Fair Game, page 9
part #2 of A Fair to Remember Series
Dinah felt the blood drain from her face. Everything inside her turned cold, as if her veins had become ice. Could she have done such a careless thing? She tried to speak, to find some way to counter the accusation, but she couldn't make her lips move.
Mr. Thorndyke glared at her over his pince-nez. "Is this true?"
"I'm sure it isn't." Mrs. Johnson returned in her normal crisp tone. "When did Mr. Skiff send that report over?"
"It was nearly two weeks ago." Mr. Thorndyke's gaze still bored holes in Dinah.
Mrs. Johnson looked straight at Lila. "That was when you were still picking up most of the reports... before you foisted that responsibility off onto Dinah." Turning back to Mr. Thorndyke, she added, "Miss Mayhew has done everything asked of her in an exemplary manner and without complaint. She is one of the best workers I have ever had. I know the handwriting of each of the girls here. All it will take is a quick look at your schedule for me to determine who wrote down the incorrect time."
Lila's eyes widened like those of a panicked horse, and she took a step back. "I'm sure it was an honest mistake. One that anybody could have made."
Mrs. Johnson sniffed. "It wasn't such a trivial issue a moment ago when you were ready to blame Dinah, was it? I'm not blind, you know. This isn't the first time you've stirred up trouble here. Please step back into my office, Lila. We have some rather delicate issues to discuss. Mr. Thorndyke, perhaps you'd care to join us?"
She let the two of them precede her and turned back to Dinah. "Why don't you go ahead and take your lunch break now? It might be best if you weren't here when Lila comes back. You've already had enough unpleasantness to deal with." She followed Lila and Mr. Thorndyke into her office and closed the door.
"Take your time," Millie added with a grin. "I have a feeling the lofty Miss Lila may not be here when you get back."
Unable to speak, Dinah pulled a paper sack out of her desk drawer and fled the building.
Her feet carried her past the Columbian Fountain, where she scanned the grounds, trying to find a place without a crowd. Ha! As if such a place existed anywhere in the city of Chicago. Where could she go?
She scanned the length of the Grand Basin, the lawns on either side packed with fairgoers taking a noonday break. A wisp of air floated in from the lake, and Dinah tugged at her collar to let the welcome breeze cool her neck. Now what?
Not to the north. She covered that ground every day when she entered the fairgrounds by the Fifty-seventh Street entrance and knew it would contain nothing but a solid mass of people.
She started over the bridge that crossed the South Canal, thinking she might go out to the Peristyle, or perhaps to the shore of the lake beyond.
At the foot of the bridge, her gaze followed the water flowing underneath. Flanking the Obelisk that stood at the canal's end were long strips of grass, and one stretch at the far end was unoccupied. Dinah hurried along the east side of Machinery Hall and past its columned portico to her newly discovered place of refuge.
With a sigh of gratitude, she sank down on the end of the grassy rectangle nearest the Colonnade, positioning herself to take advantage of the scant shade offered by a potted palm on the balustrade above her.
She unfolded the ends of the paper sack Mrs. Purvis had pressed into her hands that morning just before she left. "Just a few things to tide you over in case you need a snack during the day," the landlady had told her.
A snack would have to do. After the emotional upheaval she'd just gone through, Dinah felt no inclination to stand in line at one of the crowded lunch counters. She reached into the bag and gasped in delight when she discovered the "snack" consisted of slabs of roast beef sandwiched between thick slices of bread. Mrs. Purvis had even tucked in a couple of blueberry muffins.
"Bless you, Mrs. Purvis," Dinah murmured, and got ready to enjoy her impromptu picnic.
She couldn't have chosen a better setting. From her vantage point, she had a clear view past the bridge, across the Grand Basin, and along the length of the east shore of the lagoon. The sea green roof of the mighty Manufactures Building stretched into the distance on her right, and farther off she could see one of the Fisheries pavilions and the dome of the Illinois Building.
