A Hero from Her Past

If Kathleen O’Bryan were capable of trusting any man, it might be someone like Luke Patterson. She never expected to be reunited with the man that rescued her last summer. But when she arrives at Mrs. Heaton’s boardinghouse, seeking refuge, it’s the handsome writer who greets her at the door.

Something about the lovely Irish immigrant stirs Luke’s protective instincts. Life in New York’s harsh tenements hasn’t dimmed Kathleen’s tender spirit. Day by day, Luke feels the walls around his heart crumble. But it will take faith on Kathleen’s side, too, and the heart’s power to recognize a real home at last….

Luke could see the wariness in Kathleen’s eyes, and something else that pulled him nearer.

His fingers grazed her cheek. “You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Kate. Clancy is gone. He’ll never hurt you again.”

“Never again.” She closed her eyes and nodded. She reached up and covered his hand with hers. “Thank you, Luke.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned his hand over and captured hers. He’d never wanted to kiss anyone more, and it was all he could do to keep from pulling her into his arms. But the wariness lingered in her eyes and he leaned his forehead against hers. “If onlys” whirled through his mind… If only she could trust again. If only he could, too.

He cleared his throat. “We’d better go in before—”

“Someone wonders where we are?”

No. Before he threw caution to the wind, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

JANET LEE BARTON

was born in New Mexico and has lived all over the South, in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. She loves researching and writing heartwarming stories about faith, family, friends and love. Janet loves being able to share her faith and love of the Lord through her writing. She’s very happy that the kind of romances the Lord has called her to write can be read and shared with women of all ages.

Janet and her husband now live in Oklahoma, and are part of what they laughingly call their “Generational Living Experiment” with their daughter and her husband, two wonderful granddaughters and a shih tzu called Bella. The experiment has turned into quite an adventure and so far, they think it’s working out just fine. When Janet isn’t writing or reading, she loves to travel, cook, work in the garden and sew.

You can visit Janet at www.janetleebarton.com.

A Place of Refuge

Janet Lee Barton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning;

For in thee do I trust: Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; For I lift up my soul unto thee.

—Psalms 143:8

To the family I was born into, and the one the Lord has given me, for always giving me their love and support.

And most of all, to my Lord and Savior, for showing me the way.

Contents

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

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

New York City

February 1896

A knock on the door this time of evening was never a good sign. Luke Patterson paused at the staircase and frowned, looking around for Mrs. Heaton, the owner of his boardinghouse. Neither she nor Gretchen, the maid, were anywhere to be seen and everyone else had scattered after dinner. The knock sounded once more and he took it on himself to answer the door.

“Sir, I’ve a young woman in my hack and was told to bring her to this address.” The man at the door handed Luke a familiar-looking card. It was one of Mrs. Heaton’s, embellished simply with only Heaton House, then the address and telephone number underneath. She often gave the cards to young women she thought might be in need of a safe place to come.

“What is it, Luke?” Mrs. Heaton asked as she hurried out of her study.

“This man has a young woman in his hack. He says he was told to bring her here.” He handed Mrs. Heaton her card.

“Well, tell her to come right in,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“She’s in bad shape, ma’am. She passed out on the way over. In fact I think she’s more in need of the hospital right now than anythin’. My wife’s a friend of her sister’s and they told me to bring her here, and that’s what I’ve done. They told me you’d given her the card.”

Mrs. Heaton’s brow furrowed. “I’m sure I did. Luke, please help this young woman in.”

“Of course.” Luke didn’t bother putting a coat on against the cold February night air. He hurried out to the hack alongside the driver. The man grabbed a small carpetbag, helped him get the young woman out of the hack, up to the front door and into the house.

“I’ve got to get back to the family, sir. I hope she’s all right.” He dropped the bag on the floor and let go of the woman, leaving her to slump against Luke.

Luke immediately lifted her into his arms as the man hurried out the door. She was light as a feather and when she moaned, he shifted her in his arms, hoping to make her more comfortable.

“Where do you want me to take her, Mrs. Heaton?”

“Let’s get her upstairs, so I can see what she needs, Luke. I’ve had Gretchen call the doctor and let the other women know a man will be in the upper hall.”

Male boarders were normally not allowed on the upper floors, but there really wasn’t any other way to get this young woman upstairs. She wasn’t in any shape to maneuver the steps. As they passed under the light in the foyer, Luke cringed at what he saw. The woman in his arms looked as if she’d had a fist shoved in her face. Several times. And she had a cut on the side of her temple that oozed blood through a makeshift bandage. What had happened to her?

He followed Mrs. Heaton up the stairs to the landing and waited while she turned to go up to the third floor. Then she paused. “No, let’s put her in Violet’s old room. There’s no need to jostle her any more than necessary. I’m sure she’s in a lot of pain or she wouldn’t have passed out, poor dear.”

Mrs. Heaton hurried into the room and lit a lamp before turning back the cover on the bed. “Lay her down easy, Luke. The doctor should be here any moment now.”

He did as told and then tried to step back to let Mrs. Heaton see to her. But the young woman held on to his hand and wouldn’t let go.

“Pull up a chair, at least until the doctor gets here. For right now it appears she doesn’t want you to go anywhere,” Mrs. Heaton said.

Luke grasped the chair by the side table with his free hand and pulled it a little closer, sat down and clasped the young woman’s hand with both of his. If he could convey that she was safe, he’d sit there all night. “Do you have any idea who she is?”

From the other side of the bed, Mrs. Heaton lowered the hood of the woman’s cape and looked down on her. Luke could hear her sharp intake of breath. “It’s hard to tell with her face so bruised and swollen, but with that red hair of hers, I do believe she’s the young woman we met in the park last summer—the one you’d helped defend.”

Luke leaned closer. The young woman’s hair cascaded over the pillow and his heart gave a sharp twist at her moan. Its deep red color told him she might well be the woman in the park. Aside from the fresh bruising and swelling, he could see a fading bruise under her left eye—apparently she got beaten up on a regular basis. His fist clenched at the very thought of anyone treating a woman that way. And if she was the same woman from last summer, he had a good idea who did it.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Gretchen and another woman, whom he recognized as one who came to some of the benevolent committee meetings Mrs. Heaton often hosted, entered the room. She was probably a member of the Ladies’ Aide Society as was Mrs. Heaton, but he wasn’t certain.

“Clara! What brings you—”

“Kathleen’s sister contacted me and let me know she’d sent her to you. I’ve been afraid something like this might happen.”

“Kathleen? Is that her name? How do you know her?” Mrs. Heaton asked.

In what Luke thought was an effort not to disturb the injured woman, his landlady led Clara over to the windows. But in the quiet of the night, he could still hear what was being said.

The woman Mrs. Heaton had introduced as Clara Driscoll lowered her voice. “She works in my department at Tiffany Glass Company and yes, her name is Kathleen O’Bryan. Evidently her brother-in-law lost his job again and came home drunk today. When Kathleen got there, she found them in the middle of a fight and she tried to stop him from hitting her sister. That’s when he came at her, hit her and knocked her down and hit her again. He left saying she’d better be gone when he came back.”

White-hot anger surged through Luke as the young woman moaned. How dare the man touch her! He—

The doctor arrived just then and Mrs. Heaton turned to Luke. “Why don’t you wait downstairs, Luke? I’ll let you know what the doctor says and how Miss O’Bryan is doing in a little while. Thank you for helping me get her upstairs.”

“You’re welcome.” Luke tried to slip his hand out of the young woman’s, but she held on tighter. Her eyes fluttered open and she hoarsely whispered, “Thank you.”

He leaned close and whispered, “You’re welcome. And you’re safe here. Doc and Mrs. Heaton are going to take care of you now.”

Only then did she let go of his hand. He watched her eyelashes drift downward and turned to leave as the doctor took his place.

Luke cringed as he heard a louder moan this time and he fought the urge to rush back to her side. But the doc was the one who could make her feel better now. He’d only be in the way.

“Please do let me know how she is, Mrs. Heaton.”

She gave a short nod. “I will.”

Luke’s heart twisted in his chest as he hurried down the stairs to the main floor and then down the next flight to the first floor where he and the other male boarders’ rooms were. He’d try to get some work done—at least a scene or two on the book he was writing. Otherwise he’d only pace the floor waiting for Mrs. Heaton to let him know how Miss O’Bryan was.

He flipped through a few typewritten pages to get back into his writing, but in only moments Luke realized he wouldn’t get any work done this far away from what was going on upstairs.

He gathered a tablet and pencil and went back upstairs and settled at Mrs. Heaton’s desk. He knew she wouldn’t mind; she’d offered to let him work in here before. Maybe he could at least make a few notes about his next chapter. Luke tried to concentrate on what he was writing but the connection to it and the woman upstairs was so apparent he couldn’t concentrate on anything but her.

If not for meeting Miss O’Bryan that day in the park, he might not even be writing this book. Her name fit her well, or at least the woman he remembered from that day in the park last summer, when her brother-in-law was threatening both her and her sister.

She’d shown such dignity that day, but the look in her eyes told him how vulnerable she really was. Ever since that encounter, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind and every time he caught a glimpse of hair the color of hers, he took a second look—at the park, on a trolley, in the tenements, when he’d gone on an assignment from his boss, Michael Heaton. Michael was Mrs. Heaton’s son and owned his own detective agency. Until his marriage this past December, he’d lived here, too.

Michael felt he had reason to believe that his sister who’d been missing for several years might have wound up living in the tenements. He didn’t want his mother to know of his fears, but he’d confided in Luke that he’d almost given up hope of finding her at all.

It was the traveling in and out of the tenements that had precipitated the change in his writing career. He liked writing the lighter dime novels that made him a living, along with occasional investigative work for Michael, but over the past few months, his goal had changed. He wanted to make a difference in people’s lives with his writing. What he was working on now was a book that depicted life for those less fortunate in the city, and Luke hoped it would continue to call attention to their plight as Jacob Riis had done with his book, How the Other Half Lives.

Tonight he realized the woman upstairs had everything to do with the direction his writing had gone in—because of the way she and her sister had been treated that day in the park. The conditions he was afraid they lived in. And seeing her tonight—

“Luke?” Mrs. Heaton broke into his thoughts.

