A Home for Her Heart (14 page)

“You men don’t share quite as much as we women do?” She chuckled and smiled up at him. “Don’t have quite the same kind of gabfests?”

He laughed. She’d made it easy for him. “Not quite.”

“What did you talk about while we were upstairs?”

“Oh, this and that.” He wondered what she’d say if she knew they’d talked about her? “We’re all looking forward to the baseball game with you ladies.”

“Oh, I am, too. But I wasn’t joking. I don’t know much about the game, you know.”

“I’ll be glad to explain it to you.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.”

“I wish you could be with us on the Fourth of July.” He didn’t like the thought of her not being there. But more, he hated that her father was bringing someone he’d like her to think of as husband material. And what if she liked the man?

“So do I. But it’s only for the weekend.”

“That’s true.” But much could happen in a short time. Would she have that other man on her mind when she came home? Best to quit thinking or talking about it. “I think I’ll go back to the building with the windows painted shut and show the other tenants how to open them tomorrow. I’ve been worrying about it. I don’t know how they’re able to sleep at night.”

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks and actually hugged his arm. “Oh, John. Thank you! I’ve been worrying about that very same thing. Why don’t you get Luke to go with you? I’m sure he’d be glad to. His hours are pretty much his own, you know.”

“That’s a great idea, Elizabeth. I’ll ask him when he gets back tonight. You don’t remember any mention of windows being hard to open at any of the other buildings we checked out, do you?”

“No. But ever since we found out Mrs. Oliver’s were, I’ve wondered how many others might be.”

“Well, we’ll do what we can and maybe ask Kathleen to check into that in the buildings she visits.”

Elizabeth released a huge sigh. “I feel ever so much better now. I know I’ll sleep well tonight. You’re a good man, John Talbot.”

Her words sent his heart to swelling so big he was afraid it might burst. He looked down into her eyes and his gaze traveled over her face. Her eyes shined in the lamplight at the corner they’d halted at. He had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her soundly. He let out a deep breath and said, “Elizabeth Anderson, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“Well, it’s true.” She gave a little jerk to his arm and took off a step, forcing him to come along with her. She chuckled. “But don’t you dare let it go to your head.”

They both laughed as they walked the half block to Heaton House.

Chapter Fourteen

T
he next night at dinner, John and Luke reported that they’d opened the windows in five apartments and showed others how to do it in ten more.

“It’s a start,” John said.

“At least we know some tenants will be able to get some air in their apartments at night. And we can check with more now that we know it’s a problem.” Elizabeth smiled at him. She wondered how she could ever have thought him full of himself. He was one of the most caring people she’d met and he couldn’t have become that way overnight. No, she’d made a snap judgment about him and let it stick far longer than she should have.

She’d wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hug him the night before when he’d said he was going back to open some of those windows. And when he’d gazed down at her after she’d told him what a nice man he was, she’d hoped he might kiss her again. Then she’d become afraid he would and that was when she’d jerked on his arm. She couldn’t let him kiss her again. They had to remain only friends. She couldn’t afford to let her feelings for him grow any stronger.

“I’ll be sure to find out what I can about the buildings I go into,” Kathleen said. “It’s a shame so many of them aren’t taken care of—and when they have been painted, it’s such a shoddy job that the tenants can’t open their windows.”

“I know,” Elizabeth said. “It makes me sad and angry all at the same time. I hope we find out who owns these awful buildings soon.”

“We will. Having Michael looking into it will help, too. He’s got connections I don’t have,” John said.

“I’m sure you already have more connections than you think just from covering events for the society page. Many of those people will remember your name and how you wrote about them—you’ve always found something nice to say, much as it might have pained you to do so. They won’t forget,” Elizabeth assured him. As soon as the words left her mouth she wondered what she was thinking. Would he suspect that she knew those people better than she let on? But then she was rewarded with a smile that had her pulse racing to keep up with her heartbeat.

“Thank you. In fact, you may be right about that. At the last charity function I covered, the host came up to me and mentioned that he’d enjoyed my first article.”

“Well, then, see? Through your covering all those society events, you’ve met a lot of influential people and you’ll have all the connections you need when you need them most one day,” Elizabeth said.

“That is, if I don’t make some of them angry with my coverage on the tenements. The paper has already gotten threats of advertising being pulled. I hope it doesn’t happen and my editor says we’re going on with the stories, but I’d hate for him to change his mind.”

“We’ll be praying he doesn’t. And whoever they are, they are just trying to get their way. Wouldn’t it make them look suspicious to pull advertising? Why would they possibly want to call attention to themselves if they own one of those buildings?” Mrs. Heaton asked from the head of the table.

