In Places Hidden

by Tracie Peterson

  “I believe you mentioned that when we first met. I adore libraries.”

  Kenzie nodded. “I do too. So quiet and restful, yet full of wondrous adventures through books.”

  Judith shrugged. “I suppose I’m the only one who doesn’t care to spend all my time reading.”

  “That’s all right.” Kenzie nodded toward the piano. “You can play music while we read.”

  Mrs. Wong returned, pushing a tea cart. Not only had she brought tea, but there were a variety of cookies as well. “You want me to pour?”

  “No, Mrs. Wong. Thank you. We can manage.” Camri untied her bonnet.

  Mr. Wong and the driver passed the sitting room doorway, each loaded down with a trunk or suitcases. Mrs. Wong took this as her cue to leave and without another word hurried from the room.

  Camri put her bonnet aside, then unbuttoned her wool coat. “She always seems to be in a rush.”

  “They seem very nice,” Judith declared. “I’ve never met any Chinese people before.”

  “There are a great many of them in San Francisco.” Camri put her coat across the back of a wooden chair and began to pour the tea. “They’re quite oppressed, as most Americans would prefer the Chinese be driven from the country. However, Mr. and Mrs. Wong are first-generation Americans. Their parents arrived here during the gold rush after selling everything they had to come to America. The two women were expecting and had their babies within days of each other. Mr. and Mrs. Wong grew up together and eventually married, as was the wish of their families.”

  “If they grew up here, why is their English . . . well . . . why do they speak differently than we do?” Judith asked.

  Camri had never really thought about it. “I suppose because they were raised in Chinese communities. I know they generally speak Chinese when alone.” She looked up and motioned to the cart. “Would either of you care for sugar?”

  Kenzie was first to reply. “No, thank you.”

  Judith shook her head as Camri crossed the room to hand them each a cup and saucer. “Mrs. Wong makes the most incredible tea. It tastes like flowers.” She went back to the cart. “Would either of you care for cookies?”

  When both women nodded, Camri brought the plate to the sofa, and Kenzie and Judith each chose from the assortment. Camri took up her own tea, then joined her friends. She sat in her brother’s favorite chair, a leather wingback, and sampled the tea. It was just as she remembered.

  “The Chinese have had a very hard time here. All manner of laws have been passed to remove them from America, but perhaps that is more strongly addressed here on the coast than in other areas of the country.”

  “I’ve read about the troubles,” Kenzie admitted. “They were blamed for epidemics of the plague.”

  “The plague?” Judith asked in disbelief. “I thought that was something from the Middle Ages.”

  “It was, but unfortunately it’s still around.” Camri shook her head. “They now know, however, that the disease is carried by rats, and the Chinese live in the poorest areas, where the rat infestations are generally quite bad.”

  “Goodness. I never would have expected such a thing.”

  Camri suppressed a yawn. “It’s a hard life for the poor.”

  Judith had just taken a bite of her cookie, but nodded.

  Kenzie put her cup and saucer on the table beside her. “While I’ve not suffered such poverty, we were by no means wealthy while I was growing up. My father was a shopkeeper. His uncle owned an emporium, and he hired my father to manage it. When I was young, I used to go there and help when I wasn’t in school. I learned bookkeeping and eventually handled all of the receipts and billing. When Father’s uncle passed away, he left the shop and an inheritance to my father. We lived comfortably after that.” It was the most she’d spoken of her past the entire trip.

  “But why did you work if your family had plenty of money?” Judith asked.

  Camri was surprised by the question and spoke before Kenzie could reply. “Because being a woman independent of one’s family is important. Far too many women don’t have that advantage and find themselves forced into marriage at a young age.”

  Both Kenzie and Judith looked at Camri as if she were speaking a strange language. It wasn’t unusual for her to be received in that manner. Most women didn’t even realize how oppressed they were or that marriage was often just another form of servitude. Camri quickly sipped her tea.

  “I didn’t work to prove anything to anyone,” Kenzie said after several uncomfortable seconds of silence. “I loved working at the library, and it filled my days with something other than sitting at home. I didn’t make enough money to truly support myself, but I did manage to set enough aside to pay for my travel here. My parents helped with that as well.”

  “My folks were never ones to have much money,” Judith admitted. “My father worked wherever he could—mostly cowboy labor jobs. He had to quit school at a young age to help support his family. My mother took in laundry and sewing. She said when they started out, they had enough money that they could get a mortgage on a little ranch. It wasn’t much. Father had a couple of hired hands who worked for room and board most of the time. When he sold the steers, he paid them in cash and bought Mother and I some necessities. It was never much, however. We did better at raising sagebrush and tumbleweeds.”

  “Did you have any brothers or sisters?” Camri asked.

  “No. I was an only child. In fact, my parents swore there were no other family members alive on either side. But now I know that wasn’t true.”

  Camri nodded. On the train, Judith had told them about a letter she’d found after her mother died, addressed to her mother’s sister but never sent. Judith had come to San Francisco to find the aunt she’d never known she had. “What of you, Kenzie. Do you have siblings?”

