Jude wished he could say the same, but he’d witnessed more abuse than anyone should ever have to see.
“We’ll need Martha to bring her some clean clothes and toiletry items,” Ben continued. “She has nothing.”
“Martha’s not well. She’s in bed and Dr. Jodan is seeing to her now.”
Ben’s face filled with concern. “Who will help?”
Jude paced across the room, hating to ask the one person he wished to keep out of this mess. “Our only option is Elizabeth.”
Ben shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Then who?” Jude lifted his hands. “No one else knows about this girl. Elizabeth is the only person I can think of. I’m supposed to dance with her soon and I’ll ask her.” He paused. “Is Gretchen in your barn? Did anyone see you with her?”
“Yes, she’s in my barn and I don’t think anyone saw.”
“Good. We don’t have much time before someone notices she’s gone and comes looking for her. If Elizabeth agrees to help, I’ll have her gather some things and then take her to your barn. I’ll come back here, make an appearance so people don’t suspect, and then take my wagon back to your place, where I’ll pick up Gretchen and head to St. Cloud. You can come and get Elizabeth and bring her back to the ball.”
“It sounds complicated.”
“It usually is.”
Ben nodded. “I’ll head back to the ball with you. It’s important that as many people as possible see us so Dew doesn’t link us to Gretchen’s disappearance.”
“I agree.”
They left the parlor and returned to the ballroom. Elizabeth stood on the side of the dance floor, her eyes searching the crowd until her gaze landed on him.
Jude strode across the dance floor as the orchestra began a waltz and the other dancers started to spin around the room. All thoughts left Jude as he stood before Elizabeth and looked into her beautiful face.
“May I have this dance?” he asked.
She curtsied and offered her hand. “You may.”
He led her onto the floor and turned to face her. She looked up expectantly and deep affection stirred within his chest. He slipped his right hand around her tiny waist and loved when she rested her hand on his shoulder. Their other hands clasped and he took the first step. She followed, matching him step for step, their graceful bodies moving in perfect rhythm. Not once did he take his eyes off her face or pay any attention to the other dancers. In this moment, it was only the two of them and nothing else mattered.
They swayed and twirled around the floor, and with each step they took he drew closer to her, wrapping his arm around her waist a little tighter.
“You’re a marvelous dancer,” she said, almost breathless.
“You doubted me?”
She smiled and the light glimmered in her eyes.
The dance would end all too soon, so he needed to make his request while he still had the chance.
“Ben returned.”
For the first time since he’d approached her, she tore her gaze from his and scanned the room.
“He was able to get the young lady to his barn,” he said quietly.
“Now it’s your turn to see her to safety elsewhere?”
He nodded. “But there’s been a little trouble.”
Concern deepened the creases between her eyes. “What kind of trouble?”
“Martha was going to come with and see to Gretchen’s needs. She’s been beaten badly and needs some help tending to her wounds. Her clothes were destroyed and she has nothing.” He paused, watching the emotions flicker across her face. “But Martha’s sick. She’s come down with some malady. Dr. Jodan is seeing to her now.”
“Martha is ill?” Elizabeth’s eyes opened wider.
“Yes. She’s in bed and the doctor is taking care of her.”
“Who will help the...the...”
“Gretchen?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t have anyone to help her now that Martha is sick.” He took a deep breath as they continued to twirl around the room. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to help.”
“Me?” Her steps faltered, but she quickly regained her stride. She shook her head. “I don’t think I could.”
“Why not? Neither Ben nor I can help her. There’s no one else who knows about her but you.”
Elizabeth looked away from his beseeching eyes. “I shouldn’t leave the ball.”
“Now is the perfect time. Everyone is dancing and having fun. They won’t notice if you’re gone for an hour.”
She bit her bottom lip, but still did not look at him.
“Please, Elizabeth. I know what I’m asking is hard—but I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you could do this. Gretchen needs help and if we don’t give it to her, no one will.”
She finally looked at him. “I’ll help you this time.” She swallowed. “But please don’t ask again.”
If it was all she could give, it was all he’d ask. “Thank you. You’re saving a woman’s life, Elizabeth. She’ll be forever grateful, and so will I.”
She didn’t respond, but continued dancing. When the song ended, she pulled away from him. “I’ll go put some things together in a bag.”
“Use the back stairs,” he whispered. “I’ll meet you there in five minutes.”
He watched her walk away, her head held high, as others turned to look, too.
Jude found Ben where he’d left him by the parlor door. “Elizabeth agreed to help. She’s gathering some things now. I’ll meet her by the back stairs in five minutes and bring her to your barn. I should be back here in less than twenty minutes.”
Ben nodded. “I tucked Gretchen in the back of the barn, behind a stack of hay.”
Jude left the ballroom and waited for Elizabeth at the bottom of the back stairs. True to her word, she arrived in less than five minutes with a small bundle. She had put on her cloak and bonnet, and silently passed by him as she walked out the back door and into the dark alley.
