by Linda Daly
For years, Daniel had been envious of Tad’s generous monthly allotments and had resented that the same generosity had not been bestowed on him by his father, Jerome Hobbs. The senior Hobbs, a welloff business entrepreneur, with high morals and convictions, insisted that nothing had been handed to him, needing to earn it through hard work. Therefore, in turn, he demanded the same for his only son.
Opposed to his father’s way of thinking, Daniel viewed manual work as tedious and demeaning. With no family allotments to rely on, the unscrupulous Hobbs found other means to ensure he had money to spend. Shamelessly, Daniel would get Tad drunk and cheat at cards to win the hands. Unfortunately, this plan was short lived when others in their set, wise to Daniel’s ruthlessness would drop out of the hands when he dealt. When an opportunity presented itself through the desperation of an Irishman down on his luck and unable to make a living, the younger Hobbs thought of a new scheme.
Having been turned down to work at the Ice Company by the senior Hobbs, Daniel agreed to hire him unbeknownst to his father and under the stipulation that he would swindle the unsuspecting Tad at poker. Readily, Gilbert accepted Daniel’s terms having little respect for Tad whom he had seen on occasion at Jake’s, viewing him as nothing more than an egocentric, well-bred aristocrat who had more money than brains.
For months, the two of them had successfully swindled Tad out of his allowance. And as annoying as this was to Tad—only when he thought Miranda had become interested in a man he viewed as beneath her—did he decide to take matters in his own hands. It was one thing to lose at cards to the ill-mannered foul tempered Irishman, but it was quite another for the woman he had pined over for years to show an interest in the man he despised.
Convinced that if it hadn’t been for Gilbert, none of this would have ever happened, Tad desperately searched for Gilbert to prevent him from ever telling Miranda what had happened. Both he and Daniel continued their hunt with both men hating O’Flaherty for different reasons, and both hell-bent to silent the Irishman. Perhaps they might have been successful too, if it hadn’t been for the aide of Miranda Brown and Felicity Phelps.
Following a long humid day at the orphanage in early June, Miranda and Felicity decided to take a leisurely ride through Central Park, a popular meeting place for women to gather during the day. Although the park was built for all classes, the majority of those in attendance were those of wealth, dressed in the latest fashions with matching hats and parasols to protect their delicate skin. As the Honeycutt’s open carriage passed those walking, Felicity and Miranda seated across from one another would occasionally nod their heads to those they recognized, all the while chatting amongst themselves freely in hushed tones.
“Why is it Miranda, you look so forlorn on such a lovely day? Are you and Tad having a spat?”
Softly shaking her head while pretending to be interested in the manicured gardens to avoid eye contact with Felicity, Miranda softly answered, “No. I almost wished we had and then perhaps it would explain Tad’s distance.”
Knowing that such a comment would only spark more questions from her friend, Miranda quickly added. “Of course, with Sarah and Michael’s desire to leave early now that they are in their new home and having it redecorated, it’s perfectly understandable. Yet, I can’t help but feel Tad’s grateful to be leaving so soon.”
While adjusting her gloves, Felicity said reassuringly, “Surely you must be mistaken. Perhaps Tad has found living with his father and stepmother more demanding than he had anticipated and he just needs time to adjust to his new life.”
“Or, perhaps he has discovered we really aren’t suited for one another and doesn’t know how to let me down gently.” Miranda’s voice trailed off, obviously too upset to continue.
“I cannot believe a man like Tad, who has openly been smitten with you for years, would alter those feelings for no apparent reason. It makes no sense. Are you certain there isn’t something else troubling him?” Felicity asked, no longer able to conceal her concern.
Shaking her head in frustration, Miranda said, “I honestly don’t know. I’ve asked him several times and he always says the same, ‘What could possibly be wrong?’ In truth, at first I thought he was hiding something from me, and now it’s as if he avoids me so he won’t have to answer my annoying questions, though I can hardly blame him. Heck-fire, I’m tired of hearing them myself! But I can’t seem to stop myself from asking when I know something isn’t right.”
