by Mary Davis
Mr. Perrault put the signed document in the folder and then into the satchel. He withdrew another folder. “As your mother survived your father, hers is the will being executed today. This is the last will and testament of Louise Hillman Tisdale.”
“Tell me what happened to them,” Mrs. Bradshaw said. “How each of them died.”
Mr. Perrault removed his glasses. “I think it’s best if you don’t know the details.”
“I want to know.”
Liv took one of Mother’s hands and Granny took the other.
“Very well. The house caught fire during the night. Your father perished in the blaze. Your mother was found at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious. She was badly burned and had several broken bones. They surmised that in her attempt to flee, she fell down the stairs. She died the next day.”
A tear rolled down each of Mrs. Bradshaw’s cheeks.
Troy was sure the attorney could have conveyed more gruesome details. He was glad the man had not burdened Mrs. Bradshaw with them.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Mr. Perrault said. “Would you like to continue, or reconvene tomorrow?”
Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head. “Continue.”
Mr. Perrault replaced his glasses and read the will.
Mrs. Tisdale’s money was to be divided equally. Half was to go to Mrs. Bradshaw and half to be divided equally among Mrs. Bradshaw’s children. If there were no living children, then the total sum was to go to Mrs. Bradshaw. Since Liv was an only child, she would receive the other half. The amount of money left to each of them stunned Troy. They could live very comfortably.
Liv really didn’t need him.
Chapter 14
Troy took one document after another from the attorney and signed as witness.
Mr. Perrault shuffled papers around for Mrs. Bradshaw, Granny, Troy and Olivia to sign. “Because your father perished first, everything of his was left to your mother. Had it been the other way around, most everything would have gone to the university.”
Troy understood. Mrs. Bradshaw’s father had disinherited her. But her mother had not.
Mr. Perrault removed a cigar box. “As the will stipulated, your mother left you all her jewelry. I am sorry to say most of it was lost in the fire. I have a few pieces here that were at the jeweler’s to be cleaned or repaired.” He lifted the lid, took out a cloth and unfolded it on his lap. Inside were four white silk cloths. He unfurled them one at a time. First, a small brooch. Next, a diamond bracelet. Then, a sapphire necklace and earring set. Last, another larger brooch.
Mrs. Bradshaw took possession of them and handed Liv the sapphire set. “I want you to have these.”
Troy gaped. “Are those…?”
“Real gems?” Mr. Perrault turned to Troy. “Yes. Every one of them.” He turned back to Mrs. Bradshaw. “The house and its contents were destroyed. But the land it sat upon is yours. If you would like to rebuild and move there, I can help you make those arrangements. If you would like to sell the property, I can assist you with that, as well.”
Liv’s mother nodded stiffly. “This island is my home. I’ll sell the land. I would appreciate you taking care of that for me.”
Mr. Perrault retrieved another folder. “I prepared documents for any contingency in the event you wished me to take care of matters for you.” After having Mrs. Bradshaw sign a dozen more documents, he patted his satchel. “The last order of business is the bank draft I have.” He handed over the note. “It’s only a small portion of the money you will be receiving. We can meet at the bank in the morning to deposit that and make arrangements for the rest of the funds to be transferred to your account.”
He removed another sheet of paper and turned to Liv. “Miss Bradshaw, your money is still being held at the bank in Chicago. As we didn’t know how many, if any, children existed, nor their names, we kept the money in the bank until arrangements could be made.” He handed the paper to Mrs. Bradshaw. “If you will fill in the names of all your children and sign, verifying the information, I will arrange for your daughter’s money to be sent to the bank here, as well.”
After completing the information, Mrs. Bradshaw returned the document to Mr. Perrault.
He tucked all the papers into his satchel. “That is all that can be done for tonight. We can convene at the bank in the morning to deposit your check and make arrangements for the other money to be transferred.”
Troy realized that was his cue. “I’ll come ’round first thing in the morning with a buggy to have you at the bank when it opens.”
