A Place of Refuge

“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.