Underwood Productions

Chapter 3

Settling In

 

 

 

 

4:05 pm.

Wood was looking at the lock to his door. “Father, has someone been trying to break into your room?”

Arthur looked from Wood to the door. “Oh, a friend of your sister’s wants to join a detective agency. We’ve been letting her practice her lock picking and safecracking skills in your room. We did tell you.”

Wood thought back to a letter he received two years prior. “Oh, right. A lot has happened since then.”

Arthur smiled. “Indeed it has.” He took out the key, unlocked the door to Wood’s room and handed the key to him.

As he entered his room for the first time in almost three years, Wood took it in. Bookshelves lined most three of the walls. A table was to Wood’s left with three chairs along the long sides. There was a corkboard on the left was with a gramophone beside it. On the other side of the corkboard was a small bay window facing west. A chemistry set was on a table side beside the window. A wingback chair facing the door Wood just entered was set between a couch to the left and a fireplace between two bookshelves on the right.

On the other side of the room, there was an open door. Through the door Arthur and Wood heard two female voices. He slowly moved closer. He put his finger to his lips to his father. Then he snuck into the room. He saw two young women: one with black hair, who was wearing a stethoscope and playing with the dial of a man sized safe, the other a red head who was fidgeting as she watched.

“Look, Karen, I know that you want to practice your safe cracking skills. But I don’t think you’ll be able to use them. Most detective agencies will probably have you working as a secretary or something.”

“Oh relax, Ethel. I will find one that will give me a good job.”

“I know that. It’s just….I’d rather not do this.”

“Why not? Ah finally!”

Karen took off the stethoscope then she opened the door to the safe. Inside was nothing.

“Why have a safe, if you’re not going to put anything in it?” Karen said.

Wood smiled. “Oh, I do. It’s just I only do it with important pieces of evidence. Never got used, of course.”

They slowly turned around. Ethel got up tears in her eyes. “Jack, is that you?”

“Prynhawn da, Et.”

They looked at each other for a while. Finally, Ethel rushed forward and gave her brother a hug. Wood hugged her too. Then they released each other and took another look at each other.

Ethel’s tears were drier than they were. “I thought that you weren’t coming home until next month.”

Wood smiled. “Got an early release. Father apparently wanted to keep my home coming a surprise.”

Arthur smiled and shrugged. “Well, I figured that it was better that way.”

Ethel scowled at him. Then she turned to her brother. “Does this mean that we’ll be starting our detective agency soon?”

“As soon as I can get a license. Which means we’ll need some help.”

Karen brightened up at that. “I can help. I have taught myself a lot of skills that might be useful and-”

Wood held up his good hand. “I don’t know how much I can pay you, Miss-.”

Karen smiled. “Sutter. Karen Sutter. And that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“It might get dangerous.”

“There’s danger everywhere.”

Arthur stopped them. “You can talk about this at dinner. Right now, John has to see mother and the Colonel and his grandmother before the others come.”

Meanwhile, Petrova was looking around her room. It didn’t as many bookshelves as Wood’s room, though the view to the east was pleasant. The layout was similar in that it had a fireplace, chairs, a table, a couch facing a fireplace. The bedroom itself had a bed (of course), a wardrobe, a small wood stove, and a chair opposite the door.

Petrova looked at this and smiled. Finally, a place of her own. Her parents were against it, in fact they were against her pursuing a career as a pathologist and a doctor.[12] She smiled. This was the best that she could hope for right now. She hoped that one day she could take over, maybe even be chief coroner one day. The outer door opened and Petrova came out of her room to have a look.

She saw a woman in her early 50s with red hair and wearing brown gingham dress. She had her back to Petrova, at first.

When she turned around she started. When she spoke, it was almost as though she was singing. “Oh I didn’t realize that anyone had moved in. I’m Charlotte Wood the co-owner of this establishment.”

Petrova introduced herself and they looked at each other. “I did not see you at the front desk, Mrs. Wood.”

Charlotte shook her head. “No. I should’ve been though. My father is ill. My family and I have been trying to make him feel better. It’s probably nothing.”

Petrova looked concerned as she said this. She stroked her chin and furrowed her brow for a minute, while Charlotte went about cleaning the table by the exit. “Do you think that your father would object to having me examine him?”

Charlotte looked at her like she had grown two extra heads. Then she sighed. “I don’t see how that would make a difference at this point.”

“You will not know unless you trying.”

Charlotte smiled briefly. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but he is already seeing a good doctor.”

“Who is?” They turned to look at the door to see Wood there, with Ethel, Arthur and Karen. Charlotte put her hands to her mouth, her feather duster dropped to the floor.

“Johnson?”

Wood smiled. “Prynhawn da, mam.”

They hugged briefly and then Charlotte backed away and looked at Wood’s arm. “What happened to your arm?”

“I’ll explain at dinner. Are there any other members of the family coming?”

