A group of men glanced up from a table, ivory mahjong tiles spread on the surface before them. An oil lamp cast a ghostly glow across their faces.
Kum Yong and Elizabeth hurried past, searching each corner of the room. Remembering her first experience, Elizabeth checked under every table. Charles stayed a step behind her, his attention darting around the dwelling.
In a cellar, they located a cluster of young women cowering in a closet. Elizabeth helped them file out into the hallway, but each girl cringed away with wild eyes, murmuring frantic words she couldn’t understand. “How do we know which girls we’re after?”
Donaldina scanned the group, her eyes settling on a pair of girls clinging to each other, matching ribbons in their dark hair. “Those two.” She glanced around before pushing open one last door. “Bring them in here. We’ll speak in private.”
Elizabeth and Kum Yong reached for the girls’ hands, but they cried out and pushed further into the group. Elizabeth’s throat ached. Why was this always so difficult? She pressed a friendly smile to her face as Kum Yong murmured quietly in Cantonese. With wide eyes, the two nodded and stepped free of their friends.
Donaldina turned to Charles. “You and Elizabeth stay with the rest, and keep an eye on them. I don’t want anyone moving until we’re sure we have the right girls.”
The gathering of women resembled a caged flock of tropical birds, their brightly colored cheongsams suggesting a cheerier life than they’d probably experienced.
Elizabeth moistened her lips. “Do any of you speak English?” She offered one of the Cantonese greetings she’d learned from her students.
One of the girls wrinkled her nose and spewed a harsh stream of words back.
“Do you usually receive such a welcome?” Charles asked.
She sighed. “Not always so pleasant.”
The door swung open and Donaldina came back into the hall with Kum Yong and the two women on her heels. “These are our girls. Time to go.”
Elizabeth gave one last glance at the rest waiting in the hall. “Kum Yong, can you speak with them? Find out if any more wish to join us?”
Kum Yong approached the line of girls, holding out her hands and speaking softly. The young women shook their heads, turning away.
As the Mission group departed, Elizabeth walked between Donaldina and Charles, her mind caught on the ones left behind.
Circles darkened the area beneath Charles’s eyes. “I don’t understand why some girls turn away what you’re offering to them. I’d imagined them leaping into your arms.”
Donaldina sighed. “We all suffer our own chains. The Lord holds out the gift of new life, but many turn Him away, not trusting the offer.” Faint lines etched their way across her forehead. “Freedom is not achieved for these girls when we whisk them away from their captors, nor even in the courtroom. The victory is won through patience, gentle comfort, and compassion. Only then can they grasp the unending depth of God’s love.”
A chill traveled through Elizabeth, like someone performing an icy-fingered glissando down her spine. If God had given her the gift of freedom, why did she live under the shadows of the past?
***
Energy pulsed through Charles’s veins as he escorted the group back to the Mission. He glanced behind them, half expecting to see a Chinese tong member in pursuit, but few people seemed to pay them any mind as they climbed the hill on Sacramento Street.
Elizabeth’s face glowed in the morning light, her blue eyes fixed on the two girls clinging to Kum Yong like seaweed on the rocks.
He leaned close. “So, what happens now?”
Elizabeth met his gaze “Donaldina and Kum Yong will get the girls settled. Then, within a day or two, they’ll need to appear in court so Donaldina can obtain official custody.” A hesitant smile toyed at her lips. “I imagine you’ll take part.”
“Yes, of course.” He brushed a hand across his chin. “I’ll get the paperwork ready.”
“And we return to work. Meals, lessons, sewing.” She made a face. “Preparation for the musicale.”
“Aren’t you looking forward to the grand event?”
“I was until the girls insisted I join in.”
His heart lifted. “I finally get to hear you play.”
She shot him a glance from under long lashes. “If you attend.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. No, for two worlds.”
Her chest rose and fell in a large sigh. “I wish I felt the same. I haven’t played in front of an audience in months.”
