenny’s words. Suddenly, she’d realized her child’s daily moods in the past had been a reflection of her own. O Lord, please forgive me. Again.

Determination had risen up strong and swift and Rebecca had bent down, gathered her young daughter in her arms and hugged her tight. “Yes, Jenny. We are going to have much better days from now on.”

If she had a bad day, she’d make sure she didn’t drag her daughter down with her. “I love you so much!”

“I love you, too, Mama.” Jenny’s small hands patted her on the back.

Rebecca was always amazed at how comforting her daughter’s hugs and pats could be.

Now, she crossed her room and went through the bathroom to sit on the side of Jenny’s bed. She gave her a gentle shake and kissed her forehead. “Wake up, sleepyhead. We need to wash up and go see what Gretchen and Maida are cooking for dinner. Something smells really yummy downstairs.”

Jenny stretched, smiled and opened her eyes. “I hope she’s making chocolate cake!”

“Oh, I’m sure Gretchen will make something you’ll like.” Dessert was a real treat for Jenny. Living in the tenements, Rebecca could rarely afford any kind of indulgence for them. She’d done well most days to provide the basic meal, which had been awfully skimpy at times. She still found it difficult to believe she didn’t have to worry about where their next meal would come from. “Let’s go wash your face and hands.”

Once they’d both freshened up, Rebecca took her daughter’s hand and left her room. What a wonderful feeling not to have to lock her door or worry about someone breaking in. She and Jenny swung hands and then the child giggled, let go of Rebecca and ran to the staircase.

“Jenny, not so fast!” Rebecca watched in horror as her daughter grasped the newel post and swung a leg over the side, leaving her in a kind of lopsided position as she started to slide. “Jenny! No!”

Jenny’s descent built up speed while Rebecca ran down the stairs on legs that had suddenly gone weak, terrified she wouldn’t reach her in time. The front door of Heaton House opened and Benjamin Roth, one of the boarders, walked in. Rebecca yelled, “Ben, catch her, please!”

She saw him glance up and run to the bottom of the staircase just as Jenny flew off the end and plopped into his arms. Her child’s delighted giggle helped Rebecca breathe once more as she reached the foyer, took her child from him and hugged her close. She looked up at the man who’d kept her from getting hurt. “Oh, Ben, thank you!”

He let out a huge breath. “You’re welcome. That was a bit frightening.”

“I was terrified.” Rebecca turned her daughter’s face to hers. “Jennifer Dickerson! I told you not to ever slide down the banister. You nearly scared the life right out of me and Mr. Ben.”

She set her daughter down and grasped her hand. “You deserve a paddling for disobeying me, Jenny!”

“What’s all the commotion about?” her mother asked, hurrying down the hall from her study.

“Granma!” Jenny reached out to her grandmother, sounding as if she’d been saved from the sound spanking Rebecca knew she needed.

Rebecca relinquished her to her mother and let out a huge sigh before explaining. “Jenny decided to slide down the banister and Ben caught her right before she flew across the foyer, Mama.”

She still trembled at the thought of what might have happened had Ben not arrived when he did.

“Oh, my sweet Jenny, we don’t want you to get hurt. Granma has a rule in this house. Never, ever slide down the banister. You won’t try it again, will you?”

Rebecca watched her blond-haired, blue-eyed child shake her head.

“You promise?”

Jenny hesitated only a moment before nodding.

“Now what do you need to say to your mama?”

“I’m sorry, Mama.”

Rebecca felt torn between hugging her close again and punishing her for disobeying. “I forgive you. But you still deserve a spanking. You slide down again and you’ll get one, you hear?”

Jenny’s head bobbed up and down once more.

“You received a reprieve this time, sweetheart,” Mrs. Heaton said, patting her granddaughter’s back. “I’m not sure you will a second time. May I take her to the kitchen to check on dinner, dear?”

“I suppose, but no treats before dinner.”

“Of course not.” She turned and headed for the kitchen. “You heard your mama, Jenny. You have to wait until after dinner for dessert.”

“I know, Granma.”

Rebecca shook her head, let out a shaky breath and looked up at Ben. Her trembles had only now begun to subside. “Oh, Ben, I am so glad you came home when you did. My legs felt like water as I tried to hurry down the stairs and I was sure I wouldn’t make it down in time.”

“I wasn’t too sure I’d be in time, either.” He ran a hand through his blond hair, then chuckled and shook his head. “She thought it was great fun.”

“And it is. I tried the same thing when I was around her age.”

“Was anyone there to catch you?” His blue eyes twinkled as he waited for her answer.

“Thankfully my papa heard Mama yell, much the same as I just did, and he caught me.”

“Then what happened?”

Rebecca chuckled. “The outcome was about the same as now. Mama came running down the stairs and Papa said almost the exact same things Mama told Jenny.”

“Like mother, like daughter?” He grinned at her.

She thought for a moment and then sighed. “I’m afraid so. I pray she’s not as rebellious as I was when she gets older.”

“Well, it appears you turned out fine. I’m sure Jenny will, too.”

“I pray so. I hope our move hasn’t changed life at Heaton House too much for all of you.”

Ben grinned. “You and Jenny have livened things up a lot around here. It’s wonderful to see your mother so happy. So don’t worry about changing life around here. We’re all enjoying whatever changes you and Jenny have made.”

“Thank you, Ben. Still, I probably should be making her take her meals in the kitchen, but Mama will have none of it.”

“I’m glad! Jenny is not a problem, Rebecca. You’ve taught her good manners and she mostly listens to the conversations around her. Makes it feel more like we are part of a family. Having you both here made Christmas especially wonderful.”

Ben’s smile went a long way in convincing Rebecca that he meant what he said. Then he bent down, tipped Rebecca’s chin up and looked her in the eyes. “Please...let yourself enjoy being with your family again. And don’t for a minute worry about what the boarders think. We’re all very happy to have you and Jenny here. You’ve been through a lot, trying to raise your daughter by yourself. Some women would have given up their children for—”

“Oh! I could never have given Jenny up. Having her is what gave me reason to keep going.” She stopped herself from saying more.

How much did Ben know about her past? Her mother had told her that all most of them knew was that she’d been found after having been missing for over four years—except perhaps for Kathleen and Luke Patterson, who’d been responsible for finding her.

“It’s your story to tell, Rebecca dear,” her mother had said. “If you decide you need to, when and to whom is your choice. As for your brother and I, we’re overjoyed to have you back in our lives.”

The Lord had more than answered Rebecca’s deepest prayers in sending Kathleen to her apartment as a liaison for the Ladies’ Aid Society. Because of her, Rebecca had faced her past and been reunited with her loved ones—but she wasn’t sure she’d ever share that past with anyone else.

The door opened and boarders Julia Olsen and Millicent Faircloud came in. They’d barely removed their outer wraps when Mathew Sterling, another of her mother’s boarders, entered. Greeting each one, Rebecca had no chance to say more to Ben alone. Everyone rushed upstairs or down to get ready for dinner, but as Ben turned to go down to the men’s quarters, Rebecca reached out and touched his arm. “I...thank you again for catching Jenny.”

“You’re welcome. I doubt she’ll be sliding downstairs anytime soon.” Ben reached out and covered her hand with his.

Rebecca was a bit disturbed by the way her pulse raced with the touch of his hand on hers and she quickly slipped hers out from under his. “I’d better go find out if Jenny is getting in the way in the kitchen.”

“And I need to go wash up. See you in a bit.”

Rebecca nodded and smiled. She headed toward the dining room, trying to tell herself her racing pulse had nothing at all to do with Ben and everything to do with seeing her daughter sail down the banister. Still, her reaction to his touch unsettled her. She hadn’t reacted quite like that in years and she was determined to tamp down the fluttery feeling inside. She would not—could not—let herself become attracted to another man. She’d been through enough heartbreak to last a lifetime and she wasn’t going there again.

She hurried to the kitchen to give a huge hug to the only worthwhile thing to come out of her time of rebellion and reprimand her one more time about ever trying to slide down the banister again. Then she sent up a silent prayer of thankfulness that Ben had been there to catch her precious daughter.

* * *

When Ben entered the dining room a short while later, he was glad Rebecca and her mother seemed to have recovered from Jenny’s near tragedy. Rebecca must have been terrified when Jenny began her slide down—he’d been quite alarmed himself in trying to get to her in time. The little girl was a bit quieter than normal, but she gave him a sweet smile as he held out a chair for Rebecca and then took his own seat across from her.

He smiled back. Jenny had her mother’s beautiful blue eyes, but her hair was blonder with no red in it. Rebecca had just enough red in her hair to make him finally realize what strawberry blonde looked like. She was very pretty, petite and delicate to look at, but she was also a strong woman. She had to be, to have lived in the tenements and raised a child by herself.

He knew little about the circumstances that had taken Rebecca away from her family or kept them from finding her, but he admired her for the simple fact that she’d kept her child and tried to do the best she could by her. Jenny was a happy little girl and Ben was certain her mother deserved the credit for it.

His heart went out to women raising children alone. Always had. His own mother had abandoned him when he was a baby, dropped him off at an orphanage, leaving him to grow up wondering why she’d left him and what had been wrong with him to cause her to...desert him.

He was thankful for Mrs. Butler, the director of the orphanage, who’d taken him in and been there for him all those years. And he’d been blessed in having an anonymous benefactor who’d paid for his education. Because of the generosity afforded him, Ben had made a vow to help other orphans in whatever way he could. He visited the orphanage often and mentored the young people who were of an age to go out on their own. Still, the thought that his mother had deserted him—

Ben swallowed around the tightness in his throat and turned his attention back to his fellow boarders.

