Inherited

by Gabrielle Meyer

  Elizabeth faced him, not dropping her gaze, and hoped she could convey the renewed respect she felt for him. “I’m proud of you for what you’ve become, Jude. You have more courage and class than any man I’ve ever met. I couldn’t lose respect for you. If anything, I have more respect, knowing where you’ve come from and where you are now.”

  Hope flickered in his gaze—but just as quickly it died away and he focused on the fireplace once again. “That’s not all, Elizabeth. My childhood is only part of my story. There’s so much more to share—so many things I’m ashamed of.”

  His voice was so low—so filled with regret—she wrapped her arms around her waist and braced herself.

  * * *

  Jude’s emotions were raw tonight, his disappointment and guilt so thick, he didn’t care if he told her everything and she rejected him for good. What did he risk in telling her the truth now? He could never ask for her to love him, so why should he be afraid if she knew? The only thing he risked was her displeasure at bringing ex-prostitutes into the hotel, but he was tired of trying to hide his work, tired of forcing Violet to keep quiet about her past and the others to keep the information hidden. Eventually she’d learn the truth, why not get it over with and be free?

  She studied his face. Her blue eyes were so tender and pure, so full of trust and innocence. There had never been another woman who had looked at him the way Elizabeth did now. Even after learning the truth about his parents. If that had been all—if it was that simple—maybe there would be a way for them to move forward. He could pull her into his arms and allow her compassion to heal his wounds. But it wasn’t that simple. There was more to his story—things she wouldn’t understand—and he had to tell her. He sensed God wanted her to know the whole truth, not just part of it.

  Jude’s clothing was wet and clammy against his skin, and his thoughts were dark and stormy. The heat from the fireplace offered warmth to his body, but it couldn’t penetrate to his conscience.

  He hadn’t made it to Maggie Ray in time. She’d died moments before he arrived.

  Jude hated to think about the note he’d have to send to the young man named John. He didn’t doubt that John really loved Maggie, and if he had been given the chance that he would have married her. But now he would have to mourn his loss and plan her funeral.

  Jude should have immediately gone to her, instead of finishing the meeting. Maybe he could have gotten her to a doctor and saved her life. He’d never know. But just like when his mother died, Jude had been too late. His mother had been beaten, too, but Jude had been afraid to go for a doctor. When he finally brought one the next morning, she was already gone. The doctor said if he had been summoned the night before, Jude’s mother would have lived. He’d blamed himself from that day forward, and the only thing that brought him comfort was playing the piano.

  Music was the one constant in his life. It was the one thing besides Christ that he could trust and rely on. It would never change, hurt him or demand anything in return for the gift it gave.

  “What else is there to tell me?” Elizabeth sat on the sofa again, her voice uncertain.

  He risked everything by telling her, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to get the truth out in the open. It was the only way he could face her.

  “When the brothel owner died, I used all my earnings to buy his business.”

  Her eyes grew wide, but she didn’t say anything.

  “I operated the brothel for over five years.”

  Her lips parted and her face filled with shock. “You profited off the innocence of women?”

  There was no way to make it sound any better than it was. “Yes. And I live with the guilt every day of my life.”

  He sat on the sofa beside her, desperate for her to know the rest. “I never went to school. I had no skills. It was all I knew. I had no other options.”

  “There are always other options.” Her eyebrows came together.

  “One of the reasons I bought the brothel was to take care of the women who worked there. As strange as it may sound, they were like family to me. The only family I ever had. I truly thought I was helping them.”

  Elizabeth looked away from him and it broke his heart to know that she would never look at him the same way—yet, what choice did he have? His past was just as much a part of him as his present.

  “Martha came to work for us as a cook. She was unlike anyone I’d ever met. She taught me how to read using the Bible and I slowly began to understand the Gospel of Christ. I learned there is truth and forgiveness available to us all.”

  She still wouldn’t look at him, so he went on quickly.

  “As soon as I learned the truth, I burned down the brothel and found jobs for the ladies who worked there. Martha and I came north and...” He stopped. This was the part he didn’t want to tell because this was the part she had control over. If she made it to January she would be his business partner, just as he promised, and she could tell him to stop his work immediately. He’d struggled with this reality all night—yet, Martha was right. God didn’t make mistakes. Somehow this was all part of His divine plan.

  Elizabeth finally looked at him. Disillusionment and anger in her eyes.

  “I came north to start a hotel so I could rescue women out of the bonds of prostitution. Martha came to help. After I rescue them I bring them here and Martha teaches them. Then I find them other work—and some get married.”

  “Violet?” Her eyes grew wide again. “Violet is an ex—” She stopped before she said the word.

  “Yes. Though I don’t see her as anything but a child of God who has been given a second chance.”

  Elizabeth stood and paced to the fireplace. She spun and her hair fell like a curtain around her shoulders. She had to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever met—yet she was out of his reach. More now than before.

  She wrapped her arms around her waist. “Did my father know?”

  “Yes.”

  “And he allowed you to do something so...so...” She let the words trail away, yet he could easily fill in the blank.

