A Place of Refuge. Janet Lee Barton

trying to calm her jittery nerves. Julia had been very nice and if her attitude was any indication of the kind of boarders Mrs. Heaton had, everyone else would be, too. She hoped so, for part of her wanted to run right back to her room and hide, while the other part desperately needed a diversion from worry about her sister and nephews.

      Elizabeth led them to what Kathleen thought was the parlor, only it was much grander than any she’d ever seen. She tried not to show how out of place she felt as she took in the fine furnishings. The parlor suites were covered in a burgundy silk, along with several chairs upholstered in a gold-and-burgundy-striped fabric. The draperies were made of the same striped material, making the room look inviting.

      There were several very comfortable-looking chairs clustered around a round table in another conversation area in one corner of the room. A piano sat in the opposite corner.

      “It’s beautiful,” Kathleen said.

      “It’s very comfortable,” Elizabeth said. “It’s a great place to gather after dinner and we do so quite often.”

      Kathleen walked around the room looking at the various photographs here and there. There was one of a pretty young woman who reminded her of someone, but try as she might, she couldn’t place her.

      Male voices were heard in the foyer and Kathleen turned to see three gentlemen enter the parlor.

      “Ben, John, come meet Kathleen O’Bryan. Luke, you’ve met her already,” Elizabeth said.

      At the mention of Luke’s name, Kathleen looked past the two men headed her way and caught her breath as the man who’d come to her rescue walked toward her. He was as handsome as she remembered—if not more so. He hadn’t been smiling that day in the park. But now his lips turned up in a smile that had her heart hammering in her chest to each step he took toward her.

      “Kathleen, this is Benjamin Roth, a teacher, whom we call just Ben,” Elizabeth said, pulling Kathleen’s attention to the men standing in front of her. “Ben, this is Kathleen O’Bryan.”

      “Pleased to meet you, Miss O’Bryan.” He had blond hair and blue eyes.

      “And this is John Talbot. He’s a reporter for the New-York Tribune.”

      “I’m glad you could join us this evening, Miss O’Bryan,” the man with hair the color of rust said. His eyes were a cool blue-green.

      “I’m pleased to meet you both.”

      Suddenly Luke appeared behind them, taller and broader than either man, and they seemed to move to the side to make way for him.

      “And I believe you’ve met Luke Patterson,” Elizabeth said.

      “I have. Good evening, Mr. Patterson,” Kathleen said.

      Luke held out his hand and Kathleen found herself slipping her own into it. “It’s good to see you are finally able to join us for dinner.”

      His voice was husky and deep just as she remembered and her heart warmed at the sound of it. The others had moved away, giving them a chance to speak in private.

      “Mrs. Heaton has refused to let me come up to see you again, but she’s been good to let me know you were getting better each day. Still, it’s not quite like seeing for myself,” he said. “I’m glad you’re healing.”

      But when he reached out and touched her chin, it took her by surprise and she flinched. Instead of this man, she saw Clancy coming at her for the second time that night he’d beaten her and her hand went up to protect herself.

      “I’m sorry, Miss O’Bryan,” he said. “I should have known—”

      His words brought her back to the present and she shook her head. “No. I’m sorry, Mr. Patterson. I just...remembered Clancy coming at me with his fist raised and—”

      “I shouldn’t have—”

      “No, it’s all right. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Patterson. And thank you for helping me the other night and—”

      “Oh, good, it looks as if you’ve all met Kathleen. I’m glad,” Mrs. Heaton said, coming into the room. “I came to let you all know that dinner is ready. Luke, will you escort Kathleen into the dining room? And Ben, would you escort me?”

      “I’d be delighted to,” Ben said.

      “Miss O’Bryan?” Luke crooked his elbow and looked down at Kathleen.

      She wasn’t used to gentlemanly actions and wasn’t totally sure what she should do, until she saw Mrs. Heaton glide her arm through Ben’s arm. Kathleen mimicked what the older woman did, slipping her hand through Luke’s crooked arm and resting it on his forearm.

      They followed Mrs. Heaton and Ben and left John Talbot to escort both Elizabeth and Julia to the table. Once Luke had seated her and taken the seat to her left, she breathed a sigh of relief that she’d managed not to embarrass herself.

      She was glad Elizabeth was sitting across from her so that she could see what fork and spoon to use. Why anyone would need so many utensils to eat one meal was beyond her. At home they only used what was needed, a spoon for soup or porridge, a fork for everything else and a knife only when needed.

      “John, will you say the blessing, please?” Mrs. Heaton asked as soon as everyone was seated.

      “Certainly.” He bowed his head and Kathleen bowed hers along with the others.

      “Dear Lord, we thank You for this day, we thank You that Miss O’Bryan is well enough to join us and we thank You for the food we are about to eat. Please help us to do Your will. Amen.”

      Kathleen was touched that he’d included her in his prayer and her heart filled with thanksgiving that she’d wound up in this home.

      Gretchen and Maida, her twin sister who’d greatly confused Kathleen the first few days when they would come into her room, began to serve the meal of roast chicken, creamed potatoes, peas with baby onions and piping-hot rolls.

      Kathleen thought this kind of meal was served only in fancy restaurants, the kind she could never afford. For a moment she wondered what Colleen and the boys were eating and swallowed hard. It didn’t seem right that she should be treated so well when her sister was stuck in such horrible circumstances.

      “Miss O’Bryan? Are you feeling all right?” Luke asked.

      “I— Oh, I’m sorry. I’m fine. I was just thinking about my family and wondering...” She shook her head. “I’m fine, really.”

      She glanced over to see that Elizabeth had used the large fork, and picked up her own. She took a bite of potatoes and tried not to embarrass herself as she gave her attention to the meal.

      Elizabeth smiled across the table at her. “We’ve been thinking about going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art tomorrow. Would you like to go with us?”

      “Oh, I don’t know, I—”

      “It will do you good to get out in the fresh air for a bit, Kathleen. If you are feeling up to it, that is,” Mrs. Heaton said.

      Kathleen had never been to the museum. Some of the girls she worked with had talked about going, but she’d never had the opportunity to go. She was curious to see all the museum held, and it would give her something to do. Her room was lovely but she was beginning to feel a bit confined. Now that her face was looking more normal she wouldn’t feel self-conscious about being out in public. “You’re right. It would do me good. I’d be glad to join you, Elizabeth. Thank you for inviting me.”

      “So we’re all going?” Elizabeth asked.

      “I’d like to,” Luke said.

      “Count me in,” Julia said.

      “John and I were the ones who first brought it up, so we’re going,” Ben added.

      “Well, I’m going to visit Michael and Violet,”