“That’s what we’re thinking, Mrs. Heaton.”

“Well, I’m very proud of you and Elizabeth for getting stories out there and of Kathleen for all the work she does in the tenements. I feel we are doing all we can to make things better for those living in such deplorable conditions.”

A thought suddenly came to Elizabeth and her heart twisted deep in her chest. “Are you in any danger from writing these articles, John?”

Mrs. Heaton gasped. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Neither had I until now,” Elizabeth said. But now that she had, she needed an answer.

“I suppose anything is possible. But I don’t believe I am. Please don’t worry about me. I think the worst anyone would do is put so much pressure on the paper that they would stop the articles. But my editor is more enthused than ever about them, so I’m not really worried about that right now and I don’t want you to worry, either.”

Her thoughts flitting all over the place about the possibility of John being in danger, Elizabeth managed to send up a prayer. She was determined to trust the Lord to keep John safe.

* * *

John could see the concern in Elizabeth’s eyes. She truly cared about what happened to him—even if only as a friend. But knowing she cared enough that she would turn pale at the thought of anything happening to him, made his heart swell with joy...and made him long for more.

He’d thought of the conversation at Michael’s the night before over and over again. Could he and Luke be right? Did Elizabeth have a special look for him? And had she noticed the way he looked at her, as Luke had? One thing was for certain—he was still as unsure of himself where Elizabeth was concerned as he’d ever been. He wanted to believe, wanted to hope—

“Are either of you covering the Vanderbilts’ charity event tomorrow night?”

“I am,” he and Elizabeth both said at the same time and then chuckled.

“I believe it might be my last time for these things from what my editor said.” John glanced at Elizabeth. “Want to go together?”

Elizabeth seemed a bit surprised by his invitation and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Everyone at the table quieted as if waiting for her answer, too, and John found himself holding his breath.

“I— Well, yes, why not?” She smiled at him.

“Good. We can split up when we get there and cover the room and then compare notes afterward.”

“That’s a good idea. And then we might be able to get out of there earlier than normal.”

John grinned. “That’s what I was thinking.”

* * *

As dinner came to an end and everyone began heading into the parlor, Elizabeth could only wonder what she’d been thinking to agree to going to the Vanderbilts’ with John on Friday. What if someone mentioned her in connection with her aunt? What if John found out she was one of “them” while there?
Oh, please, Lord, help me here. Should I have said no? Should I back out?

Deep down she knew the answer to both those questions was no. It was time to let those she cared about know her secret, especially as she’d let so much out the other night about her father. But she didn’t want to just blurt it out. She felt she owed Kathleen and John the courtesy of telling them privately.

But John had excused himself and gone downstairs to work, so telling him would have to wait. However, she had no excuse where Kathleen was concerned. They spoke nearly every night when they went upstairs to bed, told each other things they didn’t tell anyone else. Except that Kathleen had been more honest about her past than Elizabeth had. Would she still be her friend once she knew?

Just the thought of what she and John and the others might think of her was enough to set her to trembling on the inside. Trying not to think about it, she forced herself to play charades with the others until it was time to go upstairs. But thankfully, Luke excused himself early to go work on his latest dime novel and Kathleen slipped into the foyer to tell him good-night. When she came back in, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkling.

“You look awfully happy,” Elizabeth said to her.
And here I am going to spoil that mood in a bit.

“Well, you look awfully pale. You aren’t sick, are you?” Kathleen asked.

“No. I’m fine.” For now, at least. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel once she told her best friend what she’d been keeping from her for months. Or, in John’s case—for several years.
Oh, why didn’t I come to You about all of this in the beginning, Lord?
Well, not doing so had its consequences and she’d have to live with them, no matter what.

“No. That’s not exactly true. I need to speak with you.”

“Let’s go up, then. I can tell something is wrong and I want to know what.”

Millicent and Julia decided to head upstairs at the same time and they all told each other good-night at the top of the stairs. Kathleen followed Elizabeth into her room and shut the door. “Oh, I’m relieved that they didn’t want to chat. Now, tell me what is bothering you.”

“Let’s sit down.” Elizabeth led the way to the settee in front of the fireplace and they both took a seat. But Elizabeth found she couldn’t sit still. She jumped up and began to pace. How was she going to go about this?

“Elizabeth, you have me concerned. Whatever is wrong?”

“It’s me. I’ve been wrong. I haven’t been totally truthful with you or John and some of the others. And now I know I must tell you about it. But I’m afraid to tell you in fear that you won’t want to be my friend any longer.”

