A Home for Her Heart. Janet Barton Lee

Did you get them developed, Millicent?”

      All thoughts that somehow she’d misjudged John earlier in the day went flying out the window. As always, it was all about him and his career. It was as if she hadn’t even been along that morning.

      “I did,” Millicent said as she took her seat at the table. “Elizabeth suggested we look at them after dinner.”

      “Wonderful.” John pulled out Elizabeth’s seat as usual, but it wasn’t until he’d sat down beside her that he acknowledged her at all. “Have you spoken with your editor yet, Elizabeth?”

      “No, I haven’t. I’ll talk to him first thing on Monday, but I’m certain he’ll want to do a series of articles, too.” At least she hoped so. Something about John’s attitude tonight made her feel competitive.

      “I’m sure he will. But perhaps from a different perspective than what I’ll be doing for the Tribune.”

      Elizabeth clamped her mouth shut before she made a scathing comment about his hard-hitting article on what Mrs. Vanderbilt had worn at the last social function he covered. Instead she tried to enjoy the meal and listen to the conversations going on around her.

      “How is Rebecca doing?” Ben asked Mrs. Heaton.

      Rebecca was Mrs. Heaton’s daughter whom she’d been recently reunited with, having been missing for several years. Rebecca had a young daughter and was living with her brother, Michael, and his wife until after Kathleen and Luke were married.

      “She’s doing fine. She and Jenny, along with Michael and Violet, will be here for Sunday dinner as usual tomorrow.”

      Elizabeth smiled. Everyone loved having Rebecca’s young daughter around. She livened things up around the dinner table.

      “Did you and Elizabeth get any shopping done?” Luke asked Kathleen.

      “I did purchase something, but we mostly window-shopped for ideas and fabrics. I have a better idea of what I want now, and where to look for things.”

      “And it’s all still a secret I assume?”

      “Most of it.”

      Luke sighed and shook his head. “Are you going to be locked away with more planning tonight?”

      Kathleen smiled at him. “Not tonight.”

      “Good.”

      Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile as she witnessed the look Luke gave her friend. It was obvious the two were deeply in love and she was very happy for them. Sometimes even a little envious, even though she had no intention of giving her heart to any man. After finding her fiancée didn’t love her but only the money he’d have access to, how could she ever trust that any other man truly cared about her and not her inheritance? How could she trust that her heart wouldn’t be broken again? She didn’t believe it was possible to ever be able to trust that way again.

      John leaned near and broke into her thoughts. “You’re awfully quiet tonight. In fact, you haven’t seemed yourself since our run-in the other day.”

      His concern surprised her and frustrated her all at the same time. The look in his eyes reminded her of what it’d felt like to be held by him that day she’d barreled into him and how it had taken her breath away. Something she’d been trying not to think about ever since. “I’m fine.”

      “You’re sure? You seem a little—”

      “I’m fine, John,” she repeated. At least she would be if he didn’t keep asking if she was. What was it about this man that had her catching her breath one minute and ready to bop him over the head the next?

      “If you say so.” He turned his attention to Millicent across the table from them. “I’m looking forward to seeing the photos you shot.”

      “Thank you. I should have made a set for each of you, but I only developed one. I suppose you two will have to decide who gets what. I don’t imagine your editors will want to publish the same ones anyway.”

      Elizabeth hadn’t thought about it until now, but Millicent was right. “I’m sure you took enough that it won’t be a problem.”

      “I hope so.”

      As some of the others began scooting their chairs out from the table, John said, “It appears dinner is over. Let’s go see what you have.”

      “I’ll run upstairs and get them,” Millicent said.

      “We’ll be in the little parlor,” Elizabeth said. “Come on back when you come down.” She scooted her own chair out and stood before John had a chance to help her. If he thought he was going to get the best pictures, he was wrong. She might write fluff, but she knew what was needed to appeal to the women who read the Delineator and she was going to make sure she got it.

      * * *

      John and Elizabeth followed Kathleen and Luke to the back parlor and took seats around the small table. John pulled up an extra one for Millicent. They’d barely settled in their seats before she joined them.

      She took a seat John pulled up for her and spread the photographs out on the table.

      “Oh, Millicent, these are very good,” John said.

      They were very good. She’d caught shots that Elizabeth couldn’t remember her taking. But John’s high praise of her work when all he’d allow Elizabeth of her articles was that they were nice ruffled her feathers. And that it did annoyed her most of all. Not about to let on how she felt, she added her praise to the others. “I can’t see any way our editors aren’t going to want to feature some of these photos.”

      John already had a grasp on several and Elizabeth decided right then and there that he wasn’t going to take just any he wanted. She quickly picked several up and began to go through them.

      “Hey, I haven’t seen those yet,” John said.

      “And I didn’t get a chance to look at the ones you’re holding. I’ll choose from these and you choose from those and we’ll split up the rest.”

      “Oh, my, I hope I didn’t whip up trouble when I asked for you both to do articles. I—”

      “You haven’t provoked anything, Kathleen,” Luke said.

      “I hope I haven’t, either,” Millicent added.

      Elizabeth sighed. “You haven’t stirred up anything, ladies.”

      “Elizabeth is right. I shouldn’t have grabbed so many before she had a chance to look at them. I’m sorry.”

      Oh, now he’d made her look really bad-tempered. Well, maybe not. She seemed to have done that on her own and there was nothing to do now but apologize. “I’m sorry if I sounded miffed. Want to start over, John?”

      He laid the photos on the table. “That’s a good idea. But I will ask for this one, unless you have a real need for it.”

      The photo he held up was one Millicent had taken as they were walking up the stairs. It showed a broken stair rail and somehow included a shot of the broken window on the next floor and was a good example of the deplorable condition of the whole building.

      “As long as I get the next pick.”

      “Thank you.” John motioned to the photos. “You choose next.”

      She moved the photos around until she saw the one she especially wanted, the one she’d asked Millicent to take. She caught her breath as she looked at it. Not only had Millicent caught the rat in the pile of trash, there were eyes peeking out from the rubble. A whole family of rats probably lived there. She shuddered. “You are very talented, Millicent. I’ll take this one.”

      John raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Perhaps I should have given you first choice.”

      Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. “I’d have chosen the same one.