With a quick glance down the row, she found the rest of her girls among the others and moved them all into one group. She checked to be sure each wore a life jacket and it was secure.
Andrew walked down the passageway, looking in each cabin. He slowed and glanced at Laura. “Do you have all your girls?”
She glanced over the group. “Yes. We’re ready to go up.”
He sent her a reassuring nod, then moved down the row, checking with Rose and helping a few of the girls secure their life jackets.
“Miss Hopkins, look!” Twelve-year-old Sophie pointed toward the ceiling.
Laura glanced up and froze. Thin wisps of smoke curled along the ceiling. She sniffed, and the scent of burning oil filled her nose. There was no time to waste. She charged down the hall toward Andrew. “There’s smoke! We have to get the girls up to the promenade deck now!”
He followed her gaze. His eyes widened, and he started toward the stairs. “Tell the girls to stay in line and follow me.”
Laura hurried back down the row, giving instructions and encouraging them to stay calm and follow Andrew. She stepped into line, rejoining the girls from her cabin. A few were still in tears, but most seemed focused and ready to do as they were told.
Laura looked over her shoulder as they reached the top of the first flight of stairs. The line of girls filled the stairwell. Henry stayed at the bottom and finally took his place at the end of the line after the last girl in Rose’s group.
A prayer rose from Laura’s heart as they started up the next flight of stairs. Have mercy on us, Lord. Not for my sake but for these dear girls.
When they finally reached the promenade deck, Andrew held the door open while the girls passed through. Laura rushed to the head of the line and led them down the deck toward their assigned stations. It was difficult to squeeze past all the other passengers who huddled in groups along the deck, but the girls stayed together.
“What is your station number?” Andrew called.
“S-72 and 73,” Laura answered.
“We’re almost there!” He hurried forward and joined her.
They passed the entrance to the first-class lounge and reached their assigned stations. Laura gathered the girls to stand together. The cool wind off the water blew across Laura’s face and sent a shiver down her back. Her girls were all barefoot and dressed in their nightclothes. Why hadn’t she made them collect their shoes, socks, and sweaters?
The answer sent another wave of guilt through her heart. She’d left them alone to meet Andrew on deck, then lost several minutes going back to his cabin before going down to help them.
Rose walked among the girls and encouraged them to sit down and huddle close to try to stay warm. All the while the alarm continued to sound and send tremors through Laura.
Andrew approached Laura. Frustration lined his face as he searched the deck past the other groups of passengers. “I don’t understand why they haven’t sent someone up to give us instructions.”
“I’m sure they’ll let us know something soon.”
“I’m going to look for a crew member and find out what’s happening.”
Laura tensed. His presence had helped her stay calm. What if they were told to board lifeboats and set out to sea? Could she manage all the girls without his help?
She laid her hand on his arm. “Please don’t go yet.”
Before he could answer, one of her girls shouted, “Miss Hopkins! Where is Anna May?”
Laura spun around, searching for her youngest charge, but she didn’t see her sitting with the others. She strode forward, scanning the faces of the girls in her group and then the others, but Anna May was not there.
How could she have left Anna May behind? She’d counted all the girls—but somehow she must have counted wrong. She scanned the girls once more. “Did anyone see Anna May in the cabin or in the passageway downstairs?”
The girls all looked at one another and shook their heads.
She turned and started down the deck. “I’m going back for Anna May.”
Andrew grabbed her arm. “You can’t go back to steerage!”
“I have to!” She pulled her arm away. “I can’t leave her down there by herself!”
“Then I’ll go. You stay here.”
“She doesn’t know you. She’ll be frightened.” She stepped around him.
He growled something under his breath and set off after her. “It won’t help the other girls if you become trapped in steerage.”
She strode on. “I have to find her!”
He stepped past Laura and pushed open the door. “Then we’ll do it together.”
They exchanged a split-second glance, and a silent agreement passed between them. She grabbed up her skirt and quickly followed him down the three flights of stairs. When they reached steerage, the veil of smoke swirled in the air near the ceiling. Laura lifted her hand to cover her mouth and nose and started down the passageway.
“Anna May!” Andrew flung open the first cabin door on the right and looked inside. He called again, but there was no answer.
Laura coughed and ran to the opposite door. “Anna May, are you in here?” She scanned the empty bunks, searching past the twisted sheets and blankets, but no one was there.
Smoke stung her eyes, and the alarm bell continued to ring, making her feel as if her head would explode with the dreadful noise. She bent low, trying to stay beneath the stinging haze and hurried down the passageway, checking each cabin.
She yanked open the door to the last cabin, tore the blankets from the beds, and bent down to look underneath. All she found was a stray stocking and a rumpled handkerchief.
Tears flooded her eyes. Where is she, Lord? Please help us find her!
Andrew dashed back into the passageway and met Laura in the doorway to the last cabin.
She looked up at him, her throat burning. “She’s not here!”
Deep lines creased his forehead as he looked past her into the empty room. “We have to go back up on deck. Maybe she’s with one of the other groups and we just didn’t see her.”
Laura spun around and searched the empty passageway once more. Her chest ached so much she could barely pull in a breath. She couldn’t go up on deck and give up her search!
