AN: Please don't skip over Chapter 13. I've posted two on the same day.
Once more at a loss for words, Matthew was grateful when he caught sight of Mary pushing the pram in their direction and let Rose know she was on her way.
Upon reaching them, his wife's gaze went from him to Rose, as if she were assessing their mood, and then she informed the two of them that the girls were eager to move on to the carousel.
"Apparently, they have had their fill of tadpoles," she said and managed a weak laugh.
Rose nodded. "I'm eager to move on, too, Mary. Matthew and I have cleared the air," she said and brushed quickly passed her in the direction of the children.
As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Mary turned to him and said, "Did she confirm our suspicions?"
Matthew cocked his head as he contemplated the question and then replied, "Not exactly. I'll fill you in later, darling. It's complicated."
Mary sighed. "It always is, isn't it?"
XX
Chapter XIV
As soon as Matthew passed through the revolving doors into the lobby of the tallest building in the world, he could feel that he was about to experience something extraordinary. His eyes were drawn instantly to the ornate mural overhead, a gold and aluminum celestial sky with sunbursts and stars in the form of gears and other mechanical devices, the art deco ceiling in perfect harmony with the granite walls' creamy gold and brown swirls.
Storefronts lined the north and southern side of the lobby, each bearing a bronze motif depicting one of the crafts of industries used in the buildings construction over the doorway – Electricity, Masonry and Heating. Zigzagging terrazzo tiles on the floor lead him to the west side of the lobby and an aluminium relief of the skyscraper with an embossing of the building's outline. Rays of sun shone out from behind the tower and the spire, and it included a state map of New York with the building's location marked by a medallion.
As he studied the motif, he saw a lanky tour guide donned in a red and black uniform heading for Rose in his peripheral vision.
"You look very familiar to me, Madam. Have you been here before?" the man asked as he tore off the bottom portion of the tickets he held in in his hands and handed her the remains.
"Yes, many times, Mr…um…, "she began and paused as her eyes focused on the name plate on his jacket. "….Ogilvy, she spurted. "I find the view from the top so enthralling that it brings me back time and time again. My purpose in visiting today, however, is to share that wonderful experience with my family, who are visiting New York for the first time from England." she added.
"How wonderful," he replied, turning to him and Mary. "I hope that your visit is delightful and assure you that I will do my best to make your tour an enjoyable experience. If I do say so myself, there is no other building in New York that compares to this one. Millions of visitors pass through these doors each year, many of them famous... the most recent that comes to mind being Albert Einstein."
At that, Matthew felt a tug on his sleeve and then he heard Victoria ask, "Isn't this the building the giant gorilla fell from?"
His mouth twitched. "Perhaps you could field my daughter's question, Mr. Ogilvy."
The tour guide smiled and nodded his head. Then, peering down at Victoria, he replied, "He did in the movie, Miss, but the giant gorilla…King Kong… isn't real. Rest assured, the only apes that you will find in New York are housed in zoos and neither man nor beast has ever fallen from this building. It is quite safe."
"Well that is good," Victoria, replied. "It would be like…like the giant falling from the top of the beanstalk. That wouldn't do at all."
Hearing chuckling behind him, Matthew turned his head and found Vickie enthusiastically nodding her head in agreement while George and JR had their eyes set on the ceiling, the later pointing out something of interest to little Daniel.
Suspecting the two boys had just manufactured the scene for his benefit, he narrowed his eyes at them before turning back to Mr. Ogilvy.
The tour guide, too, found the comment amusing and his grin widened before he turned his attention back to the adults in the group and said, "Now then, if no-one else has a question, I'd like to provide you with some information I'm sure you will find of interest before we begin the tour."
XX
"Indians? Did you say Indians played a part in the construction of the building?"
Matthew turned his head in the direction of the high-pitched voice and found a young woman, who appeared about Rose's age, donned in a black and white polka dot dress with her eyes fixed on Mr. Ogilvy while she awaited his reply.
"Yes, Miss. There were hundreds of them...Mohawks mostly...who lived on a reservation near Montreal. They were nicknamed Iron Walkers at first and then as the building reached great heights, Sky Walkers because of their dexterity on the steel beams. Imagine navigating one 24 inches wide a thousand feet from the ground."