Just ahead, a gondola glided under the bridge and drifted toward her, its smiling occupants listening to a song from their gondolier.
Utterly charmed by the scene, Dinah bit into her sandwich and closed her eyes, the better to enjoy the savory taste. The tension of the morning began to slip away, and she felt able to think back to the altercation in the office.
What would have happened if Mrs. Johnson hadn't come to her defense? Dinah shuddered at the thought. It only went to prove how uncertain life could be. If Mr. Thorndyke had accepted Lila's account and dismissed her, she would have found herself out on the street in this teeming city. And what would have become of her then?
She chewed on her sandwich and pondered the question, glad she didn't face that dilemma... at least not now. Going back to the farm wasn't an option, not now that she had broken free of Gladys. Come to think of it, the way Lila cast blame on her without batting an eye reminded her of her cousin's skill in getting Dinah in trouble for her own misdeeds. Maybe other versions of Gladys existed everywhere—a sobering thought.
Dinah polished off the last bite of her sandwich and dug in the bag for the muffins, her appetite increasing as her nerves settled. She popped a bit of blueberry muffin in her mouth. Delicious! At least she wouldn't starve, not as long as she had Mrs. Purvis for a landlady.
She took another bite of the muffin and wondered for the thousandth time how two people as wonderful as Aunt Dora and Uncle Everett could have produced an offspring like Gladys—abrasive where they were gentle, cruel where they were kind, and never missing an opportunity to belittle Dinah for being cast off on their doorstep.
But she wasn't an outcast anymore. Dinah brightened at the thought. She had her father back in her life again, and she didn't plan to lose him this time.
On top of that, she had her job and her supervisor's open approval. Dinah basked in the memory of Mrs. Johnson's kind words and the way she had complimented her work. There, at least, she felt sure of herself.
Unlike in her work with the girls. She dusted the crumbs off her lap and stared out across the rippling water. Was she really the right one for that job? Maybe she only imagined God's voice urging her to take it on, but she'd been so sure...
Dinah trailed her fingers through the neatly clipped grass, its texture reminding her of the pasture Uncle Everett's milk cows kept cropped short. She smiled. That was the only similarity she could find between her old life and this new one. No doubt about it, the environment she had landed in was totally unlike anything she had experienced before.
A puff of wind stirred the tendrils at the back of her neck. Dinah lifted the curls with her fingers to let the breeze do its cooling work. Simple pleasures, her aunt always said, were the most satisfying, and at the moment, Dinah was inclined to agree. She hadn't grown up in the lap of luxury by any means, but she had never experienced the stark existence the girls in her class accepted as their lot.
She watched the clouds shift across the sky, her thoughts floating as aimlessly as the white, cottony puffs. Maybe she wasn't a good choice for working with this particular group. Sometimes it seemed like she and the girls came from different worlds. With all her heart, she longed to reach out and help them. But she didn't have the least idea how to begin.
When she volunteered for the position, she knew she was stepping into a realm in which she had little experience, but she never expected to have to batter down walls of distrust before they would even begin to listen to her.
Her eyes stung, and the scene blurred before her. She truly did want to help the needy girls, but she it would be so much easier if the girls wanted to be helped. And the things they revealed about their families and backgrounds! Some of the things they brought up during the class would have made her cheeks flame if she hadn't learned how to mask her feelings years ago.
Dinah folded the lunch sack neatly and tucked it into her skirt pocket. She still had a little time before she needed to go back. Perhaps a stroll around the canal would help to corral her racing thoughts.
The sun glinted off the water, and she put her hand up to shield her eyes. The dazzling rays made the white staff covering the buildings sparkle like diamonds. What a contrast between the beauty of the fairgrounds and the squalor her girls lived in!
If only they could see this. Dinah could imagine their excitement at getting a glimpse of a world far different than their own. Was there any way she could make that happen? She couldn't possibly afford to pay the admission for all of them, but maybe Mr. Thorndyke would know if there were passes available for something like what she had in mind. The more she thought about it, the more her excitement grew. Perhaps she should talk the idea over with Seth.
