She spotted another guard near one of the recessed entrances of the building. Emboldened by her earlier success, she marched across the plaza and strode up to him.

  "Could you tell me where to find Mr. Thorndyke's office, please?"

  The dark-haired guard smiled kindly and pointed to the farthest corner pavilion. "He's on the third floor, Miss. You can take the elevator."

  Dinah smiled and thanked him, then stepped smartly across the rotunda, trying to look like someone to whom riding an elevator was a everyday event. She managed not to gasp when the operator put the car in motion, even though she felt as if she'd left her stomach back on the rotunda floor.

  When the elevator door slid open, she stepped out and glanced around until she saw Mr. Thorndyke's name on one of the heavy oak doors. Glad she hadn't needed to climb the two flights of stairs, she patted her hair in place, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

  A girl about her own age gave Dinah a friendly smile. "May I help you?"

  "I'm Dinah Mayhew. I'm supposed to start work here today."

  A middle-aged woman looked up from sorting a stack of papers on the far side of the office. "I'll handle this, Millie," she told the receptionist.

  Dinah fought down a sudden wave of panic as the woman crossed the distance between them and gave her an appraising glance. She held her chin high and hoped she would pass muster. The other woman's features were stern, but her eyes held a kindly expression.

  "I'm Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Thorndyke's assistant," she said in a no-nonsense tone. "Before I explain your duties, have you spent much time on the fairgrounds? Have you had a chance to become familiar with the way it's set up?"

  Dinah shook her head, feeling more out of place by the minute. "I only arrived yesterday."

  "Step over here. It's easier to show you than to explain." Mrs. Johnson led her to a window and pointed to the scene below. Dinah sucked in her breath and stared, fascinated by the bird's-eye view of the spot where she had stood only moments before. Scores of people scurried to and fro, reminding her of a swarming colony of ants.

  "This will give you a good idea of the general layout. This building stands in the middle of the Grand Plaza." Mrs. Johnson indicated the broad, open area Dinah had crossed moments before. "The plaza is bounded on the north by the Mines and Electricity Buildings, and on the south by Machinery Hall. Behind us on the west is Terminal Station."

  "Just below us is the Columbian Fountain." A dreamy smile flitted across Mrs. Johnson's face. "In the evenings, streams of colored water spurt a hundred and fifty feet into the air. It's a sight you won't want to miss. Behind the fountain, the Grand Basin stretches out to the Peristyle on the east. You can see the columns in the distance. And beyond that, of course, is Lake Michigan."

  Dinah's lips parted as she stared at the enormous reflecting pool flanked by beveled lawns and glittering white buildings. Her mind tried to take in the wonder of it all and the fact that she wouldn't be a mere visitor—she was going to be a part of it!

  "And that's only the beginning." Mrs. Johnson's manner became brisk again. "Over six hundred acres of exhibits, an absolutely mammoth undertaking. And the business life of the exposition is centered here in this building."

  She turned back to Dinah. "Mr. Thorndyke is one of the administrators. As you can imagine, in a fair of this magnitude, keeping everything running smoothly requires an enormous amount of attention to detail. This office sends and receives numerous memoranda to the superintendents of the different departments on a daily basis.

  "In addition, we receive requests for additional needs and sometimes complaints or disputes that arise between one exhibitor and another. Mr. Thorndyke has to deal with all of these and more. And all of them have to be dealt with in a timely manner.

  "Mr. Thorndyke likens this office and its duties to being the lubricant in a well-oiled machine." Mrs. Johnson smiled at her little joke, then led Dinah to a desk near Millie's.

  "You will be collating and filing the reports and making sure Mr. Thorndyke is made aware of anything requiring his immediate attention. You will, of course, pass that information to him through me."

  "I've had experience filing." True enough, although the little she had done during her summer job at Elliott's Pharmacy hadn't been on a scale anything like this. "I'm sure I can—"

  The door slammed open, and a slender blond girl braced herself against the doorway. Dinah took in her stunning hair and fine features. She was probably extremely attractive when she didn't have her face twisted in a murderous glare.

