Love on a Dime

by Cara Lynn James

  Jack lowered his voice again. “You’re going to leave George, aren’t you?” Sucking in his breath, he watched Irene flinch. Tiny lines around her mouth and eyes deepened.

  She coughed up a nervous laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’d never leave my husband.”

  “Oh?” Jack said, his eyebrow raised.

  Irene ’s fork dropped and clattered against the china plate. Several heads turned toward her, but apparently misunderstanding fear for clumsiness, quickly looked away.

  “Whatever do you mean?” she blustered.

  “I know your background. All of it. Before you sneak off, have the decency to tell George about your life in San Francisco.”

  Her thick lower lip trembled for an instant before she raised her chin. “That’s all in the past, over and done with. I’ll admit I wasn’t always discreet, but there ’s no point in tattling to George. It would only hurt him. I’ve been a faithful wife and will continue to be.”

  “Then why are you returning to Quentin Kirby? Are you in love with him?”

  A peal of harsh laughter rang above the din of the conversations. “Don’t be absurd. He ’s a decrepit old man. I love George and I’m coming back just as soon as I can.”

  “Then if you’re not going for love, you’re going for money.”

  Irene looked at him as if he were a dunce. “Of course it’s for money. Why else would I give an ancient roué the time of day?”

  In her own selfish way she probably did care for George, but Jack suspected her feelings lacked any depth. Loyalty and integrity were alien, worthless qualities she neither recognized nor respected.

  “I can never confess my—compromises—to George because they would wound him too deeply.”

  “You’re afraid he ’d toss you out.”

  Irene moaned. “That too. But you won’t tell him, will you?”

  He hated to keep the truth from his friend, but he also hated to cause him misery. Yet, there was that other insolvable problem.

  Irene ’s lips curled with triumph. “You hesitate, so I know you’ll stay mum.” She seemed to breathe easier.

  Jack glared and leaned so close he could smell her wine-laced breath. “But that doesn’t eliminate the problem of Hiram Wilson.” He watched the color drain from her face. “Inconvenient, isn’t he?”

  Irene jumped to her feet but then sank back into her chair, obviously defeated. “How did you find out about him?”

  “My newspapermen did some investigating. I could ignore your dance hall career, but Hiram is another kettle of fish.” One in which she might drown.

  “Don’t you dare mention that man’s name to George.”

  Jack shook his head. “I’ll make no promises.”

  “How dare you!” Her hands trembled. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m not feeling well.” Eyes clouded with fear, she looked about for a quick means of escape.

  The footman pulled back her chair and she sauntered away without her usual flourish. She apologized to Mrs. Westbrook and then disappeared through the archway, her golden head bowed, her shoulders hunched.

  He pitied the young woman, despite her money-grubbing ways and lying heart. She ’d tried to better her life through a prosperous, respectable marriage, the only avenue of real success for a female. He gave her credit for that. But she ’d tricked the guileless George with charm and dishonesty, which tossed her into Jack’s debit column.

  Jack stifled a weary groan. He wished he could be excused from the festivities, too, but a plausible reason wouldn’t come to mind. He watched Lilly for the rest of the dinner and noted strain in her serious eyes and the tight line of her lips.

  Why did she insist on going through this crisis alone?

  TWENTY-SIX

  Lilly suffered through the long, tedious dinner, trying to carry on a pleasant conversation with Richard Calloway, a widower she’d known for years. Miranda helped keep the discussion flowing while Mama sat across the table staring at Lilly, her eyes wide but oddly unfocused. Light from the flickering candles and crystal chandeliers couldn’t erase the bewilderment stamped on Mama’s pinched face. Lilly squirmed beneath her scrutiny, yet she couldn’t figure out the cause of her mother’s strange expression.

  As soon as the evening’s festivities ended, Lilly hurried to bed. Neither a warm bath nor a cup of hot milk soothed her enough to induce sleep. Her eyes finally closed when the chill of early morning blew through the screens. She dreamed of Colonel MacIntyre’s nasty laugh and his cigar smoke choking her lungs. Well past noon she awoke to recall her meeting with the editor of Talk of the Town was only a few hours away. And she had no money to pay his blackmail.

