A Desire to Hide Part 54

Mary and Ann led the way to Mr. Krugs office as soon as they were finished with breakfast. Mr. and Mrs. Seay had agreed that a detective was a good idea, and said they would pay for one, but both had decided to stay at home and get ready to open the saloon. Peter and Charity followed behind the twins however, talking too quietly for them to understand much of what was being said, but grateful for that since what they were catching was of great mutual affection.

Perhaps it was because she was inspired by her affectionate brother and his fiance, but once they reached the building that Mr. Krugs office was in, Ann pulled ahead of her sister and ran up the stairs alone, never even considering that she was admitting that she knew the way. The rest of her family caught up to Ann however at the top of the stairs, in front of the door to Mr. Krugs’s office.

“He is not in, I am afraid,” she said with some embarrassment. Once again she had not considered the possibility that Mr. Krugs might be out, and this time he was indeed gone. “We ought to have written to him,” she added, feeling a little responsible for the fact that her beau was not in to see them.

“We can wait,” said Peter, his voice calm.

“But we don not know how long it might take him to return,” protested Mary.

“I have nothing pressing today,” said Charity.

“I am meant to be tending the bar in a few hours,” said Peter, suddenly remembering that he was indeed still employed after a fashion. “I will wait until then, then if he has not returned, I will escort you ladies back home before I head to the saloon.”

“My father won’t mind a bit so long as you are helping me,” said Charity, with all the confidence of a spoiled only child.

“I do not care to have him only treat me differently because I am going to be marrying you,” said Peter. “I would rather impress him my hard work.”

“As you say,” said Charity, smiling at her fiance indulgently.

Both Mary and Ann prepared to be left out as the two lovers cooed over one another until they gave up the wait, but that did not happen. If Peter had been the only one leading the conversation, it was likely that Mary and Ann would have been neglected. Every time Mary and Ann began to drift out of the conversation however, Charity was there, engaging the twins back in the conversation. Speaking to Ann about the romances she had been reading, and to Mary about the dress she had been sewing for herself. It was because Ann was going into some detail about the plot of the latest romance she was reading in one of the weekly city papers, and what she thought was going to come in the next installment, that Mary wandered slightly down the stairs. She heard enough about these stories every time Ann ran out to buy them, without hearing about them a second time as well. It was because of her wandering slightly away from the main group that she ran into Arthur Krugs coming up the stairs. Though it was not yet even noon, the detective was looking haggard and well worn, though part of that might have been his clothing, which were older and more ragged than anything Mary had seen him wear in the past.

“If you are here, Ms. Wells, to tell me about the conditions of the poor, you need not today, I have just come from them,” said Mr. Krugs, when he looked up and saw her standing on the landing.

“Best not to speak about such things, Mr. Krugs,” said Mary, quickly. She had not told Peter that she meant to go back to the slums with Mr. Krugs, and did not want him to overhear it. “My brother would like to give you work to do, if you have the time. My sister is with him,” Mary added, looking sly. She was rewarded by Mr. Krugs looking considerably happier than when he had first spotted her. Mary turned to shout up the stairs.

“Mr. Krugs is here,” she announced. It was very much to Mary’s amusement to see how quickly Ann rushed down the stairs. She was forced to reach out and grab Ann’s arm to steady her, or in her rush she might well have fallen down the stairs in her hurry. Peter and Charity followed behind at a more reasonable pace.

“Mr. Krugs,” said Peter, reaching out his hand, “my sisters tell me that you might be able to assist my fiance and me with a problem we have had.”

“I will be happy to do whatever I can to help you and your family,” said Mr. Krugs. Ann looked up at him adoringly, while Mary had to hid a very unladylike grin behind a hand.

A Desire to Hide Part 52

Peter had expected Mr. Percy to be an older man, he was after all a lawyer. Mr. Percy was only about the age of Mr. Seay however, fifty at the oldest. Whereas Mr. Seay had the muscles expected of a man who spent his days lifting kegs, it was clear that the heaviest thing that Mr. Percy lifted was a soup ladle. Peter found his eyes constantly wandering to watch the man’s double chin wobble. Still, Peter was determined to make a good impression, so he stepped forward, hand out.

“Mr. Percy? My name is Peter Wells,” said Peter. Mr. Percy however was clearly not in the mood to greet him, and ignored the outstretched hand until Peter lowered it. Instead Peter found himself the recipiant of a glare with more hostility than any look he had ever received, even from Charles.

“How much have you been paid, Mr. Wells, to offer marriage to Ms. Seay?” demanded the lawyer. Peter recoiled from the man, shocked by the accusation from a complete stranger.

“Sir?” asked Peter, trying not to take instant offense, and finding it difficult.

“By Mr. Hendley. Your interference is a masterful destruction of our case against Charles Hendley.”

“Only if the jury is willing to believe what has been written in the papers,” said Charity, glaring back at Mr. Percy.

