Promise of Tomorrow Read Free Page B

“Woolgathering?”
    â€œIt looks like more rain is on the way.”
    Mary rolled her eyes. “As if we haven’t had enough already.” She snapped her fingers. “I almost forgot to tell you. The Garrens are only going to be here three more days.”
    â€œThey’re leaving early?”
    Mary nodded. “Mrs. Garren said they wouldn’t be needing me for as long as they had anticipated.” She did a little bounce on the balls of her feet. “I’m really hoping she’ll ask me to return with them to Philly as governess. Aren’t the Hensleys leaving next week?”
    â€œYes. I found out yesterday morning.” She skimmed the dull surface of the dark blue water. “I believe they’re going to visit Mr. Carnegie’s home in Cresson for a month. Then they’ll return.”
    â€œAren’t you going with them to watch the children?”
    She shook her head. “The Carnegies are arranging for a woman in Cresson to help with the children during the visit.”
    Mary’s eyes glittered. She sighed. “I wish they would have asked me. I would have jumped at the chance to be inside that rich mansion with all those high society people.”
    Alaina frowned, disturbed by her friend’s preoccupation with all people rich.
    Mary tilted her head and winked. “Does Jack know you’ll be home next weekend?”
    â€œI was going to surprise him.” Last night, she almost said. She had envisioned his joy and the plans they would make to see the opera, go roller-skating, and take long walks in the evenings during her unexpected reprieve from the Hensleys.
    â€œWell,” Mary said, her voice a sympathetic whisper, “you’ve got a whole month to do as you please. Maybe Jack will finally invent whatever he’s trying to invent, and you two can settle down and plan your wedding. If he gets the promotion, that’ll be icing on the cake. Should satisfy your mother, too.”
    A dull throb began behind Alaina’s eyes. The reality was, her mother was never satisfied.
    As they turned onto the walkway leading to Moorhead cottage, Mary gave her a wan smile and squeezed her hand. “Gotta go, Lainey. I enjoyed the picnic. Like old times, right?”

Three
    Cambria Iron Works, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
    Jack Kelly skidded into his boss’s office. He pulled out a wadded handkerchief and mopped the sweat from his brow. Working in the constant and terrible heat of the blast furnace for twelve hours never failed to renew his determination to be the next shift manager.
    Clarence Fulton didn’t flinch at Jack’s flurried entrance. His heavy brows shadowed his dark eyes, lending him a gaunt, haunted appearance.
    â€œGood afternoon, Mr. Fulton.” Jack inclined his head toward the man, stuffed his handkerchief back in his pocket, and held out his hand.
    â€œSame to you, my boy.” Fulton ignored Jack’s proffered hand. “Sit down and tell me the latest on the progress of your plans.”
    Jack’s finger roved inside his snug collar to release the sudden tightness against his neck. “I’m still working on the process, sir.”
    Clarence frowned and leaned forward, his chair belching a groan. “We’ve poured a lot of money into your research, Jack. I hope you are doing all you can to make sure the money is spent wisely. An invention such as you hope to spawn could revolutionize the steel industry.”
    Jack clasped his hands tight. His future depended on Clarence’s patience. For long hours, Jack had studied the open-hearth process of turning iron ore into steel in hopes of inventing a method safer and quicker. He’d made pages and pages of notations whenever a new theory came to him. So far, none had worked. Now Clarence was obviously worried that his money was funneling into a chasm. Jack adjusted his collar again. He couldn’t afford to do the research without Mr.