He jumped to his feet and came around the desk. “Yes, ma’am? How is she?”

“The doctor says Kathleen is going to be all right. But he said she’s going to be in some pain for the next few days. He thinks she may have cracked a rib, too. Clara is giving her this week off and we’re going to try to find out how best to help her. She’ll be staying with us for now.”

“That’s good, I’m glad.” Relief washed over him, knowing she’d be here. He couldn’t explain the strange connection he felt for the young woman, but it was there and it was strong.

“Evidently her sister’s husband has beaten Kathleen several times, probably because she comes to her sister’s defense and keeps her from taking the beating,” Mrs. Heaton continued. “Clara says Kathleen’s sister, Colleen, is expecting a child. However, after tonight, she realized she had to get Kathleen out of there. Colleen was afraid that if she didn’t, her husband might hurt Kathleen even worse.”

Luke felt his lip curl in disdain for the man. “Kathleen will be safe here. I’ll see that she is.”

“I know you will. She’s awake now and trying to remember what happened and why she’s here. Things are slowly coming back to her. I’m going to take a food tray up to her and see if we can get her to eat something. I’ll let her know you were asking about her and helped to get her upstairs.”

“If you need me for anything at all—”

“Thank you, Luke. I know where to find you and I’m thankful you are here. We’re going to take care of her.”

Luke watched his landlady leave the room, thankful that she’d given Kathleen her card last summer. The pretty redhead might not know it, but she was in the best place she could be right now.

The vision of Kathleen’s face, so lovely under all the swelling and bruising, came to him. He clenched his fist once more and went to look out of the window. He didn’t know how long it would take, but he was going to find that no-good brother-in-law of hers. If the man were lucky, the cops would get to him before Luke did.

* * *

Kathleen opened one eye and then the other. A sliver of sunlight creeping through the slit in the draperies told her it was morning. The last thing she remembered from the night before was the nice lady... Kathleen closed her eyes and concentrated. Mrs. Heaton. Yes, the woman who’d given her a card last summer and who owned the home she’d been sent to...last night?

She took a deep breath. Why was she having such a hard time putting her thoughts together? Her face, her temple, her whole head ached, but nowhere near as bad as the night before—until she reached up to touch the bandage on her temple. The light contact was enough to make the throb feel like a pounding hammer.

She closed her eyes against the pain and held her breath until it eased off a bit. Then she lay as still as she could until she felt she could open her eyes once more.

Her mind flooded with unconnected memories. She remembered telling her coworkers good-night and leaving work. Money had been especially tight lately, so, though she was tired, Kathleen hadn’t given in to the urge to take the trolley. Instead, she’d trudged over to Second Avenue and down to Eighth Street to the tenement building where she lived with her sister and her family. They seemed to have traded one pitiful existence for another since they’d left Ireland two years ago. Believing they’d have a better life in America, they’d pooled what little they had to make the trip, only to find life wasn’t any easier here.

She didn’t think the dreadful place could ever be home to her or her family. All the buildings in the area seemed the same to Kathleen. They were made of brick, with stoops in front. The six and seven stories housed scores of families, some even larger than hers, crowded in two-and three-room apartments. One had to know the number of the building and where it set on the street to be sure of where they were going.

But last night, as she’d neared their tenement and saw her nephews sitting on the stoop, her heart had dipped into her stomach and she’d felt a little sick. She’d known something wasn’t right. Collin and Brody had looked at her with their big blue eyes and she could see they’d been crying. She’d bent and hugged them when they ran to her.

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” she’d asked.

Collin had answered, “Papa came home early and started yelling and—”

“He was really loud.” Brody wiped a hand across his eyes. “Mama started crying, and he yelled more.”

“Mama sent us out.”

Kathleen’s heart constricted with dread. “Well, now, I’m sure things aren’t as bad as you’re thinkin’. Your papa does get worked up a bit at times. I’ll go see what all the ruckus is about.”

She hadn’t wanted to take the boys, but—

A knock sounded on the door, bringing her out of her thoughts. The door opened just a crack and she heard a whisper. “Kathleen? It’s Mrs. Heaton. Are you awake, dear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“May I come in?”

“Of course.” This was Mrs. Heaton’s home after all and she’d opened it to her, a total stranger except for that chance meeting in Central Park last summer.

Mrs. Heaton entered the room and hurried over to her. “Are you still in pain?”

“Some.” Kathleen tried to scoot up in bed and grimaced.

“I think a little more than that. Let me give you some of the medicine Doctor Reynolds left for you. Then we’ll see if you feel like a cup of tea and maybe some toast.”

“Yes, thank you.” She opened her mouth as Mrs. Heaton brought a spoonful of medicine to her lips. Kathleen swallowed the liquid and prayed it would work quickly to ease the pounding in her head.

“You were out again when I brought a tray up last night and I didn’t want to wake you. I did check on you several times throughout the night and you seemed to be sleeping.”

Mrs. Heaton talked as she straightened Kathleen’s covers and pulled back the draperies on one of the windows—just enough to let a bit of light in, but not so much that it bothered Kathleen’s eyes.

“Let me look at you.” The compassion in the woman’s eyes touched Kathleen’s heart. She’d been nothing but kind to her. She sighed now and shook her head. “Doc said your bruising might look worse before it gets better. I’m afraid he was right. But don’t you worry, you’ll be back to your lovely self before you know it.”

“Thank you for taking me in and for being so kind.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you kept my card and were brought here. Try not to worry about your sister. Mrs. Driscoll said she would check on her and get word to you on how she and your nephews are.”

Kathleen let herself relax a little at Mrs. Heaton’s words. Tears sprung to her eyes just thinking about the only family she had left. She tried to remember...why was she here? “I have so many questions about what happened, and I just can’t seem to remember. Everything is just so disconnected and yet I feel I’ve been here before.”

“You were. But only for one night last spring.”

“I was?” Kathleen tried to remember but couldn’t.

“Don’t struggle with it, dear.”

Kathleen tried not to show how much pain she felt leaning forward while Mrs. Heaton plumped her pillow and added another to prop her up. She bit her bottom lip as the woman eased her back onto the pillows.

“Doctor Reynolds said you might not remember everything right away but he thinks your memories will all come back to you in time. He said it was a good sign that you knew your name and Mrs. Driscoll’s, and where you work.”

“Work. I...” Kathleen furrowed her brow and looked at Mrs. Heaton.

“Mrs. Driscoll said not to worry about coming in today. She gave you the rest of the week off and said she would be back today to see how you are.”

Kathleen released a relieved sigh. Thank you, Lord.

Another knock came on the door and Mrs. Heaton went to answer it. “It’s Gretchen, I’m sure. I asked her to bring a tray up.”

A woman dressed in a maid’s uniform came into the room. She appeared to be around Kathleen’s age of twenty-four. Her hair was blond and curly and her eyes were light blue.

“Put the tray on the dresser, please, Gretchen.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She turned to Kathleen and said, “I hope you feel better today, miss.”

“Thank you,” Kathleen said.

“If you need anything more just let me know, Mrs. Heaton.”

“Thank you, Gretchen.” The maid left the room quietly and Mrs. Heaton turned to Kathleen.

“Perhaps, after you’ve had some tea and toast, Gretchen and I can help you to the bathroom so you can freshen up. That might make you feel better.”

The thought sounded wonderful to Kathleen. “That would be nice.”

“Well, then, lets get some tea in you. One or two teaspoons of sugar?”

“Two, please.” The pain medication seemed to be working, for the pounding in her head had eased to a lesser throb. Mrs. Heaton placed the tray in front of her and Kathleen picked up the teacup and took a sip.

“By the time you finish, Gretchen and I will be back to help you—”

“Mrs. Heaton, I don’t know how to thank you for everything.”

“You’ve already thanked me, dear. Just let yourself heal and know that you are safe here.”

Kathleen managed a small nod.

“Are you up to a little more light, dear?”

“I believe so.”

Mrs. Heaton opened the draperies fully on both windows and sunlight flooded the room, but it didn’t bother Kathleen’s eyes. She liked the way the light filtered through the lace panels behind the drapes.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” Mrs. Heaton said. She hurried off and Kathleen took another sip of her tea.

Only then did she really see the room she was in. It was huge—and more than just a bedroom. Decorated with lavender-and-yellow wallpaper and bed coverings of the same colors, the room was beautiful.

There was a comfortable-looking chair in the corner between the bed and a window. And there was even a small sofa in front of a fireplace. An armoire that matched the headboard of the bed was on the other side of the room. She’d never seen anything this nice in her life and wished Colleen could see it.

Tears gathered in her eyes once more at the thought of her sister and nephews. Dear Lord, please keep them safe. And please help me to remember all that happened to bring me here. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Kathleen couldn’t remember when she’d eaten last, and even though she didn’t feel hungry, her rumbling stomach told her she was. She picked up a piece of toast and took a bite. By the time Mrs. Heaton returned, she’d managed one slice and had finished her tea.

“Oh, good. I’m glad you got something down. Gretchen is coming, and we’re going to help you to the bathroom. You’ll be sharing it with Elizabeth. She’s at work now, but you’ll meet her this evening.”

Kathleen wasn’t sure she was ready to meet anyone else, but she didn’t have the inclination or the energy to argue with this woman who’d done so much for her.

Gretchen came in just then and the two women helped her into a bathroom that was just off her room. She couldn’t believe the size of it. She and her sister’s family had to share a bathroom with the other tenants on their floor. This was so clean and large compared to that one—and she was to share it with only one other person? A room almost as large as their apartment and a bathroom connected to it? Such luxury was too much to take in.

By the time Mrs. Heaton and Gretchen had helped her into a fresh gown and back to bed, she was quite drowsy.

“I can’t believe I’m sleepy again,” Kathleen said as Mrs. Heaton plumped her pillow once more.

“I’m afraid I tired you out with all my talking earlier, dear.”

“Oh, no. I’m sure it’s the medicine.”