“It is well known that Mr. Wells here has been in the employment of Mr. Hendley for some time.”

“And dismissed from his service after the attention I received from the papers,” said Peter, his voice cool.

“A fine act,” said Mr. Percy, his voice dismissive.

“I trust Peter entirely,” said Charity, her voice firm.

“The foolish sentimentality of a woman,” said Mr. Percy, waving his hand. Peter felt his hand ball in a fist but then he felt Charity’s hand reach for it, and he relaxed his muscles so he could hold her hand.

“If I cooperate entirely with your case against Charles Hendley, what harm can I do?” asked Peter.

“All the harm in the world,” said Mr. Percy, laughing harshly, something that caused his second chin to jiggle wildly. “Even if I am to assume that you mean us no harm on Mr. Hendley’s behalf, you still cause the destruction of our case. The nature of the case against Charles Hendley is breech of promise. That is when a woman sues a man for promising that he will marry her.”

“I do not see how I stand in the way of that,” said Peter.

“The reason it is such a serious crime, Mr. Wells, is because a woman is unlikely to find a worthy man who is willing to marry her after being engaged once. If you are the worthy man that you claim, then she has no need for the monetary reimbursement to support herself.”

“You mean that you think that Charles Hendley will be able to escape for free after what he did to me?” asked Charity, tightly gripping Peter’s hand.

“I cannot imagine your breech of promise case being well accepted after the attention that you have received in the papers, even without this man standing by your side. People are likely to be suspicious. I will naturally continue to represent you so long as you decide to continue, I have been paid, but it is my duty to tell you the chances that you face.”

“It does not seem right that Charles should escape,” said Peter, his voice angry. “Nor is it right however, that he should stand in the way of Charity and I getting married.” Charity let go of his hand and looked at him.

“I think I would like my family, and your sisters, to be here after all,” said Charity, walking towards the door. “You wait here, while I go and call them.” She was only gone for a moment, but being left alone with the lawyer, who clearly still thought he was an enemy agent, made it seem like a long time indeed. Charity marched back into the room, their relatives in tow, like a general marching into battle however. Though she was less pale than when he had first met her, Peter recognized the facial expression as the one that she had had when they first met. This was Charity marshaling her resources for a battle.

“I thought you should all be here to hear this,” Charity announced, once they were all in the room, “I mean to drop my charges of broken promise against Charles Hendley. Mr. Percy has advised me that there is little chance of my winning the case, and I am willing to trust in his legal expertise.”

A Desire to Hide Part 51

Mary awoke the next morning crammed into a bed with Charity and Ann, in far closer proximity than she had ever thought she would be with Charity the morning before. It took her a minute to even realize where she was. Since her father had died she had never found herself asleep in any bed except her own. As she turned over to look around her, she awoke Charity, who raised her head sleepily.

“Sleep well?” she asked. Her voice woke up Ann, who also raised her head.

“Good morning,” said Ann, sounding far too cheerful for someone who had just been woken up.

“Sorry for asking you to share your bed, Charity,” said Mary, uncomfortable.

“Then come and help me with breakfast,” said Charity, smiling at her. “We may greet the house with oatmeal and griddlecakes. After the drinking of last night, I doubt very much that they will wish anything more hearty. I know that the thought of a beefsteak, or bacon is enough to make my stomach churn.” Mary nodded, and Ann, who was feeling no ill effect from the night before at all, wisely decided it would be best to keep her mouth closed.

The table was almost set, and there was a steaming bowl of oatmeal on the table, when the rest of the house joined them. Ann was still singing a song from the night before while in the kitchen, flipping griddlecakes off of the stove.  Mr. and Mrs. Seay came down when they smelled food, and though Mrs. Seay offered to help the girls, both of them were waved to sit down and enjoy coffee while they waited for the food. Peter had slept on the couch in the parlor, and entered the dinning room looking rumpled but cheerful, he too was waved to sit down and enjoy. Ann had just brought in the heaping platter of griddlecakes when the bell on the door was rung.

“This is early for guests,” said Mrs. Seay, looking puzzled.

“I will see who it is,” said Mr. Seay, standing. “If you would be willing to serve, mother,” he added, turning to his wife with a smile. There was a married couple who lived in the rooming house that the Wells siblings lived in, but they were not very friendly with one another, and sometimes the whole building was able to hear them screaming at each other until the landlady would climb the stairs and knock timidly on the door of the rooms that the couple rented from her. That was generally the end of things, but it still had an effect on Mary and Ann, who knew very few other people who were married. Seeing this loving, and long married, couple, was a startling thing for both of them.

While Mrs. Seay served everyone from her husband’s seat at the head of the table, they could hear voices from the door. With the door closed to the dinning room however, none of them could hear what was happening. Mr. Seay finally returned to the dinning room, looking far less cheerful than he had before. Indeed he looked a little shaken.