  "How many more times am I going to have to trek around this fairgrounds before this exposition ends?" the newcomer demanded.

  Millie smiled and went back to her work. The blond's gaze rested on Dinah and sharpened. "Who are you?"

  Dinah smiled hesitantly. Mrs. Johnson spoke before she could respond. "This is Dinah Mayhew. She's taking Sarah's place. As soon as you've delivered those reports, I want you to show her how our files are arranged. Then you'll need to check with Mr. Skiff in Mines and Mining to see if he has his information ready."

  The girl followed along in Mrs. Johnson's wake, her eyes bulging. "I just got back from the Manufactures Building. I really don't want to...." Her eyes lit on Dinah, and her mouth curved in a smile. She hurried after Mrs. Johnson. "Perhaps Dinah would like to check on Mr. Skiff's progress."

  The door to Mrs. Johnson's office closed behind them, and Dinah turned to see Millie grinning at her. "What just happened?"

  Millie leaned over her desk and lowered her voice to a whisper. "That's Lila Dawson. She's none too pleased at having to spend so much time out of the office. If she isn't here, she can't do anything to catch Mr. Thorndyke's notice, if you know what I mean."

  "I'm not sure I do." Dinah shook her head to try to clear her thoughts. This place grew more puzzling by the minute.

  Millie sniggered. "He isn't so bad looking for an older man. He must be forty if he's a day. But it isn't his looks Lila cares about so much as his bank account. Once she found out he's a widower, she set her cap for him. And that's why she was so uppity with you just now. Unless I miss my guess, she doesn't want you moving in on her territory."

  Dinah's jaw sagged, along with the pride she had felt in managing to navigate her way across the fairgrounds. She'd thought the morning's problems had ended with finding the sanctuary of her new office. Instead, it seemed she now had a whole new maze to find her way through.

  Suddenly, the thought of being outside in the unfamiliar labyrinth took on a new appeal. When the door in the rear wall opened and Mrs. Johnson and Lila reappeared, Dinah stepped forward with a brave smile. "I'd be happy to run any errands you need me to, Mrs. Johnson. Where would you like me to go first?"

  * * *

  Seth gripped the handle at the rear of the wheeled wicker chair and trundled it along the bridge spanning the North Canal. He swerved slightly to avoid a couple of young lads racing down the walkway, but the quick, jerky movement didn't put a dent in the flow of prattle coming from his passenger.

  "We never planned to come to the exposition, you see. My husband said he expected it would be nothing more than a lot of fripperies and folderol. But then our oldest son brought his wife and family here and, my! The things he talked about in his letters! 'Sell anything you need to raise the money,' he told us. 'But you simply must come.'" The woman barely paused for breath before continuing.

  "And so we took a look at our savings and decided we could make the trip. But this—" She waved her plump arms about. "Nothing could have prepared me for it, not even those letters. My land, if you hadn't happened along, I probably would have been stretched out right there on the pavement. I never dreamed it would take so long just to walk from one end of this place to the other."

  "Here's the Electricity Building." Seth rolled the chair to a stop in the shade of a mulberry tree. "Would you like me to wait for you?"

  "No, thank you. I'm feeling much more refreshed now. I just pushed too hard, wanting to see everything at once. My husband said I was a goose to try to do so much in one day, and I hate to prove him right, but there it is."

  She pulled forty cents from her reticule and handed it to Seth. "I'll take it easier from here on. You've given me a nice tour of the grounds, so I have a better idea of what I really want to see. I'll just meander along and take my time about it."

  Seth helped her out of the chair and waited to be sure she was steady on her feet. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit. Don't hesitate to call for another chair if you feel the need."

  The woman wagged her finger at him playfully. "Do you want to give me another tour, or are you just looking for an excuse to preach a sermon to a captive audience? After meeting you, I can see why these chairs are known as gospel chariots." Her merry laugh told him she wasn't offended in the least. "Thank for you the tour... and the talk. You've given me much to think about."

  Seth maneuvered the empty chair in a circle, ready to head back to the Rolling Chair Company Pavilion on the lake side of the Manufactures Building. Behind him, a bright voice called, "Hello, there!"

