When Love Calls (13 page)

Lincoln opened the front door to his home and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to eat a good meal and finish the last chapters of Jack London’s
White Fang
. Compared to many of the houses on Grand, his Victorian was rather small, but it was home, and it was certainly larger than he needed. He hoped his father would have been proud of his purchase.

When he’d bought the house, he’d hoped to find someone to share it with. Even though he’d met many young ladies, he didn’t want to pursue any of them. At least he hadn’t until Miss Gregory entered his life. Everything about her bespoke of passion. She was passionate about her sisters, passionate about her friends, and passionate about God. Did he dare hope she might someday direct her passion in his direction?

Still thinking about the look on her face when he’d brought up her relationship to Walt, he took off his hat and hung it on the hook. My, she was cute when she was flustered. He wanted to believe her protests about Walt simply being a friend, but the way Walt had looked at her said anything but that. Technically, Walt had first rights to her since they’d been friends forever. Maybe Lincoln should step aside.

Then again, he’d never been good at stepping aside from anything, and besides, Walt was guilty of something.

His housekeeper met him in the hallway.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Reynolds.”

“Humph.” She reached for his coat. “I doubt you’ll still be thinking it’s so good when you’re eating your dry pot roast.”

“You say that every time I’m late, but dinner is always delicious.” He flashed the older woman a grin. Somewhere along the line, she’d become more like a second mother than an employee, and he thought she secretly delighted in his praise. “Why are you still here? I told you that you didn’t have to stay until I get home. Mr. Reynolds will be worried about you.”

She draped his coat over her arm. “Don’t you worry about my
mister. He came by earlier and had his dinner with me in the kitchen. He’s happy as a lark as long as his belly is full. Now give me a minute to hang up your coat, and I’ll set out your dinner.”

In a playful lunge, he snagged the coat. “I’ll see to my own jacket and dinner.”

She propped her thick hands on her ample hips. “But that’s my job, Mr. Cole. Your aunt would be quite displeased if she learned otherwise. She hired me to make sure you were well cared for.”

“And you do a wonderful job of that.” He winked. “If it makes you feel better, I won’t wash the dishes when I’m done.”

Two red splotches formed on her wrinkled face. “What a pert young man,” she muttered as she departed for the kitchen. He heard the banging of what he guessed was the oven door. Poor woman. She simply couldn’t let him do it for himself. Hannah would like her.

Lincoln scooped up the mail from the entry table and carried it with him into the dining room. The aroma of hot beef hit him hard, and his stomach growled. Before he even reached the table, he heard the back door slam shut. At least Mrs. Reynolds didn’t stay to do the dishes. He grinned. Good. He’d surprise her and wash them. No woman should have to start off the day facing dirty dishes.

A knock on the front door surprised him. Perhaps Mrs. Reynolds had forgotten something, but it was hard to believe she’d consider using the front door. It wouldn’t bother him if she did, but it would certainly unnerve his housekeeper.

After setting the letters beside his plate, he strode to the door and swung it open to find his law firm colleague on his doorstep. “Cedric?”

“We need to talk.” The man stepped inside without an invitation. He passed Lincoln his hat and cane. “Let me get to the point. You need to give up the Calloway case.”

 15 

Lincoln regarded his associate with a critical eye. Cedric had pushed his way inside and ignored the fact that an untouched dinner, visible through the arched doorway, waited on the dining room table. Did the man honestly believe Lincoln would relinquish his case because Cedric hoped to entice a potential client?

“So you agree?” Cedric sat in a leather chair in Lincoln’s parlor.

“I didn’t say that.”

Cedric withdrew a cigar from his coat pocket and bit off the end. “With your political aspirations, aligning yourself with a union man could be career suicide.”

“Maybe it could be.” Or maybe it would help. Lincoln had already considered both possibilities. With the growth of unions in the state, representing Walt might actually win him the votes he would most need for a seat in the house. However, it could kill his chances with the men with the deepest pockets.

“I can’t imagine you’ll drum up much support if you go forward with this.” Cedric lit the cigar and puffed smoke in the air.

The room filled with the sweet, heavy scent of tobacco, and Lincoln frowned. The cigar smoke annoyed him, but not nearly as much as the smoker. Even if it killed his political career, he needed to do what was right. Walt Calloway may have been involved or at least know the identity of the firebug, but he didn’t deserve to go to jail for something he didn’t do.

