I waited for a gap in the traffic before I pushed the buggy across into Washington Square, passing beneath the great arch and into the relative tranquility of the gardens beyond. Here activity was confined to mothers pushing buggies while toddlers clung to their skirts, bigger boys bowling iron hoops that rattled over the gravel paths, and even bigger boys playing a game of kick the can. I wondered why the latter weren’t in school as it certainly wasn’t a holiday. I suppose they could have been newsboys, taking a break from long hours standing on street corners.
I found a bench in the sun and turned the buggy so that Liam could watch the bigger children at play. He seemed more fascinated with the fountain in the center of the square and a flock of small birds that perched on the lip, daring each other to take a bath in the spray that flew out in the breeze.
With my son content for the moment I opened my letters. I dutifully read Daniel’s mother’s letter first, as he’d no doubt want a report on her doings and she’d no doubt want a reply from me. Usually her weekly letters were a recital of what she had done around the house, what her young charge Bridie was doing, interspersed with slivers of local gossip. But today I was surprised to read, By the time you read this I shall be gone.
My heart lurched in my chest. I have to confess that I wasn’t overly fond of Daniel’s mother, but this was so sudden. Then I read on.
I am writing this in haste to let you know that I am about to embark on a journey. I decided not to mention this plan to you in advance as I rather think that Daniel might have tried to dissuade me. And I don’t think it would have taken that much to dissuade me since it was such a huge undertaking for me.
You remember my friend Letitia Blackstone? Her daughter Imogen married a young engineer who is now designing a bridge across the Mississippi River. Letitia wanted to visit her daughter who has just had a baby, but was reluctant to travel alone to such wild and barbaric parts. So she asked me if I would accompany her if she paid my way. Of course I agreed. What an adventure at my time of life to see a little more of our beautiful country before I die. And Letitia insists on doing everything first class so I don’t expect it will be too uncomfortable or dangerous. It will also be a perfect opportunity for young Bridie. I’m taking her along as my companion as she’s been worried recently about her papa and this will take her mind off things.
I stopped reading and stared out across the square. Poor little Bridie, whose father and brother had gone down to Panama to work on the building of the canal. None of the news that came from that hellhole had been good. Men had been dropping like flies, so it was said, from yellow fever and terrible working conditions. And there had been no news from Bridie’s father for months so we had to assume the worst.
I read on. Martha the maid was to visit her ailing mother. The house was to be shut up and Mrs. Sullivan didn’t know how long they would be away. She sent her warmest regards and a fond kiss to her grandchild. I folded the letter and put it back in its envelope. Well, that would be a surprise for Daniel. His mother was not the kind one would expect to make rash, last-minute decisions to go out into the wild west.
I glanced across at Liam and saw that he had fallen asleep. I adjusted his pillows, covered him properly and then turned to my other letter. It was as I expected, full of exciting tidbits of news of life in Paris. Sid wrote: