with Catherine and Maeve couldn’t keep her mind off what was going to happen the next morning. Maeve asked her several times if she was all right, and she’d lied and said yes, she was fine. She went to bed early, wanting to get a good night’s sleep, and then lay awake most of the night, too tense to rest.
“What’s going on?” Maeve asked her after breakfast, when Catherine had gone upstairs to play.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Well, I
“I’m so sorry! I was just trying to spare you, but I see I’ve done just the opposite. I’m going to a brothel this morning to take the baby I delivered last week from his mother.”
Maeve’s mouth dropped open. “Dear heaven! What were you doing delivering a baby in a brothel? And why are you taking it away?”
Sarah quickly explained what had happened and how Mrs. Van Orner and her friends were going to help Amy escape.
“Does Mr. Malloy know about this?” Maeve asked with a frown.
Sarah hated the heat that rose in her face. “Of course not, and he won’t ever hear about it either.”
“Do you know how dangerous this is?”
“Not for me. The madam expects me to come and take the baby this morning. I’ll be perfectly safe, and nothing else is going to happen until after I’m gone.”
“Will you bring the baby here?”
“No, I don’t want you and Catherine involved in this at all. I’ll take him to the Mission, but only for a few hours. Mrs. Van Orner has a house in the city where these women can stay, and as soon as Amy is safely there, I’ll take the baby to her.”
“You’d better get him away faster than that. Jake will know where the baby is because he took you there, and they’ll probably try to get the baby to force Amy to go back to the brothel.”
“Oh, my, I never thought of that.”
Maeve gave her a pitying glance. “Of course you didn’t, because you’re a good person. As soon as Jake drops you off, you need to go right back out again. Go straight to this house where they’re taking the girl. That’s the safest thing.”
“You’re right. I’ll do that.”
“And don’t say a word to Amy about them coming to get her. She’ll never be able to keep it a secret. She’s probably told half the girls in the house already anyway.”
“They warned me not to tell her, but how can I just leave her there without any hope?”
“It’s only for a little while. Better she doesn’t have any hope than Catherine doesn’t have any mother.”
Sarah scowled at her, but Maeve ignored it.
“You know I’m right.”
“Yes, I do. Thank you, Maeve, for giving me very good advice.”
Maeve rolled her eyes. “Just be sure you take it.”
SARAH WALKED ALL THE WAY TO SISTERS’ ROW, HOPING the exercise would help her burn off some of the tension she’d been feeling all night. By the time she reached the house on Twenty-fifth Street, she felt calm enough to carry out her mission. At least she hoped she was.
As she had before, she approached the house from the rear. She looked around, but saw no sign that she was observed or that the rescue party was anywhere nearby.
Beulah answered her knock. The cook looked her up and down. “I told Mrs. Walker you’d come. She didn’t think you would.”
Sarah stepped into the kitchen. “I hope she hasn’t changed her mind about letting me take the baby.”
“He’s still here. That’s all I know. You stay right here. I’ll get Mrs. Walker.”
“I’d like to check on Amy.”
Beulah glared at her through narrowed eyes. “You stay right here,” she repeated sternly.
Sarah decided she’d best obey. She didn’t want to antagonize anyone and fail to get the baby away. While she waited, she listened for any sounds of activity, but she heard nothing. The stillness was almost eerie, as if the very house itself was sleeping.
In a few moments, Beulah returned and told her Mrs. Walker wanted to see her.
This morning, Mrs. Walker was in her nightdress and robe, with her hair still braided for sleep. Her heavy eyelids and creased face told Sarah that Beulah had awakened her.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I thought I should come before the other girls were awake.”
“I wish you’d waited until
“I’d like to see Amy, to make sure she’s doing well.”
“She’s doing fine, and if she sees you, she’ll know why you’re here. I don’t want her upset.”
“She’ll be upset when she finds out the baby is gone.”
“Yes, but it’ll be too late then, and she’ll get over it quick enough.”
Sarah wondered if a woman could ever get over the loss of her baby, but she didn’t dare express her doubt to Mrs. Walker. She had to avoid antagonizing her at all costs. “I’ll make sure he’s taken care of. You can tell Amy that.”
“I’ll tell her what I please,” Mrs. Walker said. “And I hope never to see your face again.”
Sarah hoped the same thing.
The office door opened, and Beulah came in, carrying a small bundle. “He’s sleeping like a lamb.”
“What did you tell Amy?” Mrs. Walker asked.
“Nothing. She’s sound asleep, too.”
“Good.”
Beulah handed the infant to Sarah. A wave of tenderness swept over her as she gazed down into his sweet face.
“You can go now,” Mrs. Walker said. “And be quick.”
Sarah had almost forgotten the most important part of her task. “Oh, dear, I was wondering, could your man Jake take me in the carriage? It’s a long walk to where I’m taking him, you see, and—”
Mrs. Walker muttered something under her breath, but she said, “Beulah, go wake Jake up and have him take her wherever she wants to go. But take her with you. She can wait in the stable. I don’t want Amy to wake up and have the baby still in the house.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Walker,” Sarah began, but the woman waved her off.
“Get out of here.”
Sarah obediently followed Beulah out, onto the back porch, through the yard, across the alley, and into the stable. She waited just inside the door, holding the tiny, almost weightless bundle, while Beulah went up the stairs to what was apparently Jake’s quarters over the stable. She heard some loud grumbling and a lot of thumping around, but in a few minutes, Beulah came down the stairs with a groggy and furious Jake behind her. He was still buttoning the jacket of his uniform, and he glared at Sarah.
“I’m very sorry,” Sarah said, trying to sound sincere, “but you were the one who told me to come early in the day.”
He made a rude noise, and silently went about the task of harnessing the matching horses to the carriage.
Beulah came over to Sarah and, using one finger, pushed the blanket back from the baby’s face so she could take one last look. “Good luck to you, boy. You’ll need it.” She stepped back. “You really think somebody’ll adopt him?”
“It’s possible.”
Beulah shook her head. “But not likely. You’re doing a good thing, though, getting him away from here. That’s a start.”
Sarah tried to think of an appropriate response, but before she could, Beulah turned and walked away. She didn’t look back.