  Her empty stomach curdled with bile, but she forced herself to get up and dress. She donned her least conspicuous black skirt and a plain white shirtwaist, a combination she hoped would help her blend in with the other women on Thames Street. She headed for the door when shivers suddenly twirled down her spine and sweat erupted on her face and neck. Lying back down on her bed, she waited several minutes before attempting to rise. Slowly she walked to the window and gulped in cool, revitalizing air.

  Please Heavenly Father, You’ve taken me this far. Make me strong enough to face the consequences of what I’ve thoughtlessly brought on myself. I can feel Your presence and Your comfort. Stay with me and guide me because I still don’t know what I ought to do. But You know, Lord.

  She wished she had time to read Scripture, but the minutes were ticking away. Descending the staircase, she gripped the rail to steady her shaky legs. Where was Jack? She searched Summerhill from top to bottom. Her heart plummeted at the thought he might have gone to Bailey’s Beach or the casino. She hadn’t time to traipse all over Newport hoping to find him. Finally, she glimpsed his tall, broad-shouldered form striding across the back lawn toward the small beach cove she loved so well. Sprinting across the grass, she was out of breath as she hurried down the wooden steps.

  The tide rolled to shore, leaving a narrow band of dry sand edged with lacy, hissing waves. Jack stood by the water watching the breakers crash against the rocks. Lilly sucked in a deep breath and then slowly let it out.

  Please help me, Lord.

  As if Jack sensed her presence, he looked over his shoulder and smiled. The heels of her black leather shoes sunk into the soft sand as she joined him. Her carefully arranged hair escaped from its pins and brushed against her cheeks.

  “Jack, may we talk?”

  “Of course.” His grin encouraged her to continue.

  “I—I’d like to borrow some money from you, if you have it to spare right now. I hate to ask, but you said if I needed help, come to you. So, here I am,” she finished lamely.

  “Is this for Colonel MacIntyre?”

  She swallowed her hesitation and fear. “Yes.”

  Jack ran his fingers through his thick hair and stared out to sea for several seconds before he turned and looked her in the eye. “If you pay him, he’ll only demand more. It might never end. Lilly, this extortion has to stop now.”

  It took all her self-control not to burst into tears. “I know you don’t approve of paying blackmail—and neither do I—but I must take the chance he ’ll demand money only this one time. You know I don’t have a choice unless I go public. And I won’t do that.”

  “Lilly, I love you and I want to help you. Please let me handle MacIntyre. I’ll find a way to deal with the problem. Don’t do this on your own. You need not get involved. Blackmail is a nasty business.”

  “Jack, I appreciate your concern, but I can face the colonel alone. Please, will you loan me the money? I will pay you back with interest in Dec—”

  “It’s not the money, Lilly. It’s the idea of paying a scoundrel to keep a secret he ’ll never honor. Don’t you see that?”

  She saw he wouldn’t help her, though he ’d promised he would. He might be right about the colonel, but at least the funds would give her more time to decide the best way to handle the situation. Jack was leaving her in the lurch, just as he ’d
done six years before—right when she’d begun to believe he ’d never abandon her again. Miranda had been so sure he loved her enough to help in any way.

  “I understand your point, Jack. And it was wrong for me to ask.” And foolish.

  “No, Lilly. I’m glad you asked because I do want to help. I love you.”

  She nodded, then turned away.

  He spun her around, paused, and then kissed her.

  Woodenly, she returned his kiss, but couldn’t pull away from the strength of his embrace. It pained her to know he wouldn’t come to her aid, but she understood why. He thought he was helping her face her dilemma head on, though he was actually forcing her to look for the funds elsewhere. But despite her frustration and hurt feelings, she melted in his arms and buried her head in the softness of his jacket. He loved her.

  Then she broke away before she lingered too long, her eyes stinging with tears.

  Only one option remained. She’d ask Papa, her last hope. Lilly hurried upstairs and grabbed her straw hat and reticule before returning to the main floor.

  HUFFING AND PUFFING, Mr. Ames tottered into the library. “I thought I might find you here, sir. You’ve a telephone call from Mr. Lewis Jarman.”