Catching sight of George and JR's expressions, Matthew knew that is exactly what the two were imagining, the boy's faces alight with awe and wonder. The sound of murmurings in the crowd made it clear to him that they weren't the only ones envisioning the extraordinary scene.
His son raised his hand to get the tour guide's attention and asked, "Where did they live while they worked on the building, Mr. Ogilvy? Montreal is quite a distance from here, isn't it?"
"Yes, young man, it is. Nearly 400 miles. It would have been a hardship for the men to travel that distance at the end of what was no doubt a grueling week. Therefore, in order to avoid the long trek home, they settled in Brooklyn, which is quite close, for the duration of the building's construction. I'll point that County out to you from the Observation Deck," Ogilvy replied.
"Well that would make sense," George said. "They would need to do whatever it took to keep alert and limber. Their very lives depended on it.".
A heavy-set man in a light grey suit and a woman half his size that was hanging on his arm nodded in unison, as did four or five other people in close proximity to them.
George does have a way of captivating a crowd, Matthew thought. No doubt, he would do quite well in the political arena should he choose that path down the line.
Mary caught his eye and they shared the look of amusement mingled with pride that they often did when their first born took a step into the limelight.
Then Mr. Ogilvy brought everyone's attention back to him as he launched into his presentation full throttle.
"As you may already know, this building is the tallest in the entire world, reaching 1,250 feet above the ground. What you likely do not know is at the time it was commissioned by John J. Raskob, an executive at the General Motors Company and Al Smith, the former Governor of New York, there was a competition in place In New York as to who could build the tallest building. The main competitor was Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Motor Company, who had commissioned a skyscraper as a monument to himself.
Initially, the Chrylser Building was to be 1,050 feet high, but when Mr. Raskob and Smith learned that their competition would be 1,046 feet, they promptly added another 16 stories to this building to win the competition, which they did," he said and smiled before he began rattling off further details about the winner
"The Empire State Building is composed of 60,000 tons of steel, 200,000 cubic feet of Indiana limestone and granite, 10 million bricks, and 730 tons of aluminum and stainless steel. It has 6,514 windows and 73 elevators, which were built and are maintained by the Otis Elevators Company. Four of them are express elevators, with the longest traveling directly from the lobby to the 80th floor. The speed of the elevators is limited to 700 feet per minute, though they can move more than 1,200.
Construction was completed 410 days ahead of schedule and budget by 4,000 industrious and as I've touched upon, very courageous crewmen.
Mr. Ogilvie paused then as the chatter picked up again.
"Any questions?" he called out, loud enough to be heard by those in the end row.
Matthew scanned the crowd and found those around him shaking their heads.
The tour guide clapped his hands together and said, "Very well, then. Now, if you would all be so kind as to form a straight line with nor more than two adults and one child in each slot, I will lead you to the elevators that will take us to the Observation Deck, where the tour will be continued. "
Heeding Mr. Ogilvy's instructions, Matthew motioned for Rose and Vickie to take the lead. Next came George, JR and Daniel, who had flatly refused to leave his older cousin's side.
Rose turned to him and Mary and said, "You probably think I'm spoiling him by giving him his way…but I know he is in safe hands with George…and I've learned from experience to choose my battles wisely. I think it important that children have some say in making choices that effect their happiness."
"I don't think you are doing anything wrong, Rose, and I highly doubt Matthew does either," Mary replied. "It wasn't too long ago that we were in your shoes."
He nodded his head and added, "Neither of us are grading your parenting skills, my dear…but rest assured, if we were, you would receive high marks."
Basking in the praise, she beamed at him and Mary before tussling Daniel's hair and cautioning him to not let go of Cousin George's hand.
Realizing he was victorious, Daniel smiled brightly at his mother and then latched onto both George and JR's hands with all his might, causing the two of them to chuckle with amusement.
Matthew smiled at the boys and then turned back to the tour guide.
"Well then, onward and upward," he said, feeling the phrase had never fit better than it did at that moment.
XX
The doors closed shut and the elevator cab shot up like a roman candle, causing Matthew's stomach to lurch.
Then it picked up speed.
