In Dreams Forgotten Read online

  When the last chords faded on the air, everyone seemed content to just sit in silence around the fire. It was the perfect ending to the day.

  Later, when Micah dropped them off at the house, the sun had long since gone, and the skies had given over their swirls of orange and scarlet to the night. While Camri and Patrick disappeared up the lighted stairs into the house, Kenzie was waylaid by Micah, who apparently wanted to talk to her privately. Judith felt torn between going into the house and waiting so that Kenzie wouldn’t be alone. She climbed the stairs to the first landing outside the small but beautiful house. She glanced at the windows lit in welcome. No doubt a fire was already crackling in the front room, and given the chill, Judith longed for its warmth. She glanced down at the car, where Kenzie was shaking her head and doing her best to sidestep Micah. Judith didn’t want Kenzie to be uncomfortable, but at the same time, she knew Kenzie could take care of herself. She also knew Micah was a gentleman. He wouldn’t do anything untoward.

  “You’ll catch a chill out here,” Caleb said, descending the stairs. “And it looks like rain.”

  The sight of him took Judith’s breath away. In the light from the streetlamp, she could see he was dressed in his finest formal wear from head to toe. Black tails, white tie, and top hat. Florence Brighton had better appreciate him.

  “I . . . uh, I was just waiting for Kenzie.” Her mouth felt suddenly dry. Why couldn’t he see the effect he had on her? “You look quite dashing.” She cringed. She hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

  “Why, thank you.” Caleb shrugged. “It’s expected, where I’m going.”

  “The opera,” Judith murmured.

  “Yes, but first to a very formal dinner at the home of a very influential and very aloof family, who believe their presence to be a gift of the very finest order.” He grinned.

  Judith couldn’t help but smile. “Sounds very delightful.”

  Caleb laughed heartily. “Just between you and me, I tend to side with Kipling. He said, ‘San Francisco is a mad city—inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people, whose women are of a remarkable beauty.’”

  “Are you speaking of Rudyard Kipling?”

  This question came from Kenzie, who had joined them on the steps.

  Caleb nodded. “I am. He wrote it some years ago. I suspect he hoped Americans, or at least San Franciscans, would never read it, but a good friend of mine managed to write it down word for word and sent it to me as a welcome when I moved to this fair city. And, I must say, it seems to prove itself true to me on a daily basis.”

  Kenzie shrugged. “So why do you stay?”

  Caleb gave a slight bow. “A very good question, my dear lady, and one which would take far too long to answer and cause me to be late to my very”—he winked at Judith—“important social event.” He then bowed quite formally. “I must bid you both, good evening.” With that, he sprinted down the stairs.

  “Well, I must say that was rather entertaining.” Judith watched him start his Winton and climb into the driver’s seat. “Sometimes he is a real puzzle to me.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, right after he returned from being shanghaied, he talked about going into ministry work full-time.”

  “He does hold a Bible study for those sailors he helped,” Kenzie offered.

  “Yes, but he talked about leaving the law, since he inherited Mr. Ambrewster’s money, and going into some sort of ministry. Instead he’s just going to one party or meeting after another.”

  “Well, it hasn’t been that long since his ordeal.” Kenzie shrugged. “Maybe he needs some time to put it behind him.”

  Caleb had been shanghaied from the dance hall of Malcolm Daniels the previous August, after trying to rescue his Chinese housekeepers’ daughter Liling. Until then, he had practiced law with Mr. Henry Ambrewster and earned the older man’s undying respect and gratitude. In fact, Ambrewster had so favored Caleb that when Patrick Murdock had been accused of murder, Ambrewster had allowed Caleb to stray from their focus on corporate law to defend him.

  “But he seemed so excited to go into ministry work,” Judith said.

  “Maybe God hasn’t revealed to him what he should do,” Kenzie countered as they climbed the steps to the house. “Or maybe He has revealed it, and cleaning up the corruption in this town is the direction He wants Caleb to go.”

  “Maybe, but he doesn’t seem all that happy.”

