Shortly after Cal and Rose's engagement was announced, Nathan Hockley approved the purchase of a grand estate that had recently gone up on Fifth Avenue. It was his delight to acquire the mansion from a previous competitor, who had commissioned its construction several years prior but had since lost the means to complete it after Hockley Steele bought out his supplier and forced his mills to close.
The home that would have cemented this man's family in the echelon of Pittsburgh society now belonged to Nathan's son, and though its owner had changed, its purpose had not. This was a house designed to entertain and impress. And since it had been acquired during a stage of construction that allowed its new tenants to make it their own, the mansion was finished with Cal and Rose in mind.
The drawing room, the dining room, the ballroom and the lounges; any space meant to entertain was haunted by Rose's influence. It had been an escape for her, a rare chance to control some element of her future life. Rose had leapt at the opportunity and as such, it was now impossible for Cal to walk into one of these rooms and not feel her there. She had put so much of herself into these spaces that every detail became a painful reminder of the woman they were meant to serve.
Cal hated this house. Without the parties and gatherings that would have been held here, the mansion became an empty, beautiful corpse, devoid of the life it had been built to sustain. Cal found his depression was magnified within this place, building up as if to fill the void left by Rose's absence. To escape the swell that threatened to suffocate him, Cal often took refuge in the gardens, his primary contribution to the estate.
Having attended the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, Cal was especially inspired by the exhibit on botanical gardens and had developed an acute appreciation for the art of landscaping ever since. The gardens that encircled his new home consisted of three levels: at the top nearest the house, a flat, well-manicured glade was set, ready to accommodate lawn-games, tents and exterior dining tables for summer soirees. The painted trunks of narrow birch trees lined the perimeter, the black-and-white stripes of their scaling bark creating an Avant-garde backdrop beneath a whispering canopy of fluttering gold. The second level channeled the free movement of the open lawn into a structured walking path that wove between carefully placed fruit trees and blossoming flowerbeds. In the height of summer, the many colors and scents of this flowering grove would overstimulate the senses, forcing visitors to seek reprieve, either returning to the open air above or descending into the garden's final level. Here, in the shade of the evergreen hedges, a carpet of clover lead to a secluded courtyard where a stone fountain quietly gurgled and sang. The two large oak trees that had come with the property stood like ancient sentries in the corners of the hedge-walls. Their gnarled branches intertwined overhead and created a cavern-like atmosphere to the private spring.
Even in early May, winter's frost still lingered, making it much too cold for most of the garden's inhabitants, a majority of which still lay sleeping under their blankets of burlap and straw. But the evergreens of the lower labyrinth shimmered an inky green in the moonlight and seemed to relish the crips chill of the evening air.
Cal sat hunched on one of the stone benches that encircled the courtyard, his hands hung wearily between his legs rising now and then so he could taste the lingering warmth of cigar smoke before releasing it into the cold. Exhaustion had become his constant companion. It pulled on his limbs and gnawed at his bones, familiar now but persistent enough to never be forgotten or ignored.
His head was numb, the thoughts inside running in circles, mindlessly replaying the overwhelming events of the day. The crowd of reporters outside his home, the curious onlookers standing on tiptoe and peering through the iron gates with their hungry eyes, the concern and confusion on Evelyn's face when she looked back at him from the window of her nursery. Cal was determined to protect her from this and had set to work hiring a small security team to patrol the grounds and escort them when they left the house. He wouldn't be made a prisoner in his own home. He wouldn't stand for harassment. The quickest way for this to go away was to go on as usual without comment or confrontation. With some time, a new story would command the country's attention and then he and Evelyn could slip back into the calm routine of daily life.
The ice in his glass mimicked the tinkling of a windchime as Cal once again raised the burning liquid to his lips. He had known his father would find a way to interfere, but like an idiot he did nothing to prepare. Cal kicked himself for the thousandth time, succumbing to another spiral of should-have, would-have, could-have, thoughts of which opened the door for other, darker regrets to enter, each one greedily descending, eager to take their pound of flesh.
"Oh -Mr. Hockley!" The surprised voice pulled him suddenly from the gloom. "I'm so sorry, Sir, I didn't see you there." Ms. Kruger looked embarrassed as if she'd walked unannounced into his bedroom. Perhaps it had to do with how disheveled he must look, or the peculiar intimacy created by the secrecy of this nearly hidden place.
"I'm sitting in the dark, how could you have." Cal replied, his voice low and gravely. "What are you doing here, Ms. Kruger?"
"Evelyn misplaced her tiger. She brought it down here when we were playing this afternoon, so I wanted to see if it had been left behind." Cautiously, she entered the clearing, her short heels making a quiet tap on the cobblestones as her gaze swept the open patio.
