Read Online Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Thompson
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people will behave. They might not give you the baby after all, or the girl might change her mind at the last minute and refuse to go at all.”
Mr. Quimby nodded vigorously. “Yes, indeed, we’ve seen that happen, haven’t we?”
Sarah gazed at them in dismay. “Then I suppose I should ask what I should do if Jake won’t take me in the carriage?”
“You should do nothing,” Mrs. Van Orner said. “Simply take the baby away, if they do give him to you. Let us worry about Jake.”
S ARAH FELT DISTRACTED AND IRRITABLE THE REST OF the day. Even spending time with Catherine and Maeve couldn’t keep her mind off what was going to happen the next morning. Maeve asked her several times if she was all right, and she’d lied and said yes, she was fine. She went to bed early, wanting to get a good night’s sleep, and then lay awake most of the night, too tense to rest.
“What’s going on?” Maeve asked her after breakfast, when Catherine had gone upstairs to play.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Well, I am worried, and whatever it is can’t be worse than I’m imagining, so just tell me so I’ll know!”
“I’m so sorry! I was just trying to spare you, but I see I’ve done just the opposite. I’m going to a brothel this morning to take the baby I delivered last week from his mother.”
Maeve’s mouth dropped open. “Dear heaven! What were you doing delivering a baby in a brothel? And why are you taking it away?”
Sarah quickly explained what had happened and how Mrs. Van Orner and her friends were going to help Amy escape.
“Does Mr. Malloy know about this?” Maeve asked with a frown.
Sarah hated the heat that rose in her face. “Of course not, and he won’t ever hear about it either.”
“Do you know how dangerous this is?”
“Not for me. The madam expects me to come and take the baby this morning. I’ll be perfectly safe, and nothing else is going to happen until after I’m gone.”
“Will you bring the baby here?”
“No, I don’t want you and Catherine involved in this at all. I’ll take him to the Mission, but only for a few hours. Mrs. Van Orner has a house in the city where these women can stay, and as soon as Amy is safely there, I’ll take the baby to her.”
“You’d better get him away faster than that. Jake will know where the baby is because he took you there, and they’ll probably try to get the baby to force Amy to go back to the brothel.”
“Oh, my, I never thought of that.”
Maeve gave her a pitying glance. “Of course you didn’t, because you’re a good person. As soon as Jake drops you off, you need to go right back out again. Go straight to this house where they’re taking the girl. That’s the safest thing.”
“You’re right. I’ll do that.”
“And don’t say a word to Amy about them coming to get her. She’ll never be able to keep it a secret. She’s probably told half the girls in the house already anyway.”
“They warned me not to tell her, but how can I just leave her there without any hope?”
“It’s only for a little while. Better she doesn’t have any hope than Catherine doesn’t have any mother.”
Sarah scowled at her, but Maeve ignored it.
“You know I’m right.”
“Yes, I do. Thank you, Maeve, for giving me very good advice.”
Maeve rolled her eyes. “Just be sure you take it.”
S ARAH WALKED ALL THE WAY TO SISTERS’ ROW, HOPING the exercise would help her burn off some of the tension she’d been feeling all night. By the time she reached the house on Twenty-fifth Street, she felt calm enough to carry out her mission. At least she hoped she was.
As she had before, she approached the house from the rear. She looked around, but saw no sign that she was observed or that the rescue party was anywhere nearby.
Beulah answered her knock. The cook looked her up and down. “I told Mrs. Walker you’d come. She didn’t think you would.”
Sarah stepped into the kitchen. “I hope she
Mr. Quimby nodded vigorously. “Yes, indeed, we’ve seen that happen, haven’t we?”
Sarah gazed at them in dismay. “Then I suppose I should ask what I should do if Jake won’t take me in the carriage?”
“You should do nothing,” Mrs. Van Orner said. “Simply take the baby away, if they do give him to you. Let us worry about Jake.”
S ARAH FELT DISTRACTED AND IRRITABLE THE REST OF the day. Even spending time with Catherine and Maeve couldn’t keep her mind off what was going to happen the next morning. Maeve asked her several times if she was all right, and she’d lied and said yes, she was fine. She went to bed early, wanting to get a good night’s sleep, and then lay awake most of the night, too tense to rest.
“What’s going on?” Maeve asked her after breakfast, when Catherine had gone upstairs to play.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Well, I am worried, and whatever it is can’t be worse than I’m imagining, so just tell me so I’ll know!”
“I’m so sorry! I was just trying to spare you, but I see I’ve done just the opposite. I’m going to a brothel this morning to take the baby I delivered last week from his mother.”
Maeve’s mouth dropped open. “Dear heaven! What were you doing delivering a baby in a brothel? And why are you taking it away?”
Sarah quickly explained what had happened and how Mrs. Van Orner and her friends were going to help Amy escape.
“Does Mr. Malloy know about this?” Maeve asked with a frown.
Sarah hated the heat that rose in her face. “Of course not, and he won’t ever hear about it either.”
“Do you know how dangerous this is?”
“Not for me. The madam expects me to come and take the baby this morning. I’ll be perfectly safe, and nothing else is going to happen until after I’m gone.”
“Will you bring the baby here?”
“No, I don’t want you and Catherine involved in this at all. I’ll take him to the Mission, but only for a few hours. Mrs. Van Orner has a house in the city where these women can stay, and as soon as Amy is safely there, I’ll take the baby to her.”
“You’d better get him away faster than that. Jake will know where the baby is because he took you there, and they’ll probably try to get the baby to force Amy to go back to the brothel.”
“Oh, my, I never thought of that.”
Maeve gave her a pitying glance. “Of course you didn’t, because you’re a good person. As soon as Jake drops you off, you need to go right back out again. Go straight to this house where they’re taking the girl. That’s the safest thing.”
“You’re right. I’ll do that.”
“And don’t say a word to Amy about them coming to get her. She’ll never be able to keep it a secret. She’s probably told half the girls in the house already anyway.”
“They warned me not to tell her, but how can I just leave her there without any hope?”
“It’s only for a little while. Better she doesn’t have any hope than Catherine doesn’t have any mother.”
Sarah scowled at her, but Maeve ignored it.
“You know I’m right.”
“Yes, I do. Thank you, Maeve, for giving me very good advice.”
Maeve rolled her eyes. “Just be sure you take it.”
S ARAH WALKED ALL THE WAY TO SISTERS’ ROW, HOPING the exercise would help her burn off some of the tension she’d been feeling all night. By the time she reached the house on Twenty-fifth Street, she felt calm enough to carry out her mission. At least she hoped she was.
As she had before, she approached the house from the rear. She looked around, but saw no sign that she was observed or that the rescue party was anywhere nearby.
Beulah answered her knock. The cook looked her up and down. “I told Mrs. Walker you’d come. She didn’t think you would.”
Sarah stepped into the kitchen. “I hope she
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