“Could be. But the doctor said rest was the best for you right now. You let yourself sleep whenever you can. I’ll go let Luke know how you are doing today.”

“Luke?”

“Luke Patterson. He helped me get you upstairs last night. He’s the young man who came to your defense that day in the park last summer.”

Memories crept in. Of strong arms picking her up and holding her close, of not wanting to let go of his hand. They came to her now, as did that day in the park when the handsome man had tried to help her and Colleen. They were one and the same? “He lives here?”

“Yes, he does. And I know he was quite worried about you last night. You wouldn’t let go of his hand for the longest time. I must let him know you are on the mend. I’ll be back with some lunch a little later. You get some rest now.” Mrs. Heaton slipped out the bedroom door.

Kathleen leaned back against the pillows and released a pent-up breath. The hammering she had felt no longer pounded in her head, but in her chest. Luke Patterson. The man who’d become her hero in one brief encounter and whom she’d dreamed about several times since then had a name. And he lived here.

Kathleen’s memories were so jumbled in with her dreams and nightmares of the night before, she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. But evidently, hearing that deep, husky voice she’d become familiar with in her dreams and the comforting feeling of being lifted and carried gently in a pair of strong arms hadn’t been a dream at all.

* * *

“Man in the hall,” Mrs. Heaton called as she led Luke up the stairs. She’d finally given in to his wish to see how Kathleen was doing for himself, although it’d taken a lot of persuasion to get her to agree.

Luke heard several doors slam as they reached the landing and he was sure the women weren’t thrilled with his invasion into their domain. He looked straight ahead as he followed Mrs. Heaton to the room she’d given Miss O’Bryan.

He waited as his landlady knocked on the door. “Kathleen, dear, it’s Mrs. Heaton. May I come in? I’ve brought you supper.”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course you may,” Kathleen answered.

Luke opened the door for his landlady and stood to the side while she entered. She turned to him. “You stay right here until I see if she’s up to seeing you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luke hoped that she was, for he wouldn’t barge in on his own, but he felt the need to see her, to hear her voice, to make sure she was all right.

It was but a few minutes before Mrs. Heaton returned. “You may see Miss O’Bryan, but not for long. She’s still recovering, you know.”

Luke nodded and entered the room with Mrs. Heaton right behind him as decorum demanded. Kathleen was propped up against a pile of pillows, covers pulled up to her neck. As he got closer he could see the bruising was still evident, maybe even worse than the night before, but her coloring seemed much better.

“This is Luke Patterson, Kathleen. He’s not let me rest until I finally said he could come see for himself that you are improving. He’s the young man we talked about earlier.”

“Yes, I remember.”

She looked up at him and for a moment Luke felt he might drown in the deep ocean blue-green of her eyes.

“Thank you so much for coming to my aid that day in the park and again last night.”

“You’re more than welcome, Miss O’Bryan. You look... I...” Luke was at a loss for words. He couldn’t say she looked wonderful, for she still looked battered and bruised. “Ah, better.”

“It’s all right, Mr. Patterson. I know how I look. But rest assured, I’ll recover and be the stronger for it all.”

The lilting sound of her Irish accent made him smile. “I can see that by the glint in your eyes and I’m glad for your attitude. You were brought to the right place. Mrs. Heaton is going to take good care of you.”

“She already has been,” Miss O’Bryan said.

Luke nodded. “I can see that. I’m sure she’ll have you joining us for dinner in no time.”

“That’s what Mrs. Heaton keeps telling me.”

“You’ll find that she is rarely wrong. I look forward to seeing you downstairs soon.”

“Thank you.”

“She’ll be joining us soon,” Mrs. Heaton said with a smile. “But it’s time for you to go, Luke. The girls will be wanting to go down to dinner soon.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luke smiled at Miss O’Bryan and gave a little nod. “Good night.”

“Good night. Thank you for checking on me.”

“You’re welcome. Hopefully, you’ll feel even better tomorrow.” He turned to Mrs. Heaton. “Thank you for letting me see for myself that she is on the mend.”

“You’re welcome, Luke. Please tell the other men dinner will be served soon.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He resisted the urge to look at Kathleen once more and headed out the door, releasing a sigh as he headed down the stairs. She was going to be all right. And he was going to see she stayed that way.

Chapter Two

Kathleen leaned a little closer to the mirror. After almost a week her bruises were fading, but not fast enough. Mrs. Heaton had assured her that she only looked as if she’d been sick recently, but was on the mend. Kathleen hoped she was right because she’d agreed to have dinner downstairs with the other boarders tonight. If she was going to stay here, she figured she might as well get to know them.

She picked up the letter from her sister that’d been delivered the day before. While it did give her comfort to have word from Colleen, her heart twisted at the realization that she didn’t know when she would be seeing her sister or her nephews again.

Kathleen sighed and reread the words once more.

Dear Kathleen,

Mrs. Driscoll has told me that you are healing and in the safest place you could be in this city. It relieves my heart to know that. I don’t want you to worry about the boys and me. We are all right. Clancy knows how upset I am about what he did to you and is trying to make it up to me. He’s found a job, but he is insistent that you not come back and I feel you are better off away from here. We can keep in touch through Mrs. Walsh. Just use her address next door and she’ll get your letter to me. I’ll send mine through her, too.

The boys and I miss you, but one day we’ll find a way to get together again, even if just for a short while. Until then, take care of yourself and know that I love you.

Your sister,

Colleen.

Kathleen willed herself not to cry. At least they could keep in touch with letters. That would have to suffice for now.

A light knock sounded on the door of the bathroom and she knew it was Elizabeth Anderson, the young woman with whom she shared the bathroom. Mrs. Heaton had introduced them the second night she was there and Kathleen really liked her.

“Come in.”

Elizabeth peeked around the door. “Do you need any help getting ready? It’s about time to go down.”

“I only need your assurance that I look all right.” Her fears diminished when Elizabeth came in wearing a brown skirt and tan shirtwaist, similar to what she had on, only her skirt was blue and her shirtwaist white.

“You look just fine. We don’t dress for dinner here except on the weekends. Mrs. Heaton says we work hard and are tired at the end of the day, and she’s not going to make us dress up just to eat dinner every night. And then, when we do dress on the weekends and holidays, dinner feels special.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything any dressier than what I have on now.”

“Don’t worry. I have a couple of outfits I think will fit you. We’re about the same size. Writing for The Delineator, I see all the newest styles and sometimes I buy on a whim. But the colors don’t always look good on me and I haven’t known what to do with them. I think they’ll look beautiful on you and I’ll be glad to let you have them.”

“Oh, Elizabeth—”

“Now, don’t try to say no. You’ll be doing me a favor. As long as they’re taking up room in my closet, I don’t feel I can go buy anything new.”

Kathleen knew Elizabeth would have made the offer even if the clothing fit her and she loved it all. She’d been so kind from the very beginning; Kathleen felt she had found a real friend in her. “All right. I’ll accept and I thank you for your offer.”

“I’m glad. I’ll get them to you later.”

“I’m nervous, Elizabeth. I’ve never even been in a home as nice as this, let alone had dinner in one. I’m not sure I’ll know which fork to use or—”

“Just watch me and do what I do. You’ll be fine.”

“I really don’t belong here.”

“You belong here as much as any of us do—perhaps more,” Elizabeth said. “Although there are some male boarders living on the first floor, Mrs. Heaton started her boardinghouse primarily for young women, after her daughter, Rebecca, went missing several years ago. And one of her priorities is to open her home to those who have a real need for a safe haven, sometimes for a short while, sometimes as a regular boarder.”

“She’s been wonderful to me. I’m so sorry to hear about her daughter.” Her heart hurt for Mrs. Heaton. She knew what it felt like to be separated from loved ones and not know how they were.

Oh, Mrs. Driscoll had been very good to let her know that she’d checked on Colleen and the boys and that they were all right. But that held true only for that moment and there was no way of knowing what might have happened since the last report.

“It’s been very difficult for her, but she carries on and takes care of all she can. I’m glad you kept the card she gave you that day in the park.”

“You were there? I don’t remember—”

“There’s no reason you should. You had your hands full that day. But yes, I was there and so were some of the others. So quit worrying about how they will react to you. They’ll be as glad as I am that you kept Mrs. Heaton’s card.”

She gave Kathleen a quick hug. “Come on, now. I could smell the roast chicken as soon as I came home from work today. You’re in for a treat.”

They headed out the door to the landing and were met there by another woman.

“Kathleen, this is Julia Olson. She works at Ellis Island and is a good friend.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Kathleen,” Julia said. “Mrs. Heaton told us there was a new boarder, and we’ve been hoping you’d be able to join us for dinner soon.”

“Thank you, Julia. It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Kathleen followed the two girls downstairs, trying to calm her jittery nerves. Julia had been very nice and if her attitude was any indication of the kind of boarders Mrs. Heaton had, everyone else would be, too. She hoped so, for part of her wanted to run right back to her room and hide, while the other part desperately needed a diversion from worry about her sister and nephews.

Elizabeth led them to what Kathleen thought was the parlor, only it was much grander than any she’d ever seen. She tried not to show how out of place she felt as she took in the fine furnishings. The parlor suites were covered in a burgundy silk, along with several chairs upholstered in a gold-and-burgundy-striped fabric. The draperies were made of the same striped material, making the room look inviting.

There were several very comfortable-looking chairs clustered around a round table in another conversation area in one corner of the room. A piano sat in the opposite corner.

“It’s beautiful,” Kathleen said.

“It’s very comfortable,” Elizabeth said. “It’s a great place to gather after dinner and we do so quite often.”

Kathleen walked around the room looking at the various photographs here and there. There was one of a pretty young woman who reminded her of someone, but try as she might, she couldn’t place her.

Male voices were heard in the foyer and Kathleen turned to see three gentlemen enter the parlor.

“Ben, John, come meet Kathleen O’Bryan. Luke, you’ve met her already,” Elizabeth said.

At the mention of Luke’s name, Kathleen looked past the two men headed her way and caught her breath as the man who’d come to her rescue walked toward her. He was as handsome as she remembered—if not more so. He hadn’t been smiling that day in the park. But now his lips turned up in a smile that had her heart hammering in her chest to each step he took toward her.

