While Love Stirs (39 page)

Joel knew the program by heart. The first dance would be the grand march to “The Millionaires” by Henninger. Once the chairman of the floor and the woman he escorted took the floor, the others would follow.

He made a beeline through the crowd to Lewis. “It’s time to start. Why are you still standing here?”

“I’m not the chairman of the floor. You are.”

“But this is Charlotte’s event and you’re with her.”

Lewis looked perplexed. “No I’m not. The only one she has eyes for is you, and you’re an idiot if you let her go.”

Joel blinked. He already knew that to be true. Was this the moment he’d been praying about?

“You’re right, Lewis. Thanks.” Looking across the ballroom, he found Charlotte standing with her sister and aunt. Inquisitive gazes pierced him as he crossed the dance floor, but his eyes locked only with Charlotte’s.

He stopped in front of her and held out his hand. “I believe it’s time we led the grand march, Miss Gregory.”

She hesitated and Hannah elbowed her side. “Go.”

Charlotte licked her lips, then placed her hand into his. He nodded to the orchestra and the fanfare began.

Quick, quick, slow, slow.
With flutes twittering a lively beat, Charlotte recalled the movements to the two-step march. Joel released his hold on her back, slid his hand down her arm, and turned her until they were both facing forward in a sweetheart wrap. My, but he was a wonderful dancer.

Alone on the dance floor for the first full spin, she should have felt self-conscious. Instead, in his arms, she felt an explosion of joy from deep inside her, refusing to be stifled. If this was to be the last time he ever held her, she’d relish every moment.

The floor around them began to fill with other couples. Joel’s strong hands did not pressure her into following his lead but directed her in subtle ways. Had she been wrong about him? Was Joel trying to lead her in their relationship, or was he controlling her?

Her father had been a strong man. He’d tried to protect her mother and all three of his girls from every danger and heartache. Why had she not seen that as controlling?

There was only one reason. Just as Joel had come into their
relationship with a Prudence-filled fear, she’d carried a George-filled fear.

A strong man like Joel never had a chance.

He drew her into another sweetheart wrap. As they danced side by side, he leaned his mouth close to her ear. “I still love you, Charlotte.”

Her heart skipped a beat. The last strains of the music died away and there they stood. Words wouldn’t come. There was too much to say.

Then the theme song of the evening began, a waltz called “Butterflies,” and without hesitation he swept her into his arms again.

45

Being relegated to Aunt Sam’s side was seriously hurting Tessa’s ability to enjoy the ball. Hannah and Lincoln, enamored with one another like always, made googly eyes on the dance floor. Didn’t they realize there were other people in the room?

Charlotte, who’d finally let a few other women have a chance to dance with Joel, had gone off to check the refreshments.

“Aunt Sam,” Tessa said, “I’m going to go see if Charlotte needs some help, okay?”

“That’s fine, but if I see you out on that floor dancing with some gentleman, I’ll hobble out there and pull you off myself. You’re too young to participate. Understand?”

She sighed. “Yes, ma’am.”

Well, at least she got to wear a new gown.

Tessa wandered down a back hall that led to the room where the buffet was being served. When she heard Mr. Jurgenson’s voice, she stopped and listened—as any good Pinkerton agent would do. He and another man were arguing in a room to the side. Despite their raised voices, she could only catch a few words and phrases. Mr. Jurgenson’s words were easier to decipher. What did he mean by “You can’t take that from them,” “I’m done,” and “I refuse to pay it anymore”?

He refused to pay what? And who was he talking to?

She walked by the door, and with a quick glance she got a peek
at the other man. He was the same man she’d seen Mr. Jurgenson speaking to backstage at the theater the other day, but why was he here?

Neither man noticed her, so she continued on to the banquet room. Charlotte was nowhere in sight, but she found Joel sitting at a table with another woman. Anger surged through her. How dare he find someone else that fast.

She marched up to him. “Dr. Brooks, who is this lady?”

Joel laughed. “Tessa, may I introduce my sister, Mathilda Brooks. Mattie, this is Tessa Gregory, Charlotte’s little sister.” He motioned to the empty chair. “Tessa, why don’t you have a seat?”

She sat down and turned to him. “I’m glad I found you. I need your help.”

“With what?”

“Remember when I told you about Mr. Jurgenson paying money to a Mr. K. O.? Since then, I saw Mr. Jurgenson acting suspiciously with a man at the theater, and then I saw that same man here, fighting with Mr. Jurgenson in a back room.”

