City of Lies

by Victoria Thompson

  “Thank you for everything. You’ve both been very kind.”

  Cybil discreetly closed the pocket doors behind them, leaving Elizabeth to explain herself to a very confused Anna.

  What could she say? The Old Man always said stick to the truth as much as possible. It’s easier to remember than a lie. “Anna, a lot of what I told you about myself wasn’t true.”

  “I may be naïve, Elizabeth, but I’m not stupid. I’d already figured that much out at least.”

  “You did?” Elizabeth asked, horrified.

  “Of course. How many times did I tell you that you aren’t like anyone I’ve ever known? And you didn’t seem to know much about the suffrage movement for someone willing to go to jail for it. And when we were unpacking your luggage . . . Well, I knew something wasn’t right almost from the first.”

  “I didn’t want to lie to you, but I had very good reasons. I just hope when you hear them, you’ll be able to forgive me.”

  “I’m very anxious to hear them, and I probably shouldn’t tell you, but I’m very anxious to forgive you, too.”

  That probably wouldn’t last long, but Elizabeth swallowed down her natural reluctance to tell the truth and began. “As you probably have guessed, I’m not from South Dakota. I live here in the city. Here in this house, in fact, when I’m in town.”

  “I gathered as much from Zelda and Cybil.”

  “A few weeks ago, my brother and I were traveling to Washington City.”

  “Your brother?”

  “I told you I’d lied about some things. Yes, my brother, Jake. We met Oscar Thornton on the train.”

  “Thornton? The man who helped get us out of the workhouse?”

  “The very same. He and Jake became fast friends, and we were staying at the same hotel. The Willard.”

  “But you said . . . Oh, more lies.”

  “Exactly. While we were there, Thornton and Jake met a man who was making a lot of money in the stock market. He offered to help Jake and Thornton make some money, too, and for a few days they did very well. Then something went wrong. I don’t really understand what, because I don’t know much about that sort of thing,” Elizabeth lied, “but Jake and Thornton lost a lot of money because Jake made some sort of mistake.”

  “How dreadful.”

  If Anna only knew! “Even more dreadful because Thornton blamed Jake. He thought Jake had taken the money or something. Thornton’s men beat him very badly, and then they came after me.”

  “You! Whatever for?”

  “Thornton thought I could make Jake give him his money, I guess, or else he was just going to get some revenge. At any rate, I escaped just in time, but they were chasing me. I didn’t have any place to go, and then I remembered the women were demonstrating in front of the White House, which was just down the street.”

  “And that’s when you joined the demonstration. I remember, you looked a little anxious, but I thought it was just because you’d never demonstrated before.”

  “You know the rest of the story, up until we came back to the city.”

  “So Thornton knew you were in the workhouse with us,” Anna mused. “That’s probably why he helped all of us get released.”

  “It was. I knew he still wanted his revenge, so I was going to sneak out of New York at the first opportunity, but I had to go see my brother first, to make sure he was all right. That’s where I went the day I told you I got lost.”

  “You were in a state that day. Did seeing your brother upset you so much?”

  “No, he’s recovering nicely, but Thornton’s men had followed me, and after I visited Jake, they forced me into a cab and took me to Thornton’s house.”

  “How awful. But you escaped!”

  “No, he let me go, but only after he threatened me with unspeakable things. He was going to kill me, Anna. He wanted his money back, but Jake and I don’t have it, so I did the only thing I could think of. I promised to convince David to help Thornton sell his rifles to the army.”

  Anna gaped at her. “How on earth did you think of that?”

  Oh dear, Anna really was innocent. “I don’t know. It just came to me. At first Thornton didn’t believe that I could convince David of anything, so I told him we were engaged.”

  Anna considered this for a moment. “But you weren’t engaged then.”

  “I know, which is why I had to . . . uh . . . encourage David to propose so quickly.”

  “And you said you have no intention of marrying him. That’s very cruel to poor David.”

  “Oh, Anna, he doesn’t really want to marry me. I tricked him into proposing, and I’m not going to break his heart. I’m going to be a terrible fiancée, not the girl he thought I was at all, and he’ll be very relieved when I break it off with him after the rifles are sold.”

  Anna stared at Elizabeth for a long moment, and Elizabeth held her breath, waiting for the final judgment. After what seemed an eternity, Anna smiled. “Elizabeth, you are amazing.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m desperate. And of course now you can tell David I’m a liar and a cheat who tricked him, and he won’t help Thornton and—”

  “Don’t be silly! Of course I won’t tell him. In fact, I’ll help you convince David. I don’t want anything to happen to you, either, Elizabeth.”

  Surprisingly, Elizabeth felt the sting of tears. No one had ever loved her so unconditionally.

  “And don’t you dare cry,” Anna scolded, “because then I’ll start, and we’ll never get anything done. First of all, are you sure this will work? Will it satisfy Thornton, I mean? Enough so he’ll give up his plans to harm you?”

  Elizabeth obediently blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know, but I was planning on taking a long trip as soon as Thornton gets his money, someplace where he’s not likely to find me.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea. I could go with you.”