“Kathleen, this is Benjamin Roth, a teacher, whom we call just Ben,” Elizabeth said, pulling Kathleen’s attention to the men standing in front of her. “Ben, this is Kathleen O’Bryan.”

“Pleased to meet you, Miss O’Bryan.” He had blond hair and blue eyes.

“And this is John Talbot. He’s a reporter for the New-York Tribune.”

“I’m glad you could join us this evening, Miss O’Bryan,” the man with hair the color of rust said. His eyes were a cool blue-green.

“I’m pleased to meet you both.”

Suddenly Luke appeared behind them, taller and broader than either man, and they seemed to move to the side to make way for him.

“And I believe you’ve met Luke Patterson,” Elizabeth said.

“I have. Good evening, Mr. Patterson,” Kathleen said.

Luke held out his hand and Kathleen found herself slipping her own into it. “It’s good to see you are finally able to join us for dinner.”

His voice was husky and deep just as she remembered and her heart warmed at the sound of it. The others had moved away, giving them a chance to speak in private.

“Mrs. Heaton has refused to let me come up to see you again, but she’s been good to let me know you were getting better each day. Still, it’s not quite like seeing for myself,” he said. “I’m glad you’re healing.”

But when he reached out and touched her chin, it took her by surprise and she flinched. Instead of this man, she saw Clancy coming at her for the second time that night he’d beaten her and her hand went up to protect herself.

“I’m sorry, Miss O’Bryan,” he said. “I should have known—”

His words brought her back to the present and she shook her head. “No. I’m sorry, Mr. Patterson. I just...remembered Clancy coming at me with his fist raised and—”

“I shouldn’t have—”

“No, it’s all right. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Patterson. And thank you for helping me the other night and—”

“Oh, good, it looks as if you’ve all met Kathleen. I’m glad,” Mrs. Heaton said, coming into the room. “I came to let you all know that dinner is ready. Luke, will you escort Kathleen into the dining room? And Ben, would you escort me?”

“I’d be delighted to,” Ben said.

“Miss O’Bryan?” Luke crooked his elbow and looked down at Kathleen.

She wasn’t used to gentlemanly actions and wasn’t totally sure what she should do, until she saw Mrs. Heaton glide her arm through Ben’s arm. Kathleen mimicked what the older woman did, slipping her hand through Luke’s crooked arm and resting it on his forearm.

They followed Mrs. Heaton and Ben and left John Talbot to escort both Elizabeth and Julia to the table. Once Luke had seated her and taken the seat to her left, she breathed a sigh of relief that she’d managed not to embarrass herself.

She was glad Elizabeth was sitting across from her so that she could see what fork and spoon to use. Why anyone would need so many utensils to eat one meal was beyond her. At home they only used what was needed, a spoon for soup or porridge, a fork for everything else and a knife only when needed.

“John, will you say the blessing, please?” Mrs. Heaton asked as soon as everyone was seated.

“Certainly.” He bowed his head and Kathleen bowed hers along with the others.

“Dear Lord, we thank You for this day, we thank You that Miss O’Bryan is well enough to join us and we thank You for the food we are about to eat. Please help us to do Your will. Amen.”

Kathleen was touched that he’d included her in his prayer and her heart filled with thanksgiving that she’d wound up in this home.

Gretchen and Maida, her twin sister who’d greatly confused Kathleen the first few days when they would come into her room, began to serve the meal of roast chicken, creamed potatoes, peas with baby onions and piping-hot rolls.

Kathleen thought this kind of meal was served only in fancy restaurants, the kind she could never afford. For a moment she wondered what Colleen and the boys were eating and swallowed hard. It didn’t seem right that she should be treated so well when her sister was stuck in such horrible circumstances.

“Miss O’Bryan? Are you feeling all right?” Luke asked.

“I— Oh, I’m sorry. I’m fine. I was just thinking about my family and wondering...” She shook her head. “I’m fine, really.”

She glanced over to see that Elizabeth had used the large fork, and picked up her own. She took a bite of potatoes and tried not to embarrass herself as she gave her attention to the meal.

Elizabeth smiled across the table at her. “We’ve been thinking about going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art tomorrow. Would you like to go with us?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I—”

“It will do you good to get out in the fresh air for a bit, Kathleen. If you are feeling up to it, that is,” Mrs. Heaton said.

Kathleen had never been to the museum. Some of the girls she worked with had talked about going, but she’d never had the opportunity to go. She was curious to see all the museum held, and it would give her something to do. Her room was lovely but she was beginning to feel a bit confined. Now that her face was looking more normal she wouldn’t feel self-conscious about being out in public. “You’re right. It would do me good. I’d be glad to join you, Elizabeth. Thank you for inviting me.”

“So we’re all going?” Elizabeth asked.

“I’d like to,” Luke said.

“Count me in,” Julia said.

“John and I were the ones who first brought it up, so we’re going,” Ben added.

“Well, I’m going to visit Michael and Violet,” Mrs. Heaton said. She looked at Kathleen. “Michael is my son and he and Violet Burton got married last December. They don’t live far from here and you’ll be meeting them on Sunday. They usually come to Sunday dinner.”

“I look forward to meeting them.” Kathleen was relieved to know the woman had a son who lived nearby. When she and her sister’s family had come here to America, she’d dreamed of falling in love and having a home near her sister’s.

But that had never happened. Instead it was all Clancy and her sister could do to pay the rent and feed their children—and that only with Kathleen’s help. She wasn’t sure Colleen and Clancy would be able to get along without what she’d contributed to their income and she vowed to send her sister what she could. It seemed that was all she could do. Kathleen needed to accept it and quit feeling guilty that life for her had changed for the better.

Apple pie was served for dessert—something that only happened on special occasions with Kathleen’s family. She watched as Elizabeth picked up the smaller fork and did the same, praying that no one noticed that she had no idea what utensil to use.

* * *

Luke would have kicked himself if he could. He should have realized that Kathleen might be skittish about any man who entered into her space, touched her without being asked. He’d seen the fear in her eyes and known he never should have reached out to touch her.

He didn’t understand it, nor did he particularly welcome it, but something about Kathleen O’Bryan called out his protective instincts in a way no other woman had ever done.

He didn’t think she realized how lovely she was or how badly he wanted to get hold of her brother-in-law and teach him a lesson for what he’d done to Kathleen. She’d looked so vulnerable as he walked toward her in the parlor. And yet, there was a dignity about her that made his chest feel tight with an emotion he couldn’t name.

Sitting beside her, Luke could tell she was unsure of what utensil to use by the way she kept watching Elizabeth. But why should Kathleen know which fork or spoon to use? He doubted her meals were anything like the ones he and the others had become accustomed to.

When the meal came to a close, he heard Kathleen release a small sigh and was almost as relieved as she sounded.

He quickly drew her chair out for her.

“Thank you, Mr. Patterson.”

“My pleasure, Miss O’Bryan. Will you be joining us in the parlor?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I—”

“Some of the boarders usually gather there for a bit after dinner and continue with whatever conversations they were having, or speak to someone else they didn’t have a chance to speak with. It’s a way for you to get to know the others,” he added, hoping to persuade her to join them. The week had been overly long waiting for a glimpse of her just to know for sure that she was recovering.

“I suppose I should get to know everyone. It appears I might be here for a while.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Luke said, a little unsure whether to offer his arm to her again. Everyone else headed toward the parlor singly and he didn’t want her to feel awkward.

She saved him from making a decision as she began to walk unaccompanied. He fell into step beside her, feeling a bit awkward himself, but needing to ask. “How are you feeling?”

She stopped and turned to him. “Much better, thank you. I’ll be going to work on Monday.”

“That’s good news.” He was glad to know that she was getting better physically, but...he had to know. “How are you adjusting? I’m sure it’s hard to be away from your sister and nephews.”

Kathleen looked at him questioningly.

“They were there that day in the park.” Luke remembered them pleading with their aunt not to send their papa to jail that day. How hard that must have been for her. The man should have been locked up. But she’d chosen to honor her nephews’ pleas instead of assuring her and her sister of a few days of peace.

“Yes, they were.” Her gaze met his and her eyes were bright with what he thought might be unshed tears. “I— Mr. Patterson, I never really had a chance to thank you that day. You saved my sister and me from his fists and I’d like to thank you now.”

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I only wish I could have saved you from this last episode.” He nodded toward her face.

Her hand came up to touch her cheekbone and she smiled. “But you did save me from crumpling at Mrs. Heaton’s feet.”

“I’m glad I was here. Have you heard from your sister?”

“I have. I received a letter from her just yesterday and that’s made me feel better. At least she and my nephews were all right when she wrote it. And we’ll be keeping in contact through a neighbor. I still can’t remember all of what actually happened that night. I only know what I’ve been told and the bits and pieces that come to me. I must admit, I’m relieved I won’t be going back, but I don’t know when I’ll see my sister and the boys again.”

They’d reached the parlor by then and Luke said quietly, “I’ll be praying for them to stay safe and for you to be able to see them soon.”

“Luke, Miss O’Bryan, come on in. We’re going to play charades,” Ben called.

“Charades?” Kathleen asked as they entered the room and took a seat on one of the sofas.

“Is it new to you?” Luke asked.

“I don’t know. How do you play it?”

“It’s a game where we guess a word or phrase from one’s pantomime.”

Kathleen shrugged and smiled. “I’m not sure. I’ll watch tonight and perhaps play another time.”

“All right. But once you catch on, feel free to join in,” Elizabeth said.

For the next half hour, the others put on quite a show, trying to draw Kathleen into the game. But she held her ground and, while Luke was sure she’d caught on, she only watched and laughed at everyone’s antics.

She had a light melodious laugh, one he would like to hear more often. Hopefully, he would. She’d be staying here, at least for the foreseeable future, and it relieved his mind to know that she wouldn’t be living in the tenements. Never again would she live in those conditions, if he had anything to do with it.

* * *

Suddenly feeling exhausted, Kathleen said, “I think I’ll go up now, if you’ll all excuse me.”

