Refining Fire

by Tracie Peterson

  “And why should he?” Abrianna laughed. “He has all of us.”

  Aunt Poisie interjected, “Yes, but a man needs a wife, and Wade looks quite lonely sometimes, much as my dear Captain once looked. God rest his soul.”

  “Amen, Sister. Now really, we must be about our business. Sister, go and see if the table decorations have been completed.” Poisie scurried off in her manner, seeming delighted to have a task to perform.

  The idea of Wade needing a wife momentarily threw Abrianna into a state of confusion. Wade? Lonely? She’d never really given it much thought. He was at the school often enough that it seemed impossible he could be lonely.

  Aunt Miriam continued. “Poisie is right. The Bible says it is not good for man to be alone, and frankly, I believe Wade would benefit from a wife and family. Since he is closest to you, Abrianna, perhaps you could suggest one of the girls. Clara, for example, is coming along quite well. She will be ready to dance at next year’s ball, and that would give them time to court.”

  The thought of Wade marrying and no longer being able to work with Abrianna and the others at the food house made her uncomfortable. In fact, the very idea of Wade giving all his time and attention to another woman made her feel very nearly cross. Not understanding the feelings of perplexity, Abrianna picked up a basket with ingredients for tomorrow’s lunches and, without commenting on her aunt’s suggestion, headed for the door.

  “We will be back as soon after two as we can.”

  Militine followed her outside, bringing a large basket loaded with bread. Wade hadn’t yet arrived, but Abrianna knew it would only be a matter of minutes.

  “I’m so nervous about tomorrow,” Militine said, shifting the basket to her left arm. “Just think, after the ball I will be Thane’s wife.”

  “It is a wonder,” Abrianna said, trying hard to push aside her irritation. “I do wish you would reconsider and wear one of Lenore’s gowns.” Her words sounded harsh and critical. “Oh bother. I’m sorry. You are entitled to wear whatever you’d like to your own wedding.”

  “Thank you, but I appreciate that you want to make everything perfect. However, Thane and I aren’t at all worried about appearance. Your aunts helped me earlier in April to make my dress for the ball, and it’s a lovely piece. I rather like that I made it with my own hands.”

  “I know you will be beautiful.” Abrianna craned to see if Wade’s wagon was yet approaching. It wasn’t, and for reasons beyond her, that just irritated her all the more.

  “What about you? Will tomorrow be perfect for you with Mr. Welby coming to share the evening?”

  “Bah! I’d just as soon he stay home,” she admitted. “I told him I would be busy helping to see that things ran smoothly. He said he didn’t care, that he intended for us to have several waltzes, even if he had to bribe Aunt Miriam.” She shook her head at the thought. “The man can be positively exasperating, and once Aunt Miriam found out that he was willing not only to come, but to pay the admission, she has been at me since. She tells me I must look my best and dance as much as possible so that I might get to know him better.”

  “What about Wade?”

  “What about him?”

  Militine shrugged. “Will he get any waltzes with you?”

  “You do ask the silliest questions. If I’m to dance all the time with Mr. Welby in order to know him better, I’ll have no time to worry about anyone else. Besides, Wade will probably be enamored with one of the other young ladies. I saw him having a deep conversation last Sunday at the dinner table with Clara. I think she’s sweet on him.” Abrianna frowned. Again, such a thought caused her uneasiness, and her stomach tightened. Perhaps she was coming down with a summer cold. Yes, that would explain a great deal.

  “I don’t think he’s sweet on her,” Militine replied.

  Wade’s wagon appeared down the street. The single chestnut horse clip-clopped at a slow pace, as if they were both out for a summer ride to take the air.

  “Goodness, I wish he’d put the horse to a trot. It’s very nearly ten, and I need time to cut the bread for today and tomorrow.”

  “Good thing you put the soup together yesterday.”