  “He didn’t help me, but he didn’t refuse me, either.” Jude stood, but he didn’t move toward her, afraid she might bolt from the room. “We were a good team. He managed the books and the finances and I operated the hotel. The women I rescued were assets to the business. They were eager to learn and none were afraid of hard work.”

  “Do others know?”

  “Ben knows, but he’s the only one. Our customers don’t know, though I think some of them suspect. But out here, normal society rules don’t apply as much. People are more willing to overlook things.”

  She didn’t seem to hear him. “What self-respecting woman would choose such a life?”

  “Most don’t. It’s forced upon them.”

  “Everyone has a choice.”

  “Not everyone.”

  “I had a choice!” She said the words so quickly and with such force, Jude was speechless.

  Elizabeth turned away and looked at the fireplace, her shoulders tight and her body shaking.

  Had she been propositioned?

  The thought sent anger pulsing through his veins. He went to her and turned her by the shoulders. “Who would ask you to do something like that?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She looked up at him with fury in her eyes. “What matters is that I said no.”

  “Not everyone has that luxury.”

  She pulled away from him and walked around the back of the sofa to get to the door.

  Lightning filled the room once again, lasting for several heartbeats and then dying away.

  “I want Violet to leave as soon as possible,” she said without looking at him. “And I don’t want you to bring any more women into this hotel. Grace and I will see to all the work.”

  With
that, she left the room.

  Jude leaned against the wall as a crack of thunder reverberated through the hotel. Shame and disappointment crowded his thoughts. Why couldn’t he be like other men? Why couldn’t he have a past he was proud of? And, most important, why did he have to tell her everything?

  “Was that what You wanted, God?” He looked out the window, wishing he could see the God he spoke to. “Was she supposed to get angry and upset? Am I supposed to stop bringing women into this hotel?” He prayed he had done the right thing and that somehow God would make things right with Elizabeth.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Elizabeth opened her eyes the next morning and found a mop of blond curls cuddled up beside her. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her sister, pulling her tight as all the memories from the previous evening returned.

  Anger and shame flooded her at the way she had responded to Jude. Her own fear of what had almost happened to her after Papa left had made her feel humiliated and self-righteous. Last night she had been defending her own choices and actions, instead of listening to Jude, and it had caused her to speak without thinking.

  The dawn had not yet broken and the sky still boasted its early morning stars. She had come back to the room around four o’clock—only an hour ago. Her eyes felt gritty and her head pounded—but it was her broken emotions that hurt the most.

  She’d admitted her greatest secret to Jude. After their father had left, and she was desperate for a way to provide for her sisters, she’d almost accepted a man’s invitation to be his mistress. In exchange, he’d promised to keep her and her sisters comfortable, well fed and housed. It was easy to refuse at first, but after weeks of not finding work, and practically starving, she had almost caved. She would have done anything to take care of her sisters, but when she went to the man’s office to tell him yes, she couldn’t bring herself to knock on his door. Instead, she had gone down the street and stopped at Brown’s General Store. There, she had found a job and been spared from the deplorable life she’d almost accepted, though Mr. Brown’s advances hadn’t been easy to deal with, either.

  “Lizzie?” Rose turned, her face half-hidden behind her curls. Big brown eyes blinked up at her. “I’m hungry.”

  Elizabeth kissed the tip of her cute nose and closed her eyes, the lure of sleep and the reality of what awaited causing her to burrow deeper into the covers. “Just a few more minutes.”

  Rose giggled and pulled out of Elizabeth’s embrace. She bounced on her knees. “I can smell Martha’s bacon!”

  What was the use in putting off the inevitable? Elizabeth climbed out of bed and realized she still wore her robe from the night before.

  Grace rolled over and moaned. “It’s too early to wake up.”

  “Another day is calling,” Elizabeth said as she pulled her hair back. “Rose, where is my blue ribbon?”

  Rose shrugged as she continued to bounce on the bed. “Maybe the kitten took it.”

  “Kitten?” Elizabeth opened the lid of her trunk to pull out her extra hair ribbon. “What kitten?”

  “The one Mr. Jude gave me.”

  Elizabeth turned her full attention on her sister. “He gave you a kitten?”

  “Yes. He found it in the alley without its mama yesterday. He said he and Martha would take care of it, but I could play with it.”

  Elizabeth looked at Grace. “Did you know about this kitten?”

  Grace sat up and yawned. “Yes. I thought everyone knew about Edgar.”

  “Edgar? Is that the name of the kitten? How do I not know about this new pet?”

  Rose stopped bouncing and shrugged again.

  “You’ve been busy,” Grace said, as she sat up and leaned against the headboard.

  She had been busy, but too busy to hear about the nuances of life? She let her hair go and walked over to the bed, where she sat next to Rose and pulled her into her arms. “Could I meet Edgar?”

  Rose smiled and nodded. “He’s sleeping in a box in the kitchen.”

  “It wouldn’t hurt for you to spend a little more time with her.” Grace pushed aside the covers and climbed out of bed.