With Kathleen and Luke Patterson married and starting their life together a couple of blocks away, and Elizabeth and John Talbot doing the same thing several blocks in the opposite direction, the table seemed very empty. Two couples—four boarders—had moved out within a few months of each other. If not for Rebecca and Jenny moving into Heaton House, it would only be him and Matt, Millicent and Julia left as boarders.

The four of them had wondered what would happen next. Would Mrs. Heaton close her boardinghouse now that her daughter and granddaughter had moved in? Or would she take in more boarders? There was room for at least two more men downstairs and several more female boarders upstairs, if Mrs. Heaton utilized a room or two on the third floor. They might be a bit smaller on that floor, but still larger than many rooms to let in the city, and he had no doubt they’d be filled quickly if his landlady decided to rent them out.

He hoped she did. For some reason, the upcoming changes in boarders left him feeling odd, longing for something more and he wasn’t even sure what that was.

Ben looked at Jenny, who was staring at him. He smiled and she grinned at him—right before she ducked her head, touching his heart. He looked up and found her mother’s gaze on him. Something stirred inside as their eyes met.

“I’ve been thinking,” Mrs. Heaton said from the head of the table. “Before I put in an advertisement for new boarders, I want to tell you all what I’d like to do and hear what you think about it.”

“What is it, Mrs. Heaton?” Matt asked from the other end of the table.

“Well, even gaining Rebecca and Jenny, this place has begun to feel a little empty with our married couples moved out.”

“That’s for sure,” Julia Olsen said. “I’m certainly glad Rebecca and Jenny moved in. We barely have enough to play a good game of charades as it is.”

“I’m more than thrilled my girls are here,” Mrs. Heaton said. “And I’d like us to have a full table again, but I want to do a little remodeling first. I’d like to change things up a bit on the third floor.” She lowered her voice. “I want to give Gretchen and Maida a small sitting room between their rooms and then redo several more rooms for more possible boarders, making sure I keep at least two for emergency arrivals. It’s going to be a bit of an inconvenience for a few weeks, but the work will be done while you’re all out for the day and—”

“Mrs. Heaton, this is your home. Whatever you want to do is fine with me,” Julia said. “If you need me to move into another room, I’ll be glad to. I’m just happy to be here and glad there’ll be more boarders coming in.”

“So am I,” Millicent said. “I’ll be happy with anything you choose to do.”

Everyone chimed in, telling her she had their support, including Ben. “Will you be changing the downstairs, as well?” he asked.

“Not right away. You men are fairly safe for the time being.”

“I feared you might decide to close Heaton House to boarders now that—” Millicent clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Rebecca and Jenny are here?” Mrs. Heaton asked. “I did think about it, but I had good reasons for opening Heaton House and those reasons still remain and, in fact, are stronger in knowing my Rebecca could have used a place like this.”

“Oh, I’m glad you’ve made that decision,” Julia said.

So was Ben. The last thing he’d want would be for Heaton House to close. This was home to him and the others.

“I’m thinking of taking some business courses,” Rebecca said. “Jenny and I love being here, and I want to help Mama out some, to give her more time to spend with her grandchildren,” Rebecca said. “I’d like to be able to learn the skills I’ll need to do that, and to make a decent living should I ever need to, without counting on my family to provide for us.” She turned to Ben. “Mama says you teach business, Ben, but I’m not sure I want to go to school full-time and leave Jenny that long. When does the next session begin?”

“I do teach business classes. The new term at college is under way, but I also teach two nights a week at the YWCA. I mostly teach young women who are struggling to get out of the tenements and need to make a living. Some want to add to the family income, and others have to provide for their children.”

“Two nights a week? That wouldn’t be too bad. That way I wouldn’t have to be away from Jenny too much while we’re getting adjusted to the changes in our life.”

“I think you’d be quite an asset to the class—and you’d be able to meet your goals, too. You’d only be gone a couple of hours this way.”

“I’ll be glad to get Jenny ready for bed while you take some classes, Rebecca,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“Thank you, Mama. I know you will. When could I start, Ben?”

“Well, classes are under way at the Y, too, but I can get you caught up with the others pretty quickly, if you’re willing to study here for a week or so. Then you’d be able to start as soon as you feel ready to,” Ben offered.

“You would do that after working all day?” Rebecca sounded as if she couldn’t believe his offer.

“Of course I would.”

“I’d really appreciate it, Ben.” Rebecca looked relieved. “I’d like to begin as soon as possible.”

He smiled at her. “I’ve got some books you’ll need downstairs. I’ll get them after you put Jenny to bed and give you your first assignment. Let’s meet in the small parlor.”

Rebecca rewarded him with the biggest smile he’d ever seen from her. “Thank you.”

“Yes, Ben. Thank you very much.” Mrs. Heaton’s look of gratitude would have warmed Ben’s heart even if Rebecca hadn’t looked so happy, but the expression in the young woman’s eyes touched him to his core. And yet he was the one who should be grateful. They were giving him an opportunity to do what he felt called to do—help a young woman with no man to support her provide for herself and her child.

Rebecca was with her family again and she wouldn’t have to worry about taking care of Jenny. But it was obvious she had an independent streak and wanted to be able to provide a good life for herself and her daughter, no matter what happened, which was understandable after struggling on her own for so long. And he wanted to do all he could to help her reach that goal.

Chapter Two

After the excitement of the afternoon, it only took a few minutes for Jenny to go to sleep. And, once asleep, her daughter usually didn’t stir until Rebecca woke her the next morning. Even so, she was sure her mother would slip upstairs and check on Jenny in her absence.

She smiled as she freshened up before meeting Ben. Her mother seemed overjoyed to have them finally at Heaton House and Rebecca felt the same way. She wished she could make up for the lost years. But she couldn’t, and she’d do her best to never put her family through the kind of pain they’d endured during those years thinking they might never find her.

She splashed water on eyes that suddenly filled with tears. Her family had forgiven her; even more important, the Lord had forgiven her. One day, she hoped and prayed she’d be able to forgive herself for what she’d put them through.

Rebecca dried her face and let out a deep breath. Until then she would go forward, thanking the Lord for seeing to it that she and her family were reunited and for all the blessings in her life.

She quickly neatened her hair, smoothing back an errant strand, then went to kiss Jenny’s sweet brow before heading downstairs to the back parlor— excitement warring with nervousness. She reached her mother’s study and peeked in.

Her mother glanced up from her desk and smiled. “Jenny asleep?”

“She is.”

“I’ll check on her in a bit.”

“I know you will.” Rebecca smiled at her mother and crossed the room to kiss her cheek. “I’ve caught you coming in to check on the two of us.”

Her mother nodded. “I still can’t believe you’re both here. I love you, Becca.”

“I love you, too, Mama. I’m sor—”

Her mother lifted her hand and sliced the air in a way that told Rebecca no more needed to be said. “Becca, the past is just that and we’re going forward now, remember? I’m so glad you want to take business courses. I understand you want to know you can make your own way and if you ever feel you must, I want you to be able to find a position that will make doing so easier on you. And until then, I’ll enjoy your help with Heaton House. I’m sure Ben is a great teacher. I’ve heard wonderful things about him.”

“I’m relieved he’s willing to help me until I can enroll for the next term. He’s going out of his way to make this easier for me.”

“As long as I’ve known Ben, he has always reached out to help anyone in need. He’s a good man.”

Rebecca nodded. Although she couldn’t imagine putting her complete trust in another man ever again, she did realize there were a few good ones out there. “Guess I’d better go see if he’s waiting for me. I don’t want to take up any more of his time than I need to.”

She hurried out the door and down to the back parlor, but Ben wasn’t there yet. Rebecca let out an uneven breath, unsure of why she felt so jittery. She’d always done well at school and loved learning. She shouldn’t be nervous about this.

She took a seat at the round table in the middle of the room and looked around. The parlor was decorated in blues and greens and Rebecca loved it. The colors always seemed to comfort her and she and Jenny had already spent a lot of time there. During the day, the boarders were at work and the small parlor wasn’t used much at all. Her mother had set up an area to keep some of Jenny’s toys where she could get to them and Jenny loved playing there.

It would take a while to get used to living in such a large home after their apartment in the tenements, and in the meantime this parlor would work wonderfully for the two of them, as Rebecca would be able to study while Jenny played.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Ben said from the doorway. “I had to do some hunting to find what I wanted to bring. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”

“No. Just a few minutes.” She smiled at him.

Ben brought a stack of books and dropped them on the table before taking a seat adjacent to her. “I suppose we need to determine what classes you might be interested in.”

“Anything that will let me take some of the work off my mother. Michael has been keeping the books for her, but now that he’s starting his own family, Mama doesn’t want to burden him with the day-to-day business.”

“I understand,” Ben said. “So, let’s start with what you already know and are accomplished at. Did you take math in school?”

“Actually, I did very well in it. I graduated at the top of my class.” For some reason, she didn’t want Ben to think she’d never finished her schooling. At least she had managed to graduate. But with a child to raise alone, her degree hadn’t helped much in finding the kind of work she needed.

“That’s a plus. I suppose you might like a course in accounting?”

“That would be wonderful.”

“What about typing? Do you want to—”

“Oh, yes! Mama said she wants to buy a typewriter like the one at the Ladies’ Aide Society, to keep up with the times, and I’d love to learn to type.”

Ben nodded. “I think you should. It’s a great skill to acquire. Many large companies hire typing pools now and I believe the future for typists will only get brighter.” He chuckled. “Maybe Mrs. Heaton would like to learn to type, too?”

Rebecca laughed. “She might, but I think mostly she wants me to learn.”

