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“He said he would speak to my pa and maybe even go to the police,” he finished in a rush, his face bright red.
Ellie sat back and blew out a breath. “Why did you take the money, John? It doesn’t seem like something you would do.”
He began twisting his hat again. “My ma’s in a bad way, Miss Henderson. Pa finally let her go to the doc last week, and he said she has some kinda cancer thing and she ain’t gonna live a whole lot longer.”
She touched the boy’s hand. “I’m so sorry, John. Is there anything I can do?”
He shook his head. “The reason I took the money was so I could buy her a Christmas present. Just so she’d have something nice for once, before she, you know...” His voice grew thick with tears he attempted to hold back. “And if my pa finds out, he’ll take it out on Ma, and she can’t take no more beatins’.” A tear slid down the boy’s face.
He swiped at his face and continued. “I would’ve paid it back. I got me a job at the livery, and Mr. Hennessey’s payin’ me enough. I wanted to git the present right away, just in case…” His voice drifted off.
What a conundrum. Stealing could not be condoned, but with all the child’s problems, he could use a little bit of understanding and sympathy. Ellie stood, crossed her arms, and looked down at the boy. “You do know what you did was wrong, even though for a good reason?”
John nodded. “I ain’t never gonna do nothin’ like that again, Miss Henderson. I promise.” His small dirty thumb drew a cross on his chest.
Her heart thumped. What he did could be considered a crime, but then again, it should be a crime for a man to beat his wife and children. While certainly frowned upon, there still wasn’t any law to prevent it, or to lock up Mr. Ridley when he did. Yet if he’d raised a hand to her, he’d been in jail. Wives were still considered the property of their husbands, and the unfairness of it rankled.
“I’ll speak with Mr. Colbert and see if I can get him to return th
e money to me, and skip speaking with the police, or your pa.”
He stood, a slight smile on his face, a look of relief in his eyes. “Thanks so much, I’d appreciate it.”
Ellie put her arm around his shoulders and tugged him close. “I can’t guarantee anything, but I’ll try. Now run on home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He flashed a full smile and left the room.
She sat for a while after John left. Mr. Colbert was a rigid man. The trials of a young boy with a mean father would not touch him. Max saw everything in either black or white. Right and wrong. If she went to him with John’s story, he would subject her to a sermon on the Ten Commandments, and he probably would find a way to work in Women’s Rights. Despite that, she’d have to at least try to speak with him, and soon. He could decide at any time to visit Mr. Ridley.
After packing up her books and papers, she walked to the end of the hallway and entered Mr. Colbert’s office. His secretary, Rita, stood at the file cabinet leafing through papers.
“Is Mr. Colbert in?”
The secretary spun around, grasping her throat. “Oh, Miss Henderson, you gave me a start. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Sorry.”
“No, Mr. Colbert has gone home for the day.”
Ellie pressed her index finger to her lips. “What time will he be in tomorrow? Can I make an appointment to see him?”
Rita walked to her desk and flipped pages on a large black book. “He has a meeting in the morning outside of school.” She frowned. “This is new. It looks like he wrote in a visit to see Mr. Ridley at the blacksmith’s after the meeting.” She glanced at her. “I guess that’s where he works.” After closing the book, she smiled. “I’m not sure about that meeting since he made it himself, so I can’t really say what time he’ll be back here.”
Ellie’s stomach clenched. She had to get to him before he saw John’s father. “That’s all right, Rita, I’ll see him some other time. Thanks. Have a good evening.”
“You, too,” she answered and returned to the file cabinet.
Ellie left the schoolhouse and walked home. Cool, crisp air made for a brisk stroll in the late afternoon sunshine. She passed two young boys throwing a stick for a dog and a group of little girls playing with their dolls. It saddened her that John Ridley had to live with such a horrible man. Imagine, beating a woman dying of cancer! He should be horsewhipped himself.
Unfortunately, no idea on how to keep Mr. Colbert from seeing John’s father had come to mind by the time she reached the blue-and-white Victorian house on Meridian Street where she rented a room. Mrs. Beamer greeted her as she stepped into the hall. Ellie hung her coat and unwound her scarf, still deep in thought. She headed down the hall to her first floor bedroom.
“Supper in ten minutes, Ellie,” Mrs. Beamer called as she walked past her and back to the kitchen. Smelled like chicken tonight. Her landlady certainly knew how to cook. She should have asked Mrs. Beamer to help her with the ham and potato dish disaster.
Her stomach fluttered, and a flush rose to her face when she remembered the kiss Mr. Colbert—Max—had given her. Goodness! She fanned her face with her hand. What had ever possessed her to allow such liberties? What must he think of her? A harlot, most likely. She’d never felt all those wonderful sensations before. If anything, it left her curious as to what would come next if they’d been somewhere else. Somewhere all alone.
She shook her head. It would behoove her to remember Max Colbert embodied the type of ideas she despised. Nothing had changed between them. She still believed he looked for a way to have her fired.
After a quick wash with the pitcher of water in her room, Ellie smoothed her hair back and left to join the other women at the table.