  He wheeled around, expecting to find another foot-weary fairgoer ready to avail herself of his services. Instead he saw the young lady from last night's meeting. She hurried toward him with the glowing smile he remembered so well.

  "How do you do, Miss Mayhew? I didn't expect to see you here."

  "I told you I was starting a job here today."

  Seth smothered a grin at the defiant tilt of her chin. Was she always this much of a spitfire? The light afternoon breeze tossed a stray curl across her forehead. Seth watched, distracted, before he remembered to respond. "True enough. I guess I just didn't expect to see you wandering around outside."

  Her hazel eyes glittered. "I am not 'wandering.' I'm looking for the Mines and Mining Building, and when I saw you here, I thought maybe you could help me." She pivoted in a swirl of green skirt and started back toward the Grand Plaza. "I'll go look for one of the guards," she called over her shoulder. "They seem to know where everything is, and they don't mind giving directions."

  "Wait a minute." Seth abandoned his rolling chair and caught up to her in a few long strides. "I didn't mean to offend you. I was just surprised. I'll be glad to show you to Mines and Mining. You're practically there already."

  "Really?" Her eyes shone with a green light. Their shifting colors reminded him of Lake Michigan in its changing moods. "I know it's just off the Grand Plaza, and it's a big white building. But look!" She swept her arm in a broad circle that encompassed the Court of Honor. "These building are all enormous, and every one of them is white!"

  Her chin trembled, and Seth felt a pang of remorse for his earlier teasing. "You're right. It takes a while to get accustomed to where everything is. Why don't I escort you there and try to help you learn your way around?" He retrieved the chair from beneath the mulberry tree and pushed it along at her side, trying not to think what his employers would say about taking time away from their paying customers.

  Dinah's stiff gait told him she still hadn't quite recovered from her pique. "Please don't bother. I'm quite capable of managing on my own." Her pace slowed a fraction. "Could I ask you something, though?"

  "Of course."

  "I heard that woman say something about a gospel chariot. What was she talking about?"

  Seth chuckled. "A lot of the men working for the Rolling Chair Company are theology students or pastors like me. I guess we've developed a bit of a reputation for turning the conversation to spiritual things in addition to giving a tour of the grounds."

  "That explains it!" Her smile returned and Seth, basked in its glow. She glanced ahead to the two massive buildings that stood side by side across the plaza from Administration. "Is it one of those?"

  "The one on the left. See, you're learning your way already."

  Miss Mayhew looked pleased. "Well, goodbye for now. Maybe we'll see each other around here again. If not, then at my first meeting with the girls."

  She set off, head held high. Seth couldn't help noticing the graceful way her skirt swayed when she walked.

  Watch yourself! He swung the chair around and turned back toward the Rolling Chair kiosk with a purposeful gait. He would be seeing a lot of Miss Mayhew, working with their respective groups of young people, not to mention any future encounters they might have on the fairgrounds. It wouldn't pay to let his emotions rule his thinking.

  He had plenty of experience dealing with other female workers in the Moody campaign and had learned to show himself friendly yet reserved. The ability to keep a wall around his feelings had served him well thus far, but the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach told him it might be all too easy for this dark-haired beauty to breach it.

  6

  "More jam?"

  "I'd love some, Mrs. Purvis. These biscuits are delicious." Dinah spooned some of the gooseberry jam onto the edge of her plate, then offered the dish to the plump woman seated next to her at the dining table.

  "Thank you, I believe I will." The woman scooped out a hefty dollop and passed the remainder across the table to her husband. "I'm certainly going to miss this cooking when we get back home to Missouri."

  She smeared the jam onto her biscuit and took a good-sized bite, then leaned toward Dinah. "Such a shame we didn't have a chance to get acquainted before we left. If we hadn't bumped into you in the hallway this morning, we wouldn't even have known we had another boarder amongst us. I'm Mrs. Sedgwick, by the way. And this is my husband, and our son, Malcolm." She gazed with fondness on the chubby boy filling his cheeks with biscuits and jam until he resembled a chipmunk.

