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"Yes. She's just begun to show. What can we do about it?"
"How are you so sure it's Adam's baby?"
"When Iris first arrived back here, she was already experiencing morning sickness. In fact, so much she was too ill to participate in the evening's affairs."
"Then it is Adam's child," Eugenia said, rising, walking to a window to stare blankly outward.
"What are we going to do, Eugenia?"
Eugenia turned quickly to face Alison. "She will return to The Towers. Her child cannot be born out back."
"God, you don't mean you'd…" Allison gasped.
"Yes. Iris and her child will be given a home. At my house. Her child will know security and love."
"But what about Nell and Adam?"
Remembering Nell's deceit of herself, it made this decision so much more simple. And Adam? He was responsible for a second child, a child born from a Negro, but a child that could be… white. "Adam and Nell will just have to adjust," she said firmly. "My house is large. It can protect feelings. There's so much love that house can hold. It'll work out. You'll see."
"Are you really sure, Eugenia?"
"Yes. I'm sure. I want Iris in The Towers by tomorrow morning. Will you please see to it for me?"
"Yes, ma'am," Alison murmured.
"And have the rest of the colored girls been working all right?" Eugenia asked.
"Yes. Everything has been going fine," Alison said, then paused, looking toward Eugenia, studying her. "Does your coming back mean I will no longer be called Madam Alison?" she quickly blurted.
"God. What ever gave you that idea?" Eugenia laughed.
"Well, you are the madam of this house, you know."
"We'll work together," Eugenia said, going to the window once again, to look out onto the streets of darkness. She could hear the loudness erupting from the other houses on this street, the occasional gunfire and music coming from the dance halls, the clopping of horses' hooves on the paved street. She didn't fully understand her way of thinking, but God, how she had missed all of this.
"We will keep this house one of respect," she added, turning to face Alison.
"You never said, Eugenia," Alison said, going to her. "Do you like the new color of hair?"
Eugenia touched the long curls of brown, and watched them bounce back in place as she pulled her fingers from them. "Yes. I highly approve. It looks quite beautiful on you. Did you grow tired of the red?"
"Well, everyone who had heard of the redheaded madam who was untouchable always mistook me for you when they came here." Alison laughed. "And I didn't want anyone thinking I'm untouchable. I've been doing my own part
in entertaining the men. Do you mind if I do?"
Laughing once again, Eugenia pulled Alison to her arms. "Honey, I do believe that most madams are supposed to share in the fun of the house. Me? I just got my heart broken too easily by men. That's the only reason I've turned away from such pleasures. You just continue as you wish. It looks as though whatever you're doing, you're doing right."
"Well, I hate to break away so soon, but I do have a gentleman waiting in my room."
"Damn, Alison," Eugenia said, frowning. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Here I've kept you for way too long."
"That's all right. This one man is the only one I've truly been seeing. He's willing to wait. I even think he's in love with me."
"Dammit you say," Eugenia said, sitting back down onto a chair.
"Yes, I do say," Alison said, laughing gaily, then turned and fled up the stairs, leaving Eugenia to herself and her thoughts.
Rising slowly, she began the ascent up the stairs. She needed to be alone before heading back to The Towers. There was strain in the air between she and Adam. And she had seen the confusion in his eyes, not knowing that Key had told her all. She knew that she would now have to tell Adam that she knew, and that she would have expected better of him. And she would also have to prepare Adam, and Nell, for Iris's return to The Towers.