Her train of thought jolted to a screeching halt. Seth. No matter what she might be dealing with, he was never far from her thoughts. Dinah leaned against a nearby lamppost, losing herself in memories of the way she felt when he looked at her with his caramel-colored gaze.
She remembered the moment those awful men had jumped out at them and tried to intimidate Seth. Try as she might to hide it, she'd been scared to death. But Seth took it all in stride. The whole episode barely seemed to faze him. Why, he'd seemed like one of the heroes of old, standing firm, ready to protect her.
And once he had routed the villains...
Her chest swelled in a gentle sigh. She'd been able to feel his strength when she clung to his arm all the way home. After the first couple of blocks, she had been perfectly capable of walking unassisted, but she had held on to him anyway, just enjoying being near him.
No doubt about it, the way Seth looked at her made her weak in the knees. And there were moments when she was certain he felt a similar attraction. But at other times, his eyes held a hint of judgment, as though she had been weighed in the balance and found wanting.
When he looked at her that way, she felt she would never measure up to whatever standard he held for her. Confused thoughts ran through her mind in a jumble. If she were back home, she'd go out to the field and talk to Uncle Everett. He would be able to give her a man's perspective on the situation. Dinah smiled at the way he'd never complained about serving as a substitute father all the years hers was unavailable.
But he's available now. Dinah chortled aloud at the joyous reminder. She didn't need a substitute father anymore. Hers was right there in the building next to her. He could help her sort out her chaotic feelings.
* * *
Dinah hurried up the steps to the west entrance of the Agriculture Building, then made her way to the annex. How she had missed being able to run to her father with her problems!
At the booth, she saw Abby showing a model of a corn binder to a cluster of inquirers on the far side of the display. That suited her just fine. She didn't relish the idea of another interruption from her father's coworker. She gazed around the display area until she spotted her father, down on one knee next to a little girl with chestnut curls.
Dinah smiled at the charming scene. It almost looked like a conversation between a father and daughter. She's just about the age I was when he left. A wave of nostalgia swept over her. Wouldn't it have been wonderful if she could have gone with him then? But he was right—it would have been much too difficult for him to travel and conduct his business with a child in tow.
She crept closer, not wanting to startle them. The girl spoke with animated gestures, and Dinah's father showed every sign of listening intently. Perhaps the child was lost and he was trying to help find her parents. A few steps more, and she was close enough to overhear what the little girl was saying.
"It's just up there in the main part of the building, Ernie. They're showing how they make chocolate, and then they're going to give out samples. Can I go watch?"
Ernie? Dinah moved closer, easing behind a pillar so she wouldn't be noticed.
"I'll bet there will be a big crowd, though," the little girl went on. "It sure would be easier to see if you could come along and hold me up. But you're probably too busy, right?"
Dinah's father grinned and swept her up in a bear hug. "I'm never too busy for my best girl. Come on, let's go watch them make chocolate." They walked off toward the main building.
Dinah stood rooted to the spot. What had just happened? Abby continued her demonstration, apparently unconcerned about being left to take care of business on her own. And who was the little girl? Dinah could still see the pair threading their way through the crowd, her father's hand tenderly wrapped around the child's fingers. Exactly what Dinah had longed for him to do at that age.
It isn't fair! A sob tore from her throat, drawing startled glances from a couple passing by. Dinah pressed her fist against her lips and tried to force her welter of emotions into submission. She had to leave. There were no answers here... only more questions.
She pushed her way through the crowd, barely able to breathe until she burst out into the open air again. Clasping her hands against her waist, she waited until she got her breathing under control, then started toward the Administration Building. She needed to get back to a place where she was valued, a place where she could count on things being done in a predictable order. Not like the maelstrom the rest of her life had become.