Victoria squealed with delight, which was no surprise to him. After all, she was in her glory when riding her horse at a full gallop or in her uncle's MG with the top down as it sped down an open road.
Matthew saw her then in his mind's eye, sitting in the back seat with her hair blowing in every direction and shouting, "Faster, Uncle Tom. Faster."
He shook his head and smiled before fixing his eyes on the lit numbers on the panel above the elevator doors, which were rising by the second, as was the pressure inside his ears.
If we were moving at maximum speed, my hair would be standing on end, he thought as he gripped the handrail affixed to the wall on his left.
Much to his relief, his ears popped and a few moments later, as the elevator came to a halt at the 79th floor, his stomach returned to its normal position.
Ding…rang out in the cab, followed by the swishing sound of the doors opening.
"Please exit the elevator in an orderly fashion and keep moving until you are a good distance away in order to allow everyone room to exit. We will regroup and take the local elevator to the 86th floor," Mr. Ogilvie called out from his position in the back of the cab.
Matthew waited patiently until the line of people in front of him had cleared the elevator, then turned to George as he grasped hold of Victoria's hand.
"Hold tightly onto Daniel and follow me, Son. Your mother and Cousin Rose are waiting for us in the lobby across the way."
XX
The perimeter of the observation deck was surrounded by a half stone wall and metal grating that rose up and curved inward at the top.
Perfectly safe, he thought as he eyed the measures that had been put in place to prevent anyone from toppling off the building. The precautions eased his mind considerably as he saw the children racing by.
"Children….wait for us," he called out upon seeing that George and JR had hold of little Daniel's hands and the boy's feet were no longer touching the ground.
Hearing his directive, the boys stopped abruptly and the little boy's legs swung upward in a flurry of giggles before coming back down and hitting the concrete with a loud thump. Meanwhile, Victoria and Vickie, who were close behind, skirted around them, narrowly avoiding a collision.
"Please hurry Father," his daughter pleaded. "Vickie says you can see the whole world from here and I can't wait to see what it looks like."
"Have patience, Victoria. We will get there soon enough…and I promise the world will still be there when we do." he replied.
"I'm not sure which one of them is more headstrong," Rose said, eyeing the two girls, who were now pouting in unison.
Following her cousin's line of vision, Mary replied, "I'd say they are an even match."
"I can't say I'm surprised that they are so strong willed considering…," Matthew began and then stopped as he caught sight of Rose and Mary narrowing their eyes at him.
Now searching his mind for a way to extricate his foot from his mouth, he was relieved when little Daniel unwittingly solved his problem for him by calling out that he needed to take a wee.
Rose jumped into action and Mary followed suit, each whispering something in their daughter's ear and receiving a nod in response.
As Mary hauled the two of them toward the exit, Matthew approached George and JR with the hope that they hadn't drank as much water at the park as the other children did, and finding they had not, he smiled.
After all, the world was waiting.
XX
"It is spectacular, isn't it? Rose said and paused, her head moving slowly from right to left and then gazing straight ahead. "No matter how many times I've seen this view, it always takes my breath away."
"Completely understandable," he replied as he eyed the panorama that lay before him with awe. "I feel as though I am no longer tethered to the earth. I am a god on Mount Olympus looking down at the mortal world" he said with dramatic flair and chuckled.
"And which god would that be, darling?" Mary asked in a playful tone.
"Hmmm…I would say, Zeus, but then you would have to take on the role of Hera, which would not do at all since Aphrodite was the most beautiful goddess," he said and smiled broadly at her. "Let's see…that would make me…Hephaestus."
Mary beamed at him as she pushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead and gave his arm a gentle squeeze before bringing her hand back to her side.
Rose sighed. "You two are just…," she ended with a smile. "I can only hope…,"
Matthew had an idea of what she would say next but could not be absolutely certain as Mr. Ogilvie chose that exact moment to continue with his presentation.
"The two bridges you are looking at in order of closest proximity are the Brooklyn and Manhattan, each connecting the two boroughs over the East River," he said, loud enough to be heard above a sudden burst of wind that whipped the metal grating that surrounded the perimeter.
Haversmith said the city is comprised of five boroughs…If that is Brooklyn, then that must be….
As if Mr. Ogilvie were reading his mind, he called out "For those who are visiting New York City for the first time, it is comprised of five boroughs, the two I have just mentioned and Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island."
