Words and Dreams by Laura Strickland

Author:Laura Strickland [Strickland, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, historical, American, Maine, female reporter
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2017-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

“Someone here to see you.” Ron Murray stuck his head into the back room, where O’Hare worked fitting the trim on a cabinet.

O’Hare paused and looked up. “Oh?”

And just like that, Dorothea Sinclair bustled in. Funny, because he’d been busy thinking of her and his superstitious side made him wonder if those thoughts conjured her now. For she couldn’t be here, shouldn’t be here.

But maybe it wasn’t all that strange, he thought as he slowly straightened. Lately he’d been doing nothing but thinking of her and reliving that damn kiss.

Funny how she became prettier every time he saw her, even though she came in now looking worried, the dark hair mussed beneath her little hat, cheeks blooming. What did he see in her eyes?

“Something’s wrong,” he said, all too aware that Ron lingered and listened. “What is it?”

“We have a problem. I just came from—”

“Whisht. How did you find me?”

“You said the name of the place you’re employed during one of our meetings. I am a reporter, after all.”

O’Hare glared at Ron, who blinked in comprehension. “You’ll want your privacy, I s’pose.” He backed out and shut the door.

Dorothea came closer, and O’Hare sensed her emotions still more clearly: distressed and jittery as a spooked pony.

“People are cognizant of where Hare O’Hare works, you know. Even though I didn’t put it in the article, it isn’t exactly a secret. Anybody could come here, walk right in. Attack you.”

“I guess so, but…”

She sucked in a breath. “You’re taking an awful chance with your safety, during this crusade of yours. I don’t know why I never realized that at the start, but it’s been brought home to me today.”

“Why, what happened today?”

She began to pace in the limited space of the workroom, her skirts stirring up little clouds of sawdust as she moved.

“You wouldn’t believe what I’ve seen—and heard. I’m on my lunch hour. I don’t have much time, but I had to come and warn you. They want to stop you, are talking about hunting you down.”

O’Hare stepped out from behind the half-assembled unit. Gently, he caught her shoulders between his hands and halted her steps. “Who is this?”

She stared into his face, her eyes bright with distress. “There was a protest in front of the Guardian office. A man was up on a box, spewing hate. He had an issue of the paper—our first article—and someone drew a caricature of you. A big crowd had gathered, Hare, and they were all with him. He preached nothing less than your destruction.”

“It’s all right.”

“No, it isn’t! It’s a threat to your safety, to your life. He encouraged gangs of upright citizenry—that’s what he called them, can you imagine?—to hunt you and other men like you down so the Irish can’t gain the upper hand in Boston. You might be waylaid anywhere after dark. Beaten. Killed.”

“Hush. Hush now, Dora. Did you suppose I didn’t think of that?”

“What?”

“The danger’s always been there. Men want to silence those who speak out. There are gangs of ‘citizenry,’ as you call them, and Anglo toffs also.

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