“Mr. Percy is in the parlor, and he would like to see you Charity, you as well Peter,” Mr. Seay said. Charity and Peter looked at one another nervously, but they both stood, Peter gallantly helping Charity from her seat.

“Who is Mr. Percy?” asked Ann, who could not help but notice the change of mood in the room.

“Charity’s lawyer,” said Peter, “in the case against Charles Hendley.”

“I am coming with you,” said Mary, setting down her spoon.

“There is no need,” said Mr. Seay, still looking at little nervous. It was very clear that he was a little intimidated by the lawyer, even though he was the one paying the bills that the lawyer handed in. “He is only asking for Charity and Peter.”

“He is here to complain of the newspaper, is he not?” said Mary, looking Mr. Seay in the eye. Having stood up to Peter, who she respected greatly in her own way, she was not going to back down from Mr. Seay. “If he has never met Peter before, he will think the worst of him. It is not as if I am not to be involved, as Charity is to be my sister by marriage.”

“I will be sure to call you in if I need a character witness,” said Peter, smiling at Mary. It seemed to him that the evil figure of Mary who had descended into his house was finally gone, and he had his sister back. “For now, eat breakfast. I am certain that Charity and I will be able to defend ourselves against any accusations.”

“I should hope so,” agreed Charity, her mouth in a thin and determined line. “We have done nothing wrong after all.”

A Desire to Hide Part 47

“Please dress well for tonight,” said Ann to Mary, voicing a concern that had been nagging at the back of her mind the entire day. “We must make a good impression on Charity’s family.”

“I will naturally do nothing to embarrass my dear sister,” said Mary, her voice full of sarcasm. Ann might have responded but Peter came in at that moment, and Ann did not want him to hear that she and Mary had been arguing. Mary began to flounce out of the room the instant that Peter entered but he noticed the move and stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Just a minute there, Mary,” he said. Mary looked back at him, her face startled, but she did indeed stop. “I would like to speak to both of you,” Peter continued.

“If you are going to lecture me on how I am to act in front of our hosts tonight, you need not bother, Ann has spent the day at it,” said Mary, pulling her arm from Peter’s grasp.

“If you act badly, it will only reflect on yourself, and if tell you to act well, you will act badly to spite me. I am tired of that and have no intention of bringing into our discussions again. You may waltz to Hell with the Devil for all that I care, I will not say a word,” said Peter, his voice flat.

“What are you saying Peter, how dare you say such things?” demanded Ann, her fists clenched with fury. Mary simply stared at her brother, speechless.

“I am tired of this selfishness,” said Peter, his voice still chilly in a way that neither of his sisters had heard before. “I have done everything in my power to see that you both had the best of educations and opportunities, and the thanks that i have received for this is to have my marriage threatened by Mary’s petty fits. It is well that I do not think that Charity will think ill of me due to your behavior. However, I would like you to believe Mary, that at times I might wish to speak to you on a subject that does not have you at its center. As you have chided me for not speaking to you on important matters, I would like to do so now, if you will listen to me. If you will not, then you have no one to blame but yourself.” Peter had hardly taken a breath during this tirade and how he found himself panting, while Mary stared at him.

“What is this important matter?” asked Ann, trying to figure out what had caused this dramatic change in her brother.

“I have lost my employment,” said Peter, sinking into a nearby chair. Having gotten more upset than he had in a long time, he now felt drained. “Mr. Hendley has told me that they no longer have need of my services. I suspect Charles Hendley behind this, but I have no proof and it would not matter in any case.”

“What will happen to us?” wailed Mary, now looking like she was going to become hysterical.

“Why would Charles Hendley like to see you out of your position?” asked Ann, her voice slightly more shrewed. Peter had torn the article from the Daily to show to Charity, but now he pulled it from his pocket, and handed it over to Ann, without a word. He had not told his sisters about this angle of his romance with Charity after Mary’s initial reaction to the news of his engagement because he had feared what the reaction might be. Now it did not seem likely that he would be able to hide these details, even if he wanted to. It seemed fairly likely that reporters would be around to speak to this supposed villain who was blackmailing a well-to-do young man of the community, and it would be best if his sisters were ready for it.

“Of course this is not the true story, I would not think this of you or Charity,” said Ann, looking up once she had read the article. Peter did have to admire how she remained calm. Mary meanwhile was sobbing while sitting on the floor, and Peter felt the need to comfort her.

“Mr. Seay, Charity’s father, has given me a job for the time being at his saloon as a bookkeeper, so no Mary, we will not go hungry. He is paying me rather more than I think he would otherwise, but as I am marrying his daughter, he is paying me almost as much as Mr. Hendley did. We will not suffer. What I would like you to remember tonight however, is that you will be in the presence of my employer tonight, the man who does stand between us and starvation.” Mary looked up, still sniffling.

