Refining Fire

by Tracie Peterson

  Abrianna suppressed a giggle. Her aunts were always worrying about the strangest things. At a time like this she doubted very seriously that those poor souls wandering the streets were overly worried about anything but finding a place to rest and a hot meal.

  “Sister, you needn’t be afraid. I do not believe you will have to live in a tent anytime soon.”

  Liang appeared at the door to the sitting room. “Mr. Welby is here.”

  Abrianna tensed. She knew she would have to receive him. She had already decided she would confront him regarding the girls. Wade was certain he was to blame for their imprisonment, but Abrianna felt it was only right to give the man the benefit of doubt. After all, even though she had no intention of marrying Mr. Welby, she did say she would give him a fair chance to prove himself.

  “Show him into the front parlor.” Aunt Miriam set aside her sewing and looked to Abrianna. “I suppose you will want to speak to him about the girls?”

  “Indeed. The truth must be found out.” She rose and set aside the blanket she’d been hemming. “Although I do not relish this moment in time. I sometimes wish I’d never gone down that coal chute.”

  “I have also wished it on many occasions,” Aunt Miriam murmured.

  Abrianna looked at her aunt in surprise. “You knew?”

  “Of course I knew. You did a poor job cleaning up afterward.”

  “But you never said anything.” Abrianna looked to her other aunts. “Did all of you know?”

  “Certainly we did,” Aunt Selma said.

  Aunt Poisie merely bobbed her head and smiled. Her eyes seemed to dance in amusement. Abrianna felt certain her aunt would have liked to have commented on the matter, but already her sister was guiding the conversation.

  “How will you confront him, Abrianna?”

  She sighed and smoothed the skirt of her mauve gown. “I’ve given it a great deal of prayer. I plan to tell him the truth of what I did and what I found. I believe we will know if he is lying by the way he reacts. And we can bring the girls to confront him. If he had charge of this situation and dealt with the girls in person, they will recognize him, and that will be that.”

  “Will we need the police?” Aunt Poisie asked, her eyes growing wide. “I daresay that would be most scandalous to have them come here to the house.”

  “I think we can probably avoid that,” Aunt Miriam replied.

  “If they do need to come, we shall offer them refreshments. Then we could tell our neighbors that we took tea together—if they asked.” Aunt Poisie leaned back in her chair and smiled, as if proud at her clever thinking. “Then no one would need be wiser about the real reason.”

  To Aunt Poisie it no doubt seemed a master plan. Abrianna couldn’t help but smile. She loved these dear old ladies with all of her heart.

  “Well, let us join him.” Aunt Miriam moved toward the door. “We will let Abrianna take charge of the conversation regarding the young Chinese women.”

  “Oh, agreed,” Aunt Poisie declared. “Quite agreed.”

  “She is best to confront him.” Aunt Selma got to her feet.

  The comments surprised Abrianna. Perhaps her aunts were now starting to see her in a different light. Rather than treating her like a young child who had little or no sense, maybe they were seeing her for the sensible young woman she’d become. Of course, sensible women probably did not slip down coal chutes.

  The front parlor had been arranged in a most welcoming way. The decorating had been a labor of love by the three older ladies, and most visitors agreed that it was one of the most pleasant parlors they’d yet encountered. However, Priam Welby did not look at all comfortable as he paced the beautiful Oriental rug.

  “Mr. Welby.” Aunt Miriam and the others entered ahead of Abrianna. They nodded their greeting and took their places.

  Mr. Welby smiled. “Ladies, I am relieved to know that you are well.” He looked past them to meet Abrianna’s scrutiny. “And you, I am most relieved to see that you are well, too. I feared you might have been at your little food house when the fire broke out.”

  “I was indeed downtown.” Abrianna swept into the room like a regal queen, the satin merveilleux gown rustling like a whisper. She held herself as precisely as Aunt Miriam, hoping her formality would indicate her maturity. She sank gracefully onto a French corner chair, which had recently been reupholstered in a dark hunter green silk. “Please sit.”