“We’ll make sure you do, then. I’ll speak to her about typewriters. The new Underwood is a wonderful machine. So right now, we’ll get you started on basic accounting—some of which you may be familiar with from high school, and then we’ll move on to advanced accounting—more in keeping with running a boardinghouse or any business.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“Once we get you a typewriter, I’ll give you practice lessons you can do here.” He handed her a small manual. “In the meantime, look this over. There are illustrations showing the keys on the keyboard so you can become familiar with them—they will be the same no matter what typewriter your mother buys.”

“Thank you, Ben. I’m excited to get started.”

“I can tell, and I’m glad you are. It’s always easier to teach someone who wants to learn.” He pulled out a book and tablet from his stack. “The first few chapters of this math book might be familiar to you. There are problems at the end of each chapter you can work and I’ll check them tomorrow.”

Rebecca flipped through the first few pages and nodded. “I should be able to manage, although it’s been a while since I had to study.”

Ben sat back in his chair and smiled. “You’ll get caught up with the class in no time, I’m sure. And you’ll be learning other things from your mother about how she runs Heaton House, too. That should definitely be counted as a business course, for it’s directly connected to what you’ll be doing here. Hands-on experience is the very best kind.”

“Mama said she’ll start me off with the meal planning and shopping, so I know what we should be spending and can tell if we’ve been charged too much. And I need to learn how to order enough food for everyone, but not be wasteful with it.”

Ben chuckled. “She does do a wonderful job of keeping us from going hungry. Your mother is a very special woman and there isn’t anyone here who would want to live in any other boardinghouse.”

“She loves you all, you know.” And she did. Her mother’s boarders were some of the nicest people Rebecca had ever met and suddenly she realized how grateful she should be to each one of them. For, while her mother and brother had constantly searched for her, having these people in their lives must have made the wait a bit easier. Once more she fought back the guilt for what she’d put her loved ones through.

“We’re thankful for her. And we’re all very glad you and Jenny are here with her now.”

The compassion in Ben’s eyes made Rebecca wonder again how much he knew about what had happened. But she wasn’t going to ask. She gathered the books Ben had given her. “I’ve taken up enough of your time this evening. I—thank you again, Ben. For this and especially for coming to Jenny’s rescue today.”

“I’m glad to do it, Rebecca. Anytime. I’ll have a better lesson plan for you tomorrow evening.”

“All right. I’d best go check in on Jenny. Good night, Ben.”

“Good night, Rebecca.”

Something in the way Ben looked at her made Rebecca a little breathless and sent her hurrying out of the room, down the hall and up the stairs before she could give any thought to why.

* * *

The next afternoon, Ben tidied up his desk after the last class and was on his way out when one of his students knocked on the door.

“Mr. Roth? Do you have a minute?” Josh Benson asked. He was one of the orphans Ben had helped get a scholarship and would be graduating with honors at the end of the spring term.

“I always have time for you, Josh. Come on in. What can I help you with?” He pulled a chair up to his desk and motioned to the young man to take a seat.

“Well, I have some news to tell you and I want your advice about it.”

“Fill me in.”

“I’m applying for a position teaching math at the new Morris High School opening this fall, and I’d surely like an endorsement from you.”

“Are you sure this is what you want to do, Josh? Teaching isn’t the best-paying job out there, at least at first.”

“Yet, you do it. I’ve admired you for years, Mr. Roth. I want to follow in your footsteps and help others get ahead the way you do for so many.”

Ben couldn’t contain his smile. “Thank you, Josh. You will make an excellent teacher and I’ll be more than happy to give you a solid recommendation. What does Annie think about all this?” Annie was Josh’s fiancée and Ben hoped she loved Josh more than Mary Reynolds had cared for him. Ben had thought he and Mary would have a wonderful life together—until he’d proposed and Mary told him she couldn’t live on the salary of a teacher, that there would never be enough money.

A grin split Josh’s face. “She’s behind me one hundred percent, sir. She knows we won’t be making much, but she shares my dream of helping others.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Annie is an admirable young woman. Don’t let her get away.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ve got an errand to run this afternoon, but stop by tomorrow and I’ll have the recommendation ready for you.”

Both men stood and shook hands. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me.”

“You’re welcome. I wish you all the best.” Ben quickly locked up his room after Josh left, and headed down the stairs. He prayed things worked out well for Josh and Annie. They deserved a wonderful life together.

At the corner, Ben caught a trolley to pick up paper and extra ribbon for the typewriter he’d ordered for Mrs. Heaton at her request last night. He’d spoken with her after Rebecca went upstairs and they’d made arrangements for him to order her a brand-new Underwood. Ben eased the front door open and made sure no one was around before hurrying to Mrs. Heaton’s study. The Underwood had been delivered and Mrs. Heaton clasped her hands together and watched as he unpacked the box.

“I’m glad Rebecca was out when the delivery boy came, so we can surprise her,” Mrs. Heaton said. “I can’t wait to show it to her.”

“Neither can I.” Ben set the gleaming typewriter on her desk. “Here it is. What do you think?”

“Oh, my, it is a beauty, isn’t it?” Mrs. Heaton said.

“It’s the newest model out. I realize it cost a bit, but it should last you for years to come.”

“I’m sure it will. I want the best for Rebecca to use.”

Ben set the typewriter up, installed the ribbon and put in a sheet of paper. “Want to try it?”

Mrs. Heaton grinned. “I suppose I should find out if it works before we surprise Rebecca with it, shouldn’t I?”

She looked as excited as he hoped Rebecca would when she saw it. “Oh, I think so.”

Mrs. Heaton sat down at her desk and began to peck at the keys. “Oh! These keys are much easier to press than the one I’ve tried at the Ladies’ Aide Society! They sometimes stick.”

Ben chuckled. “Probably needs some servicing.”

“Most likely.” Mrs. Heaton tapped a few more keys and then got up from her desk. “Maybe I’ll learn how to do more than hunt and peck, too. Thank you for picking this up for me, Ben, and for getting me a good discount. We’d better get out of here before Rebecca finds out what we’re up to. I need to check on dinner, anyway. We’ll surprise her afterward.”

They had barely made it out of the study before Ben heard Jenny’s voice. “Hurry, Mama. I’m hungry!”

“I’m coming, but we can’t eat until we’re called to dinner, you know.”

“Can’t I go to the kitchen and find out what Gretchen is cooking? Do you think she’ll give me a taste?”

“She might.”

They reached the bottom of the stairs just as Ben and Mrs. Heaton did.

“Come with me, Jenny, and we’ll see how dinner is coming along.” Mrs. Heaton held out her hand.

“May I, Mama?” Jenny smiled up at her mother.

“You may. Aren’t you going to say hello to Mr. Ben, first?”

Jenny waved to him, her smile a little shy. “Hello.”

“Hello, Jenny. Have you had a nice day?” Ben asked.

She nodded. “And I didn’t try to fly down the banister today.”

“That’s good. I’m sure your mama is happy about that.”

The little girl giggled and nodded before turning to her grandmother. “Come on, Granma. Let’s hurry things up.”

“Let’s go.” Mrs. Heaton gave a little wave and they hurried off, leaving Ben and Rebecca in the foyer.

“Sounds as if you had a pretty good day since Jenny didn’t try to repeat yesterday.” Ben grinned at her.

“That child...” Rebecca smiled at him. “Yes, it’s been a nice day. I worked on the assignments you gave me and I think I did all right.”

“I’m sure you did. I’ll check them over this evening, if that works for you?”

“Whenever is convenient for you is fine with me. You’re helping me, remember?”

“I am. But I don’t have a child to take into consideration. If you need to wait until you put her down for the night, I don’t mind. It’ll give us more time anyway. I will be going to the YWCA around seven-thirty to teach for about an hour or so.”

“Oh, that will work out well for me, Ben. By the time you get back, Jenny should be asleep and I’ll be able to concentrate a little better.”

“Good. Where shall we meet?”

“I’ll be in the small parlor.”

She smiled and Ben’s chest tightened. Something about Rebecca had him not only wanting to help her but to get to know her. He told himself it was because she was his landlady’s daughter who’d had a hard time, and if he knew more about her, he’d know how to help her better.

Yes, he’d always had a soft spot for women who raised children by themselves—but he wasn’t totally sure that was all there was to it. Those women didn’t make him feel quite like this...he couldn’t name it, didn’t have any idea what to call it. He only knew he’d never felt quite this way before.

Mrs. Heaton appeared just then, with Jenny in tow, and announced dinner was ready. Other boarders hurried out of the big parlor or down the stairs to the dining room.

Ben held out both arms, thinking Mrs. Heaton would take one and Rebecca would take the other. His landlady did take an arm, but when Rebecca hesitated, Jenny rushed forward and placed her small hand inside the crook of his arm. She smiled up at him and in that moment Ben realized the little girl had claimed a very special place in his heart.

* * *

After putting Jenny to bed, Rebecca checked her hair, pinned up a few stray curls and then gathered her math book and started downstairs as the clock in the foyer chimed the half-hour.

She hurried down the hall and was surprised when both Ben and her mother came out of her study. “Rebecca! We’ve been waiting for you. Please come here for a moment before you and Ben get started on your lessons,” her mother said.

“Of course. What’s happened, Mama?”

“Well, we have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Rebecca looked from her mother to Ben and they both grinned at her. She followed them back inside, where her mother pointed at her desk. In the center of it sat a gleaming black typewriter.

“Mama! You bought one already?” The typewriter was beautiful, big and black with gold lettering proclaiming it an Underwood.

“I did. Ben recommended this brand and said he could get one at a discount for us. It was delivered this afternoon.”

“That was very nice of you, Ben.” Rebecca turned to him. His smile seemed to be contagious and she found herself grinning back at him.

“You’re both very welcome. Now you can start those practice lessons.”

“Speaking of lessons, I’ll let the two of you get to them.”

“Thank you, Mama.” She hugged the mother, who kept showing her, in every way she could, how very happy she was to have her back in her life. “I’m going to learn quickly so we can put it to good use.”

