Janet Barton - A Daughter’s Return

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

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

“Your memory must be excellent.”

“What makes you think so?”

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

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

“That’s the way a lot of us were.”

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

“Some lessons are difficult for us.”

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

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

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

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

“I—if you think I’ll be ready.”

“I do.” Ben said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter Three

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Believe me, I don’t intend to.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I’ll be here.”

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

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

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