Charles jammed his hands into his pockets in an attempt to keep them still. “There’s a florist stall two blocks away from my apartment. Would it be appropriate to bring flowers? For the girls?”
Her brows ratcheted upward. “For all of them?”
“I’ll buy a large bunch and hand them out one by one.” And an extra bouquet for Elizabeth. No one would protest such an act, especially after she impressed the donors with her inspired performance.
As they approached the steps, Charles hung back. “Elizabeth, wait a moment, please.”
She paused, her gaze following the others as they entered the building.
“Tell me how you felt after your first rescue.”
She smiled. “Like I could do anything—dance, shout, fly.” She pressed a hand to her lace shirt. “And a little shaken, too.”
“I can’t imagine going back to the law office quite yet.” The morning’s excitement gave him a burst of courage. “Come out with me. You said Donaldina and Kum Yong wouldn’t need your help. Let me treat you to breakfast on the town.”
“Breakfast?” Elizabeth’s lips parted. “I’m not sure. How would that appear?”
“I thought you prided yourself on being unconventional. And who would even notice in a city this size?” He grinned. “There’s a bakery down the street. If you don’t want to go to a restaurant, we could buy some sweet rolls and walk to Union Square.”
Elizabeth’s face softened. “I—I’d like that.” She glanced at the door. “Let me inform Donaldina. I’ll be right back.” She touched his hand before hurrying up the steps.
Charles faced the street, delivery wagons rattling past at a hurried clip. Thank you, Lord. Thank you.
***
Elizabeth traded her heavy cloak for a lighter jacket and hurried out to meet Charles, an unfamiliar melody lifting her spirits. No matter her fears, it grew more difficult every day to ignore her growing feelings for the man. Ruby said God would give her a new beginning. She’d certainly done her part—throwing herself into His service. Even if the memories continued to haunt her, it didn’t mean she had to live in their shadow.
She and Charles stopped at the bakery, laughing together as they savored the fragrance of fresh-baked bread. Buying a box of sweet rolls, they walked the five blocks to Union Square. The thinning fog promised a sunny day ahead. Elizabeth tipped back her hat to allow the sun to warm her face as they wandered down the sidewalk toward the park. “It’s good to get out.”
Charles tucked the parcel under his elbow. “Between the seclusion of home life and the tension of rescues, you must feel isolated at times. It’d be healthy for you to get out and take in some air.” He smiled. “And perhaps remind you the city is not as ugly as it seems.” He held out his arm to her as they walked.
Elizabeth’s fingers tingled as she looped her wrist around his elbow, his bicep firm under her fingers. With her white gloves, she couldn’t feel the texture of his sleeve, but it didn’t stop her from imagining it.
Charles gestured to the nearly completed St. Francis Hotel. “The city seems to be changing every day.”
“Ruby says God’s bringing new life from the ashes.”
“I like that. Does she often have words of wisdom for you?”
“Always. Whether I want to hear them or not.” She tightened her grip, relishing his warmth on the cold morning. “You made a grand impression on her, you know.”
“Well, there’s one of the King si
blings, anyway.”
She laughed. “In case you’ve forgotten, you mistook me for a maid on your first visit.”
He scrubbed a hand across his forehead. “Yes, and I’ll never live it down.”
“Ruby is a better judge of character. She’s quite intuitive about people. I suppose she learned during her years of nursing.” The light breeze toyed with the tassels on Elizabeth’s cloak.
“And she’s put in a good word for me?”
A flush crept up Elizabeth’s neck. Perhaps Ruby wasn’t the only perceptive one. “Yes. You could say so.”
Charles squeezed her arm against his side. “I’m glad to hear it.”
They crossed Post Street and wandered into Union Square, the tall column of the Dewey Monument spearing the sky above. Stopping at a bench, Elizabeth spread her wrap over the damp seat. “Has the excitement of the morning worn off yet?” She scooted to the end, giving Charles plenty of space.
