“In your position,” Mr. Graham continued, “you do not need to use your last name very often. “But you still might consider changing it. When we go to war . . . and we will . . . things may become difficult for your countrymen here.”
Elsa nodded again. Just as things would get difficult for her and her family, so they would for him. What a shame that an American patriot like Mr. Graham was already under suspicion because of his work with Germans long before anyone had thought of going to war with Germany.
“Thank you.” Elsa understood there was no need to continue her summary. “Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I am sorry to see it end, but this is probably best.”
“Yes, it is. I’m glad you’re going with Dafne.”
She left the office for the final time. In the morning she would leave this house and this town—also perhaps for the final time. She hoped not. These four years in the Graham household had been more than the culmination of a dream.
The day Dafne and Glenn announced their engagement was the happiest day of Elsa’s life. Up until then, Elsa had always felt concern about her future. In that moment, she stopped worrying—the engagement had seemed to assure her of a secure future serving the people she loved. The ambition that had driven her childhood could finally rest. What joy could compare to serving Dafne and Glenn in their marriage?
Now, for the first time since the engagement, she began to wonder. She had expected to serve Mr. Graham for many years, yet now it was over.
Today reminded her that things never could last forever. Truly, she would not want them to. Happiness had just temporarily allowed her to forget that she did still have dreams and ambitions. There was so much of the world still for her to learn, even if security had to be risked. It would not be the first time.
She still hoped she could serve Dafne and Glenn for the rest of her life. The last few years had been wonderful. The coming years could be just as beautiful. But there was no guarantee. Life never gave guarantees, especially for one in her station. As far away in her past as the clothing factory seemed, she remained only a small step away from being plunged back to it.
Walking upstairs, she heard the gramophone spinning as Dafne and Glenn danced together in the billiard room.
“We were sailing along, on Moonlight Bay,” hummed both voices together with the music.
Elsa tried to slip into the room to watch unseen. It always made her happy to watch Dafne and Glenn dance together. Dafne saw her and extended her arm away from her fiancé, brightly smiling and inviting Elsa toward them. She walked over. Dafne slipped her arm around Elsa’s back, rocking with her until she was dancing, too. Dafne laid her head on Elsa’s shoulder, still humming the tune of Moonlight Bay. Elsa could hardly help being aware of the brush of Glenn’s arm against her other side.
“How I love you both,” Dafne cooed as the song ended. “As long as we three are together we will always be happy. Nothing ever needs to change.” She flitted away in her cornflower blue dress and put the needle back at the beginning of the record. “One more time, then you can give Jeanette her record back.” The song started again.
Dafne plopped into a chair, draping her legs over the padded arm. “I don’t think I will miss Lindenhurst at all, since we are all going to New York together.”
“You’ll miss it more than you think,” Glenn said.
“Nonsense.” She closed her eyes and hummed with the music. “Dance with Elsa.”
Elsa, who had remained standing in the middle of the floor beside Glenn, immediately started to back away toward the wall. Dafne lurched out of her seat and pushed her back toward Glenn, who was just as hesitant as Elsa. She grabbed him too, and thrust them together. Dafne forcefully shaped Elsa’s arms into a proper dancing posture around Glenn, and then she commanded Elsa to relax.
Glenn began to walk to the beats of the music. He was easy to follow. After a moment Elsa forgot herself and really did start to relax.
“Don’t look at your feet,” said Glenn gently. “If you think about when to step, you will be late. You can feel the rhythm through me.”
Elsa tried to follow his instructions. Dafne followed them, encouraging and repeatedly lifting Elsa’s drooping chin.
Elsa was glad when the song ended, only then realizing how much fun it had been. She stood back properly against the wall, even though she felt giddy inside. She had never been in that sort of physical contact with a man before. It was inappropriate to have enjoyed it so much.
Dafne smiled and patted her shoulder. Elsa could tell that Dafne understood exactly how she felt. Her face grew red.