“Cedric, I’m keeping the Calloway case. I understand securing the Farmers Insurance Company as a client would be a nice feather in your cap, but they are not yet our clients, and therefore, I see no conflict of interest that would make me give up representing Walt.”

“Why do you care? He’s an arsonist.” Cedric pounced on the last word.

“He’s accused of arson. Counselor, you should know better.” Lincoln moved to the fireplace and set another log on the grate. It popped and snapped, sending sparks into the air.

“You realize you’re about to lose the firm a great deal of money because that pretty Gregory girl batted her eyes in your direction.”

“Leave Miss Gregory out of this.” He turned to Cedric. “Walt Calloway is in need of representation, and I agreed to do it. Unlike some people, I keep my word.” He paused to let the words deliver their intended sting. “Now, if that’s all, I’d like to eat my dinner.”

“We’re not finished until you agree to let the case go.” Cedric tossed his cigar butt into the fireplace. “I’ll take this to Charles if I need to.”

Lincoln stiffened at the mention of Charles Harlington, the other senior partner in the Williams and Harlington Law Firm. While Pete had mentored Lincoln, Cedric had been brought to the firm by Charles, and the senior partner had come to Cedric’s aid on more than one occasion.

Lincoln met Cedric’s stare and held it until the man looked away. Good. He’d won that battle. Cedric couldn’t know that the threat concerned him. He had an uncanny ability to grab on to a man’s weakness. Like a snake whose fangs sank into fresh prey, he’d hold on to the weakness until the victim succumbed. Besides, would Charles intervene in something like this? And if he did, would Pete stand up for Lincoln’s decision? What would Hannah say if he were forced to abandon Walt’s case?

Lincoln followed his colleague to the door. “I’d say we should do this again, but you and I both know the truth. We’re like oil and water, but we should try to work together for the good of the firm.”

“Now you care about the good of the firm?” Cedric snorted. “If
you really feel that way, then you’ll turn the Calloway case over to someone else. We can all make a lot of money from a client like Farmers Insurance.”

“Some things are more important than money.”

Cedric opened the front door. “Not many—and certainly not a woman like Miss Gregory. She has no connections and no money. I find it hard to fathom why you’re even considering fighting me over this insignificant case.”

“I said to leave her out of this.” Red-hot anger flared in Lincoln’s chest, and he had to clench his fists at his side. “I’m representing Walt. End of discussion.”

He slammed the door behind the conniving, unprincipled man. It had been a long time since anyone had made him that angry, but his front door didn’t deserve his wrath. At least it was better than slamming his fist into Cedric’s ugly face.

Hannah sipped the heavenly brew from her favorite china cup and let it awaken her from the inside out. Only one week and four days left of operators’ school, and it couldn’t come soon enough. She’d followed all of the rules, but having to spend time with Lincoln while working on Walt’s defense worried her a great deal. Along with that, irritation at two of her classmates’ petty jealousy was taking the joy out of her days.

She yawned. All the other things going on were robbing her of sleep as well. Last night, her concerns about Charlotte and George, Walt and his lies, and her future as an operator rattled around in her mind. And to make matters worse, Lincoln’s face kept appearing.

She’d not made a fuss about Charlotte and the young man keeping company on the porch. After all, she was the one who’d been late getting home, and Tessa had been there. Even though something about George bothered Hannah, she’d agreed to Charlotte attending the box social with him. Hannah couldn’t pin down her concern any more than she could grab the steam coming from her coffee cup, but it was there all the same.

Another sip sent a fresh wave of pleasure through her. Coffee had to be one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind. She’d heard both coffee and tea were offered free of charge to the operators at the Iowa Telephone Company, along with rolls. Butter, of course, was extra. What a treat that would be when she became a full-fledged operator!

“Hannah, Rosie’s here!” Tessa bellowed from the parlor.

After washing down her last two bites of toast with the rest of the coffee in her cup, Hannah hurried to meet her friend at the door. Charlotte and Tessa were there too, slipping into their wraps.

“Girls,” Hannah said, “I may be late again. I need to go back into the city to see Mr. Cole.”

“Can’t you call him on the telephone?” Tessa huffed as she picked up her books from a table by the door. “You do know how to work one.”

Hannah scowled at her. “We need to work on Walt’s defense.”

“And Mr. Cole needs
your
help to do that? What kind of lawyer is he?”

“Tessa, we’d better get out of here before Hannah gives you a week’s worth of extra chores.” Charlotte pushed her little sister out the door.

Hannah could still hear Tessa on the porch. “I know what kind of lawyer he is,” Tessa said. “He’s a very handsome one. Handsomer than your George, that’s for sure.”

