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Back A Gilded Lady
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Elizabeth Camden
  4. Title Page
  5. Dedication
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Ten
  16. Eleven
  17. Twelve
  18. Thirteen
  19. Fourteen
  20. Fifteen
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-One
  27. Twenty-Two
  28. Twenty-Three
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. Twenty-Five
  31. Twenty-Six
  32. Twenty-Seven
  33. Twenty-Eight
  34. Twenty-Nine
  35. Thirty
  36. Thirty-One
  37. Thirty-Two
  38. Thirty-Three
  39. Thirty-Four
  40. Thirty-Five
  41. Thirty-Six
  42. Thirty-Seven
  43. Thirty-Eight
  44. Thirty-Nine
  45. Historical Note
  46. Questions for Discussion
  47. In 2021, look for Luke Delacroix’s story in
  48. About the Author
  49. Back Ads
  50. Back Cover

“I would get the War Department on my side,” he said. “Those old boys have a byzantine set of rules, but if you win them over, they may be willing to delay things to give your brother a fighting chance. Keep him alive, that’s the main thing. In four years, if he’s still in need of a presidential pardon and I’m still in this office, I’ll put his case in the top drawer of that bureau.”

He stood and crossed the room to consult a directory near the telephone stand. “In the meantime, get in touch with Captain Michael Holland. He’s a miracle worker over in the War Department. He’s a navy lawyer, and he knows everyone. Does everything. Handles the budget, pushes contracts through, can dance around legal issues to get things done. He’s the man to see.”

Caroline had met Captain Holland on several occasions. During a White House reception for military officers, she’d exchanged pleasantries with him and his wife. More importantly, she’d spoken with him at a regatta last summer, where he had plied Gray with all manner of questions about the business of cargo ships. At the time she thought it was mere professional curiosity, but she later learned he was looking for ways to help his son find a foothold in the business.

Captain Holland was no stranger to the anguish of having a black sheep in his family, for his son had been dishonorably discharged from the navy because of drunkenness. That had been three years ago, and rumor claimed the son had been sober ever since. It was obvious that Captain Holland had been subtly suggesting that Gray might find a position for his son on their family’s merchant vessel, but Gray let the overture go unanswered.

Perhaps a man like Captain Holland would sympathize with Luke’s tarnished past. At this point, he might be her only hope.

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Caroline couldn’t let herself be discouraged by the president’s refusal to help. She would go see Captain Holland on her next free afternoon, but in the meantime, she needed to ensure McKinley would be reelected. For today, that meant working with Sven de Haas, the chairman of McKinley’s reelection committee.

Sven had resented Caroline from the day the president invited her to attend the campaign meetings. Rail-thin but with the leathery skin of a man who spent most of his life in smoke-filled rooms, Sven didn’t believe women belonged at this particular table. After all, women didn’t have the vote, so why was Caroline even here?