Read Online Somebody Wonderful by Kate Rothwell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Rothwell
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he stepped back to look her over. “Your gown seems a trifle large for your figure, but otherwise fine. Very colorful, in fact.”
She gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Dr. Dennis, you are a dear. But if you would watch out for my friend for about an hour. I am a swift shopper. Then I—”
“Delighted, delighted.” Dr. Dennis said, obviously dubious. “My assistant will be most happy to offer your young friend a tour. And when you have purchased whatever female fripperies you require, meet me at the museum. Then we shall dine, hey?”
It was almost six when Dr. Dennis handed Miss Calverson and an ecstatic Henry into a hansom cab.
Timona bought only a few things for herself, enough to fit in a small valise. The owner of the dress shop remembered her well and was happy to accommodate the strange requirements of the wealthy young woman. The modiste did not raise a fuss at her requests, not even when she asked for clothes that were “less than completely stylish.”
“Whatever you wish, naturally. And the extra pockets will take two days to complete, Miss Calverson. Where shall we deliver the rest of your order?”
“I’ll pick up it up myself,” said Timona, firmly. She had given an address to the bank out of necessity. She knew better than to tell the whole world where she was. Solly Lothman, her favorite reporter, would probably track her down, but people far less desirable than Sticking Plaster Solly might come looking for her.
She was accustomed to traveling light, and usually her photographic equipment took up more room than her clothes. But once she met up with Henry again, she couldn’t resist purchasing a few more things for him, his siblings and his mother. She forced herself not to buy anything for Mick.
The small passenger compartment of the cab was loaded down with packages and boxes, but not so many that Henry couldn’t shove them aside to stare out the window.
He perched on his knees, occasionally slipping off the leather seat when they turned corners. “I’m dying to pass someone we know. Me, riding in a shiny new hansom cab.”
They were within five blocks of home, when at last he had some luck. He almost launched himself out the window when he saw his old friend, promenading down the sidewalk arm-in-arm with a well dressed woman.
“Mr. Mick! Hey! Lookee at us!”
Henry stood on the seat and slid back the little hatchway so he could bellow up through the roof. “Hey, you, stop, driver!”
Timona groaned.
Chapter 6
Mick had stopped at the station house to file his report of Miss T. C.’s complaint and to argue that the police must take action.
“Sergeant. She was grabbed off the street. Surely it don’t matter who she is. They can’t be snatching women. Of any sort.”
The sergeant finally agreed to “have someone talk to the gentlemen,” which meant the pimps would get some grief. More than Mick had hoped for.
On his way out the door, Mick stopped to make smart retorts to other coppers’ smart remarks about his snappy appearance.
He ended up late meeting Daisy and her giggling friend Lizbet, who acted as Daisy’s chaperone.
Mick didn’t have to wait long in the Graves’ foyer, but Daisy had not been in her sunniest mood as she walked down the wide front stairs of her family’s brownstone. Lizbet, a friendly, dark haired, and slightly bucktoothed girl, hurriedly greeted Mick then scurried a few paces ahead.
Mick understood that Daisy wanted a few words alone with him, probably to gently chide him for being late. Sure enough, she reminded him that though her father, a prominent businessman—he was in ladies’ fine footwear, Mick had been told—had agreed she might see a policeman, she had the hardest time assuring him that Mick was different. “Honestly, Mick, you don’t want him to think you’re a mutt just off the boat.”
Mick waited until Lizbet stopped to gaze at a flower garden through some iron bars to answer. “But I am, Daisy. Or
She gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Dr. Dennis, you are a dear. But if you would watch out for my friend for about an hour. I am a swift shopper. Then I—”
“Delighted, delighted.” Dr. Dennis said, obviously dubious. “My assistant will be most happy to offer your young friend a tour. And when you have purchased whatever female fripperies you require, meet me at the museum. Then we shall dine, hey?”
It was almost six when Dr. Dennis handed Miss Calverson and an ecstatic Henry into a hansom cab.
Timona bought only a few things for herself, enough to fit in a small valise. The owner of the dress shop remembered her well and was happy to accommodate the strange requirements of the wealthy young woman. The modiste did not raise a fuss at her requests, not even when she asked for clothes that were “less than completely stylish.”
“Whatever you wish, naturally. And the extra pockets will take two days to complete, Miss Calverson. Where shall we deliver the rest of your order?”
“I’ll pick up it up myself,” said Timona, firmly. She had given an address to the bank out of necessity. She knew better than to tell the whole world where she was. Solly Lothman, her favorite reporter, would probably track her down, but people far less desirable than Sticking Plaster Solly might come looking for her.
She was accustomed to traveling light, and usually her photographic equipment took up more room than her clothes. But once she met up with Henry again, she couldn’t resist purchasing a few more things for him, his siblings and his mother. She forced herself not to buy anything for Mick.
The small passenger compartment of the cab was loaded down with packages and boxes, but not so many that Henry couldn’t shove them aside to stare out the window.
He perched on his knees, occasionally slipping off the leather seat when they turned corners. “I’m dying to pass someone we know. Me, riding in a shiny new hansom cab.”
They were within five blocks of home, when at last he had some luck. He almost launched himself out the window when he saw his old friend, promenading down the sidewalk arm-in-arm with a well dressed woman.
“Mr. Mick! Hey! Lookee at us!”
Henry stood on the seat and slid back the little hatchway so he could bellow up through the roof. “Hey, you, stop, driver!”
Timona groaned.
Chapter 6
Mick had stopped at the station house to file his report of Miss T. C.’s complaint and to argue that the police must take action.
“Sergeant. She was grabbed off the street. Surely it don’t matter who she is. They can’t be snatching women. Of any sort.”
The sergeant finally agreed to “have someone talk to the gentlemen,” which meant the pimps would get some grief. More than Mick had hoped for.
On his way out the door, Mick stopped to make smart retorts to other coppers’ smart remarks about his snappy appearance.
He ended up late meeting Daisy and her giggling friend Lizbet, who acted as Daisy’s chaperone.
Mick didn’t have to wait long in the Graves’ foyer, but Daisy had not been in her sunniest mood as she walked down the wide front stairs of her family’s brownstone. Lizbet, a friendly, dark haired, and slightly bucktoothed girl, hurriedly greeted Mick then scurried a few paces ahead.
Mick understood that Daisy wanted a few words alone with him, probably to gently chide him for being late. Sure enough, she reminded him that though her father, a prominent businessman—he was in ladies’ fine footwear, Mick had been told—had agreed she might see a policeman, she had the hardest time assuring him that Mick was different. “Honestly, Mick, you don’t want him to think you’re a mutt just off the boat.”
Mick waited until Lizbet stopped to gaze at a flower garden through some iron bars to answer. “But I am, Daisy. Or
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