  “Thank goodness for the icebox. It’s a wreck of a piece, but it does the job.” Thane had managed to round up an old icebox for them to keep foods from spoiling. Better still, he’d found some ice to put inside. It made things much easier for them to have the next day’s soup cooking while feeding the poor their lunch. Abrianna had already decided she would press Mr. Welby first thing to provide a very large icebox for the new facility.

  Finally the wagon drew even with them, and Wade set the brake. Militine and Abrianna hurried to put the food in the back. Militine surprised them both by jumping up to seat herself on the back of the wagon.

  “I’m just going to ride here today. Mind the holes in the road so I don’t fall off.”

  Wade laughed. “I don’t think Thane would appreciate it if I lost you in one of those pits.” He turned to Abrianna. “May I assist you in taking your seat?”

  He didn’t look so lonely. Instead, he looked quite happy, and he was clean-shaven and smelled good. She smiled. “I would be thankful for the help. Although I have donned my serviceable clothes, I would hate to have my skirt catch and tear,” she said in a sophisticated manner and then broke into laughter. “Help me or not, Wade, I’m sure I can manage either way.”

  He smiled and handed her up before taking his seat. “Just look. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. I recall your aunt Miriam saying that the ball might be moved outdoors to the gardens if the weather stayed nice.”

  “It’s been nice for so many days that she has decided it will last at least one more. Already she has the girls setting up decorations in the garden, and every table that was in the house has been dragged outside.”

  “She should have waited for Thane and me to help.”

  “My father—goodness but that’s still hard to get used to—my father helped a good deal, and most of us gals are as strong as oxen, and you well know it.

  “Still, I’m glad. I think it will be cooler outside. It always feels so warm with formal clothes and so many people stuffed into one room.”

  Abrianna cast him a sidelong glance. “Wade, can I ask you something?” She lowered her voice as they moved into traffic. She hoped the activity around them would muffle her voice so that Militine wouldn’t overhear.

  “Sure. What do you want to know?”

  “Do you find yourself . . . well . . . interested in any of the girls at the bridal school?”

  He looked at her in surprise. “What a question. Tell me first why you ask.”

  “Well, it’s really not important. Someone mentioned that one of the girls might be sweet on you.”

  “Really.” He sat back with a cocky grin. “Is that so? Which one?”

  Abrianna frowned. He wasn’t helping matters. “It’s not important. Forget I asked.”

  He laughed. “You are a funny creature, Abrianna Cunningham.”

  After the rush of lunch and cleanup at the food house, Abrianna was more than ready to return home. First, however, there was the duty of retrieving the costume trunk. “Aunt Miriam wants us to get that old trunk of costumes that we left behind at the Madison Building.”

  “I can’t take the time just now,” Wade said, looking worried. “I promised her I’d deliver the wagon, and it’s just about ready.”

  “You needn’t worry. We already discussed that very fact. Aunt Miriam gave us fare for the trolley but suggested that if Mr. Welby wasn’t busy, he could bring us home instead.”

  He looked unhappy. “She honestly said you two could manage it on your own?”

  “Yes. I wouldn’t lie to you. If I were of a mind to do something underhanded, I certainly wouldn’t announce it to you. You know me well enough to realize that.”

  “I suppose I do. Well, I can at least walk you over. It’s only a couple of blocks.”

  “That would be exactly as my aunt wished it
.” Abrianna grinned. “However, I wasn’t going to tell you that part, just in case you were too busy. Speaking of which, when are you headed up to deliver the wagon?”

  “I’m attaching the sign, and then I’ll head up. It’ll probably take me about forty minutes or so. I hope to be there by three, and then I’ll be staying to help with the decorating. Your aunt even invited me to share supper and stay the night. They’re to set me up in the carriage house with your father. I thought it all rather easy, since they have taken the care to ready all my formal clothes.”

  “Wonderful. I can hardly wait to see the wagon. I’ve wanted to sneak over to your shop several times just to have a peek. Will it really seat ten?”

  “It will.”

