A Lady of High Regard (7 page)

“And I have a much better idea for next time.”

Mia watched as the cup halted halfway to Garrett’s lips.

His brows rose and he put all formality aside. “Mia, what are you talking about?”

Mia knew that Garrett would never approve without a good amount of encouragement, but it was for his own good. “You know the Brightons are having an engagement dinner for Prudence. And I happen to know that you’ve been invited.”

His look of apprehension continued. “I fail to see what you’re getting at.”

“Well, I want to introduce you to someone. She’s quite special and very pretty. And I know her personally and can vouch for her character. She won’t be annoying or tell you about her wealth.”

“I don’t wish to be paired with any of your friends, Mia. You need to stop worrying about my marital status.”

“You’re thirty-two years old. You should be married.”

“That’s none of your concern.” He was starting to sound vexed with her.

“I thought we were friends.” She smoothed out the pale yellow muslin of her gown and sighed. “I was only trying to help.” And truly that was the only motive in her heart. She simply wanted his happiness.

“Of course we are friends, but you don’t have to arrange a wife for me. Besides, I’m not even going to be in town for that party. I was planning to have Mercy give my excuses.”

“But you have to be there. If you’re not, I’ll die of boredom.”

Garrett laughed and took a long drink of his tea. “I seriously doubt you will ever die of boredom,” he said, putting his cup back on the saucer.

“But why aren’t you going to be here?”

“I have to oversee some business for my father.”

“Surely you can postpone it. The Brightons aren’t happy about their daughter’s choice of husbands—he’s only a country doctor. Her mother feels she’s marrying well beneath their social status, and we really should show our support.” Mia offered Garrett a plate of frosted cakes. “Prudence will be devastated if her friends aren’t there to rally round her.”

“It’s an engagement dinner, not a funeral,” Garrett said, helping himself to a cake. “Besides, I seriously doubt Prudence Brighton will even notice my absence.”

“But I will. Please, Garrett . . . can’t you put the business off until later?” She knew he would be moved by her use of his name. She always seemed to accomplish more when she left out the formalities of using titles. Fortunately she and Garrett had the kind of background that would allow for such things.

He slumped back into his chair. “Who do you have in mind for me to meet?”

Mia realized in that moment she’d have to be very careful. She was close to winning Garrett over to her plan. “Josephine Monroe. She’s very pretty. I’m sure you’ve seen her before.”

“I have indeed. How old is she—twelve?”

Mia saw that he was seriously surprised. “Jo is nineteen and very accomplished. She completed finishing school and will make a wonderful hostess. She can also play the pianoforte and speaks French fluently.”

“Nineteen is much too young for me, accomplished or not.”

Mia could see he would need some help in being convinced. “Garrett, there are a great many women who marry much older men. Why, Lydia Frankfort is marrying a man fifteen years her senior—and he has two children.”

“That may be good for Miss Frankfort, but it’s not for me.”

“I’m not suggesting you go to the Brighton dinner and propose. I simply want to introduce you properly and give you time to get to know one another. You’ll never know if love is a possibility unless you get to know someone.”

Garrett frowned as he looked away. “I’ll allow the introduction, but please do not ask anything more of me. I’d just as soon spend my time with you.”

Mia thought that rather sad. Garrett Wilson was possibly the most eligible bachelor in all of Philadelphia, yet he seemed completely uninterested in finding a wife. She studied him for a moment. His dark hair had fallen over his left eye, begging to be pushed back, but otherwise he seemed perfectly ordered. His coat fit him like a glove, and he always looked handsome no matter the setting. Garrett was possibly the most intelligent man she’d ever known. He could easily converse about political or economical issues, then turn less serious and discuss art and furnishings. Any woman would find him quite companionable. If only Mia could get Garrett to understand.

After several minute of silence, Mia decided to drop the topic. So long as Garrett showed up at the dinner, she would manage the rest.

That night Mia once again dressed carefully in old clothes. She did her best to hide any appearance of her elite way of life, knowing it would only hinder her chance to gain the confidence of the woman she was to meet at the church.

Deborah Denning was a woman in her late twenties. She had at least four children that Mia knew of, and she was married to a sailor. Word had come to her from Mrs. Smith that the woman was willing to talk to Mia about the unbearable situation in the seamen’s tenement.

Mia listened carefully at the door to ensure that the house was quiet. Her parents’ room was at the end of the opposite wing, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t hear a pin drop if they thought there was a need. She eased the door back and took a deep breath.

There was always an element of fear whenever she made these late night treks. Yet Mia felt compelled to continue her search, for surely God honored her desire to expose the wrong being done His children. Even Pastor Brunswick had spoken the Sunday before on the need to reach out to one’s neighbors and fellow man. Mia took that to include her trips to help the very poor.

Mia also felt emboldened by Sarah Hale, who encouraged Mia to continue her research. She had taken all of the information Mia gathered and promised to have it investigated privately. She assured Mia that they would battle the evil that besought these poor souls.

Slipping out the back French doors, Mia paused and drew a deep breath. She knew her father would never approve of her plans, and that troubled her deeply. In her heart she had only the best intentions and certainly did not desire to hurt her parents. “Please watch over me, Lord. I’m not trying to dishonor my father; I merely want to help the women and children who are suffering. Help me to expose the guilty parties and put an end to this misery.”

The night air was heavy. Although the sun had long since set, the evening was still very warm and threatened rain again. Mia felt uncomfortable under the weight of her shawl, but knew she had no other choice. The folds of material hid her slender womanly frame.

She hurried from the safety of her own neighborhood, slinking in and out of the shadows, praying for protection. She knew the walk was dangerous, but there was no hope of a rendezvous in broad daylight. These women were risking their lives by trying to expose the truth. With no laws or public interest, these poor souls were consumed by hopelessness.