“You told Charity that you lost your job before us?” she demanded. Even Ann looked at her with exasperation.

“No,” said Peter, his voice dripping with patience. “I still have not told Charity that I lost my place, I told her father. He can be a rough man, and I wanted him to know that I would release his daughter from her promise to me if he did not wish her to marry a man with no employment. He knows men who might be willing to see to me as a favor, not the sort I will willingly upset.” Much to Peter’s surprise, this seemed to comfort Mary, who simply set about cleaning herself up and making ready to go join the Seay family for dinner after this news.

A Desire to Hide Part 44

Monday came as a relief to the entire Wells house hold, not only Ann. Mary decided that she would pass on breakfast if it meant that she could avoid seeing Peter. Peter meanwhile was able to leave to go to work, which was as much a relief to him as it was for his sisters. It was strange but Peter was almost in a good mood as he walked through the streets of the city. He and Mary had been at odds for some time, and he felt happy in the knowledge that he had finally given her a piece of his mind. Certainly things had not been improved, but what was important was that he had finally gotten his displeasure with her off of his chest.

Peter did not walk into the office with a jaunty step, but that was only because he knew that it would go against the sensibilities of Mr. Hendley. Instead Peter kept his pace to simply confident. This was going to be a day where he got his work done, went home, and ignored the childish fits of his sister. Peter hung up his hat and went to his desk, where something even better awaited him. The morning mail had brought Charity’s invitation to eat dinner with her family, and to bring his sisters. Peter had some doubts about the last part, but the invitation outweighed those doubts by a large margin. It seemed that everything was to go his way today.

The first suggestion that Peter had that something might be wrong, was when he noticed that the men and boys stared at him as they walked past. His first thought was that there might be something out of order about his clothing, but when he looked down at himself all seemed to be right. None of the men said anything, though a few of the boys laughed a little between themselves. Finally the secretary walked past, and placed a copy of the Daily in front of him, folded so that the third page was showing. It was still a large mass of text, and Peter had to read several articles before he could see what it was that had made in the center of such attention.

The title of the piece was simply, A Scandal in the City. It was not the sort of piece that Peter normally cared for, since he generally felt that the papers made a great deal over little things, so long as they concerned the wealthy members of the city. This one did as well, it was Charles. The article painted him as a sad victim of love, and con artists, Peter and Charity. Peter did manage to restrain himself from punching his desk, but he did not have such wonderful control that he was able to stop a stream of profanity from escaping his lips. He was being painted as a blackguard, but that was a better fate than what the paper had in store for Charity, who was declared a temptress and a Jezebel.

Peter threw down the paper, and did his very best to return to his work, before Mr. Hendley noticed what was occurring in the outer office. His first premonition that he was not successful in this was when one of the office boys came and informed him that Mr. Hendley wanted to speak to him. Peter could feel the eyes of the entire office on him as he got up and walked to the door to the inner office, a lead weight in his stomach. With a hand far more timid than normal, Peter tapped on the door of the office. Being bid to enter, Peter opened the door slowly, and slunk into the room.

“How may I be of service, sir?” asked Peter, his voice humble.

“There is no need to fain ignorance, Mr. Wells,” said Mr. Hendley, who was sitting behind his desk, and looking stern. “It seems that the entire office is speaking of the article in the Daily newspaper, and I have no doubt that you have seen it.”

“I have, sir,” admitted Peter. “I would like to assure you that I have no idea as to who would have spoken to the papers on the subject however. I would never bring scandal to your family, after all of the kindness that you have shown me.”

“Then who would you have me believe was guilty of this offense, Mr. Wells?” asked Mr. Hendley. “There are few people who are so well informed as the person who gave information to the reporter.”

“That I have no answer for, sir,” said Peter, though he wished he did.

“Perhaps this Charity Seay, the center of this affair. I am certain that she has a women’s vanity, and would not mind if it was known to the general public that two men were fighting over her in such a fashion.”

“Certainly not, sir,” said Peter quickly. Had it been anyone else who had said that, Peter would have likely responded violently, but he suspected he was already in enough trouble with his boss. “You do not know Charity as I do. She is a modest woman, who does not wish any attention that would compromise her honor in the way that this article does.”

“I have no doubt that she seems such in your eyes, least-ways, Mr. Wells. However, the judgement of a man in love is hardly to be trusted.”

“Though I hate to say it, another culprit does suggest itself to me, sir,” said Peter, growing angry. “There is another person other than yourself, Charity, and I. Have you considered that perhaps your son, Mr. Charles, might seek revenge for the manner in which he was ousted from the office, sir. I know that you would not look for such behavior in family, but if we are considering all possible culprits, I feel that I must mention him.” Peter knew he had over stepped himself when he saw Mr. Hendley’s face.