“There will be a lot more fun for you in New York,” said Dafne. “Just you wait and see.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lost in Manhattan
The train trip was stressful for all.
Dafne found herself snapping at her companions several times. She couldn’t help it. Soon Elsa and Glenn had both clammed up, afraid to say anything. But as soon as the train pulled into Penn Station, Dafne’s mood transformed.
Hailing a cab, she knew exactly where they were and where they needed to go. She’d dreamed of being here for so long that she had mentally walked every street. She directed the cabby to the east side of the park and to their new apartment, on 71st Street between Lexington and Park Avenues.
Dafne adored the apartment at once. The building was a modern, three-story brownstone. The stairs rose from the sidewalk to their entryway. A lower staircase descended from street level to an apartment below. The first level of their new home contained the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The living room was fairly small but had all the furniture Dafne had requested. She planned to entertain often.
A staircase of carpeted marble took them up to the bedrooms—a small one for Elsa and a large master suite with a patio for Dafne. Each had its own bathroom. The patio looked out onto the courtyard that separated the buildings on 71st from those on 70th. To the right could be seen a small glimpse of Park Avenue and the trees of Central Park beyond.
Dafne gasped when she saw her new bedroom.
“Oh, Glenn, thank you, thank you!” She squeezed him tightly. “I love you so much.”
“Your father arranged everything, you know.”
“Yes, but you made it possible.” She kissed him quickly, and then resumed her examination of the apartment.
Suddenly, she turned back toward him and frowned. “I’m still mad at you, though.”
Glenn had arranged to stay at the Carlton Hotel for the remaining two weeks before he reported for training at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn.
Dafne already had a full slate of plans for those two weeks. She needed Glenn to introduce her to Manhattan society before he left for the base. Naturally, it was she who would press herself upon the fashionable crowd at the Carlton, the Biltmore, and the Plaza Hotel. By the second night, she knew her plan would work.
It was during those first weeks in New York City that Dafne discovered she was beautiful. The revelation enthralled her.
On the last afternoon before Glenn left for base, Dafne sat with Glenn and Elsa on a bench at the south end of Central Park. She looked across at the Plaza Hotel, enjoying the warmth of the late sun against her neck.
“Oh, Glenn, isn’t it perfect? I do enjoy being people of leisure.”
Glenn and Elsa both looked at her with reproach.
“How stupid of me.” She was the only person of leisure among them. “But it is still so perfect. Don’t you love it here, Elsa?”
“Yes.”
“No, you don’t, you liar. But you will soon, I promise.”
Elsa couldn’t fool her. Dafne turned to Glenn. “I wish you could stay with us. But that isn’t why you came to New York, is it?”
“No, dear. But I will miss being with you.”
“You’re sweet.” She kissed him. “We’ll still have the weekends, though.”
A cloud suddenly passed over Dafne’s face. She realized that her new joy was hers alone. Neit
her Glenn nor Elsa could possibly enjoy this time as much as she. She felt ashamed of her selfishness and obliviousness to the trials of the two people she most loved.
All Elsa wanted was to serve her, and all Glenn wanted was to love her. That would be enough for them, as long as it would also be enough to make her happy. Was her very selfishness a necessary component in their joint happiness? She wished she could give more to each of them, but if she bottled her joy as a gift, it would slip away.
Walking home in the twilight hour, Dafne felt as though everything sped up around them. The carriages and cars darted through the streets in a vibrant cacophony. People on the walkways wove like ants, creating an unbroken line in each direction with utter efficiency except when the lines met by mistake, usually at a street corner, in a moment of confusion. The various classes mingled without a second thought. Gentlemen in high-collared suits and silk hats passed women in torn, shoddy coats and colored bonnets left over from the last century. Seldom did a passerby notice or acknowledge another.
Dafne, too, felt antlike in her anonymity. She clung to Glenn as she took up her minuscule spot in the path of human insects. She heard shouting and laughing, and words of no particular language from the passersby. It made her feel small and slow as she edged through the whirl of noise and confusion.