The lights flickered, and the alarm bell suddenly stopped.
Laura stilled, staring at Andrew. “What does that mean?”
Andrew looked up at the lights. “Maybe the fire burnt through the alarm system.”
“Or it could mean they have the fire under control, and they—”
Andrew held up his hand. “Wait! Listen!”
Laura turned, straining to catch the sound Andrew had heard. A soft whimper reached her ears, and she gasped. “Anna May!”
Andrew took off toward the opposite end of the passageway, and Laura hurried after him. The soft cries led them to the stairway.
“She must be under here.” Andrew pushed aside a rolling cart filled with towels and cleaning supplies and looked beneath the steps.
Laura hovered close behind him. She spotted Anna May and bit her lip. The frightened little girl was curled up on the floor, clutching her knees to her chest and hiding her face in the folds of her nightgown.
Andrew leaned closer and laid his hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right, Anna May.”
Laura knelt beside him. “We’re here now. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Anna May looked up through red-rimmed eyes. Tears flowed down her cheeks.
“What happened, sweetheart? Why didn’t you come up with us?” Laura kept her tone soft, not wanting to upset her any further.
“I had to go to the WC, and when I came back, everyone was gone.” Her chin trembled, and her tears overflowed again.
Laura pulled Anna May into her arms and patted her back. “There now, everythin
g will be all right.”
Anna May leaned back to look up at Laura. “That bell was so loud.”
Laura nodded, then glanced at Andrew. The alarm might have stopped, but they still needed to rejoin their group and find out what was happening.
He turned to Anna May. “We have to go up on deck. How about I give you a lift?”
The little girl sniffed and nodded. Andrew scooped her up and carried her toward the steps as though she weighed nothing.
Laura’s heart warmed as she watched him climb the stairs with Anna May in his arms. She couldn’t help but admire the tender way he held the little girl and spoke softly to her. Had she finally met a man who was truly kind and caring, one who might even come to have a special place in her heart?
She stifled a groan and looked away. What a foolish thought! Andrew Frasier was a wealthy gentleman, a solicitor, and the future heir of Bolton. She was a working-class woman with little money and no social standing. She had no hope of a future with him, and she had better put that idea out of her mind before she embarrassed herself and him. She needed to focus her thoughts on her girls and protecting them from the dangers ahead.
Would the fire rage out of control and force them to climb aboard lifeboats and set out to sea? A shiver traveled down her back, and she slowed as she climbed the last flight of stairs.
Andrew glanced over his shoulder at her. “Are you all right?”
What could she say? Her life had turned upside down, and she had no idea what would happen tonight or in the future. But Andrew had cared enough to help her search for Anna May…and maybe he would do the same to help her find her siblings once they reached Canada.
She met his gaze. “Yes. I’m fine.” Lifting her skirt, she climbed the last few steps to the promenade deck, then pushed open the door for Andrew. He passed through, and she walked beside him as he carried Anna May back to their emergency station.
12
Katie dunked the heavy pot into the lukewarm dishwater and scrubbed at the sticky ring of sauce stuck to the inside. A strand of her hair fell forward into her eyes. She sighed and used her shoulder to push it off her sweaty face.
She’d been up since six that morning doing an endless list of chores given to her by Mrs. O’Leary, Dr. and Mrs. Richardson’s cook and housekeeper. The old woman followed her around all day, looking over her shoulder and scolding her for not working fast enough or doing things the way she wanted them done, though she rarely bothered to explain the tasks ahead of time.
She’d been at the Richardsons’ home for five days, but it felt much longer than that. She still wasn’t used to the work, and her back and legs ached. And it was no wonder after she’d spent hours sweeping, mopping, dusting, changing bed linens, and washing clothes and hanging them out to dry. And every day the list of chores seemed to grow longer. No matter how quickly she worked, there was no hope of finishing everything they asked her to do.
She glanced at the clock on the wall and blew out a deep breath. It was almost eight thirty. The family was just finishing dinner. She had at least another hour of work before she’d be done in the kitchen and allowed to eat something. Then she could finally set up her cot in the pantry where she slept.
Mrs. O’Leary walked in from the dining room carrying a tray of dirty plates and silverware and set it on the counter next to the sink. “Hurry up with those dishes. I don’t want to stay in this kitchen all night.”
“Yes ma’am.” Katie slowed her scrubbing and glanced over her shoulder at the nearly empty serving platters on the worktable. Her stomach contracted, and her mouth watered. The lamb roast was all gone, but a few potatoes and green beans were still left. If only she could take a break from the dishes and have something to eat.
“Stop staring at that food! You’ll get nothing to eat until those dishes are done and the kitchen is clean.” The old woman’s mouth puckered as she glared at Katie. “Do you hear me, girl?”
“Yes ma’am.” Katie focused on the pot again and continued scrubbing. Her fingers stung from the harsh soap and steel wool scrubber.
Mrs. O’Leary huffed and sank down on the stool at the end of the worktable. The wooden stool squeaked from her bulky weight. “I don’t know why the doctor didn’t bring home an older girl or at least one who was stronger and could do a decent day’s work.”