“No matter who is guilty, you may not remain in my employment any longer, Mr. Wells, I will consider today, your final day in my employment. I will not have such a public scandal tainting my office, and distracting my other employees.”

“As you say, Mr. Hendley,” said Peter, trying to maintain his dignity. “As you know I have always served your interests to the best of my ability.”

“I will give you a recommendation, so that you may find work with some other firm,” said Mr. Hendley, relenting slightly in the face of Peter’s resignation.

“Thank you very much, sir,” said Peter. “Then all that remains is for me to collect the pay that is owed me.”

“I will pay you through the end of the month, as a reward for your loyal service to me for all of these years,” said Mr. Hendley. Peter knew this to be the generous gesture it was, since it was only a week into the month. Still, it was hardly a consolation as he walked from the office and out into the street, with nowhere to go, long before his normal lunch hour.

A Desire to Hide Part 43

“Perhaps I should invite you and your family over for dinner tomorrow evening. Of course I will have to ask Mother first, and see if she agrees. It might be well for me and Mary to have a chance to get to know one another before I marry Peter.”

“Please do not tell Peter that I came and spoke to you about this,” said Mary quickly. The last thing that she wanted was for Peter to think that both she and Mary were trying to interfere with his romance.

“Do not worry, what I want to do is create peace, not more trouble,” Charity reassured her. “If you think that Peter would not like us putting our heads together, then I will simply say nothing.”

“It is not like that, entirely,” said Ann. “It is just that with all of this happening with Mary, Peter is a little suspicious of his sisters at the moment. He has always had difficulty keeping the actions of one of us apart from the actions of both of us. I suppose it is because he is always busy, and he has little time to think on domestic matters.”

“Perhaps I will be able to change that as well,” said Charity, smiling.

“I certainly hope so,” said Ann, her voice sincere. She doubted very much that Charity would stand to be as neglected as Mary and Ann had been in the recent years, and she wanted the marriage to be a happy one. Perhaps because Charity was one of the few people who had simply sat there and allowed Ann to speak what was on her mind, but Ann was sincerely hoping that everything would go well for her.

“Speaking of dinner, would you like to join us? It is naturally only a cold meal today, since it is a Sunday, but I am certain that my Mother and Father would not begrudge a guest. Father often has company come so he is not likely to complain if I have a guest.”

“I should not,” said Ann, standing to go. “I told Mary and Peter that I was only going to be gone a short time, and if they have stopped fighting long enough to think of me, they are likely wondering where I have gotten to.”

“I am sorry that you have to return to such a home,” said Charity. “I mean to make some changes to it before making it mine. I do not care for fights.”

“Both Peter and Mary are fine people. They often get on very well. It is just that they cannot seem to agree on the things that really matter to them, and that can make things difficult. Mary means to help the poor, Peter would rather neither of us ever were forced to see them. That alone can cause enough trouble for a week’s worth of fights.”

“She ought to speak with our family priest, he does a good deal of charity work in the neighborhood by the docks with another priest here in the city. I am certain that he would have some organizations for women that she might join.”

“I do not know as she would care for that,” said Ann, her voice doubtful. “I will tell her that you made the suggestion however. Mary enjoys going her own way, and does not care much for working with others.”

“She is not social?” asked Charity.

“Oh, she is far more social than I am, but that is not when she is doing something of use. When she is working on something, she would far rather be alone. Mr. Krugs says that he will look after her, so that she does not come to any mischief, and I suppose that that is what I must be happy with. I ought to go though, I have poured out enough of my troubles to you. I am sorry again for dropping in as I did. I suppose it was terribly rude of me.”

“You ought to stop in more often, Mary as well,” said Charity. “I am getting to know Peter very well, but I am not only going to be living with him. I will ask him to bring you and your sister with him to dinner tomorrow. Do not worry, I will not tell him of your visit. As you said, it might cause you trouble if he was to think that we were plotting something behind his back.”

“Good evening then,” said Ann.

“Please, allow me to show you the door,” said Charity, and she did. The two women smiled at one another as they parted, and Ann could not help but think that she had found herself a valuable friend as she walked back into the fray of her own home.

A Desire to Hide Part 42

“This is an unexpected visit,” said Charity, as she finally opened the door to the parlor. “Did Peter come with you?”

“I am sorry, Ms. Seay, I came alone. I do hope you will forgive me. Peter and Mary are at great odds with one another this morning. I cannot stand to be in the house any longer, and I do not know many people in the city to whom I can go in such times.”

“Please, call me Charity, we are to be family,” said the older woman, having a seat across from Ann, and looking at her intently. “And you are Ann.”

“That is right,” agreed Ann, looking down shyly.

“You are a good deal different from your sister,” said Charity, still staring at Ann.

“You are a good deal like her,” said Ann, finally looking up, and smiling weakly. “You both speak very frankly.”

