Read Online Annie's Stories by Cindy Thomson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cindy Thomson
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answered, Annie?”
“I believe he has.”
“Read it. Please.”
“Now?”
“Please.”
“Just be quiet. We’ll go in here.”
Annie led Kirsten into the parlor, and she sat on the dark corner of the sofa. Annie slid her fingernail under the seal.
Dear Kirstie,
Do not worry about me. I will be fine. I mailed a package to you. You understand? Please expect it shortly.
I am your loving brother,
Jonas Wagner
Kirsten sighed and moved toward the stairs. She lifted a foot onto the first step but then set it back down.
“Let me help you to bed.” Annie hurriedly blew out the candle in the parlor and shoved the writing box back into the breakfront. Then she wrapped an arm around Kirsten and helped her to her room. The door was open across the hall, and sounds of heavy breathing told them Grace was fast asleep.
“Quiet,” Annie warned. “I’ll make sure you are up in time for work tomorrow. You leave about half five, that right?”
“That’s right.”
“You still going?”
Kirsten’s eyes were round as robin eggs and just as blue. “I have to go. Please, Annie, make sure I catch the train.” Kirsten collapsed on her bed.
“I don’t understand your coming home so late. Does your boss work everyone this hard?”
Kirsten only moaned, too tired to respond.
Annie removed Kirsten’s boots but left her otherwise dressed, pulling a light sheet over top of her.
She seemed far too fragile for such long hours.
Annie was about to return to her room and wind her alarm clock when yet another soft tapping came from the front of the house. She froze, hearing only the sound of her own breathing.
Then a voice. “Sergeant McNulty, making my rounds. Anyone up?”
Relieved, she rushed to her room to throw a coat over her nightgown, so as not to be immodest, and then went to the door. “Evening, Sergeant.”
“I saw someone just come in. Everything all right, Miss Gallagher?”
“Everything is fine now. Thank you for your concern.”
He tapped a finger on the brim of his gray hat.
She stopped him. “Sergeant? See anyone out there watching us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, our new boarder might be a wee bit . . . uh, unsettled by the city, and she seems to think someone is following her.”
“Was she the one who just came in?”
Annie lowered her voice as much as she could. “She was, but do not worry. Mrs. Hawkins will see that she observes the curfew in the future. Her boss should not be allowed to keep her at work these late hours.”
“I see. Well, I can tell you I saw no one just now. Miss Gallagher, you will inform me if you have trouble with your new boarder, won’t you? There are plenty of people about who get themselves involved with the wrong sort of crowd in this neighborhood.”
No one would know better about that than he. “I will. I am sure she is innocently unaware.”
“All the same, do not hesitate to bring this to Mrs. Hawkins’s attention. I can remove the girl if need be.”
Remove? To a reformatory, the American version of a Magdalene Laundry. Certainly not! “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”
Very early in the morning, Stephen neared Hawkins House on his first route of the day. He was happy that he had a mostly residential route and no other postman was required to service the area, like they had to do in business districts, where mail was delivered up to nine times a day. He selfishly wanted to be the only postman Hawkins House had. A few blocks before reaching the boardinghouse, he encountered Owen McNulty. They’d had a brief introduction at church.
“Good day, Sergeant.”
The man dipped his chin in greeting. “Tell me, Mr. Adams. You deliver this route daily. Ever see any miscreants hanging about the boardinghouse?”
“Why, no. Is there trouble?”
“Anyone out of the ordinary?”
Stephen pulled on his heavy mailbag as he considered the question. “This is New York —all sorts of people from various origins. Hard to say what’s
“I believe he has.”
“Read it. Please.”
“Now?”
“Please.”
“Just be quiet. We’ll go in here.”
Annie led Kirsten into the parlor, and she sat on the dark corner of the sofa. Annie slid her fingernail under the seal.
Dear Kirstie,
Do not worry about me. I will be fine. I mailed a package to you. You understand? Please expect it shortly.
I am your loving brother,
Jonas Wagner
Kirsten sighed and moved toward the stairs. She lifted a foot onto the first step but then set it back down.
“Let me help you to bed.” Annie hurriedly blew out the candle in the parlor and shoved the writing box back into the breakfront. Then she wrapped an arm around Kirsten and helped her to her room. The door was open across the hall, and sounds of heavy breathing told them Grace was fast asleep.
“Quiet,” Annie warned. “I’ll make sure you are up in time for work tomorrow. You leave about half five, that right?”
“That’s right.”
“You still going?”
Kirsten’s eyes were round as robin eggs and just as blue. “I have to go. Please, Annie, make sure I catch the train.” Kirsten collapsed on her bed.
“I don’t understand your coming home so late. Does your boss work everyone this hard?”
Kirsten only moaned, too tired to respond.
Annie removed Kirsten’s boots but left her otherwise dressed, pulling a light sheet over top of her.
She seemed far too fragile for such long hours.
Annie was about to return to her room and wind her alarm clock when yet another soft tapping came from the front of the house. She froze, hearing only the sound of her own breathing.
Then a voice. “Sergeant McNulty, making my rounds. Anyone up?”
Relieved, she rushed to her room to throw a coat over her nightgown, so as not to be immodest, and then went to the door. “Evening, Sergeant.”
“I saw someone just come in. Everything all right, Miss Gallagher?”
“Everything is fine now. Thank you for your concern.”
He tapped a finger on the brim of his gray hat.
She stopped him. “Sergeant? See anyone out there watching us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, our new boarder might be a wee bit . . . uh, unsettled by the city, and she seems to think someone is following her.”
“Was she the one who just came in?”
Annie lowered her voice as much as she could. “She was, but do not worry. Mrs. Hawkins will see that she observes the curfew in the future. Her boss should not be allowed to keep her at work these late hours.”
“I see. Well, I can tell you I saw no one just now. Miss Gallagher, you will inform me if you have trouble with your new boarder, won’t you? There are plenty of people about who get themselves involved with the wrong sort of crowd in this neighborhood.”
No one would know better about that than he. “I will. I am sure she is innocently unaware.”
“All the same, do not hesitate to bring this to Mrs. Hawkins’s attention. I can remove the girl if need be.”
Remove? To a reformatory, the American version of a Magdalene Laundry. Certainly not! “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”
Very early in the morning, Stephen neared Hawkins House on his first route of the day. He was happy that he had a mostly residential route and no other postman was required to service the area, like they had to do in business districts, where mail was delivered up to nine times a day. He selfishly wanted to be the only postman Hawkins House had. A few blocks before reaching the boardinghouse, he encountered Owen McNulty. They’d had a brief introduction at church.
“Good day, Sergeant.”
The man dipped his chin in greeting. “Tell me, Mr. Adams. You deliver this route daily. Ever see any miscreants hanging about the boardinghouse?”
“Why, no. Is there trouble?”
“Anyone out of the ordinary?”
Stephen pulled on his heavy mailbag as he considered the question. “This is New York —all sorts of people from various origins. Hard to say what’s
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