Time Out of Mind (35 page)
Authors: John R. Maxim
Tags: #Horror, #General, #Psychological, #Suspense, #Memory, #Thrillers, #Fiction, #Time Travel
“
A.bite of supper then,” she offered. “What would you
say to a plate of cold roast beef?”
“
Nothing for me, thank you.” He snapped open his
watch. “Actually, I should be getting home.”
”
I will not permit it.” The young madam held fast to his hand. “No friend of mine may leave my house with
any weight, however small, upon his heart. Perhaps some
soothing music.” She gestured toward the Steinway. “You
are partial to Bach, as I remember.”
I will not permit it.” The young madam held fast to his hand. “No friend of mine may leave my house with
any weight, however small, upon his heart. Perhaps some
soothing music.” She gestured toward the Steinway. “You
are partial to Bach, as I remember.”
“
You've learned to play?” he enthused, glad of a suggestion that did not require conversation.
“
No new tricks for this old dog, I fear. Although I'll tell
you in confidence that I've been plucking away at a harp
when no one is listening. No, there is a young lady who has come to stay with me. She plays quite beautifully.”
Once again, Tilden saw no nod or glance in Wiíkins' direction, but in the foyer outside the parlor door he saw the butler's arm reach for a bell cord and give it a silent tug.
She was wonderful. She sat shyly, nervously, at the piano at first, never once meeting Tilden's eyes, forcing a small
but pretty smile in answer to Georgiana's encouraging
cough. But when her fingers caressed the keyboard and the
melodic whisper of a Bach cantata caused even the chatter in the other room to cease, a look of dreamy contentment
came over her. Tilden could see Wilkins at the door, thrilling to each exquisite counterpoint, his right hand twitching as if it held a baton. Little Annie, the childlike whore, ap
peared at the butler's elbow, beaming and shaking her fist
in a soundless cheer. The slender girl at the piano looked
up at her with a generous blushing smile, which to Tilden seemed to brighten the room by the light of another dozen
mirrors. She completed the piece and, not waiting for applause, moved smoothly into a medley from the “Well-tempered Clavier” and several fugues, which heretofore
Tilden had heard only in concert halls.
but pretty smile in answer to Georgiana's encouraging
cough. But when her fingers caressed the keyboard and the
melodic whisper of a Bach cantata caused even the chatter in the other room to cease, a look of dreamy contentment
came over her. Tilden could see Wilkins at the door, thrilling to each exquisite counterpoint, his right hand twitching as if it held a baton. Little Annie, the childlike whore, ap
peared at the butler's elbow, beaming and shaking her fist
in a soundless cheer. The slender girl at the piano looked
up at her with a generous blushing smile, which to Tilden seemed to brighten the room by the light of another dozen
mirrors. She completed the piece and, not waiting for applause, moved smoothly into a medley from the “Well-tempered Clavier” and several fugues, which heretofore
Tilden had heard only in concert halls.
“
Where did you find her?” he whispered.
“
Wait.” Georgiana patted his hand. She brought her fin
gertips together under her chin and made a slight bow in
the Oriental manner toward the young woman who was
playing. Wilkins grinned in apparent anticipation, and An
nie clapped her hands excitedly. A new sound filled the
room, a delicate and haunting tune that called up images
of a Japanese garden.
Wait.” Georgiana patted his hand. She brought her fin
gertips together under her chin and made a slight bow in
the Oriental manner toward the young woman who was
playing. Wilkins grinned in apparent anticipation, and An
nie clapped her hands excitedly. A new sound filled the
room, a delicate and haunting tune that called up images
of a Japanese garden.
“
What is that ‘piece?” Tilden asked softly. “It isn't
Bach.”
“
It's Gilbert and Sullivan. Their new operetta. Have you
never heard
The Mikado?”
“
No.”
“
She loves Gilbert and Sullivan. One day we'll coax her
to sing for you as well.”
She loves Gilbert and Sullivan. One day we'll coax her
to sing for you as well.”
“
Ask her now.”
“
She's too shy. Shhh!”
“
But it's her job, isn't it? She's one of your girls.”
“
Not exactly. Be still, Tilden.”
A maid brought in a tray of cheeses and set them before
Tilden, where they sat unnoticed. He could not take his
eyes from the delicate dark-haired girl in the green high-
necked dress whose heart was now adrift in the distant court
of the Japanese emperor. When at last she finished and her
heart returned, Tilden rose to his feet, clapping loudly, star
tling her as one might a forest deer.