  Elizabeth smiled at Anna’s eagerness. “I’d like that, but I’m not sure it would be safe.”

  Anna waved her concerns away. “We’ll worry about that later. Now we need to make some plans for persuading David. You don’t know him as well as I do. I’ve been talking him into things my whole life.”

  Poor David. He’d gotten the good looks, but his sister had gotten the brains. Over the next hour, she proved it, too.

  • • •

  “Have you and Elizabeth decided where you’re going on your honeymoon?” Anna asked her brother that night at dinner. She looked so innocent, Elizabeth could hardly believe they’d planned this whole conversation. Anna would have made a good grifter.

  David grinned broadly at the mention of a honeymoon. “We haven’t discussed it yet.”

  “It should be special, don’t you think? You only have one honeymoon. Elizabeth, where would you like to go?”

  “Oh, I really don’t care. Wherever David decides is fine with me.” She gave him her sweetest smile, which clearly charmed him. “As long as we’re together, it will be wonderful.”

  “But you must have an opinion,” Anna insisted. “Isn’t there some place you’ve always dreamed of going? Now is your chance, while David is still besotted with you!”

  “You’re being silly, now,” Mrs. Vanderslice scolded good-naturedly.

  “But it’s true!” Anna said. “Confess, Elizabeth. What is your heart’s desire?”

  Elizabeth hemmed and hawed and let Anna coax her a little more before she finally admitted, “I’ve always dreamed of taking a European tour. Oh, I know it would cost a fortune and David couldn’t possibly be away that long, but . . . Well, that’s what I’ve always dreamed about.”

  “It wouldn’t cost that much,” Anna said. “And David could probably do some business in Europe while you’re there, couldn’t you?”

  David was a little disconcerted, but to his credit, he rallied quickly
. “I might be able to.”

  “As for the expense,” Anna continued, “didn’t you say that Oscar Thornton wanted your help with something? There would certainly be a big commission in that.”

  “I also said I wasn’t going to help him.”

  “But why not? Papa always said not to let sentiment interfere with business.”

  “I’m not sure your papa ever said that,” Mrs. Vanderslice said.

  “I know Mrs. Bates doesn’t approve of Mr. Thornton,” Elizabeth said, although the words wanted to stick in her throat, “but he did help get us released from the workhouse. I can’t help feeling very grateful for that.”

  “I don’t think that’s enough to earn Hazel’s forgiveness,” Mrs. Vanderslice said.

  “I don’t, either,” Anna said, “but I can’t think why Mrs. Bates even has to know about it if it would upset her. And Mr. Thornton will think us very rude indeed if you refuse to do business with him after what he did for your sister and your fiancée, David.”

  “You don’t know what you’re asking, Anna,” David said.

  “And I’m not going to be the kind of wife who makes demands,” Elizabeth said, glad she was so good at lying. “I know you’ll make the right decision, David.”

  “Of course he will,” his mother said, ending the discussion.

  After dinner, the family retired to the parlor. Mrs. Vanderslice wanted to play cards for a while since Elizabeth made a fourth, or so she said. But when they were settled, with David beside Elizabeth on the sofa, he turned to her with a beaming smile and presented her with a small box from Tiffany.

  Elizabeth didn’t have to pretend to be surprised. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that she would receive an engagement ring. At least when this was over, she’d have some jewelry to show for it. She bestowed a grateful smile on her intended and opened the box to reveal the ugliest ring she had ever seen.

  Fortunately, Elizabeth had been carefully schooled in how to hide her true emotions. “Oh, David, it’s . . .”

  “It was my grandmother’s,” he said, which meant it was really old, in addition to being old-fashioned. For some reason he seemed proud of this fact. “Anna helped me pick out which one to give you.”

  Elizabeth risked a glance at Anna, who looked so smug, Elizabeth had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Elizabeth would get even with her later. “I don’t know what to say.” Which was the absolute truth for once.

  “I hope it fits,” he said, taking the box from her unresisting fingers. He removed the ring—how could he present it in a Tiffany box and deceive her like that?—and slipped it on her finger.

  “It’s perfect,” she declared, holding out her hand to admire it. It looked even worse out of the box.

  “David thought you might want a new ring,” Anna said, “but I told him you’d appreciate something that had been in the family for generations.”

  “You know me so well,” Elizabeth said.

  Anna ignored Elizabeth’s sarcasm. “What parts of Europe did you especially want to see, Elizabeth?” Anna asked to remind Elizabeth of their purpose.

  Over cards, Elizabeth admitted being torn between London and Paris but being especially interested in seeing Rome and Venice. David, she noticed, didn’t say much. She suspected he was trying to figure out how to please his intended bride without bankrupting himself. She might have felt sorry for him if she hadn’t known he’d never have to face that choice.

  • • •

  Gideon was beginning to understand what hell must be like. Hell was having the one you wanted near enough to touch and not being able to touch her. Not even being able to get her to speak to you, in fact. The weekend had been torture, with Elizabeth flitting in and out, visiting the Vanderslices and having them visit here, and seeing David possessively tuck her hand into the curve of his arm and sweep her away. And she continued to ignore Gideon, giving him just the barest notice when forced to acknowledge his presence and speaking only the most banal platitudes when forced to address him.