Mrs. Bradshaw held up her hand. “Not so early. Would ten o’clock be all right?”
Mr. Perrault agreed. “One more thing. Neither Eugene Bradshaw nor any husband in the future is to have access to this money. It’s a stipulation of the will.” He turned to Troy. “You’ll see to that as their banker?”
“Not to worry. Eugene Bradshaw passed away over two years ago.”
“Very well.” Mr. Perrault latched his satchel.
“No, he didn’t,” Mrs. Bradshaw said.
Troy jerked his head around.
Liv inhaled sharply.
Granny Bradshaw patted her daughter-in-law’s arm. “Let it lie.”
“I can’t.” Mrs. Bradshaw looked directly at Troy. “Mr. Bradshaw left us for another woman. He couldn’t handle my being stuck in a wheelchair.”
Troy stared and then glanced at Liv.
She shifted her gaze to her lap as she nodded.
He didn’t know what to say. “I don’t understand. You said he passed away.”
Granny spoke up. “That was all my doing. When he run off, I knew he wouldn’t be coming back. I thought it best to save Caroline and Olivia the disgrace my son’s leaving would cause them. I convinced them to keep it to themselves.”
“I am as much to blame. I readily agreed.” Mrs. Bradshaw waited until Troy made firm eye contact with her again. “I’m sorry we kept that from you. You, of all people, should have been told. My actions were inexcusable.”
“That’s all right.” He understood why they hadn’t. He felt their humiliation as well as his own.
Troy left with Mr. Perrault. He was stunned at the turnaround for Liv’s family. They were most fortunate. But he wasn’t sure how to feel about Mr. Bradshaw. Should he be happy Liv’s father wasn’t dead? He’d looked up to the man. Wanted to be like him.
A twisting in his gut nearly knocked the wind out of him. Mr. Bradshaw had left his family for another woman. Liv saw Troy talking to other women regularly. Though nothing ever happened and he would never leave Liv for someone else, he must look the same in her eyes. No wonder seeing him with other women upset her so.
He’d been such a fool.
When they reached the corner a block from the hotel, Troy split off from Mr. Perrault. Mr. Perrault continued toward the hotel, promising to see Troy in the morning.
Pastor Kearns strolled up the road. “Are you on your way to the Bradshaws’?”
Troy shook his head. “I just came from there.”
“Is everything all right?”
For the Bradshaws? Yes. For Troy? No. “Yes. They have had some grand news.” Troy swallowed hard and held his head up. “The wedding is canceled.”
Pastor Kearns raised his eyebrows. “Canceled? I should stay away then?”
“Of course not. They’re expecting you.”
“Very well. You aren’t coming?”
Troy shook his head again.
The pastor put his hand on Troy’s shoulder. “I’m sure it will all work out.”
“Not this time. I’m not needed now.” Troy waved goodbye and parted from Pastor Kearns. He wanted to go to the waterfront to sort out these turns of events and to pray. But his feet took him to the boardinghouse.
Outside, Nick stood from a chair on the porch. “You look whipped.”
“That’s about how I feel.”
“I thought you might be staying for supper at this point. You want to get supper at the hotel dining ro
om? Then you can tell me what happened.”
Troy had no appetite, but Nick needed to eat, and he’d like the company. “Sounds good.”
Soon they were at the hotel and seated with cups of coffee in front of them. Nick ordered a meal, but Troy passed.
Nick took a tentative sip of coffee. “Hot.” He set his cup down. “So, do you want to tell me?”
“I think I’ve lost her for good this time.” Troy took a swig of coffee, scalding his mouth and throat. He didn’t care. He raised the cup for another round.
“Whoa, boy.” Nick plucked the cup from Troy’s hand and set it aside. “It can’t be that bad. You’ve always won her back before. You can do it again.”
