Authors: Rhys Bowen
“Actually she was thrown out, because she has developed consumption,” I said.
Sarah looked astonished.
“I met her,” I said. “I was at your house today.”
“You were?”
“I thought that maybe the Chinese girl might have fled there. And I expected to find you there.”
“Ah,” Sarah said, and she sighed. “I’m afraid I won’t be going there again.”
“Too busy before the wedding?”
“Not exactly. Monty has forbidden me to work there anymore. He doesn’t want me running the risk of being in such a dangerous neighborhood, he says, although I keep telling him I’m in no danger.”
“And you will obey because he has forbidden you?” I asked.
She flushed. “I don’t have much choice, do I? In a month’s time he’ll be my husband and then I must obey him. I’m sure he’s only doing it for my own good, and I don’t want him to have to worry about me and to give up his precious time to escort me to and from the house.”
“I saw him this afternoon.”
“At the settlement house?” Her eyebrows shot up.
“In that general area, coming from the direction of Elizabeth Street. He looked as if he was in a hurry and he walked straight past me. I assumed he’d just dropped you off at the house.”
“How strange,” she said. “What was he doing there? He told me he had to visit his tailor, and he’s up on Thirty-ninth Street.” She put her hand up to her mouth suddenly. “Oh, my. You don’t think he went there to tell them that he’s forbidden me to come anymore? He can be so overbearing and arrogant at times.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Sid demanded. “You can’t start off married life under his thumb, you know. Look at Molly. She doesn’t let Daniel browbeat her.”
“I don’t want to upset Monty at the moment.” Sarah stared down at her hands, twiddling the diamond ring on her finger. “He hasn’t been at all well recently, and add to that the strain of the wedding.”
“I thought he looked not very well yesterday,” Gus said. “Rather frail in fact.”
“I know. I’m worried. He used to be so robust, you know. A keen mountain climber and all-around sportsman. And he did wonderfully brave things when he was in the army in India.”
“Do they know what’s wrong with him?” I asked.
She bit her lip. “His doctor thinks it’s nothing serious, but … I’m hoping his health will improve when we’re back on his estate in England and he can get out in the fresh air every day.”
“I’m sure it will,” I said, remembering how much I had worried about Daniel when he had been so sick in jail. “So, Sarah, I was wondering if your settlement house might take in my Chinese girl. What do you think?”
“For the short term, maybe,” Sarah said.
“In spite of the threats from vengeful Chinamen?” Gus asked.
“We’ve done it before. I think they know that the offspring of important Americans work at that house—children of congressmen, senators, and bankers. I like to think that protects us a little.”
“I thought that perhaps we could take her there in disguise and after dark,” I said. “Then nobody in Chinatown would ever know.”
“Molly, how would you disguise a Chinese person so that she wasn’t recognized?” Gus asked. “They do have a rather distinctive look, don’t they?”
“I’ve been thinking. She sneaked into the church with a sheet draped over her head, to make herself look like a nun. You two have so many costumes up in your attic. You must have a nun’s habit or two.”
“As a matter of fact we do.” Sid jumped up. “We gave a wonderful nuns-and-priests party once. Such fun, wasn’t it, Gus. We had confession booths set up and you should have seen the wicked penances we handed out.”
“Too bad we’ve already sent out the invitations for Molly’s party on Sunday. It would have been fun to do that again,” Gus said. “Especially since the happy couple are of that persuasion and know all about priests and nuns.”
“You’re not taking this seriously,” I said, as they were both laughing merrily now. “It’s a girl’s life that’s at stake here.”
“Of course it is, and we will do whatever you want us to,” Gus said, her face becoming sober again.
“I’d like to borrow any nun costumes you might have. The girl was right. It’s rude to stare at nuns. If two or three nuns come out of a Catholic church, it’s going to look perfectly natural and nobody’s going to see past the habit.”
“I wonder how many we have, Sid,” Gus said. “I hope there are enough for all of us. Wouldn’t that be ripping fun? A gaggle of nuns.”
I’m afraid I rather thought that those two would spoil the whole thing by giggling or doing something awful at the wrong moment, and was glad when we found only two nun’s habits in the costume box.