  Kenzie paused at the door. “Maybe you’re the unhappy one, so you believe he’s just as miserable.”

  Judith nodded. “I suppose you might be right.”

  CHAPTER

  2

  Well, now that Patrick’s joined our church,” Camri Coulter said at breakfast, “at least we know where the wedding will be.”

  “But when?” Judith asked, smearing her toast with jam. “Will you get married this year?”

  “Oh goodness, yes.” Camri sipped her tea, then put the cup down with an odd look on her face. “At least I hope so. Patrick doesn’t want to get married until he has his business back up and running and he can furnish us a home of our own.”

  “But I thought that was part of the problem with the city corruption that Caleb is trying to defeat,” Kenzie said, shaking her head when Mrs. Wong, the housekeeper, offered her the platter of ham. “I didn’t think Patrick could get his construction business back until Abraham Ruef was defeated once and for all.”

  Ruef controlled every aspect of business in the city, and a more corrupt man there had never been. He was a lawyer who had formed the Union Labor Party only a few years earlier. He saw the potential of labor controlling the wealthy and set himself up to be the legal advisor to almost every businessman and labor group in the city. He was well-known for taking bribes. In fact, he was known to insist on bribes, although he called them a retainer for any counsel that he might offer. He took in large amounts of money from those who wished to curry favor. Then, after taking out his portion—usually half or better—he shared the rest with the mayor, Board of Supervisors, and anyone else who could benefit him. He was into everyone’s pocket, and everyone was operating out of his.

  “Caleb has friends who are helping him,” Camri murmured.

  Choosing that moment to make a hurried appearance, Caleb popped into the dining room and snatched a piece of toast off his sister’s plate. “Good morning, ladies. I wish I could stay, but Patrick and I have a meeting.”

  Camri nodded. “He told me all about it last night. I do hope you’ll both be careful.”

  Caleb grinned, which always caused Judith’s heart to skip a beat. He had an impish look on his face as he leaned down to kiss the top of Camri’s head. “I’m always careful.”

  “Yes, so careful that you managed to get yourself shanghaied and might still be somewhere across the Pacific but for God’s intercession,” Camri replied.

  “But that is the glory of it, sister dear. God is always interceding for me against the powers of darkness.” Caleb straightened. He speared a piece of ham and put it on top of the toast. “I’ll tell Patrick you send your love.”

  “Doesn’t he have the decency to come inside so I can give it to him in person?” Camri asked.

  “There isn’t time. I already told you that. Our meeting is at seven thirty so that everyone still has time to get to their daily business.”

  “But why did you plan for a morning meeting?” Camri asked. “I would have thought the evening would be a better time.”

  Caleb shrugged. “I’m not running things. I’m just one of many who have a personal interest in the matter and am doing my part to see Ruef defeated, even if that means meeting at midnight on the docks.” He headed for the door. “Try not to worry. I’ll see you all this evening, as I plan to stay in. We can discuss it over supper, and I’ll even insist Patrick join us.” He paused and looked directly at Judith. “Maybe we can talk Judith into playing the piano for us, and you and Kenzie can sing.”

  Judith focused her attention on he
r plate, feeling more than a little flustered. Goodness, but Caleb could put her thoughts in a whirl. He was considerate and sweet to all of them—treating Kenzie and Judith just as he did his sister. But Judith didn’t want him to treat her like a sister.

  He hadn’t even exited the house before Camri spoke up. “I do wish they’d get this business settled. I can’t help but worry. Ruef has a lot of friends, and they won’t sit idly by while Caleb and his associates seek to destroy his hold on the city.”

  “Yes, but most of Ruef’s friends are bought and paid for,” Kenzie pointed out. “If the men figure out a way to cut off his funding, perhaps those friends will come over to our side.”

  “I’d like to think so, but I’m hardly convinced.”

  Judith could hear the concern in Camri’s voice and quickly changed the subject. “What kind of gown are you considering for the wedding?”

  “I would have liked to wear my mother’s wedding gown, but our sister wore it and will not be parted from it, especially now that she’s with child again. She hopes this time to have a daughter to whom she can pass it down.”