“I’m sure you will, dear.” Her mother hugged her back. “I’ll check on Jenny and send some tea in when I get back down.”

“I’ll probably need a cup,” Rebecca said as her mother left the room.

“Well, are you going to try it out?” Ben asked.

“I suppose I should.” Rebecca sat down at the desk. There was a fresh sheet of paper in the machine and she put her hands on the keys. They were laid out exactly as the picture showed in the manual Ben had given her the night before.

She looked ahead and began to hit the keys in the order of the alphabet as she tried to remember each one’s placement on the keyboard. Once she’d hit what she hoped were all the right keys, she glanced down.

“Oh, no! It appears I’m going to need a lot of practice.”

Ben came up behind her and began to chuckle as he examined the paper.

“I don’t think it’s very funny,” Rebecca said, but she couldn’t help but join in. She’d been wrong on each and every key.

“I have an idea what the problem is. You had your hands on the wrong keys to begin with.”

“What do you mean?”

“Here, let me show you. I’m going to place your hands in the right position.” He stood behind her and leaned over one shoulder.

Rebecca wondered if he heard her quick intake of breath at his nearness. She could smell his aftershave and feel the warmth in his hands as they took hold of hers.

“Keep your thumbs free and place your fingers on the four keys on either side of the g and the h keys.”

“Like this?” Rebecca’s voice sounded breathless to her own ears as she turned to him and found his face so close to hers she saw tiny flecks of gold in his blue eyes, giving them a blue-green tint. Her heart began to beat erratically and she quickly returned her attention to the keyboard.

“Exactly like that.” Ben cleared his throat and backed away.

Rebecca could tell because some of the warmth that had been surrounding her suddenly disappeared.

“Now try again,” Ben said. “But be sure to keep your fingers on those keys when you aren’t using them.”

Rebecca took a deep breath and began to tap out each letter as she had before, only a little slower than before. She smiled when she finished. This time, she’d only missed a few letters.

“Very good,” Ben said. “You’ll get better with practice. Did you bring your math with you?”

“I did. It’s right here.” She picked up the book and the notebook she’d done her problems in from the corner of the desk and handed them to him.

“I’ll check them over while you practice and then we’ll go over your problems together.”

“All right.” Rebecca was happy trying again. Learning to master this machine had quickly become a goal and she wouldn’t settle until she had accomplished that.

She began again, trying to keep from looking over at Ben sitting in one of the chairs flanking the fireplace. It wasn’t easy to do and her next set of letters showed she’d better get her mind off the man and on to concentrating on typing. This time she looked at the fire in the grate and not Ben. And she had only two mistakes.

She smiled and tried again. And again. After about three more tries she looked over to see if Ben was still going over her math, only to find him looking at her with a smile on his face. When she thought to smile back, she realized she already was.

“You must’ve done very well, you look quite pleased with yourself,” Ben said as he got up and came over to inspect her typing.

Gretchen came in with a pot of tea for her and Ben and several cookies. “Your timing is great, Gretchen. Rebecca just finished her practice and I must say she deserves a treat. She’s had a great practice run.”

Gretchen chuckled. “That’s good. Mrs. Heaton said you might be ready for some refreshment about now.” She set the tray down, poured two cups, handed them out and made her exit.

Rebecca reached for a cookie, took her tea and went to sit in one of the chairs flanking the fireplace. Ben followed with a cookie and his cup and returned to the seat he’d vacated.

“You really did great. What did you do? Memorize the keys?”

“I worked at it today.” Rebecca sipped her tea.

“Your memory must be excellent.”

“What makes you think so?”

“You remembered your high school math quite well, too. You’re a very intelligent woman, Rebecca. You’ll have no problems at all with your courses.”

Rebecca flushed at his compliment. “Thank you. I always liked school—but I was impatient to graduate and be an adult.”

“That’s the way a lot of us were.”

“Yes, and I thought I was ready for what the world held. I had a lot of lessons to learn.” She caught her breath at her own words. What was she doing talking to him like this? She didn’t share those kinds of thoughts with anyone.

“Some lessons are difficult for us.”

She wanted to ask if he’d had to learn anything the hard way, but that would be much too nosy. She only nodded and changed the subject instead. “Do you have new assignments for me?”

“I do.” He handed her a sheet of paper. “I’ll check this tomorrow and see what progress you’re making on your typing.” He gave her a booklet. “Work on your letters tomorrow and then when you think you’re ready, this will get you started on the first real typing lesson, sentences and all. I think you’ll be ready to start your math classes at the Y next week.”

“So soon?” Rebecca asked. “Oh, I’m not sure, I—”

“You’ll do fine, I’m sure of it. You can keep doing your typing here. You’ll get more practice in working from home. As for your math, maybe next term, you might consider taking a more advanced business accounting class at the Y.”

“I—if you think I’ll be ready.”

“I do.” Ben said.

They both seemed to finish their tea and cookies at the same time. Ben stood and stretched. “I guess I’ll look in and see what’s going on in the front parlor. Are you coming in?”

She shook her head and placed their cups on the tray. “No. I’m going to take these to the kitchen and call it a day. Good night, Ben, and thank you for all your help.”

“You’re very welcome. Good night, Rebecca.”

She put her lesson books under one arm and took the tray to the kitchen, where Gretchen was kneading dough for sweet rolls the next morning.

Rebecca went down the hall to the foyer. In the front parlor, Julia was playing the piano while the others sang along. Rebecca headed up the stairs. For a moment she thought of going back and joining them. The few times she had, she’d enjoyed singing with everyone.

But she was tired. Jenny had been active all day, talking of little else than how Ben had caught her from flying off the banister the day before. Rebecca had no doubt Benjamin Roth had become her daughter’s hero in that instant.

Truth be told, he might have become Rebecca’s, too—if she didn’t know all too well how quickly a hero could turn into a villain. Sadness welled up inside. She prayed her daughter never had to learn that lesson.

Chapter Three

Over the next few days Rebecca’s typing improved greatly and by the weekend her papers showed few mistakes but little speed.

“You will get faster, I promise,” Ben said as they waited to be called to dinner on Friday. “That’s what all the practice is about. You haven’t been at it even a week yet. Give yourself a break. You’re doing really well with your math assignments.”

“Thank you. You’re right. I suppose I am being impatient. I’m taking a break tonight. I promised Jenny I’d take her over to Michael and Violet’s to see baby Marcus.”

“That’s a good idea. It will do you both good to get out. I’ll be glad to escort you over and come and get you.”

“Thank you. I’ll accept your offer.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not used to living under my mother’s rules again, but I understand why she put them in place and I certainly can’t go against them now I’m making my home here.”

Mrs. Heaton had a hard-and-fast rule that young women living at Heaton House did not go out and about alone after dark. They had to be in a group or one of the male boarders had to escort them. “I’m sure she appreciates your attitude.”

“It’s the least I can do. Besides, I wouldn’t put Mama through that kind of worry again.”

Ben wanted to ask more, to know what exactly she’d done that she felt so bad about. Oh, he knew she’d left home and never gone back until Kathleen and Luke had found her last year. And he’d worked with many young women living on their own. Their stories were sad, most regretted whatever they had done that had brought them to the place they were—having to learn a skill to provide for themselves and their child, or in the case of some, their children.

But they volunteered the information on their own, and Rebecca’s past wasn’t something he thought he should ask about no matter how badly he wanted to. It was none of his business and he didn’t want to bring her more pain by having to dredge up what she’d been through. In the meantime, he sensed she needed a friend and he could be that for her. “What time do you want to leave?”

“Soon as we finish dinner. Violet said she wouldn’t put little Marcus down until about eight-thirty, so we won’t be there long. I hate for you to take us, come back, and then have to turn around and come get us, though. Why don’t you stay and visit, too?”

“I will. I haven’t visited with them in a while.”

* * *

Mrs. Heaton called everyone to dinner and once they were all seated, she asked Ben to say the blessing.

As always, dinner was very good and tonight the conversation centered on the building Matt was working on. It was one of the tallest in the city and his tales of working his way into the sky kept the interest of everyone at the table.

“I can’t imagine working up so high.” Rebecca waved her hand toward the ceiling.

Millicent dipped her spoon into her soup. “Neither can I. I’d love to get photographs from up there, but I—” She broke off and shivered.

“I’d sure like to see the city from up high.” Ben turned to Matt. “It must be some view.”

“It’s something, that’s for sure.” Matt nodded. “I think that’s why I love working on these buildings. The view is breathtaking.”

“If you don’t fall off the scaffolding!” Millicent said.

“Believe me, I don’t intend to.”

The subject of heights and the danger of Matt’s profession always seemed to be a sore spot between the two, and Ben often wondered if they had feelings for each other.

Once dinner was finished, Rebecca turned to Jenny. “Run up and wash your hands, so we can go visit Aunt Violet and Uncle Michael, and baby Marcus, of course. We need to get going.”

“I’ll hurry, Mama,” Jenny said, slipping out of her chair and running out of the room.

Rebecca turned to her mother. “Ben has offered to escort us there and back, Mama.”

“How nice of you, Ben,” her mother said, giving him a smile before turning back to her daughter. “The outing will be good for you, dear. Cuddle baby Marcus for me.”

“I will. I’d better go freshen up a bit myself. We’ll be back down in a few minutes, Ben.”

“I’ll be here.”

Once they left the room, Mrs. Heaton turned to Ben. “Thank you for offering to escort them, Ben. Rebecca has been on her own for a long time, having to do things by herself. But I do so appreciate her trying to live by the rules I’ve set for the other women at Heaton House.”

“You’re welcome. And I’m sure Rebecca wouldn’t want to undermine your rules for the others.”