Two more blocks,
she told herself in a reassuring manner. It began to sprinkle, but Mia chose to ignore it. Rain was the least of her worries. Hiking her skirts, she lengthened her stride.

The old Methodist church loomed before her in the darkened shadows of the night. She felt a certain peace in the welcoming sight. Breathing easier, Mia hurried inside and discarded the shawl. She immediately noticed a woman cowering in the front pew, a baby in her arms and three other small children clinging to her skirts.

“Mrs. Denning?” she asked as she moved to join her. “I am Mia Stanley.”

The woman looked hesitantly over her shoulder. “Pleased to meet you, miss.”

Mia looked at the grubby children. One was clearly a little girl. The child’s long dirty hair was matted against her head. Her dress was three sizes too big, but someone had tied a piece of twine around the child’s waist to pull it together. The other two appeared to be boys. They were equally dirty and wore ill-fitting clothing. All of them smelled as if they’d not had a bath in months.

“I’m so glad you came,” Mia said, taking a seat beside the woman. She ignored the woman’s stench and smiled. “Did you have a difficult time getting here?”

“No, but I was afeared the landlord would see me going out.”

“Why should that be a problem?” Mia questioned.

The woman grew uneasy. “I owe him money. He might think I was trying to leave without payin’ him.”

Mia nodded. “I understand. Tell me about your situation. Mrs. Smith mentioned that your husband is gone to sea.”

“Sure he is. He’s gone most of the year. Comes home only long enough to get us deeper in debt and to put another babe in my belly.”

Mia tried not to react to the woman’s crude talk. Her time with the sailors’ wives had been an education in the cultural differences that separated them. Walnut Street and the waterfront might as well have been a million miles apart from each other.

“What kind of debt does he accumulate?” Mia asked.

“Anything he can. He drinks plenty and when he comes home with his pay, he usually stays gone in the tavern for days. I’m lucky those times what he comes home first. Then I get some money for the rent and for food.” The baby began to fuss and the woman quickly opened her blouse and put the baby to her breast.

Mia was momentarily taken aback. The woman noticed her surprise. “Ain’t ya seen a woman nurse her child?”

“Actually, no,” Mia admitted. “I suppose it’s not something done in such a public way among my friends and family.”

“Ain’t public here. Just you and me. We bein’ womenfolk, I didn’t figure it a problem.”

Mia drew a deep breath. “Of course it’s not a problem. Your baby is hungry and it’s only natural she should eat.”

“He. It’s another boy. Maybelle here is the only girl child I have.”

“Are these all of your children?”

“No. I got me two other boys, but my husband got ’em work on the ships.”

Mia shook her head. “How old are they?”

“Thomas is nine and Robert is eleven. I ain’t seen ’em in nearly a year.”

Mia couldn’t begin to imagine having her children given over to the service of a ship at such a tender age. “It must be very hard to be without them.”

The woman shrugged. “They was two more mouths to feed. I cain’t say they would have been better off here. At least on the ship they’ll be fed regular-like.”

Mia could hardly bear it. “Tell me what problems you’ve encountered lately.”

“I told Elsie that I’d talk to you, but you cain’t tell anyone about this. You cain’t tell ’em my name.”

“Of course I won’t reveal your name. Let me tell you about what I’m doing. I work for a ladies magazine—
Godey’s Lady’s Book.
The lady editor there is Mrs. Sarah Hale. She cares very much about the plight of the seamen’s wives. She’s heard about the oppression put upon them to pay debts left behind by dead husbands or those who’ve gone to sea.”

“Does she know about the way some of them that’s owed come after us women for special attention?”

“Special attention?” Mia was uncertain what the woman was talking about.

“They expect to know us more intimately. They sometimes force themselves on us.”

Mia refrained from shuddering and nodded. “I had heard that this was a problem. Is it common?”

“Common enough. There’s one man in particular who . . .”

She fell silent and shook her head. “I cain’t talk about it.”

“What else can you tell me?”

The children were growing restless and pulling at the woman’s skirts. “Mama, can we go now? I’m hungry.”

“Cain’t go yet. You just sit down there on the floor and be quiet. Ain’t nothing to eat nohow.”

The children looked at Mia as though she were to blame. She immediately felt guilty and wished she’d thought to bring some kind of treat for them.

“I guess I’m lucky they haven’t been taken from me yet. There’s some of the women’s whose children are gone—payment for what they couldn’t manage.”

“Wait—are you trying to tell me that children are taken and sold to pay off the debts?”

“That’s right. I’ve been hiding my little ones. Glad the older boys are already workin’ at sea.”

“But it isn’t legal to take those children. I don’t understand. Who’s doing this?”

The woman seemed frightened by Mia’s reaction. “It’s getting late. I should be getting back.”

“Can’t you tell me who’s doing this?”

“I cain’t. If they was to find out I was the one—well, there’d be more trouble than I’d want to have. Just know that there ain’t a one of us who don’t live in fear.”

Mia sat back and shook her head. How could she help these people if they wouldn’t open up to her and give her the details she needed? “Can you at least tell me where you live?”

The woman shifted her now sleeping baby and did up the buttons on her blouse. “I s’pose it won’t do no harm.” She gave Mia the address and got to her feet. “Come on, young’uns.”

Mia wanted to walk with the woman—to promise her that there would be better days ahead. She stood and watched as the woman gathered her flock and started for the door.

“Wait. I have something for you.” Mia remembered the few coins in her pocket. “Here. I want you to have this.” She handed the coins to Mrs. Denning.

“I cain’t take that.”