Not sure how to comfort Miranda, Felicity sighed and said, “Well, it is peculiar. However, before you give up on him entirely, why not have a talk about your concerns with Sarah. She seems like such a lovely woman.”
Leaning closer to Felicity, Miranda strained to keep her tone just above a whisper. “Sarah is a very loving and kind woman, but I’m not about to ask for her help regarding this matter. What am I to say? Can you please see to it that Tad is more attentive to me? Absolutely not! This is one matter I cannot discus with Tad’s stepmother, no matter how close I feel to her personally. It’s already so humiliating to be with them nightly. You can’t imagine how embarrassing it is to see the looks they give one another as they witness the change in Tad’s demeanor toward me.”
“Oh dear, I had no idea it had escalated that far. Surely there must be a way of finding out what’s troubling Tad, without appearing to be worried about your relationship with him.”
Sighing in frustration, and on the verge of tears Miranda softly asked, “Can we please not discuss Tad anymore today? Why don’t you explain to me again, why it is that you think Mr. Sterling comes around almost everyday instead?”
Miranda knew that asking any question about the Sterlings’ would preoccupy Felicity’s mind, so she added, “It really is quite puzzling to me. Not that he comes to the orphanage so often, but rather when he is there, Mr. Sterling is jovial and friendly, unlike later in the day when he and Lavinia arrive at the Honeycutt’s and his disposition is so solemn. It really is such a shame. If you saw how he and Lavinia sniped at each other every night, you would just keel over in embarrassment.”
Hearing such a distressing comment from her friend, Felicity frowned. “Oh, I really hate hearing such things, Miranda. It is strange, considering our history in England and all, but over the past few months, my opinion of James has altered considerably. In fact, I have grown very fond of him. His generosity is immense; food, clothing, offering the orphan’s apprenticeships at his shipping company, and now, James has contacted business associates with political connections to put pressure on Congress again to help orphanages like ours. Isn’t that so kind of him?”
“It is indeed. I just find his actions peculiar is all.”
“Peculiar? Why, for goodness sakes?”
“Not that he wants to donate his time and money, but that he does so much without Lavinia knowing anything. When I see Mr. Sterling at the Honeycutt’s, he rarely speaks of seeing me during the day. As a matter of fact, I have gotten the distinct impression he prefers no one knows of his visits to the orphanage. If in passing, it is mentioned that we saw one another earlier in the day, James is very quick to change the subject.”
“Well I’m sure it’s simply to avoid any unpleasantness with Lavinia. You and I both know how trying she can be, if provoked.”
“Precisely why I can’t help but wonder why he would keep something like this from his wife.” Seeing the look of confusion on Felicity’s face, Miranda quickly continued. “Don’t you see? By not telling her of his visits to the orphanage and his generous donations, with her way of thinking, she would probably assume he had ulterior motives or was deliberately trying to do something behind her back. So why go to all the trouble of keeping something so innocent from her, especially when she is bound to notice the familiarity of you three?”
“Ah, I see your point. Having been the recipient of her nasty disposition, I wouldn’t wish that on another living soul.”
“Precisely my point. Why deliberately provoke her? It just doesn’t make an
y sense to me.”
“Well, when you put it like that, it doesn’t make sense to me either. Surely, James must have a good reason …” Felicity’s voice trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper as she gazed out to those milling about Central Park. Judging by the look of concern on her friend’s face, Miranda knew instinctively that Felicity was deeply troubled, and rather than push her, she waited patiently for Felicity to think it out.
“You know what troubles me too? When we were in England, Lavinia risked everything to be with James and now that she is his wife, it’s almost as if she loathes him as much as she did Benjamin.” Shaking her head, Felicity added. “How sad, to be so miserable all the time.”
Hearing such a befitting description of Lavinia Sterling, Miranda nearly broke out laughing, yet seeing the concerned look in Felicity’s eyes she said, “Dearest Felicity, only you would feel sorry for someone as nasty and evil as Lavinia Sterling.”
Miranda’s last comment went unanswered as Felicity gasped and pointed. “Oh dear! Is that man accosting that poor woman in broad daylight?”