“No. She wouldn’t.” Mrs. Heaton nodded. “I do hope she’ll start joining you all on your outings and leave Jenny with me before too long. Rebecca needs to have a little fun in her life.”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to talk her into some outings, Mrs. Heaton. We’ll do our best.” He certainly would.

“Thank you, Ben. I think being around you all is exactly what my daughter needs right now.”

She didn’t elaborate and Ben didn’t press.

“We’re here!” Jenny bounded back into the dining room. “Are you ready, Mr. Ben?”

Ben jumped up and grinned at the child. “I am, Miss Jenny. But where’s your mama? Isn’t she going with us?”

Jenny giggled. “Of course she is, but she’s not as fast as I am.”

“She’s right, I’m not.” Rebecca said, entering the room. “I must be getting old.”

“You’re not old, Mama,” Jenny said. “Even Granma isn’t old yet.”

Mrs. Heaton laughed. “Oh, Jenny, darling, you are so good for your grandma! Come give me a kiss before you go.”

Jenny ran into her grandmother’s arms as her mother smiled and watched. The love in her eyes for her child and her mother touched Ben’s heart. Rebecca was happy to be with her family again. One could see it—feel it even.

Rebecca’s smile lit her face and Ben hoped she’d be smiling more in the days to come. It wasn’t that she frowned. And it wasn’t that she appeared to be in a bad mood. There seemed to be something keeping her from enjoying being back with her family to its fullest—as if she were afraid her joy would be taken away from her. As if she didn’t deserve it.

Ben related—somewhat. At least he knew what it was to deny himself something he feared wouldn’t last. His own mother had cast him aside, and then the woman he’d hoped to make a life with had rejected him. How could he ever trust that any other woman he might fall in love with wouldn’t do the same?

* * *

“Ben? Are you ready?” He seemed lost in thought when Rebecca spoke to him, but he quickly turned to her and smiled.

“I’m sorry. I must have been woolgathering. Let’s go.”

“Better grab your wraps. It’s getting cold out,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“We will, Mama,” Rebecca said. She couldn’t help but smile as they went to the foyer to get their jackets. She supposed she’d be telling Jenny the same thing when Jenny was her age. Since she’d become a mother, Rebecca had appreciated her own more than ever. Now she welcomed the chance to show her how much.

She helped Jenny on with her new jacket, thankful she had one warm enough for the cooler weather. Not long after she’d been found, Michael and her mother had called her into her office and told her that her father had left a small inheritance to her for when she turned twenty-one. But she’d gone missing by then. Still, they’d invested the money, trusting she’d be found one day and they turned it over to her.

What they called small had seemed like a fortune to Rebecca, although she realized she’d need to handle her inheritance well and she was determined to make sure she saved for Jenny’s future. However, it had enabled her to purchase new wardrobes and to buy Jenny the doll she’d wanted so long for Christmas with plenty left over in savings—even after letting Michael invest some of it. Rebecca felt truly blessed as Ben helped her on with her coat and they hurried out into the brisk evening air.

Lights were on in most of the homes surrounding Gramercy Park, helping to guide the way to the trolley stop. The leafless trees stood stark against the night sky, but Rebecca knew that in a few months they’d be budding out to give much needed shade.

Rebecca loved the small park and was glad she had access to it because of living at Heaton House. She could take Jenny outside to play anytime—without worrying about the filth in the street or in the hallway of the building they’d lived in. She was so very thankful they were out of those tenements.

Now she smiled as she watched Jenny hop, skip and jump to the trolley stop, but she never got too far ahead. Once they got on, she climbed up onto Rebecca’s lap and looked out of the window. They’d walked most places when they lived in the tenements and getting to ride anywhere was quite a treat for them both.

The ride wasn’t a long one, which was a good thing because Jenny was very excited about seeing her baby cousin. As they stepped off the trolley and walked the block to Michael’s home, she ran ahead just far enough to ring the doorbell as Rebecca and Ben reached the steps. The door flung wide to let them in.

“Hello, Uncle Michael! Is baby Marcus still awake?”

Michael swept Jenny up into his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek, while Rebecca and Ben came in and took off their coats. “Yes. He’s been waiting for you. We’ve missed you, Jenny!”

“I’ve missed you, too, but I do love being at Granma’s.”

“We’re glad you do, but our house sure has been quieter since you’ve been gone.”

“Doesn’t Marcus make any noise?”

“Well, yes, but he can’t talk, you know.” Michael set her down and helped her off with her coat before handing it to Rebecca. “He’s in the parlor with Aunt Violet.”

Jenny took off in a run and Rebecca followed her into the parlor to ooh and aah over the baby. He was adorable, with Michael’s hair and Violet’s eyes, and holding him made Rebecca wish life might be different and she’d have a loving husband and more children. But that wasn’t in her future and she pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

Michael and Ben joined them and they began talking sports while Rebecca and Violet talked about the upcoming housewarmings they’d all been invited to. Kathleen and Luke’s party was first up for the next weekend and then Elizabeth and John Talbot’s would be a few weeks later.

“I can’t wait to see their homes,” Violet said.

“Neither can I. I’m sure Elizabeth’s aunt is helping her, but I should find out if Kathleen needs any help,” Rebecca said.

It seemed odd to Rebecca that although her mother owned Heaton House and her background wasn’t very different from those living at the boardinghouse, Rebecca sometimes felt more at ease around Kathleen than anyone. Perhaps it was because she’d been the one to persuade her to come back to her family.

Kathleen had lived in the tenements, too, although they hadn’t known each other then. Still, there seemed to be a kinship in having lived in similar places. There was no need to discuss the conditions there, for they were much the same for all of them. It was comforting to be around others who’d wondered if they would ever be able to get out.

They were all proof one could, and as Kathleen and her sister, Colleen, had been able to help others in those situations, now Rebecca found she wanted to lend a helping hand in a similar way. She just wasn’t sure how.

“I imagine Kathleen would appreciate some help,” Violet said. “I am so happy for them all, but things must be a lot quieter at Heaton House.”

“Things aren’t quite as lively as they used to be with everyone there. Mama plans to put an advertisement in the paper as soon as the remodeling she wants to do is finished.”

“I’m glad you’re there to help her with all that, sis. How’s everything else going for you?” Michael asked. “Ben told me you’re taking classes from him.”

Rebecca nodded. “Everything is going well, and yes, I start classes this coming Tuesday. Ben has been helping me catch up with his students.”

“She’s excellent at math and she’s going to do really well in the business classes,” Ben said

“She’s always been very smart,” Michael said with a smile. “Thanks for helping her out, Ben.”

“It’s been my pleasure. I like helping people, just as everyone else at Heaton House does. Mrs. Heaton’s good works are an inspiration to us all.”

Rebecca had a feeling Ben had helped others long before he moved to Heaton House. He was that kind of person. “I am so proud of Mother and all of you for helping others in this city the way you have,” Rebecca said. “I hope to find a way to help, too. But I’m not sure where to start.”

“Being with mother and living at Heaton House, I’m sure you’ll have many chances to do what you can,” Michael said.

“I do hope so,” Rebecca said.

“Oh, no doubt about it,” Ben said. “The opportunity to help others will come your way.”

* * *

They chatted for a while longer, until baby Marcus began to fuss, signaling it was time for company to leave. They put on their coats and Ben waited as Rebecca and Jenny gave kisses and hugs, and then the three of them hurried out into the brisk night air.

A sudden gust of wind made it even colder as they started toward the trolley, and Jenny surprised Ben by holding up her arms to him. “Will you carry me, Mr. Ben?”

“Jenny, I’ll carry you,” Rebecca said.

The child shook her head. “I want Mr. Ben to.”

“I don’t mind, Rebecca,” Ben said, bending down to lift the child into his arms.

“But—”

“Hurry, Mr. Ben. Here comes the trolley and it’s cold!” Jenny said. “Run, Mama!”

Rebecca had no choice but to keep pace with Ben as he rushed toward the trolley stop, trying to keep her child warm. They entered the streetcar and Rebecca quickly found a seat by the window and then held out her arms to Jenny. “Come on, sweetie. Mama will hold you now.”

Again, Jenny shook her head before laying it on Ben’s shoulder, turning his heart to mush as he slid into the seat by her mother. He looked down at Rebecca, who seemed taken aback by the fact that Jenny wanted him to hold her and unsure as to whether or not to pull her daughter out of his arms and into hers. “She’s fine, Rebecca. I don’t mind at all.”

Rebecca sighed and nodded her head. “All right. This time.”

He had a feeling she was as surprised as he’d been that Jenny wanted him to hold her. After only a few moments, one of the child’s arms relaxed and dropped down from around his neck. He looked at Rebecca and whispered, “I think she’s already asleep.”

Rebecca leaned over to look at her daughter. “You’re right. She is.”

Lowering his voice so as not to waken the child, he broached the subject he’d wanted to bring up. “You know...you said you’d like to help others?”

“Yes, I would. I’m just not sure—”

“I have an opportunity for you.”

“Oh?”

Ben nodded. “Remember, I mentioned how you’d be an asset to the classes I teach at the Y?”

“Yes. What are you thinking?”

Ben took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. “Most of the women I teach have a really tough life and they could use a mentor—someone who’s come through some hard times, too, who can listen to them, give them encouragement and advice. I think you would be the perfect person.”

“Oh, Ben, I’m not sure. I—”

“You don’t need to answer just now. Wait until after you meet them and get to know them and then make your decision. Please.”

“I...all right. I’ll meet them. I’m not sure I’m the right person for this, though.”

“I’m certain you are, but the decision is yours. I won’t push.”

Rebecca nodded. “We’ll see what happens.”

“That’s all I can ask.” Jenny stirred in his arms and flung an arm tighter around his neck. This child had wormed her way into his heart in the past few weeks and he had no idea what—if anything—to do about it.