“Oh, Elizabeth. Come sit down. You have nothing to fear. You’ve been there for me from the day I was brought to Heaton House. You’re my best friend and I can’t imagine you telling me anything that would change that. I know you—”

“No. You don’t. Not really, anyway. Oh, you know
me,
but you don’t know who I really am.”

“Well, come sit and tell me.” Kathleen patted the spot on the settee that Elizabeth had vacated.

Elizabeth released a long sigh and took her seat once more. “My real name is Elizabeth Anderson Reynolds and my father is Charles Edward Reynolds of Boston. I know that probably doesn’t mean much to you, but he is very wealthy and well...so am I.”

“Why, Elizabeth, there is certainly nothing wrong with being wealthy. Why would you think—”

“The money isn’t important to me except for what I can do to help others. But my father never saw it that way and I had to fight for my independence to be able to do what I felt was right. And then...well, I didn’t want the other boarders here to look at me as anything but one of them. But I worry about everyone finding out and feeling I’ve deceived them and—”

Kathleen reached over and gave Elizabeth a hug. “Oh, sweet friend, I think I do understand. At least as much as I can, coming from such a different background. And you have nothing to apologize to me for. I have things in my background that I’d rather not have everyone know about, either.”

Compassion for Kathleen flooded Elizabeth. It wouldn’t be easy to tell people that your brother-in-law beat you and then later tried to kill your sister. Would have, if the police hadn’t shown up and shot him in the nick of time. All that and living in the tenements, striving to get ahead.

She sighed in relief that she could still call this wonderful woman her best friend. “Thank you so much, Kathleen. I hope the others are as understanding as you. I’m afraid John might...”

“John will be fine. He cares about you, Elizabeth. He’s not going to hate you.”

“No. But he and the others might feel I’ve betrayed them and—”

“Elizabeth, you are still the same person I’ve always known. You just have more money than the rest of us. From your conversation the other night, it was apparent that you wanted to be independent and on your own. I don’t think there is any need for everyone to know every little thing about a person they are friends with. You’ve shown what kind of person you are over and over again to me and to the others. But what made you feel you had to tell me all this now?”

“It was getting too hard to avoid. I’d like my aunt to get to know you all and I’d like everyone to get to know her. I want to quit worrying that someone might let others know exactly who I am before I have a chance to tell them.”

Kathleen nodded. “I can understand that reasoning. But I don’t believe you have anything to worry about.”

“Mrs. Heaton and Michael know and they were kind and understood my reasons. But while it might have made sense at the time, I acted hastily in my decision not to let others know, too. I didn’t ask the Lord to guide me and wait for him to show me what to do.”

Kathleen nodded. “We all act hastily at times. I know I have.”

“Oh, Kathleen. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I can’t tell you how much better I feel getting this out. Now I just have to find the right time to tell the others.”

And pray that they accepted her as Kathleen had. Would they? Could they?

* * *

Elizabeth had hoped to get a chance to speak to John before the charity event, but he didn’t come in until dinnertime and she knew she’d have to wait—and pray that nothing came up at the Vanderbilts’ before she had a chance to tell him. His response was the one she was most worried about. They’d come to know each other so much better since they’d been working on the articles together, and just as she’d opened up to him more, she felt he’d done the same thing with her.

She was finding it hard enough to tamp down her growing feelings for him and she didn’t want to even contemplate losing the fragile friendship that had developed between them.

She hurried to dress after dinner, choosing a gown that was nice enough for the event as a reporter. No one would expect her to be dressed as well as the hosts or the guests. And if she were, there might be questions. She’d rather not deal with any of those until after she talked to John.

Her better gowns were at her aunt’s anyway, and Aunt Bea had mentioned that she wouldn’t be attending this event. She felt the Vanderbilts were still a bit out of her league, and while she saw them at events others held, she wasn’t on their guest list.

Elizabeth wouldn’t be attending the event except for covering it for the
Delineator.
But she had to admit she was looking forward to going with John—even if spending the evening in his company had let those butterflies loose to flutter inside her stomach once again.

She put on an aqua gown trimmed in cream-colored lace and dabbed on her favorite scent. She picked up her wrap and reticule and made sure it contained her pad and pencil before heading downstairs.

John was waiting for her in the foyer and he looked quite grand in his tux and tails. He gave her a leisurely perusal and she could feel warmth creep up her neck to her cheeks.

“You look quite lovely tonight, Elizabeth.”

“Thank you. You look very nice yourself.” An understatement, to be sure. His shoulders seemed even broader in dress clothes and her heart thudded against her chest as he held out his arm to her and they went outside.

“No trolley for us tonight. I’ve ordered a hack to pick us up.”

“That’s so nice of you. We might have been the center of attention if we rode the trolley, or the El and had to walk to the Vanderbilts’ portico.”