by Lynn Landes
“It’s lovely. Thank you. I know it’s a lot to ask but could ya wait for me?” He grins when her accent flares again and she stammers. “I mean could you wait?”
“Of course, the lady paid me earlier, Luv.” His own Irish accent has her grinning in response. “You should know, that St. Paul’s Church on Fifth Street, is open to the public. By that, I mean they help those who can’t always help themselves.” Bronnah is surprised by his generosity.
“Thank you, I shall take that into consideration.”
Bronnah takes a deep breath and walks inside, stopping to glance around the lobby in amazement. It's lit with a large chandelier and massive fireplace, gorgeous indigo blue carpet and matching velvet wallpaper. What to do now?
“May I help you?” A man with a pinched expression and a handlebar mustache asked.
“Oui, merci. I have a delivery from Vacante’s Dress shop,” she speaks in French and switches to English.
“I see, let me check my schedule.” He flips through the ledger and smiles, “Yes, here we are. Suite, 104. All deliveries are made at the back of the hotel.”
Bronnah smiles at him, “I’m sure we could make an exception just this once.”
“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to…”
“Parfait, you are too kind. I could use help carrying them?” She asked softly. “You can’t imagine that I could carry five dress boxes all by myself.”
"Of course not," he pulls a chord, and a bellhop comes out. Straight away they bring in the boxes and lead the way to the staff elevator.
Bronnah tries not to show her shock when the door opens. "This is our newest addition to the hotel. It is called a rising room. It makes carrying luggage to and from the guest suites much easier."
“Incroyable! This is incredible.” She smiles as the doors open. “Do you have multiple rising rooms or just the one?” Enjoying her attention, the concierge answers with a grin.
“We have three. One for the kitchen staff, one for the guests and one for the luggage. They come in handy when the hotel gets busy. Of course, the stairs are still in use for safety reasons, in case of a fire and such.”
"You are fortunate to work in such a place." The doors open, and they exit. Bronnah follows down the hall to the door. Inside she can hear giggling and laughter.
“They checked in late, last night,” he explains as he knocks on the door. “Delivery.”
The door is flung open, and Bronnah begins having flashbacks. They are clearly intoxicated and on the table behind them is a pot of tea. Her stomach drops.
"I shall take it from here. Just place the dress boxes on the table." Bronnah begins snapping out orders as she steps past the girl and glances around the room.
“If you need anything else, Miss, just ring.”
“Merci,” she said softly. As soon as he leaves, she hurries to the teapot and opens the lid. Still full. Good. “Hello, girls. How many of you are there?” She asks quickly.
“Oooh, you’re French. I love France! Delilah is French,” A young blonde girl said, and she twirls around.
“Lovely, let’s get your new friends, shall we?”
The young girl's green eyes grow large, “Are we going on a trip?” She grabs Bronnah’s hand and leads her into the suite. Three young girls in total. All exquisite and clearly intoxicated from the tea.
Bronnah thinks quickly, “Grab your bags girls, we are leaving to meet your husband’s now, but you must be very quiet.”
“Why?” Delilah asked in a French accent.
“Well, because…” Bronnah is stumped as she looked at the three of them.
"Is this some kind of game?" She asks, and Bronnah shakes her head yes.
“Exactly, if you want to have the first pick of the men we should go quickly. Okay?” The girls giggle and nod excitedly. “Let’s go. We shall use the stairs.” They descend down three flights of stairs, only one more flight of steps and they will be in the lobby. When the door opens suddenly, Bronnah dives behind it as Ms. Eve steps into view.
“Ms. Eve!” Delilah exclaims. Her eyes fly open in confusion when she sees the girls. Bronnah shushes them with a finger to her lip.
"What in the world? I told you to stay in your room!" Ms. Eve snaps, and Bronnah brings the handle of her derringer down on her head with a thunk. She crumples to the floor, and all of the girls gasp. Bronnah stands over her and soothes them quickly, "Shh, this is all part of the game. Ms. Eve is trying to steal your husbands."