Rosie laughed. “There’s never a dull moment here, is there? I wish I had two sisters.”

“Well.” Hannah linked her arm with Rosie’s when they stepped onto the porch. She raised her voice. “I may have a deal for you. Two sisters for sale. Very cheap.”

“I heard that!” Tessa called back.

By the time they neared the operators’ school, Hannah had filled Rosie in on Walt’s situation. Rosie seemed especially interested in the part about Lincoln believing she and Walt were a couple.

“You set him straight, right?” Rosie held open the door to the school.

“Yes, but I’m not sure he was convinced. I’m not sure why he cared anyway.”

Rosie’s eyebrows rose, and her eyes twinkled. “Do you want me to believe you honestly have no idea?”

Warmth pooled in Hannah’s stomach, and she smiled. She couldn’t deny she felt something—a tiny spark, maybe—when she was with Lincoln, but he was an up-and-coming attorney. He’d never pick a poor Hello Girl when he could have any of the eligible young woman society had to offer.

Bossy Martha Cavanaugh and her snooty cohort Ginger Smith approached as soon as Hannah and Rosie entered the room. Hannah bristled. Until recently, the class’s two troublemakers had avoided her. But lately they seemed determined to make her look bad—unplugging her wires, mixing up her circuits, and starting gossip about her whenever they got the chance—all because she’d been a quick study at the practice switchboard.

“Good morning, Hannah.” Martha tilted her body in Hannah’s direction, deliberately snubbing Rosie.

“Hello, Martha. Ginger.” She motioned toward her friend. “Rosie and I were about to take our seats.”

“Rosie, you go on ahead.” Martha waved her hand in the air as if she were shooing a fly. “You too, Ginger. I’d like to speak with Hannah. Alone.”

Ginger’s lower lip jutted out in a pout at being dismissed. Rosie glanced at Hannah, waiting for a sign that it was okay to leave her alone with Martha.

Hannah nodded. No need for Rosie to suffer through Martha’s ugliness so early in the morning. It was liable to make Rosie’s breakfast not sit well.

After the two women departed, Martha leaned against the wall. “Did you know my sister is in the same class as your youngest sister?”

“No, I didn’t. Then again, there are a lot of students at East High.”

“Your sister is quite a storyteller.”

“Tessa does have a vivid imagination.” Where was Martha going with this?

“Well, according to my sister, Tessa said you have a friend—a dear
male
friend—who has been arrested.” Martha’s lips curled in a smug smile.

Hannah’s mouth went dry, and her pulse quickened. Why did Martha, of all people, have to find out about Walt?

“Cat got your tongue, Miss Know-It-All?” Martha’s voice was low and menacing. “And don’t worry about telling Mrs. Reuff. I knew it would be much too difficult for you to confess this unsavory friendship to her, so I took care of relaying the information on your behalf.” She gave a smug chuckle. “I told you not to make us look bad again, but you had to keep showing off.”

Mrs. Reuff strode to the front of the room, and Hannah walked to her seat, her legs weak. The instructor offered the class a prim greeting. “Today one of you will be leaving us.”

A stone dropped in Hannah’s stomach. Just like that, she’d be dismissed? Without so much as a chance to refute the accusations?

“As I’ve told you all before, the telephone company is a place of systems and rules. These systems and rules are in place to ensure the customers receive the highest level of service from the most reputable employees.”

Her gaze swept the room and seemed to rest on Hannah.

Tears pricked Hannah’s eyes. She’d worked so hard, and she needed this job so badly. How would she take care of her sisters now?

“Miss Gregory, please come up here.”

The blood whooshed from Hannah’s face, and her heart beat like a telegraph machine. Rosie gasped beside her. Hannah wiped her damp palms on her skirt. Not only was she to be dismissed, but she was to be made a public spectacle as well. Could this get any worse?

She slowly stood and walked to the front of the classroom.

Mrs. Reuff turned to her. “Miss Gregory, while these systems and rules often help us discover young women unsuitable for the
profession of operator, they also help us reward those who seem to have a knack for the job.”

Hannah blinked. This didn’t sound like a dismissal.

Mrs. Reuff handed her a sheet of rolled-up paper and smiled. “Congratulations. You are the first student in your class to graduate and be promoted to the work of a full-fledged switchboard operator. Tomorrow they are expecting you at the Iowa Telephone Company. Report to the third floor. Please, make me proud. And do try to follow the rules.”