“So that you may do the same,” said Charity, sitting back and smiling. “As for my manners, I hope that you will forgive me. I was raised around a rough sort, and I did not learn the behavior of a lady. I see that Peter has taken more care with your upbringing. I envy you.”

“You would not know it, to hear Mary speak,” said Ann, her voice slightly resentful. Much to her surprise, Charity laughed.

“I had a taste of that myself, if you remember, when we met,” Charity said.

“I am very sorry about that,” said Ann, mostly out of habit. She had spent much of her life apologizing for Mary’s behavior to various people. “If it is any comfort, it is not you who Mary is angry with. It is Peter. She is not pleased with how little he tells us.”

“I see,” said Charity. “And you mean to say that they are still arguing about this, even now?”

“After a fashion,” said Ann, not sure entirely what Mary’s motivation had been for yesterday’s insanity. She paused for a moment, and then continued with a slightly more cheerful voice. “Mary and Peter often do not agree. I would not worry about it if I were you. Certainly you should not blame yourself.”

“And yet here you are, sitting in my parlor, so I must think I am involved in some way,” said Charity.

“I had not intended for you to feel that way,” said Ann, quickly.

“We are almost family. You ought to be frank with me, as I told you before,” said Charity, leaning forward again. “You are trying to protect me, to no purpose.”

“I do not want Peter thinking that I am attempting to divide you from him,” Ann admitted.

“Yet you need help in dealing with your siblings, and you don’t have anyone else to go to,” said Charity. It was the truth, but Ann was growing unsettled by Charity’s perceptiveness, so she looked down, and said something that she would not have said to anyone else.

“Not entirely without someone to go to. There is a gentleman.”

“But you did not go to him,” pointed out Charity.

“I have already troubled him a good deal,” said Ann.

“So long as you are certain of him,” said Charity. “I do not know how much Peter has told you of me, but I assure you that the intentions of men are not always pure. There are men who can hold a candle to the devil.”

“I can be certain of him,” said Ann, her voice firm. “He has helped Mary and I a good deal, without asking anything in return.”

“You are lucky then,” said Charity. “In love in the least. As for your family, it is in my interest as well as yours to make peace between Peter and Mary, so you’d best tell me everything. I have noted you skirt about the issue, but that will not do if I am to help you play peacemaker.”

“So long as you promise me to understand that Mary is a decent and respectable girl, despite her recent actions,” said Ann, her voice cautious. “I will not stand for people thinking poorly of my sister.”

“Tell me the story,” said Charity. “I can promise that I will think well of both of your siblings, so long as they have not done murder. I have known a good deal of people who have walked from the path of respectability, I have myself. I’ll not judge.”

“Nothing like that,” said Ann quickly. Sitting there on the couch, Ann poured out everything that had happened to Charity, even Mr. Kruggs visits to their rooms when Peter was gone, though she did make the woman swear secrecy on the matter. Ann, who rarely spoke, found that getting it all out to an attentive listener was in itself an act that made her feel as if she could face the world again.

A Desire to Hide Part 41

As a frosty and unusual silence pervaded the house the next morning, Ann did what she could to not get upset. As it was a Sunday, she could think of no ready means of escape from the house, since all of the shops were closed. There was also no manner in which Peter and Mary could relieve the tension. Peter did not read from the bible. Mary and Ann did not sing hymns. Instead the family simply sat around, each trying not to make eye contact. Ann tried several times to make rather false and brittle conversation, but she met with almost no response. By late afternoon Ann could not stand it any longer. It would be better if it was a weekday and she could work off some of the tension by sewing or something of the like, but she would never work on a Sunday.

“I am going to take a walk,” Ann announced, standing up from where she had been sitting, by the window. “I need some air.”

“Ought I go with you?” asked Peter, looking up from where he had been reading through yesterday’s paper.

“There is no need,” said Mary. “I will not go far, it is just so intolerably hot in this room. I will be back soon. I might call on a friend anyway, if I find her at home, and I think you would find two girls gossiping terribly dull.”

“It is true, I suppose you are not Mary, I need not worry about where you go,” said Peter, glaring at his other sister. Mary ignored him, though Ann winced. She just hoped that the two would not kill one another while she was gone. Something was going to have to be done, and she was going to do the only thing that she could think of.

It took Ann only a short time to reach Charity’s home. Peter had mentioned in the past what the address was, though Ann had never visited it. After their awkward meeting, Ann had not felt comfortable in making social calls. As it was, she hesitated before she rang the bell over the door, but she could think of nothing else to do. As it was, she was watching her domestic situation going up in flames. She took the bell rope and rang it as hard as she could. It only took a few minutes before the door was opened by a gray haired woman.

“I beg your pardon Mrs. Seay, I am Ann Wells, is Ms. Charity Seay at home?” asked Ann. She had no doubt as to the woman’s identity. Charity was an almost spitting image of her mother, only younger.

