Rory's Promise (21 page)

“Sister, we'll find them,” Rory said. Sister Anna did not make mistakes. In the world of the Foundling, that didn't happen. “We have to.”

“Of course we will,” Sister Anna said. “I promised you
that I would take care of Violet and the rest. I'm going to call the police and demand they get the children back.”

“Sister, there's no police here except the sheriff. And he's the one who collected them,” Rory said. “They won't give the children back just for the asking.” Thank goodness that Violet was safe with Elena and Ramon.

Sister Anna's hand went to the crucifix around her neck. “We need help. Rory, can you find Mr. Swayne? Or Father Mandin?”

“They won't be any help at all.” Rory grimaced. “Mr. Swayne was in fear for his life tonight. And Father Mandin passed out.”

Sister Anna placed her hand on Rory's shoulder. At first she thought Sister Anna was steadying herself, but then she realized that Sister Anna was trying to reassure Rory. “Rory, I'm sorry you had to see that dreadful scene. But I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you say. You're young and didn't understand what you saw.”

“Really, Sister?” Rory forgot to watch her words. “Then where are your children? And what about the rest? How are we going to protect them?”

Sister Anna swept her hand across her forehead and Rory saw that she was sweating under the bonnet.

Rory went on, “If the town wants those babies, they'll just take them. They don't care if anyone else gets hurt.”

“Well, we'll have to convince the judge when he comes in the morning.” Sister Anna adjusted her habit. “He'll set everything right.”

Sister Anna went into the other room to warn Sister Eileen and the nurses, leaving Rory alone.

It was warm in the room and the plush sofa was soft and inviting. Rory let her head rest on the sofa arm and closed her eyes. Even if Sister Anna was wrong, Rory couldn't do any more tonight. But exhausted as she was, she couldn't fall asleep. The image of Violet sound asleep at Elena's house wouldn't leave her mind. Had Rory done the right thing by leaving Vi there? And where would they hide?

Rory sat bolt upright, her heart beating loud enough to echo in her ears. Why would Ramon bother to hide when he could just run to Mexico? There was nothing to stop him and every reason to go. What would that mob do to Ramon if they found him and Elena with a white daughter?

Rory rushed to the window. The street seemed deserted, lit only by a few lamps on the porch of the hotel. If Ramon had left for Mexico, there was nothing Rory could do. She didn't know where his family lived. And even if she went looking for them, she didn't speak the language. She'd never find Violet. Knowing the Foundling wouldn't approve of Vi being taken out of the country, Ramon would have no reason to write. She should have never left Violet alone. At least Violet still had Ma's necklace.

Tears rolled down her cheeks but Rory barely noticed. She hadn't even said goodbye.

R
ORY SPENT
A
RESTLESS NIGHT
A
ND W
A
S
A
W
A
KENED BY
A
KNOCK at the door. She bolted from the sofa. Sister Anna hurried in from the other room.

“I've got the door, Sister,” Rory said.

“Be careful,” Sister Anna said.

Rory pulled the door open slowly, ready to slam it shut if need be. It was the servant, Cheng.

“It's all right, Sister,” Rory said. She turned toward Cheng, hoping for news. “Did Ramon send you again?” she asked.

“He gave me this for you,” Cheng said, reaching into his vest pocket and pulling out a chain with a saint's medal dangling from it.

“My mother's necklace,” Rory cried, grabbing it from his hand. She tried to understand what it meant. Had Ramon sent it? An apology for stealing Violet away and leaving Rory behind? Or did it mean something entirely different?

“Where is Violet?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“Come with me.” Cheng turned and walked away.

“I'll be right back,” Rory yelled to Sister Anna, stuffing the necklace in the pocket of her dress.

“Rory!” The sound of Sister Anna's voice faded as Rory followed Cheng down three flights of back stairs—not to the kitchen but to the hotel's lobby. Rory wanted to ask many questions, but she held her tongue. Soon enough she would know if Violet was still in Clifton. Cheng pointed to the barbershop with its gaily striped pole.

Rory pulled open the unlocked door slowly. The room was empty. Two barber chairs reclined as though expecting customers for a haircut and shave. There was a window high in the outside wall and white smocks on hooks next to the entrance. She followed the faint murmur of voices to a velvet curtain spread across the back of the shop. “Let Vi be all right. Please,” she prayed. As she reached for the curtain she saw her hand was trembling. She swept the curtain aside to reveal Ramon and Elena.