“I had better go ahead and talk to the workers at the settlement house,” I said, not relishing yet another expedition into the Lower East Side. “I can’t just land her on their doorstep. They might even say no.”
“Why don’t I go and speak to them?” Sarah said.
“I thought you were forbidden to go there again?” Gus pointed out.
Sarah flushed. “Monty can’t stop me from saying good-bye to my coworkers, can he? Besides, I’d like to set things straight with them, in case he’s been rude to them. And I have some personal items to collect there anyway.”
“That would be most helpful for me. Thank you,” I said.
“I wish I could be there when you bring in the girl, but Monty is coming to dine with my parents tonight.”
“Don’t worry. If they can just take her in until I come up with a plan for her, I would be most grateful. Tell them I’ll be bringing her under cover of darkness.”
“‘Under cover of darkness’—doesn’t that sound deliciously exciting,” Sid said. “Gus and I want to join in the game, you know. Are you sure we can’t come along—as fallen women, perhaps?”
“Holy Mother,” I muttered. “The whole object is not to attract attention to ourselves. And if you two masquerading as fallen women doesn’t attract attention, then I don’t know what would.”
This set them off laughing again.
“Spoilsport, Molly,” Gus said. “We have always been dying to be partners in your cases and soon it will be too late and you’ll be home having tea parties instead.”
I smiled at her fondly. “My dear friend, if it weren’t so serious, I’d be glad to let you come along. But if anyone spots my girl, then it’s all over for her. Either Mr. Lee will take her back as a virtual slave or he’ll have her killed. You do see that I can’t risk it, don’t you?”
“Of course,” Sid said before Gus could answer, “but I’m concerned about you, Molly. Aren’t you running a terrible risk yourself by crossing such a powerful man? If he finds out you were the one who spirited her away…”
“I know,” I said, “but I have to listen to my conscience. How would you like to live at the mercy of a man who has made it clear to you that if you don’t produce a son quickly, you’re headed for one of his brothels? You wouldn’t want me to return her into those circumstances, would you?”
“Of course not,” Sid said.
“You and Gus could help out by asking your friends if any of them would take in the girl as a nursemaid or companion. She’s been educated by Western nuns and she told me she was a good student, so I’m sure she’d be a quick learner.”
“We can do that, can’t we, Sid?” Gus said.
And so it was agreed. Sarah was to go and pave the way, and I would follow as soon as it got dark. Sid and Gus helped me into the nun’s costume. It wasn’t exactly authentic, but it gave a good enough impression and it helped to hide the face under an impressive white starched coif that curved forward then out like miniature sails on either side. I feared that I would be struck down by the Almighty as I stepped out into the balmy night air. I was also sure that I looked like a complete fake until the police constable on the corner saluted me and said, “God bless you, Sister.”
Then, of course, I grinned to myself for the next four blocks.
A man jumped up to offer me a seat on the El. People stepped aside for me on the stairs and others murmured, “God bless you, Sister.” I could see this was a disguise that would prove useful in the future—until I remembered there wasn’t going to be a future in this profession.
Mott Street was more lively than I had seen it during the day. The restaurants were doing a roaring trade and interesting odors wafted out into the street—frying oil and sweet spices, not at all unappetizing. From an open door came the sounds of strange music—a voice singing in a high, tuneless manner against a background of screeching strings. Not what we’d call musical, but it appeared that the place was packed. I could see men standing just inside the doorway. I also noticed figures slinking into the alleyways between buildings and wondered if they were going to the famous gambling parlors and opium dens. I was interested to note that not all the evening revelers on Mott Street were Chinese; a young American couple was waiting in line for a table at one of the restaurants—the Port Arthur, it was called, and I wondered about the origin of the name. Then I saw a distinctly Western form slinking into one of those alleyways, heading for the opium den, I presumed.
The crowd on Mott Street streamed past me, giving me a wide berth. My hopes rose for accomplishing this successfully. I reached the back door of the rectory and tapped lightly. Mrs. McNamara opened it. “Can I help you, Sister?” she asked. “Father Barry is occupied at the moment.”
“Mrs. McNamara, it’s me, Molly Murphy,” I said.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” she exclaimed and crossed herself. “Whatever next? Well, I certainly wouldn’t have recognized you. Come on in. Himself is just having his supper,” she said. “He won’t notice a thing while he’s eating.”