  “Thank you.” Good news, Jack hoped. He hurried to Mr. Westbrook’s seldom-used office and put the receiver to his ear.

  Lewis got down to business immediately. “I’ve been reading manuscripts all morning, and low and behold, I believe I’ve discovered a winner. A writer of westerns. She told a tale so exciting I couldn’t put it down.”

  “Excellent. That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time. Did you say ‘she ’?”

  “I did, indeed.”

  Jack lowered himself into the hard desk chair. “Interesting. Have you contacted her yet? Could you send me the manuscript? We need to work fast before Sterling gets a hold of her.”

  “Of course, I’ll send it today. And I’ll telephone her right away. She lives in the city.”

  WHEN LILLY HEARD Jack’s voice coming from the office, she stopped short near the half-open door. He must be speaking on the telephone, probably to Mr. Jarman. They seemed to stay in close contact. She knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but as she took a step down the hallway, Jack’s words grabbed her attention.

  “And when we speak to her, we must make it clear we ’ll have a large promotional campaign, much like the one Sterling has for Elna Price. No more anonymity for Jones and Jarman writers. If she doesn’t like being the center of attention, then she ’s not the authoress for us. We must insist she understand that. I can’t allow her to hide in her garret.”

  Lilly covered her mouth with her hand. Fannie Cole was disposable now that she refused to allow Jack to take charge. Well, who knew what he might do in the interest of his company? Just when she’d begun to trust him, he ’d turned against her. She ’d thought he ’d changed for the better and relinquished some of the raw ambition that had consumed him for years. But apparently, he hadn’t.

  Well, he had to make his choices, and she needed to do the same. She’d borrow the money from Papa, pay off the colonel, and pay her debts with the proceeds from signing a deal—a deal that would allow her to preserve her anonymity—with Atwater.

  On wobbly legs she slowly walked toward the game room where she hoped to find Papa. She ’d worry about Jack’s promotion plan and a switch to Atwater after she ’d secured the funds. But when she reached the foyer she dropped into a gilded chair. Could she truly leave Jack in the lurch after all they’d been through? No, even after the conversation she ’d just overheard, she couldn’t show Jack such disloyalty. She ’d stay with Jones and Jarman.

  Lilly heard soft footsteps on the carpet runner right behind her. She increased her pace, but Jack quickly caught up and gently grabbed her elbow.

  Spinning around, she wrenched free of him. She tried to speak with cool detachment, but her voice shook with emotion. “Jack, please excuse me. I’m pressed for time.”

  “Lilly, I have news to tell you. Mr. Jarman and I were just speaking—”

  She shook her head. “I’m afraid it will have to keep for a while. I’m in a bit of a hurry. We can talk later.”

  Jack narrowed his eyes. “You look upset.”

  “No, I’m all right.” She wasn’t all right, but with no time to waste, she couldn’t explain. With her head cast down, she strode toward the game room, blinking back tears. She stood at the door for several seconds until she composed herself and then looked inside. Papa was stretched out on his favorite leather chair by the fire, book in hand.

  A roaring fire crackled and hissed then tossed up a shower of red and yellow flames. Papa’s pink face glowed even pinker in the heat and light.

  Lilly prayed no one else would wander in.

  Heavenly Father, please give me the right words to say to Papa. Soften his heart. And Lord, guide me to do the right thing and follow Your will.

  “Good morning, Papa.” Lilly perched on the edge of the footstool by her father’s feet.

  He placed his book on his lap and smiled expectantly. His downy hair rose in one thin peak, lending him a benevolent and slightly comical appearance. But Lilly knew he was shrewd and nobody’s fool.

  “You look a bit tired today, and your eyes are red. You’re not coming down with something, are you? I can call the doctor, you know. It’s no trouble at all.”

  “No, I’m fine.” Only a severe case of grief and nerves. “I have a favor to ask of you, Papa.” She paused, momentarily losing her courage. But with no other option, she plowed ahead. “Something has come up and I’d like an advance on my trust fund. I don’t have much money in my bank account right now, but by December I’ll have enough to pay you back with interest.”