Matthew followed his line of vision and found the landscape consisted of a multitude of concrete buildings in varying heights and shades of color, the shorter ones appearing like step stools next to the skyscrapers. He then took into account that millions of people lived and worked in New York City, and a can of sardines came to mind, leading him to shake his head. Though he found his surroundings visually stunning, he doubted he would be happy living in such a congested environment.
Then again, Rose and Atticus seemed to be thriving here as was Mr. Haversmith, though they had been accustomed to a very different way of life. Perhaps with a positive outlook and after a period of adjustment…
"The body of water that lies to the west is the Hudson River, which at this juncture separates Manhattan from the state of New Jersey, one of the four states where a portion is it is visible from here on a clear day. The others are New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. I have been told that some visitors have caught a glimpse of the tip of Mount Everett in Massachusetts, although I haven't seen it myself. However, since it is 2600 feet high, there definitely is a possibility that it could be. Further north, the Harlem River divides Manhattan from the Bronx and the mainland."
Rose tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to what appeared a rectangular garden filled with rows of broccoli, the heads bunched together and interspersed with pools of water, the earth appearing as if it just had a heavy rain. Knowing how massive the park was, it felt surreal seeing it this way.
"And my home sits right about there," she exclaimed.
He focused his eyes in the direction she was pointing to but knew he would not be able to see much. It would be easier finding a needle in a haystack than the Aldrich's home or any other for that matter at this height and from this distance. The Statute of Liberty was just a blip on the horizon.
At that moment, he felt a hard tug on his jacket sleeve and turned to find Victoria looking up at him with pleading eyes.
"I'm tired of standing on my toes, Father. They are beginning to hurt."
He berated himself for being so caught up in the moment that he had noticed his daughter had been struggling to get a better view and accommodated her immediately.
"Alright then," he said, lifting her into his arms and planting a kiss on her cheek. Better?"
"Much," she said and smiled as she took in her surroundings.
He looked down the line then to see how the boys were fairing and was happy to see that they did not share Victoria's problem, both boys being a couple of inches taller than she was.
George had Daniel on his hip, the child declining his mother's invitation to lift him up, which turned out to be a blessing, considering Rose was leaning on the wall for support with Vickie in her arms.
Following his gaze, he saw Mary move to her cousin with outstretched arms.
"Let me take her for a while, Rose. You must be exhausted."
Rose smiled and thanked her before passing Vickie over and then removed her hat and began fanning herself.
Matthew wished he could do the same as his jacket with Victoria layered on top of it was making him swelter. Still, he relished the smile on her face and excitement in her eyes as her head darted from one spot to another. No matter how uncomfortable he might be, he would not put her down until she asked him to.
Setting his sights back on George, he found his son, too, engrossed in his surroundings and called out to him.
"Is it all you thought it would be, Son?" he asked, knowing he had researched New York's tourist attractions thoroughly before they arrived.
"It is even better than I imagined, Father," George replied. "I've wondered how Charles Lindbergh must have felt when he first took to the air and peered down at the world below and I have an inkling now even though I'm standing still instead of soaring through the air." He took in a deep breath of it and a look of utter contentment spread over his face.
Matthews inner voice told him that George was in his element here and had a strong feeling that one day the sky would call out to him as it did the famous aviator. He had been fascinated with air flight since the two of them attended their first Hendon Air Show together when he was four year's old.
Then Vickie began squirming for a better position, bringing his attention back to her.
"Isn't the world beautiful, Father?"
The sun washed over the city and the land that lay beyond it for miles, gleaming off countless rooftops and waterways, making them sparkle like jewels. His eyes feasted on the majestic sight and then fixed on the Chrysler Building as the giant orb overhead transformed its terraced crown from silver to gold.
George had shared with him that upon visiting the observation deck, the famous American author F. Scott Fitzgerald had said that he was surprised to discover that New York had limits, that it was a city after all, and not a universe."
He knew that was true, but at that moment, he saw the metropolis through a ten-year old's eyes.
"Yes, sweetheart. It most certainly is."
The special moment was broken then by Vickie, who had just remembered that her mother had promised her a trip to F.A.O Schwarz once the tour was done and was now calling out to Victoria to share that information.