There was no getting around the fact that he liked holding Jenny and sitting next to her mother. It felt...right. He glanced down at Rebecca. He’d enjoyed the evening a great deal. Maybe too much for his own good. Having a child steal his heart was one thing. Losing it to her mother was something entirely different. He couldn’t let it happen.

* * *

By Tuesday evening, Rebecca was a bundle of nerves. Ben had assured her she would do fine and he’d help with any problems she might encounter. Still, leaving Jenny and meeting new people, some of whom Ben wanted her to mentor, had her wondering if she should have delayed taking classes for a few months.

But Jenny was excited about Granma putting her to bed—most probably because she hoped to get an extra snack—and Rebecca was sure her mother would be disappointed if she backed out.

So she did what was expected of her and was ready when Ben came up from downstairs. He helped her on with her wrap and she kissed Jenny. “You be a good girl for Granma, okay?”

“I will, Mama. I promise. Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”

“I know. Love you.”

“Love you, too, Mama.”

Rebecca turned so no one could see the sudden rush of tears to her eyes at her four-and-a-half-year-old daughter’s reassurance. How did she know it was exactly what Rebecca needed?

She and Ben walked out into the cold night air and he took her arm as they headed toward the trolley stop. “That’s some daughter you have.”

Rebecca swallowed hard. “Yes, I know. I don’t know what I’d do without her. Sometimes she’s wise beyond her years.”

“She will be fine, you know.”

Ben’s understanding that she had mixed emotions about leaving Jenny made her feel better.

Their trolley arrived and they hurried on. It felt warmer inside but not by a lot, and Rebecca was thankful for Ben’s warm shoulder next to hers. It wasn’t nearly long enough before they arrived at the stop a couple of blocks from the Y and they stepped out into the cold once more.

Ben took her arm and pulled her close as they hurried down the walk. He led her into the building and upstairs to the third floor and into his classroom. The room was nearly filled with women, some younger than Rebecca, most about her age and a few older. They chattered amongst themselves in small groups, but the moment Ben entered, they all quieted and hurried to their seats.

There was one seat in the second row and Ben motioned for her to take it. Then he turned to smile at everyone.

“Good evening, ladies. It’s nippy out this evening, isn’t it? Glad you all could make it. You might’ve noticed there’s a new classmate with us tonight.” He motioned to Rebecca. “This is Rebecca Dickerson and she’s my landlady’s daughter. I’d like you all to meet her, so if you stay over after class, I’ll introduce you.”

Then he opened his book and went to the chalkboard where the same math problems she’d worked on earlier in the day were written out on the board. Rebecca relaxed a bit when she realized she could work them all. Maybe starting class now would be easier than she’d thought.

She loved Ben’s style of teaching. He made it fun and had them all laughing from time to time as they worked through the problems. She could tell his students all liked him...some probably more than a little. He lavished praise when one got a problem right and was encouraging when the answer was wrong.

Rebecca realized class was over only when Ben gave out the next assignments. The time had flown by. Evidently the others thought so, too, for no one seemed to be in a rush to leave, and she was pleased when a couple of them introduced themselves to her.

A young woman named Sarah came up first. She had blond hair and hazel eyes and a sweet smile. Molly introduced herself next. Her hair was brown, her eyes green and fairly sparkling with liveliness. She would probably be fun to be around. Rebecca had a feeling they wanted to know how well she and Ben knew each other, but they didn’t have a chance to ask.

Ben came up right then and introduced some others to her, explaining that Rebecca had a young daughter and wanted to be able to make a good living to support herself and her child, like many others there.

A few appeared skeptical but still welcomed her to the class. She wouldn’t remember all of their names right away, but hopefully she’d put names to faces before long.

As they all said good-night and went their separate ways, Rebecca realized she looked forward to the next class. Ben erased the board and then they headed back outside. It had turned even colder and she was glad when Ben drew her arm through his and took the brunt of the cold breeze as they hurried toward the trolley stop.

He stopped abruptly at a small café near the stop and looked down at her. “Want to get some hot chocolate to warm us up for the ride home?”

Rebecca hesitated only a moment. There was no need to hurry. Jenny would be fast asleep by the time they got back anyway and she was really cold. “That sounds wonderful.”

The small café felt cozy and warm—probably because it was nearly full of customers. But Ben seemed to know the proprietor and they were quickly shown to a table near the front window. Ben gave the order for two hot chocolates and smiled at her as the waiter hurried away. “At least it’s warmer in here.”

Rebecca shivered and chuckled. “It’d have to be. I hope this cold spell eases soon.”

“So do I. But I’m not ready for it to get too warm. I’m looking forward to doing some ice-skating soon.”

“Oh, that would be fun. Jenny’s been asking to learn, but I haven’t skated in a long while.”

“I’ll be glad to teach her.”

“That’s very nice of you, Ben.”

The waiter brought their drinks, and Rebecca wrapped her hands around the cup, warming them before she lifted it to her lips. She took a small sip and let the warm liquid thaw her insides. “Mmm, this is delicious. Thank you for thinking of this, Ben. I’m warmer already.”

“You’re welcome. I stop here often.” He smiled and took a sip of his own hot chocolate. “How did you like class?”

“I enjoyed it. You really are a very good teacher, Ben. Those women hung on every word. I think there might be a few students who are a little sweet on you.”

“Oh, no. I don’t think so. They are quick learners, though. I’m pleased with their progress. Do you remember any of their names?”

“I seem to recall...Sarah. I think that’s it? Blond hair.”

“Yes, that would be Sarah Jarvis. She’s one of the women I thought might benefit from getting to know you. She seems a little lost at times and I think she needs another woman to talk to.”

“She seems a little shy. But very sweet.”

Ben nodded. “Then, to her opposite, is Molly, who doesn’t have a shy bone in her. She’s very outspoken, but kind.”

Rebecca nodded. “I remember her, too. How old are they?”

“Sarah is seventeen going on eighteen and Molly is almost nineteen.”

“I thought they might be around those ages. And they are very nice. But, Ben, I’m still not sure I can help.”

“Please don’t say no until you get to know them and their situations better, Rebecca.”

The plea in his eyes had her asking, “Why is helping these women so important to you, Ben?”

He took a sip of his chocolate and leaned back in his seat. “Over half of the women I teach are living in the tenements, raising children by themselves with no man around to help support them. As you saw, several young women in class are obviously expecting babies.” Ben shrugged. “They aren’t all married and I fear any of them might give their children away if things get too hard for them. I want to help them be able to find positions that will provide a living for them, so they won’t do...what my own mother did. Drop those babies off at an orphanage.”

Rebecca’s heart seemed to shatter at his words. The very thought that Ben’s mother had abandoned him made her want to weep. She blinked to hold back tears. “I’m so sorry, Ben. I didn’t know.”

“It’s not something I talk about. But you wanted to know why I care so much and that’s it. However, I am a man and their teacher, and I must be careful in how I help. I feel my job is to teach them the skills they must have to get a decent job.”

He looked out the window for a moment before continuing. “But I believe they need to talk to a woman who has lived in similar conditions, who knows things can change for the better. They need someone to encourage them on a level I can’t. That’s why I asked you to help.”

Rebecca couldn’t resist—not after he’d opened up to her. Besides, she wanted to help others and he’d just given her an opportunity to do so. “I’ll do what I can.”

“Thank you, Rebecca. That’s all I ask.”

Wanting to comfort him, Rebecca impulsively reached over and touched his hand. “Ben, for what it’s worth, and speaking as a mother...I’m sure your mother must have thought she had no choice. And giving you up had to have been the most difficult thing she ever had to do.”

Ben’s fingers curled around hers and squeezed, sending a shot of electricity straight to her heart. “Thank you, Rebecca. Your thoughts are worth more than you realize.”

The expression in his eyes warmed her as much as the hot chocolate she’d been sipping had and she quickly slipped her fingers away from his. “I guess we’d better be going.”

“I suppose so.” He looked out the window. “I think our trolley is coming now.”

They took one more sip of their drinks before heading outside. Rebecca almost hated for the evening to end, but the sudden burst of cold air took her breath away and brought her to her senses. She couldn’t start weaving sweet moments into impossible dreams—no matter how very much she longed to.

Chapter Four

The ride back to Heaton House was quiet. Ben seemed lost in his thoughts and Rebecca didn’t know what to say. Her own thoughts were in turmoil, wondering how he must have felt all these years to know his mother gave him up, and trying to keep from thinking about how her heart had skittered at his touch.

She liked this man sitting next to her very much but she couldn’t begin to care for him in any way except as a friend. There would only be heartache to follow if she did.

She was more like those women in his class than he knew. And even though he wanted to help them all, when it came to his heart, no man wanted to court a used woman and that was a fact she’d accepted long ago. She must take care not to let herself forget it now.

“Thank you again for agreeing to help, Rebecca,” Ben said, breaking into her thoughts. “Please don’t think I expect you to fix these women’s lives. I know they are the only ones who can do that...and then only with God’s help. I’d just like them to realize they can get through it all and make a good life for themselves. But I don’t expect you to have to do any more than listen and encourage them, if they come to you. And if it becomes too much...”

The expression in his eyes was so earnest she had to reassure him. “I’ll let you know.”

Their trolley came to a stop and it was so cold out that Rebecca was relieved when he said, “Let’s make a run for it!”

“Let’s!” It was just what she wanted to do.

They took off laughing and she wondered if Ben felt as much like a child as she did. They reached Heaton House and hurried inside to the fireplace in the parlor.

“I’m so cold my teeth are chattering,” Rebecca said, proving her point.

“Gretchen is making hot chocolate. That should warm you up,” her mother said.

“We had some already and it didn’t help for long.” Ben shivered.

