Love Inspired Historical November 2015

by Linda Ford

  *

  Before Matt left what he was doing and took the elevator down to meet Millicent, John and Elizabeth, he did some straight talking to his men, warning them not to stare at the women and make them uncomfortable, but to watch out for them at the same time.

  It was a lot to ask, but he expected them to follow his orders. As the men began to grumble, he said, “This wasn’t my idea, you know. The boss gave the go-ahead for this assignment, not me. But he expects us to accept his decision and make sure they have access to what they need and stay safe up here. Understand?” He gave them the sternest expression he could muster and hoped it worked.

  “We do, boss,” Burl said, looking at the other men as if daring them to say anything. “Sometimes we forget that while we answer to you, you’re answerable to someone else. Which means we are, too.”

  “Glad you understand. I’ll be back up with them shortly and I expect you all to be polite and watchful at all times.”

  “I thought you said not to look at those ladies,” one of the younger men said.

  Matt looked him in the eye. “You know what I meant. No ogling the women. But be mindful of their safety.”

  With nods, they all ambled off to do the work they were paid to do and Matt headed to the elevator. As the door opened, he was glad to see a hack pull up with Millicent and the Talbots. He kept telling himself they’d only be there for a short while and then he’d be left in peace for another week. Except that couldn’t be true—he lived in the same house with Millicent and peace was not a word he would use to describe how he felt about being around her.

  “Matt! Glad to see you,” John called as he approached him carrying Millicent’s camera and holding on to his wife’s arm. Millicent followed behind with her small camera and tripod, which Matt took from her.

  “Thank you.” Millicent smiled up at him and Matt was glad she didn’t look quite as nervous as she had the week before.

  “You’re welcome. It’s a beautiful day up top.”

  “That’s good,” Elizabeth said as they entered the elevator.

  “Do you want to stop at each floor again or go right to the top?”

  “I think we have enough photos of the lower floors for now, let’s go straight to the one you’re working on,” John said.

  “That’s fine with me. We can check the other floors out when they’re nearer the finished stage.”

  Matt smiled at them all, but his gaze captured Millicent’s. “Make sure you take a deep breath and maybe pretend you’re on a ride at Coney Island. I can’t guarantee it, but it might help.” He set the elevator into motion and made sure he stood by Millicent as she gripped the railing beside her. He grasped her arm at the first jostle and smiled down at her.

  Her eyes were closed and her hand white. Matt looked over at Elizabeth and she looked a little pale, too. But John seemed fine.

  As the elevator headed straight up and the speed evened out, Millicent opened her eyes. “I think it’s better not stopping at each floor.”

  “Yes, so do I,” Elizabeth agreed.

  They both chuckled and some of the tension Matt had felt since first thing that morning eased. Perhaps today would be okay after all.

  But as the elevator came to a jerking stop, both women closed their eyes once more and clutched their midsections. Dear Lord, please let them be all right today.

  Matt kept hold of Millicent’s arm as they filed out of the elevator and whispered, “Take another deep breath. Or two. I don’t think it can hurt.”

  She did as he suggested before glancing back at him. “Better. I think.”

  “Good. Where would you like your camera set up?”

  “I thought I’d try to get a few shots of the buildings surrounding Park Row—”

  “Are you sure?” He wanted to accommodate her, but—

  “I’m going to need to at some point and I’ll dread it more until I actually do it.”

  She made sense and he’d like for her to get over her fear if possible. He never felt jittery for himself, but he did for her. “If you’re sure that’s what you want, I’ll set you up and stay beside you. I think you can get some good photographs without getting right to the edge, but there is a sturdy railing and I’ll be right here if you need to get closer.”

  However, as he moved closer to the edge, Millicent’s steps slowed. He turned to find her biting her lower lip and looking a little pale. “Are you all right?”

  “I don’t think I’m ready for this just yet. Perhaps I should just take photographs of your men at work and some different distance shots.”

  “Whatever you want to do is fine with me.” He certainly didn’t want her getting sick or dizzy. “How about on the other side of the building today? You should be able to get some good photos of Brooklyn and both waterways by just turning your tripod a little one way or the other.” And that would hopefully keep her safely busy while he made sure John and Elizabeth got the interviews they wanted. He turned to see them speaking to Burl once more, but he needed to see who else they might want to talk to.

  He led Millicent in another direction and put her easel up where she could get what he thought would be some good shots. “Think this will work?”

  “Yes, thanks. When I’m done here, I’d like to take a few more candid shots, if that’s all right with you.”

  “As long as you don’t wander off where I can’t see you.”

  “You don’t have to worry. I’m certainly not going anywhere near the edge without you.”

  Something about the way she released a deep breath and looked at him sent his heart hammering in his chest and his protective instincts surging. “That’s good to hear. I can promise you I’ll be right by your side when you decide to try it. But there’s no rush, you know.”

  “Not yet anyway.” She dropped her gaze and set her camera on the tripod. “Please don’t let me keep you from your work today. I’ll be fine.”

  “Just call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.”

  With nothing more to be said, Matt turned and headed in the opposite direction. He had a feeling Millicent would be as glad to get this day’s photo shoot over with as much as he would.

