Janet Barton - A Place of Refuge

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.”