  Without thinking, she reached up and pushed back a lock of his brown hair. Goodness, but he looked so handsome. No doubt Aunt Miriam was right. Someone, somewhere, would want him for a husband. “You need a haircut and—”

  He grabbed hold of her wrist as if it were reflex. Abrianna met his gaze, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember what else she was going to say. Her stomach tightened again, just as it had on the trip to the docks. Whatever was wrong with her, Abrianna could only hope it wouldn’t interfere with the ball.

  “We should go,” he finally said, dropping his hold.

  Abrianna nodded and headed for the door. Her confusion seemed to double. “I promised Aunt Miriam we would hurry home. We might beat you there.”

  The walk took only a matter of minutes, and once they were at the doors to the building, Wade made his excuses and turned back toward his shop. Abrianna couldn’t imagine what had gotten into him. He’d scarcely said a word on their walk.

  “Oh bother.” She wasn’t going to worry about his moodiness. “Let’s go.” She opened the door and held it for Militine before following her into the building.

  When they reached Mr. Welby’s office on the first floor, Militine made way for Abrianna to enter first. A man looked up from a typewriter and seemed confused.

  “May I help you?”

  “Is Mr. Welby in?”

  “He is not.”

  Abrianna moved toward the still-open door where Militine stood. “It doesn’t matter. I know my way around. We’re just here to retrieve a small trunk from the basement.” She started for the basement door, but Welby’s right-hand man again appeared out of nowhere.

  “You can’t go down there. I told you it was being reconstructed. Besides, I searched and didn’t find anything.”

  She didn’t believe him. He had that look about him that suggested he would say anything to rid himself of their intrusion. “Well, thank you. I suppose I shan’t bother further.”

  His leering smile made her uneasy as his gaze traveled the length of her body. “It’s never a bother to talk to a beautiful woman. The boss is lucky to have you.”

  “He doesn’t exactly have me. Now, if you will excuse us.” After enduring his perusal, all she wanted was to go home and take a bath.

  They exited without another word. Abrianna could feel Carl’s gaze watching her every move. She headed down the walk with Militine at her side, then paused when they reached the busy intersection. Instead of crossing, however, she turned left and skirted the Madison Building.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I know a way in.”

  “Don’t you think they’ll have the back door locked?”

  “I’m not heading for the back door.” Abrianna glanced down at her gown. The apron had protected her from food stains, but what she was about to do would ruin the skirt and blouse for good.

  “Then where?” Militine took hold of her arm. “What are you going to do?”

  “The coal chute is just big enough for me to get inside. Hopefully, the coal will neither be too high nor too low, otherwise it will be difficult to hand that trunk back up to you.”

  “What?”

  Abrianna laughed at her confusion. “When I was a little girl I learned early on all the various ways I could get in and out of the building unseen. The coal chute was just one of those.” They came to a metal flap positioned at the bottom of the brick wall. She lifted it and pointed. “Down the chute, as they say.”

  “I’m not going in there.” Militine backed up.

  Abrianna sighed. “Very well. I’ll go and you stay here. When I have the trunk I will lift it up to you. I hope it won’t be too big, or we’ll have to take the costumes out and carry them separately. And Aunt Miriam is certain the rosettes will be there, as well.”

  “Abrianna, you’ll be covered in coal dust. Your aunt will know what you did.”

  “I’ll worry about that later. I’m sure I can slip in the back unnoticed while you take her the costumes and rosettes. She’ll be so delighted, she won’t even notice I’m not there.”

  Without waiting another minute, Abrianna sat on the ground and wrapped her skirt around her legs. “Hold the flap open.”

  Militine did as instructed, and Abrianna wiggled her way down the chute feet first. It wasn’t as easy as when she’d been a child. Goodness, but she’d gotten fat over the years. Her aunts had installed a small slide for the coal. It didn’t reach to the ground, however, so there was a bit of a drop when the coal was low. Fortunately, that was not the case. Abrianna maneuvered down the sharp chunks of coal and got to her feet. She dusted off as best she could, thankful that the open flap held by Militine allowed her a bit of light.

  “I’ll be right back. It isn’t all that big down here. I should be able to search it all in just a few minutes.”