Crossing the bridge, she saw a man pushing an empty rolling chair along the east side of Machinery Hall. Even from that distance, she recognized Seth.
Dinah wavered. How she longed for the security of his presence! Seeing his face light up at the sight of her would be balm to her wounded spirit. But what if he gave her that disapproving look instead, the one that made her want to shrivel up and blow away like a dry leaf before an autumn wind?
Dinah veered across the Grand Plaza and headed straight to the Administration Building. She simply couldn't take that chance. Not right now.
* * *
Seth sketched a wave to the attendant at the rolling chair kiosk and ambled down the greensward on the lake side of the Manufactures Building. The wind ruffled the water into tiny waves that teased the shore and carried with them a scent that reminded him of the times he went fishing with his grandfather as a young boy.
He ambled toward the edge of the sand and stood, lost in childhood memories. A dozen sea gulls wove in and out along the damp shore line. For a moment, Seth felt tempted to pull off his shoes and join them. He grinned. The boys in his class would have jumped at the opportunity without a second thought.
The sun stood barely past its zenith. Seth moved back into the narrow strip of shade to stroll along the eastern side of the quarter-mile-long building. The hour was far earlier than his usual quitting time, but an eager theology student wanted to take a turn at manning one of the chairs, and Seth couldn't find it in his heart to curb the young man's enthusiasm.
He rolled his shoulders to loosen the stiff muscles. He might not be able to spend as much time as usual at the gym during the course of the fair, but trundling matrons around the vast fairgrounds made for a pretty good workout.
The center doors of the Manufactures Building yawned before him. Seth ducked inside and cut through the building, stopping at one of the lunch counters long enough to buy a bottle of root beer. He carried the frosty drink outside to a spot where willows draped their leafy arms over the lagoon.
Propping one foot on the railing that ran along the water's edge, he took a swig of his root beer and let the cold, bubbly sweetness trickle down his throat. What a perfect way to cool off and take a break before he had to get ready for the meeting with the church board to report on his progress with the children's Bible classes.
He leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee, and indulged in his favorite pastime of people watching. With the mass of humanity streaming along the walkways, he had plenty of subjects to choose from. As always, he wondered where they came from and where they were going, not only here at the exposition, but in their everyday lives as well.
What would things be like when they left the fair and returned to their regular existence? What made them happy? What burdens did they carry? And above all, did they have any real hope?
That young couple, for instance. They looked so happy, strolling along the Wooded Island without a trace of care on their countenances. But if they hadn't made their peace with God, that happiness would only be temporary. Lord, draw them to Yourself. Let their joy be eternal, and not based on the here and now.
He followed their progress until they passed from sight behind line of trees, then shifted his gaze to the massive buildings constructed for this exposition of a lifetime. Imposing as they might seem to the casual observer, they, too, were only temporary. He, along with hundreds of other Chicagoans, had watched their construction and knew the appearance of solid white marble was an illusion created by wood and wire overlaid with a coating of staff. It was all a facade, built for the moment and never intended to be permanent.
While they lasted, though, they stood as a testament to the genius of their architects. From where Seth stood, he could see the clean, white surfaces of the Horticulture and the Woman's buildings. And over the top of Electricity, he glimpsed the tip of the Administration Building's golden dome, dazzling in the noonday sun.
Dinah would be there now, if not out running around carrying those endless missives that seemed to make up a great part of her work day. Seth held the cool bottle against his cheek. If it were nearer her quitting time, he would be tempted to stay around and offer to walk her home. But she wouldn't get off work for several hours yet, far too long for him to wait.
Too bad. He'd like the chance to talk with her again and get to know her better. The woman was a constant puzzle to him. Sometimes he felt a person of considerable depth lay behind that ready smile. At others, her cheerful demeanor seemed a little too pat. Instead of expressing the doubts one might expect from a new teacher, Dinah remained determinedly upbeat. Did that denote remarkable maturity or a lack of sincerity? The answer to that remained a mystery.
