By: KatieBee
�New York in a quarter-hour, ladies,� said the uniformed porter, peering into the compartment that Victoria Barkley Wardell shared with seven-year-old Kate.
�Oh Mother, we�re almost there!�
�Almost.�
�Is it a very big place?�
Victoria sighed patiently as she prepared for the oft-repeated narrative. �The biggest and the fastest. When we get here we will arrange to have our trunks taken to the hotel and then we will go have some lunch and perhaps see some of the city before nighttime.�
�And Papa will be here tomorrow.�
�We will come back to the station and meet his train, which comes at 10:10 in the morning from Boston.�
�He�ll be very glad to see us.�
�Yes, I expect he will.� Royce had been in Boston for several days on a brief business trip�one that he was reluctant to make until Victoria had all but shoved him out the door with his luggage. �I look forward to being able to take Papa�s Princess in hand unhindered.�
He had looked a little worried until she rose on tiptoe and kissed him playfully. �I won�t beat her �much.�
�Victoria, my l----�
Her laughter filled the room. Royce shook his head, but touched her cheek with the backs of two fingers before heading for his study.
The porter�s eyes widened as Victoria presented him with a smile and a crisp bill. He secured the last of their matching trunks and valises in the wagon and accepted the money with a slight bow. �Thank you ma�am, you�re very generous.�
�Not at all, I�m afraid you went above and beyond the call of duty, conducting a tour of everything from the brakes to the boiler.� Victoria�s eyes landed on Kate and she smiled slightly.
�It was a pleasure. That�s a very bright young lady you have there.�
�Sometimes too bright, I think. What do you say, Kate?�
Kate put out her hand formally. �Thank you very much for showing me the train, sir!�
�You�re quite welcome, Miss Kate!� he replied, shaking her hand.
�Now then,� said Victoria once the porter had disappeared, �Shall we walk until we find a nice place to eat? We can go any place you choose.�
As they strolled away from the platform and turned down the street, Kate contemplated the possibilities excitedly. She was never allowed to choose the restaurant! The city was beautiful and busy, with tall buildings and the steady sound of a multitude of clopping hooves and carriage wheels on cobblestones. The sidewalks, too, were filled with throngs of people shopping and sightseeing. Feeling suddenly very small, Kate slipped her dimpled hand into her mother�s gloved one. �It would be very scary to be lost here.�
Victoria squeezed the little fingers. �You won�t get lost, darling. I�ll keep a very close eye on you, for I would just die if my Kate went missing!�
Kate was carefully looking over every establishment they passed, trying to find one in particular that struck her fancy. She paused a moment in front of a building with a wooden swinging door, reminiscent of those she�d seen in Stockton. Three men were entering the darkened, smoky room within and one was coming out with a slightly silly look on his face. The curtains were drawn on every window of the upstairs. Victoria glanced at the d�cor and pulled smartly on the small arm. �Come, Kate.�
�Mother, is�� she dropped her voice to a whisper, �Is that a �.bawdy house?�
�KATHERINE!�
�Well once I was with Nick and he said---�
�Nick says a great many things which do not bear repeating, especially by a well-brought-up-little girl!� Lowering her voice to its normal register, Victoria glanced at her daughter. �But yes, Kate.�
Kate looked very smug.
A moment later, she remembered that she was supposed to be picking out a place to eat, and settled on a building with a cheerful awning and a sign that read BIG CITY GRILL. �In here, if you please, Mother.�
After a careful look around to make sure there was nothing about the place which even sort of resembled a bawdy house, Victoria nodded and they were quickly ushered to a table.
�How hungry are you?� Victoria asked as they perused the menus.
�Not very,� Kate admitted.
The gray eyes swept her speculatively. �Your porter friend has been stuffing you with taffy and peppermint all day. Ah, well, I suppose it won�t kill you this once. Would you like some soup?�
�Do they have tomato?�
�Tomato basil. I suppose I�ll have some too, it does look good.�
~
��and the doll shop and the candlemaker�s and the flower ladies and the big tall banks and the candy store and oh I love New York!� Kate exclaimed gleefully, wiggling on the bed in front of Victoria, who was trying ---with little success---to braid the unruly auburn hair.
�I don�t mean to pull, darling, but it would expedite matters if you could hold still for just a moment,� she said evenly.
�I can�t ever hold still, Mother!�
�Yes, I know.�
When the satin ribbon was finally secure, Victoria swatted the small backside. �To bed, young lady.�
�Mother!�
�Yes, dear?� she asked, her eyes climbing heavenward.
�Tell me a story.�
�A story?�
�Yes, Mother, a story. Papa usually does,� she reasoned.
�That is Papa�s department.�
�But I want you to tell me one tonight!�
�Do you promise to be a very good, very quiet little girl for the rest of the night?�
Kate nodded vigorously.
�All right, then. Go look in the bottom of my case.�
The squeal of delight informed Victoria that Kate had found the book. A split-second later, Kate was charging across the room towards the bed.
�Gently, Kate!!� Victoria said shrilly as the child leapt into the air and landed with a soft bounce practically in Victoria�s lap. Kate held the thin volume out to her mother and grinned. �Mercy Maude,� murmured Victoria, �What am I going to do with you?�
�Read to me?�
�And show you the pictures too, I suppose.�
�If you please.�
�Very well.� Victoria took the book and scooted up in the bed, making room for Kate beside her. Kate snuggled down and stared at the book expectantly, so Victoria opened it, cleared her throat, and started to read.
When she concluded the story, Kate yawned. �You read stories very good, Mother.�
�Thank you, Kate.�
�Does this mean I have to go to bed now?�
�That was our bargain, if I recall.�
The little girl sighed. �All right.�
Once she was tucked into her own bed, Kate yawned again. �You know what the best part about New York will be?�
�What�s that, darling?�
�We get to see Papa tomorrow! I�ve missed him!�
�I have too. I think you�re right, that will be the best part. Goodnight, Kate.�
�Goodnight, Mother.�
The End