Charles grinned. “I’m not certain it will.” He sat down, opened the bag, and held it out to Elizabeth. “I dreamed about this sort of work when I decided on law school. Instead I got dusty books and stuffy courtrooms.”
Elizabeth selected a roll, setting it on a napkin. “But you have your eye on political office, right?”
“It would be nice. Lawyers can help in some situations, but when the laws are fundamentally flawed, it’s difficult to watch people suffer. Like your students, for instance.”
“How would you help them?” She broke off a corner of the pastry and popped it in her mouth.
“There’s a deeper issue at work. We have a large population of Chinese men, but the unfair immigration laws make it difficult for them to bring their families over. You have a group of bachelors living in tight quarters, with little hope of bettering their own lives or the lives of their families back home.”
Elizabeth’s throat tightened. “That’s no excuse for how they treat the girls.”
“Of course not. And not all do. You’ve met honorable men in Chinatown.”
“Yes, like George.” She smiled, thinking of Kum Yong’s burgeoning feelings toward the apothecary. “And Lim Sang, the tailor. I’m sure there are many others.”
“But I believe there are probably many more men who’d like to be honorable, but they feel they have no options. If we could change the immigration law, among other things, we could provide hope for their future. They could have real lives—not just being second-class servants of San Francisco society, but full-fledged participants in making this city better.”
The intensity with which he spoke stirred the fire in her own heart. She could picture him standing on the back platform of a train, addressing voters in towns across California. Here was a man who would change the world—a future mayor, or even governor. “But first we have to get people past their fear and hatred.”
“True.”
She sighed. “Even my brother, Robert. He says he doesn’t dislike the Chinese, but you can sense it in his words and his actions. He wasn’t like that as a child.”
“Perhaps he’s had a bad experience since coming to the city.”
Elizabeth frowned. “Maybe. I know it’s a sore point between him and Abby. She met Donaldina and Kum Yong after the quake, and they were a great help to her as she escaped the fires.”
“He’s not alone in his thinking.”
“I wish we could change that. Help people see the Chinese in a better light.”
“Miss Cameron does so with her speaking engagements. Perhaps you could join her sometime. Maybe the girls could perform some of the pieces they’ve learned for the musicale.”
“Don’t remind me. I’m nervous enough about it.” She slipped off her gloves and crumpled them in her hands.
His brown eyes gleamed, tiny crinkles forming around the outer corners. “It will be wonderful. A gift for the donors and the board. They’ll be like proud parents there to watch the girls shine.”
Elizabeth tipped her head back, watching a bird wing its way across the square. Charles was right. She should get out more often. The trip to the beach and the garden had both been good for her soul. But even more so, sharing a meaningful conversation with this man, she could feel her vitality returning.
What would life be like with someone like Charles? He had the potential to change the world with his ideals and his words. Add on his handsome features and passion, and he’d inspire women and men alike. But for this one moment, he seemed to care only about her. The thought set a fire burning in her chest. Some secrets were worth concealing.
22
Charles walked Elizabeth home, every stride taking them a step closer to the end of a delightful morning. The sun’s rays shone straight down between the tall buildings, suggesting they’d whiled away several hours. The combination of no sleep and the night’s excitement had loosened his tongue and seemed to have done the same for Elizabeth, but now she leaned heavily on his arm, an easy silence ruling the moment.
The quiet allowed his mind to wander dangerous paths, fatigue weakening his defenses. If he wasn’t careful, he’d pull Elizabeth close and kiss her lips, right here in the middle of the busy sidewalk. Unfortunately, such an action would ensure an end to their fragile truce. Whatever she’d endured in the past, he needed to earn her trust, and he was willing to wait a lifetime to obtain it.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t keep him at a yardstick’s distance forever.
They paused at the Mission Home steps, her blue eyes rising to meet his gaze. “You should see your face right now. I’d love to know what you’re thinking.”
“No. You wouldn’t.” Charles’s throat tightened. “No matter how I try, I can’t keep every thought pure.”
Her arm tensed in his grasp.