“It will this time,” Mrs. Heaton said. “You aren’t going back out into the cold tonight.”

“How was Jenny, Mama? Did she give you any trouble?”

“None at all. I read her a story and listened to her prayers just a little while ago. I think she was asleep before I left the room.”

“She usually is.” Rebecca turned to warm her hands at the same time Ben did. Both of them were still shaking.

“She played charades with us before Mrs. Heaton put her to bed,” Julia said. “She’s very smart, Rebecca.”

Rebecca turned back around with a smile. “Thank you. I think so, too.”

“She takes after you,” Ben whispered to her.

“Do you think so?” Rebecca felt heat rise in her face, but was it because she was standing at the fireplace or because of Ben’s compliment?

“I do.”

Maida, Gretchen’s sister, came in with a loaded tray of steaming hot chocolate and they all took a cup. Rebecca sipped hers and let it slide down her throat. “Finally, I’m beginning to feel warm again.”

Ben smiled at her over the brim of his cup. “Me, too.”

“So how did your first class go, Rebecca?” Millicent asked.

“It went very well. Ben is a very good teacher. He managed to hold everyone’s attention through math. And I think he has a few admirers in his class.”

Ben shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

He seemed flushed and she wondered if she’d embarrassed him. She hoped not. But she was afraid to say more in case she made it worse.

“Well, I’m going to go check on Jenny. And I have homework to do, thanks to my teacher.” She grinned at Ben before crossing the room to kiss her mother on the cheek. “Thank you for watching over my girl, Mama.”

Her mother leaned close and whispered, “You know Ben has been added to her prayer list, don’t you?”

Rebecca glanced over at the man and then back to her mother. “I do. He’s kind of become her hero since he caught her that day.”

“I figured as much. And that’s good. Every girl needs one.”

And every woman needed a hero, too. But Rebecca couldn’t allow herself to start thinking of Ben that way. “I’m going up now.”

“Good night, dear.”

“Night, Mama.” Rebecca turned back to the others in the room. “See you all tomorrow.”

She left the room with a chorus of “Good night” behind her and headed up the stairs.

Rebecca quietly entered Jenny’s room and looked down on her daughter. One arm was flung over her head, and her even breathing told Rebecca she was sleeping peacefully. She leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead and almost wished Jenny would wake up so she could tell her she loved her. But Jenny slept on and Rebecca didn’t disturb her dreams.

She tiptoed to the bathroom separating their rooms and pulled the door shut most of the way, but left it open enough to hear Jenny should she awake in the night. Not that she would, but Rebecca had shared a room with her for so long that she couldn’t bring herself to shut the doors between them at night, except while she readied herself for bed.

Still a little chilled, she made quick work of it and opened the door once more. She went to her bedside and knelt to say her prayers, thanking the Lord for her daughter, for being reunited with her family and for forgiving her for bringing them pain.

And then she whispered, “Dear Lord, please comfort Ben tonight. I know it couldn’t have been easy for him to open up to me and tell me about his mother. The memories must be terribly painful for him. Please give him peace. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.”

Rebecca slid beneath the covers and pulled them up high. Then she closed her eyes and listened...yes, in the quiet of the night she could hear Jenny’s light breathing. She smiled and turned over. What would she do without her?

People around her in the tenements had urged Rebecca to give her up when she began showing—put her in an orphanage like Ben’s mother had done. And she had given it some thought. But much as she knew she’d done wrong by trusting Jenny’s father, she couldn’t add to her sins by deserting her child.

She wondered what it had been like for Ben when he was Jenny’s age...to know that he’d been left on the doorstep of an orphanage and that his own mother had deserted him. Her heart squeezed tight just thinking of it. Still, he’d grown up to be a wonderful man—but without the love of his mother. Suddenly, the tears Rebecca had fought when Ben told her about what his mother had done flooded her eyes and she buried her head in her pillow and wept for him.

* * *

Ben didn’t tarry in the parlor long after Rebecca left. He went down to his room thinking back over her remark at the café about some of the women being sweet on him. The thought had him a bit unsettled. He sincerely hoped not. He tried to be very careful not to give the impression that he might be attracted to any of them, because he truly didn’t return any interest like that. He wasn’t there to find romance—he wanted to help those women better their lives. He cared about them to that extent only.

However...Rebecca was different. Something about her touched him in a way no one else ever had; otherwise, he’d never have been so open with her tonight. He couldn’t put a name to what drew him to her, but the pull was strong and tonight he’d had to remind himself that he’d vowed never to fall in love again.

But the way Rebecca had reached out to him after he’d told her about his mother abandoning him, and her effort to comfort him with her assurance that his mother must have thought she had no choice had him on the verge of rethinking the vow he’d made.

Only for a moment, though, because Rebecca seemed to draw away and whatever dreams he’d thought to weave had disappeared before they ever formed. Which was probably for the best—he couldn’t let himself begin to care too much for her.

Ben had a feeling Rebecca was as determined as he was not to trust her heart to another. Besides, she had Jenny to think of and that would most likely add to her resolve.

Still, he had enjoyed the evening in her company a great deal and he looked forward to class on Thursday, too. Surely they could be good friends. He didn’t realize until tonight how much he needed to have someone he could confide in. Oh, the people at Heaton House were his friends. He even considered them his family, and he probably could have told any of them what he’d told Rebecca and they would have cared. But he’d never felt the need or desire to tell them.

If Rebecca hadn’t asked such a straightforward question tonight, he probably never would have told her. But he was glad he had. Hard as it was to tell her he’d been dumped at the orphanage by his mother, Ben felt as if a load of baggage had been lifted from his shoulders. He didn’t feel the need to tell others, but he also no longer felt the dread of telling anyone and seeing the pity in their eyes.

He’d never liked to think about it at all, and up until tonight, he’d always assumed his mother just didn’t want him. Rebecca’s insistence that his mother must have felt she had no other choice gave him something more to think about now. He wasn’t sure he agreed with her, but he found he very much wanted to.

He was glad Rebecca had agreed to help some of the ladies in his class however she could, especially after tonight. If she could make him feel better, he was certain she’d be able to encourage those women.

All he had to do now was keep his attraction to her from growing. Ben had a feeling that was going to be much easier said than done.

* * *

The next morning, Ben came up from downstairs just as Rebecca and Jenny entered the foyer. Jenny’s smile was contagious and he answered it with one of his own. “Good morning, Miss Jenny.”

“Good morning, Mr. Ben,” Jenny said. “How did Mama do in class last night?”

“She did very well.”

“I knew she would. Granma and I prayed she would last night.”

“I’m sure those prayers helped.” Rebecca smiled down at her daughter as they entered the dining room. “Keep them up, okay?”

“I will, Mama.”

“Good morning, everyone,” Mrs. Heaton said from the end of the table.

“Morning, Granma!” Jenny held her plate while Rebecca filled it from the sideboard. Her grandmother helped Jenny get settled at the table while Rebecca filled her own plate.

Ben helped himself to sausage, eggs and the best biscuits around and took his seat at the table. “You two are up earlier than usual today. Do you have a big day planned?” he asked.

“We’re going to drop Jenny off to help Aunt Violet with baby Marcus while Mama and I do the shopping this morning. And I might visit Kathleen later today to see if she needs any help getting ready for the housewarming this weekend,” Rebecca said. “I’m going to telephone her after breakfast.”

“That is coming up, isn’t it? It will be good to get together with everyone again,” Ben said.

“It certainly will,” Mrs. Heaton said. “And next week the workers will be here to start remodeling the third floor. It shouldn’t take too long to make the changes. Once it’s finished, I’ll put an advertisement in the paper. Or do you think I should just put a sign out?”

“I’d put the sign out. You’re more likely to get people who know of or have heard of Heaton House that way and I think you’d have your new boarders in no time,” Ben said.

“I think Ben’s right, Mama,” Rebecca added.

“I’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I’ll put an ad in the paper. I’ve always acquired new boarders quickly and I do hate to keep turning down people who see the ad after I’ve let the rooms.

Ben stood. “I’d better get going. You all have a nice day and I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Mr. Ben,” Jenny said. “See you later.”

“I look forward to it, Jenny. You have fun with baby Marcus.”

She nodded. “I will.”

Ben’s gaze met Rebecca’s and her smile warmed him clear through to his heart. Funny how none of the other woman here had ever had that effect on him. He liked them all, but he’d never felt...quite the same way about them. He still didn’t know why it’d been so easy to open up to Rebecca as he had the night before. But he wasn’t sorry. He hoped one day she’d open up to him.

* * *

After dropping Jenny off at Michael and Violet’s to play with baby Marcus, and having some hug-and-kisses time with him themselves, Rebecca and her mother were on their way to the grocer’s. The day before, they’d taken stock of the kitchen pantry, made a menu for the rest of the week and then prepared a shopping list from the menu.

The grocer welcomed them in and her mother introduced them. “Mr. Hale, this is my daughter, Rebecca Dickerson. She’ll be doing some of the shopping in the future and I’m going to show her how I go about it.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Dickerson. There’s no one better to teach a person about ordering for a boardinghouse than your mother. You’ll learn a lot from her. I do hope we’ll still be seeing you, too, Mrs. Heaton?”

“Of course you will. But I have two precious grandchildren to spend time with now and I won’t mind giving up grocery-buying time to do that when I can.”

“Ah, well, I can understand that. I’ve a couple grandchildren of my own I like to spend time with. It’s too bad my wife passed away before they were born. She would have loved being a grandmother, just as you do.”

The expression in Mr. Hale’s eyes as he looked at her mother made Rebecca wonder if he might be a bit attracted to her. She could definitely see he had great respect for her mother and within a few minutes she knew why.