“Are you all right?” Luke asked in a quiet voice.

She nodded her head. “I’m just a bit tired.”

“We’re glad you joined us,” Elizabeth said. “You are going with us tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“I am. What time do I need to be ready?”

“I don’t think we need to leave until after lunch, do you?” Elizabeth looked around the group for confirmation.

“That won’t give us a lot of time,” Ben said, “but perhaps for Kathleen’s first outing, we shouldn’t make it a long day.”

“I don’t want you changing your plans for me. I can go another time,” Kathleen said.

“Oh, no. We want you to come along,” Julia said. “We’ll go back again.”

“Then I’ll be glad to go. Thank you all for making me feel so welcome tonight.”

“It’s nice to have a new boarder. With Michael and Violet married and gone, we’ve felt a bit...” Elizabeth’s voice trailed off.

“Bored with each other, is what she’s trying to say,” Luke said. He grinned down at Kathleen.

“I did not mean that, Luke,” Elizabeth said. “But now that you mention it, you might be right.”

Everyone laughed, including Luke. Circumstances had always been serious when they were together and Kathleen had never heard him laugh. The sound was deep and husky like his voice, and it flooded her with warmth and seemed to brighten her mood. It was good to know there was laughter in this home.

“Good night,” Kathleen said as she left the parlor. She went upstairs and readied herself for bed, thinking how nice all the boarders had been. Mrs. Heaton was right. They didn’t ask questions she didn’t want to answer, as she’d feared they might when she finally joined them for dinner tonight. Instead, everyone had gone out of their way to make her feel comfortable.

Kathleen thought it would be a while before she really felt at home here—at least until she learned to choose her eating utensils without checking to see what everyone else was using.

She pulled out her Bible and read Psalms 121:8 about the Lord preserving her going out and coming in from now on and for always. Peace stole over her. She was safe here. She prayed that Colleen and her boys would remain safe across town in a completely different world than the one she was in now. And she thanked the Lord for seeing her safely here. He had a plan. Kathleen knew He did. She only needed to trust that the Lord would reveal it in His time.

As she closed her eyes, her last waking thought was about Luke. There was something about his smile that put a hitch in her breath, and the concern in his eyes made her feel special in a way no one ever had. He made her feel a sense of safety she’d never known before. And yet, she warned herself that even Luke might not be the kind of man he seemed to be. From what she’d seen of men in the last few years...one never knew.

Chapter Three

Kathleen went down to breakfast for the first time the next morning to find Mrs. Heaton, Elizabeth and Ben already at the table.

“Good morning, Kathleen.” Mrs. Heaton smiled from the head of the table. “I’m glad you felt like coming down this morning. As you can see, we all eat breakfast at different times. Just help yourself, dear.” She motioned to the sideboard.

Kathleen was a bit disappointed that Luke wasn’t there, but tried not to show it as she picked up a plate on the sideboard and chose some fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon and a biscuit. She was going to have to watch that she didn’t gain weight living here, for the fare was much more than she was used to.

“Good morning. Have the others already had breakfast?” Kathleen took the seat she’d sat in the night before and was happy to see the utensil setting was one she could manage—one knife, one fork and a spoon.

“I’m not sure, but possibly,” Elizabeth said. “I slept in today.”

“Luke ate earlier. I ran into him on my way in,” Ben said. “He went down to get some writing done so he could go on the outing with us.”

Kathleen was glad Luke was coming. She really didn’t know him any better than the others, but she felt safe when he was around. “What does he write?”

“He writes dime novels,” Mrs. Heaton said.

A writer? Somehow that surprised Kathleen.

“I’m glad you feel up to going to the museum, Kathleen,” Mrs. Heaton continued. “Have you ever been before?”

Kathleen shook her head and swallowed the bite she’d just taken. “No, ma’am. But I’ve been told it’s wonderful.”

“It is. You’ll love it,” Elizabeth said. “Some of my friends have said that the Michelangelo collection is magnificent.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that, too. Mrs. Driscoll has talked about it.” She didn’t mention that she really wasn’t familiar with Michelangelo or his work as she’d never been to a museum of any kind. Hopefully she would be well acquainted with it by that evening.

“You can all tell me about it at dinner,” Mrs. Heaton said, pushing back her chair. “You know, I don’t believe you’ve seen all of this floor, Kathleen. Would you like a tour so that you know your way around?”

“Oh, yes, I would, please.” She was finished eating and she pushed back her chair.

“Let’s start with the kitchen,” Mrs. Heaton said, leading her through the door on the other end of the dining room.

It was large and sunny and smelled wonderful. Gretchen turned from the sink to say, “Good morning, Miss Kathleen. It’s good to see you this morning.”

“It’s good to see you as well, Gretchen.”

Mrs. Heaton led her back to the hall and to a room across from the kitchen. “This is the back parlor where you may bring a guest. Gretchen and Maida are always happy to prepare refreshment for you and your company. It’s a nice place to come to read or write letters or just a place to relax.”

It was a very inviting room, smaller but just as beautiful as the larger parlor, and done in blues and greens with a homey feel to it. After that was a smaller room, very cozy with a wall of shelves filled with books.

“This is my study. You’re welcome to borrow any book you’d like,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“I do like to read, but haven’t had much opportunity to in a while.” Kathleen couldn’t remember when she’d last had the time to read for pleasure.

“Feel free to help yourself anytime.”

“Thank you, I will.”

They walked out and Mrs. Heaton showed her where the telephone was in an area under the staircase. “Mrs. Driscoll has this number in case she needs to call you in. And I have hers if you should need to speak with her.”

They were back to the foyer and Mrs. Heaton said, “That’s about it for this floor—except there is a small garden out back. Downstairs is where the men’s rooms are, and the next floor up from yours is where Maida’s and Gretchen’s rooms are, with a few other rooms that are used from time to time.”

“It’s beautiful, Mrs. Heaton.”

The telephone in the cubby behind the staircase rang just then and Mrs. Heaton took it on herself to answer. She put her hand over the receiver and whispered, “This is a call I need to take. I’m sorry, I—”

“Oh, no, please take your call. I’ll see you later.”

Kathleen gave a little wave and hurried upstairs to her room. A room she’d never thought to live in and wasn’t sure she could afford to, until after she knew what Mrs. Heaton would be charging her. The woman had refused to discuss it until after Kathleen went back to work, telling her that she didn’t owe a penny until then.

She’d hate to leave, but after seeing the rest of the house, she couldn’t imagine that she could actually afford to stay. She might have to look into the YWCA. Kathleen made her bed—refusing to let Gretchen and Maida do it for her. They had enough work to do.

The bathroom was empty and she decided to wash her hair for the outing that afternoon. She toweled it dry as best she could and combed it out, knowing it would dry into near-uncontrollable curls.

When she entered her room, she noticed the door to her armoire was open slightly and went to close it. But color caught her eye and she opened it to find it full of clothing and a note attached to a gold dinner dress. At least that’s what she thought it was from the magazines some of her coworkers had brought to work.

She unpinned the note and read, “Kathleen, these are the outfits I told you about. As you can see, the colors are much more suited to you than to me. This gold dress will work nicely for dinner tonight. I hope everything fits. If not, we can alter them. I took a sewing course from Violet Heaton last summer.”

Kathleen hurried back into the bathroom and knocked on Elizabeth’s door. When her new friend opened it with a smile, Kathleen threw her arms around her neck.

“I don’t know what to say, except thank you, Elizabeth. I’m not sure I can accept your generosity though—it’s too much.”

“It is not too much, Kathleen. Aside from my buying on a whim, I have an aunt who buys clothes for me without taking into consideration the colors or styles I like. I wore them each once for her. I’ll not be wearing them again. If you don’t like them—” Elizabeth shrugged “—we’ll just gather them up and I’ll—”

“Oh, no. I do love them. And I’m sure they’ll fit. Thank you.”

“You are more than welcome. Come on, try them on and let’s see if they need to be taken up anywhere.”

They spent the rest of the morning with Kathleen trying on outfits, including a warm coat Elizabeth had assured her she didn’t need.

“I have another newer one, Kathleen, and I like it better. This one is just going to hang in my closet or be given to someone else.”

The coat fit perfectly, as did everything else, and all Kathleen could do was thank Elizabeth once more. As she tried on one outfit after another, Elizabeth ran back and forth between rooms to find the accessories that went with them. It was almost too much to take in.

By the time she and Elizabeth joined the others in the foyer to go to the museum, Kathleen felt as if she were the most blessed person on earth. Hard as it’d been for her to understand why things never seemed to get better for her sister’s family, now she couldn’t understand why things had changed so drastically, in the best possible way, for her. All she knew was that the Lord had blessed her beyond anything she’d ever imagined.

* * *

When Luke saw how happy Kathleen looked as she and Elizabeth came downstairs, he was very glad he’d written enough that he could take the afternoon off.

“Are you ready? Are your shoes comfortable?” he asked Kathleen.

“I’m ready and yes, my shoes are comfortable. Elizabeth gave them to me and she broke them in well.”

“That was nice of her.” Luke smiled and nodded at Elizabeth. He’d been sure the women at Heaton House would take care of any shortage in Kathleen’s wardrobe. They seemed to have plenty and were always bringing in more from a shopping trip on Ladies’ Mile.

“They look comfortable and that’s good, because you’re going to be walking a lot.”

They all left the house and he fell into step beside Kathleen as the group headed for the trolley stop.

“This is a very nice neighborhood,” she said. “I thought it would be, since Heaton House is so beautiful, but I haven’t been out since the night I was brought here.”

“Gramercy Park is a good neighborhood. It’s an old one, but very well kept as you can see. The park is nice, too. We’ll have to show it to you one day.”

“There’s a park?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said from behind her. “It’s a small private one, open only for those living in the neighborhood. It really is a kind of oasis of sorts and you can’t get to it without a key.”

“It sounds lovely.”

The trolley to the museum arrived and Luke made sure to be right behind Kathleen as they stepped up into it. He had their fare paid before she could open her reticule.

“That’s all right, miss. You’re paid for,” the driver said.

