“Oh? Michael took you around?” Lila raised a thin eyebrow and looked at Violet. “That must have been a real treat.”
Michael had a feeling Lila wasn’t very happy about the time he and Violet had spent together. And in spite of the fact that she seemed to be trying to befriend Violet, he didn’t feel any of it was genuine. But at least he wouldn’t have to worry about Violet finding her way to work and home alone, and for that he was thankful.
“Oh, it was—at least after Violet had an unexpected tour of the tenements,” Michael said.
“How did that come about?” his mother asked.
“There was an awful accident and our hack driver was trying to avoid the worst of the traffic, but I think he went entirely the wrong way about it. Needless to say, Violet saw that mansions and wealth are not all this city is made up of. It is something one needs to know. I just hadn’t planned on her seeing it all up close yet.”
“But after that we saw the other side of life,” Violet said. “I couldn’t believe the size of Macy’s. I’ve never seen so much merchandise in one place. Do society women really need all of that finery?”
All the men at the table chuckled, including Michael.
“They seem to think they do,” John Talbot said with a laugh.
“Well, you would know, covering all the society
goings-on as you do,” Elizabeth said, cocking her head to the side.
John only smiled at her. As always, there seemed to be an undercurrent between those two, and numerous times in the past few months Michael had caught them stealing glances at each other when they didn’t think the other was looking. He couldn’t help but wonder if Elizabeth was sweet on John or if it was the other way around, but they’d certainly make a nice-looking couple if they ever became one. At least John wasn’t hanging on to every word that came out of Violet’s mouth as Luke and Ben were.
Michael didn’t like the attention the two men were giving Violet tonight any more than he had the first night she arrived. Not one bit. He told himself that it was because he felt responsible for her...as he always had his sister, Rebecca. But that didn’t ring true either and, deep down, he knew it. There was something about Violet, something—
“Michael, what are you so deep in thought about down there?” his mother asked.
“I’m sorry. I was just woolgathering, I suppose.” He laughed and hoped he’d thrown his mother off track. She was very good at reading him, and he wasn’t ready for a barrage of questions he didn’t have the answers to.
* * *
Being on time the next morning was not a problem for Violet. She woke just after dawn and was in and out of the bathroom before she heard anyone else stirring. She took time dressing with care, at last feeling confident she was dressed in the same manner as the women she’d seen at Butterick the day before. She’d chosen a gray-and-black-striped skirt and a crisp white shirtwaist with a black ribbon trim. She tied her mother’s cameo with a black ribbon and wore it around her neck.
Violet made her bed and took one last look at the room she’d come to feel was almost like home before hurrying downstairs to join the others for breakfast. She was pleased to find she’d made it down before Lila this morning in particular, and that Michael was still at the table when she entered the dining room.
“Good morning, everyone. Now I really feel as if I belong, seeing you all here this morning.”
“Good morning, Violet,” Michael said, adding his voice to the others around the table.
He smiled, flashing those dimples, and Violet tried to ignore the way her pulse raced as she hurried to the sideboard and began to fill her plate with bacon, scrambled eggs and a muffin.
Michael stood to pull out her chair and once he took his own, he slid a piece of paper to her. His fingers brushed hers as she took it, sending a spark of electricity straight up her arm to the vicinity of her heart, taking her breath away. She quickly looked at Michael and was relieved that he didn’t seem to notice as he began to explain the map he’d drawn.
“This is the map I told you I would make for you. Just in case you and Lila should get separated at some point. This will show you where the El and trolley stops are.” He pointed them out to her on the map while she tried to get her breathing back to normal. “None are far apart, and you should be able to get back home by yourself easily enough.”
“Thank you, Michael.” Violet sounded a little breathless to her own ears but he didn’t seen to realize the effect his brief touch had on her, and for that she was extremely thankful. “I’ll keep it with me until I know my way around by heart.”
“If it isn’t clear to you, let me know, and I’ll do my best to make it easier for you to read.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.” She was touched that he’d remembered his promise to her. And she felt a little less nervous knowing she’d have the map with her at all times.
“Are you nervous this morning?” Michael asked.
She let out a shaky sigh. “I have to admit that I am.”
“I’m sure it will all go well for you,” he said.
“Having a case of nerves is normal for the first day,” Elizabeth assured her. “You are already doing better than I did on my first day at The Delineator. I was afraid to eat anything, and by noon I was starving. But I’d forgotten to take my lunch with me! Thankfully one of my coworkers shared hers.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about what to do about lunch,” Violet said.
“No need to worry, dear.” Mrs. Heaton came in from the kitchen to hear her last words. “Gretchen packs a very nice lunch for all the boarders. She puts them on the table in the foyer. Just pick one up when you leave. I look forward to seeing how your first day goes this evening. I’m sure all will go well, but I think everyone is nervous that first day.”
“Thank you all for your encouragement. I must admit that this is one first I’ll be glad to have over with.” Violet smiled around the table and her eyes came to rest on the woman she’d come to think of as family.
