Love Inspired Historical November 2014 (13 page)

There was a long pause, and Eileen braced herself, not wanting to hear about any ugliness that might be associated with the littlest ones.

He finally continued, “There are those who think they were left on Miss Fredrick's doorstep by women who were, well, to put it delicately, less than reputable.”

Eileen knew exactly what he meant. “That leaves Audrey and Andrew. Surely they are not touched by any ugliness.”

Mr. Tucker winced. “My sister Sally wasn't always the best judge of character. The man she married was abusive. There were rumors that his death was not accidental but there were never any charges brought against her.”

Eileen didn't say anything. She was still trying to take it all in. She definitely understood why Simon had kept this information to himself. Appearances were important, after all, and one's pedigree was a big part of that. The stains these children bore on their individual pedigrees would be difficult to overcome.

She'd grown up around people who would have shunned these children just as Mr. Fredrick had. Her stepfather had had a difficult enough time accepting her, and her only sin was having a father who came from a family of unsophisticated merchants.

But these children were already carrying the burden of being orphaned or abandoned. It wasn't fair for them to have these additional blots on their names to weigh them down. And they were innocents, after all. Just as she had been. At least in childhood.

“I hope this won't taint the way you view them.”

She glanced up at his words and noticed the doubt in his expression. How long had she sat there without saying anything?

She lifted her chin and met his gaze levelly. “Who their parents are is not their fault. They should not be held responsible.”

He relaxed and then grimaced. “You'd be surprised how many people feel differently.”

Actually, she wouldn't be surprised at all. “Including Miss Fredrick's brother?”

“Apparently.” He leaned against the railing. “Whether for that reason or mere greed, he intends to see that the children do not take up residence in that house.”

“Are you certain he has the power to do that?”

“Unless I find a will among her things in Hatcherville, which I very much doubt will happen, he is her heir by default.”

“Why do you think it would be so unlikely to find a will in the things she sent ahead?”

“Because she had all her important papers with her. She was quite definite about not trusting them to the freight company.”

Her mind immediately began looking ahead. “What do you see as your next move?”

“We definitely can't head to Hatcherville tomorrow as planned. I suppose I should let Mrs. Leggett know I no longer require her services—at least for the moment. And I should let the kids know, as well.”

“What will you say to them?” She certainly didn't envy him that conversation.

“Just the bare facts, I suppose—that we're postponing our trip until some issues about the house are resolved.”

“So you think there's a chance Mr. Fredrick will change his mind?”

“No. The only chance we have is if there is indeed a will amongst her things in Hatcherville, and that she worded it in a way to protect the children's interests.”

“Which you don't believe will prove true.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “I don't.”

“Then what?” she pressed.

“I haven't had a chance to work that out yet.” His voice fairly vibrated with his frustration, but she knew it wasn't really aimed at her.

Would he welcome a suggestion from her? “Perhaps you should talk to Adam Barr about this.”

That brought a furrow to his brow. “Adam Barr?”

“You met him at church Sunday. He is Regina's husband and the manager of our local bank. He also has experience as a lawyer.”

Simon stroked his chin. “I'm not sure what he could do, but I don't suppose it could hurt to talk to him. I'm willing to try anything at this point.”

“He should be at his office in the bank. I'll take you there.”

“You mean now?”

“Don't you think this requires immediate attention?” Considering the question moot, she added, “As soon as I speak to Dovie, we'll go.”

He nodded slowly. “You're right. If nothing else, it'll help to know if I have any options I haven't figured out yet.”

Eileen had to admit she wasn't exactly disappointed that Mr. Tucker and his charges wouldn't be leaving tomorrow after all. She'd gotten used to having her house filled with people. And to having Mr. Tucker to talk to.

Perhaps she could help the children deal with their grief. It had been many years since she'd lost her father, but she still remembered the overwhelming sense of loss she'd experienced. She hadn't had anyone to talk to back then.

Perhaps she could be that someone for these children.

Chapter Sixteen

S
imon immediately liked Adam Barr. The man seemed to have a level head on his shoulders. He heard Simon through without interruption, then leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Do you know if Miss Fredrick formally adopted any of the children?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“And you're absolutely sure she didn't leave behind a will?”

“It's possible, but I didn't see one among the papers she had with her.”

“Nevertheless we should carefully check what was sent ahead to Hatcherville. And I suggest you be the one to do the searching.”

Simon had every intention of doing so. “And if a will isn't found?”

Adam spread his hands. “Then I'm afraid by default her brother inherits her entire estate. I'm sorry, but legally he is within his rights to take possession of the property and to do with it however he wishes.”

Mrs. Pierce, who'd taken a seat behind him after making the introductions, leaned forward now. “Is there nothing Mr. Tucker can do?”

Simon heard the cool confidence in her tone, but this time attributed it not to a sense of superiority but to concern.

“He can contest the claim,” Adam replied, “but there's not much chance he would win.”

“But would that delay Mr. Fredrick's ability to sell the house?” Mrs. Pierce pressed.

“It would. But only for as long as the case was unresolved.”

Simon frowned, wondering if this was a waste of time after all. “What good will that do if he's going to eventually win the case anyway?”