Joel’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Fighting? Where?”

“Down that hall.” She pointed to the far end of the room. “I heard Mr. Jurgenson say he refused to pay him anymore and something about taking something. Why would he say that?”

Mattie laid her hand on Joel’s arm. “Maybe you should go see what’s going on, Joel. It does sound suspicious.”

“All right. Come on, Tessa. Show me where they were.”

After warning Tessa to walk by and point to the room but not go inside, he followed her down the hall. Instead of passing as they’d planned, she stopped in the doorway and turned to him. “They’re gone, but I know they were here a few minutes ago.”

“I believe you. Let’s take a look in the foyer, and if you see him, you can point him out to me.”

They found Charlotte speaking with Terrence Ruckman in the foyer. “Joel, Mr. Ruckman was telling me we exceeded our goal. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“So where’s the money?” Joel’s voice was cool.

Terrence shrugged. “Dr. Ostberg is off counting it one more time.”

Tessa gasped and clutched Joel’s arm. “That’s him.”

Joel stared at the man coming from the direction Tessa indicated. Why would Knute be involved with Mr. Jurgenson, and why would the theater manager say he refused to pay him anymore? Was Mr. Jurgenson ill?

“Hey, Joel, come to check up on us?” Knute set the money box down on the table. “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

“What’s that?” Joel glanced at Charlotte.

“Well, we must’ve counted wrong the first time. We met the goal, but barely. Our first count was off by about five hundred dollars.”

“Five hundred?” Terrence scowled. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Yes, it is.” Joel’s stomach fisted. He didn’t want to believe the things racing through his mind, but the pieces of the puzzle seemed to be falling into place. The money Terrence claimed was never there—a gift from the charity group headed by Knute’s mother. Money that Knute himself had delivered. Then there was the Mr. K. O. listing in the theater’s ledger, and now missing funds from tonight’s ticket receipts.

All along he’d suspected Terrence of dishonesty, when he should have been thinking of his best friend.

Betrayed. Again.

“Joel, don’t look at me that way.” Knute held out his hands, palms upward. “Okay, I admit I left the money in the office for a minute with the theater manager and his friend. I figured he was trustworthy, but maybe one of them stole from the box. I don’t know. All I know is there are five hundred dollars less than we thought.”

Joel’s gaze never left Knute’s. “Charlotte, take Tessa back into the ballroom, please.”

Tessa stomped her foot. “But—”

Charlotte touched her sister’s arm. “If Joel thinks you should go, then you should listen to him.”

“But I didn’t mean this man. I meant
him
.” Tessa pointed to the man a couple of yards to the right who stood with that annoying young lady from Charlotte’s cooking contest.

“Kelly O’Grady?” Charlotte’s voice rose.

Upon hearing his name, the man turned in their direction. He took one look at Tessa’s extended finger, grabbed his sister’s hand, and bolted down the hotel’s hall.

A gasp escaped Charlotte’s lips.

“Stay here!” Joel barked as he took off after the man, coattails flapping. Knute and Terrence followed.

Charlotte’s gaze swerved to Tessa.

Tessa grinned. “What was that you were saying about listening to him?”

“Oh, come on.”

Charlotte covered the hallway in record time. But instead of seeing Joel with Kelly and Kathleen O’Grady in hand, she found him and the other men at the end of the hallway staring back at her. Why weren’t they chasing them? Had the O’Gradys gotten away?

The men started silently, methodically searching each of the rooms and closets off the hallway.

“Tessa, go find Lincoln,” Charlotte whispered. “Now.” She silenced any further protests with a glare. If things continued as she feared, someone was bound to need an attorney. At the least, Lincoln could contact the authorities without making a scene.

Once Tessa was gone, Charlotte stood perfectly still, unable to move, unable to breathe.

“Go,” Joel mouthed.

She wanted to, but her legs weren’t moving.

One of the doors burst open. With his arm around his sister’s neck, Kelly stepped into the hallway. “Back off or I’ll hurt her.”

“Your own sister?” Charlotte couldn’t believe she’d spoken.

He risked a glance at her. She could almost see him considering his options. In one swift motion, he shoved Kathleen at Joel and barreled toward Charlotte’s end of the hall.

She plastered herself against the wall. All he wanted was to get out, so she’d not get in his way.

Wait. This man had taken money from the orphans. How could she stand there and let him pass?

In a split second, she made a decision to stop him once and for all.