Rose caught his eye, tapped on her watch, and said, "I'm afraid it is time to go. We have one more stop."
"The whole first floor is filled with dolls," Vickie shouted as Mary put her down on her feet.
At that, Victoria's jaw dropped and she began to squirm to get down.
He obliged her and took one last look at the horizon before he turned to Mary and said, "Come, darling. The most famous toy store in the world awaits us."
XX
"Do you see it, Matthew? I don't mean to rush you, darling, but the limousine will be here any minute to take us to the theatre," Mary said.
On all fours with his head poking under the bed and rear in the air, reminiscent of a puppy at play, Matthew grunted and replied, "I think I have it in sight…Oomph…Yes…Yes…just a few more inches and….and…Ugh, this isn't it. I just found an earring, though. Are you missing one?"
"No, I managed to insert them into my ears with no problem," Mary replied in a shrill tone. She huffed then and spouted, "I do wish you would have waited for me to help you with your cufflinks, Matthew. We could have avoided all of this….this drama."
"I usually manage to do so quite easily on my own Mary…as you are well aware," he shot back, sliding his hand toward the foot of the bed, which was the only place he hadn't searched yet that he could reach.
He would have said more but the last thing he wanted was for him and Mary to quarrel on their last night in New York. Although it had been hectic since they arrived, he would leave for Newport with many wonderful memories.
Apparently, Mary, too, wanted to avoid any unpleasantness as she had gone silent.
"I've got it," he called out, gripping the cufflink tightly in his hand and slowly easing out from under the bed.
Now, if the seam in my pants holds up, crisis averted, he told himself as he began to rise.
Mary offered him her hand for support and he gladly took it as his back was beginning to cramp.
"I'm sorry, darling. It wasn't fair of me to berate you. I'm just worn out from the day's activities and knowing Rose's surprise would be here any second pushed me over the edge. Forgive me?"
"Of course, I do," he replied and gave her a quick peck on the lips before addressing his open cuff.
She smiled, straightened his bowtie and complimented his appearance.
"I have yet to meet a man who rivals you in a tux, Matthew," she said. "I'll be the envy of many women tonight,"
That made him smile. Knowing Mary still found him attractive after all these years was a boost to his ego with his 50th birthday around the corner.
"I know that I will be….Well not of many women," he said and chuckled " …but…you know what I mean. You look especially lovely tonight, my darling wife."
Then the predicted knock on the door came.
XX
"It really is a shame that Anna isn't feeling up to attending the theatre. She was looking forward to seeing "Anything Goes" very much as Ethel Merman is one of her favorites," Mary said, reaching the half way point as they made their way down the stairs.
Matthew was sorry that she wouldn't be joining them to see the hit Broadway production, too, and was about to say so when he was gobsmacked by the identity of Rose's surprise guest, who was standing beside Atticus in the foyer.
"What is it darling," Mary said in an anxious tone as she looked him over. "Is something amiss?"
He shook his head to clear the jumbled thoughts that were piling on top of one another since he realized who he and his wife were about to meet and replied, "No…nothing is wrong, Mary…I just got a glimpse of Rose's surprise…That's all."
Mary's eyebrows rose in response to his explanation and she countered, "That's all. The last time I saw that look on your face was when Vivian introduced you to Winston Churchill back in…," she paused then, took a sharp intake of breath and whispered, "It's President Roosevelt, isn't it? We're going to be introduced to the President and the First Lady…I'm right, aren't I?"
Matthew sighed and shook his head. "No, but he probably could be if the position held any interest for him. We're going to meet…,"
"Ahh, there you are,' Rose called out, interrupting the revelation and prompting them to pick up their pace. "I was informed that Mrs. Bates won't be joining us and was beginning to wonder if you two were still up to a night on the town."
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Mary said, smiling from ear to ear as she stood before the wealthiest man in the entire world.
The man needed no introduction, but he knew the formality would be adhered to by Atticus as soon as Rose stepped out of his way.
Jockeying into position beside the prominent financier and philanthropist, he said, "John, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Mr. Matthew Crawley and his wife, Lady Mary Crawley."