Luke wasn’t sure how she would take him paying for her but it didn’t take long to find out. He found empty seats for them and motioned for her to take the one by the window.

As soon as they both had sat down, she turned to him, her eyes flashing. “Thank you for getting my fare for me, Mr. Patterson. But I have a job and I don’t expect you or anyone else to pay my way.”

“Please don’t be upset with me, Miss O’Bryan.” He smiled down at her. “I know you haven’t worked this week and I don’t want you to go short until you get your next pay. Forgive me if I’ve insulted you.”

Kathleen closed her eyes and gave a little shake to her head before releasing a sigh. “I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you after all you’ve done for me, Mr. Patterson. You and Mrs. Heaton know I didn’t arrive with much and I realize you are only trying to help me. Please forgive me for being so prideful.”

His heart twisted in his chest. This woman... “There is nothing to forgive you for, Kathleen. Not a thing. And if you want to pay me back, you can—after you get paid again.”

Then she smiled at him and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The tightness in his chest eased somewhat but he felt awful for injuring her pride. He’d have to be more careful from now on.

“Mrs. Heaton told me you write dime novels.”

He was relieved that she’d changed the subject. “I do. Do you like to read?”

“Yes, although I haven’t done much of it in a while. Where do you usually set your stories?”

“Oh, all over. Out West at first, but lately, I’ve been setting them closer to home.”

“Does Mrs. Heaton have any copies in her library?”

“I believe I gave her some.”

“Then I’ll have to borrow one.”

He wanted to tell her he could give her copies of her own, but he didn’t want to upset her again. “Let me know what you think. Not everyone likes dime novels.”

“I look forward to reading your work.”

“I hope you enjoy it.” Luke felt nervous—would she like his writing? He hoped so.

They’d arrived at the stop right outside the museum and he stepped into the aisle to let Kathleen out. Once out of the trolley, the group gathered to go inside. He hoped Kathleen liked the museum as much as he did.

As they toured the museum, Luke saw again why the Metropolitan was one of his favorite places. Though it was full of all kinds of art, the paintings interested him the most. With the special Michelangelo collection on exhibit, they spent most of their time looking at these works.

From the look on Kathleen’s face, he was sure she was as enthralled with the paintings as he was.

He knew she was when she whispered, “I’ve never seen anything like this. The Lord certainly gave him a talent, didn’t He?”

“He did. I think I could spend several days straight, right here, looking at his work.”

“I’m so sorry we aren’t going to see everything in the museum today. Now I know why Ben wanted to get an earlier start.”

“Oh, we’d never be able to see it all in a day, Kathleen,” Elizabeth said from behind them.

“And I might not have been able to come if I hadn’t had a chance to get some writing in. Besides, it gives us a reason to keep coming back.”

“Oh, I would love to come back.”

“You will.” Luke smiled down at Kathleen. He’d certainly like to bring her again.

Hours later when they decided to call it a day, they went outside to find the weather had turned much cooler.

“Why don’t we go to the nearest drugstore soda fountain and get some hot cocoa?” Ben asked. “It’ll warm us up for the ride home.”

Everyone agreed and before long they were all sitting at a round table sipping the sweet chocolaty drink. He watched as Kathleen interacted with the others. She seemed to be enjoying herself and so was Luke. He couldn’t remember when he’d had such a good time on one of their outings.

* * *

Kathleen had never had an outing quite like the one that day, with men and women going together as a group. Everyone she knew was too tired to do much more on a weekend than get ready for the next workweek.

Which was what she proceeded to do when they got back to Heaton House. But she’d been surprised to find that her laundry had been done for her. She’d hurried downstairs in search of Mrs. Heaton. They hadn’t discussed her rent yet, but Kathleen knew she couldn’t afford to have someone do her laundry and she needed to let Mrs. Heaton know.

Kathleen found her in her study, sitting in front of the fireplace. “May I speak to you, Mrs. Heaton?”

“Of course you may. Come in, dear.” She motioned for her to take the empty chair next to hers. “Did you have a nice time at the museum?”

Kathleen sat down. “Yes, ma’am, I did, thank you. But, Mrs. Heaton, I must speak to you about my laundry. I’m not sure I can afford to—”

“Kathleen, dear, don’t worry. It’s included in the rent.”

“Yes, well, that’s something we haven’t talked about. I need to know what it is, please.”

Mrs. Heaton quoted her a figure that seemed much too low. “Oh, Mrs. Heaton, that can’t be right. I was paying my sister more than that for living with her and Clancy. I insist on paying you the regular amount.”

“That is what I’m charging you, Kathleen, dear. I didn’t start this boardinghouse to make money, but to help young women have a safe place to call home. And I set the rent accordingly.” With that Mrs. Heaton put up a hand as if to end the conversation.

Kathleen didn’t know what to say next.

Mrs. Heaton reached out and patted her on the hand. “If it makes you feel any better, there are those in need who spend a night or two here occasionally, just as you did that one time. I call them my temporaries and I don’t charge them at all for the time they spend with me.”

“But, Mrs. Heaton, I’m not a temporary now and I don’t feel right paying so little, and then to have you feed me and do my laundry on top of it?” She shook her head.

“Kathleen, food and laundry are part of the board you pay.”

“But you’re barely charging enough for the room, Mrs. Heaton.”

“Kathleen, this is my boardinghouse and I charge what I want. I want to help you, not make life harder for you. I know you worry about your sister and her boys. If you have enough left at the end of a week, send a bit to them.”

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Oh, child, it gives me comfort to know that I’m providing a safe home for you and the others. That is all the thanks I want.”

Remembering what Elizabeth had told her about Mrs. Heaton’s daughter brought tears to her eyes and all Kathleen could do was hug the woman and hurry out of the room before she saw them.

She’d no more than made it to the hallway before she ran into Luke. Or she would have if he hadn’t put out his hands to keep the near disaster from happening.

“Whoa there—are you all right, Miss O’Bryan?”

His hands were gentle on her arms but the moment she gasped, he immediately dropped them. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to—”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” She brushed back the tears and looked up at him.

“Are you hurting? What’s happened to make you cry?”

She’d never met anyone who seemed to notice so much about her. “I’m not hurting. It’s just— Mrs. Heaton has been through so much heartache, and still she reaches out to others and—” She swallowed around the knot of tears and shook her head.

“She does do that. And I’m very glad she reached out to you.” He pulled out a crisp white handkerchief and, knowing that the man intended no harm, Kathleen allowed him to dab at a lone tear that’d escaped and ran down her cheek.

“So am I.” She was very thankful that she was here, thankful for Mrs. Heaton’s support and for this man who stood there trying to help now.

He tucked his handkerchief in her hand. “You may keep it. If there is anything I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you. I’ll wash it and get it back to you soon.”

“There’s no hurry. I have a lot of them.”

Kathleen wasn’t sure what to say next and was relieved when Luke spoke again.

“Are you going to join the others in the parlor before dinner?”

“Yes, but first I’m going to go up and freshen up.”

“All right. I’ll see you later, then.”

“Yes. I’d better hurry before Mrs. Heaton calls us down.” She hurried upstairs, aware of Luke’s gaze on her as she did. He seemed too good to be true. She’d never met a man like Luke Patterson. And she liked him a lot.

But could she trust her instincts where he was concerned? That she didn’t know. She’d seen too many men, abusive men like her brother-in-law, who treated their women badly. She thought it almost impossible to trust any of them. Still, believing it impossible didn’t keep her from wishing it could be different.

Chapter Four

“Do you think that brother-in-law will come after Miss O’Bryan, Luke?” Michael Heaton asked. He’d asked for a few minutes with him while Sunday dinner was being put on the table and they’d gone to Mrs. Heaton’s study.

“I don’t know. But you can be sure I’ll be on the lookout for him. I don’t think Kathleen’s sister will let him know where she is—she sent her here for her safety, after all.”

Michael nodded. “I’m just concerned about Mother. And yet I’d never want to stop the good she does. But since I’ve moved out, I do worry about her. You can’t be here all the time, but knowing you are around most of the time—actually more than I was before I married—and trusting in the Lord to watch over Heaton House...well, it gives me peace.”

“I’m glad to know that.”

“But I do remember that man from the park last year. He’s a bad one.”

“Yes, he is. I’m glad Kathleen—Miss O’Bryan got out of there. But I believe she worries a great deal about her sister and nephews.”

“I’m sure she does. Has she heard anything from her sister?”

Luke nodded. “They’re corresponding through a neighbor. Still, I think she worries about the time in between letters.”

“That’s understandable,” Michael said. “You know, she’s quite pretty.”

“Yes, she is.” In Luke’s opinion, pretty was an understatement. But then, Michael hadn’t seen her come downstairs dressed in a gold dinner dress the night before. She’d looked beautiful. Her hair had been done up in what looked like a cloud of fire and he’d had a hard time keeping his eyes off her all evening.

She’d looked just as lovely today when she attended church with Mrs. Heaton, Luke and some of the other boarders. Michael and Violet were there when they arrived and Mrs. Heaton had introduced them to Kathleen before sliding into the pew to sit beside her daughter-in-law. She’d motioned for Kathleen to sit beside her and Luke had taken the seat on the other side of Kathleen. Ben, John and Julia slid in the pew behind them. Luke found he had to really concentrate to keep his mind on the sermon. It was from Romans 8, about how all things work together for the good of those who love God, those called according to His purpose. He sent up a prayer that all things were working for the good of Kathleen and her sister.

“Luke?”

“What?” Luke dragged his thoughts back to the present. “Did you say something?”

Michael laughed. “You must have been lost in your thoughts.”

“I’m sorry. Apparently I was. What were you saying?”

“I said, one wonders why Miss O’Bryan isn’t married with a family of her own.”

Luke had wondered the same thing. “Her brother-in-law isn’t the best example of a husband. Could be she doesn’t want one. And if she had any suitors, he probably kept them away. If she married, he couldn’t get part of her income to help out.”

“True. I wonder what he’s going to do now.”

“I don’t know. But it does weigh on my mind.”

“Do you want me to assign a man to watch over Kathleen on her way back and forth to work?”

