Steadfast Heart (23 page)

Laughing without any real amusement, Welby's eyes narrowed as he sobered. “Would I admit it to you if I was? It isn't any of your business. However, if you must know, I intend to transport goods from here to other cities. I won't have those treasures taken from me by underhanded thieves. You may not be aware of it, but some of the pieces I'm bringing into the country are priceless. I have customers who will pay a considerable fee for such things, and I intend to see that nothing goes wrong in the transactions.”

Wade couldn't help but feel there was more to the story than
the man was relaying, but there was little he could do to force Welby to admit to wrongdoing.

“What dimensions do you need and how much weight should they be able to haul?”

Taking down every bit of information provided him, Wade looked over the details. “This won't be cheap.”

“I don't care.” Welby reached into his coat and took out a wallet. He counted out five fifty-dollar bills. “I'm thinking this should handle the cost, but if not, you are more than welcome to furnish me with a bill for the remainder.”

Two hundred fifty dollars was double what Wade had planned to ask. Even with the steel axles for the heavier weight, he would still make a hefty profit. But as much as he disliked Welby, he couldn't cheat him.

“This is double what they're worth,” Wade said, pushing the money back.

Welby held his gaze and slid the money back to Wade. “This is what I'm willing and determined to pay. With it comes a fee for your silence. I don't want anyone to know about the wagons. It would, after all, defeat the purpose of secrecy.”

Wade looked at the money and then returned his focus to the man before him. “All right. If that's the way you want it.” He could think of no reason that it would be wrong to keep the matter between them. “When do you need them?”

“The sooner the better.”

A
brianna knew better than to sneak out of the building and head to Wade's, but she was most desperate. For over a week she had been faithful to remain inside, busying herself by attending classes with Lenore and sewing diapers for the poor soiled dove who by now had probably despaired of Abrianna ever coming to her aid.

She wouldn't have broken her promise, but Wade hadn't bothered to show up in days, and getting a message to him was just as difficult as slipping out of the building. There was nothing she could do but hope that everything would work out.

“Besides, it's broad daylight. No one is going to bother me,” she announced to no one. It was ridiculous the way everyone worried about her. “The biggest trouble I'll have is dealing with the mud and stench.” She was glad she'd chosen to wear one of her older and shorter skirts. At least this way she wouldn't drag the hem through the mud and give herself away should Aunt Miriam see the results.

Making it to Wade's place without any problem, Abrianna smiled when she saw Thane approaching from the opposite
direction. With this new male protection she felt confident Wade would be less inclined to scold her.

“Thane, you are a welcome sight,” Abrianna declared.

“Give me that,” he said, motioning to the heavy load Abrianna carried. She shifted the large basket of goods and happily handed it over. “This weighs a ton. What were you thinking? Is this food for Wade?”

“No. I need to get over to Washington Street and deliver these to a poor woman who had a baby a while back. She has no one to help her but her . . . her . . .” Abrianna frowned. What were they? Associates? Sisters of the night? “She hasn't anyone who cares for her. I'm hoping to talk Wade into accompanying me there.”

She said the latter as they entered the shop. Thane came in behind her, both pausing to scan the room for Wade.

“Wade?” she called.

When he didn't reply, Thane put the basket on the nearby desk and went to search out Wade's private quarters. Returning, he shook his head. “He's not here.”

“Well, if that doesn't just put a hole in the ice.” She shook her head. “I haven't ever known him to be gone at this hour of the day. You would think the man might have the common decency to let folks know if he doesn't plan to keep regular hours. Not only that, but he left the shop door unlocked. What if I'd been here to rob the place?” Abrianna found the entire situation unacceptable. “I suppose we shall just have to go without him.”

“We? You want me to take you to one of the worst neighborhoods in town? I didn't bargain for that,” the redheaded man said, looking most apprehensive. “If I were to take you there, Wade would beat me and hang me off the pier. You know how protective he is of you, Abrianna.”

