Golden Avenue toward Hattie’s, Kat thought about what she’d say to Nell and the woman who housed them. Hattie. Kat didn’t want to worry Nell, but a child hadn’t been part of their arrangement with their landlady. She’d have to reassure them it was only for the night.
The two-story clapboard house looked especially inviting tonight. Lights glowed in the windows and the chimney belched smoke as they approached.
She looked down at the child, who peered up at her, sadness etched in her coal black eyes. “This is where Nell and I live right now.”
“And me?”
“Yes, until we can get you back with Miss Sunny and her…uh, girls.” They walked up the steps while Kat prayed that the reunion would be tomorrow.
A mouth-watering whiff of a hearty soup and fresh bread greeted Kat as she opened the door, and so did the squeal of children. The two couples boarding here had expected to return to Colorado Springs on the afternoon train, but even if their plans had changed, they were both childless.
Taking Rosita’s hand, she stepped inside and led the little girl tothe parlor doorway. Hattie’s phonograph played while a mother rocked and nursed a baby, her eyes closed. A little boy stacked wooden blocks in the corner while two little girls giggled over dolls on the sofa.
Rosita tugged Kat’s arm, hiding behind her skirts. “Your Nell?”
Kat shook her head and whispered, “No, I don’t know who that is.” She guessed Nell was helping Hattie in the kitchen, working to feed these unexpected guests. “But let’s go find Nell.”
The hallway opened up into a large dining room where two women set plates and soup bowls on the table. Kat recognized one of them from the train—she was Lucille’s mother. Had they fallen prey to the fire too?
Lucille’s mother looked up at Kat, a hint of recognition lighting her eyes and inspiring a smile. “Hello. I was so exhausted on the train, I don’t think we even exchanged names. I’m Edith Reger.”
Kat returned the woman’s smile and gestured toward the other woman. “Is this your sister?”
“No. She’s the one in the parlor, feeding my nephew. Their house is gone, and so is Thelma’s here.” Edith squeezed the shorter woman’s hand.
“I’m so sorry.” Kat’s heart sunk. Her troubles paled in comparison. “I’m Kat Sinclair.”
“Nell’s sister.” Thelma’s voice was as thin as her soot-smudged face.
“I am.” Kat took a step toward the source of all the stomach-stirring aromas, her wee shadow clinging to her skirt. “Is Nell in the house?”
Edith shook her head. “She went back over to the church, but she shouldn’t be long.”
Nell wasn’t here? A lump formed in Kat’s throat. She needed hersister. Just to see her. To touch her to know for sure that she was all right. To talk to her about all that had gone on. Kat moistened her lips, hoping to soften her anxiety.
“Your sister was concerned about you.” Edith glanced down at Rosita. “I see you’ve been busy too.”
“Yes.” Kat didn’t want to get into her experience right now. She would tell the story once. “Nell’s at the church?”
“She and Sister Veronica took food over to the woman and children staying at St. Peter’s.” Thelma spoke as she set the bowls on the plates. “I don’t know what we would’ve done without her. She’s so good with the children. Had them calmed down and laughing in no time.”
That sounded like Nell. She’d always been good with children, and helping others seemed to feed Nell’s soul.
Edith set spoons beside the plates. “When St. Peter’s started running out of room, Nell brought us here to Hattie’s.”
Sister Veronica must have been the one who came to them in the bucket line, looking for help. Just as Kat began piecing the puzzle together, Lucille whooshed into the room carrying a bread basket and a crock of butter. “Miss Kat! There you are! Where have you been?”
Kat sighed. “It’s a long story.” Glancing down
The two-story clapboard house looked especially inviting tonight. Lights glowed in the windows and the chimney belched smoke as they approached.
She looked down at the child, who peered up at her, sadness etched in her coal black eyes. “This is where Nell and I live right now.”
“And me?”
“Yes, until we can get you back with Miss Sunny and her…uh, girls.” They walked up the steps while Kat prayed that the reunion would be tomorrow.
A mouth-watering whiff of a hearty soup and fresh bread greeted Kat as she opened the door, and so did the squeal of children. The two couples boarding here had expected to return to Colorado Springs on the afternoon train, but even if their plans had changed, they were both childless.
Taking Rosita’s hand, she stepped inside and led the little girl tothe parlor doorway. Hattie’s phonograph played while a mother rocked and nursed a baby, her eyes closed. A little boy stacked wooden blocks in the corner while two little girls giggled over dolls on the sofa.
Rosita tugged Kat’s arm, hiding behind her skirts. “Your Nell?”
Kat shook her head and whispered, “No, I don’t know who that is.” She guessed Nell was helping Hattie in the kitchen, working to feed these unexpected guests. “But let’s go find Nell.”
The hallway opened up into a large dining room where two women set plates and soup bowls on the table. Kat recognized one of them from the train—she was Lucille’s mother. Had they fallen prey to the fire too?
Lucille’s mother looked up at Kat, a hint of recognition lighting her eyes and inspiring a smile. “Hello. I was so exhausted on the train, I don’t think we even exchanged names. I’m Edith Reger.”
Kat returned the woman’s smile and gestured toward the other woman. “Is this your sister?”
“No. She’s the one in the parlor, feeding my nephew. Their house is gone, and so is Thelma’s here.” Edith squeezed the shorter woman’s hand.
“I’m so sorry.” Kat’s heart sunk. Her troubles paled in comparison. “I’m Kat Sinclair.”
“Nell’s sister.” Thelma’s voice was as thin as her soot-smudged face.
“I am.” Kat took a step toward the source of all the stomach-stirring aromas, her wee shadow clinging to her skirt. “Is Nell in the house?”
Edith shook her head. “She went back over to the church, but she shouldn’t be long.”
Nell wasn’t here? A lump formed in Kat’s throat. She needed hersister. Just to see her. To touch her to know for sure that she was all right. To talk to her about all that had gone on. Kat moistened her lips, hoping to soften her anxiety.
“Your sister was concerned about you.” Edith glanced down at Rosita. “I see you’ve been busy too.”
“Yes.” Kat didn’t want to get into her experience right now. She would tell the story once. “Nell’s at the church?”
“She and Sister Veronica took food over to the woman and children staying at St. Peter’s.” Thelma spoke as she set the bowls on the plates. “I don’t know what we would’ve done without her. She’s so good with the children. Had them calmed down and laughing in no time.”
That sounded like Nell. She’d always been good with children, and helping others seemed to feed Nell’s soul.
Edith set spoons beside the plates. “When St. Peter’s started running out of room, Nell brought us here to Hattie’s.”
Sister Veronica must have been the one who came to them in the bucket line, looking for help. Just as Kat began piecing the puzzle together, Lucille whooshed into the room carrying a bread basket and a crock of butter. “Miss Kat! There you are! Where have you been?”
Kat sighed. “It’s a long story.” Glancing down
Similar Books