  *

  John treated both Millicent and his wife to lunch before taking her back to the boardinghouse. Then he brought her equipment into the foyer while Elizabeth waited in the hack and Millicent waved both of them off feeling much better than the week before, when she’d barely managed to make it to her room.

  She was glad to get back to Heaton House and extremely thankful she’d made it through the morning with only a few bouts of nausea and those passed quickly. Even the elevator’s speed going down hadn’t been quite as bad as that first day.

  Of course it could have been because Matt kept a good grip on her arm the whole while, and she’d been glad of his support even as his nearness made her heart beat faster. She’d caught him watching her throughout the morning and it wasn’t easy to get candid shots of him, but she’d managed to get a couple without him knowing.

  Today she was able to develop her photographs right away. She smiled as she hung the last one up to dry. She liked these as much as the ones she’d taken a week ago. The view from up so high was spectacular. She still didn’t feel totally safe up there, but suddenly she looked forward to the day when she could take photos from near the edge. But only if Matt were right there with her and then only when she could make it to that spot without feeling all wobbly on the inside.

  It might be a while yet, but for now she was happy that she hadn’t come close to being sick. Feeling as if she’d accomplished what she’d set out to do that morning, she washed her hands in the bathroom and looked at the clock beside her bed. If she hurried, she might make it downstairs in time to join Mrs. Heaton for tea.

  She was a bit surprised to hear voices in the parlor and wondered who’d come calling. She peeked around the corner hoping not to be seen if that were the case, but she recognized the woman with green eyes and dark
brown hair Mrs. Heaton was speaking to right away.

  “Georgia! Mrs. Heaton said you should be arriving any day now. How was your trip?”

  “Millicent, isn’t it?” Georgia Marshall smiled.

  “Yes, that’s it.” Millicent returned her smile. Georgia and her family were friends with the Heatons, and Millicent wanted to make her feel as welcome as she’d felt when she’d moved in.

  “Georgia surprised me right after you left, even though I’d been expecting her at any time. We got her settled in her room, which is the one across from you, Millicent, and then decided to come down for tea. You will join us, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  Mrs. Heaton poured her a cup and Millicent settled herself in the corner of one of the sofas. She loved this room done in gold and burgundy fabrics, both solids and stripes. There were photographs of Mrs. Heaton’s family and of the boarders here and there throughout the room. And there were fresh autumn flowers in vases scenting the space.

  “I’ve asked Michael and Violet, and Rebecca and Ben to come for dinner tonight.”

  “Oh, wonderful,” Millicent said. “It will be good to see them.”

  “They will be bringing baby Marcus and Jenny, won’t they?” Georgia asked.

  “Of course.” Mrs. Heaton chuckled. “They don’t dare come to dinner without my grandchildren.”

  Millicent smiled. She and the other boarders all enjoyed Mrs. Heaton’s family and especially the children. It was part of what made Heaton House feel so much a home.

  “You know,” Mrs. Heaton said. “I think I’ll ask Elizabeth and John, too. And Luke and Kathleen. It wouldn’t seem right not to. Excuse me while I go telephone them.”

  Millicent watched the older woman hurry out of the room.

  “Oh, I hope my coming isn’t making too much work for Mrs. Heaton,” Georgia said.

  “Mrs. Heaton loves having company and it’s been a while since we all got together. I’m sure she’s got everything under control.”

  “I feel like long-lost family coming home,” Georgia said.

  “And that’s exactly how Mrs. Heaton wants you to feel. You’re going to love living here, Georgia.”

  “I think I already do.” Georgia smiled but there was an expression in her eyes that Millicent couldn’t quite read. She looked a little sad, too.

  Julia came home just then and greeted Georgia like an old friend, and Mrs. Heaton joined them, letting them know that the married couples would be joining them for dinner. It’d be good to have a big group at the table and Millicent found herself looking forward to it. She wondered how Matt might react to having Georgia there—she was pretty and she was a teacher, not someone who wanted to pursue opening her own business. Millicent pushed the thought out of her mind. It shouldn’t matter to her how Matt responded to Georgia or any other woman. She had no hold on him.

  Chapter Eight

  An extra leaf was needed at dinner that evening, and it felt like old times with the married boarders joining them. As Matt laughed at something Ben said, he realized he’d missed this group more than he thought.

  Miss Marshall seemed as nice as he remembered from her visit earlier in the year, but she did seem a bit subdued.

  He looked around the table, glad to see that everyone seemed happy to be together again. His gaze caught Millicent’s, who sat next to him. “I’m glad you made it through the day a bit easier than last time.”

  “Thank you. So am I.”

  “I’m pleased we’re all together tonight,” John said from across the table. “I wanted to let Millicent and Matt know that the first article on the Park Row Building will be in Sunday’s paper, and from what my editor told me, it’s going to be quite a spread.”

  “And my article will be coming out in the next edition of the Delineator,” Elizabeth said.

  “Oh, I do look forward to seeing both articles,” Mrs. Heaton said. “We must get some extra copies for you two to be able to send the articles to your families.”