“What in the world would she do with three husbands?” The blonde girls asked with a giggle.
“I have a few ideas,” Delilah replies with a laugh.
Bronnah tries not to laugh as she stuffs the pistol down the cleavage of her dress. “Okay, now follow me to the carriage out front. Stay close.” They walk quickly through the lobby, ignoring the stares of the bellhop and Bronnah opens the door.
Stepping out into the sunlight, she greets the driver with a small smile. “Is he my husband?” One of the girls asked.
Bronnah laughs, “We shall see. Climb in, quickly.”
“What’s all this?” The driver asks, gawking at her.
"That church you spoke of, we need to get there and fast!" She snaps and climbs up front beside him.
"Alright then," he snaps the reigns, and the girls squeal in excitement.
“What kind of trouble am I getting myself into?”
“They are stealing young women and forcing them to do despicable things. We just stole these three back. Now I need a place to hide them until they can reach their families.” He stares at her in shock and a little bit of horror.
"We did, and who are they?" He demands, whipping the carriage down an alley, he often uses for shortcuts.
“The Chen,” she murmurs softly.
"I don't feel so good," the blonde girl says as the carriage comes to a stop in front of a large church.
“The Chen!” He shouts. “I heard tale of them searching for someone. Was that you?”
“Maybe it’s time they had a taste of their own medicine. Please, you are the only chance these girls have at escaping. Please say you will help them!” Bronnah begs with tears in her eyes.
"You're a bloody handful, aren't ya?" He groans when one of the girls vomits in the grass. "Aye, I'll help." He leaps down and opens the door to help guide them inside. A second girl vomits on the ground behind the wheel.
“Are you my husband?” Delilah lays a hand on his chest and asks in a French accent.
He grins and shoves his hat back on his head as he looks her over. “Only in my dreams, love.”
"They've been drugged. It will need to wear off. I have to go." Aimee's dress shop is three blocks from the church. She grabs her carpet bag and shoves her wrist bag inside. "Don't worry about The Chen. They're looking for me. I plan on keeping them busy," Bronnah says with a smile.
"Let's get inside ladies, inside," he encourages and turns back to watch Bronnah disappear.
High on the success, Bronnah is giddy as she nears Aimee’s dress shop. “I can’t believe that worked!” When she hears the screaming and sirens sound out her stomach drops. “Fire!” Bronnah starts running only to skid to a stop in horror. Aimee's shop is in flames! People are running and screaming, as they rush to put out the fire before it can spread.
Kai grabs her hand and yanking her back into the shadow before she can step into the open and run across the street. “No, not safe!”
“Kai!” she gasps. “I need to get to the docks. Aimee is there.”
"This way!" He forces her back into the shadows, and they run down an alley away from the shop. Two men have been trailing Kai, and he led them straight to the dress shop.
The fire was bait to draw Bronnah out. They’ve been watching the streets to see who comes running. Kai leads her down the alley and shouts when one warrior steps into view at the end of the alley.
"Chen," Kai gasps. Dark and deadly, his hands disappear into his long black sleeves, and Kai yanks her the other directio
n. Bronnah runs with him and wrenches her pistol out of her bodice, praying she won't have to use it.
Kai tosses a handful of marbles on the ground behind them hoping to slow down the warrior, but he leaps across the toys using the brick wall and ricochets off, landing on his feet with a snarl.
Her prayer clearly goes unheard as a second man much larger than the last one steps into view in front of them. The darkness of the alley mixed with her fear causes her to be reckless. She screams and continues running directly at him. Behind her, she can feel the man's hand reaching for her. In a desperate last-ditch act, she stops suddenly dropping into a squat sending the Chen warrior tumbling over her and directly into the larger man.
To her astonishment, they begin to fight. Kai shouts at her and starts to drag her back down the alley away from the street, only to have two more Chen step into view. "Trapped," she cries out.
