Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

Author:Jocelyn Green [Green, Jocelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Christian fiction;Historical fiction;FIC042030;FIC026000;FIC014000
ISBN: 9781493429912
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2020-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1893

It was nearly five o’clock when Kristof dashed into Corner Books & More after a full day of rehearsals and concerts at the Fair.

Tessa greeted him from behind the cash register. “Miss Townsend is upstairs paying Lottie for the week.” Thunder rolled. “Can I help you with something?”

Before he could reply, the rear door opened and closed, and footfalls announced Sylvie’s approach.

“Did the accounts reconcile, Tessa?” Sylvie asked, then stopped when she saw Kristof. A smile softened her face, along with the most becoming blush.

He tried to ignore the answering heat beneath his collar. She knew he cared for her and that his feelings wouldn’t change. The rest of their story was up to her. He wouldn’t push. Neither would he withdraw his friendship while she decided. Not now, while Rose was still missing.

Not ever. Or at least not until she asked him to.

“Kristof,” she said. “Just getting home?”

“I am. And you’re going out?” She smelled fresh and clean, two things he was not. He couldn’t wait to trade his tuxedo for different clothes.

“To the police station, yes. Beth has finally gotten herself arrested for marching for women’s suffrage.” The jacket Sylvie wore hugged her form and flared slightly over her hips, a style entirely too fetching for a visit to a jail.

The thunder crescendoed, taking on the sound of indistinct voices melding into one. Another protest, Kristof realized, and crossed to the front window. Sylvie and Tessa came beside him as a mass of men rounded the corner and marched past the courthouse. Working men pumped painted signs in English, Polish, and Czech.

Jobs!

We want work!

Decent wages for decent hours!

They moved in groups of dozens, scores, hundreds. Kristof stopped estimating their numbers when he figured they’d reached the thousands.

Other men inserted themselves into the throng, fists curled, teeth bared. “Communists!” one snarled. “If you don’t like the way capitalism works, go back where you came from!”

This was going to get ugly fast. Kristof regarded both women. “Neither of you are going anywhere right now.”

Sylvie agreed. “Yesterday a fight broke out on the City Hall steps. I don’t want you getting caught in any of that, Tessa. Ivan came to pick up Lottie, at least.”

“If the two of you will wait for me, I need just a few minutes upstairs, and then we’ll see about getting you both where you need to go.” The crowd choked the street, spilling onto the sidewalks, and pressed close—too close—to the bookshop.

“We’ll wait.” Sylvie backed away from the window.

Upstairs, Kristof entered his apartment and began stripping off his tuxedo. Only after he’d rinsed off and dressed again did he think to check on Gregor. He’d gone straight home following their afternoon concert, complaining of his cold. He must have been feeling poorly indeed to give up a Friday night.

But Gregor’s room was empty.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.