  “Millicent’s photographs from the first week will grab attention to them, there’s no doubt about that,” John said, turning to her. “I meant to ask, when did you take the one from the street that you gave us? He’s going to use that photo and asked if you could take one from that same spot as each floor goes up?”

  “I’ll be glad to. I took that one when I went to look at the building while trying to decide what to do. Thought I’d add it to the others, just in case.”

  “He also asked if you might take one looking down from up there, too, but I told him we aren’t allowed that close to the edge yet,” John said.

  Matt sensed Millicent’s relief as he heard her release a deep breath. He let out a small one of his own. The thought of her so close to the edge made him nervous.

  “Thank you, John. Maybe one day I’ll be able to get that close, but not yet.”

  “The Park Row? Isn’t that the tall building going up now?” Georgia asked.

  “Yes,” John said. “Matt works up there.”

  “Really? We’ve even read about it back home in Ashville. It’s to be the tallest in the city, isn’t it?”

  “When it’s finished,” Matt answered. “But I’m sure another, taller one will go up soon after.”

  “And you’ll probably work on it, too,” Luke said from the other side of the table.

  “I don’t know,” Matt said, surprising himself with his comment. He shrugged. “We’ll see.”

  “Well, by the time Millicent gets through with this assignment, she’ll probably be able to open up her shop—if not sooner,” Elizabeth said.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Millicent said.

  Then she seemed to realize she’d used Matt’s same words. She laughed, looked at him and shrugged. It seemed they were both of the same mind for a brief moment, which caught him a bit off guard and warmed his heart at the same time.

  “I do think I’ll start looking at possible places, though. I don’t think it will be easy to find just the right place for what I can afford. And I don’t know if I’d be able to tell if a place needs a lot of work, either.”

  “I’d be glad to help you,” Matt offered. “I enjoy looking at the different architecture in the city and I’d know if a place needed work to make it what you want.” He wasn’t sure who was more astounded by his words, him or Millicent—or the other people sitting around the table, who suddenly became quiet.

  “Really? You’d help me look?”

  He certainly couldn’t tell her no now. He’d offered in front of everyone. “I will. When do you want to start?”

  “Whenever is good for you.”

  “How about tomorrow afternoon? I have to work part of the day, but we’ve made good progress this week and I should be free by three or four. Will those times work for you?”

  “Yes, either time will be fine. Thank you, Matt.”

  Conversation picked up once more around the table and Matt concentrated on the plate in front of him. He wasn’t sure what prompted his offer to help Millicent find a place for her business. He’d never been in favor of her starting her own business. But if she was determined to open her own shop, he told himself, then he wanted it to be in a good building, something that she wouldn’t need to worry about spending extra money on or that would drain her dry before she ever got started. But deep down he knew there was more to his offer.

  *

  Everyone headed to the parlor to play charades after dinner and it was great fun, having enough people for several teams. Even Rebecca’s daughter Jenny played and her giggles had them all laughing. When they ended the game for refreshments, Millicent was surprised at the sudden longing she felt, seeing Jenny run to her mother and stepfather for a hug.

  She’d never given much thought to having children of her own—what good would that do when she’d about given up ever finding a man who would accept her for who she was? But seeing Mrs. Heaton’s daughter, Rebecca, and her husband, Ben, together with Jenny caused a twinge in her heart, and t
hen an even deeper one as she watched Michael Heaton looking down on his wife and their baby boy, Marcus.

  One could almost feel the love arching between them and Millicent released a deep but quiet sigh before turning her attention to Julia, who’d given in to Jenny’s pleas for them to have a sing-along.

  “Are you all right?” Matt whispered from beside her.

  “I’m fine. Why?”

  He shrugged. “You looked a little sad there for a moment.”

  “I was just—” Just what? How could she tell him she’d been longing for something unattainable?

  Julia ran her fingers over the keys just then, saving her from answering. “What do you want me to play first, Jenny?”

  “I love ‘The Sidewalks of New York.’ Will you play that one?”

  “Just for you,” Julia said.

  But Julia knew it was everyone’s favorite. Millicent’s mood lifted the minute the group began to sing and she loved the way Matt’s tenor blended with her alto. She was also pleased that he hadn’t seemed to give Georgia any more attention than he gave the other women at Heaton House. She told herself it shouldn’t bother her if he did or not. But deep down in her heart, she knew it did—no matter how hard she fought against it.

  They sang several more songs before calling it an evening and after everyone took their leave, the boarders all decided to call it a night, too. As they all headed upstairs or down, Millicent was still confused at Matt’s sudden change of attitude—of course he hadn’t said he’d changed how he felt about a woman having her own business, he’d only offered to help her look. And he’d make sure any place she might find would be built sound and if there were any remodeling to do, what it might entail and how much the cost would be. Whether he’d changed his mind about anything or not, she’d be crazy to turn down his offer.

  *

  The next afternoon as she and Matt began their search for a place that might work for her photography shop, Millicent was still having a difficult time believing that he’d offered to go with her.

  She could see him checking a building out once she’d found something she thought might work, but to go with her at the beginning? There must be more to this than just his willingness to help her. She didn’t believe he’d had a change of heart.