  “Of course, my dear. How much do you need?”

  She swallowed the dust in her throat. “Three thousand dollars.”

  “That’s quite a sum.” Papa said in a light tone, as if he wouldn’t inquire any further.

  Could she dare breathe a bit easier? “It’s a private matter or I’d explain.” She gave a nervous giggle. “Don’t worry, I haven’t gambled or bought gems. Nothing like that.”

  He looked puzzled for a moment before he patted her hand. “I never thought you’d be that foolish. But if you’re in some sort of scrape, tell me about it. Surely I can help.”

  “Loaning me the money is more than enough.” If only she had the gumption to confess why she needed the funds and, above all, why she wrote her dime novels. His smile was so inviting, she could almost imagine him accepting her career. But right now she hadn’t enough time to explain properly and defend her position.

  “You’re not trying to pay Irene ’s gambling debts, are you? She and George probably think your mother and I don’t know about her losses at bridge, but we do. Don’t ever bail her out, Lilly. Those two need to grapple with their finances, and I intend to hold them accountable myself.”

  Lilly half-smiled. “No, the money isn’t for them.”

  Papa heaved himself off his chair and padded over to a concealed wall safe. He dialed the combination, counted out the money, and frowned. “Oh Lilly, I’m so sorry. I forgot I gave George quite a bit to cover Irene ’s debts and then I paid your mother’s dressmaker’s bills just this morning. So I’m temporarily short. I’ll wire the bank for more funds and they should arrive within the next few days.” Papa handed her a one-hundred-dollar bill. “This is all I have for now. I hope you can wait.”

  She couldn’t wait, but she couldn’t explain either. “Thank you, Papa.”

  His eyes sharpened. “You took like you might cry. Do tell me what’s the matter.”

  Lilly managed a small smile. “No, I’m fine. Really. George told me he asked you for money. I was surprised at his gumption.”

  “I gave him a spirited lecture about overspending, but he took it well. I was also shocked he found the nerve to ask.”

  Lilly started for the door before she found herself breaking down and confessing. “Thank you
again, Papa, for your generosity and for not questioning me.” Would the colonel take this paltry amount as a down payment and wait for the rest? Or would he splash her identity all over Talk of the Town?

  Lilly’s hands shook as she stuffed the cash into her skirt pocket. Papa’s steady gaze signaled curiosity, but he didn’t question her. “It’s really your money, not mine. I have no business asking you how you spend it.”

  “Nor do I.” At the sound of Mama’s voice, Lilly spun around.

  Mama sailed across the carpet and slipped her hands into Lilly’s warm palms. Lilly glanced down at her mother, startled to find Mama’s dark eyes brimming with affection.

  “I’ve treated you as a child for too many years when I should have acknowledged you’re a grown woman. And a very capable one at that. But it’s been so hard to let go of my children.” She gently pressed Lilly’s fingers. “I want to keep you and George from making mistakes that you’ll regret. So I always try to protect you and maybe even manage your life. I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me, my dear?”

  “Why of course, Mama.” Lilly bent down and hugged her mother for the first time in months. “But why are you telling me this all of a sudden?”

  Mama pulled in a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “Because I have something to confess.”

  The grandfather’s clock in the hallway chimed the hour. One o’clock.

  Lilly frowned, bewildered by Mama’s abrupt change. Distressed she couldn’t stay, Lilly apologized. “I do wish we could speak right now, but I have an appointment which I must keep. If it’s all right with you, may we talk when I return? I believe we do have a lot to discuss. In fact I have something I need to tell you too.” But was she really brave enough to admit the truth about her writing? She wasn’t sure.

  “That’s fine.” Mama beamed a cherubic smile. She seemed relieved at her temporary reprieve.

  “I’ll be on my way. Thank you again, Papa.”

  Lilly pecked at his cheek and hurried to the foyer.

  Dear Lord, I have no way to pay the colonel and no one else to turn to. I’m begging for Your help and I’m relying completely upon You for a solution. I’ve looked to myself instead of toward You and I’ve found no answers. Please forgive me.