“So you’d be one of the sisters that Peter has been telling us of,” said Mrs. Seay, her voice warm. The strong Irish accent did not escape Ann’s notice, and she smiled back at the woman. Though Ann spoke of it far less often, being obedient to Peter’s wishes, she was no more comfortable with Peter’s complete rejection of their Irish parentage than Mary. Ann was willing to be optimistic, and hope that Charity would change Peter’s mind about their heritage.

“That’s right, ma’am,” said Ann.

“We just returned from church,” said Mrs. Seay, opening the door wider, to allow Ann to enter. “Peter ought bring you and your sister along, and we should all go to mass together one day. You ought meet our priest. He’s a fine man.”

“I should like that very much, ma’am,” said Ann sincerely. It had been five years since the last time she had gone to confession, since they no longer belonged to a church, and that was a thought that had bothered her more than once. Since it would be ae it was going to be an invitation from the Seay family, Ann doubted that Peter was likely to refuse to go. With even more luck, maybe she would even be able to join the Seay’s church and attend regularly.

“If you will wait in the parlor, I will go tell Charity that you are here to see her,” said Mrs. Seay, opening the door to the room, and showing Ann in.

“Thank you very much, ma’am,” said Ann. While the familiar accent had helped her relax, now that she was going to be facing Charity, Ann felt herself tense again. This could go very badly, but it remained the only thing that she could think of, and she had come this far now. There was no way that she could back out now. She was going to have to enlist the help of the woman with the most power over Peter at the moment.

A Desire to Hide Chapter 40

Ann had thought that perhaps Mary might simply spend the night in their room, thus avoiding the storm when Peter got home, but that proved to be far too optimistic. Instead, on hearing the door slam with Peter’s entrance into their rooms, Mary sailed out of the bedroom like a stately ship of war, ready to meet the confrontation head on. She had changed her clothing now, and looked as much like a proper young lady as any that might be met on the street, though Ann was not certain if this was because she thought that it would lend any weight to her argument with Peter, or if it was simply the vanity that Ann knew Mary had for her own appearance all too well.

“Finally home, are you?” asked Mary, not even attempting to seem friendly.

“I suppose I ought to be surprised that you are home at all,” responded Peter.

“Do you expect that I should spend all of my time here?” asked Mary. “I should go crazy.”

“Most girls go to the shops when they wish to leave the house, they are not brought home by detectives. What he thought of your behavior I cannot imagine.”

“You for one, cannot imagine I care what he thought, or you either for that matter,” said Mary. Ann groaned slightly, but only under her breath, not wanting any of their attention on her. It seemed as if Mary was intentionally making things worse for herself. All Ann could think of was the many diplomatic ways that Mary could be dealing with this situation, but as soon as she thought of them, she dismissed them all, realizing that none of them were like Mary. No matter how fond she was of her sister, she was going to have to face the simple fact that Mary was a straight forward person, who voiced her thoughts with no consideration for others. Ann was willing to accept that in some people this might be considered honesty, but sometimes Mary crossed that line into rudeness.

“You forget that I am your sole source of support,” said Peter. Ann could hardly believe that she had just heard that, and she gave him a look that she hoped made it very clear that she currently felt that he was the scum of the earth. It did not matter to her how angry Peter was with Mary, to threaten to cast her out of the house for a single transgression, no matter how serious, was so shocking, that Ann nearly joined in the fight on Mary’s behalf out of spite. She stopped herself however. Domestic peace was a far more important thing. Ann took a deep breath, and stepped in between the two combatants. It was a brave, but stupid thing to do, and it did no good because both Peter and Mary were angry with one another enough that they completely ignored that Ann was even there. Instead they simply argued around her, with Peter speaking over her head, and Mary leaning around her to rebut.

“If you think I have shamed you now, imagine me, your own sister, wandering the street. I would be careful to assure people of our relation,” Mary added.

“How can you have so little shame?” demanded Peter.

“I have shame, but none of your foolish pride,” replied Mary. “What is there to be ashamed of in wishing to help people? I went to that neighborhood on a mission of charity. The only charity you bring into this house is the one that you have declared you are marrying.”

“Is supporting two sisters not enough for you?” demanded Peter. “If I had no charity then you and Ann would be on the streets, and this is the gratitude I get. It is only due to my kind heart that I do not send you out of this house.”

“Peter,” said Ann, finally no longer able to keep her tongue still. “I’ll not listen any longer to such speech. You ought be ashamed to speak so to your own sister.”

“But what Mary has said meets with your approval, does it?” demanded Peter, both hurt and stung.

“Not in the slightest, but it is less hurtful than the words that are coming from your mouth.”

“Then would you have me do nothing, with her traipsing about in places that the police do not care to go?” asked Peter, in what he felt was a very reasonable voice considering the circumstances. He was suddenly facing an unexpected united front of both of his sisters.