"I am delighted to meet you. Rose and Atticus have kept my husband and I in the dark these last two days regarding your identity… and I must say, I find I am a bit awestruck," Mary said, bowing her head in deference before turning the floor over to her husband.
Extending his hand to the man in the dark pinstriped suit, he looked beyond the metal spectacles beyond the metal spectacles into eyes that exuded both warmth and intelligence, much as his father's had. In addition, he found that the two men shared the same stature, coloring and style of dress.
"Mr. Rockefeller, it is an honor to make your acquaintance, Sir. My father-in-law and I were just discussing your foundation's generous grant to Oxford a few days before I, my wife and children set sail for America," he said. Then upon releasing his hand, added, "The expansion of the Bodleian Library was very much appreciated by the students and faculty."
The only son of the co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, John D. Rockefeller, Sr. shared that England held a special place in his heart as he spent a good deal of time there ever since he was a young child and that it brought him great joy to be able to advance its institutions of higher learning.
"In fact, it was Atticus's father who brought Oxford's need to my attention. Lord Sinderby has been kind enough to oblige me in keeping an eye out for institutions in need of assistance… But where are my manners," he said, turning to the two women at his side. "It is my pleasure to introduce you both to my wife, Abigail, and our daughter, Mrs. David Milton, who I feel certain will want you to address her as 'Babs', the truncated version of her name that she shares with her mother.
"You are quite right, Father," the young woman to his left piped in and then gushed, "I am so thrilled to meet you both. Rose has told me so much about you that I feel as though I know you already."
He and Mary smiled and launched into the customary small talk one makes when meeting someone for the first time.
Once all the social amenities were dispensed with, Babs Rockefeller called out," Now, where is my Goddaughter? Please don't tell me she is already asleep. I've been looking forward to seeing her all day."
Rose shook her head and said, "No…no…I purposely had her nap later today so that she could manage staying awake. Smitty is bringing her down, but I'm afraid you'll only have a few minutes with her before we must leave. The show will be starting soon and you know how heavy the traffic can be when a production is this popular at the Alvin (Theatre).
On cue, Haversmith appeared, looking every bit a matinee movie idol in his tails, with baby Hope in his arms, and headed straight for her Godmother.
"Here she is, Babs. I told her you would be waiting for her and she smiled," he said, handing over the child, who did appear happy to see her.
Matthew watched the scene unfold, feeling as though he had suddenly gone through the looking glass, as Violet would often say when a situation surreal.
While Mr. & Mrs. Rockefeller joined their daughter and were cooing at the baby, Mary gestured for Rose to join them.
"Why didn't you tell us that you and Atticus are on such friendly terms with the Rockefellers?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Rose shrugged. "I didn't want Atticus and I to become fodder for the gossip mills. People would say that we were hobnobbing with the rich and famous in order to achieve personal gain...and it just isn't so," she hissed. "I met Babs at a charity event at the Waldorf to raise money for the New York Foundling Home and we hit it off straight away. She introduced herself to me by her first name, so I did the same, and during the next few hours, we just got along famously. I had no idea she was a Rockefeller until she shared her phone number with me when the event had ended in order to meet for lunch the following week." She paused then and sighed before adding, " I didn't ask her to be Hope's Godmother because of her or her family's wealth and prestige. I did so because she is one of my closest friends and she loves children as much as I do."
Matthew shook his head and said, "No one who knows you and Atticus would think that you had ulterior motives in forming a relationship with the family, Rose."
Then the sound of baby Hope's laughter drew everyone's eyes to the infant.
A smile spread across his face as he saw she had a good grip on Mrs. Rockefeller's pearls and was yanking away with all her might while her Godparents were doing their best to get her to let go, Babs waving a large ruby pendant in from of the child's face and Haversmith, his shiny gold watch.
At that Mary turned to Rose and said, "Matthew is right…your family and friends won't believe you and Atticus are opportunists. However, it will be difficult to squelch any gossip about your hobnobbing with the rich and famous here in America, since you clearly are. To quote Granny, 'Don't complain and don't explain."
XX
AN: I do hope you liked this chapter and are looking forward to Newport. I have a few more surprises in store for you there that I think you will enjoy.
As always, a word or two would make my day and encourage me to move on to our next chapter.
Stay safe!