“Well, good morning, everyone!” Lila said as she entered the room.
Somehow Lila’s greeting didn’t seem to match the expression on her face. She looked a bit out of sorts as she went to the sideboard. Violet joined the others in greeting her. “Good morning, Lila.”
“Are you ready for today? I warn you that it will be a busy one,” Lila said as she took her seat across from Violet.
“Good. That means I’ll get the first day over with quickly,” Violet said, grinning at the other woman.
“Hmm. I suppose you are right,” Lila answered. “Actually that’s one thing I like about working there. Most days go by very fast.”
Violet was glad to hear it. Not that she minded working. She was looking forward to making her way in this city. But she was beginning to enjoy the company of the other boarders more each day, and she looked forward to hearing about their days and getting to know them all better.
Michael slid his seat back and stood. “I suppose it is time to go. I hope you have a really great first day, Violet.”
The smile he gave her made her heart beat faster and do a little flip that she tried to ignore, but those dimples were just too hard to avoid. “Thank you, Michael.”
He was on his way out the door when he turned back. “And, Lila, thank you for seeing to it that Violet will know her way to and from work.”
“Why, you’re welcome, Michael. I’m glad to do it.” For the first time that morning, Lila’s smile seemed genuine as she batted her eyelashes at him.
Violet had no doubt that Lila was attracted to Michael, but did he feel that way about her? Suddenly she felt a little sick to her stomach. She quickly put it down to nerves about her first day of work and chided herself for wondering if there might be something going on between Lila and Michael. It wasn’t any of her business anyway. But the thought didn’t sit well with her. Not at all.
* * *
Violet was more than a little relieved when they arrived at Butterick and
Company. Although Lila had smiled a time or two, she’d barely spoken to Violet once they left the boardinghouse, and Violet wondered if she would ever feel comfortable around the other young woman.
Lila had hurried her along, saying they must rush or they’d be late when they got to the trolley stop. But it turned out that they waited about five minutes before the trolley arrived and there were several others waiting with them.
Violet had expected to ride the El as she and Michael and Mrs. Heaton had, but she found the trolley ride quite interesting. At this time of the day, she was sure that most of the men and women were on their way to work just as she and Lila were. She enjoyed wondering what kind of jobs they held and if they’d all get off at the same stop. But each time they came to a standstill, one or two got off and several more hurried to get on.
Perhaps it was all the stopping and starting, but for some reason the traffic didn’t bother Violet quite as much today. Maybe she would get used to it, after all.
When they arrived at Butterick, Miss Carter was at the base of the stairs. “Good morning, ladies. Traffic must not have been too bad this morning. You’re right on time.”
“Good morning, Miss Carter,” Lila said before Violet had a chance to say anything. “Traffic wasn’t nearly as awful as usual.”
Her tone was much more exuberant than it had been that morning. Perhaps Lila was the kind of person who needed time to wake up and get her thoughts together in the morning. Violet didn’t know her well enough to be sure.
“Violet and I live at the same boardinghouse. I’ve taken her under my wing to show her how to get here and back home,” Lila informed Miss Carter.
“That’s good of you, Lila. It’s always nice to have company on the way to work and home.”
“I really appreciate it,” Violet said. “Everything seems so different to me.”
“I’m sure it does, just moving to the city and away from what is familiar.” Miss Carter smiled at her. “Well, let’s get started. I’ll show you around and then assign your work duties and introduce you to your supervisor.”
Lila was still standing listening to what Miss Carter had to say. The older woman turned to her. “Lila, dear, you may go on to work now.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll look for you when the lunch bell rings, Violet. Good luck!” With that she pivoted and headed in the other direction. Something about her demeanor made Violet wonder if Lila and Miss Carter didn’t quite get along.
“Have you and Lila become good friends?” Miss Carter asked as they watched her walk away.
“I don’t think you could call us that. At least not yet. But we do reside at the same boardinghouse. She was kind enough to tell me I could use her as a reference when I applied for the position, but I forgot to mention it yesterday.”
“You made a fine impression on your own, Violet. I’m not sure a recommendation from Miss Miller would have done as much as just talking to you did.” Miss Carter smiled and motioned for Violet to follow her up the same stairs she’d climbed the day before.
For the next half hour Miss Carter gave her a quick tour, showing her where the designers and pattern makers worked. They watched for a while before going out into the hall once more.
“The templates are then sent to the cutting room, where they’re placed on a stack of tissue paper and cut out. The markings are then transferred to each piece by hand. The pieces are identified by letters marked on it with small holes. Once that is done, the pieces are sorted, folded together and labeled with an image of the garments and brief instructions.”
“I never realized just how much work went into making the patterns I’ve come to count on,” Violet said.
“It is a lot.” Miss Carter chuckled. They went down another floor and entered a room where seamstresses were working on different outfits, and then they entered another room where artists were sketching the finished products that were placed on mannequins.
“This is where the drawings you see in The Delineator and other magazines come to life. After the sketches are finished, some are done in pen and ink and others are colored in for templates to make into prints that are then put into the magazine.”
