A Place of Refuge. Janet Lee Barton

will.”

      A light rap sounded on the door just before it opened, and Violet, Michael’s wife, peeked her head around it. “Dinner is ready, Michael.”

      “We’re coming now, love.” Michael quickly joined his wife and kissed her cheek.

      Luke couldn’t help but notice the smile Michael gave his wife and the look that passed between them. He’d known from the beginning that they were attracted to each other and gave himself some credit for getting them to admit it to each other. He was happy for them, but at the same time, seeing Michael and Violet together sometimes made him feel sorrow, too. It brought up memories of what could have been had his fiancée, Beth, not been killed in a bank robbery before he’d ever come to the city.

      In fact he probably wouldn’t be here if not for losing her. He couldn’t stay in Texas after that. Instead he’d decided to go somewhere totally different and had ended up right here at Heaton House. He hadn’t shared his sorrow with anyone—nor the guilt he felt that he hadn’t shown up to see Beth home from work in time to do something—anything—to save her. It was only lately he’d begun to forgive himself.

      Luke followed the couple to the dining room and watched as Michael put an arm around Violet’s waist and leaned close to whisper something to her. She giggled and blushed.

      Much as Luke liked being footloose to go where he needed to research his books and work for Michael, he had to admit that sometimes he longed for a relationship like theirs. Longed for someone to love again. But he’d vowed never to let himself fall in love with anyone else. He never wanted to chance going through that kind of heartache again—ever.

      Everyone was already in the dining room when they got there, and he took his customary seat next to Kathleen. Michael took the seat at the opposite end of the table from his mother after seating his wife adjacent to him.

      Everyone bowed as Michael asked a blessing over the food and then there was clatter and chatter around the table as everyone served themselves from the dishes Maida started around the table.

      Luke held the dish of scalloped potatoes while Kathleen helped herself to a spoonful. Then he took a portion for himself and handed it off to Ben.

      As conversation flowed around them, he leaned toward Kathleen and asked, “Are you sure you’re ready to go back to work tomorrow? Did the doctor give his okay?”

      “He did. I’m sure I’ll be fine. And I must get back to work. Mrs. Driscoll was good to give me a week off, but I can’t ask for more time.”

      “Are you worried that your brother-in-law might show up there?”

      She gave a little shake to her head. “Not really, but the thought has crossed my mind from time to time.”

      It’d crossed Luke’s and Michael’s, too. “Well, just to be on the safe side, I’m going to accompany you to work and back, at least for a while.”

      “I can’t be taking that much of your time, Mr. Patterson. You have your own work to do.”

      “You aren’t taking it. I’m giving it. And don’t you think it’s time we call each other by our first names? Everyone else here does.”

      She looked around the table and nodded. “Yes, they do. I suppose we should...Luke.”

      Luke liked the way she said his name in her Irish accent. “And I agree, Kathleen.” He also liked the way it felt to say her name out loud. He watched soft color flood her cheeks and wanted to say more, but before he could, Violet captured Kathleen’s attention from across the table.

      “What is it you actually do in Mrs. Driscoll’s department at Tiffany Glass Company?” she asked. Her question got the attention of all the diners at the table.

      “I help cut the glass at times and I work on foiling the pieces with sheets of copper.”

      “Oh, how interesting,” Violet said. “And how do you go about that? Foiling the pieces of glass?”

      “Bee’s wax is applied to foil sheets, which are then cut into strips. Then the strips are wrapped around the pieces. Once we tamp down the edges and reassemble them, our work is done. Then the copper is soldered to the adjacent pieces of glass.”

      “It sounds as though it’s very tedious work,” Ben said.

      Kathleen nodded. “Sometimes it is. And it’s tiring. But seeing the finished product makes it worthwhile.”

      “Would you change workplaces if you found something else that might be easier on you?” Mrs. Heaton asked.

      “If it were something I felt qualified for, possibly. Mrs. Driscoll hasn’t said anything to any of us, but I’ve heard through some of the girls that she might be thinking of remarrying one day and they won’t allow a married woman to work there.”

      “Not even the supervisor?” Julia asked.

      “I don’t think so,” Kathleen said.

      “So, if you got married, you wouldn’t be able to work there?”

      “Oh, no. That’s why there’s a lot of turnover in the department. Someone is always in training because it seems one of the girls is always getting married. But if Mrs. Driscoll does get married, I’m not sure I’d want to stay.” She looked at Mrs. Heaton. “Has she said anything to you about leaving?”

      “Not really. But Clara is very quiet about her private life. I know she cares a great deal about her ‘Tiffany Girls,’ though.”

      “She does, that. I’ll be sad to see her go if she does.”

      “But you’re bound to marry one day,” Violet Heaton said. “You’d be leaving then, too.”

      For some reason the conversation had Luke wondering if there were some young man in Kathleen’s life and he wanted to ask, but thought it’d be impertinent to do so...at least in front of so many people.

      “And is there a young man in your life that we should have notified, Kathleen?” Julia asked as if she read his mind.

      Her timing couldn’t have been better and Luke was thankful for it as he listened for Kathleen’s reply.

      “No. I’ve had no time for young men,” Kathleen said.

      Luke told himself that it shouldn’t matter to him whether Kathleen had a beau or not. He barely knew her. But somehow...it did matter. He let out a pent-up breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

      * * *

      After breakfast the next morning, Luke was ready and waiting to accompany Kathleen to work. He helped her on with the coat Elizabeth had given her.

      “Luke, you really don’t have to go with me. I ride part of the way with Elizabeth. I’ll be fine.”

      “But you don’t ride all the way with her. Besides, it does me good to get out first thing of a morning. I’ll walk part of the way home and think about the next chapter I’m writing.”

      There was nothing to do but accept his offer as he walked to the trolley stop with her and Elizabeth. The two women sat together and he stood, holding on to the rope hanging from the ceiling. When Elizabeth got off at her stop, he took her seat.

      He smiled down at Kathleen. “Did you get a chance to get to know Violet yesterday?”

      Michael and his wife had stayed awhile until supper Sunday night and she and Mrs. Heaton had invited Kathleen to join them for tea in the back parlor that afternoon. Violet was easy to talk to and they’d discussed all manner of things. Kathleen liked her. “I did. She’s very sweet and remembered Colleen and me from that day in the park. I think she was quite taken with my nephews Collin and Brody.”

      “Everyone who was there that day was concerned about you all.”

      “I’m thankful that Mrs. Heaton gave me her card for