Startled by such a comment, Miranda immediately turned her attention to where Felicity was pointing. From their vantage point, both of them witnessed a red-haired woman struggling to be freed by a welldressed man in a top hat and coat. As their coach drew nearer, the blood drained from Miranda’s face as her eyes drifted to a familiar man standing beside a parked coach only a few feet from where the man and woman were scuffling with one another. Even from this distance, she knew immediately it was Tad at the carriage. Confused as to why he would stand by watching, doing nothing as the other man grasped hold of the woman’s arm, yelling at her, Miranda’s heart began to race.
Sheepishly she looked at Felicity to see if she had witnessed Tad too. Judging by the surprised look on Felicity’s face, Miranda knew she had. Her eyes trailed back toward the disturbing scene just as they were passing them on the trail. Horrified, she heard Daniel Hobbs yelling, while shaking his assailant. “Tell me where he is, damn it!”
Unable to keep their eyes off the scene, both women gasped when they realized the woman being accosted was MargaretAnne O’Flaherty, as they were now able to see her face for the first time. Shrinking from sight and turning their parasols to avoid from being seen, Miranda whispered to Felicity, “What should we do?”
Without hesitating, Felicity hoarsely whispered to Montgomery, “Pull over at once!”
Following his orders, Montgomery pulled on the reins and the buggy came to a halt. Waving her hand, motioning Miranda to slide over, Felicity discreetly took the seat beside her. Then tilting her parasol to avoid being seen, she whispered, “Let’s see what Tad and Mr. Hobbs want with Maggie first, shall we?”
Nodding her head in agreement, Miranda craned her neck to look discretely at Tad and the others.
Within seconds, both men leapt inside their coach and drove off in the opposite direction, toward the Boulevard. Noticing how distraught Maggie was, both women hastily left their buggy and called to her. “Miss O’Flaherty, are you all right?” asked Miranda as she ran to the woman who was crying.
Upon seeing Miranda and Felicity, Maggie quickly wiped her face. It was clear she was not happy to see them, and was either hiding something or extremely frightened at seeing them. Nervously, the servant managed to smile over at them and said, “Why Miss Brown and Mrs. Myles, what a surprise to see you today.”
Ignoring the woman’s attempts at concealing her encounter, Miranda boldly asked, “Why on earth was Mr. Hobbs yelling at you like that?”
The blood drained from her face hearing Miranda’s question and immediately the frightened woman looked down as she tried to pass them on the narrow sidewalk. “Please Miss Brown, if you don’t mind I have lots of work to do this afternoon.”
“Maggie, why don’t you allow us to escort you to the Carmidy’s. That is where you’re headed isn’t it?” Felicity said softly in a comforting tone.
Nodding nervously, Maggie said, “Yes, Ma’am. But there’s no need to be troubling you both like that. I can make it just fine on me own.”
From the terror in Maggie’s eyes, Miranda knew that the woman’s fear stemmed from something deeper than the confrontation she had just witnessed. Following Felicity’s lead, Miranda gingerly took Maggie by the elbow and softly whispered, “Nonsense, Maggie. We were heading over to see you anyway. So you see it’s no trouble at all.”
Reluctantly, MargaretAnne entered the buggy while Miranda frowned disapprovingly at the Honeycutt’s driver. “Take us to the Carmidy’s at once, Montgomery,” she ordered sternly, annoyed that Montgomery hadn’t assisted them back into the carriage as he normally would have.
“Yes, miss,” Montgomery replied boldly, seemingly not the least bit interested that he had annoyed her.
Never had the servant been so insolent before and Miranda’s cheeks burned with anger. Rather than address his insubordinate behavior now, Miranda decided to deal with him later, and she stepped into the carriage. As she took her seat, her eyes stayed focused on MargaretAnne, who sat stoic in the seat next to Felicity. Dear God, why are you so frightened? Miranda wondered, noticing the servant’s hands were trembling in her lap while deliberately avoiding eye contact with either of them.