Miss Carter led Violet around the room so she could get a good look at what was being done. She’d never imagined how many steps it took to get a pattern made and to be able to show it in a way that made her and her mother think that an outfit would look good on them.
Everyone she met was very nice and Violet looked forward to getting to know them all better.
“Come along. We’ll go to the cutting and folding room and get you started.” Miss Carter led her to a huge workroom. “This is where the cutting and folding operations take place. As you can see, it takes a lot of people to keep up with it.”
Violet looked at the floor below and saw both men and women at work. She saw that most of those doing the folding were young women of about her age, including Lila, who looked up and gave her a wave before whispering to the girl next to her.
Violet followed Miss Carter down the stairs and into the room where she introduced her to Mr. Hanson, the floor supervisor. “Mr. Hanson, this our newest employee, Miss Violet Burton.”
Mr. Hanson sported a dark brown beard and mustache, and he had a nice smile. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Burton. How do you like what you’ve seen of our operation?”
“Oh, I am quite impressed. I never dreamed of how much work it took to make a pattern. I’m looking forward to working with everyone.”
“Now, that is the kind of attitude we like around here. I’m sure you are going to fit right in, Miss Burton.”
Violet was beginning to feel that she might.
Chapter Eight
Michael had watched the clock all day, wondering how Violet’s day was going. She’d seemed quite nervous this morning, and he’d prayed that she’d come to feel at ease in her new surroundings. It was well-known that Mr. Butterick was one of the kindest, more generous men in the city. He gave much to the poor, in particular to needy children, and his company had always had a reputation for treating its employees well.
He gazed out the window of his office and jangled the coins in his pocket as he watched the traffic on Third Avenue. He’d felt a restless energy all morning—one would think he was the one starting a new job today instead of Violet.
In spite of the fact that there were times when she looked very vulnerable and Michael had wanted to ease her fears about the city, the traffic and her decision to move here, Violet Burton was a strong woman. A weak woman would not have made the decision to leave all she knew and move to New York City to find a way to keep her family home instead of entering into a loveless marriage.
After Violet had told him about what Harlan Black had tried to do, he was certain she could take care of herself. After all, she’d decided to chance losing her inheritance rather than marrying the likes of Black. Still, it infuriated Michael that the man had tried to blackmail Violet into marrying him.
He clenched his fists, wishing he could get ahold of Black. Michael remembered Harlan and his reputation. There weren’t many in Ashland who liked the banker. He misused his position in town to get what he wanted, and it didn’t matter to him if others had to suffer. But he did have a reputation as a ladies’ man. In fact, at one time Michael had feared Becca might be attracted to him, but that was before she’d left to come here. At least she hadn’t come under his influence. And neither had Violet. He was thankful for that.
Still, Black held Violet’s inheritance in his hand, and Michael didn’t like that one bit. One of the things that bothered him was why Mrs. Burton had had any need to go to Black for money in the first place. His mother had said that she thought Mr. Burton had made provisions for his wife and daughter in his will. She’d been under the impression that while they might not have been well-off, they had enough money to provide for them in the manner they’d been accustomed to.
Evidently it had been much on his mother’s mind, because just this morning, she’d menti
oned that she wondered if Harlan Black had made Mrs. Burton believe something other than the truth about her money situation.
As always, when he heard something like that, Michael wanted to know more, get to the bottom of it. Maybe he should send one of his men to look into things in Ashland. Yes, it might be time to do just that. It was certainly something to think about.
That Violet had turned down Black’s offer showed him that weak was not a term that applied to her. Even so, a strong woman could be naive in ways. This city was far different from their hometown. But after yesterday, she must realize there was a darker side that hid behind all the mansions, the businesses on the Ladies’ Mile and the beauty of Central Park. The dangerous side that had swallowed up his sister. He couldn’t let that happen to Violet. Wouldn’t let it happen.
The noise of traffic seemed to intensify and Michael looked down to see that an omnibus had hit a street vendor’s wagon. It didn’t look as if anyone was seriously hurt from what he could tell three stories up, but he hoped traffic was better today and that no omnibuses came close to running into the streetcar Violet and Lila rode to work in.
Michael chuckled, remembering Violet’s reaction to the near accident on Saturday. To give her credit, had it not been for her scream, they might well have been in a horrible accident. All in all, except for that near calamity, it had been the most enjoyable weekend he’d had in a very long time. And he’d enjoyed yesterday even more. He hoped Violet had enjoyed it as much as he had.
He decided to take off a little early so that he would be sure to be home when she and Lila returned. As soon as he let himself into the house, the aroma coming from the kitchen assured him that his mother planned a special dinner to celebrate Violet’s first day of work.
That she was becoming attached to the young woman was obvious. Violet was a link to their hometown, to the woman who’d been his mother’s best friend and even to Rebecca, in his mother’s mind. He couldn’t blame her because he felt much the same way—only different—and definitely not brotherly.
Somewhere to Call Home (Love Inspired Historical) Page 9