Read Online Somebody Wonderful by Kate Rothwell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Rothwell
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them.
They waited on a corner for a few carriages and a horse-drawn streetcar to clop by. Timona turned to Henry and leaning down, said in a solemn voice. “Henry, are you good at keeping secrets?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” he said at once.
“My last name is actually Calverson.” She watched him, but he simply looked at her enquiringly.
“So does it mean you’re kind of an outlaw? ’Cause you have an alias?” he said, his face full of hope.
“No, no. It’s nothing so interesting. There are some people who might pester me if they find me. Please call me Cooper at home, all right?”
He nodded.
“I told you now only because I will have to use Calverson when we get to the bank. But you must not tell anyone, understand? You must promise.”
He nodded again. “I promise.” He spat on his hand and held it out. She shook it after only a second’s hesitation.
The bank had replaced the old manager since her last visit, so she had a small amount of trouble. But since she recalled all the correct account numbers, and even in the purple dress could assume the air of a woman of distinction, she at last got in to see the new manager.
Mr. Antonin, a round man with thickly pomaded and blackened hair and a tiny, waxed mustache, bowed over her hand and showed her to a comfortable chair in his office. She briefly explained her situation, leaving out the more lurid episodes of her adventure.
“It will take a day or so,” he explained apologetically. “We do need to verify your identity.”
She groaned. “All I truly need today is enough money to send a few wires.”
Outside the manager’s plush office, a few voices could be heard shouting. Some heavy object clattered on the marble floor of the lobby. The bellows grew sharper and closer. The manager looked over Timona’s shoulder, distracted.
She gave a sharp cough and he looked back at her. “Oh, yes, Miss Calverson, we would be delighted to send the telegram to your father for you. But I imagine you need funds for a hotel.”
“No, I am currently staying with friends. Yet I admit I would appreciate more money, if only to purchase a few necessities. Such as clothing.”
The door burst open. Henry panted in the doorway. Several puffing and red-faced tellers stood behind him.
“They’re trying to give me the boot, Miss, um . . .” Henry said breathlessly.
“Ah,” she said and rose from her chair, forcing the bank manager to stand as well. “And here is one of my hosts. Mr. Tucker, this is Mr. Antonin, my bank’s manager.”
The manager frowned, obviously not wanting to be introduced to a skinny little urchin, but Timona was pleased to see he did not express his displeasure. Good. He must be nearly convinced of her identity.
She had an idea. “Dr. Dennis, the museum director, works only a few blocks from here, yes?”
The manager nodded, still speechless, possibly at the sight of Henry, who now sauntered around his office.
“If you could send a messenger to the museum, and ask him to meet us here, he could vouch for my identity. We met two years ago in England.”
A half-hour later, Timona was shaking hands with Dr. Dennis, the famous explorer turned museum director. He expressed himself delighted to walk the short distance to the bank for a chance to meet up with so charming an old friend as Miss Calverson.
After meeting with the bank manager, Dr. Dennis waited for Timona to collect her cash, and then he escorted the travelers out to the street.
“And let me take you and your young friend out for a spot of lunch, hey, Miss Calverson? Perhaps we can discuss funding for my latest project. Your family has been very generous in the past, and I would be honored to give you a tour of our new facility.”
Timona smiled. “I would be much obliged if you would give Henry a tour of your museum, Dr. Dennis. The problem is I don’t think I could go to lunch dressed as I am.”
His tobacco-stained fingers combed his unruly white beard as
They waited on a corner for a few carriages and a horse-drawn streetcar to clop by. Timona turned to Henry and leaning down, said in a solemn voice. “Henry, are you good at keeping secrets?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” he said at once.
“My last name is actually Calverson.” She watched him, but he simply looked at her enquiringly.
“So does it mean you’re kind of an outlaw? ’Cause you have an alias?” he said, his face full of hope.
“No, no. It’s nothing so interesting. There are some people who might pester me if they find me. Please call me Cooper at home, all right?”
He nodded.
“I told you now only because I will have to use Calverson when we get to the bank. But you must not tell anyone, understand? You must promise.”
He nodded again. “I promise.” He spat on his hand and held it out. She shook it after only a second’s hesitation.
The bank had replaced the old manager since her last visit, so she had a small amount of trouble. But since she recalled all the correct account numbers, and even in the purple dress could assume the air of a woman of distinction, she at last got in to see the new manager.
Mr. Antonin, a round man with thickly pomaded and blackened hair and a tiny, waxed mustache, bowed over her hand and showed her to a comfortable chair in his office. She briefly explained her situation, leaving out the more lurid episodes of her adventure.
“It will take a day or so,” he explained apologetically. “We do need to verify your identity.”
She groaned. “All I truly need today is enough money to send a few wires.”
Outside the manager’s plush office, a few voices could be heard shouting. Some heavy object clattered on the marble floor of the lobby. The bellows grew sharper and closer. The manager looked over Timona’s shoulder, distracted.
She gave a sharp cough and he looked back at her. “Oh, yes, Miss Calverson, we would be delighted to send the telegram to your father for you. But I imagine you need funds for a hotel.”
“No, I am currently staying with friends. Yet I admit I would appreciate more money, if only to purchase a few necessities. Such as clothing.”
The door burst open. Henry panted in the doorway. Several puffing and red-faced tellers stood behind him.
“They’re trying to give me the boot, Miss, um . . .” Henry said breathlessly.
“Ah,” she said and rose from her chair, forcing the bank manager to stand as well. “And here is one of my hosts. Mr. Tucker, this is Mr. Antonin, my bank’s manager.”
The manager frowned, obviously not wanting to be introduced to a skinny little urchin, but Timona was pleased to see he did not express his displeasure. Good. He must be nearly convinced of her identity.
She had an idea. “Dr. Dennis, the museum director, works only a few blocks from here, yes?”
The manager nodded, still speechless, possibly at the sight of Henry, who now sauntered around his office.
“If you could send a messenger to the museum, and ask him to meet us here, he could vouch for my identity. We met two years ago in England.”
A half-hour later, Timona was shaking hands with Dr. Dennis, the famous explorer turned museum director. He expressed himself delighted to walk the short distance to the bank for a chance to meet up with so charming an old friend as Miss Calverson.
After meeting with the bank manager, Dr. Dennis waited for Timona to collect her cash, and then he escorted the travelers out to the street.
“And let me take you and your young friend out for a spot of lunch, hey, Miss Calverson? Perhaps we can discuss funding for my latest project. Your family has been very generous in the past, and I would be honored to give you a tour of our new facility.”
Timona smiled. “I would be much obliged if you would give Henry a tour of your museum, Dr. Dennis. The problem is I don’t think I could go to lunch dressed as I am.”
His tobacco-stained fingers combed his unruly white beard as
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