Arthur put a hand on his shoulder. “Besides your Grandparents Howell, just Finbarr I’m afraid. Everyone else is too far away to come.”

Wood’s brow furrowed. “Not even Kenneth?”

Charlotte smiled. “He’s in London, Ontario right now. Visiting his sweetheart. Have you met Miss Petrova.”

Petrova stepped forward. “It’s doctor and I met your son on the train.”

Charlotte smiled and nodded. “Of course, dear. In any case, you best settle in. We should not bother you any more than we have already.”

Petrova smiled as most of the Woods left the room, Ethel being the only one who stayed. Petrova looked at her confused. “Is there something I can be helping you with, Miss Wood?”

Ethel smiled. “I was just wondering if you were will to help the movement?”

Petrova raised an eyebrow. “The movement? Are you a suffragist?”

“How’d you guess?”

Petrova pointed to the purple, green and white rosette on Ethel’s dress near her collar which said D.W.E.A. “I recognize the colours from my time in England.”

“Perhaps you’d like to join the Dominion Woman’s Enfranchisement Association?”

Petrova smiled. “If you’ll have me.”

Ethel smiled back. “Oh I’m sure we can work something out. In the meantime, you must join us for tea.”

“Shouldn’t this be a time for you to celebrate your brother’s return?”

“Yes, but you are all alone, especially in this country. I would think that you would want to engage with us. Besides, I’m sure Jack wouldn’t mind.”

Petrova bit her lip.

Ethel sighed. “I’ll say that I invited you. Come on, it’ll be fine.”

Petrova smiled.

Downstairs, Wood was waiting in the front parlor, looking out the window. He turned away and saw that there was an ashtray on the coffee table. He smiled and pulled out a pipe from his trouser pocket. He put it in his mouth then reached into his right breast pocket for his tobacco pouch. After filling his pipe, he pulled out a box of matches and struck one on his thumbnail. As he lit his pipe, Wood looked at his father, sitting in his arm chair.

“When did you start smoking?”

Wood took in a few puffs, then said, “During training. Although, it’ll be more difficult to clean it.”

Karen leaned forward in her chair. “Do you have any idea where you’ll set up the office.”

Wood furrowed his brow. “Haven’t put much though into it. Why?”

Karen smiled. “My fiancée has an office in The Rookery.[13] He says that there is an office available down from where his office is. I could phone the building manager see if I can’t get an appointment for you.”

Wood smiled. “Go ahead. If you can make it as soon as possible that would be great.”

Arthur shook his head. There was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it. You’d better get ready for questions, son.”

“Of course.”

As Arthur went to open the door, Charlotte came in with Wood’s grandparents. Wood’s grandmother was a woman in her early 70s with her silver hair tied in a bun at the back of her head. She was wearing a light purple blouse and dress. Her glasses nearly fell off her nose when she saw Wood. She clasped her hands together, walked up to him and gave him a hug.

“Good to see you, John. How are you?”

“Good to be home, Mam-gu.”

They ended the hug and Wood looked at his grandfather. He was egghead bald with a large beard and moustache. Wood went in front of his wheelchair and saluted.

“Lieutenant Johnson Wood reporting in, sir.”

The Colonel[14] saluted back. “At ease, Lieutenant. Good to see you again. Hope you gave the Huns Hell.”

“Indeed, I did. How are you feeling, sir?”

The Colonel smiled. “Much better. If I had my legs, I would be on the front lines giving those Huns a thorough thrashing.”

Wood’s grandmother sat down on the sofa across from the fireplace. “Nonsense, you’ll probably be at headquarters making plans.”

The Colonel scowled. “I would rather be leading from the front, thank you.”

Karen tapped Wood on the shoulder. “Mr. Gross will see you tomorrow at two.”

“Thank you. And he will see us.”

Karen raised her eyebrows. “You’re going to hire me?”

“We’ll work out the details later. However, my sister is good friends with you and she doesn’t make friend with just anybody.”

The Colonel looked at them. “What are you two whispering about, eh?”

“We aren’t whispering Colonel. I’m just setting things up for my job.”

“Oh, yes your detective business that you wrote about. Well, I wish you luck with that. I don’t think you should dive deep into scandal like that, though. I realize you have to make a living, it’s just that it’s all so sordid.”

“What’s sordid?” came a voice from the hall. In walked a man about the same age as Wood, with Brown hair, Grey eyes and grin on his face. When he saw Wood his grin broadened.

“My word, Jack!”

Wood smiled back. “How are you Fin?”

“Absolutely Jake.[15] And you?”

“The same.”

Petrova and Ethel came in. Ethel ran to Fin and they hugged. She introduced the two to each other.

“Fin is the crime reporter for the Lancaster Spectator.”

Fin chuckled. “I’m a crime reporter for the Spectator. There is another crime reporter. Anyway, Jack what have you got going on now that you’re back?”