“I do, but he trusts you. All I want to do is to take this basket to a mother in need. It's no fault of hers that she has no one. Poor girl fell into bad times and has supported herself the only way she thought available. I promised her this stuff more than a week ago, and I can't put it off any longer. If you won't come with me, I'll go by myself.”

“No, you won't. I'll drag you back to the school, if need be,” Thane threatened. He took a step toward Abrianna. “Or I'll tie you up in here, and we'll both wait for Wade's return. I have a feeling he might want to give you a good whipping just for sneaking down here without an escort.”

Abrianna dodged around a wooden table. “You wouldn't. I'm just doing what God has called me to do. Grief and mercy, you would think you and Wade owned me.”

Thane laughed at this. “You aren't a prized boat or horse, but you
are
a woman, and you need to conduct yourself as such.”

“Well, you both make me feel like a helpless child. And I'd just made peace with Wade about all of this. He promised to help me with my endeavors. I've been nothing but patient, but he didn't come to see us two days ago as I expected.”

Then, without so much as a greeting, Wade came in from the back way carrying several boards on one shoulder. He stacked the wood carefully before turning to question Thane. “What in the world is she doing here?”

“You might ask
me
. I'm standing right here. I don't know why you think acting in such a way is a gallant thing to do.” Abrianna crossed her arms. “I'm quite dismayed.”

“I wasn't trying to be gallant. How did you get here?” Wade asked. “I could hear you caterwauling clear out back.”

“I wasn't caterwauling. I was trying to convince Thane to help me.”

Wade studied her with a look that left Abrianna little doubt she had only just opened this Pandora's box. “Abrianna, what were you trying to get Thane to help you with?”

She knew Wade was already fearing the worst. “It's nothing bad. I just wanted to deliver some things to a poor woman who happens to be a new mother. I came here first because I told you I wouldn't go alone.”

“So you left the safety of your home and ventured here to find me?”

“Well, yes. I knew you wouldn't approve, but this was a situation that demanded I risk your ire. Nevertheless, I came here rather than going to my friend alone.”

“And just where is your friend?” Wade asked.

Abrianna looked at Thane, who just crossed his arms against his chest and made it clear he wasn't going to get in the middle of this mess. Glancing back at Wade, she could see he was reaching the end of his patience. “Washington Street.” She held up her hands before Wade could protest. “She's alone in this world, forced to work the most depraved of jobs. She recently gave birth but she has no family and no friends. She's facing certain death, and we must help her. I have diapers and food for both her and the baby.”

“So you just figured you'd risk everything to see to her needs?”

“I came here first,” Abrianna protested. “Although now I'm not sure why I bothered. Goodness, but men can be so changeable. You told me you would help me.”

Wade seemed to settle down at this, and Abrianna hoped he would remember his promise and stop chastising her. If not, she might not get back before Aunt Miriam realized she was missing.

“Please, Wade. You promised.” She looked at him with all the hopefulness she could muster. “This woman has nothing. I just
want to offer her some kindness. Imagine her and her baby lying there in the cold, hungry and out of food. She probably hasn't eaten in days and can't even nurse her babe. Oh, when I think of it, I imagine the baby Jesus and His mother.” She paused to gauge the effect of her words.

“Of course, Mary wasn't a soiled dove, and Jesus is our Savior, but imagine them being without kith or kin in Bethlehem. It just pains me to imagine such a lonely existence, with no one there to dry a tear or offer a word of comfort. Oh, what must the Lord think of us who have so much and yet we give nothing?”

Wade pulled off his leather apron. “Well, I can see I'm not going to get anything else done unless I give in.” He tossed the apron on the table. “You going to join this madness, Thane?”

“I suppose I might as well. Two bodyguards are better than one.”

Shaking his head, Wade dug out the key so he could lock his door. “I'm not sure she even needs us. Frankly, Abrianna would most likely just talk her assailant to death.”

