Somewhere to Call Home. Janet Lee Barton

morning, Mother.” Michael gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and grinned at Violet. “Good morning to you, too, Violet. I hope you slept well.”

      “I did, thank you.”

      “Michael, you haven’t answered my question.”

      “I’m sorry, Mother. I did go to the office and I telephoned Butterick from there and found that they are indeed hiring, but they only take applications Monday through—”

      “Friday.” His mother laughed. “Well, I could have told you that!”

      “How could you have known?”

      “I read the paper this morning,” she answered, waving it at him.

      “So that is where it was!” He laughed. “I looked all over for it.”

      His mother grinned. “It was in my study. I’m sorry. It appears we’re both anxious to find something for Violet.”

      Michael poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot Maida had left on the sideboard. He took his seat at the table and smiled at Violet. “Now that Mother has you here, she wants to make sure you stay.”

      “I have no plans to go anywhere other than out to find work,” Violet said. “And I am very grateful to your mother for coming up with a solution for me.”

      “I thought we could take a ride around the city this morning so that Violet could get a look at some of the places she might want to apply at on Monday,” his mother said.

      “If you don’t mind the company, I’ll escort the two of you.”

      “I hate to take you away from your work—”

      “We’d love to have your company,” his mother interrupted. “I’ll feel better if you are the one explaining the El and the trolley to Violet.”

      “Good. And there is no need to worry about taking me away from my work, Violet. I am fortunate in that I get to set my own work schedule.”

      “Then I thank you both. I’ll just go freshen up and be ready when you are,” Violet said.

      Michael pulled out her chair for her. Although she’d given in gracefully, he couldn’t really tell if she was pleased or not that he’d be going with them.

      “And I will talk to Maida about our dinner tonight,” his mother said.

      He pulled out her chair, as well. “All right. But there is no need to rush, ladies. I’ll sit here and have another one of Maida’s biscuits while I wait for you.”

      Although Michael could set his own hours, it wasn’t often he took a day off from work, and he was going to enjoy it. He buttered a biscuit, plopped a spoonful of apple jelly in the middle and took a bite. Delicious.

      He wasn’t sure exactly why he’d decided to come back home this early. He’d telephoned Butterick when he got to his office because, for some reason, he didn’t quite trust that Lila would ask about openings at the company. Still, he could have waited until this evening to tell Violet about it; she couldn’t apply there until Monday, anyway.

      However, knowing his mother as he did, he was sure that she and Violet would be out and about today. He really was a little concerned about Violet learning her way around the city—after all, it was his mother’s suggestion that brought her here and there was no denying that made him feel personally responsible for her safety. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

      “I’m ready, dear, and I’m sure Violet will be coming down the stairs any moment now. I do appreciate you checking into the Butterick position for her. I’m praying she gets it.”

      “So am I.” For his mother’s sake, if not for Violet’s. “You like having her here, don’t you?”

      “I do,” his mother answered. “Don’t you?”

      Michael hadn’t expected that question, and he wasn’t really sure he could answer it right now. After all, Violet had only been here one night and her presence meant more responsibility for him. But his mother looked so happy this morning, he wasn’t about to tell her any of that. So he chose to be as truthful as he could at the moment. “I want you to be happy, Mother.”

      “Thank you, dear. I want the same for you, don’t you know?”

      “I—” Footsteps could be heard crossing the foyer and Michael was glad. He took one last sip of coffee and stood just as Violet entered the room.

      “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long,” Violet said, pulling her gloves on and smiling at them.

      She did have a beautiful smile. Michael couldn’t help but smile back. “Not at all. Are you ready to see the city?”

      “I am.”

      “Then, I’m at your service, ladies.”

      Chapter Three

      Violet thought it was a beautiful day as they sauntered down the street to Third Avenue, where she assumed they’d find a hack to take them around the city. She couldn’t help but be pleased that Michael had come home to tell her about the Butterick opening and wanted to accompany them today. But she didn’t want to be a burden to either of the Heatons. She hoped she got the job at Butterick. At least that way, she’d have Lila to help her learn her way to work and back, and Michael and his mother wouldn’t be worrying about her.

      “Is it a long walk to the Butterick Company from here?” she asked.

      “It could be done in around a half hour. But it would be much quicker to take the El or another mode of transportation,” Mrs. Heaton said.

      “We’ll be traveling by the El today.” Michael smiled down at her. “I want you to get familiar with the stops and comfortable with getting on and off at the right places.”

      While the sound of the traffic she’d witnessed the day before couldn’t be heard from Mrs. Heaton’s boardinghouse, as they got closer to the avenue, the sounds of horses’ hooves and drivers yelling became more and more noticeable. When they reached the corner, Violet pulled up short and inhaled sharply. Somehow the traffic seemed even worse when one was on foot.

      “What is it? Is something wrong?” Michael asked, his hand at her back.

      Violet put her hand to her throat and expelled a deep breath. She shook her head, but there were no words for what she was seeing or feeling as she watched people from all walks of life hurrying along the busy thoroughfare, some even crossing the street, dodging the horse-drawn vehicles as best they could. And that had to be taking their lives in their own hands, because there seemed to be every kind of vehicle imaginable, and some Violet had never seen before, racing up and down the street. Then she heard a train and had to look up to see it. There, high above the traffic down below, was the El. Mrs. Heaton had pointed it out to her the day before. She didn’t know whether to laugh or exclaim.

      “It’s the traffic, Michael,” Mrs. Heaton said, grasping her hand.

      “Of course it is. I’m sorry, Violet. I didn’t realize—it is quite a change from Ashland, isn’t it? But don’t worry. One day you’ll know your way around and the traffic will just seem normal to you.”

      Violet hoped so, as she tried to get her breathing back to normal. But she had to admit that as much as it all frightened her, there was something about all the hustle and bustle of this place that exhilarated her and had her heart pounding to keep pace with all the sounds around them.

      Michael led her and his mother up to what she supposed was an entry to get on the train, which had stopped only a block away. He handed the man a coin for a ticket, then gave a coin to her and his mother and they did the same. Then they were allowed to go through a turnstile into an area where they waited in front of doors with glass windows until they were allowed to enter the train on the other side.

      “Take a window