Nerves overtook Jude as he thought about the danger he was putting her in. He wished there was some other way, but right now they needed to get Gretchen to safety as soon as possible. He’d have Elizabeth back to the ballroom in less than an hour and then he’d never ask her to help again.
* * *
Elizabeth stepped into the inky darkness of night, hating the shudder that raced down her spine. Why had she agreed to help Jude? How would she respond to the soiled dove when she saw her? Her only experience with women like her was in Rockford as a child. Whenever one of them appeared on the street, Mama had turned Elizabeth’s head in a different direction and shielded her from seeing the women up close, just as Elizabeth had done with Rose. After she learned the truth about Violet, she’d had to fight the urge to look away every time the girl had entered a room. How could Elizabeth help this woman if she struggled to look at her or talk to her?
She followed Jude down the dark alley. Ben’s home was just south of the church, only a block away from the Northern.
“Thank you,” Jude said quietly.
Elizabeth was silent for a few moments, still upset that he had asked her to do this thing, but understanding why he had. There was no one else to help. “You’re welcome.”
The stars hung overhead in a brilliant array and the moon lent a soft light for her to see his troubled features. He had been just as uncertain about asking her as she had about accepting. How could she stay mad at him when he was doing the right thing?
It didn’t take long for them to reach Ben’s barn. Right before they left the alley to approach the small structure, Jude reached out and took her hand, pulling her to a stop.
She held her breath as he stood like a statue. Was he listening for something? Had he heard a noise?
“Is
everything all right?” she whispered.
He nodded and then his gaze found hers. “I was just listening to see if we’d been followed or spotted.” He spoke so quietly, she could hardly make out his words.
Jude continued to stand there and she didn’t move a muscle. Abram and Charlotte’s house and barn were visible at the bottom of the hill behind Ben’s home. The Mississippi River sparkled in the light of the moon and crickets filled the air with a natural symphony.
His grip tightened around her hand and she looked up to find him watching her. A part of her longed for him to pull her into his arms and reassure her that all would be fine, that she would return to the ball soon, that he would come back safe from escorting the lady to St. Cloud and that he would finally agree to stop this dangerous work.
He looked at her with such trepidation she couldn’t help but whisper, “Are you sure everything is all right?”
“Be careful,” he said. “As soon as I leave, bar the door and don’t let anyone in until Ben or I return.”
She nodded.
Without warning, he drew her into his arms and held her tight.
Elizabeth inhaled a sharp breath and then gave in to the yearning she’d felt before. She wrapped her arms around him and nestled into his solid body.
He pulled her closer and she loved the way her body formed to his. She inhaled his scent and felt the warmth from his embrace all the way to her toes.
He set his cheek upon her hair and ran his hands up the length of her back. The sensation made her sigh. She wanted to linger there all night, and the longer he held her, the more she wanted to stay.
“Be safe,” she whispered as she pulled away.
“You, too.”
Jude led her across the small yard and they walked through the door leading into Ben’s barn.
A horse stood on one side, quietly munching on hay, but nothing else moved in the dark interior. Another shudder ran up Elizabeth’s spine and she clutched the bundle of clothes and food she’d brought for the lady.
Jude closed the door and walked across the barn to a pile of hay in the corner. He motioned for her to follow, so she picked her way across the space, trying to ignore the musty, foul smells of the barn.
“Gretchen?” Jude whispered.
Again, silence.
“It’s me, Jude Allen.” He squatted behind the hay and Elizabeth could only see his head in the meager light.
“I’ve brought someone to help you.” He looked at Elizabeth and nodded for her to approach.
“Miss Bell has brought clean clothes,” Jude whispered. “I’ll leave her here with you, and when I come back I’ll have a wagon to bring you to St. Cloud. There’s a woman there who has agreed to take you in until we can find a more suitable place for you to live and work.”
“I want to get as far away as possible,” said the woman Elizabeth could not see. Her voice was surprisingly cultured and refined, though it was bitter and laced with pain.
Elizabeth rounded the corner of the hay pile and choked on a gasp that threatened to release. The woman lying in the hay was so badly beaten that her eyes were almost swollen shut and her cheeks were bruised. A cut above her eye had bled and scabbed over, leaving a mess in her eyebrow and down the side of her face. Her hair was tangled and her dress—what was left of it—was torn in several places. She clutched it around her body as she stared at Elizabeth.
What monster would do such a thing to a woman?
Jude watched Elizabeth closely and she knew she needed to mask her response, so she forced a smile.
“This is Miss Elizabeth Bell,” Jude said softly to the lady. “Elizabeth, this is Miss Gretchen.”
“Abbot.” Gretchen tried to rise up on her elbows, but she fell back to the hay with a groan and pressed her lips together, not looking at Elizabeth. “My name is Gretchen Abbot.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Abbot.”
Jude offered Elizabeth the slightest smile and then he stood. “I’ll leave you women to tend to things. I’ll return in about a half an hour.” He went to the door and looked back at Elizabeth. “Remember, bar this door and don’t let anyone in but Ben or me.”