Soon she was in a taxi. The car’s speed slowed down the rush around her as she pressed her face to the glass. She slid her hand into Glenn’s and brought her head down onto his shoulder, though her eyes still gazed outside. She was lost in Manhattan, but happy to have lost herself. It was the home she had always dreamed of.
* * * * *
Boot camp at Fort Hamilton presented Glenn with the greatest challenge of his young life.
Much as he had wanted to work, he’d never experienced the daily rigor of even a simple profession. The demands of the military were far more extreme. The day would come when the United States would draft an army from all social levels. Training would then be easier for the higher classes. But Glenn had joined a volunteer army, and the commanders wanted their men tough. He was singled out early on by his companions and superiors who eagerly watched for the “swell” to break.
His latrine duty was frequent. He was a favorite boot-shiner and bed-maker for the officers. Each rainy day seemed reason enough for him to be ordered on a two-mile march.
But Glenn’s determination grew with each blow to his pride. By the first leave, following the third week of training, he felt he was beginning to win the respect of the commanders and his fellows.
He checked in for his two-night furlough at the Carlton Hotel, changed to a civilian suit, bought a bouquet from a flower girl on the street, and made his way to Dafne’s apartment.
She wasn’t at home.
Frustrated, he leaned against the doorjamb. It was four o’clock on Friday. She hadn’t been expecting him until later that evening. Even Elsa was away.
He remembered that Dafne enjoyed the tea dances at the Biltmore. He walked to Fifth Avenue and hailed a cab to the hotel. The tea dance wasn’t lively, however, and there was no sign of Dafne. He sat down in the lounge and ordered tea.
Once he had his cup and sandwich, he looked around the room. It embarrassed him to see how out of place he was. The evening was young, but he was the only tea drinker. All the other gentlemen had either a highball or a rocker in their hand. Many had shed their coats and loosened their ties. It looked more like a country club than a tearoom. Glenn ignored the gaiety around him until a young man abruptly sat down beside him.
“Hello,” said the newcomer.
Glenn looked up, undecided whether to be annoyed or relieved to have company. “Good afternoon.”
“Awaiting a lady?” The man nodded toward the bouquet Glenn had set on the table. “That would explain your good behavior.”
It took Glenn a moment to understand that he meant his tea. He chuckled. “I’m not much of a drinker. I had hoped to call on my fiancée, but she wasn’t at her apartment. I’m only back from Fort Hamilton for the weekend.”
The man’s eyes gleamed. “We have a hero among us! By Jim, I’m proud of you boys. Can hardly wait to go to war, eh?”
Glenn smiled.
“I say, I’m glad to make your acquaintance. I’m from Brooklyn myself. You must give me a call when you have a free night at base.”
“Thank you. I will.”
“Brian Halifax.” He extended his arm across the table toward Glenn. “But everyone just calls me Hal.”
“Glenn Streppy. A pleasure.”
Hal was a slender, athletic man. He had neat chestnut hair and sparkling blue eyes that darted quickly from his drink to Glenn, then around the room. The best word Glenn could think of to describe his demeanor was quickness. Whether in the motion of his eyes, the movements of his body, or the connections of his words, speed was in everything he did. He seemed uncomfortable in his chair, for he was constantly squirming in his seat. Yet he wasn’t in a hurry. Glenn felt that Hal was completely present with him in their conversation.
“Well, then, my friend,” said Hal, “let me buy you a drink while you wait for love.”
“Thank you, but I prefer tea.”
“That’s right. You are a well-behaved sort. Well, we need more men like you.” Hal said as downed his highball.
“Have you considered a military career?” asked Glenn.
“I’m no hero. But if we go over there, they’ll surely send me when the time comes. No need to waste time in training now.”
Glenn nodded. He understood this viewpoint, even if it wasn’t his own.
“If you will excuse me, Mr. Halifax,” said Glenn, “I should try phoning my fiancée.”
