Gino nodded wisely. “In case she didn’t like it.”
“That’s not how she phrased it, but yes. And I had to agree. I wouldn’t want her to be miserable, since my work will necessitate my living here in the city among the people I serve.”
“And she probably wouldn’t want you to give up your calling just to please her,” Frank speculated, mostly to get a feeling for Miss Harding.
“She did say that, almost exactly,” McWilliam admitted with obvious pride. “She really is a remarkable young woman.”
He’d described her that way twice. Was he just smitten or was Miss Harding really something special? Frank’s wife was certainly remarkable, and he knew many women really were, but was Miss Harding one of them? “Is it possible,” Frank said, trying to sound apologetic, “that Miss Harding decided she really cannot accept this way of life and simply left the city and went home?”
“Without even speaking to me?” McWilliam asked, appalled at the very suggestion.
“She might have wanted to avoid a very painful conversation.”
“No, absolutely not. She isn’t like that. She isn’t a . . . a coward. She would have told me if she couldn’t . . . No, she wouldn’t have just gone off like that. If nothing else, she wouldn’t want to worry people. Besides, I’m told she didn’t take any of her things with her.”
“Have you spoken to her parents to be sure?”
“I . . . I didn’t want to alarm them.”
“I can understand that, but we do need to make sure she isn’t safely at home. Maybe you can telephone them about something else. Maybe a surprise you’re planning and you need their advice or something. If she’s there, they’ll be upset with you and let you know it. If she’s not there and they haven’t heard from her, they’ll behave normally.”
“I see, yes. We should make sure, I suppose,” McWilliam said with obvious reluctance. He certainly wouldn’t want to frighten them unnecessarily.
“And meanwhile, Gino and I will begin our investigation. I know you’re concerned for Miss Harding’s reputation, so we’ll be as discreet as possible. First of all, I’d like to speak to the lady who was kidnapped, the one Mrs. Donatelli told us about.”
“Mrs. Cassidi,” McWilliam said with a weary sigh. “She won’t speak to you. She won’t even see you or any other man. She even turned away her priest. I think she finally allowed one or two of her closest female friends in, but she’s still very upset by what happened to her. Terrified of everything, or so I’m told.”
“That’s understandable,” Frank said, his mind racing. This Mrs. Cassidi was the only person who might give them some insight into how to find Miss Harding. And if she wouldn’t see a man . . . “Do you have a telephone here, Mr. McWilliam?”
“Yes, we do. You’re not thinking you’ll telephone Miss Harding’s parents, are you?”
“No. I need to telephone my wife.”
* * *
* * *
Sarah Malloy found the Harlem settlement house easily enough. Malloy’s instructions had been very clear. What was not clear was why he had summoned her. He couldn’t discuss it on the telephone, he’d said. No one discussed sensitive information on the telephone since you never knew when the operator might be listening, and newspapers were always willing to pay for bits of gossip that might make good news stories.
She wasn’t sure exactly what to do now that she was at the settlement house, though. At The Daughters of Hope Mission where she volunteered and the maternity clinic that she had founded, visitors must knock and be admitted, for security. Here, however, she noticed as she approached the entrance, people came and went freely. In any case, she didn’t have to decide anything at all because a lovely young Italian woman came out to greet her when she started up the front steps.
“You must be Mrs. Malloy,” she said. “I’m Teodora Donatelli.”
“So nice to meet you, Mrs. Donatelli. I assume you’re married to one of Gino’s brothers.”
“That’s right. Rinaldo. Mr. Malloy and Gino are waiting for you inside. I will show you.”
She took Sarah in and down the hall to what appeared to be a classroom, empty now. Malloy and Gino were waiting for her there. They had been discussing something in whispers but they jumped to their feet when she and Teo appeared.
“You made good time,” Malloy observed, coming to greet her. “And you brought your medical bag. Good.”
“I must admit you have me intrigued. Is someone giving birth?” Sarah asked with a teasing smile.
“Not exactly, but we need your help.”
“I will be outside if you need me,” Teo said, turning for the door.
“Would you stay, Mrs. Donatelli?” Malloy asked. “I’m sure Mrs. Malloy will have questions only you can answer.”
Mrs. Donatelli was surprised but apparently pleased to be included. She closed the classroom door and took one of the chairs Gino had pulled into a small circle so they could talk easily and keep their voices low. They told Sarah what they had learned about Jane Harding and her abduction.
“So Miss Harding and Mr. McWilliam are engaged?” Sarah asked.
“Not yet,” Gino said. “We gather she came to the settlement house because she wanted to see what she’d be getting into before giving him her answer.”
Sarah turned to Mrs. Donatelli. “Mr. McWilliam said their relationship was a secret, but did you know about it?”
Teo wrinkled her nose. “Everyone knew. They didn’t speak of it of course, but you could tell how Mr. McWilliam feels about her.”
“Ah yes, love and a cough cannot be hid, as they say,” Sarah said, although she noticed Teo had not mentioned the way Miss Harding felt about Mr. McWilliam. She might have managed to hide her feelings better or perhaps her feelings had cooled when she realized the kind of life she would have as his wife. “So exactly what is it you need for me to do?” she asked Malloy.
“McWilliam is naturally afraid of what the Black Hand will do to Miss Harding, and she must be absolutely terrified, so we want her returned as quickly as possible. We’ll have a difficult time getting people in the neighborhood to talk to us, though.”
“No one will speak of those people,” Teo confirmed solemnly.
“So we thought if we could question Mrs. Cassidi about where she was held for so long, we might be able to figure out where it was and find Miss Harding.”
“That’s assuming they were kidnapped by the same people and taken to the same place,” Sarah said.