Elizabeth walked toward him and he grabbed a board that looked about the right size to block the door shut.
He handed it to her, his eyes searching hers, then he leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I know how much I’m asking of you.”
Her cheek tingled where he’d kissed her and she placed her hand there.
Jude opened the door and walked out.
Elizabeth placed the board in the slots on either side of the door and tugged it to make sure it was firm.
A lone window faced the alley and Elizabeth watched Jude pass by. He strode with purpose back the way they’d come. In no time at all, he’d return to get Gretchen, so she needed to make sure the lady was ready to go.
Elizabeth walked back to the straw pile and took a deep breath. When she rounded the corner she found Gretchen lying exactly as they’d left her.
“I have a clean gown and some undergarments,” Elizabeth said. “They’re not much, so I apologize.”
Gretchen didn’t say anything as she looked at Elizabeth.
“I’ll try to help you up so we can remove your other things first.” She knelt beside the lady and slipped her arm under Gretchen’s back. There was nothing to the woman but skin and bones.
Gretchen moaned as Elizabeth helped her sit up. It was dark in the barn, but Elizabeth was able to work with efficiency. Gretchen was little help, since it hurt for her to move. Elizabeth suspected that a couple of ribs and perhaps her collarbone were broken from the way she responded to different movements.
The barn was too quiet. Elizabeth could hear herself breathing above Gretchen’s labored moans.
“You’ll need to see a doctor as soon as you get to St. Cloud,” Elizabeth said, hoping to fill the space with her words. “I don’t know where Mr. Allen will take you, but they’ll see to your needs.”
Gretchen began to cry and Elizabeth suspected it had nothing to do with her physical pain.
As she helped Gretchen slip into the clean undergarments and then the dress, the young lady’s cries turned to sobs. They racked her body as Elizabeth buttoned up the back. She worked as gently as she could, trying to adjust the dress to fit the smaller woman. When the dress was on, she helped Gretchen lie down again and started on the stockings and boots.
Gretchen turned her face away from Elizabeth, her body trembling.
Tears began to form in the back of Elizabeth’s eyes as she pulled a hair ribbon from the bundle and knelt by Gretchen’s head. She helped her sit up once again and allowed Gretchen to lean against her as she pulled the woman’s thick hair together and combed it with her fingers. There was little more she could do without soap and water, but she wanted to make Gretchen feel as normal as possible, so she braided the woman’s hair and tied it off with the pretty blue ribbon.
For a long time, Gretchen’s head lay in Elizabeth’s lap and she continued to cry as Elizabeth stroked her hair.
What could she say to this woman that would make everything better? How could she offer hope in this moment of darkness? What did Elizabeth know of such suffering?
As she sat there quietly, allowing Gretchen to cry, she realized that there was nothing to say, after all. Maybe it was enough just to offer her strength and compassion, to be a friend when the young lady had no one else in the world.
Chapter Eighteen
Jude let himself into the back of the Northern and readjusted his cravat to make sure he looked presentable for the ballroom. He needed to make an appearance, check on Martha and then hitch up the wagon and get back to Elizabeth and Gretchen.
He strode down the hall and entered the ballroom, his
thoughts on Elizabeth and the embrace they had shared. He had kissed her cheek before he left, wanting to offer so much more.
The ballroom looked the same as before, with the orchestra playing and the dancers swirling around the floor. Grace was in the arms of Alphonse, smiling and laughing at whatever the young man was saying.
“Jude.” Ben approached, concern lining his face. “Is everything going as planned?”
Jude nodded, though he tried to keep his face and voice calm, in case someone was watching. “I think I’ll make my way around the room and say hello to a few people.” He spotted Dr. Jodan as he entered the ballroom. “I’ll start with the doctor.”
Jude walked to Dr. Jodan and caught his eye. “How is Martha doing?”
Dr. Jodan was a kind man with a big mustache and thinning hair. He smiled jovially. “She’s resting now, and she’ll probably be in bed for a few days, but she’ll be fine.”
Jude breathed easier at the news. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” Mr. Jodan lifted a glass of lemonade off the table. “Thank you for another fun evening.”
Jude shook the man’s hand and made his way around the room. Abram and Charlotte Cooper were in attendance, as were other friends and neighbors.
When fifteen minutes had passed, Jude stepped out of the ballroom and into the lobby, where Pascal was standing behind the counter. “How is everything out here?” Jude asked.
“Good. All the rooms are full.”
Jude had told Pascal about his plans, so he knew what to expect. “I’ll be leaving—”
A shot rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass and shouting.
“Murder! Murder!” A woman ran out of the sitting room and into the lobby. “Someone’s trying to murder me!” She pushed her way into the ballroom and continued to scream.
Pandemonium ensued as the orchestra stopped playing and people began to panic.
Jude ran into the sitting room and found one of the windows had been broken.
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