been put to a stop.
What was he thinking, confiding in her like that? He’d never told anyone what he’d just been about to tell her. Nor had he ever admitted—even to himself—that there was a woman he might want to impress. And while it surprised him that there was after the debacle with Melody, what really confused him was that the woman he’d most like to impress was the very one he had been speaking to. The one he knew deep down was way out of his league and only thought of him as a fellow boarder at Heaton House. Who didn’t seem to want to work with him, just as he’d felt about her...until recently.
He felt a bit consternated by the revelation and fell quiet as they all began to spread out blankets and set the baskets of food under the shade of the trees to keep cool until they had lunch.
First up, the children wanted to fly the kites Luke had brought for them and John hurried to join him, Michael and Ben, in trying to get the bright-colored kites to sail up into the blue sky. He was glad of a reprieve from his thoughts.
The women cheered them all on until it was time to set out the picnic lunch. Then they called the men and children over to eat. As usual, Mrs. Heaton had provided quite a spread, with fried chicken, fresh bread and baked beans. There were two kinds of pies and John’s favorite, a huge chocolate cake.
Once they fixed their plates, everyone spread out on the blankets and John found himself sitting by Elizabeth once again. There was something about the woman that he’d always been drawn to. She was one of the kindest and most caring of the women at Heaton House. Oh, they sparred from time to time—usually brought on by him putting his foot in his mouth—and mostly about their work. But she’d always been nice to him as she was with everyone else.
Still, he felt there was more to Elizabeth Anderson than any of them knew. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him feel that way, but she had an air about her that made him think of the people he covered for the paper...high society. And yet, she worked for a living like the rest of the boarders. She never acted in any way superior to anyone and went out of her way to help anyone who needed a hand. Still, there was—
“The children had such a good time flying those kites.” She looked over at him, her eyes now a muted green and brown under the shade of the tree. She looked very pretty in her pink-and-white-striped skirt and pink blouse.
“So did we men.” He chuckled and looked at her from under the rim of his bowler. “I think one of the best parts of having children around is that we get to feel and act like kids again.”
She gave a soft laugh and nodded. “You all looked as if you were having as much fun as they were. I love Central Park. Everyone in the city is able to enjoy it, including the poor. And remember? It’s where we first met up with Kathleen and her family—although it wasn’t under the best of circumstances with her awful brother-in-law threatening her and her sister. Luke had come to their aide and Mrs. Heaton had given Kathleen one of her cards in case she ever needed a place to stay.”
“I remember.”
But then her expression sobered as she glanced at the family group next to them. “Those children over there have the same haunted look in their eyes as some of those in the pictures I took in the tenements. They remind me of what Kathleen’s nephews looked like when we first saw them.”
He looked at the group and saw the children she was speaking about. She was right. John cleared his throat, seeing that heartrending look on their faces. One had to wonder what their home life was like. “I do hate that children have to live in such conditions as we’ve seen lately. That so many live in some of the buildings we’ve been into. It’s more than a shame. It’s a travesty.”
“I know. I feel the same way,” Elizabeth said. “I do hope the Ladies’ Aide Society can keep opening child-care
What was he thinking, confiding in her like that? He’d never told anyone what he’d just been about to tell her. Nor had he ever admitted—even to himself—that there was a woman he might want to impress. And while it surprised him that there was after the debacle with Melody, what really confused him was that the woman he’d most like to impress was the very one he had been speaking to. The one he knew deep down was way out of his league and only thought of him as a fellow boarder at Heaton House. Who didn’t seem to want to work with him, just as he’d felt about her...until recently.
He felt a bit consternated by the revelation and fell quiet as they all began to spread out blankets and set the baskets of food under the shade of the trees to keep cool until they had lunch.
First up, the children wanted to fly the kites Luke had brought for them and John hurried to join him, Michael and Ben, in trying to get the bright-colored kites to sail up into the blue sky. He was glad of a reprieve from his thoughts.
The women cheered them all on until it was time to set out the picnic lunch. Then they called the men and children over to eat. As usual, Mrs. Heaton had provided quite a spread, with fried chicken, fresh bread and baked beans. There were two kinds of pies and John’s favorite, a huge chocolate cake.
Once they fixed their plates, everyone spread out on the blankets and John found himself sitting by Elizabeth once again. There was something about the woman that he’d always been drawn to. She was one of the kindest and most caring of the women at Heaton House. Oh, they sparred from time to time—usually brought on by him putting his foot in his mouth—and mostly about their work. But she’d always been nice to him as she was with everyone else.
Still, he felt there was more to Elizabeth Anderson than any of them knew. He didn’t know what it was about her that made him feel that way, but she had an air about her that made him think of the people he covered for the paper...high society. And yet, she worked for a living like the rest of the boarders. She never acted in any way superior to anyone and went out of her way to help anyone who needed a hand. Still, there was—
“The children had such a good time flying those kites.” She looked over at him, her eyes now a muted green and brown under the shade of the tree. She looked very pretty in her pink-and-white-striped skirt and pink blouse.
“So did we men.” He chuckled and looked at her from under the rim of his bowler. “I think one of the best parts of having children around is that we get to feel and act like kids again.”
She gave a soft laugh and nodded. “You all looked as if you were having as much fun as they were. I love Central Park. Everyone in the city is able to enjoy it, including the poor. And remember? It’s where we first met up with Kathleen and her family—although it wasn’t under the best of circumstances with her awful brother-in-law threatening her and her sister. Luke had come to their aide and Mrs. Heaton had given Kathleen one of her cards in case she ever needed a place to stay.”
“I remember.”
But then her expression sobered as she glanced at the family group next to them. “Those children over there have the same haunted look in their eyes as some of those in the pictures I took in the tenements. They remind me of what Kathleen’s nephews looked like when we first saw them.”
He looked at the group and saw the children she was speaking about. She was right. John cleared his throat, seeing that heartrending look on their faces. One had to wonder what their home life was like. “I do hate that children have to live in such conditions as we’ve seen lately. That so many live in some of the buildings we’ve been into. It’s more than a shame. It’s a travesty.”
“I know. I feel the same way,” Elizabeth said. “I do hope the Ladies’ Aide Society can keep opening child-care
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