Free Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson Page A

moment.
    “Oh,
pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle
.”
    But the elevator door opened and I popped in. “Sorry!” I made a sympathetic face as the gate clanged shut. After a morning of wrangling with Harry’s Hounds, I had no strength for rescuing complete strangers from dotty old ladies.
    “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here.” Ruby swooped me into a lily of the valley–scented hug. “I have a wonderful surprise.”
    I hung up my hat and pocketbook and followed her into the apartment. A small mountain of brown-paper parcels teetered precariously on the heavy settee. A georgette party dress in a warm apricot, with price tag still attached, was draped over a leather club chair.
    “You’ve been on a shopping spree.” Three Emporium hat-boxes leaned against a mahogany desk. The stodgy furniture seemed at odds with Ruby’s personal style. I would have thought her to possess delicate pieces, say a wicker settee or rosewood chairs with intricate carvings and cabriole legs. I lightly brushed my fingers against one of the dress’s apricot ruffles. “This is so pretty,” I said, though it seemed fancy for office wear, even Mr. Wilkes’ office.
    She laughed. “That’s what happens when I get my paycheck and good news at the same time.” She moved aside the packages on the settee. “Sit down. I’m so excited, I don’t know what to do first.” She looked like a child catching sight of a well-stuffed Christmas stocking.
    I sat, smiling back at her even though I didn’t know what I was smiling about. Her joy was simply contagious.
    She started to sit, too, then stopped. “Oh, I bought the most delicious cookies. I’ll be right back.”
    While she was in the kitchen, I took stock of the room. No fewer than three cut-glass vases brimmed with flowers. Though the furniture in the room seemed out of scale for its occupant, at least Ruby hadn’t tried to feminize it with tatted doilies. That was all the rage among Aunt Ivy’s friends, giving the impression that a lace blizzard had blown through. This room was bare of such fussiness. It was bare of books, too, which surprised me. With Uncle Chester being such a reader, I would’ve thought she might own at least one small bookcase, stocked perhaps with
Sister Carrie
, or
To Have and to Hold
, or even one of Frank L. Baum’s fantastic Wizard of Oz tales. The only book I saw was a heavy Bible, open on a tiger-oak table opposite me.
    “Here we are.” Ruby carried in a tray with two tall glasses and a plate of those wonderful macaroons I’d already discovered at Schubert’s Bakery on Fillmore. She placed the tray on a butler table, then settled in a chair opposite me.
    I took a cookie and sat back. “You’d best tell me your news or we’ll both explode.”
    Ruby clasped her hands. “I don’t know where to begin.”Suddenly, she was pulling a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbing her eyes.
    “Are you all right?” I leaned toward her.
    “Yes.” She held up her hand. “I’m so happy. So wonderfully happy.” She sniffled and then went on. “You can’t imagine how hard it has been since Mr. Danvers died. My dear mother lived with us and it fell to me to keep us all going, and then, with Pearl taking ill—” She stopped and looked at me. “Oh, that was thoughtless of me. If anyone could imagine hard times, it would be you.”
    “Don’t. I know what you mean.” I indicated for her to continue.
    She put away her handkerchief. “That’s why it is so special to be able to share this news with you. Pearl is coming home!”
    “Oh, that’s wonderful!” This dear woman certainly deserved such news. “When? For how long?”
    “In August.” She put her hand to her heart. “Things are finally going well for me. So perhaps she’ll stay for good.”
    I flew to her. “Oh, that must be an answer to prayer.” We hugged and she kissed me on the cheek. When we pulled away, I was carrying her lily of the valley scent.
    She picked up one of the paper parcels. “I was