Katie clenched her jaw and rinsed the heavy pot. She was doing the best she could. It wasn’t her fault she was only fourteen and not used to working from dawn until late at night.
Mrs. Richardson walked into the kitchen, and Mrs. O’Leary jumped up from the stool. “The doctor would like his coffee in the library.” She shifted her snooty gaze from the cook to Katie. “Goodness, girl, haven’t you finished those dishes yet?”
“No ma’am. I mean…I’ll be done soon.”
“I hope so.” She lifted her hand to her forehead. “I have a headache. I need you to go upstairs and put the children to bed.”
Katie gasped and dropped the heavy pot on the counter. It banged hard and rolled off onto the floor. She scrambled to pick it up, but she was not quick enough.
“You clumsy girl!” Mrs. O’Leary slapped Katie across the arm.
Katie cried out and jumped back.
“Pick it up! And if that pot is dented, I’ll give you a whipping you won’t forget!”
Mrs. Richardson rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Goodness, Mrs. O’Leary. Is she always this clumsy? How do you put up with her?”
“It’s a trial, that’s for sure and certain. I’ve never met such a lazy girl.”
Katie thumped the pot onto the counter, her face flaming. “I am not lazy! I’ve done everything you’ve asked the best I can.”
Mrs. Richardson strode forward and grabbed Katie’s arm. “That is enough! I will not listen to disrespectful talk!” She leaned close, her hot breath smelling like the garlic they’d used on the lamb roast. “All of you home children are alike—willful, disobedient, and ungrateful! Now dry your hands and go upstairs with the children.”
“But I haven’t had my dinner yet.”
Mrs. Richardson’s eyes flashed. “And you will not have any dinner if you continue to argue with me! Now do as I say!” She squeezed Katie’s arm hard, then dropped her hold and marched out of the kitchen.
Katie stared after her, the woman’s stinging words ringing in her ears.
“Well, don’t just stand there.” Mrs. O’Leary waved toward the door. “Go upstairs!”
“Please.” Katie pressed her hand to her empty stomach. “Couldn’t I just have something to eat first?”
Mrs. O’Leary lowered her gray, bushy eyebrows. “No, you may not! And no more talk about eating until you do as Mrs. Richardson says and put those children to bed! Go on, off with you!”
Katie trudged out of the kitchen and climbed the back stairs, her empty stomach clawing at her backbone. When would this terrible day end?
The children’s voices rang out from the rooms up above. She walked down the hall and looked through the doorway of the boys’ bedroom. Ned, John, Fred, and little Timmy were jumping on their beds, laughing and swinging pillows at each other.
A tremor raced down Katie’s back. If Mrs. Richardson came upstairs and saw what the boys were doing, Katie would be the one blamed for their wild antics. “Boys, your mother said it’s time to get ready for bed.” She used her strongest voice, but they didn’t even look her way. Instead, the pillow fight grew wilder and louder.
“Please, you have to settle down!”
“We can’t hear you.” Thirteen-year-old Ned sent her a wicked grin. “You’ll have to yell louder than that.” He was heavier and taller than Katie, and he never listened to a word she said. With a wild shout, he jumped from one bed to the next and tumbled into his youngest brother, knocking four-year-old Timmy onto the floor. The little boy hit his head and let out a loud cry.
; Fred and John dropped their pillows, jumped down, and circled around Timmy. “Are you all right, Tim?” Fred leaned closer and laid his hand on his younger brother’s back.
Timmy lay on the floor, facedown, his legs sprawled, howling like he was dying. He rolled over and looked up at them with tears streaming down his red face.
Katie knelt beside him. “Where are you hurt, Timmy?” She brushed his sweaty brown hair away from his forehead and felt the lump. A goose egg was starting to swell there.
“Ow!” The little boy shoved her hand away. “Don’t touch me!”
Katie pulled her hand back, and Fred and John glared at her.
“Get away from my brother!” Ned jumped down and shoved Katie’s shoulder. She toppled over and landed on her backside.
Five-year-old Lucy and seven-year-old Alice looked in from the doorway.
Ned glared at them. “Go away! You girls aren’t allowed in here!”
“What happened?” Alice walked into the room. “Why is Timmy crying?”
“That’s none of your business! Go on! Get out of here!”
Alice’s cheeks flushed pink. She grabbed Lucy’s hand and stalked across the room. “You hurt Timmy! I’m going to tell Mother on you!”
Ned grabbed Alice by the shoulders. “You better not or you’ll be sorry!”
“Let go of me, or I’m going to tell on you!” Alice tried to wiggle free, but Ned’s grip was too strong. Timmy continued to wail from his spot on the floor.
Katie jumped up. She had to put a stop to all this before Dr. or Mrs. Richardson came upstairs. “Let go of Alice!”
The older boy grabbed Alice around the waist and lifted her up off her feet. “I don’t have to listen to you. She’s my sister. I can do what I want with her.”
Alice cried and squirmed, kicking her dangling feet. “Put me down!”
Katie grabbed hold of Alice’s legs and tried to wrestle her out of Ned’s grip. The little girl’s cries rose to a piercing wail.
No Ocean Too Wide Page 19