  Rose blinked up at Elizabeth, her sweet, trusting gaze filled with unconditional love. “Could we go on a picnic by the river?”

  Elizabeth ran her hand over Rose’s curls, trying to tame them. “I’d love to go on a picnic, but today is laundry day and I promised Martha I would take down the drapes in all the rooms so we could wash them.”

  Rose’s countenance fell.

  “But I could use some help.” Elizabeth touched her nose. “Would you like that?”

  “Could Edgar help, too?”

  “I don’t think it would be smart to bring Edgar around drapes or a tub of hot water. We can play with him for a little while before we get started.”

  Rose nodded and began to bounce again.

  Elizabeth stood and went to her trunk. The letter she’d buried there made so much more sense now. It was probably a note from someone who was helping Jude rescue another soiled dove.

  The thought at once repelled her and humbled her. Jude had been a brothel owner. He had taken advantage of an immoral situation and profited from the sins of others. Yet he had found redemption and forgiveness for his sins. Christ had died to cleanse him of his unrighteousness. God had offered mercy. How could she offer anything less?

  If nothing else, she admired him for telling her the truth. He could have kept it hidden, but he had chosen to be honest at the risk of her scorn, which was exactly what she had given him.

  Elizabeth dressed in an old gown, one she wasn’t afraid to get dirty, and braided her hair in a simple coronet around her head. She put on an apron and laced up her boots, the whole time dreading her encounter with Jude. Now that she knew about his past, would she look at him differently? Would she treat Violet any different?

  Rose tried to dress herself, but Elizabeth had to button up the back of her dress and help her with her boots. She brushed Rose’s curls and put them in two braids then tied a small apron around her waist.

  “Shall we go down to breakfast?” Elizabeth asked Rose.

  Rose clapped. “Yes!”

  “Grace?” Elizabeth looked over her shoulder. Grace had been dawdling and was still in her nightgown.

  “I’ll be down later. I have a bit of a headache this morning.”

  Grace didn’t get sick often. She was too stubborn to be kept down, but she did look a bit pale this morning.

  “Let me know if you need anything.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Elizabeth took Rose’s hand and they left their room.

  The morning went by quickly and Elizabeth stayed busy helping Martha with the laundry. Rose was a fun distraction from the work and loved introducing Elizabeth to the kitten. In between loads of laundry, they took breaks to play with Edgar, who was much smaller and cuter than Elizabeth had anticipated.

  Jude was nowhere to be found. Even Martha didn’t know where he had gone.

  Violet was still under the weather, and Martha had told her to remain in bed for a second day. Elizabeth was thankful she didn’t need to face her quite yet.

  When they had finished the laundry and it was drying on the clothesline in the yard next to the barn, they began supper preparations.

  “What can I do to help?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I put a few chickens in to roast earlier,” Martha said, closing the oven door. “They’re coming along nicely. You and Rose can peel potatoes.”

  “All right.” Elizabeth pulled a stool out for Rose and helped her climb up to the worktable, then she took the potatoes and a large bowl and sat beside her.

  Martha left the kitchen and went into the cellar for milk and eggs. When she came back, she set them on the cupboard. “I just saw Jude enter the barn.”r />
  Elizabeth gripped the paring knife. She would finally have to face him. Would he be cold and angry? Would he ignore her and pretend nothing had happened the night before?

  She had the overwhelming desire to flee from the kitchen, but she needed to face him eventually.

  After a few minutes, he entered the back door and came into the kitchen.

  Elizabeth glanced up and caught his eye for a brief moment before he looked at Rose.

  “How’s Edgar today?”

  “She’s ever so funny.” Rose giggled. “She chases Lizzie’s hair ribbon around and around.”

  “She?” Jude asked, bending down to pet the kitty that lay in the box near the door.

  “Martha said she’s a girl.” Rose jumped off her stool and knelt beside Jude. “She purrs.”

  “If she’s a girl, do you think she should be called Edgar?”

  “Yes.”

  Jude smiled at Rose and pet the furry white kitten a few more times before he stood and faced Martha. “How is Violet feeling?”

  “She’ll be as good as new by tomorrow.” Martha mixed up biscuits while she spoke to Jude. “She probably could have come back to work today, but the lamb needs a bit o’ rest.”

  Jude took off his hat and clutched it in his hands. He still didn’t meet Elizabeth’s eye.

  “I went to St. Cloud today and found a job for her.”

  Elizabeth stopped peeling her potato.

  Martha also stopped her work. “Do you think she’s ready?”

  “I think she’ll do fine. If she’s willing, she’ll be working at the St. Cloud Visiter.”

  Martha’s eyebrows rose like twin peaks. “Isn’t that the paper owned by Mrs. Swisshelm? I’ve read some of her editorials about Sylvanus Lowry and his swindling of the Winnebago Indians. She’s not afraid to speak her mind.”

  “And she’s not afraid to take on a young woman with Violet’s past.” He finally looked at Elizabeth, his gaze hooded. “I was honest with her about Violet and she’s happy to continue her training.”