| |
* * *
"There you are," Della said when Lily walked in. "I thought I'd have to send out a search party after you."
Lily looked at the clock. "I'm five minutes early."
"Yes, but they're doing inspections today."
"Inspections?" Lily asked, doing a double take as she picked up a mug from her desk, intending to make some tea to start the day with. "What do you mean? Who's doing inspections?"
"Mr. Saunders and his son." Della’s eyes were glowing with excitement.
Lily looked at her friend uncertainly. "Inspections of what?"
"The workstations and the workers."
"What?" Lily shrieked, nearly dropping her mug. "For what purpose? Mr. Saunders is not a fool. Surely, he must know an inspection such as that will only upset his workers. They'll feel as though he doesn't trust them."
Della pressed her lips together. "I think it's a splendid idea. It should have been done ages ago."
Lily pressed her lips together as well. "I'm surprised to hear you say such a thing. I'd have thought that you, above all others, would be an advocate for the happiness of the workers in place here. It was not so long ago that you were working in the packing room."
Della placed her hands on her hips. Her eyes flashed irritation. "I am an advocate for the workers, but for their safety and not necessarily their happiness, though I do not think the two need be mutually exclusive."
"Edward is still ill. He should be at home resting, not doing inspections at the factory."
Della shrugged again and looked away. Her cream-colored cheeks had turned to roses.
Lily studied her friend, her suspicions growing. "Whose idea was this? It could not have been Edward's."
Della's rounded on her with orange-red eyes and a tight brow. "If you want to dissuade those rumors going around about you and Young Mr. Saunders, you must stop calling him Edward."
Lily blushed and cast her eyes to the floor. "It has become something of a habit, I'm afraid," she confessed in a quiet breath.
Della's face softened. "There is something you must know..."
Lily looked up and searched her face. "Della, speak sense. If there is something I must know then tell me. It's not like you to mind your tongue."
Della shot her a look that was unmistakable... irritation, embarrassment, worry... they all manifested in her dark eyes. "I heard you and Mr. Saunders—Edward—" the name rolled off her tongue as though it were leftover mutton with too much chewing fat "—speaking yesterday. In his office. Alone."
Lily was not at all fond of the tone that Della was using. A combination of mother and schoolmarm, it left Lily's ears ringing with displeasure. The tone was a specialty of Della's and reserved only for the most frustrating of occasions when expressing normal irritation was not quite enough. It was one that she had crafted and honed until it was able to frighten even the strongest of men. She said she'd learned it from her mother.
"Della, whatever you think you may have heard—"
"Think?" Della shouted, looking around. "Are you implying that my mind has conjured conversations that never took place? That I'm hearing things and belong in an asylum?"
"You're being far too dramatic. I'm saying nothing of the sort."
"Then what are you saying?"
"For someone who not more than five minutes ago was condemning me for speaking too freely in the workplace with the mere use of a name, are you not now doing the very same thing? Perhaps even worse?"
Della's brow furrowed that much tighter. Her tone became even sharper. "You are my friend. You've been through much and I'll not see you hurt by another man who claims he cares for yet does nothing to help you."
Lily took a step toward her, her hands on her hips. She attempted to lower her voice but only succeeded in creating a loud hiss. "I am the one who told Edward to do nothing. If it were up to him, Ray would be dead or in jail."
Della's face paled slightly. "Why would you say such a thing?"
Lily cocked an eyebrow at her. "You did not hear the whole conversation then."
It was not a question. If Della had heard it, then she would understand. Lily was both glad for the fact and sorry for it. If Della had heard her confession to Edward regarding Ray's threats to her family, then she would not have to explain herself any further. As it was, she had two choices: tell Della everything, or drop the subject entirely.
"You're right," Della said. "I did not hear everything. I'm not a snoop. I was not trying to eavesdrop. It was only that I heard you cry out and thought you might be in trouble. I listened to as much as I needed to in order to ascertain whether you needed my help. It became obvious you did not, and so I stepped away."
Lily could not help herself, she cracked a smile. Della had eavesdropped because she'd thought her to be in trouble. It was something only Della would do. "What did you think was happening in the office? Did you think that Edward was attacking me?"
"At the time, I didn't know what to think. That is why I paused outside the door to listen."
"And what would you have done if I had been in trouble?"
"I was prepared to strangle Mr. Saunders with my typewriter ribbon if need be."
Lily laughed, but Della did not.
Lily pitied any man who wronged Della. Her friend had grown up in rather a tough neighborhood, raised by parents with little to no money and no prospects. She'd learned early on how to fend for herself and started working as soon as she could talk. She had dragged herself, tooth and nail, out of a bad environment and created a world in which she could thrive. It was no wonder that Mr. Saunders relied so heavily on her at the factory. Few men were as tough as Della.
"Be careful," Della said. "Edward may be a good man, but he is still a man. He may say things he doesn't mean to get what he wants."
Lily smiled tightly and opened her mouth. Edward and Mr. Saunders walked in just then and she closed it just as quickly.
"Good morning, Miss Garrison, Mrs. Dickinson," said Mr. Saunders, nodding to each of them.
"Good morning, sir," said Della.
Lily nodded politely. "Morning."
Edward's eyes fell on her and stayed there. His eyes shone like there was a moon burning behind each one. "Good morning, Mrs. Dickinson. I trust you had a pleasant night?"
"I did, thank you. And you? I trust Dr. Shannon was able to help you?"
