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18
Georgina walked into the tall brick building on Pearl Street which housed Rutherford Shipping. It was a huge departure from the previous line of warehouses near the Battery that had once housed her father’s business. The fire years ago had burned hundreds of tenements, warehouses, and even the Merchant Exchange, destroying nearly everything in its path made of wood. Wisely, upon rebuilding, brick or stone had been used.
Ordinarily, Georgina wouldn’t have come down to Pearl Street. Seeking out her father wasn’t something Georgina cared to do. There were only so many recriminations a daughter could take for her past mistakes. But Jacob Rutherford was still in Baltimore, so there wasn’t any chance she’d see him today.
No, she was here to see Ben.
Her heels snapped sharply on the floor of Rutherford Shipping, several of her father’s clerks looking up from their desks at her approach. Most stayed where they were and merely stared at her, so terrified of her father that they dared not speak to his daughter.
“Ma’am.” A short, ginger-haired clerk came forward, his nose sniffing the air as if he’d caught her scent. He reminded her unfavorably of a terrier. “Is there something I may assist you with?” His eyes roved over her elegant walking dress of indigo wool.
“Good afternoon. I am Mrs. Masterson.”
Two of the clerks immediately looked away and pretended to go back to their work, their eyes darting back to her every so often. One scurried off, probably to retrieve Ben.
Good.
The terrier cleared his throat. “Mr. Rutherford isn’t in at present.”
Georgina gave him one of her most disarming smiles. “I’m not here to see my father, Mr....?”
“Alfred,” he stuttered, a blush reaching up his cheeks. Poor man was probably wondering why he’d bothered to leave his desk at all. “May I offer you some refreshment?”
“That won’t be necessary, Alfred.” Ben sauntered through the maze of clerks toward Georgina, eyeing her as if she were a dangerous animal. As well he might after he’d neglected to tell her that Leo Murphy was in New York. After the opera house opening, Georgina had been so shaken by her conversation with Leo, she’d been frozen by her mother’s side for some time before her feet had led her out to Ben’s carriage. She’d left without telling either he or her mother goodbye, her mind reeling from the fact that Leo had appeared in the middle of the opera party.
But he doesn’t like ships. Or the ocean.Her confused mind kept sputtering as Ben’s carriage deposited her at home.How can he be here?
Stella had taken one look at Georgina and ordered a bath and a bottle of bourbon.
Today, however, was a different matter. Before she visited with Daniel, Georgina meant to take her cousin to task for not warning her. He’d obviously known Leo was in New York but hadn’t told her. Clearly, Ben hadn’t considered Leo a threat to either her or Daniel. She supposed he wouldn’t be. Once he wasn’t so angry at her.
“I thought you could walk me to the ferry, Ben. I’m in the mood for your company.” She leaned forward and took her cousin’s arm. “Come now, don’t be a coward,” she said in a low voice so the army of clerks couldn’t hear her.
“You’re frightening. You realize that, don’t you?” He turned to Alfred. “I’ll be out for a short time. If Riley returns, please ask him to wait.” Ben led Georgina out through the door and into the sunshine. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the nearby docks.
“Have at it, George.”
“You knew he was here,” she said as Ben led her across the street, careful to keep her out of a small hole filled with filthy water. A group of children ran by, all dirty and bedraggled, their far-too-adult eyes first taking in Georgina, then Ben at her side.
“I did,” he replied with no hint of apology. Ben stopped abruptly and gave the children a sharp look. “Go round the back of Rutherford’s. Ask for Jimson if you wish a bit of bread and cheese.” He tilted his head in Georgina’s direction. “Don’t ever bother this lady, or you’ll answer to me. Understood?”
The children all exclaimed that no, they would never come near Georgina, before scattering in a small wave of stick-thin arms and legs toward the back of Rutherford Shipping. She wondered if her father knew Ben was feeding the guttersnipes along the wharves.
“Clever trick. I’m not sure warning them off me with only the promise of bread and cheese will work.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Georgina bit her lip. “I feel a bit betrayed, Ben. You knew he was here. Why in the world didn’t you warn me?”
Ben sighed. “Last night didn’t seem the right time; you were already in a snit over having to spend the evening with Cordelia.”
“I wasn’t in a snit.” At least not about her mother. Her mind had been on the incident on the ferry. And Leo.
“You were. I tried to gentlyadviseyou that you should expect him to come after you at some point. But you weren’t very receptive. I didn’t know he would be at Cordelia’s little party, drinking champagne with Miss Schuller dangling from his arm, George, or I would not have left your side. I certainly wouldn’t have allowed him to engage you in what amounted to fisticuffs on the dance floor. Everyone in the room wondered at your relationship. Especially Cordelia.”
“Well, she need not concern herself. Leo made his feelings toward me clear, which is to say, I am not the reason he is in New York. Or at least I’m not the only reason. Daniel is.” She gave her cousin a sad smile.
“George.” Ben placed his hand over hers.