  “Please hurry, Abrianna. I’m frightened.”

  “Silly mouse. I’m the one risking discovery.”

  Abrianna crept toward the closed door of the boiler room. She hoped no workmen would be around to question her arrival. She opened the door with great care and listened. To her surprise, there was no sound at all. She slipped into the open area and glanced around. There wasn’t much light from the windows. Most were boarded over. She could see that Mr. Welby had made serious use of the room for storage, but there wasn’t much in the way of repair, with the exception of one walled-off area that appeared to have a locked door.

  She looked around the room and behind numerous crates. She startled when a mouse ran out from one of the straw-packed wooden boxes. Weaving around the stacks, she looked high and low for any sign of a trunk. Nothing. Perhaps Mr. Welby had heard of their search and found the piece for them. Maybe he had even intended to deliver it but had forgotten.

  Abrianna was just about to return to the chute when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone crying. It was muffled, but sounded like a child weeping. She moved to one side of the room, but the sound faded. As she crossed toward the locked room the sound increased. She could hear whispers and more crying. At the door she tried the lock, but it was secure. The crying stopped immediately.

  “Hello? Is someone in there?” Surely she was just hearing street sounds. “Hello?”

  “You go. Plenty in here, but big danger for you.” The broken English answer was clearly delivered by a woman.

  “Who put you here?”

  “You go. Those men come and put you here, too.”

  Abrianna tried the lock again. “I won’t leave you. I will get you out of here. What men did this? I will see them jailed.”

  She wondered if this was Carl’s doing. Worse still, did Mr. Welby know anything about it? The lock wouldn’t give, and she tried to figure out what to do next. “I’ll be right back. Stay quiet.”

  Abrianna hurried to the coal chute. “Militine?” she called in a whisper. Nothing. She tried a little louder. “Militine.”

  This time her friend’s face appeared in the opening. “Hurry up. We need to get out of here.”

  “I can’t. There are some women—I think Chinese—locked in a room down here. There is a big lock, and I can’t budge it. Go to the Post Building. It’s just a couple blocks away. Matt got a job there stacking papers. Tell him he must come right now and bring his lock-p
icking tools.” Militine looked at her as if she were crazy. “Hurry, we don’t have much time, and I fear Carl will come down here to check on his hostages.”

  “This is much too dangerous, Abrianna. Come up and let’s go for the police.”

  “The police won’t care what happens to a handful of Chinese. Please just do as I say.”

  She could see that Militine was torn, but finally the young woman nodded. “I’ll go.” She lowered the flap and the room grew dark.

  Abrianna didn’t know whether to go back to the girls and risk discovery or just close the boiler-room door and wait. It was abominable to think that Priam Welby had anything to do with keeping these women locked up in the basement. But it was his building. Surely he had to know what was going on. Still, by his own admission and her experience, he was seldom here. It was just as likely this entire matter was something his man had done, but for what purpose or perversion Abrianna couldn’t imagine. Nor did she want to.

  20

  This is the finest omnibus ever created,” Mrs. Madison declared.

  Wade stood back, quite proud of his accomplishment. “One of the city councilmen saw it and told me he was going to suggest I be hired to build the new trolley cars. That kind of job would give me enough money to relocate. I’ve already set aside a good bit for such a thing.”

  “That would be a wonderful thing indeed.” Mrs. Madison ran her hand down the side of the painted sign.

  The Madison Bridal School had been painted in burgundy letters against an ivory background. The wagon itself had been painted a muted yellow on the bottom and burgundy on the top and the driver’s seat. It sported three windows on either side. Mrs. Gibson had wanted more, but Mrs. Madison feared it would look too garish.

  “Well, come inside, Wade, and I will give you the balance on this magnificent carriage. Mr. Cunningham, would you unhitch the horses while we tend to business?”

  “Happily.”

  Wade looked over his shoulder. “I’m staying the night, so if you want to just put them in the carriage house, I can return them to the livery tomorrow.”