"Dr. Shannon?" He looked momentarily confused. "Oh, yes. He was. I am feeling much better. Thank you." He moved closer to her and said in a whisper, "I need to speak with you later." She nodded and hoped no one other than herself could hear the pounding of her heart.
She caught Della staring at them, but when Mr. Saunders began to speak, her attention turned to him.
"We'd like you ladies to accompany us on inspections today," said Mr. Saunders. "Especially you, Miss Garrison, since it was your idea."
Lily's eyes widened. She shot her friend a look. Della only blushed.
"Of course," said Della.
"Whatever you need," said Lily.
As they entered the main factory, Lily and Della fell back a few paces. Lily whispered, "This was your idea?"
Della smiled tightly.
Lily said, "I thought there was something funny about the look on your face. You feel guilty, and well you should. How could you?"
"You're quite mistaken. It is not guilt I feel but exultation. Perhaps even pride. I made a suggestion, and Mr. Saunders took it."
"But why would you suggest an inspection?"
"The majority of workers here do quite well, but after that business with Silas Tucker, I think it's best to maintain a strong presence here in the factory. We don't want people nicking our products here and there or taking breaks when they should be at the conveyor belt."
"I've never seen anyone here nick anything."
"Neither have I, but rumors circulate about certain workers, certain things, and doing inspections gives us a chance to see if there's any truth to them."
"You know that rumors here are almost always unfounded," Lily said.
"Almost," Della said, the meaning in her look unmistakable. "Besides, it is not just the employees we are inspecting. It's the machinery as well. As much as I want to ensure that the workers are actually working, I want to ensure they are safe in their jobs. If any of our equipment is malfunctioning in the slightest, it could cause harm to someone."
"You sound like you're in charge here," Lily said, laughing lightly at what she thought was a joke meant to ease the tension between them.
Della frowned. "I should be. I am more than just a secretary. I would make a perfectly good general manager."
Lily almost choked on her laughter. "A general manager? Of Saunders Factory?"
"Yes. Edward Saunders is looking to hire one. He doesn't know that I'm aware of it, but I know everything that goes on in this factory."
"Della," Lily said, seeking to reason with her friend, "a woman cannot manage a factory. Mr. Saunders relies on you for a great many things but placing you in charge is asking too much of him. You must know that."
"I know no such thing," Della replied haughtily. "If it were just Mr. Saunders, I believe I might convince him to let me try out the position. But his son..." She looked at Lily, her eyes suddenly brightening. "Perhaps you can speak to him on my behalf. Clearly, you have his ear. If you could but tell him of my qualities, assure him that I'd be as good as any man in the role..."
But Lily was shaking her head. "My relationship with Edward is... complicated."
Della pressed her lips together but nodded and let the matter drop. They had fallen far behind Mr. Saunders and Edward and hurried to catch up before it was noticed.
Mr. Saunders was standing between Patty and Bridget in the packing room, examining the boxes they had been sorting. He looked up at Della. "What do you think, Miss Dickinson? This looks good, does it not?"
Della peered into the box, which Bridget had been working on, carefully packing the glass so that it would not break during shipment. Della glared at Bridget but said, "It looks good."
They moved from woman to woman, inspecting the boxes, the glass, the equipment. They took so long that the workers grew bored. Even Edward looked bored. Eventually, Bridget turned to Patty and began to speak in an artificially low voice—just quiet enough to sound as if she was trying not to draw attention, yet loud enough to draw it.
"I saw him myself just last night. Drunk as a skunk he was and spending money like he'd just robbed a bank. For all I know, he did." She glanced at Lily, and Patty followed her gaze.
"Where did he say he got the money?" Patty asked.
Bridget shrugged. "He didn't. But then, I didn't ask. I wouldn't want to associate myself with any criminals. For all I know, Ray Dickinson is a wanted man."
Lily's face grew red. She walked quickly over to Bridget and said in far too loud a voice, "My husband won that money gambling. He told me all about it when he got home last night. He is not a criminal, and he is most certainly not wanted."
An arm gripped tightly at her elbow, drawing her back. Lily turned and saw Edward standing there, a horrified look on his face.
"What are you speaking of?" he demanded, his voice surprisingly gruff. It was unusual for an owner to show such emotion in front of his workers.
Bridget said snidely, "Lily's husband came into quite a bit of money. Lily says he won it gambling, but I suspect the truth may be otherwise."
Lily looked at Edward. "He did win it gambling. He's a very good poker player. He nearly lost an eye when he won it last night, as the man he won it from attempted to get it back when the game was over.”
Edward turned to Lily. His face was red and pinched all over. "He told you this?"
"Yes," Lily said, perplexed. "When he came home."
"Did he leave again? Did he pack any bags?"
"What?" Lily asked, confused. "I don't think so."
"Where is he now?" His grip on her was tightening. Everyone was staring at them, including his father.
"At home, I suppose. He was there when I left this morning, though he may have gone out to the saloon by now."
"You're sure he's not left town?"
"Left town?" Lily asked, her confusion deepening. Edward was acting as if he'd lost his mind. "No. Why would he leave town?"
Edward's eyes were no longer shining. They were like two pieces of coal that had been heated in the fire.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
Edward must have suddenly realized that his behavior was abnormal. He let her go and stepped quickly back, turning to his father. "I must go," he said and hurried from the room without any further explanation.
Mr. Saunders looked around at the women, who were staring at him perplexedly. He didn't seem to know what to do.
"All right," Della shouted for him, clapping her hands together to gain attention. "Back to work."
* * *