“No. I’ll take on that job for now.” Luke wasn’t going to give over Kathleen’s protection to anyone else.

Michael nodded. “All right. But if you need some help, let me know.”

“I will.”

A light rap sounded on the door just before it opened, and Violet, Michael’s wife, peeked her head around it. “Dinner is ready, Michael.”

“We’re coming now, love.” Michael quickly joined his wife and kissed her cheek.

Luke couldn’t help but notice the smile Michael gave his wife and the look that passed between them. He’d known from the beginning that they were attracted to each other and gave himself some credit for getting them to admit it to each other. He was happy for them, but at the same time, seeing Michael and Violet together sometimes made him feel sorrow, too. It brought up memories of what could have been had his fiancée, Beth, not been killed in a bank robbery before he’d ever come to the city.

In fact he probably wouldn’t be here if not for losing her. He couldn’t stay in Texas after that. Instead he’d decided to go somewhere totally different and had ended up right here at Heaton House. He hadn’t shared his sorrow with anyone—nor the guilt he felt that he hadn’t shown up to see Beth home from work in time to do something—anything—to save her. It was only lately he’d begun to forgive himself.

Luke followed the couple to the dining room and watched as Michael put an arm around Violet’s waist and leaned close to whisper something to her. She giggled and blushed.

Much as Luke liked being footloose to go where he needed to research his books and work for Michael, he had to admit that sometimes he longed for a relationship like theirs. Longed for someone to love again. But he’d vowed never to let himself fall in love with anyone else. He never wanted to chance going through that kind of heartache again—ever.

Everyone was already in the dining room when they got there, and he took his customary seat next to Kathleen. Michael took the seat at the opposite end of the table from his mother after seating his wife adjacent to him.

Everyone bowed as Michael asked a blessing over the food and then there was clatter and chatter around the table as everyone served themselves from the dishes Maida started around the table.

Luke held the dish of scalloped potatoes while Kathleen helped herself to a spoonful. Then he took a portion for himself and handed it off to Ben.

As conversation flowed around them, he leaned toward Kathleen and asked, “Are you sure you’re ready to go back to work tomorrow? Did the doctor give his okay?”

“He did. I’m sure I’ll be fine. And I must get back to work. Mrs. Driscoll was good to give me a week off, but I can’t ask for more time.”

“Are you worried that your brother-in-law might show up there?”

She gave a little shake to her head. “Not really, but the thought has crossed my mind from time to time.”

It’d crossed Luke’s and Michael’s, too. “Well, just to be on the safe side, I’m going to accompany you to work and back, at least for a while.”

“I can’t be taking that much of your time, Mr. Patterson. You have your own work to do.”

“You aren’t taking it. I’m giving it. And don’t you think it’s time we call each other by our first names? Everyone else here does.”

She looked around the table and nodded. “Yes, they do. I suppose we should...Luke.”

Luke liked the way she said his name in her Irish accent. “And I agree, Kathleen.” He also liked the way it felt to say her name out loud. He watched soft color flood her cheeks and wanted to say more, but before he could, Violet captured Kathleen’s attention from across the table.

“What is it you actually do in Mrs. Driscoll’s department at Tiffany Glass Company?” she asked. Her question got the attention of all the diners at the table.

“I help cut the glass at times and I work on foiling the pieces with sheets of copper.”

“Oh, how interesting,” Violet said. “And how do you go about that? Foiling the pieces of glass?”

“Bee’s wax is applied to foil sheets, which are then cut into strips. Then the strips are wrapped around the pieces. Once we tamp down the edges and reassemble them, our work is done. Then the copper is soldered to the adjacent pieces of glass.”

“It sounds as though it’s very tedious work,” Ben said.

Kathleen nodded. “Sometimes it is. And it’s tiring. But seeing the finished product makes it worthwhile.”

“Would you change workplaces if you found something else that might be easier on you?” Mrs. Heaton asked.

“If it were something I felt qualified for, possibly. Mrs. Driscoll hasn’t said anything to any of us, but I’ve heard through some of the girls that she might be thinking of remarrying one day and they won’t allow a married woman to work there.”

“Not even the supervisor?” Julia asked.

“I don’t think so,” Kathleen said.

“So, if you got married, you wouldn’t be able to work there?”

“Oh, no. That’s why there’s a lot of turnover in the department. Someone is always in training because it seems one of the girls is always getting married. But if Mrs. Driscoll does get married, I’m not sure I’d want to stay.” She looked at Mrs. Heaton. “Has she said anything to you about leaving?”

“Not really. But Clara is very quiet about her private life. I know she cares a great deal about her ‘Tiffany Girls,’ though.”

“She does, that. I’ll be sad to see her go if she does.”

“But you’re bound to marry one day,” Violet Heaton said. “You’d be leaving then, too.”

For some reason the conversation had Luke wondering if there were some young man in Kathleen’s life and he wanted to ask, but thought it’d be impertinent to do so...at least in front of so many people.

“And is there a young man in your life that we should have notified, Kathleen?” Julia asked as if she read his mind.

Her timing couldn’t have been better and Luke was thankful for it as he listened for Kathleen’s reply.

“No. I’ve had no time for young men,” Kathleen said.

Luke told himself that it shouldn’t matter to him whether Kathleen had a beau or not. He barely knew her. But somehow...it did matter. He let out a pent-up breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

* * *

After breakfast the next morning, Luke was ready and waiting to accompany Kathleen to work. He helped her on with the coat Elizabeth had given her.

“Luke, you really don’t have to go with me. I ride part of the way with Elizabeth. I’ll be fine.”

“But you don’t ride all the way with her. Besides, it does me good to get out first thing of a morning. I’ll walk part of the way home and think about the next chapter I’m writing.”

There was nothing to do but accept his offer as he walked to the trolley stop with her and Elizabeth. The two women sat together and he stood, holding on to the rope hanging from the ceiling. When Elizabeth got off at her stop, he took her seat.

He smiled down at Kathleen. “Did you get a chance to get to know Violet yesterday?”

Michael and his wife had stayed awhile until supper Sunday night and she and Mrs. Heaton had invited Kathleen to join them for tea in the back parlor that afternoon. Violet was easy to talk to and they’d discussed all manner of things. Kathleen liked her. “I did. She’s very sweet and remembered Colleen and me from that day in the park. I think she was quite taken with my nephews Collin and Brody.”

“Everyone who was there that day was concerned about you all.”

“I’m thankful that Mrs. Heaton gave me her card for so many reasons. But one is that as much as it pains me to know everyone saw what kind of man my sister married, it is a relief not to have to explain it all to everyone. Besides, there is still so much I don’t remember.”

“Kathleen, his actions are no reflection on you. You could have been killed trying to protect your sister and—”

“But I wasn’t, thanks to you, Luke.”

“Anyone would have done the same thing.”

“No. Not anyone. I—”

The driver called out her stop just then and Luke moved into the aisle to let her out, and then followed her out of the trolley. He walked the block to Tiffany Glass Company with her.

“What time do you get off work?”

“At five-thirty.”

Luke nodded. “I’ll be here.”

Kathleen felt certain it would do no good to tell him not to come, so she thanked him instead.

Several of her coworkers came up just then and she joined them to go inside. She turned back to see Luke standing by the curb. Evidently he was waiting until she got inside. She gave him a little wave and hurried through the door.

“Who is that, Kathleen? Do you have a beau?” a girl named Cindy said.

Kathleen’s heart did a funny little twist at the very thought. “No. He’s...just a good friend.”

“That’s too bad,” another girl named Ruth said. “He’s very handsome.”

Kathleen was inclined to agree and yet she had no intention of giving her heart away to any man. Over the years, she’d seen Clancy change from the cocky young man her sister fell in love with to a hard-drinking, woman-beating, mean man. And no matter what her heart was doing at the thought of Luke being a beau, she was determined not to fall for any man. Not even the one who made her feel safe and cared for in a way she’d never experienced.

“I wouldn’t mind having a friend like him,” Cindy said. “If he’s in the market for a wife and you don’t want him, you can send him my way.”

That thought didn’t sit well with Kathleen at all.

She’d never had a man friend before. And deep down she knew that Luke was more than just a friend. He’d been there for her when she’d needed a defender the very most and he’d been there when she’d been brought to Heaton House. He made her feel protected and special. And she was not going to send him Cindy’s way—or anyone else’s for that matter.

As Kathleen stepped into the workroom, she put the thought of Luke paired with Cindy out of her mind.

“Kathleen, it’s good to have you back with us,” Mrs. Driscoll said. “I’ve got a new project all ready for you.”

The rest of her coworkers welcomed her back and all of them seemed glad to see her. Thankfully, no one asked many questions about why she’d been gone—probably because some of them lived in the same kind of conditions that Kathleen and her family did. And besides, they’d seen her bruised before. She didn’t feel the need to tell anyone she was no longer living in the tenement and she knew Mrs. Driscoll wouldn’t have said anything about it.

It was still hard for Kathleen to believe that she’d begun a new life, and now that she was back at work she found it even more difficult not to feel guilty that her sister was stuck in her old life. It hurt to think of Colleen and the boys putting up with Clancy. She would so love to be able to get them out of the tenements. Much as she loved her work, she did wish she were able to help others.

“Here you go, Kathleen,” Mrs. Driscoll said, bringing her the design and the cut-glass pieces she wanted Kathleen to start on. “It’s ready for the copper foil.”

“Oh, it’s lovely, Mrs. Driscoll.”

“Thank you. It’s one I’ve been working on awhile now. I’m eager to see it finished.” She patted Kathleen on the shoulder and lowered her voice. “Should you get tired, let me know. I can send you home early.”

“I think I’ll be fine. Mrs. Heaton has taken wonderful care of me.”

“I’m very relieved that you kept her card and that your sister sent you to her.”

“Thank you for coming to check on me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Mrs. Driscoll went to check on another piece of work, and Kathleen concentrated on getting back to her job. She imagined she’d be tired by the end of the day, but it was good to be back at work. She carefully painted the outline of the brass design on what would become a Tiffany lamp, and smiled thinking about the weekend. It’d been the nicest one she’d had in a very long time—maybe ever. And never had she gone on an outing in mixed company, except with family.