Troy raked a hand through his hair. “She doesn’t need me. Both she and her mother inherited enough money to sustain them all comfortably for the rest of their lives and then some.”
Nick let out a long whistle. “Where did the money come from?”
“Mrs. Bradshaw’s mother. The relative in Chicago they were going to move in with.”
“To me, this all sounds like good news. They aren’t moving to Chicago, and Olivia doesn’t have to work at the cannery. Aren’t those both things you wanted?”
There was more, but it wasn’t Troy’s place to tell Nick about Mr. Bradshaw. “But she doesn’t need anything from me. I should have been more careful and not let Violet use me.”
“Violet has her own man. She won’t be a problem anymore.”
“She could be. Hewitt got caught with another woman. He said Violet wants to use me again to make him jealous.”
“Don’t do it.”
“I won’t.”
“Then you’ll get Olivia to come around.”
It wasn’t that simple. Now that Troy knew about Mr. Bradshaw, he wondered how Liv had ever forgiven him. “It’s complicated. There’s more to the story than just them inheriting money. Her father did something before he…” Troy couldn’t say died now that he knew the truth. “Before he was gone that is keeping Liv from trusting me.” Gone could mean dead as well as left. “I don’t know if I can overcome it.”
He’d spent more than a decade pining after Liv. Maybe what he felt wasn’t love after all. Maybe it was just an old habit.
A habit it was time to break.
Nick narrowed his eyes. “I’ve never seen you this defeated. I never would have imagined it possible. But there are two things I know. Olivia Bradshaw loves you. And you could charm an angry grizzly bear out of killing you for stealing one of her cubs. So you can and will win Olivia back.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
Nick’s confidence in him made him feel better. “Tomorrow. I’ll start tomorrow.”
The serving girl set Nick’s supper in front of him.
Nick pointed to Troy. “Bring him a plate, too.”
Troy nodded. His appetite had returned. “Would you do me a favor?”
“Should I ask what it is first?” Nick snatched up his fork.
“Would you pick up Olivia, her mother and grandmother in the morning at ten and take them to the bank? I’ll be waiting for them.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll go over to the livery after supper and pay Turner for the rental.” That would give him time to get the paperwork in order before they arrived.
* * *
Olivia hadn’t even begun supper when Pastor Kearns arrived shortly after Troy had left. She had been wrapped up in all Mr. Perrault had to say. As Mother and Gran had been. She made a simple supper, heating a jar of beef stew they’d canned last winter and the rolls that were already rising and waiting to go in the oven. In short order, they were sitting down. Olivia bowed her head as Pastor Kearns said grace over the meal.
Mother was the first to speak after the blessing. “You must forgive us, Pastor, for not having supper prepared when you arrived. We had an unexpected afternoon guest who brought us some rather surprising news. We got distracted and lost track of time.”
“Think nothing of it.” Pastor Kearns accepted a bowl from Gran. “I hope the news was good.”
“Some was very good.” Mother glanced at Olivia. “Some disappointing.”
Olivia knew Mother was referring to the wedding not taking place.
“This evening,” Gran said, “didn’t go as planned.”
“I ran into Troy Morrison on my way over. I was sorry to hear the wedding was canceled.”
Olivia stared at Pastor Kearns across the supper table. The way he worded that, it sounded as though the wedding were called off altogether. “But it’s just postponed, right?”
“He said there would be no wedding. He seemed definitive. Said he wasn’t needed. It didn’t make sense to me. I assume it does to you.”
It did. She and Mother each had money enough to not only pay the rent but to buy a much bigger house and live out their days in comfort. So the necessity to marry Troy would never come up again.
So when would they marry? Ever?
As she lay in bed that night, her eyes refused to stay shut. She stared up at the dark ceiling. The cancellation of the wedding wasn’t the relief she would have thought it would be. She finally acknowledged to herself that she was disappointed, deeply and profoundly.
She had wanted to marry Troy.