  He did so but still looked uneasy. “I thought to come here today and invite you and Miss Poisie for a carriage ride. There are already many people coming from far and wide to see the remains of Seattle, and I thought perhaps you might desire a closer look.”

  “I cannot agree to any carriage ride just now,” Abrianna said. She folded her hands together. “We need to talk first.”

  He looked from her to the older ladies. “Is there something amiss?”

  “Perhaps.” Abrianna tried not to sound condemning. The fact was she couldn’t bring herself to believe him guilty of such a horrible thing. He might have big ears and be a ruthless businessman, as Wade suggested, but holding people hostage in his basement seemed beyond anything she could imagine him doing.

  Welby looked to Mrs. Madison. “First, let me say that I felt great sorrow at the loss of your old building. It was a grand place and suited my needs so well. However, I was greatly relieved to know that you had long since moved from it to the safety of this house. I believe that to be divine providence.”

  “We quite agree, Mr. Welby,” Aunt Miriam answered for them all. “We were just speaking of that yesterday. God certainly blessed us in bringing us to this place. I was never easy in leaving my husband’s legacy, but it is clear that God provided safety and provision for us.”

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I was telling some of my men.”

  “Will you rebuild, Mr. Welby?” Aunt Selma asked in such a casual manner that they might well have been taking tea.

  “I will. I had insurance on the building and its contents. I have been informed of where to file my claim and plan to do so Monday.”

  Abrianna couldn’t resist a blunt question. “Will that insurance extend to human loss?”

  He looked at her and shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re asking. There were no deaths at the Madison Building.”

  Abrianna felt her resolve to be calm and meticulous fade. She couldn’t bear to think that he could so easily talk about insurance and replacing what had been lost if he knew that human life might have been lost, as well.

  “I went to your building the day of the fire.”

  Everyone stopped and looked at Abrianna. Mr. Welby appeared confused. “But why would you go there? You knew I was seldom in my office.”

  “Yes, I knew that. However, we needed to search for a trunk full of costumes that we feared had been left behind in the basement.”

  His expression didn’t change, and Abrianna took this to be a good sign. “Your man, Carl, wouldn’t let us go and look. He said there was danger there, and that some repairs were being made.”

  Welby rubbed his chin. “I do recall he said something about that. Surely he offered to look for the trunk himself.”

  “He told me that he had, but the trunk wasn’t there.” She narrowed her eyes, watching him closely. “I could tell he was lying to me.”

  “But why would he lie to you?”

  “That’s what I wondered. It seemed harmless enough to go look for the trunk or even to escort me to look for the trunk. It wouldn’t have been inappropriate, because Militine was with me. However, he simply refused. He was quite rude.”

  “I am sorry about that, Abrianna. I will speak to him and ask that he treat you in a gentler fashion in the future. I suppose the trunk was lost in the fire, and I assure you that I will happily replace it and the contents if you let me know what was inside.” He looked to the older ladies and gave a slight nod. “I would feel completely remiss if I were to do anything less.”

  “I didn’t find the trunk down there.
” Abrianna watched him for a reaction, but he only looked puzzled.

  “I thought you said Carl wouldn’t admit you.”

  “I did, but you know me well enough to know that I’m not easily put off. I grew up in that building. I know, or rather knew, other ways to get inside. I let myself in through the coal chute.”

  He laughed out loud. “You didn’t. Oh, but what I wouldn’t have paid to see that.”

  “Sir, I am speaking on a most serious matter and would appreciate it if you would refrain from laughter.” She had heard Aunt Miriam use similar words on her more than once. “What I found in that basement was most appalling.”

  He sobered. “I do apologize. Whatever are you speaking of?”

  “Chinese girls. Ten to be exact.”

  He shook his head. “What have they to do with my basement?”

  “They were being held hostage there. Locked in a room that had been built, I suppose, for just such a purpose.”

  “Girls in my basement?”