Ramon's hand moved instinctively to the tied-down holster on his hip, and Elena placed a restraining hand on his arm.

“Thank God you're still here,” cried Rory. Her knees buckled and she held onto the curtain to steady herself. “I was so afraid …”

“Of course we're still here,” Elena said, puzzled.

“Where's Violet?” Rory said, her voice cracking.

“Here I am,” Violet said, scooting out from behind Elena's legs, a mischievous grin on her face. “Did you know
it was us?” she asked. “Ramon said we couldn't let anyone see us, or we'd ruin the surprise.”

Rory hugged her with all her might. “It's the very best surprise!”

“Ow, Rory, that hurts.”

Over Vi's head, Rory said, “This is the last place I expected to see you.” Then she spoke to Ramon and Elena in a voice she hardly recognized as her own. “Is it safe? What if Mrs. Gatti sees her? Or that mob?”

Ramon said, “Who would look for her in the hotel?” His sly smile invited her to smile back. Maybe another day Rory would find it funny, but not today.

“Where's Mama's necklace?” Violet asked.

“Right here, Vi,” Rory said, pointing to her pocket. To Ramon, she asked, “Did you hear what happened last night?”

Ramon's smile faded. “Swayne and the priest are lucky to be alive.”

Elena said, “The parish is hiding Father Mandin. We'll keep him safe.”

“And Mr. Swayne is lying low in his hotel room,” Ramon added. “What happened when the sheriff took you? Did the Anglos notice that Violet was missing?”

“Mrs. Gatti definitely knew I was the wrong Fitzpatrick girl, but the sheriff wouldn't listen,” Rory answered. “She would have made a fuss, but then her husband told her he only wants one child, and a boy at that.” With a quick glance at Elena, Rory finished, “They took William.”

Rory could see from Elena's face that this wasn't
unexpected. “The good news is that she won't make trouble about Violet for fear she'd lose William,” Elena said heavily.

“A judge is coming today,” Rory said. “Sister Anna is counting on him to tell Sheriff Simpson to bring the children back.”

Ramon shook his head. “Do you know where Sheriff Simpson is right now?”

“No,” Rory said.

“Reporting to Mr. Mills, who manages the mine and smelters for Arizona Copper. He lives in the hotel. The law reports to him first, then the courts. And most of those children were taken by the managers' wives. The judge will do very little and the sheriff will do less.”

“But what about the law?” Rory protested. Ramon was only confirming her worst fears.

“Copper is king in Clifton, not the law,” he said. “Your Sisters don't know it yet, but they have already lost. The children will not be returned.”

“What's going to happen to Vi?” Rory asked.

“If we're going to keep her, we need to leave right away,” he said. “Before anyone realizes that a Mexicano family still has a white child.”

Rory seized on the most important word. “If?”

“It depends on you,” Elena said in her gentle voice. “The Foundling Hospital gave her to us, but you are her family.” Elena glanced down at Violet then back to Rory. “We couldn't leave without talking to you.”

A hundred images of the Foundling floated through Rory's mind—a nicely run orphanage with kind Sisters and
a beautiful chapel. But it was an orphanage nonetheless. Ramon and Elena were offering Violet a home. A family.

“In Mexico?” Rory asked, just to be sure she understood the offer.

Ramon nodded. “It's the safest place we can go.”

In a small voice, Rory asked, “What about me?”

The moment it took Ramon to answer felt like hours to Rory. Everything depended on what happened next.

“If you will come,” Ramon said, “we'd like you to be our daughter too.”

Rory felt joy she hadn't felt since her mother was alive. She was floating and her only tether to the ground was Violet's hand. “You want me?” she asked, fighting for breath.

“We want both of you,” Ramon said.

For years Rory had dreamed of hearing those words. Now that they were spoken she was almost afraid to believe in them.

“Both of us?” she whispered.

“You were so brave last night, taking Violet's place; how could we leave you behind?” Elena said.

Rory looked at Violet. Her sister was sneaking her hand into Rory's pocket, searching for the necklace. “Can I speak with Vi alone?”

Ramon nodded and Rory guided Vi back into the alcove and drew the velvet curtain. She sat on the floor and put Violet on her lap.

“Rory, you have dark circles,” Vi said, tracing her finger around Rory's eyes.

“I didn't sleep much,” Rory said.

“I did,” Vi chirped. “Then I had eggs for breakfast, except that Elena called them
huevos
.” She rubbed her stomach. “Yummy.”