  Kenzie helped herself to a poached egg. “That hardly seems fair. Your mother’s gown should be available to you as well as your sister.”

  Camri shrugged. “I didn’t feel like fighting over it. Catherine can be so headstrong, and I could see this turning into one of those fights that shakes the very foundations of the family. So my plan is to have a new gown designed to my preferences, one I can pass along to my own daughter—should I have one.”

  “And what are your preferences?” Judith asked.

  “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve been reading about it and looking at hundreds of dress styles. Satin and chiffon are popular for wedding gowns, but so are silk and tulle. I’ve found several styles I like but want to try them on to be sure. There’s a new shop in town devoted completely to bridal gowns, so I thought I might take a look.”

  “Oh, we could go with you. Make an afternoon of it on Saturday.” Judith saw the frown that lined Kenzie’s lips. “Well, I could go with you. I know Kenzie is usually busy on Saturdays helping her cousin.”

  “It would be nice to have your opinions.” Camri looked at Kenzie. “Although I wouldn’t want to cause you distress.”

  Kenzie shrugged. “It’s of no matter to me. I’m not a china doll, and I won’t break. I can accompany you too, if that’s what you’d like.”

  Judith had to admit that Kenzie was far more accommodating now than she had been when they’d first come to the city. Given her wounded spirit after being jilted, Kenzie hadn’t been very good company those first few weeks, but of late she was far more outspoken. Especially when Dr. Fisher tried to draw her attention.

  Camri nodded. “I think it would be great fun, and since Caleb has been so gracious as to reimburse us all for the money we spent to keep up the household while he was missing, I feel as if I’m rich.”

  “Me too,” Judith said. “It’s a wonder, to be sure. I’ve never had much money in my life. My parents neither, but now my bank account has two hundred dollars in it. Seems completely odd to me, but there it sits.”

  Camri laughed. “I think we should plan to go out early and make a day of it. I will want both of you in my wedding as my attendants, so we can also consider your gowns. I think all of us in white with perhaps your gowns trimmed in pink might be nice. I want to have pink roses in my bouquet, and perhaps you could both have them in your hair. Or maybe a hat trimmed with pink roses and white feathers.”

  “Oh, I would love to be in your wedding.” Judith put down her half-eaten toast. “I’ve never been a wedding attendant, and I can just imagine a hat like that.” She sighed. “It would be just like a fairy tale, but it sounds very expensive, and two hundred dollars won’t go very far once I start buying things like fancy hats.”

  “Silly goose,” Camri chided. “My family will be paying for the wedding, or at least Caleb will be. He’s already told me to have whatever I like. Since he has come into an unexpected fortune, he intends to see that I have the wedding of my dreams. So fear not. You needn’t purchase a single thing.”

  Judith felt her cheeks warm. “Well, I didn’t expect that, but then, I’ve never been around someone planning a wedding. Is it done like this all the time?”

  Camri nodded. “The bride’s family pays for the wedding. In days of old, it came with a dowry as well. The father of the bride would pay a dowry to the husband.”

  “Imagine someone paying your husband to marry you.” Judith shook her head. “That seems rather insulting.”

  “Men have also paid for brides,” Camri countered. “It just depends on the situation. Marriage was once far more of a business arrangement than a romantic one. I’m certain we’ll see less and less of that, however, as women receive the right to vote and make their own choices.”

  “It’s true,” Kenzie said in an absent-minded fashion. “I knew women who were made to marry men arranged for them by their father.” She seemed to come back to herself. “Saturday would be fine with me. Maybe we can have a bite to eat while we’re out. I’ve heard of several new restaurants from Cousin George.”

  “I’ll talk to Caleb and see if he might drive us and drop us off,” Camri said, looking delighted with their plans. “We can always take the trolley back.”

  “I think it sounds grand.” Judith was a romantic at heart. She had always found fairy tales about princesses and handsome princes to be her favorites. She’d even taken to reading more after Camri shared a romantic book written by Jane Austen with her.