He stepped back. “Please, don’t be concerned.” Perhaps if he retreated, she wouldn’t flee.
Elizabeth tightened her grip on his sleeve, a hesitant smile replacing her strained expression. “I’m not.” She slid her hand upward until it rested on his collar bone.
His breath hitched in his chest. “Really?” He laid his fingers atop hers, weaving them together.
“It’s probably still wise not to startle me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He lifted her wrist to his lips, the scent of lilacs on her skin overpowering his senses. “Too startling?”
As if in answer, Elizabeth leaned into his chest, resting her ear against his shoulder.
Interpreting her touch as a signal, he reached out and brushed a knuckle across her cheek. Either the street had grown quiet behind him, or he’d lost all knowledge of anything outside their tight circle. He lowered his head until his brow rested on her temple. The fragrance of her skin proved intoxicating. “May I—”
“Yes.” Her breath warmed his skin as she touched his unshaven cheek.
Heart seizing, Charles bent to press a kiss to the dimple he’d long admired.
She turned to meet him, her lips grazing his with an irresistible, sweet softness.
“Elizabeth . . .” His throat grew parched and he claimed her lips, this time with intent. The pastry’s sweetness lingered on her mouth, tantalizing him beyond control. Charles lifted his chin to her forehead, determined to slow his pulse before he proved her right about men’s desires.
Her hand traveled up his shoulder to the nape of his neck, her fingertips caressing the bare skin between his collar and his hairline.
When she stepped away, Charles sucked in a quick breath. How had they gone from not touching to a first kiss in the span of a few moments? No matter, he wasn’t going to question her.
Her eyes glistened, a smile playing around her mouth.
The mouth he’d just kissed. He fought every urge to pull her back for more, swallowing hard to break himself from the trancelike moment. “I—I should go.” He hitched a thumb toward the street behind him.
She nodded, her palm pressed to her cheek. “Yes. I should get ready for class.”
His gaze darted up to the heavy door under the por
tico. Hopefully, everyone had been too busy to notice anything unusual on the front stairs. Next time they kissed, he’d choose somewhere more discreet. Next time. The thought brought a sweet ache to his chest.
He touched the brim of his hat. “Until next time.”
***
Elizabeth closed herself in the bedroom and sank down on the edge of the mattress, legs trembling. The sensation of Charles’s lips lingered on her own. A few days ago, she’d promised herself to either tell him the truth or push him away. Neither option ended with a kiss.
She leaned forward, resting both forearms against her knees. How quickly stray thoughts became actions. Was this a new life—or an old one coming back to haunt her?
A gentle tap at her door caught her attention.
Elizabeth hopped off the bed and strode to the door, pulling it open.
Yoke Soo stood in the hall. “Teacher, aren’t we doing lessons today?” Her voice quavered.
Elizabeth glanced at the timepiece clipped to her bodice. “Oh, no. I’m sorry, Yoke Soo. I lost track of time. You begin practicing. I’ll be right there.”
The little girl nodded and skipped off.
Elizabeth rushed to check her reflection in the hand mirror. No one must know what happened between her and Charles. She ran a finger across her lower lip, stomach quivering. Until next time, he’d said. A second kiss? She closed her eyes, her longing intensifying into a crescendo. How many could she enjoy before she lost all grip on reality?
***
Charles jogged down Market Street, his spirits too high for a leisurely pace. In two days time, his life had been turned on its ear. Everything had snapped into place—career, goals, and the woman of his dreams. The Lord must be smiling on him. As if in agreement, the sun finally broke through the fog, swaths of California blue showing in the sky above.
He didn’t care what Spencer tried today. None of it mattered. He’d kissed Elizabeth King. The recollection sent blood surging through his veins.
After hurrying into the Flood Building and chatting with Eugene, Charles strode to the office. Nodding at everyone he passed, he laid his satchel on the desk. First thing, he needed to submit the guardianship petition. The sooner he set the process in motion, the safer the girls would be.
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