Ignoring the fighting, grunting, and bodies beating on each other behind her, she points her gun at the two Chen warriors blocking her from the alley. Kai shouts at them in Chinese to move. They ignore his warning, and one flips a small blade at Bronnah. At the last-minute, Kai shoves her, and her pistol goes off, winging one of the warriors. He shouts and falls back against the wall holding his shoulder, then stumbles out of the alley. The other man turns to face them, and Kai jumps in front of her. Bronnah jerks the blade out of her dress and ignores the stinging.
"I will shoot ya! Stay back," she shouts at him. Kai knows they can't go back down the alley, they must get to the street! He pushes her, and she backs away towards the two men who are fighting and blocking the entrance to the street.
“Alright then,” Bronnah takes a deep breath and screams as loud as her lungs will let her. He flinches as she shoots out a lantern above his head. The warrior smiles knowing she just used her last bullet.
Chase struggles to his knees and jerks his bowie knife from the chest of the dead attacker. The sound of the bullet echoes in the alley, and he snarls, leaping to his feet and drawing his pistol just as the second warrior lunges after Bronnah.
“Down,” he roars, and she obeys, pulling Kai with her, Chase shoots the assailant in the forehead. His lifeless body falls back into the alley. Bronnah struggles to her feet pushing Kai behind her and turns to face him.
This is not a Chen warrior, but a man. Chase grabs his cowboy hat off the ground and shoves it on his head. Bronnah shivers at the sheer masculine strength emanating from him. He is wearing a long canvas duster that covers his massive shoulders, and he stalks over to her as he speaks.
"Bronnah O'Dalaigh?"
"Yes," she squeaks.
"My name is Chase Rivers.” Chase shoves his pistol in its holster. “We need to move, they will bring reinforcements.”
Bronnah's knees are weak, and she struggles to stop trembling. "I thought you were in Chicago?"
Chase stares at her and hides his shock. She isn't what he was expecting. Pale skin, dark hair, and grace. A beauty to be sure, he can see why they want her. "Plans changed," he stomps past her to the body of the warrior and searches it. Nothing but weapons.
Kai follows his lead but takes the weapons. He can sell them for cash.
"Badge, Marshall," Bronnah demands, quickly coming to her senses.
Chase’s silver eyes flash, but he quickly pulls out his watch. Bronnah nods with relief, “I need to get to the docks. I have a ship waiting, called the Harbor Breeze.”
“Trains are faster,” Chase starts to say, but she interrupts him and steps past him into the light. A carriage driver sees her waving and pulls over.
"Yes, but they've been watching the depots for days. I haven't been able to get past them. I have a ship waiting, please, that fire was meant for my friend, and she's at the docks."
Chase isn’t stupid enough to question a good plan. “Let’s move then, stay close.”
"Wait." Bronnah smiled at Kai and whispered to him. "You are my guardian angel, I'll never forget you. Now get to safety." Kai hugs her tight and runs off with his weapons. Chase grasps her around the waist and lifts her onto the wagon. Bronnah flinches but doesn't scream. Glancing at Aimee's shop in flames, guilt assails her.
“Take us to the docks please,” Chase said and glanced at his hand. It’s covered in blood. Bronnah, pants, praying the blade hit nothing vital.
“You’re hurt?” He pulls out a handkerchief. “Press it…
“I’m alright,” she snaps accepting it. Chase wipes his hand on his jeans and looks away.
"Crazy fire, that is. One second all was quiet and the next it exploded in flames. Hope no one was inside," the driver said as he drives them towards the Hudson River.
Bronnah can only hope he's right. Aimee is supposed to be on the ship with her Captain. After a ten-minute ride, they are nearing the docks. The sails of the ships seem to glow an eerie yellow-orange under the flickering glass lanterns. "Here we are. You will find the dock master down on the docks."
Chase pays him and grabs her bag. "Thank you," she murmurs as he carefully helps her down. Once the driver is gone, he turns to her.
“I know you are wounded, but we need to move. They will send more after you. Can you continue?”
“Yes. I’m fine. Let’s go.”
“Stay close, the docks are rough.” Chase grabs her bag. “Miss O’Dalaigh we need to board the vessel tonight and set sail as soon as possible,” he informs her as he walks quickly towards the dock master.