  “No, not living. My mother wanted a large family, but she didn’t have an easy time being with child. She miscarried several times and, when I was five, gave birth to a stillborn son. We were all devastated. Especially my father.”

  “That’s very sad,” Judith murmured, looking as if she might cry.

  Mrs. Wong arrived. “Rooms ready now.”

  “Thank you.” Camri got to her feet, glad to have something else to focus on. “I don’t know about you, but I think we should freshen up and rest. Kenzie, I know you wanted a bath.”

  The other two women nodded and rose.

  “I’ll give you a quick tour as we go upstairs.” Camri pointed to the closed door not far from the piano. “There’s a smaller sitting room through there. Across the hall from that is a large dining room.” She motioned Kenzie and Judith to follow. “The Wongs live downstairs. The kitchen and laundry are also down there.” She paused at the staircase. “Farther down the hall past the stairs are my brother’s study and the back stairs that lead to the lower level.”

  She began to climb the steps. “Upstairs are four bedrooms and a bathroom. My brother has the largest of the rooms at the end of the hall. I’ll take the room opposite his, and you ladies may have the two bedrooms at the other end.”

  They reached the top floor, and Camri pointed to the door directly ahead. “This is the bathroom. It has all the modern conveniences.” She turned to the right and opened the first door.

  “Those are my things,” Judith announced. “This must be my room.” She looked around at the stylish furnishings. “It’s so beautiful.”

  Camri smiled. She had stayed in this room when she visited with her parents. “It is. It was rather bland before, and I made a comment about it to Caleb. He immediately took me shopping and suggested I make over the room any way I liked. Once we started on this room, it seemed only natural that the other rooms also get dressed up a little.”

  “Well, I’m going to be very comfortable here. Blue is my color. It matches my eyes.” Judith sat on the edge of the bed. “This feels amazing. It’s fit for a princess.” She’d no sooner sat down than she popped up again. “And look!” She rushed to the bay window
s, where a cushioned window seat awaited. “Oh, this is wonderful. I can sit here and look out on the world.”

  “I found it a lovely place to read.” Camri immediately wished she’d kept the thought to herself. She didn’t want Judith to feel she was purposefully bringing up the topic of reading again. She stepped back into the hall. “And over here is the other bedroom.”

  “I’m glad we haven’t far to go,” Kenzie said. “I’m more tired than I realized.”

  Pushing open the door, Camri stepped back. “I picked out pale green and pink for this room.”

  Kenzie stepped in and surveyed the entire room before commenting. “It’s like a garden. So lovely. So peaceful.”

  Camri smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

  Judith had followed to peek inside the room. “I love the flowery wallpaper and matching drapes.”

  Mrs. Wong appeared and offered a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She bowed her head as she always did before speaking. “When you like dinner?”

  Camri took out her pocket watch and checked the time. It was nearly three. “Would six be all right?”

  Mrs. Wong nodded. “Six. Good time.” She left as quietly as she’d come.

  Camri turned to her friends. “Well, ladies, I will leave you to rest.”

  Without another word, she made her way down the hall to her bedroom. She started to open the door, then turned instead to enter her brother’s bedroom. It was just as it had been when she’d last been here. He liked dark shades of forest green and had done up the room to suit his preferences.

  The shades were pulled, but there was enough light that Camri didn’t bother to raise them. The room bore just a hint of her brother’s cologne, and the smell brought tears to her eyes. It was the first time she’d really been able to think about him since they’d arrived.

  “Where are you, Caleb? Are you hurt? Are you sick?” Camri went to his dresser, picked up a folded handkerchief monogramed with CC, and held it to her nose. There was only the faintest scent.

  She shook her head and used the handkerchief to blot her tears. The task her parents had given her was not only daunting, but frightening in a way Camri couldn’t explain. There were so many possible explanations for Caleb’s sudden disappearance, and none of them were good.

  CHAPTER

  3

  The next morning all three women agreed there was no sense in wasting time. Kenzie telephoned her mother’s cousin George Lake, who sent someone to pick her up while on his delivery route. Meanwhile, Judith and Camri sat down at the mahogany dining room table and spread out several newspapers that Mr. Wong had acquired for them. They began to scour the ads for jobs in case Mr. Lake had no extra positions.

  “Here’s one for a nursery attendant,” Judith said, shaking her head, “but I doubt I’d be any good at it. I’ve had no experience with children.”

  “There seem to be plenty of light housekeeping positions, but the pay is a fraction of what I made teaching.” Camri pushed one paper aside and took up another. “Once we locate Caleb, I’ll go back to my previous position. It wouldn’t be fair to apply to teach here, only to leave in a few weeks.” She opened the back of the newspaper and began to scan the columns. At least I hope it won’t be more than a few weeks—a few days would be even better.

  “There are quite a few requests for seasonal work. Some of the restaurants want cooks and girls who can wait tables.” Judith looked up. “I could probably do that. I know how to cook.”

  “But from the looks of it, the pay would scarcely be enough to buy food, much less pay the Wongs and perhaps a man to help with our search.” Camri sighed in exasperation. “There are some spots available at a soap factory, but it doesn’t say how much they pay nor what one has to do to earn that pay.”