“
Thank you, sir,” she managed. Her enormous brown
eyes met his for a fleeting moment and her soft smile
caused a curious thumping in his chest.
Thank you, sir,” she managed. Her enormous brown
eyes met his for a fleeting moment and her soft smile
caused a curious thumping in his chest.
“
Margaret, dear,” Georgiana Hastings said, “this is Mr.
Tilden Beckwith. He is here as a friend. Though he may
look the part of a brawler, he is a very kindly young man.”
Margaret, dear,” Georgiana Hastings said, “this is Mr.
Tilden Beckwith. He is here as a friend. Though he may
look the part of a brawler, he is a very kindly young man.”
“
How do you do, sir.” Something happened to the
young woman's expression. The shyness remained but now
she appeared to be studying Tilden, appraising him.
“
Tilden Beckwith, this is Margaret Barrie. She lives in
my house, she assists me, she plays music as you've heard,
and she sometimes makes conversation with my guests. She
has no other duties.”
”
I am delighted, Miss Barrie.” Not to say relieved, he thought to himself.
“
Thank you, sir.” She answered his bow with a curtsy.
“Perhaps you'll visit again one day soon.”
”
I believe I shall, miss. I believe I shall indeed.”
“
Margaret,” Georgiana told her, “you may stay with us
or go, as you prefer.”
”
I have some of your correspondence to finish.” She gestured toward the stairs.
“
Another time then. We'll talk tomorrow.”
“
What was that all about?” Tilden asked when they were
alone.
”
I don't know your meaning, Tilden.”
“
If this were a home of another sort, I would swear that a possible match was being arranged. She was evaluating
me as if I were a prospective suitor.”
“
Nonsense. She simply found you interesting.”
”
I would never dream of contradicting a lady,” he said
pleasantly, “not even a shameless schemer such as you.
But you
were
matchmaking, were you not?”
“
Discovered!” She laughed.
“
Is Margaret one of your girls or is she not?”
“
She is deciding, Tilden.” Georgiana stepped to the
door and closed it. ' ‘And yes, I am matchmaking. I promised Margaret that she and I would choose her first guest
together and in her own good time.”
“
And I am being considered for the honor?” Tilden's
smile faded.
“
If you wish it, yes.”
Tilden found that he was appalled. He searched for a way
of responding that would not insult Georgiana.
of responding that would not insult Georgiana.
”
I do not think I could bear that,” he said at last.
“
May I ask why?”
“
Well”—he threw up his hands as if the answer should
be obvious—“romping with a girl who has already chosen that path is one thing. Deflowering virgins to make whores
of them is quite another.”
Well”—he threw up his hands as if the answer should
be obvious—“romping with a girl who has already chosen that path is one thing. Deflowering virgins to make whores
of them is quite another.”
“
Margaret is hardly a virgin, Tilden.” Georgiana took
his arm and forced him into his seat. “What she is is a
quite charming young lady whose prospects have been limited by circumstance. I have offered her this alternative and
suggested others. The decision will be her own.”
Margaret is hardly a virgin, Tilden.” Georgiana took
his arm and forced him into his seat. “What she is is a
quite charming young lady whose prospects have been limited by circumstance. I have offered her this alternative and
suggested others. The decision will be her own.”
Tilden felt his cheeks becoming hot. While he had never
considered that any girl within these walls might possibly
be unspoiled, it upset him to hear that Margaret was not
the pure young thing she gave every outward appearance
of being. Nor, though he was not unworldly at the age of
twenty-seven, had it ever occurred to him that the decision
to become
a fille d ejoie
must be consciously made at some
point and with no small amount of consideration. He rose
again and stepped to the piano, where he touched his fingers to the keys she'd played for him. Her warmth was still upon
them.
.
“
She could teach piano,” he said quietly. “Why can she
not teach piano?”
She could teach piano,” he said quietly. “Why can she
not teach piano?”
“
She can,” Georgiana answered. “She might also teach
French, in which she is fluent. But to earn a proper living
at it she must teach in the better homes. Those homes will
require references.. Margaret cannot provide them.”
“
Cannot?”
“
Margaret's story is like many another, Tilden,'' she
said gently. “It is not unlike my own. She was well raised
in an upright home, she met a young man, was betrayed
by her own heart and by the young man as well, and once the whispers began she found herself without prospects for
a decent marriage and probably without a roof over her head if her parents chose not to share her disgrace.”