Cal's blurry eyes looked around his immediate area. Spotting a shade of orange, he braced his cigar in his teeth and bent down to grab the shaggy beast, hoisting it up by its tail.
"Ah, perfect." Ms. Kruger said as she approached him. "Well caught, Mr. Hockley. You have a potential career in big game hunting, that is if being a steel tycoon doesn't work out."
"I'm used to dealing with predators." He said, relinquishing the stuffed animal to her capable care.
After picking some leaves from its coat, Mrs. Kruger held the tiger close and smiled at Cal before quickly dropping her gaze. Her employer was drunk, or almost nearly there, and had obviously sought this spot for some solitude and privacy. She intended to leave but wasn't sure if he should dismiss her first.
Cal, on the other hand, was grateful for the distraction from the mire of his thoughts and leveraged his position as Master of the house to keep her locked under his gaze. Even as a grown woman, seeing her hold the large toy gave the governess an almost child-like air, and sensing her unease Cal was compelled to inquire toward her wellbeing.
"How are you fairing, Ms. Kruger? Is Evelyn behaving?"
"She is." It was said with a smile. "She was a little shaken by the commotion today, but make-believe games seem to help take her mind off things. It's hard to think about reporters when you're exploring the jungles of India."
Cal shared her smile and for a brief moment the tension in his shoulders eased. A sudden realization, however, brought a frown to his face and his posture became ridged.
"Did they bother you when you came into work this morning?"
She looked down again, shuffling her feet. "It was… a little difficult leaving my house-" she started to admit but was cut off by Cal's curse as he rose from his seat.
"Christ! I didn't even think to- Ms. Kruger, I apologize. They shouldn't have gone to you in the first place, but these leeches have no sense of decency. I'll ensure you have one of my men escort you from now on. Someone can be assigned to your father too if they give him any trouble."
"Really, Mr. Hockley, that's not necessary." She said, trying to deescalate his clear agitation.
"No, I insist. You're an obvious target for vultures trying to get information on Evelyn. Until this dies down, I'll see that someone goes with you when you're out to maintain your privacy. Newspaper men are brutal, Ms. Kruger, you don't know the lengths they'll go." He had stepped closer, holding her in the intensity of his eyes.
Swallowing her rebuttal, Ms. Kruger nodded. "I suppose I don't. Very well, Mr. Hockley. I'll let my father know."
"Good. Thank you." Cal let out a breath, realizing he'd been bracing himself for an argument. He'd screwed up too many things surrounding this ordeal, but he'd be damned if he couldn't amend some of them. Security he could provide, for his daughter and the woman responsible for her care. In a way he was responsible for both of them, and that was something Cal took very seriously.
He realized now that he'd have to speak with the staff. Due to Ms. Kruger's position, she was likely his only employee who required extra security, but the rest of the household should be spoken to. Cal was confident no one would talk to the press, but he wanted to prepare them for the more unsavory tactics that could be used to convince them.
God, would this nightmare never end? He wondered, rubbing his hand over his eyes.
Ada watched her employer as he paced near the fountain. The respectful thing to do was to quietly excuse herself and take leave, but instinctually she felt compelled to offer solace. It didn't feel right to simply walk away when a fellow human was so clearly distraught. Though, for the life of her she had no idea what to say -given their positions. This was an incredibly powerful, well-respected man, whose vulnerability she had accidently stumbled upon. It wasn't her place to assume she could advise him but, Ada thought, perhaps easing his worry about his daughter might help.
"Evelyn will be okay, Mr. Hockley." He looked back at her. "She sees how brave you are and wants to prove that she can be the same. Keep being a good role model for her and you'll both end up on top."
The wind stirred through the trees, letting a soft wave of moonlight roll across the courtyard. Cal stared at Ms. Kruger then turned his gaze to the fountain where the little drops of water were sparkling in the moonbeam. "I don't think I knew what bravery was until I met her. Funny how we can see certain characteristics in others but never in ourselves." The statement was a quiet reflection, a brief lifting of the veil that suspended all hierarchy and pretense and placed the two of them on common ground.
"Self-worth takes practice. We must surround ourselves with those who encourage us to find it." Ada said, speaking honestly through the channel of communion.
His gaze met hers again. "Swear to me you'll be there for Evelyn. That you'll give her that encouragement."
"I will do my part, Sir."
"…Then I will do mine."
The clouds shifted and the fountain in the clearing was once again draped in midnight's shadow. Ms. Kruger bowed her head slightly and stepped back, meeting his eyes briefly as she bid him goodnight.
"Good evening, Ms. Kruger." Cal replied. He watched her disappear around the hedges and stood for a while, staring at the place she had been. A brush of wind made him shiver and Cal turned back to his cigar and brandy, seeking their warmth.