She was very precise in the amounts she ordered, she had no problem asking for the best price he could give her and she insisted on the freshest of everything she ordered, from vegetables to dairy products. She zipped around the store faster than Rebecca could keep up with her.

“Mama, slow down a bit. I’m trying to take notes, but you’re going much too fast for me.”

The proprietor chuckled. “She goes too fast for me sometimes, too, Mrs. Dickerson.”

Her mother came to a sudden stop and turned to them with a smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was being hard to keep up with. I’ll try to go a little slower.”

She did just that, which gave Rebecca a chance to make a list of things she needed to remember on the small note pad she’d brought with her.

When they had finished giving the grocer their order for staples—flour, sugar and the like, then fruits, mostly canned this time of year, and vegetables, some canned and some fresh—Rebecca was surprised that the end price wasn’t higher.

The grocer promised to have everything delivered as soon as possible, and then it was on to the butcher’s for the meat. The day was quite chilly, but nothing like it’d been the night before. The wind had died down and while the air was brisk, it didn’t take one’s breath away and they were able to converse along the way.

“Mama, I think Mr. Hale might be sweet on you.”

Her mother looked at her and laughed. “Oh, Rebecca. No. I don’t think so. He just likes my business.”

“I don’t think that’s all he likes. I saw the way he looked at you. He is a widower. Perhaps he’s in the market for a wife.”

“Well, it certainly wouldn’t be me. I enjoy watching my boarders’ romances, but remarrying is not something I ever give a thought to for myself. Your papa was my first and only love, dear.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t fall in love again. You should give it some thought.”

Her mother chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I like my life just as it is and I have so much to be thankful for. I have my family reunited and two precious grandchildren, I have Heaton House and the boarders—my life is full and I don’t have time for courting or romance. But you’re still young, dear. I hope one day you’ll start thinking of finding Jenny a papa.”

That was not something Rebecca wanted to talk about at all, and she was relieved that they’d arrived at the butcher shop so she didn’t have to comment. But she had a feeling her mother would be bringing the subject up at another time.

They entered the shop and Rebecca was introduced to Mr. Kelly. He was behind the meat counter and she wondered how he kept his white apron so pristine.

“Nice to meet the daughter of one of my best customers,” Mr. Kelly said. “She is also one of my most demanding. Nothing but the best for her boarders, she always says.”

Rebecca smiled, then stood back and made notes as her mother tried to get the very best deal she could on the meat she ordered to be delivered on different days that week.

“And you know I want the freshest you have on the day it gets to Heaton House.” Her mother smiled at the butcher.

He smiled back with a twinkle in his eye. “I do know that, Mrs. Heaton. And I know that if I don’t deliver what I promise, you’ll be back in here with it, demanding your money back.”

“You’re certainly right about that, Mr. Kelly,” her mother agreed.

“Your word of mouth has gotten me many a new customer over the years, Mrs. Heaton. I’ll not be disappointing you.”

“Thank you. I think you are the best butcher in the neighborhood and you haven’t let me down yet.”

“Nor do I intend to. You ladies have a nice day.”

“The same to you,” Rebecca’s mother said.

They walked out and Rebecca linked arms with her mother. “You certainly know how to do business with these people, Mama. I have much to learn.”

“You’ll do fine. You catch on quickly. Ben told me you’ll be ready for advanced bookkeeping in no time at all.”

“He did?”

“Yes, he did.”

The fact that Ben truly did think she was intelligent made Rebecca feel she could learn whatever she needed to so that she could find a good position when the time was right. For right now, she was enjoying learning again and spending time with her mother. And she found herself looking forward to attending class at the Y the next evening.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you more about the class last night. Were the other women there nice?”

“They seem to be. I’ll get to know them better over time, I’m sure. Ben seems to think I can be an encouragement to them—the fact that I lived in the tenements and all, but I’m not sure—”

“I agree with Ben. I believe you will be an asset to the class just as he suggested, dear. Many times people just need to realize there are others who’ve walked down a similar path, to give them hope and belief that they can get through their trials, too.”

“I did tell him I’d do what I can to help.”

“I’m so glad you did, Becca, dear.”

Rebecca still wasn’t certain she’d be able to help anyone, but she suddenly realized she wanted to very much. Without Kathleen’s assistance, she’d never have been united with her family. She had to do what she could.

Chapter Five

Rebecca and her mother arrived back at Violet’s to find that she had lunch waiting for them.

“Mama, Granma! Guess what? We’re eating with Aunt Vi!”

“We are?” Rebecca loved seeing her daughter so excited and happy.

“Uh-huh. She said it was the least she could do with all the help I gave her with baby Marcus!”

“I telephoned Heaton House and told Gretchen not to expect you all home for lunch,” Violet said. “I hope it’s all right, Mother Heaton.”

“Of course it is, dear,” Rebecca’s mother said. “That was very nice of you and it will be good to spend more time with you.”

Hilda—Violet and Michael’s housekeeper and Gretchen and Maida’s younger sister—had made them creamed chicken with crusty rolls.

“This is wonderful, Hilda,” said Mrs. Heaton when the young woman cleared their places and brought in warm gingerbread for dessert.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m glad you like it. I used Gretchen’s recipe.” Hilda flashed a dimple when she smiled and headed toward the kitchen.

“We are so fortunate to have those sisters in our employment,” Rebecca’s mother said.

“Oh, I agree,” Violet said. “I don’t know what I’d do without her, especially now that we have Marcus. Michael gave her a raise and said she was worth every penny.”

Rebecca’s mother lowered her voice, “That’s why I want to give Gretchen and Maida a sitting room of their own. They work long hours for me and it just doesn’t seem right for them not to have any place to relax in their free time.”

“I know they’re going to love it, Mama.”

“I’m so excited that work on it will be starting soon. They’re sharing a room for now, thinking I just want to spruce up all the others, and they don’t know what I’m doing for them.”

“They’ll be thrilled,” Violet said. “All this remodeling, and Kathleen and Elizabeth moving into their own homes and decorating them is very exciting. I can’t wait to see what they’ve done to their homes.”

“I’m going over this afternoon to see if I can help Kathleen get ready for her party,” Rebecca said. “I can’t wait to see her.”

“She and Luke stopped over to see how much Marcus had grown last night. They both seem very happy,” Violet said. “I believe you ought to go into the matchmaking business, Mother Heaton,” Violet added.

“I think she should, too,” Rebecca said.

“What’s matchmaking, Mama?” Jenny asked. “I’m not supposed to play with matches.”

“No, you aren’t. But matchmaking the way we’re talking about is getting a man and a woman together so that they can fall in love and get married.”

“Oh! That sounds like fun,” Jenny said.

“Well, I haven’t done anything except take in boarders so far and it has been fun watching them fall in love, Jenny. Sometimes it takes a while before they realize what’s happening and it seems everyone else knows before they do. Only bad thing about it is I keep losing boarders and have to get new ones.”

“Wonder what new boarders you’ll have next? Maybe you can matchmake them,” Jenny said.

Her grandmother chuckled. “Maybe. Or just let the Lord do the matchmaking. So far He’s done a wonderful job of it. I just furnish the place for them to get to know each other and watch what happens.”

“It is fun,” Violet said. “Michael and I knew Luke and Kathleen were falling in love long before they did. And everyone knew that John and Elizabeth’s sparring was in denial of the attraction they felt for each other.”

“But they’re all married now,” Rebecca’s mother said. “I have begun to wonder about Millicent and Mathew, but I’m not sure about them. He loves working on those tall buildings and she’s afraid of heights.”

“And of him getting hurt, I think,” Rebecca said. “But there does seem to be something between them—although I haven’t lived there long enough to know if it is attraction for one another or just that they are so opposite that makes the sparks fly.”

“You know, I’ve never sensed that Ben and Julia were attracted to one another,” Violet said.

Rebecca felt a funny little stab near her heart at the mention of Ben being attracted to Julia. Yet, she’d never seen anything to indicate he was, either.

“Nor have I sensed he was romantically attracted to Millicent,” her mother responded.

“He’s always been a good friend to us all. But if he ever wanted to court anyone at Heaton House, I never saw any evidence of it,” Violet commented.

“No, neither have I,” Rebecca’s mother said.

That revelation left Rebecca feeling...relieved. And yet, he’d been through so much growing up in an orphanage, surely he must long to have someone to love...and especially to be loved by someone.

“I like Mr. Ben,” Jenny piped up.

“We all like Mr. Ben, Jenny,” Violet said. “Maybe one day he’ll fall in love and there’ll be another match made at Heaton House.”

“Maybe...” Jenny looked at her mother. “Maybe you and Mr. Ben could make a match, Mama.”

Rebecca felt the heat rush to her face. “Oh, I don’t think so, Jenny. Mama isn’t looking to fall in love with anyone. And besides, Mr. Ben is my teacher now, and...” She didn’t know what to say next.

“But I sure like him, Mama.”

“He is hard not to like, Rebecca,” Violet teased with a smile and a gleam in her eye.

“Now, you all stop. Just because Heaton House is a bit empty at present doesn’t mean you need to start pairing people up.”

“At least not yet,” her mother said. “I hope I don’t lose as many boarders at one time as I did this past year. I’m all for seeing people fall in love, but I do need to bring a few more renters in first. I think Julia may be seriously thinking of going out west before too long and, I really hope I have a full house by then.”

“You really think she’ll leave, Mama?” Rebecca asked.

“I do. Every time I get a letter from your aunt Pauline, describing Oklahoma to us, she seems to get more excited about it. But it will be hard to see her leave. She was one of my first boarders.”

Rebecca could feel her sadness and realized it must be very hard for her mother to see her boarders go. She knew that they were like family to her and she was happy her mother had people to care for and who had loved her during the time they’d been apart. And once again, she hated that she’d put her mother through so much.

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