  He clearly appeared stunned by the information. Abrianna relaxed a bit now, more convinced that he was innocent. Aunt Miriam rang for Liang. When the girl appeared, Aunt Miriam looked to Abrianna.

  “Would you bring the girls, please?”

  She turned back to Priam Welby, but his expression suggested that he still had no idea what she was up to. In a matter of minutes, Liang returned with the ten young Chinese women. They lined up near the door, and Liang spoke to them in hushed Chinese.

  “Do you know these young ladies?” Abrianna asked Welby.

  “No.” He shook his head and looked from one face to another. “I’ve never seen them before now. Who are they?”

  “These are the women who were held hostage in your basement.” She looked to Liang. “Please ask them if they know Mr. Welby.”

  Liang again spoke and three girls shook their heads. One of the three spoke in yet another dialect and a couple of the other girls shook their heads. The one who spoke broken English did her best to translate for the others, but not one of the girls appeared to know Priam Welby. Abrianna gave a sigh.

  “You may take them back to their duties,” Aunt Miriam declared.

  As the girls shuffled out of the room, Abrianna turned back to Mr. Welby. “I did not believe you capable of such a heinous thing, but I had to be certain. Please forgive me if I have offended you. That was not my purpose.”

  “I am not offended by you. I am, however, offended that someone sought to use my building to further some devious and appalling scheme.”

  “I am of a mind that your man, Carl, is responsible. After all, he was the one who seemed most upset by my desire to go into the basement.”

  “Carl does lack certain . . . qualities.” Mr. Welby shook his head. “I am fearful that you may be right.”

  “Sister believes we should contact the police,” Aunt Poisie announced.

  Abrianna looked to Mr. Welby. “I think we must. After all, those girls were taken from their homes in China and forced to come here. They were drugged and mistreated, and someone should have to answer for it.”

  “If it is Carl, and I feel more confident by the minute that it must be, then he will answer for it. I don’t believe the police will give us any satisfaction, however. Not with the city in such upheaval. Not only that, but you know very well the attitude they have toward the Chinese.”

  “I do. I must say that was also my concern.”

  He stood and looked quite severe. “I promise you, I will deal with the matter. I will see the man dismissed from my service and punished.”

  “How will you accomplish that, Mr. Welby?” Aunt Miriam questioned.

  “I am not quite certain at this juncture, but you may rest assured that it will not go unpunished. I will find a fitting penalty and see to it that it never happens again.”

  “I suppose, Aunts, that we cannot ask for more than this. At least we have a champion in Mr. Welby.” All doubt drained away. Priam Welby seemed to be just as incensed by the situation as they had been.

  “I’m afraid, my dear Abrianna, that I will have to postpone our drive. I cannot set this development aside for an afternoon of pleasure in your company. If you will excuse me, ladies.” He bowed and moved to the door. “I will show myself out.”

  “He was certainly alarmed to learn what had happened,” Miss Poisie said later that evening when the men had come home from working on the pier. While Thane had eyes only for Militine and quickly found excuses for them to leave, Wade and Abrianna’s father seemed quite interested in what had taken place earlier that day.

  “Yes, I believe he was just as startled by the news as we were,” Mrs. Madison added. “He did not look to be a man who was bearing guilt.”

  “And the girls didn’t recognize him as their captor,” Miss Poisie threw in. “It would seem to me that his innocence was proven.”

  Wade held his tongue. Welby was a master at deception. Of course he’d been able to fool three old ladies and an innocent young woman. Now, however, he wasn’t at all sure how to respond. If he made a scene, it might only serve to alienate Abrianna. One way or another he would need to find proof before he spoke his mind.

  “I am relieved to hear that. Although I do find it difficult to believe that a man with his power could be so deceived.” Wade tried to be careful with his words. “Did he say what was to be done?”

  “Oh yes. He felt confident, as we did, that his man, Carl, most likely had something to do with it,” Abrianna replied. “He said he would handle it himself and see that the truth was learned and Carl punished—if responsible.”