Up the stairs we went. Bo Kei looked amazed and delighted when a nun came into the room, then even more excited when she realized it was I. I showed her I had brought her a similar costume. I helped her into it and a few minutes later two nuns came out of the church rectory and melted into the Italian crowd on Park Street. Then it was an easy walk through the noisy Italian streets to the house on Elizabeth.
Hermione was still on duty. “Well, I never,” she said when she saw us, and burst out laughing. “Come in, do.” She whisked us inside and shut the door behind us. “Come on through to the kitchen and I’ll make us some tea.”
“I presume that Sarah came by and warned you about this,” I said.
“She did indeed. Welcome.” She held out her hand to the frightened girl. “You’ll be safe here. And I expect you’d like to get out of that nun’s habit. If you take a look in that closet you’ll find some clothing that will fit you. Help yourself. And I’ll go and make us some tea.”
I followed Hermione down the hall.
“I hope you don’t mind keeping Bo Kei here at least for a few days?” I asked.
“We’re not about to turn her out onto the streets,” Hermione said, then lowered her voice, “but let’s just hope that nobody finds out she’s here. I don’t particularly want to find our house firebombed or our staff with their throats cut.”
“I know I’m asking you to take a big risk,” I said. “I’d take her in myself but my future bridegroom is putting the finishing touches to my house, and he must not find out that I’m doing this.”
“I quite understand,” she said. “Sarah Lindley is having the same problems with a bossy bridegroom.”
“She is. I gather he came here today. Sarah was most embarrassed.”
Hermione shook her head. “No, we haven’t seen him today. Sarah thought he’d come here for some reason, but he hadn’t.”
“But I saw him on Bayard Street, just around the corner, so I assumed he’d come to escort Sarah. She was worried he’d come to tell you in person that he’d forbidden her to come here anymore.”
“I don’t know why he’d need to come in person after he already wrote us a letter,” Hermione said. “I hope he wasn’t spying on her to make sure she hadn’t come here.”
“A letter?”
She went across to a bureau and opened a drawer. “Read this. It will make your toes curl.”
The letter was written in a tall, elegant script with extravagantly flourishing curls on the capital letters.
To whom it may concern. Please be advised that at my request Miss Sarah Lindley will no longer be working as a volunteer at your establishment. She needs to devote her full energy and attention to the preparations for our wedding.
Yours faithfully, M. P. G. Warrington-Chase (The Honorable)
“What a nerve,” I said. “Did you show this to Sarah?”
“I thought it wiser not to. She told me that Monty was adamant that she give up coming here and she didn’t want to upset him. I expect she’d have been livid if she found that he’d written to us.” She looked up at me. “I hope Sarah is doing the right thing marrying him.”
“But she loves him, doesn’t she?”
“I think she likes the idea of being a grand English lady and living in a castle,” Hermione said, “and of course he’s in love with her money. Who wouldn’t be?”
“But surely he doesn’t need her money—he’s from an aristocratic family with large estates.”
“And has squandered his inheritance in riotous living, to paraphrase the Bible. Believe me, Mr. Monty Warrington-Chase can’t wait to marry and settle his debts.”
“How do you know this?”
“My brother is a member of the same club. Monty spilled out his problems one night while in his cups,” she said. “Naturally I’ve said nothing to Sarah. If she really does love him, then all is well.”
“I think she does,” I said. “She was most concerned about his health.”
“His health? I put that down to aristocratic pallor.” She laughed. “Then I wish them every happiness. Here, take this tray into the living room and I’ll follow with the teapot.”
A few minutes later Bo Kei reappeared in a Western skirt and shirtwaist. “Now I am proper American lady,” she said, laughing with relief.
“Tell this lady your story,” I suggested, but Hermione shook her head. “Let’s not put her through that again. Sarah has already given me a most riveting account. I gather you leaped between rooftops and shimmied down drainpipes.”
Bo Kei nodded, her hand shielding her mouth as she giggled. “Nuns always call me tomboy.”
We took tea together and then Hermione suggested that she meet Annie. “We have another Chinese girl here you might know,” she said.