  “Can you sew?” Judith asked. “There are a number of dressmaker positions. One place offers excellent pay if you have experience in formalwear.”

  Camri shook her head. “I can mend but was never all that capable of actually creating a garment.”

  Without warning, the chandelier overhead shook enough to draw attention.

  Camri felt the sensation of brief, but certain, movement. “Was that an earthquake?”

  Judith shook her head. “I don’t know. I thought they would last longer.”

  Camri nodded. “Maybe it was just a little tremor.” She’d heard Caleb speak about earthquakes and tremors, but during her previous visit to the state, she hadn’t experienced any.

  They continued to pore over the papers, marking any position that sounded the least bit promising. When the clock chimed the noon hour, Mrs. Wong appeared to clear the table in order to serve lunch.

  Camri walked over to a large mirror on the wall and attempted to resecure her hair. At home there had been a number of people to help with her clothes and hair, but here there was no one. She didn’t feel it would be right to impose on Mrs. Wong, especially since she’d learned the night before that the couple hadn’t been paid since Caleb’s disappearance.

  It wasn’t the first time she’d had to do for herself, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. With great care, she adjusted the hairpins.

  “I can help you with that,” Judith said, jumping up from the table. “I used to do my mother’s hair all the time.”

  Mrs. Wong entered the dining room carrying a tureen. “Duck soup,” she announced.

  Since they’d had roasted duck the evening before, Camri wasn’t surprised. She turned to Judith. “Maybe we can help each other after the meal. We should look our best before going out to apply for jobs.”

  Judith followed Camri back to the table. “Mother and I always did for each other as best we could. We never had servants.”

  Camri murmured her acknowledgment. The weight of the situation rested heavily on her shoulders. She had done a quick inventory of the pantry that morning only to find there was nothing much to count. There was still plenty of flour, coffee, and sugar, but little else. The Wongs explained that with Caleb gone, there was no money for their salary or household needs. They had relied on the charity of extended family to provide an occasional basket of food, while Caleb’s employer had managed the utilities. The first order of business that morning had been to send Mr. Wong to the grocer for supplies, which had used up a good portion of Camri’s savings.

  Savings she’d hoped to use in finding Caleb—not just to support a household.

  She took a seat at the table as the housekeeper returned with bread and butter. Camri smiled in appreciation, but the hopelessness of the moment left her with little joy.

  When Mrs. Wong had once again departed, Camri looked at Judith. “Shall we pray?” Judith bowed her head, and Camri did likewise. “Lord, we thank thee for thy bounty. Guide our steps and show us the way you would have us go. Please help us find situations that pay well. Above all, please help us find those we seek. Amen.”

  “Amen.” Judith reached for the bread. “I don’t think we should worry. I feel confident Kenzie will secure us jobs with her cousin.”

  “What gives you such confidence?”

  Judith shrugged and handed Camri the bread plate. “I guess I just feel in my heart that things will work out. Usually when I feel like this, things go well.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Camri chose a piece of bread and set it aside before ladling soup into her bowl.

  Judith waited until after she’d had her turn with the soup tureen before continuing. “I know you’re very worried about your brother. In my short time of knowing you, I’ve come to worry about him as well.”

  Camri smiled. “He’s a good man, and I know he wouldn’t make us worry unnecessarily. That’s what makes me certain something has happened to keep him from contacting us. I fear he might be sick or injured.”

  “Maybe he fell from his horse and hit his head and doesn’t know who he is anymore. That happened to one of my papa’s friends. He never regained his memory either.” Judith covered her mouth with her hand, seeming to fear she’d said to
o much.

  “It’s all right. God knows I’ve thought of such possibilities as well as things much worse. It’s hard not to imagine the worst.” Camri bit her lower lip to keep from saying anything more. If she dwelled too much on the terrible things that might have happened, she’d soon be in tears.

  Mrs. Wong brought a lovely china teapot to the table and began to pour a cup for each woman. Camri decided that rather than wait until after she’d eaten, she’d pose the questions on her mind now.

  “Could you sit with us a moment, Mrs. Wong?”

  The older woman looked momentarily startled, but nodded and quickly finished with the tea. “You have problem?” she asked, taking a seat at the table. She sat rigidly on the edge of the chair, her hands folded in her lap.

  “I suppose I do,” Camri said, putting aside her spoon. “I tried to get into my brother’s study this morning, but it’s locked. I wondered if you might have the key.”

  Mrs. Wong shook her head and a brief look of worry passed over her face. “Mr. Caleb only one to have key.”

  “I was afraid of that. When did you last see my brother?”

  Mrs. Wong looked down at her hands. “He went out on business August twenty-five. He not come home.”

  “Did he leave in the morning or the afternoon?”

  The older woman continued to stare at her lap. “He go out in evening. He go to his study, and I see him there at his desk. He tell me that he had . . . to do business.” She chose her words in a slow and deliberate manner, almost as if she wanted to make certain she didn’t misspeak. Camri wondered if there was something the housekeeper wasn’t telling them.

  “Mrs. Wong, do you have any idea what his business was that night?”

  The housekeeper shook her head. “Not my business.” She stood but continued to look at the floor. “I have work now.”