“It will give you extra time to try to convince him to do the right thing,” she responded calmly.

Simon dismissed that as a futile effort. “My sister put every bit of money she'd saved into that property, and now Audrey and Albert have nothing to fall back on.”

Adam's gaze sharpened. “Your sister invested in this property?”

Surprised by Adam's reaction, Simon nodded his head. “Yes, and I did, too. After all, Miss Fredrick agreed to provide a home for Albert and Audrey.”

“Do you have any kind of proof of that?”

Simon tried not to get his hopes up. “I have some letters from Sally that mention her investment. And I have a receipt Miss Fredrick insisted on giving me for the bit I gave her.” He sat up straighter. “Why? Does that make a difference?”

“It could.” Adam's demeanor had changed to that of a hound on the scent. “If we can show that you and your sister have a partial claim to the place, no matter how small, then that might be the leverage we need. It could at least give you some say into the property's disposition. It's a long shot but one worth looking into—that is if you'd like me to?”

“Absolutely. What do you need from me?”

“Do you have these letters with you? And the receipt from Miss Fredrick?”

“Yes on both counts.”

“Good. Get those to me as soon as you can.” Then he gave Simon a direct look. “You do understand that it may take some time to get this resolved.”

“How much time?”

“Difficult to say for certain. But I'd count on anywhere from two to six weeks.”

“I see.” Drawing this out would make things more difficult for the children, but he didn't appear to have much choice. The one bright side was that he'd be spending more time in Mrs. Pierce's company.

“I suggest you allow me to speak to Mr. Fredrick on your behalf before he leaves town. That will put him on notice not to act too hastily in disposing of the property.”

“By all means. Do you want me to go with you?”

“Yes, but just to perform the introductions. I recommend you let me do the talking.” He glanced at the clock on the wall behind Simon. “Let's say five o'clock. That will give me time to look over the paperwork you have and frame my arguments.”

Simon stood and extended his hand. “Thank you for your help.”

“Don't thank me yet. We still have a long way to go, and in the end nothing may come of it.”

Simon escorted Mrs. Pierce from the bank, feeling more optimistic than when he'd entered. And he had Mrs. Pierce to thank for prodding him to take this step.

“It appears you and the children won't be leaving so soon after all,” she said now. “In fact, it sounds like you may be stuck here until the end of the year.”

He'd already given this some thought. “Don't worry. I promised I wouldn't impose on you for more than a few days, and I aim to stand by that. I'll start looking for other accommodations—”

But she raised a hand to interrupt him. “Nonsense. Of course you should stay at my place. The children are already settled in, and besides, there is nowhere else in town able to accommodate all of you comfortably. Unless you want to take over the hotel.”

He felt as if a great weight had been lifted from him. “That's generous of you.” Then he turned serious. “Of course some things will need to change.”

“Such as?”

“We can't expect the townsfolk to supply our meals indefinitely. And we need to stop acting like visitors and begin to behave like residents.”

She didn't seem as happy to hear that as he'd thought she would be. “I appreciate your intentions, but that's not necessary. The people of this town
want
to help.”

“But I wouldn't feel right continuing to accept their charity.” He raised a hand to halt any objections from her. “And don't worry—that doesn't mean I expect you to provide for all our meals. As I mentioned, I'm a handyman and cabinetmaker. I'll see if I can pick up some odd jobs here in town, then pay you what I can in room and board from that.”

Was handyman work as far as his ambitions took him? “Perhaps Adam could find you a job at the bank.”

He shrugged off her suggestion—he'd been down that road before. “Working with my hands is what I'm good at. It's how I make my living.” Then he changed the subject. “I have to thank you for suggesting I speak to Adam. He seems to be a good man to have in my corner.”

“If anyone can get a good outcome from this, it's Mr. Barr.” She glanced sideways at him. “What will you do if you don't win your case against Mr. Fredrick?”

The woman was always trying to look ahead. “I suppose I'll have to find another place for them to live. Even if I have to build it myself.”

“So you don't consider sending them to an orphanage to be an option?”

“Not as long as I have a breath in my body.”

* * *

Eileen found the passion in his tone reassuring. Just the thought of the children being handed over to strangers who might not treat them kindly, or perhaps even try to split them up, squeezed something in her chest.

“Supposing you do win your case,” she said. “What then? I mean, how will you go about finding someone to take Miss Fredrick's place?” She'd already decided he couldn't hire just anybody. It had to be someone who would love the children and treat them like family.

“First off, I hope when the time comes that Mrs. Leggett is still willing to help us get settled in, wherever we end up. Then I'll take out an advertisement for a permanent caretaker.”

“But how will you make your selection?”

He gave her a raised-brow look, as if surprised by her tone. “Trust me, I'll interview the applicants thoroughly. And check references carefully. It'll take a special sort of person to fill Miss Fredrick's shoes.”

“You are taking a lot on yourself.”

“They don't have anyone else.”

“And once this paragon is found and they are settled in, do you still plan to settle nearby?”

“Of course.”

Despite the fact that she would miss them, she continued to be impressed by his sense of responsibility to the children. Was it because his niece and nephew were among their number? Or would he have been this determined regardless?

