“Liam lives in the Back Bay on Marlborough Street. Number 397.” She stepped back, already turning away. Then she glanced at Finn once more.
“If you see him, tell himgrazie molto pocofrom Tessa.”
With that, she tugged the little boy inside and slammed the door.
Jesus! Marlborough Street in the Back Bay. How in the hell did Liam get a house there? And if he was doing so bloody well, why wasn’t he feeding his son? He’d hoped to find Liam at the yard when he had gone to see the owner, but then he’d been given the bum’s rush and told to leave in no uncertain terms. He didn’t even know if Liam worked there anymore.
Luckily, with nothing else to do with his time, he could go find his old friend. For 5 cents a ride, it took only three electric trolley cars for him to get to the corner of Commonwealth and Hereford Streets. After a two-block walk, he found himself on relatively quiet Marlborough staring at what could not possibly be Liam’s home. Could it?
Finn whistled sharply.What in the hell?There was nothing modest about this four-story brick dwelling with its lavish miniature front garden behind a wrought iron fence. The arched doorway with a brightly polished knocker awaited.
He took the five shallow steps and knocked, not sure what to expect. A young woman came to the door, dressed in the plain black gown and pinned white apron of a maid.
“Yes?” she asked quite neutrally, though she did take a sweeping look at him from his dusty shoes up his worn pants to his shabby jacket. Recognition that they were equals flashed in her eyes.
A lance of regret pierced him. Instead of worrying for the future, perhaps he should have spent a little of his hard-earned money to spruce himself up. No doubt Rose looked at him as a failure, too.
With shame clogging his throat, he asked, “Is this the residence of Liam Berne?”
“It is,” she answered. “Who wants to know? The tradesman’s entrance is around back, if you’re here to do work.”
Finn could not help frowning.Liam with his own tradesman’s entrance!
“Well,” he didn’t want to embarrass the girl, but enough was enough. “I’m not actually here to do any work for Mr. Berne. We’re old friends.”
Her look was still doubtful, but she said, “I see, sir, my apologies. If you want to come in and wait a moment, I’ll see if he is at liberty to visit with you.”
She stepped back and held the door open wide. After he entered, she secured it behind him before leading the way down the hall to the first door on the right.
“You can wait in here,” she offered.
Finn entered a room that was exactly as he expected it would be in this part of Back Bay. Polished wood floors barely visible around the edges of a thick wool carpet. White trim, painted walls, velvet furniture with dark scrolled legs that looked freshly waxed, high ceilings, and a good-sized fireplace, which today was not lit since the weather was fine.
He definitely did not want to sit on the tufted sofa after having his bum on the trolley cars.
“Would you give me your name, sir?”
He turned, having forgotten for a moment why he was there.
“Phineas Bennet.”
She turned on her heel. He heard her leather soles trip quickly up the stairs and then, a short while later, what sounded like furniture crashing onto the floor. Heavier feet pounded across the landing upstairs and down the stairs. Liam burst into the room.
He stopped a foot inside his parlor and stared.
“Fuck,” he said and slowly shook his head. “Itisyou, isn’t it?”
Liam appeared the same — except completely different in fine clothing and boots that looked to be the best money could buy. He’d always complained about his feet hurting. They couldn’t possibly hurt anymore.
“Aye,” Finn answered, “but is thatyou?”
Liam narrowed his eyes. “How is this possible? How can Finn Bennet be standing in my home four years after he died?”
“How can you be a rich man on Marlborough Street only four years after I left you as a lowly whittler? Now that’s a tale I’d like to hear.”
Liam hesitated, then his face split into a grin and he stuck his hand out. Finn took it and they pumped their arms up and down vigorously. For the first time since leaving his father’s home in Portland, Finn felt welcome.
“Will you sit?” Liam asked before pressing a button on the wall.