Margaret's story is like many another, Tilden,'' she
said gently. “It is not unlike my own. She was well raised
in an upright home, she met a young man, was betrayed
by her own heart and by the young man as well, and once the whispers began she found herself without prospects for
a decent marriage and probably without a roof over her head if her parents chose not to share her disgrace.”
“
You say ‘probably.’ I assume you know her history
perfectly well.”
You say ‘probably.’ I assume you know her history
perfectly well.”
”
I know what she's chosen to tell me.”
“
Who are her people? Where is she from?”
”
I never ask that, Tilden.”
”
I would like to know.”
“
You have no such right.”
“
Then I would like to know how a decent young girl,
compromised or not, spurned by her family or not, heads
straightaway to the front door of Georgiana Hastings's
house and enrolls herself as an apprentice prostitute.” Til
den was becoming angry and did not quite know why. “It
is a ridiculous story, Georgiana. It is the stuff of those mel
odramas which the Eagle Theater plays to weeping audi
ences. Surely a girl like Margaret could not have been without a friend or protector.”
Then I would like to know how a decent young girl,
compromised or not, spurned by her family or not, heads
straightaway to the front door of Georgiana Hastings's
house and enrolls herself as an apprentice prostitute.” Til
den was becoming angry and did not quite know why. “It
is a ridiculous story, Georgiana. It is the stuff of those mel
odramas which the Eagle Theater plays to weeping audi
ences. Surely a girl like Margaret could not have been without a friend or protector.”
”
I am her friend,” the madam said evenly.
“
You are her—” Tilden stopped himself.
“
You were about to say that I am her ruin.” Georgiana
withdrew her hand and folded it with the other across her
lap. “Tilden,” she asked, “how do you suppose I find my
girls? It is said that they are the handsomest and most cul
tivated young ladies of any house in New York. It is also
said that there are twenty thousand prostitutes working their
trade in this city. How do you suppose I find the best of
them?”
You were about to say that I am her ruin.” Georgiana
withdrew her hand and folded it with the other across her
lap. “Tilden,” she asked, “how do you suppose I find my
girls? It is said that they are the handsomest and most cul
tivated young ladies of any house in New York. It is also
said that there are twenty thousand prostitutes working their
trade in this city. How do you suppose I find the best of
them?”
”
I have not considered it.”
“
Of course you haven't. They are here, they are avail
able for your pleasure, they are to be forgotten or denied
when you leave, and that is that. What is it to you how
they came here?”
Tilden sighed deeply. ”I stop in here for a quiet sherry
and now I am an unfeeling beast. Since your business appears to be thriving, can I assume that not all your patrons receive this lecture? If I go to buy a new shirtwaist, am I
hardhearted if I fail to consider the immigrant seamstress
who ruins her eyes in the stitching of it for fifty cents a
day?”
and now I am an unfeeling beast. Since your business appears to be thriving, can I assume that not all your patrons receive this lecture? If I go to buy a new shirtwaist, am I
hardhearted if I fail to consider the immigrant seamstress
who ruins her eyes in the stitching of it for fifty cents a
day?”
“
You asked,” Georgiana reminded him. “You asked
where she came from. You were also making judgments
and you have no right to do so.”
Tilden threw up his arms in a gesture of surrender. “How
did
she come here, Georgiana?”
did
she come here, Georgiana?”
”
I found her.”
“
Poised to leap from a ledge, I presume.”
“
Tilden—”
“
I'm sorry.”
“
Margaret has been in New York for a year,” she went
on, “from someplace near Boston, I think. She tried, as
you suggested, to teach piano. She then applied that same dexterity toward learning to be a typewriter. Margaret next
secured a position with the
New York World
where a senior
editor forced his attentions upon her and then fired her
when she rebuffed him. I know a reporter there who told
me the story. After she'd gone several months without employment, speaking of melodramas, her landlord offered to forgive her the back rent she owed in return for her favors.
She refused and she was evicted. Margaret was on the street
with her belongings when I went for her with my carriage.”
Margaret has been in New York for a year,” she went
on, “from someplace near Boston, I think. She tried, as
you suggested, to teach piano. She then applied that same dexterity toward learning to be a typewriter. Margaret next
secured a position with the
New York World
where a senior
editor forced his attentions upon her and then fired her
when she rebuffed him. I know a reporter there who told
me the story. After she'd gone several months without employment, speaking of melodramas, her landlord offered to forgive her the back rent she owed in return for her favors.
She refused and she was evicted. Margaret was on the street
with her belongings when I went for her with my carriage.”
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