“Do you like Ramon and Elena?” Rory asked, praying for the right answer.

“Silly!” Violet laughed—a happy, carefree five-year-old laugh. “Of course I like them. They're nice.”

“They want us all to be a family,” Rory said.

Violet nodded. “Me too. Rory, you kept your promise.” Violet held up her hand. The chain of the necklace was looped around her finger. “I'll give this back now.”

Solemnly Rory took it and fastened it around her neck. “The thing is, we'll have to leave this town and go to Mexico.”

Violet shrugged. “I don't like this place anyway.”

Rory thought how simple it was to be five years old. “We'll never see the Foundling again—or Sister Anna or the other kids,” she warned. “We'll have to learn a new language too, Vi. And there won't be any American kids to play with. We'll always be different.”

“Special?” Vi asked, her blue eyes shining with pleasure.

“I guess so,” Rory said ruefully.

She put her fingers to her lips and thought harder than she ever had in her life. Clearly Vi would be all right in Mexico. Better than all right. Elena and Ramon would cherish her and teach her everything she needed to know. But what about Violet's older sister? Rory didn't like Mexican food and the language was gibberish to her. She was a New Yorker, born and bred. If Rory stayed with Violet she would probably never return to New York.

Suddenly she heard Sister Anna's voice in her head, offering her a job with the Foundling. Rory hadn't given the matter a second thought before. But now she thought: who could possibly do this work better than she? Finding new families for orphans was an important job—one she had been training for her whole life. Was Rory willing to give up her own future for Vi's sake?

Violet tugged on Rory's sleeve. “Rory, you promised we would always be together.”

Rory nodded wordlessly.

“Then that's all that matters.” Violet gave a sharp nod as if that decided everything.
Well, why not
, Rory thought.
We've made our choice
.

They hurried back to Elena and Ramon. Rory didn't waste a second. “We want to go with you,” she said. “We want you to be our parents!”

Elena held out her arms and enveloped Violet and Rory in an enormous hug. She smelled of waxy candles, chili, and cookies. Rory had never experienced a perfume so delicious.

“Good,” Ramon said, rubbing his hands. “We must go at once. Can you get your things without the Sisters seeing?”

“Now?” Rory asked, dismayed. “But the Sisters are neck-deep in trouble. We can't leave them.”

Elena touched Rory's arm gently. “Rory, Mrs. Gatti may be distracted for now, but we cannot hide two red-haired daughters for long.”

Ramon said, “Rory, there is nothing you can do to help. The most important thing is to get you and Violet to safety.”

“Is it?” Rory asked.

“Of course,” Ramon said. “That is what parents do. They protect their children.”

“The Sisters do too.” Rory nodded slowly. “They've protected me for three years. I didn't always agree with them. I broke their rules. I did anything to trick them into letting me stay with Violet. But they never gave up on me.”

Ramon leaned toward Rory. “That's all very well, but it is not your job to protect them.”

“Maybe not, but I can't abandon them.” She faced Ramon. “I won't leave Sister Anna and the others in danger.”

“It is more dangerous for you to stay!” Ramon said loudly, staring down at her. “We could lose both of you.”

“Just until the Sisters are safe,” Rory pleaded. “The judge—”

“Won't do anything, Rory,” Ramon finished.

Outside the barbershop Ramon and Rory heard a sudden crash and shouting, but they couldn't make out the words. “Elena, stay here with Violet,” Ramon said as he ran out of the barbershop, Rory less than a step behind him.

Men poured into the hotel lobby. Others crowded the wooden sidewalk in front of the hotel's big double doors or climbed in through the broken front window. It was the start of a brawl. Rory had seen it before in Hell's Kitchen.

“People, you have no business here!” the sheriff roared.

“Where's the priest?” someone shouted.

A person in the mob called out, “And that agent! They're selling white babies and we're going to stop them!”

He was answered by another angry voice. “There are more kids, my wife told me so. We'll take them too!”

Sheriff Simpson held up his hands. “We went through this last night. The children aren't going anywhere. Now turn around and go home!”

“They gave the babies to the Mexicans and the Indians— they'd do anything! We can't trust those big-city folks.”

Another man shouted, “We're not budging without the priest and the agent! I'd like to see the nuns try and stop us.”

Ramon stepped back into the barbershop, pulling Rory with him.“Your Sisters are out of time.” He paused. “And so are we.”