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Thro’ this world of toil and snares
Joanna’s nerves had never been strung so tight before. She followed Adelaide and Elizabeth up the back staircase.
“It’s the third door on the right,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Will the door be locked?” Joanna asked.
Elizabeth smiled. “If it is, I have a hatpin and know how to pick a lock.”
They reached the top of the stairs and went silent. Joanna stayed close behind Adelaide as they made their way down the hall.
Elizabeth rapped on the third door quietly and tried the knob. It opened. “Priscilla?” she whispered.
“Who are you?” a female voice whispered back.
“Friends of Joshua Brookings. We’re here to get you out.”
Someone swung her legs off the bed. “Can I pack a few things?”
“If you can do it in the dark and quickly, yes.”
Adelaide moved closer. “Tell us where they are and we can help.”
The shadow of Priscilla shook her head. “No, it will be faster for me to work alone.” She scurried around the room in a slightly clumsy manner, putting a few things in a bag. “Done,” she said less than five minutes later.
Elizabeth nodded and placed a bag under the bed. “Let’s get out of here.”
Elizabeth led with Priscilla behind her, then Joanna and Adelaide. Joanna held her breath until they reached the alley. The other three stepped out of the shadows.
“You must have found her,” Katie said.
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes. Let’s get home so I can breathe again.” She latched her arm on Priscilla’s. “Let me know if I walk too fast for you.”
Nobody said another word until they stepped into the house.
“We did it!” Evangeline exclaimed.
Mr. Harris limped in with a lantern. “Congratulations. Now, this better be the most criminal thing all of you ever do.”
Eve giggled. “I’ll try.”
“Do you need anything, Priscilla?” Elizabeth asked. “Tea? Water? A place to sit or sleep?”
Priscilla blinked. “If it isn’t a bother, tea would be wonderful.”
Elizabeth smiled. “After being out in the chill air, tea sounds good to me as well. What about you ladies?”
Katie yawned. “I’m going to try to get a few more hours of sleep.”
The others all nodded.
Elizabeth shrugged. “Is there a time you’d like me to wake you up?”
“No,” came from each of them. Joanna was the last to go up the stairs. She was reluctant to leave, but also wanted to know what Katie thought of Priscilla. She trudged up the stairs and entered the room just as Katie collapsed onto her bed.
“What do you think of Priscilla now that you have met her?”
Katie groaned. “Can I just get some sleep in peace?”
Joanna took her boots off and slid them along the floor. Maybe if she didn’t say anything, Katie would be guilted into a response.
A few minutes later, Katie’s even breathing became her answer. So much for that idea. Maybe later she would be more open.
***
That evening, the conversation was strained. Evangeline and Eve wanted to know more details than Priscilla was willing to share and Katie kept her mouth shut. Adelaide and Joanna tried to help Elizabeth steer the conversation, but Priscilla was the one who ended up needing to stop the topic of her profession from coming up.
“Evangeline, Eve,” she said in her quiet voice. “I know you are curious, but I really don’t want to talk about it and...I don’t think I’ll ever really be able to.”
Evangeline sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too,” Eve echoed. “I didn’t think about you not wanting to talk about it. Please forgive me.”
Priscilla smiled. “I forgive you both. Thank you for understanding. What are your plans now that you don’t have grooms?”
Evangeline’s face lit up. “Eve and I have decided to stay here and try to find husbands here. This time the right way. I’m sure Papa and Mama would prefer we come home, but we already know that none of the men back home suit us.”
Priscilla smiled at her enthusiasm. “Where will you live until you get married?”
Eve perked up. “Mr. Harris said he would talk to the people at church and we might be able to all stay in a little cottage all by ourselves.”
“Why can’t you stay here?”
Evangeline shrugged. “I’m sure they’d let us, but we don’t want to overstay our welcome, either.”
The conversation lagged until everybody was finished eating. Eve and Evangeline helped clear the table and Katie took care of her plate and silverware before heading back upstairs. Joanna was torn. Should she go up or help? She decided to help until Priscilla announced she was going to turn in for the night.
Joanna smiled. “I’ll walk up with you. After our early morning, I’m pretty tired, even though I did nap some.”
Priscilla chuckled. “Thank you for disturbing your rest to help me.”
Joanna’s cheeks warmed. “You’re welcome. I was happy to help.”
Priscilla stopped and rested a hand on her belly. “I honestly didn’t know what to do. My baby will come soon and I didn’t want him or her taken away from me, but I also didn’t want to raise a baby in that place.”
Joanna put a hand on her shoulder. “God was looking out for you.”
Priscilla smiled. “He certainly was. Goodnight, Joanna.”
“Goodnight.”