Needing time to think herself, Miranda also glanced at the scenery of Central Park, her mind whirled as she tried to make some sense of what she had just witnessed. Why would Tad watch as his friend practically assaulted Maggie? And why would Montgomery react in such a disrespectful manner? Having no answers to either of her questions, she shook her head. Has everyone taken complete leave of their senses? Slowly the shock began to wear off and she found her temper rising recalling Daniel’s words. “Tell me where he is, damn it!” Her mind raced for answers. Where who is?
Intuitively she knew that Tad’s strange behavior to her of late, and Daniel yelling at this woman was related, yet she couldn’t put a connection between them. Mystified, Miranda glanced at MargaretAnne again, and from the look of determination on the frightened woman’s face, it was clear the servant did not intend to volunteer an explanation for what had just happened. More confused than ever, Miranda slowly glanced at Felicity. Seeing her friend shake her head disapprovingly, Miranda again resigned to wait, but vowed to herself that before she left the Carmidy’s today her questions would be answered.
Once the carriage pulled up in front of the house, much to Miranda’s surprise, MargaretAnne leapt from the carriage and dashed toward the front door. Whispering to the stunned Miranda, Felicity said, “Why would she run off like that when clearly she is no longer in danger? Don’t you find all of this extremely peculiar?”
“Indeed I do. And by hook or crook, I will get to the bottom of these queer goings on.” Ignoring, Felicity’s frown, Miranda went directly into the Carmidy’s home to find the distraught servant removing her hat.
“Tend to your affairs MargaretAnne and report directly back to the parlor.”
Not waiting for a reply from the servant, knowing her way around the home she and her father had lived in from time to time over the past three years, Miranda went directly to the parlor. As Felicity walked through the open door, Miranda motioned her into the parlor where they took a seat and began whispering amongst themselves.
“I know you are upset, seeing Tad there and all. However, please keep in mind that Maggie has already been badgered and manhandled once today. Perhaps what she needs is another form of coaxing.”
Perturbed that her friend felt it necessary to point out the obvious and hearing the servant’s footsteps returning she said, “My, but it is stuffy in here with the curtains drawn and no air circulating.” Seeing MargaretAnne in the doorway, Miranda directed her attention to the servant. “Maggie, dear, why are all the windows boarded up? Surely, it must be unbearable for you to work inside all day with no fresh air.”
“Oh I don’t mind none, Miss Brown.”
Smiling sweetly back at her Miranda said, “Well in the future see to it
that some air circulates, dear. We wouldn’t want Joshua and Elise to return to a musty dank home now would we?”
“No miss. With the cool air of the night, I find that opening the windows then helps to keep the home cooler, but if you prefer I can do both.”
“No. As long as you give the home a good airing out that should be fine,” Miranda said while removing her hat.
“Maggie dear, I know you weren’t expecting any visitors this afternoon, but would it be too much of a bother to ask for some refreshments? Suddenly I find I’m parched,” Felicity said while smiling at the servant.
Turning her attention to Miranda she asked, “Miss Brown, would you be wanting to wet yer whistle too?”
“Why yes. Thank you Maggie,” Miranda replied. “A nice glass of lemonade would be most welcoming.”
Without replying, the flushed and obviously upset woman turned and went down a darkened hall. No longer able to hear the woman’s footsteps and feeling reassured that they could not be overheard, Felicity leaned over to Miranda. In a hushed whisper she said, “Not that I’m doubting her, but if she opens the windows at night, then why when Benjamin and I drove past here a few nights past, did the house look all boarded up?”
Shaking her head in agreement, Miranda whispered, “It was the same when father and I drove home from visiting Michael and Sarah’s new home the night before last.”
Hearing the servant’s footsteps, the two sat back in their chairs and watched as MargaretAnne entered the parlor and placed the tray on a table between them. With trembling hands and seemingly more flushed than before, she handed a glass of lemonade to Felicity.
“Perhaps you wouldn’t mind opening the curtains for us now, Maggie. It really is most stifling in here.”
As the servant walked across the room and over to the windows, Miranda quickly looked at Felicity who was trying to get her attention by pointing to her drink. Frowning, trying to ascertain what it was that troubled Felicity, Miranda discreetly shrugged her shoulders as if to tell her friend she didn’t understand.