She spotted Miss Whitman up ahead, stepping out of the apothecary shop. “Perhaps, since you will be extending your stay, you should get the children enrolled in school.” She waved a hand to bring the schoolteacher to Mr. Tucker's attention.

Mr. Tucker nodded and stepped forward to let Miss Whitman know his intentions.

That done, they continued on their way.

“What do you plan to tell the children?” Eileen asked.

“That we've run into a bit of a snag on moving into the Hatcherville house, but that they needn't worry—I'm sticking around until we get everything worked out. And in the meantime, you have agreed to let us stay right where they are.”

“It's going to be difficult for them to hear another bit of bad news.”

“I think, for some of them, it might be a relief not to have to move just yet. After all, the place in Hatcherville is an unknown to them.” He stopped. “There's something else I need to discuss with you before we reach your house.”

“Of course.” His tone had been diffident, as if he didn't think she would like what he had to say. Was there even more bad news?

“What Adam said, about my looking for a will amongst Miss Fredrick's things in Hatcherville—I think it best I take care of that right away, just so we have that question answered before this goes much further.”

“I see.” He was about to go off and leave her with the children. Thank goodness Dovie would be in the house to help her. “How soon do you plan to leave?”

He gave her a surprised look. Had he expected her to protest?

“Tomorrow.”

Eileen tried not to wince. He
had
said as soon as possible.

“I need to collect the children's things, as well,” he continued. “They can't continue with just the things they had with them on the train.”

How thoughtful of him. “I'm sure they will be happy to have their belongings with them.”

He gave her a relieved smile. “I truly do appreciate how generous you've been to me and the children. And I'm sure they feel the same.”

His words, and the sincere tone in his voice, warmed her from the inside out.

As soon as they walked into the house the children gathered around, full of questions.

“Why did you tell us to stop packing?”

“When are we leaving for Hatcherville?”

“Where did you go?”

“Is Gee-Gee's brother still here?”

Eileen clapped her hands for attention. “Children, it's rude to all speak at one time. Quiet now, and give your uncle Simon a chance to let you know what has happened.”

They quieted immediately, though they stared from her to Mr. Tucker expectantly.

With a look for her that she couldn't quite read, Mr. Tucker turned to address the children. “I'm going to explain everything and answer all your questions. But first, let's go into the parlor where we can all be comfortable.”

She caught his gaze, wondering if she should join them or let him handle it alone. Apparently he understood her silent question.

“Mrs. Pierce and Dovie, if you don't mind joining us, this affects you, as well.”

The children filed into the parlor and Eileen saw the apprehension in their faces. She couldn't blame them, given what news had been delivered in their last group meeting.

Mr. Tucker didn't draw things out. As soon as everyone was seated he spoke up. “I'm afraid there's been a hitch in our plans to go to Hatcherville tomorrow.”

“What's a hitch?” Joey asked, wrinkling his nose.

“A delay,” Simon explained. “It means we won't be heading there tomorrow as we'd planned.”

“Well, I'm glad,” Molly stated. “I like it here and don't want to leave.”

“Well, I do,” Joey said.

Eileen was taken aback by his declaration. She had expected something like that from Fern, but she'd thought Joey liked it here.

“Why is that?” Simon asked.

“Because I can't get my dog until we get to our new place.”

Eileen relaxed when she heard the boy's reason. It had nothing to do with him liking or disliking being here.

“Besides, this isn't our home,” Fern said firmly. “Our home is waiting for us in Hatcherville.” She turned to Simon, her eyes narrowing. “Why can't we leave tomorrow?”

Eileen noted that the rest of the children wore expressions varying from worry to mere curiosity. Fern was the only one who appeared suspicious.

“Miss Fredrick's brother wants to check into the situation before we move in,” Mr. Tucker explained. “It turns out the property might belong to him now.”

Russell leaned forward. “But he hates us. If he owns that house, he'll never let us move in.”

“I doubt he hates you, Russell,” Eileen offered. “He doesn't even know you.”

But Russell shook his head. “I know he does. I once heard him tell Gee-Gee that it was beneath her to take in such riffraff.”

“What's riffraff?” Joey asked.

“It means he thinks we're rubbish,” Fern said stiffly.

Eileen felt that insult as deeply as if it had been said of her. “Surely you misunderstood,” she said quickly. “And if he
did
say such a thing, he would be quite mistaken. As your Miss Fredrick obviously believed, as well.” How could anyone say such a thing in a child's hearing?

* * *

Simon wanted to do a whole lot more than give Mr. Fredrick a piece of his mind. Such pomposity and self-righteousness was inexcusable. But when it was aimed at a small child it was beyond mean-spirited. It was wounding, on par with inflicting disfiguring physical scars.

He took a deep breath, hoping to keep his tone even. “Mrs. Pierce has the right of it. Just remember how Miss Fredrick felt about you and ignore her brother's words.”

“But that don't change the fact that Mr. Fredrick is gonna try to take our place from us,” Russell said.

“Moving to Hatcherville is what Miss Fredrick wanted for us,” Fern reiterated. “It's not right for her brother to try to keep us away.”