Chapters (51)
- Cover
- Books by Elizabeth Camden
- Title Page
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Historical Note
- Questions for Discussion
- In 2020, look forCaroline Delacroix’sstory in
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
“You have been so good, bringing me all the way across the country so I could work at the library. I don’t ever want you to doubt how grateful I am. The library was a miracle for me.” Elaine’s breathing became ragged again and her face tortured.
“Don’t panic,” Annabelle urged. “Just keep breathing and tell me what’s bothering you. It will be all right.”
“I’m going to quit working at the library. I plan to tell them tomorrow.”
Annabelle was baffled. Both of their lives had been upended so Elaine could find meaning and hope for the future by helping at the blind reading room, and now she’d decided to quit?
“But why?” Annabelle asked, completely flabbergasted.
“Because I’m going to work in the Talbots’ grocery store.”
The Talbots? They were nice people, and the birthday party last month had been filled with laughter and good food and bad singing. But no matter how nice, work in a grocery was a comedown after the Library of Congress. They could have stayed in Kansas if all Elaine wanted to do was work in a grocery.
“Will they pay you?”
Elaine was a little taken aback by the question. “I don’t think so. I never really thought about it. Actually, I’m going to marry Mr. Talbot. The owner.”
Annabelle rocked back in her chair, her mind reeling. She remembered Mr. Talbot—a gentlemanly figure who stayed in the background most of the evening, leaning against the wall and watching the younger people celebrate. She had never once sensed a hint of attraction between her sister and the much older Mr. Talbot. She said as much to Elaine.
“Really?” Elaine asked, seeming genuinely confused. “I can’t stop smiling whenever he is near.”
It had certainly been true the night of the birthday party. Elaine had been glowing with happiness, but Annabelle had attributed it to the unexpected treat of a birthday party. Probably because she’d been wallowing too deeply in Gray’s rejection to sense anything beyond her own despondency.
“How long have you been engaged?”
“A month. Every day he comes to the library to bring us lunch. He’s been so kind, and I love him very much.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Elaine shifted on her chair, and apprehension fell across her features again. “I didn’t know how,” she said. “You’ve done so much for me, all so I could work at the Library of Congress. Now I’m leaving, but if we hadn’t moved here, I would never have met Walter. I know I should have told you, but after all the sacrifices you made on my behalf, I just didn’t know how.”