  And the very worst part was all of that only made him want her more.

  For once, he’d been glad to leave for his office this Monday morning. While he couldn’t hope to forget about her completely, at least he didn’t have to see her or hear her voice all day. But now his day was over, and he had to go back to his place of torment. With any luck, she would have already left to spend her evening with the Vanderslices, and he wouldn’t have to see her at all today.

  Of course, the thought of not seeing her at all depressed him beyond bearing, and he entered the house with a resigned sigh.

  He was shrugging out of his coat when David stepped out of the parlor. “Gideon, old man, glad you’re home. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  Gideon managed a smile for his old friend. “Have you?”

  “I need your advice on something.”

  Hopefully, he wasn’t looking for marriage advice. “Of course.” Gideon hung up his coat and followed David into the parlor. As he’d expected, Elizabeth was there, sitting on the sofa and looking so beautiful, it almost stopped his heart. “Miss Miles.”

  She didn’t smile. “Mr. Bates.”

  David sat down beside Elizabeth, as was his right, and Gideon took a chair opposite them. The gas fire burned in the grate, but Gideon still felt chilled. “You said you wanted some advice. You could’ve come by my office, you know.”

  “This isn’t legal advice, at least not technically. It’s more . . . personal.” David exchanged a look with Elizabeth, and Gideon managed not to groan.

  “I’m the last one to give personal advice,” Gideon said.

  “It’s about Thornton.”

  Not at all what Gideon had expected to hear. “What about him?”

  “That deal with the rifles he wants to sell to the army. Well, someone came to see me today, a General Sterling. Retired General Sterling, I should say. The president appointed him to some committee that’s authorized to buy supplies for the troops, and Senator Wadsworth sent him to me. He’d sent Thornton to me, too, which is why he knew I could help the general.”

  Gideon glanced at Elizabeth, but her face revealed nothing. “You said you weren’t going to work with Thornton.”

  “I’m . . . uh . . . having second thoughts.”

  How interesting. “Why?”

  David glanced at Elizabeth, giving her the lovesick smile that made Gideon want to vomit. “I’ve been thinking about what he did for us. He’s the one who found the warden and got the warrant served. He got Anna and Elizabeth and your mother out of that workhouse. Without him, they might still be there.”

  Gideon sincerely hoped they would have been released by now, but he couldn’t know for sure, so he couldn’t argue with David’s logic. “And you want to show your gratitude.”

  “It’s the decent thing to do. It’s not like I’m buying the rifles myself. I’m just going to help him make the right contacts, and I’ll be helping the army get the supplies they need, too.”

  “And someone is going to earn a fee, so it might as well be you.”

  David stiffened but he didn’t back down. “A man has to think about these things when he’s planning to marry.”

  Of course he did. “I have it on good authority that Miss Miles isn’t interested in your money.”

  At last she met his gaze. Her look was sharp enough to draw blood, but he held it until David said, “I know, but she does want a European tour for a honeymoon.”

  “I told you, that doesn’t matter,” she insisted.

  David took her hand and patted it, making Gideon grind his teeth. “Which is why you’re going to get it. So you see, Gideon, this benefits everyone.”

  Not everyone deserved to benefit, but David probably didn’t want to hear that. “You said you wanted my advice. It sounds like you just want my approval, but you don’t reall
y need that, either. You can do whatever you think is right, David.”

  “Of course I value your counsel,” David said. “I just . . . Well, your mother might be upset. I wouldn’t want to lose her good opinion.”

  Gideon was sure of that, and now he thought he understood David’s concern. “There’s no reason she even needs to know about this, then. I certainly won’t mention it to her.”

  “I would appreciate that.”

  David was still holding Elizabeth’s hand, and Gideon didn’t think he could stand seeing that very much longer. “If that’s all,” he said, starting to rise.

  “One more thing,” David said, stopping him.

  Gideon sat back down and somehow didn’t sigh. “Yes?”

  “Could you join us when I get the general and Thornton together?”

  Elizabeth’s chin snapped up, and she turned her razor gaze on David. “Why would you impose on Gideon when you know how he feels about Mr. Thornton?”

  A very good question.

  “Now, Elizabeth, you don’t need to concern yourself with this. It’s business, and Gideon understands we put our personal feelings aside.” David turned to him. “I’d like to have your help on this, to make sure everything is legal and aboveboard. You’ll be paid for your time, of course.”

  Of course he would. Devoss and Van Aken would insist upon it. “Do you have any reason to believe something wouldn’t be legal?”

  “Not at all, but this is so new, everything to do with the war, and I don’t want to leave anything to chance. I’d like to have someone I trust involved in drawing up the papers.”

  Gideon couldn’t argue with his logic. He only wished David was more considerate of his feelings. But of course David didn’t know the extent of Gideon’s feelings as they pertained to Elizabeth. And maybe Gideon could at least influence this general not to overpay for the rifles. No sense in making Thornton any richer than necessary. And if his mother found out, well, he’d have that to tell her, at least. “All right. Just let me know when you’re meeting.”