As they sat down Jack said, “My plan is to start a consulting detective agency. I will help those who ask for it, for a fee. The fee will depend on who’s doing the asking and what type of crime it is.”

The Colonel snorted. “That’s all well and good lad. Just don’t expect it to be all murders.”

“No, I don’t expect I will be investigating murders all the time. However, I haven’t decided what the various rates that will be charged are.”

There was another knock on the door. Arthur stood up. “That’s probably Horace and Florence. We’re not expecting Mary, Wendell and the children until five o’clock.”

Wood nearly dropped his pipe out of his mouth. “You didn’t have to invite them.”

“You’re close to both. Besides, you’re godfather to those children.”

Wood stood up. “I hadn’t thought that I would be inundated as soon as I got home.”

Charlotte smiled. “You should have known that something like this would happen. I, for one, hoped that you would escape unharmed. But,” she looked at his arm, “it looks like that wasn’t meant to be.”

Wood looked at her, his face trying not to show anything. “And I am sorry for that mother.”

Fin stood next to him and said, “That is not your fault, Jack. You have to know that.”

Charlotte nodded her head. “He’s right. Although, I would’ve preferred it you had been a staff officer.”

The Colonel shook his head. “I think that John made the right choice in being a line officer. It’s better to lead than to die with nothing to show for it.”

Charlotte said, as she rose (as well as the men who could), “Regardless, I’m glad that you’re alive son. Now I have to get dinner ready. Will you be joining us Miss Petrova?”

Petrova winced. “Are you sure you have enough?”

“We have just enough. The rationing hasn’t been too bad over here. We do have a chicken that I can cook.”

Wood smiled at that. “That sounds dandy, mother.”

That’s when he saw Dr. Burns and his wife Florence in the doorway. He was slightly overweight, six feet tall with a large walrus moustache. His red hair was whiter than when Wood last saw him. However, his light blue eyes were still full of the joyful light that they had always been. Florence went up to her husband’s chest. She was what people in modern times call ‘plus sized’. Her brown hair was swept up into a bun and her black eyes had the same joyful light as her husband’s.

“Well I never thought I’d see you again. Not that I’m not happy to see you. How the Devil are you?”

“Good yourself.”

“Excellent.”

Florence extended her hand. “It is good to see you again, John.”

Wood took her hand briefly. “As it is to see you, Madame.”

Petrova stood up. “Doctor Burns?”

Doctor Burns turned. “Yes? Oh Doctor Petrova. Yes I did say that we would talk, didn’t I when I came here, didn’t I?”

Petrova smiled. “Yes, you did. But we can talk over dinner if you prefer.”

Wood looked out the window and saw the Crichtons walking up to the door. He smiled and started to go to the door himself. Arthur was ahead of him though. Wood got out of the sitting room when he saw that they were in the hall putting their summer coats, shoes and hats in the closet. Mr. Crichton was about 5’10” with mouse brown hair. Mrs. Crichton had red hair and was about 5’4″. Their children were a girl and two boys.

“Don’t know why you invited use for dinner Arthur,” said Mr. Crichton. “I would have thought that you would want to keep things more low-key with the war and all.”

Mrs. Crichton smacked him on the shoulder. “Oh don’t be like that, Wendell. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“It’s probably going to be boring,” said the older of the two boys.

Wood smiled. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”

They turned around. Suddenly, two of the children squealed with delight and ran over to him, with the youngest boy trailing behind. “Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!”

Wood squatted down, and gave them all a one armed hug. “How are you three doing? You’ve all grown so much. Henry, have you been getting into any trouble?”

Henry shook his head, while smiling. “No.”

“You sure?”

Henry nodded while laughing.

“Alright.” Wood turned to his brother. “You probably don’t remember me, Cole, last time I saw you, you were two.”

He shook his head.

The girl whispered in his ear. “Cole’s shy.”

“That he is. Rachel,” he turned to her, “I heard you’re going to a new school soon.”

“Mommy and Daddy say that I am going to be going to Hillcrest[16] in September.”

Wood looked up at Wendell and his wife. “Is that so?”

Mrs. Crichton smiled. “She sure is. How are you Jack?”

Wood smiled back and stood. “Pretty good all things considered, Mary. You?”

“The same.”

“Wendell?”

Wendell and Wood shook hands. “Same here.”

“Let’s not keep the others waiting, shall we?”

[12] In Ontario, coroners are all, by law, physicians. This means that Petrova had to be associated with a hospital, in her case, St. Joseph’s.

[13] The Rookery was an office building built from 1898-1899 and based on the Sibley Triangle Building in Rochester, New York. The Rookery still stands today, though it’s a museum now.

[14] Since everyone referred to Colonel Howell as The Colonel, so shall I.

[15] 1910s slang for alright.

[16] Hillcrest School for Girls was a very prestigious private school. Founded in 1903 in Lancaster, it served as a model for later schools. It closed in 1954 after it amalgamated with various other schools to become Hillcrest-Allendale College.