Storing Up Trouble, стр. 88

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “And where are the children, and how did I not know you’d be coming to Chicago?”

Isadora grinned. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.” She turned to Ian, her grin replaced with a fond smile. “Ian’s reputation as an advocate for laborers and unions has increased significantly over the past few months. That’s why, when he received a letter from a Chicago union, asking if he’d be willing to travel here to help them resolve some issues that might spare this city a strike of significant proportions, he didn’t hesitate to accept.”

Beatrix smiled at Ian. “Seems to me as if you’ve certainly found your proper calling in life, Ian. May I assume you’re enjoying representing the workers over representing the interests of the owners and investors of the steel mills and iron foundries?”

Ian returned the smile. “Indeed you may, and Isadora’s been enjoying her work with the new orphanage we built in Canonsburg.” He shook his head. “She was somewhat reluctant to set aside that work to travel with me to Chicago, until I reminded her that you were visiting your aunt here.”

“I couldn’t very well ignore an opportunity to see my best friend,” Isadora said, turning to Beatrix. “Before I forget, the children wanted me to tell you that they’re awfully sad they couldn’t come to Chicago with us to see you. They’re also awfully put out with Ian and me because we didn’t believe it would be responsible to let them miss school, which is why they’re back in Pittsburgh under the watchful eye of Aunt Birdie, the indulgent eye of Uncle Amos, and the soon-to-be-leaving eye of their governess, Miss Olive.” Isadora blew out a breath. “I’m sure you’ll be delighted to hear that she is soon to marry Ian’s man of affairs, Mr. Jonathon Downing.”

“How delightful,” Beatrix said. “But I’m sure you won’t have any difficulty finding another governess for the children. Prim, Henry, Violet, and Daisy are adorable, and any governess would be lucky to have them as her charges.”

“We also need to find a nanny as well,” Ian said, a pronouncement that left Isadora rolling her eyes and Beatrix speechless for all of a second.

Pulling Isadora into a hug, Beatrix gave her a squeeze. “You should have written me a letter about that significant circumstance. How lovely to learn you’re expecting.”

“I thought it would be best to deliver the news in person,” Isadora said before she stepped back and smiled. “Do know that if we hadn’t decided to come to Chicago, I was going to come visit you in New York for the holidays. I assume your mother, even with her being somewhat annoyed with you, will want you home for Christmas.”

Beatrix winced. “I’m not sure about that. What with all the shenanigans I got up to in New York, and—”

“On my word, but this is beyond the pale,” she heard a lady shriek behind her. “I’m speaking to you, girl, and your blatant rudeness in not even bothering to turn around to acknowledge me certainly proves to everyone in attendance that you, a disgraced employee from Marshall Field & Company, do not belong at this ball.”

“Is that lady talking to you?” Isadora asked as Beatrix turned around and found none other than Mrs. Sturgis, the woman responsible for one of her demotions, standing a few feet away.

That Mrs. Sturgis was furious was not in question.

Her face was an unusual shade of purple, and her jowls, all three of them, were quivering in clear indignation.

Beatrix glanced around and found the guests surrounding Mrs. Sturgis directing their attention her way, their gazes ripe with anticipation.

“Did she say something about you working at Marshall Field & Company?” Ian asked, his brow furrowed.

“She did. I was a salesgirl, until I got demoted to the coat check, and then—”

“I got her dismissed from the coat check for being overly cheeky with me.”

Isadora arched a brow at Mrs. Sturgis before she returned her attention to Beatrix and grinned. “We obviously have much to catch up on, but why am I not surprised you took up a position at a store or that you were being overly cheeky with a customer?”

Beatrix returned the grin, ignoring that Mrs. Sturgis had begun sputtering in outrage. “It was Aunt Gladys’s idea for me to take up a position, but as for me being cheeky, I wasn’t at fault in the least. I merely pointed out to Mrs. Sturgis, after she threw her wrap at me and her brooch gouged my head in the process, that she should show more care in the future.” She leveled an eye on Mrs. Sturgis as she pushed aside a curl that Mamie had carefully arranged over the small scab on her forehead. “And you should show more care in the future as well as resist running off to management to complain about what was your unacceptable behavior, not mine. You cost me fifty cents a week in my pay, and I received another demotion because I got sent to the Bargain Basement after you complained.”

Mrs. Sturgis’s eyes flashed. “I was under the impression you’d be dismissed on the spot.”

“You’ll need to take that particular grievance up with the store, but you’ll be pleased to learn that I have been dismissed—just not because of you.”

Mrs. Sturgis glanced around the crowd. “This girl’s very presence here is an outrage, and I’m appalled she was somehow able to get through the front door in the first place.”

“She came as my guest.”

Beatrix glanced past Mrs. Sturgis and found Norman fighting his way through the crowd, seemingly unconcerned when he shoved aside a gentleman and sent him stumbling. Taking hold of her arm, he sent her a smile, then turned to Mrs. Sturgis.

“I believe you owe Miss Waterbury an apology,” he said pleasantly, his tone at direct odds with the temper in his eyes.

“I think not,” Mrs. Sturgis returned right as an older gentleman joined her, his