Kolbein escorted Lenore from the party being held by the law firm he'd recently joined. It was, as Kolbein was told, a yearly event to celebrate their founder's birthday, and while he was all for the festivities, his heart wasn't in it. It had been over two months now, and still Greta was nowhere to be found.

“You are awfully quiet tonight,” Lenore said once they were outside. “Did I do something wrong?”

He looked at her, not really understanding why she would ask such a question. “You've never done anything wrong. I've always been the one to cause you grief.”

She smiled. “We have not had grief in our time together, just simple misunderstandings.”

“I see your driver is just down the street. Shall I hail him or would you rather walk?”

“I'd like to walk. It's so nice to be on your arm, and I want it to last forever.” She smiled up at him, making Kolbein momentarily forget his sorrow.

“You do remember that Father and Mother were hesitant about us marrying so quickly?” she asked, not waiting for an answer. “Well, when I suggested we could marry the day after the bridal ball, they agreed and will plan to host the wedding at our home on the morning of the sixteenth, just as I had hoped. Mother is already fast at work, demanding her friends repay favors given them.

“Mother wants to have a glorious garden wedding.” Lenore paused and looked up at him. “She's certain that everything will be in full bloom—the azaleas and rhododendron should be glorious by that time and the roses, as well. Mother hopes to have roses everywhere, even if she has to bring them in from elsewhere.”

“And if it rains?” Kolbein fell silent as he spied a theatre advertisement in the window of one of the businesses. The woman in the grainy image caused him to move away from Lenore momentarily.

“What is it, Kolbein?” Lenore asked, coming alongside. She looked at the poster. “Are you wanting to see this new troupe perform? I've heard that they're quite good. They have a wonderful actress in the lead. She's received great reviews. I can't remember her name just now.”

“It's Greta.” He reached out to touch the glass. Behind it the image left him certain that his sister was now this much-lauded leading lady.

Lenore bent forward to give a closer look. “Your sister? But it says the actress's name is Lavinia Longmont.”

“Lavinia is her middle name, and I suppose Longmont is her married name. It's a poor photograph, but I'm certain it's her.”

“That's wonderful. Then you'll know where to find her. Oh, Kolbein, I'm so happy for you—for us. She can be a part of our wedding.”

He shook his head. “You don't understand. She's an actress.” It sickened him to even say the word. He'd heard about the kind of debaucheries that took place in the world of theatre.

“But she's alive and well and, from what I hear, very talented.”

“But an actress. I can't believe she'd stoop to that.” He looked at Lenore with great sadness. “Our parents would be mortified.”

“Well, since they aren't here to see her, perhaps you could refrain from doing the same. Honestly, Kolbein, I don't understand your distress. It might not be the best venue for your sister, but perhaps her husband brought her into the theatre. You did say that she'd recently married, so perhaps this is something they do together.” She paused and looked closer at the poster. “She's beautiful and while I do understand that the theatre isn't the perfect place for anyone, she does seem to be talented. Perhaps you should be happy for her.”

“Happy? My sister is living a life of . . . of . . .”

“It could be much worse, Kolbein. She might have . . . ended up . . . in other types . . . of work.” Lenore stressed the words in her slow methodic delivery. “Things too shameful to even mention.”

Kolbein let out a long breath. He knew Lenore was right. He had to look at this with different eyes. Life had changed so much for them both, and now Greta was living the way she wanted. At least he hoped so. There was always the possibility
that she'd been forced into this position, although that hardly seemed likely.

“I need to see her.” At least then he could ascertain for himself whether she was safe and happy.

“But of course. You could go to the theatre tonight. They might be rehearsing. They're having a performance tomorrow night.”

“No. I wouldn't want to risk it. If she's not there and hears about me coming to find her, she'll flee.”

Lenore took hold of his arm. “You don't know that. She has a means of support now and an audience that obviously adores her.”