  “I see. He didn’t feel the police should be involved?”

  Aunt Miriam spoke before Abrianna could reply. “He pointed out that the law cares very little about the Chinese except to get rid of them.”

  “And that the police are consumed with the problems brought about because of the fire,” Miss Poisie offered. “The paper said they’ve deputized over two hundred men to help keep everything under control.”

  Wade couldn’t argue their points. Welby was no fool. He would know, just as Wade did, that even if the truth were to be told, most likely everyone in authority would look the other way. They had their hands full with more important issues, and the lives of those young women would mean very little because of their race. Not only that, but as he’d heard rumored, Welby had quite a few of the officials taking bribes. They would no doubt defend him.

  “I suppose there is nothing more we can do about it,” Miss Poisie said in a dismissive manner.

  “We will, of course, tend to these girls,” Mrs. Madison declared. “It is my personal desire to see them returned to their families.”

  “Maybe Mr. Welby will even pay for their transport, Sister.” Miss Poisie glanced at Mrs. Madison for her approval.

  “Perhaps.”

  The conversation moved on to other events and concerns. The men answered questions about their work at the pier and what all was being done to get some kind of order back in the city. It was strongly believed that the docks were to be the first to be rebuilt. After all, the city was very dependent upon ships to bring in cargo.

  “Here it is just two days after the fire, and goods are coming in from everywhere. People too. I heard today that San Francisco is sending a ship north that is loaded to the brim with building supplies and men eager to hire on in the rebuilding.”

  “The brickworks around this area are to labor ’round the clock,” Mr. Cunningham added. “Now that buildings have to be constructed of brick, they’ll need to keep that up for some time.”

  “There are plenty of bricks to be had elsewhere, but no way to get them here. In time, however, that will change.” Wade tried not to show his agitation. He kept looking to Abrianna, who seemed quite happy to go on believing that Welby was a decent man.

  Am I misjudging him? Wade shook his head. No, he knew what kind of man Welby was. The real problem would be getting Abrianna to see the truth.

  The Sunday after the
fire dawned bright and warm. It proved to be a good thing that the weather held. Had it rained, the town would have been reduced to a muddle of ash and mud, making the work of cleanup much more difficult.

  Brother Mitchell offered praise from the pulpit for the fact that in spite of tremendous loss of property, not a single life had been claimed by the fire. It was amazing that with all the destruction, no one had died.

  “There would have been at least ten deaths if you had not risked your life,” Militine whispered in Abrianna’s ear. “I prayed there’d be no deaths—not even one.”

  Abrianna patted her hand and smiled. “God hears our prayers.”

  Brother Mitchell offered a prayer and then turned the pulpit over to Pastor Walker. The man had something of a wild look to him. Abrianna narrowed her eyes and tried to figure out what was different.

  “Sinners, repent!” He looked hard at the congregation. “We have seen the powerful hand of God—His judgment in fire.”

  Abrianna quickly lost interest in the man’s accusatory tone. She thought instead of the blessings God had given her. She caught a glimpse of her father to the far right in the pew ahead. It was such a miracle to have him back in her life, but with all that had happened, they’d had very little time to talk in private. She hoped to resolve that situation as soon as possible. She wanted to know him better, to see him as a real father and not just one of the needy they had fed.

  Pastor Walker ranted on about the judgment that had come down on Seattle. He condemned each and every citizen as having not been right with the Almighty, otherwise this might never have happened. As his voice rose in volume, Abrianna found it impossible to ignore.

  “Some of you avoided the wrath of God this time. But there will be other times. God will not sit by while you live your lives in sin. You, even here today, allow for licentiousness and adultery. You might as well be the ones sleeping in the beds of harlots, for the guilt of this town is upon your heads.

  “I stood at the door of this church and prayed back those spirits that would have fed on the walls of our building, those that feed upon your very souls. I preach despair today because that is what you are to face unless you turn away from your sin-filled ways.”