Five Gold Rings: The Partridge Christmas Series, #5

By Patricia Kiyono

Grace Montgomery is known as a champion for social justice. She has fought against slavery and child labor. Her latest cause pits her against the railroad threatening the historical integrity of her beloved city of Cambridge. Her involvement in these causes keeps her mind off the one thing she's always wanted: a family.

Arthur Gregory has just been offered the crown jewel of his architectural career: designing and overseeing the new railway station in Cambridge. He and the city fathers have chosen the perfect location in the city's center, but protesters want to stop him, and they're led by the one woman who could derail the entire project. She's also his son's godmother, and he needs her help to keep the youngster out of trouble. He'll need to work both with her and against her, while resisting his growing attraction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dingbat Publishing
• Release date: Jun 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201206017

Book preview

Chapter One

Grace Collins Montgomery’s sensible shoes tapped the pavement at a swift, determined pace. She needed to reach the Cambridge City Hall before the meeting began so she’d be able to speak when city residents were allowed to voice concerns. She’d left her home early enough, but the road had been blocked with an accident, and her carriage couldn’t get through. While she felt sorry for the people involved, she needed to get to that meeting, so she couldn’t stop to offer assistance. Since it was a warm summer day, she’d told her driver that she would walk the rest of the way and had hopped out, much to his dismay.

The City Fathers would be discussing the planned railway, and she needed to be sure that those opposing the plan had a voice. She had her facts and arguments laid out in a way that even the most obstinate of men could understand.

Her thoughts were interrupted when something hard struck her leg from behind. As she turned, she heard an exclamation of dismay, followed by a familiar childish voice. I’m so sorry, Auntie Grace. Are you injured?

Twelve-year-old Frederick Gregory, the only son of her dear friend Daphne, looked up at her, his features lined with worry. One hand held a stick about a foot long, the other rested on a wood hoop. Behind him, three other boys she recognized wore equally abashed expressions. Each boy clung tightly to his own wheel hoop and stick.

Grace suppressed her inclination to take the boy to task. After all, he was like a son to her. She’d been there for Daphne through her difficult pregnancy and childbirth, through the challenging toddler years and childhood illnesses. If she could have carried her child to term, he would have been close friends with Frederick. Instead, she would have to be satisfied with being godmother to this child. She was an aunt to her brother’s daughter, but Amanda had grown up in Whitecastle, a half-day’s journey away.

She cast a stern look at the boy. I wasn’t hurt, but someone smaller than me could have been injured. If you’re going to play hoops in the streets, you must be aware of others in your path.

Frederick nodded solemnly. Yes, Auntie Grace. I’m sorry.

Grace would have loved to give the boy a reassuring hug, but she knew that would embarrass him, so she settled for a pat on the shoulder before he darted away. She whispered a thank you to her dear friend before turning back in the direction of City Hall.

The imposing brick building was now within sight, and she hastened her steps to make up for the interruption. The exertion caused her to perspire, and she prayed her untidy appearance didn’t prevent her from being admitted. The clock tower hadn’t yet tolled the hour, so she held out hope that she could arrive before the tall wooden doors closed. Her attendance at that meeting was imperative.

She ran up the stairs, thankful that her slender build allowed her to wear her bothersome corset without tightening the laces to the point that it interfered with her breathing. The big wooden doors loomed ahead of her, and the clerk stood with his hand on the knob, ready to close it. His eyes opened wide when he spied her approach, and she gave him her sternest glare, causing him to drop his hand and step back. She glided through, pausing to take a deep breath as she heard the door click shut behind her.

Richard Foster, Mayor of Cambridge, had begun the meeting by introducing the council members and outlining the meeting’s agenda. Grace used the time to peruse the crowd, taking in the number of people she knew agreed with her negative stance on the railroad.

It wasn’t that she was against the idea of the railroad altogether. She understood the advantage of transporting goods and people on those monstrous vehicles. She’d heard that the trains could deliver raw materials to the factories and then bring the finished goods to the people elsewhere in only a fraction of the time it took by horseback or by stagecoach. But she didn’t want the railroad going through her city. Cambridge was perfect — large enough to have all the amenities of a large city, but small enough that she could walk nearly everywhere she needed to go.

Perhaps that was the root of her opposition to the new proposed developments. With more goods and people coming by train, Cambridge could soon grow into something like London — an endless labyrinth of dirty streets, rancid smells, and danger lurking around every corner.

She, like many in her acquaintance, preferred to keep the City of Cambridge the way it was. But the bulk of those in opposition were unable to attend this meeting, because they either didn’t have the means to get there, or couldn’t afford to lose a day’s wages or sales by closing up their stalls in the town square. Since she did have the means and the time to attend, she felt it was her duty to be there to speak for those who couldn’t.

Mayor Foster ended his introductory remarks, and then called on various officials to give their reports. Finally, the business moved to the issue for which Grace had come.

"The Great Eastern Railway continues to