Forbidden Fire by Heather Graham

Author:Heather Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497673939
Publisher: Open Road Media

Chapter Eleven

That night Marissa sat at the dining table alone. She picked at an expertly prepared duck à l’orange, and wondered if it was true that Ian had been detained on business.

He had been quick to desert them that afternoon. Well, perhaps he hadn’t deserted them. He had turned Mary and Marissa over to one of his clerks, a freckle-faced girl named Sandy O’Halloran, and he had disappeared with Jimmy. Sandy had a natural friendliness and enthusiasm that was instantly endearing, and Marissa felt immediately comfortable with her.

She was the first woman Marissa had met in San Francisco who seemed honestly pleased to meet Ian’s wife.

And she obviously loved the emporium. She spent the first hour dragging them from department to department. The emporium seemed to sell absolutely everything from furnishings to garden tools, foodstuffs to recreational paraphernalia. There were bicycles and baseballs, canned goods, the latest in chemises and nightwear, spades and hoes, fine English Chesterfields.

And in the basement there was a cafeteria where the employees had their meals. Though they had already had lunch, Marissa and Mary had tea with Sandy and watched as the employees went through the line for their meals. The cafeteria seemed busy and productive, and the employees were relaxed, talking among themselves as they ate. Marissa caught the occasional covert glance at herself, but she felt that the interest was friendly and open enough, and she smiled in return when she could.

“What do you think?” Sandy asked, seeing Marissa’s interest as she surveyed the area.

“I think it’s very active!” Marissa laughed.

“Oh, well, then, you should see it on Sunday mornings!” Sandy told her.

“Why?”

“The children from St. Kevin’s have their breakfast here after church.”

“What is St. Kevin’s?” Marissa asked.

“Well, St. Kevin’s is the Catholic church, and there is an orphanage, too. Sundays are wonderful.”

“You work on Sundays?”

“Oh, no. It’s strictly volunteer service, but I do love the children. There are about fifty of the little hooligans. I’m the oldest of twelve, you see, but my sisters and brothers are all back in Ireland. I miss them, and I make up for it on Sundays. Mr. Tremayne supplies all the food, and whoever cares to shows up to help see that it’s all ladled out. The children love it. There are griddle cakes and ham and huge sausages and fish—it’s a wonder for the children, it is, all the jelly and sweet maple syrup they can eat!”

“Is it in connection with the Orphan’s Fund?” Marissa asked her suspiciously.

Sandy gave a little sniff. “No. Mr. Tremayne started his Sunday breakfast long ago. Her Highness Leroux just started with her charity appeals after she learned that Mr. Tremayne—”

She broke off in distress, her eyes very wide as she realized that she was gossiping about her employer’s mistress to her employer’s wife.

“It’s quite all right, Sandy,” Marissa said smoothly. “I’m anxious to see this Sunday breakfast. We’ll meet you again, I’m certain.”

Marissa realized soon after that Mary was wan and exhausted. John Kwan had come for them. Jimmy was busy in the offices, they learned, and Ian had gone to his afternoon meeting.

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