"That will be nigh impossible as the tide has all but gone out," she snaps. The day's activities are catching up to her, and her side needs to be tended to. Chase is impressed with her knowledge but doesn't respond. He's busy looking for the person they need to find.
Three men are busy yelling out orders to the dock workers as they unload the shipment from one of the ships. “Stay here, I will find out where the ship is.” Bronnah nods and sits on a bench, thankful to be off her feet for the moment. She's beginning to feel dizzy from the blood loss. A slow wet stain is covering her waist, and she does her best to cover it. Staring at Chase, she can't help but smile. As he approaches the group, they all seem to wither in comparison to him. It isn't just his impressive height at six feet three, but the strength of his stare. The way he carries himself with such authority and power no one bothers to question him. He hurries back to her and holds out a hand.
She hesitates for a moment before placing her hand in his. Instant heat, envelopes her with a gentleness that has her gripping onto his strong, calloused hand as though he were her anchor in a world gone crazy.
“Not much longer and we can get your wound tended to.” Marching down the wooden planks, they stare in awe at their first glance of the Harbor Breeze Schooner.
There at the end of the dock, she bobbed restlessly, rising and falling with the movement of the tide. The strong familiar scent of the ocean strikes Bronnah, and she inhales deeply, drawing the salty air into her lungs and letting it soothe her soul.
Other ships line the docks, all dancing with the ebb and flow of the ocean. Chase notices the rope ladder on the side of the vessel, which moved slowly back and forth. One wrong step would land them in the salty grip of the sea. The Harbor Breeze is being loaded with provisions and firewood for the woodstove.
“I need to speak to your Captain,” Chase calls out to one of the crew members.
“Alright, give us a name,” he demands barely looking at them. He continues to stack wood hoping to finish up and be done for the night.
“U.S. Marshall, Chase Rivers.” All movement stops as the six crew members look at each other and then start to laugh.
“Look, Marshall, feel free to inspect the ship, we’re only carrying timber this trip,” the man said winking at Bronnah.
Chase can feel Bronnah swaying on her feet, and he is sure she is near collapse. Shivers are running through her body, probably shock, he thinks, and his temper is barely under control. "This is a Federal matter," he pushes his duster back revealing his colt and stares at the man as he blanch
es.
“Right, give me a minute.” He hurries quickly down into the belly of the ship and voices are heard, followed by feet. The Captain stomps onto the deck of his ship and glares at Chase and Bronnah.
“What do you want?” he scowls. Bronnah steps close to the edge of the dock desperate for shelter and rest.
"Please, I'm a friend of Aimee's, is she here?" He stares at her and nods. With a shrill whistle, they listen as Aimee grumbles in French and stomps out of the Captain's quarters.
“What kind of date is this, Allen?” Aimee stops talking when she notices everyone standing still. She glanced to her left past Chase and notices Bronnah for the first time.
"Bronnah!" She snaps out orders in French, and a piece of wood is placed down, serving as a bridge between the dock and the boat. "What are you doing here? Is that blood? Why are you wearing a wig?" Bronnah laughs at the look of exasperation on Allen's face at the rapid-fire questions, and her laughter soon turns to tears.
“Oh, Aimee I have so much to tell you.” Bronnah stumbles across the bridge supported by Chase.
“Marshall Chase Rivers.” He offers his hand to the captain.
“Captain A. H. Foster, at your service, Marshall.” Both men turn to watch the women hugging each other.
“We need a private place to talk, Captain. I need a quick getaway. I can pay you handsomely for your assistance.” Allen nods and leads the way.
“Come on love, let’s take them inside my quarters and sort this out.”
Allen leads the way into a small room with a living area, full-size bed, and windows flanking both sides of the room. Lush curtains are hung and can be released to cover as needed for privacy. Aimee guides Bronnah to the small love seat and gasps when she lifts her arm to check the size of the wound. The dress is torn and reveals a rip in the corset beneath the dress. Aimee blanched and backs away, “I’m sorry, I don’t do… blood. What happened?”