“Not at all, but I will not stand by to listen to you threaten to cut her off,” said Ann. “Please calm yourself. At least Mary is not shaming us now by shouting so loud that the neighbors can hear, unlike you.” Peter blushed.

“While I will not cut your off, Mary, you may consider your allowance at an end until further notice,” said Peter, taking a deep breath.

“Then I will simply have to pawn the coat that I have been working on for you,” said Mary, turning away, and preparing to return to the bedroom. “As it is, I have paid for the trim and the buttons, so I may do with it what I please.”

“I will not have a sister of mine be seen entering a pawn shop,” shouted Peter, as Mary slammed the door between them.

A Desire to Hide Part 39

Since Mary and Mr. Krugs had not come home, and had instead went straight to Peter’s office, the first news Ann heard was when Mary came bursting into the door, all smiles. Peter had been forced to go and find himself a meal at a restaurant, since he now would not be able to eat later, and so he had not had time to lecture her too badly. There was likely to be a lot of uncomfortable questions that night about what she had been doing in the slums, but for now she was going to celebrate everything working so well. Peter could shout all he wanted in any case, Mary had finally found an outlet for her energy, and it was a glorious feeling. If she had expected a joyful Ann however, Mary was to be disappointed. Instead Ann stood up, and faced down her sister in a towering anger that made Mary almost afraid. She had hardly ever even heard Ann raise her voice, and now it seemed that Ann would very much like to hit her.

“Do you have the slightest notion the trouble and worry you have caused?” Ann demanded. “And you prance in here, as if you have been on a frolic. I don’t know what I will say to Mr. Krugs when I see him again. I should be very much surprised if he ever calls again. I went to him all in a panic, telling him to search for you, and now I suppose I will have to go and apologize to him for having wasted his time.”

“He certainly did not waste his time,” said Mary, looking surprised. “He found me, and saw me safely back to a street that a woman can walk on without being threatened You would not believe the things that I have seen today, Ann. As for Mr. Krugs, you will certainly see him again, he has promised to take me back there.”

“To the Old Brewery? I cannot believe that he would take anyone anywhere so dangerous as that willingly,” said Ann.

“Not to the Old Brewery,” said Mary, a little embarrassed, “I did not make it so far. There was a street fight, and a man with a gun, it was all very exciting,” she added, trying not to show Ann how frightened she had been. “So instead I was led to a mission that operates right there in the Five Points, and they do splendid work. That’s where Mr. Krugs found me, he does some work for them at times I believe, and he said that he would escort me back there if I wanted to go, so that I did not have any other trouble.”

“Why would you want to go back to such a place?” asked Ann, looking disgusted. “I should never return to a place in which I might have been shot.”

“Might have been, but was not, and that was before Mr. Krugs found me. I shall be much safer in his company. I am very much interested in the work that Mr. Pease is doing there, and would like to help him. Surely you cannot object to my desire to help those who worse off than we are.”

“If I cannot object, I am certain that Peter can. Does he know of your intention?” Ann demanded.

“Naturally he does not, nor shall he until I am ready to tell him. I am owed at least that much from you, as I have done you a good turn today,” Mary added.

“I cannot imagine what good you think you have done me by causing me so much worry, and putting everyone to such trouble,” said Ann coldly.

“I introduced Peter to Mr. Krugs, as my savior. Peter knows all about me having gone into the Five Points, and knows nothing Mr. Krugs visiting here before. Peter now has to like him, and Mr. Krugs can court you properly now.”

“You let Peter discover that you had gone off in such a fashion?” asked Ann, who was far more concerned about her sister at that moment, than her love life.

“Peter was bound to find out sooner or later, and I would rather he find out now. It will make things easier in the future. The same is true for Mr. Krugs. In this way you will not be surprising him with a secret courtship, but rather you will be keeping the company of my hero, the man who saved me from my own foolishness.”

“So you admit it,” said Ann, her voice slightly triumphant.

“I was speaking as Peter will see it, not as myself,” said Mary, taking off her hat and sitting down. “I clearly do not think it foolish as I mean to repeat it, and I am not the sort to repeat something I feel is making me a fool.”

“What of what the rest of the world thinks,” asked Ann.

“The rest of the world has not seen how those people live, Ann,” said Mary, for once showing something other than good nature. “If they had, they would not be able to remain still either. I mean to mend something of what I have seen, even if all of the world tries to stop me. That goes double for Peter,” she added.

“Is this all about his marriage?” asked Ann, her voice suspicious.

“Why is it that everyone thinks that?” asked Mary, now her voice growing even more annoyed.

“Because that is very much what it sounds like,” said Ann.

“Peter has nothing at all to do with this, I assure you,” said Mary, and she stood up, and stormed to the bedroom. Ann meanwhile sat down, and tried to compose herself for what she knew was going to be a stressful and trying evening once Peter got home.