She’d thoroughly enjoyed going to the museum and then singing around the piano after dinner that night. Then, yesterday, she’d enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Heaton’s son and his wife.

After Sunday dinner, the men were talking about an upcoming sporting event at Madison Square Garden and the ladies had adjourned to the back parlor for afternoon tea. Well, she and Mrs. Heaton and her daughter-in-law had. Elizabeth was still at her aunt’s and Julia had gone to visit a friend.

They’d just settled down with their tea when Violet turned to Kathleen. “You know, at Butterick, I didn’t have to leave when Michael and I got married, but I know that it is that way with many businesses and it greatly disturbs me. I can’t help but wonder...what about the married women who need to help support their families? Or the ones who are widowed with families?”

“It’s very hard for them to find work, although many companies do hire married women,” Kathleen had answered. “Colleen takes in ironing and such from time to time, but it’s not anything she can really depend on. And if she worked outside, she’d have to count on a neighbor to watch the boys—at least until they are in school.”

“What this city needs is someplace women could drop off their children while they worked. Somewhere they’d be safe and well cared for until she got off work,” Violet said.

“Oh, that is a wonderful idea, Violet,” Mrs. Heaton said. “It really is.”

“Yes, but getting it implemented—”

“Might not be as hard as you think,” Mrs. Heaton had said. “Let me give it some thought and contact a few people.”

“If anyone could do it, you could, Mother Heaton,” Violet had said affectionately.

Kathleen could see the two women cared a great deal about each other, and she greatly missed her mother who’d passed away when she was only fifteen—and she missed her sister.

Now she shook her head and tried to concentrate on foiling the glass pieces. Pushing an errant strand of hair out of her eyes, she sighed. Maybe she’d have a letter from Colleen today. She hoped so.

By the end of her shift she was more than a little exhausted. Her back was hurting and she was almost convinced that she did have a fractured rib. Maybe tonight she’d sleep in the corset Elizabeth had given her. It had seemed to help the night she’d tried it.

She headed out with the others and her heart did a little flip when she saw Luke waiting for her just outside the doors. She smiled at him and hurried over.

“You look exhausted,” he said, lightly grasping her elbow. “Perhaps you should have waited a few days to return to work.”

His concern touched her heart but she didn’t want him worrying about her. “I’ll be fine. Just need to get used to being on my feet again.”

“Kathleen!” Cindy called as she and Ruth came running up to her and Luke. “It was good to have you back at work. We missed you!’

Then she turned to Luke. “I’m sorry. I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Cindy White and this is Ruth—”

“Moore,” Ruth said, batting her eyelashes at Luke.

My goodness, they were brazen. But it didn’t seem to affect Luke. “I’m Luke Patterson, a friend of Kathleen’s. It’s nice to meet you ladies, but as you can see, Kathleen’s first day at work was very tiring for her. If you’ll excuse us, I want to get her on the trolley so she can get off her feet.” He tipped his hat and propelled Kathleen away.

Kathleen looked over her shoulder to see the two girls standing there with their mouths wide open. She couldn’t help but smile as she turned back around. This man...she was blessed to have him as a friend.

Chapter Five

Luke didn’t like that Kathleen looked so tired. And the trolley, with all its stopping and starting, didn’t help, he could tell from the look on Kathleen’s face. He’d rent a hack tomorrow. It might not be any more comfortable, but it’d get them there faster. He wanted to put his arm around her and let her lean on him, but he didn’t have that right and he didn’t want to frighten her. Carrying her upstairs when she was beaten and bruised was one thing. Pulling her close in public was something all together different.

He saw her wince as the trolley came to a less than gentle stop. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“My side is hurting a bit,” she admitted. “But I’ll be fine. I guess I’ve gotten lazy this past week.”

Luke had a feeling there was nothing lazy about this woman. “I don’t believe that. You’re still healing. Can’t you sit down to work?”

“Actually, it’s easier to stand most of the time. But I might try it tomorrow.”

Elizabeth got on at the next trolley stop and even she could tell Kathleen was tired. “Long day?”

“A little.” Kathleen smiled. “It will get easier.”

Elizabeth gave Luke a questioning look. He shrugged. “That’s what she says. But I think maybe her rib is giving her trouble.”

“We’ll wrap it when we get home. That should help a bit.”

“I’m sure it will,” Kathleen said.

But Luke could tell she wasn’t feeling any better. He didn’t know who was more relieved to get to their stop—Kathleen or him.

Once they got to Heaton House, she and Elizabeth quickly disappeared upstairs and he wondered if she’d be back down for dinner. He quickly called the nearest livery and made arrangements for a hack to be delivered the next morning. Kathleen wasn’t going to ride the trolley again until she was much better.

Mrs. Heaton came out of her study just as he ended the call. “How did Kathleen do today?”

“I think it was hard on her. She seemed to be in some pain—her rib, I believe. Elizabeth was going to help her wrap it, I think.”

“I’ll go up and see if we need to telephone the doctor.”

“Good.” Luke felt better just knowing Mrs. Heaton would be checking on Kathleen.

“It’s going to take a while for her to heal,” she said as she pulled a letter out of her pocket. “But I have something that I’m sure will make her feel better. She got a letter from her sister today—well, I think it’s from her sister. It has her neighbor’s name on it but Kathleen said that’s how they would correspond so her brother-in-law doesn’t find out.”

Luke watched her go upstairs and prayed she was right. Hearing from her sister was bound to make Kathleen feel better. He went downstairs to wash up before dinner, and afterward he made a few notes on ideas that’d come to him for his next chapter. But his mind was on Kathleen and he couldn’t concentrate. He dropped his pencil and sighed. It was time for dinner anyway. He’d work later. He joined the others in the parlor and was pleased that Kathleen and Elizabeth joined them only minutes later.

Mrs. Heaton announced that dinner was ready and he had only a moment to reach Kathleen’s side and ask, “Are you feeling any better?”

“I am. Mrs. Heaton and Elizabeth wrapped my rib. I should have gone to work with it wrapped today. I’ll be sure to tomorrow.”

He escorted her to the dining room and pulled out her chair for her. John Talbot said the blessing and once Mrs. Heaton began passing dishes around and everyone began to talk, Luke turned to Kathleen again. She hadn’t mentioned the letter so Luke took it upon himself to ask. “Mrs. Heaton said you received a letter. Is it from your sister? Is everything all right with her?”

Kathleen’s smile told him it was good news—at least for now.

“She said Clancy is still working and the boys are doing well. They were happy to hear from me and said to tell me they love me.”

Kathleen’s eyes seemed to mist for a moment and she quickly blinked back whatever tears had begun to well there. “She said they aren’t happy with their papa that I had to leave but they’ve accepted it.”

“Perhaps you and your sister will be able to get together one day.”

“I hope so. But it will be difficult. I don’t dare show up at the apartment. And it’s hard for Colleen to get away when Clancy is at home.”

Luke wished he could find a safe way for Kathleen and her sister to get together. He’d have to give it some thought.

Once the meal was finished he pulled back Kathleen’s chair. “Are you going to join the others in the parlor?”

She shook her head. “Not tonight. I really am tired and I think I’ll go on up. Thank you for seeing me to work and home again, Luke. But please don’t feel you have to keep doing it. I—”

“I don’t feel I have to. But I will be seeing you in the morning. I hope you sleep well and feel better tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Luke watched as Kathleen made her way up the stairs to the landing. She was holding her side and he knew she wasn’t feeling as well as she said she was.

He headed back down to get some work done, praying that Kathleen’s rib would heal quickly and completely. He’d come to enjoy evenings in her company. Chatting with the others didn’t hold the same appeal without her.

* * *

The week actually passed faster than Kathleen had thought it would. And she was getting used to being back at work. She’d taken to sleeping in a corset and her side was feeling much better by Friday.

She gave part of the credit to Luke’s kindness in procuring a hack to take her to work and bring her home. She’d tried to tell him not to, but she was fast learning that the man had a mind of his own, and for the rest of the week she rode in relative comfort. The girls at work teased her constantly about Luke, insinuating that he was courting her, but she kept insisting he was a very good friend.

And he was. She’d never thought she’d have a man friend, but she felt more comfortable in Luke’s company than any of the other boarders except for Elizabeth—and of course Mrs. Heaton.

But now, as she left work for the day and saw Luke waiting for her, her heart skipped a beat. She told herself it was only because she was glad the week was over.

Luke helped her in the hack and took a seat beside her as the driver moved out into the traffic. He grinned down at her. “You made it. A whole week. How are you feeling this afternoon?”

“Glad it’s the weekend.” She chuckled, knowing that wasn’t what he meant, and quickly added, “My side feels much better.”

“Good. But I’m glad it’s the weekend, too. Do you think you might feel up to going to Michael and Violet’s this evening?”

The couple had asked everyone over to their new home for dinner that night. “I do. I’m looking forward to seeing them again.”

“Good. We’re all looking forward to it. It’s the first time they’re entertaining and I think they’re looking forward to having us as much as we’re all looking forward to going.”

Kathleen had found that traveling by hack was much quicker than by trolley and they were back at Heaton House in no time.

They parted ways inside, Kathleen to go upstairs to get ready for the dinner party and Luke downstairs to do the same. She felt excited to be going out for an evening. It wasn’t something she’d ever done before.

Thankfully, Elizabeth had helped her choose what to wear and offered to do her hair. Kathleen still had trouble believing the life she was now living. Oh, she worked as usual, but the life she lived outside of work was so drastically different from where she’d been just weeks ago. She prayed that she wouldn’t get so used to it that she couldn’t go back, if she had to. But it wasn’t easy. She wanted to see her sister and nephews, but she didn’t want to go back to the tenements. She wanted her loved ones out of there!

She’d received another letter from Colleen telling her how glad she was that Kathleen was with such good people. Colleen only wanted what was best for Kathleen, but Kathleen wanted the same for her sister. Only she didn’t know how to go about helping her to get it. At least, not now. All Kathleen could do was send what money she could—made possible only by Mrs. Heaton’s generosity to her.

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