Being forced, she could have been absolved from responsibility for anything that went wrong between them. If Troy left her or did anything else unacceptable, Mother would be to blame.
And it hadn’t been right to keep Father’s indiscretion from him. Had that been an obstacle to her marrying him, as well? Probably. Now that it was out in the open, she felt freer to love Troy.
Poor Troy.
She should have married him long ago and found solace in his arms over her father’s behavior. Now he probably wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her. He would feel betrayed because they hadn’t told him the truth from the start. And he was probably hurt that the only way she would agree to marry him was under duress.
She would talk to him tomorrow. Beg him to forgive her. Ask if he still loved her.
Chapter 15
The following morning, Troy jerked to his feet when Violet Jones barged into his office, declaring, “You have to help me.” The bank hadn’t even been open for fifteen minutes.
“Your father is in his office. He would be more suited to assist you.” After what Hewitt had said, he didn’t want to give Violet any encouragement.
She plunked herself in the chair. “No, it has to be you.”
Troy eased back down, glad to have the wide desk between them. “I am really in no position to assist you.”
“But you are. I know you didn’t marry Olivia yesterday, so you are free as a bird.”
“I still love her and will marry her.”
“But not today, so you can help me. I need you to make Mr. Raines jealous. He has been dallying around town with other women.”
Poor Violet. She could find a more devoted man than Hewitt. “So let him go. Why would you want to marry a libertine?”
“He’ll change once we’re married.”
That kind of man never did. “He won’t. He will only break your heart in the end.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “But I want him.”
Should he tell her what she wanted to hear, or the truth? “He’s using you. Manipulating you. He wants to marry you for your money. He told me so himself. You can do so much better than him.”
She was young, beautiful and wealthy. She would attract another suitor in no time.
She sniffled.
Troy came around his desk and proffered his handkerchief. “He’s no good.”
She took it and dabbed at her eyes. “But—”
“Violet, you have a lot to offer a man. Find one who will love you rather than your money.” He took her hand and helped her to her feet.
“But that man’s not you, is it?”
He shook his head.
She leaned forward and gave him a peck on
the cheek. “Olivia is fortunate to have you.”
He wished Liv thought so. He felt eyes on him and let his gaze travel beyond Violet.
Liv stared directly at him. She had seen.
He glanced at Violet and back to Liv.
No. Please, Lord, no. Not again. He was to start anew with her today. Start charming his way back into her heart. Not give her more ammunition to shoot him down with.
Liv didn’t move.
He couldn’t read her face. But it was something akin to shock.
Violet gave Liv a smug smile, then hooked her hand around his arm and propelled him forward. “You must tell my father what you have told me.”
He would not let Violet manipulate him again. As he passed Liv, he pulled himself free. “Please wait for me. I can explain.”
She still didn’t move or say anything.
He just needed her to listen for a moment or two.
“Troy, dear.” Violet sidled up next to him. “Come along.”
He turned on Violet and glared. “I will be there in a minute.”
Violet’s eyes widened. She nodded and opened Mr. Jones’s office door.
Troy approached Liv and was surprised she didn’t storm past him or throw an accusation at him. “Will you come to my office?” He cupped her elbow with his hand. He knew she thought he was letting Violet use him again. But he wasn’t. He wouldn’t.
She didn’t fuss, cause a scene, or refuse. She let him guide her into his office.
So far so good.
She took the chair he offered.
Troy didn’t want to go. He wanted to talk with Liv. Could he put off this encounter with his boss and still keep his job? Violet was probably telling her father he’d snapped at her. His job might already be terminated.
“Go,” Liv said.
He knelt in front of her. “Please stay here. Don’t move. I’ll be right back. Well, as soon as I can.” He hoped this wouldn’t take long. If he was fired, it could be real short.
Liv nodded.
“Thank you. I’ll be right back. Stay right here.” He straightened and backed out of his office. Please stay. Lord, keep her here long enough for me to explain. He knew he could get her to understand.