  “I also have some things I need to pick up,” Kenzie said, pushing her plate aside. “I came here with mostly winter clothing, and while my mother is shipping my remaining wardrobe, I still have some purchases to make.”

  Judith nodded. “I’d love to do a little shopping as well.”

  “Then we shall have a full day of it,” Camri said, getting to her feet. “But for now, I’ve promised to go to Henry Ambrewster’s office and start an inventory, and you two must go to work making chocolate.”

  “Hardly that,” Kenzie countered. “Boxing it and running the office will be our lot.”

  Judith giggled. “I’d actually like to try my hand at making it. I’ve imagined all sorts of ideas for new fillings.”

  Kenzie shrugged. “You should tell Cousin George. He might be of a mind to use your ideas. I heard him saying the other day that he needed to come up with some new ones.”

  “What fun that would be.” Judith could only imagine how wonderful it might be to sit around discussing and developing recipes for new candies.

  Humming quietly to herself, she went upstairs to fetch her coat and hat.

  “The fact of the matter is that Ruef and his cronies must be stopped,” Rudolph Spreckels stated. As one of the city’s wealthiest men, he had a vested interest in ridding the town of Ruef’s stranglehold. “And I believe that by working together, we can accomplish this.”

  Caleb looked around the room at the men who had gathered for this meeting. His soon-to-be brother-in-law Patrick Murdock gave a single nod of encouragement, while the others looked skeptical.

  “You know full well that we agree with you. However, others have tried and failed. What makes you think we can be more successful?” a local businessman asked.

  Caleb understood the man’s frustration. He was only stating what everyone here was thinking.

  Spreckels didn’t have a chance to reply as Fremont Older, managing editor of the San Francisco Bulletin, stood. “I think we can succeed now, because we have more physical evidence. Not only that, but there are more of us willing to take a stand. We have power in numbers. If we stand together, then Ruef will have no one to intimidate.”

  “But he has so many of the common men in his employ,” another man said, shaking his head. “Police officers and the chief of police himself, as well as firemen and most of the dock workers.”

  “So we must convince those men that they can be better off with
out Ruef as dictator,” Older replied. “They know that it’s just as easy to be on Ruef’s bad side as his good. They’ve seen men beaten, shanghaied, and even killed. We need to help them to realize they’re living on borrowed time.”

  Judge Winters spoke up. “We know there will always be underhanded men willing to do Ruef’s bidding. I believe we should do what we can to draw them to our side, but the most important element is cutting off the head of this snake.”

  “I agree,” Older said, nodding. “We are working to do that, but it will take money. That’s why we’ve come together today. We need to know that we have your financial backing for our purpose.”

  “Fremont and I have pledged our support in the amount of five thousand dollars,” Rudolph Spreckels reminded everyone. “As you know, William Langdon, our district attorney, has committed himself to cleaning up the seamier parts of the city. Ruef might have arranged for him to be elected, but Langdon has shown himself to have his own agenda. I’ve spoken with him at length, and he’s already put a federal investigation into motion. Our citizens are appalled at the way vice is allowed to run rampant, and we all know that this is a huge source of income for Ruef. As we clean up the Barbary Coast and other areas, we will deprive him of his bankroll.”

  “Not only that,” Older added, “but I have been in touch with Special Prosecutor Francis Heney. He told me of his interest in helping us. I’m going to Washington, DC, to meet with him and President Roosevelt.”

  Caleb had heard rumors of this and could see that the announcement did much to perk up the men around him.

  “Do you believe the president will help us?” one of the other men asked.

  “It looks very promising,” Older replied. As a longtime newspaperman, he had many connections and a great many friends. “However, we’re going to need to raise additional money. Probably at least a hundred thousand dollars.”

  “That’s a large sum,” someone said from the back of the room.

  “True, but if we all dig deep and encourage our friends to do likewise, we can raise it. After all, we’ll find ourselves either giving it willingly to rid ourselves of Ruef, or giving it unwillingly to benefit him.”