A Home for Her Heart

“Neither do I,” Elizabeth said. “But I love the way the skyline is changing with the taller buildings.”

They were at their stop in no time and walked the rest of the way to Heaton House. The aroma drifting through to the foyer told them Mrs. Heaton had planned a great meal, but it was quiet downstairs as no one had come down to the parlor yet. Happy they weren’t too late, Elizabeth and Kathleen rushed upstairs to their rooms to change clothes.

They never dressed for dinner during the week—Mrs. Heaton said it was just too much trouble for working people and it made it much easier on the boarders. But on the weekends and special occasions they did dress up and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Elizabeth chose one of her favorite dinner gowns, a sleeveless green silk with a sweetheart neckline. It felt summery and cool and she felt pretty in it. She pinched her cheeks in the mirror and pinned up an errant strand of blond hair before leaving her room. She met up with Millicent in the hall.

“Elizabeth! I’m glad you’re back. I can’t wait to show you and John the photographs. I think they turned out very well.”

“I can’t wait to see them. Perhaps after dinner—”

“What are you doing after dinner?” Kathleen asked, coming up behind them and following them down the staircase.

“Millicent has the photos she took this morning and she’s ready to show them to me and John.”

“Oh, I’d love to see them, Millicent!”

“And you should,” Elizabeth said. “This was your idea after all.”

They entered the parlor, but John wasn’t there. She felt a small stab of disappointment that he wasn’t. Had he been called out on an assignment? And why did it matter? She had no idea why she should care.

However, just as dinner was announced and the boarders headed toward the dining room, footsteps were heard from the staircase leading down to the ground floor and he hurried to join them all in the hall.

“Sorry I’m late. I’ve been working on the article about the building we saw today.”

“I thought you wanted to do more research before starting it,” Elizabeth commented. Of course he would get a head start.

John shrugged. “I do, but I’ve already talked to my editor about it and he’s eager to see the first one. Said there was a possibility of a series. He asked if I had pictures. Did you get them developed, Millicent?”

All thoughts that somehow she’d misjudged John earlier in the day went flying out the window. As always, it was all about him and his career. It was as if she hadn’t even been along that morning.

“I did,” Millicent said as she took her seat at the table. “Elizabeth suggested we look at them after dinner.”

“Wonderful.” John pulled out Elizabeth’s seat as usual, but it wasn’t until he’d sat down beside her that he acknowledged her at all. “Have you spoken with your editor yet, Elizabeth?”

“No, I haven’t. I’ll talk to him first thing on Monday, but I’m certain he’ll want to do a series of articles, too.” At least she hoped so. Something about John’s attitude tonight made her feel competitive.

“I’m sure he will. But perhaps from a different perspective than what I’ll be doing for the Tribune.”

Elizabeth clamped her mouth shut before she made a scathing comment about his hard-hitting article on what Mrs. Vanderbilt had worn at the last social function he covered. Instead she tried to enjoy the meal and listen to the conversations going on around her.

“How is Rebecca doing?” Ben asked Mrs. Heaton.

Rebecca was Mrs. Heaton’s daughter whom she’d been recently reunited with, having been missing for several years. Rebecca had a young daughter and was living with her brother, Michael, and his wife until after Kathleen and Luke were married.

“She’s doing fine. She and Jenny, along with Michael and Violet, will be here for Sunday dinner as usual tomorrow.”

Elizabeth smiled. Everyone loved having Rebecca’s young daughter around. She livened things up around the dinner table.

“Did you and Elizabeth get any shopping done?” Luke asked Kathleen.

“I did purchase something, but we mostly window-shopped for ideas and fabrics. I have a better idea of what I want now, and where to look for things.”

“And it’s all still a secret I assume?”

“Most of it.”

Luke sighed and shook his head. “Are you going to be locked away with more planning tonight?”

Kathleen smiled at him. “Not tonight.”

“Good.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile as she witnessed the look Luke gave her friend. It was obvious the two were deeply in love and she was very happy for them. Sometimes even a little envious, even though she had no intention of giving her heart to any man. After finding her fiancée didn’t love her but only the money he’d have access to, how could she ever trust that any other man truly cared about her and not her inheritance? How could she trust that her heart wouldn’t be broken again? She didn’t believe it was possible to ever be able to trust that way again.

John leaned near and broke into her thoughts. “You’re awfully quiet tonight. In fact, you haven’t seemed yourself since our run-in the other day.”

His concern surprised her and frustrated her all at the same time. The look in his eyes reminded her of what it’d felt like to be held by him that day she’d barreled into him and how it had taken her breath away. Something she’d been trying not to think about ever since. “I’m fine.”

“You’re sure? You seem a little—”

“I’m fine, John,” she repeated. At least she would be if he didn’t keep asking if she was. What was it about this man that had her catching her breath one minute and ready to bop him over the head the next?

“If you say so.” He turned his attention to Millicent across the table from them. “I’m looking forward to seeing the photos you shot.”

“Thank you. I should have made a set for each of you, but I only developed one. I suppose you two will have to decide who gets what. I don’t imagine your editors will want to publish the same ones anyway.”

Elizabeth hadn’t thought about it until now, but Millicent was right. “I’m sure you took enough that it won’t be a problem.”

“I hope so.”

As some of the others began scooting their chairs out from the table, John said, “It appears dinner is over. Let’s go see what you have.”

“I’ll run upstairs and get them,” Millicent said.

“We’ll be in the little parlor,” Elizabeth said. “Come on back when you come down.” She scooted her own chair out and stood before John had a chance to help her. If he thought he was going to get the best pictures, he was wrong. She might write fluff, but she knew what was needed to appeal to the women who read the Delineator and she was going to make sure she got it.

* * *

John and Elizabeth followed Kathleen and Luke to the back parlor and took seats around the small table. John pulled up an extra one for Millicent. They’d barely settled in their seats before she joined them.

She took a seat John pulled up for her and spread the photographs out on the table.

“Oh, Millicent, these are very good,” John said.

They were very good. She’d caught shots that Elizabeth couldn’t remember her taking. But John’s high praise of her work when all he’d allow Elizabeth of her articles was that they were nice ruffled her feathers. And that it did annoyed her most of all. Not about to let on how she felt, she added her praise to the others. “I can’t see any way our editors aren’t going to want to feature some of these photos.”

John already had a grasp on several and Elizabeth decided right then and there that he wasn’t going to take just any he wanted. She quickly picked several up and began to go through them.