  "We've stayed out late every night, seeing as much of the exposition as we could," Mrs. Sedgwick continued. "Of course, that meant we were so tired in the morning we didn't get down to breakfast at the usual time, so we must have missed you coming and going."

  "I only arrived the day before yesterday," Dinah explained.

  "Oh, then we really wouldn't have had much opportunity to get to know you, even if we'd all been up and around at the same time. Have you come here to see the fair? All by yourself?"

  "Actually..." Dinah blotted her lips with her napkin and tried to keep the pride from showing in her voice. "I'm working there. I have a job in the office of one of the administrators."

  "Oh my!" Mrs. Sedgwick paused with a forkful of sausage in midair. "A young girl like you, off on her own?"

  "Now, now," her husband cut in. "It's a new world we're living in. We must keep up with the times."

  Mrs. Sedgwick chewed her sausage thoughtfully. "You're right, dear. One hears about any number of young girls coming to the city, looking for work or excitement, or both. Still..."

  "Hand me that plate of biscuits, Ma," young Malcolm demanded. "I'm still hungry."

  Have you ever heard of the word please? Dinah waited for his mother to reprimand his lack of manners. Instead, the woman beamed and placed the plate closer to him. "He has a healthy appetite."

  Dinah gulped down a swig of coffee so she couldn't be tempted to respond. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. Purvis watching the boy in awe, her unflappable good humor absent for once.

  Having recovered from the shock of finding Dinah on her own, the Sedgwicks proceeded to fill her in on sights she wouldn't want to miss at the fair.

  "You simply must see the grounds at night," Mrs. Sedgwick told her. "So astounding, so inspiring."

  "Don't forget the Kimberley diamond exhibit and Edison's new contraption," her husband put in. "Those are well worth seeing, too."

  Dinah nodded, one part of her attention bent on responding to their suggestions, the other focused on Malcolm, who was putting away food with alarming speed. Was it possible for a person to explode from eating too much at one time? If the boy kept going at this rate, she just might find out.

  One sparkling dollop of gooseberry jam remained on her plate. Giving in to temptation, Dinah reached for the last biscuit on the platter, only to see Malcolm sweep it up in a pudgy fist.

  "He does enjoy a hearty breakfast." Mrs. Sedgwick beamed.

  Mrs. Purvis scooted her chair away from the table and scooped up the empty platter. "I'll get some more biscuits," she said to no one in particular. "Some of the rest of us would like to enjoy them, too."

  She paused at the kitchen door, stretched her arm high above her head, and tapped along the top of the doorjamb from one side to the other. Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Dinah blinked at the odd behavior. The Sedgwicks exchanged glances, then Mr. Sedgwick leaned toward Dinah. "To be honest, we had planned to stay another week. That sort of thing is one of the reasons we're cutting our stay a bit short. The woman has done that same kind of peculiar tapping ever since we've arrived."

  Mrs. Sedgwick nodded and placed her hand on Dinah's arm. "When we asked her about it, she just mumbled something about her late husband and kept on tapping away. We think she may be a bit unbalanced. And of course, we wouldn't want to place little Malcolm in any sort of danger." She cast a quick glance at her son and lowered her voice even further. "Did you see the look she gave him just before she went back for more biscuits?"

  "It is rather a strange thing to do," Dinah conceded. Privately, she doubted that Malcolm was in danger of anything more than a severe case of indigestion. But the tapping did strike her as a bit peculiar.

  "You seem like a nice young woman," Mr. Sedgwick went on. "I feel it's our duty to warn you so you can be on your guard. Perhaps you might want to consider other lodgings."

  "Thank you," Dinah said. "I'll keep that in mind."

  She tucked their comment away for future reference, but didn't think she would need to act on it. As far as she could tell, Mrs. Purvis was a dear woman, not dangerous in the least. Eccentric perhaps, but she wouldn't be the first person Dinah had ever met who had an odd mannerism or two.

  Still... she recalled the methodical way the landlady had tapped her way across the doorjamb. It wouldn't hurt to keep her eyes open, just to make sure there was nothing to be concerned about.

 

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