“I will only excuse you if you will drop the ‘Mister!’ Remember, it’s Hal.”
Glenn laughed as he rose. “Very well.”
He walked into the hotel office and picked up the phone to dial. Elsa answered.
“No, Miss Graham is not home but should be shortly. I must have been at the market when you came by. So sorry to have missed you . . . We had not been expecting you until later. She has invited some guests over tonight. I hope you will come. She will be delighted to see you.”
Glenn said he would, but felt disappointed to have to share Dafne with a party. He returned to Hal. “Apparently she’s entertaining tonight. I had hoped to see her alone.”
Hal placed a comforting hand on his shoulder from across the table. “Cheer up, buddy. She probably wants to celebrate your triumphal return!”
“I suppose you’re right. Say, why don’t you come along? She’s sure to have a few attractive young ladies there.”
Hal’s blue eyes sparkled. “Well, I . . . why not?”
“That’s the spirit!” Glenn began to rise again from his seat.
“No hurry, bud.” Hal applied a slight pressure with the hand that had remained on Glenn’s shoulder. “Finish your tea, let me order another highball, and then tell me all about the hardships of military life. A party never suffers for gents showing up too late.”
Almost two hours had passed before the new friends finally arrived at the 71st Street apartment. The small front room was already crowded with a half dozen guests. Dafne beamed at her fiancé’s arrival, clearly thrilled that he had brought a handsome friend. Her soft pink dress played well against the glow of early summer on her cheeks and neck.
Glenn could tell she was happy to see him, but her greeting was subdued. She kissed him quickly on the cheek and momentarily embraced him.
“I’ve missed you, darling,” she said.
Glenn presented her to Hal, whose eyes had grown wide, taking in her beauty. Dafne floated away, glancing back over her shoulder. He knew she purposely made sure they both saw how her dress fully exposed her beautiful back.
Hal clapped Glenn vigorously on the shoulder. “Good work, bud! She’s a tiger!”
Several more people walked in on the heels of the two gentlemen, further crowding the small room. Glenn was surprised to
see Thelma Blaine, now Thelma Sanderson. He remembered Dafne’s jealousy years ago—a detail he’d learned from his sister rather than from Dafne herself. But time had rendered those feelings obsolete. Dafne had grown into a famous beauty; Thelma had married, borne two children, and developed a mature femininity. While still beautiful, Thelma lacked the freshness Dafne had discovered in herself. Dafne explained that she had encountered Thelma shortly after Glenn left for base. They had quickly built a new friendship.
Glenn had never felt comfortable at parties. He felt especially uncomfortable now. He was glad to have his new friend with him. It helped to pass the time. Yet all he really wanted was time alone with Dafne. His eyes followed her through the room. Each smile and each sparkle of her eyes entranced him. He felt a flutter of attraction whenever she subtly folded her shoulders in and laughed. But she was the hostess tonight. Her flirtations were for the room, not for him.
Eventually people started to leave. Hal left with the last of the guests, but not before writing down his Brooklyn address and phone number for Glenn.
Once everyone was gone, Dafne grew tired. Glenn sat with her for a few minutes as Elsa cleaned up, but it was late and Dafne seemed like she would fall asleep on the couch. As Glenn wrote down his room number at the Carlton, Elsa came out of the kitchen and took the note from him. He and Elsa smiled at each other; no words needed to convey their understanding. Glenn left, knowing Elsa would remind Dafne to call him at the hotel the next morning.
Elsa listened to the door click shut behind Glenn, then resumed cleaning up from the party. It wouldn’t take her long. She had been quietly cleaning up after the guests even while they lingered. She continued her task as Dafne relaxed on the couch.
Except for these nighttime soirees, Elsa had mostly been left alone in their new apartment. As she’d arranged everything into a comfortable abode, she grew to feel it was her home. She remembered Dafne had once told her she would learn to think this way. Finally, she was the mistress of the house.
Love of Finished Years Page 13