“Luther Dancy says so but it’s not official.”
Abby cursed the surge of joy her brother’s words set to blooming in her heart. It isn’t too late.
“’Tis ten years too late!” Abby hissed, then felt her face and neck flame when she realized she’d spoken the words aloud.
Fortunately, Brendan put his own thoughts to her words. “True. Had another girl been in the picture back then, none of us would have let him within a mile of you. We should have protected you then. He fooled all of us. Ma, as well. To think I called him friend. I hope he’s bright enough to stay out of my way, or we may be run out of town rather than be leavin’ on our own.” Brendan sighed. “I best turn in. Don’t you be stayin’ up too late at your mendin'.”
Abby stared after Brendan. He’d championed Joshua the longest, keeping her hope alive until after Daniel’s birth. He’d been the one to encourage that last shameless letter she’d written. Brendan had just grown quiet about the subject when no answer came from Germany. In fact, he’d never spoken a word against his former friend until tonight, and now he was filled with anger and threats. She wondered why the change but shrugged off the thought. Perhaps as with her, Joshua’s return had opened the wounds of betrayal.
Chapter Two
Joshua stopped outside his father’s study. When they’d arrived Harlan had been sleeping, so Josh had decided to unpack. When he’d seen his room redone in an adult—if not an ostentatious—decorating style, he’d let himself hope his father saw him as a man now. But when Henry brought word that Harlan wanted to see him, old feelings brought doubt. He wondered if he’d ever truly be his own man in Wheatonburg. Here he felt like a rich man’s puppet. His father’s puppet.
He forced himself to remember who he was—who he’d become. He was one of the world’s most sought-after mining engineers. He’d answered to no one for years, and had a reputation for being an independent thinker. Straightening to his full six foot one inches of height, Josh opened the study door.
“Son. Come in. Come in,” Harlan called.
Joshua braced himself for the sight of his once robust father confined to a wheelchair. But he wasn’t prepared for how old the man looked after ten years. His blunt Germanic features were now rounded with excess weight. His once muscular chest seemed to have caved in, the rubble falling in an enormous bulge on his lap.
Forcing himself forward, Josh wanted to allow his father as much of his dignity as possible regardless of the bad blood between them. He advanced steadily and shook Harlan’s hand.
“It’s good to have you home, son,” Harlan said. His voice wobbled a bit. It gave Josh hope that the old man really was glad to have him back and willing to accept him as he was.
“It’s good to be home,” Josh answered, though he qualified it in his mind as feeling only a bit better than he’d expected.
“Sit down, Joshua. I asked Franklin to sit in on this meeting for several reasons. First, I thought there should be a witness.” Harlan reached beside him, and picked up a set of keys and a piece of paper. He handed each to Joshua in turn. “Here is the combination to the safe, and these are the keys to this office and all the buildings owned by Wheaton Coal. As I agreed, you’re free to run the mines as you see fit. It’s what I’ve always wanted. A family business. There are only two of us, but I’m sure there’ll be more soon.”
“There is no woman in my life. I thought I’d made that clear,” Joshua countered. “I’m not averse to marriage, as I told you. But I haven’t met anyone in recent years I’d want to spend the rest of my life with.”
“You have to forget what’s past,” Harlan groused, shifting restlessly in his chair. “You can’t go back. There’s too much water gone over that dam. Which brings me to the second reason I asked Franklin to be here. We’d … Franklin and I … uh …”
Gowery chuckled. “What your father is trying so carefully to say is he and I would like you and Helena to make a match of it. As soon as possible.”
Joshua blinked. “Pardon me?”
“I want you to marry my ward.”
“Franklin, don’t take this as an insult, but, no. I scarcely know her.”
“You must admit she’s a lovely young woman.”
From the implacable expression on his father’s face, Joshua knew there would be no diplomatic way to extricate himself from this situation. “Be that as it may, I don’t want to marry her.”
Gowery nodded. His patronizing expression irritated Joshua even before he spoke. “I am given to understand that there was once a girl in your life. Are you still in love with her?”
Joshua sucked a breath through gritted teeth. This came too closely on the heels of that heart-wrenching glimpse of Abby in town. “She’s out of my reach, Franklin, not that it’s any of your affair. My father had no right to speak of my private business.”
“Helena also loved unwisely. Her husband will need to overlook her error, however, if you take my meaning. She isn’t in the family way, fortunately. You needn’t worry about that. The man is completely unsuitable and as Helena is all alone in the world, I am obligated to see to her future. We’ve never been close but her father was a friend. You should know Helena is heiress to a considerable fortune, which will be turned over to you when you two marry.”
“My father should have warned you, Franklin. I can’t be bought.” Joshua’s comment snapped like a whip through the room. He glanced sharply at Harlan then added, “Or threatened. He tried both ten years ago and hasn’t seen me since.”
Gowery laughed. “I would hardly call being made a millionaire for marrying a lovely young woman a threat. Nor is it a bribe. I like you, Joshua. You’re from a good, solid family and I know my friend’s daughter would be well taken care of as your wife. She has to marry. Why not take advantage of a windfall?”
“I should think you’d want more for the daughter of a friend than to be considered a windfall. Love for instance?”
“Love is a much lauded but stupid emotion. It leads people to foolishness, desperation and heartache. You’ve learned that. Helena will accept it, as well. What Harry Conwell wanted for his daughter is the kind of alliance I have with my wife and your father had with your mother. Under the terms of Harry’s will, I must approve of the man or she doesn’t inherit.”
Joshua suppressed a shudder, remembering his parents’ cold union, and the poor German widow forced into an illicit alliance to fill the private needs his father’s wife refused to deal with. Josh would die alone before he’d live the way they had. “I suggest you look elsewhere.”
“At least consider it?” Gowery asked. “Squire Helena about for a day or two. Get to know her. There is another man I’m considering who is from just as good a family. I’ll settle on him if you refuse even though Helena seems to despise him.”
Poor Helena. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to agree to spend time with her. He could give her a reprieve for a little while. She was a pleasant person and certainly not hard on the eyes. Harlan’s chair creaked, drawing Joshua’s attention. He sat back in his own chair and looked toward his father again. “You’ve been surprisingly quiet, Father.”
“I think you would be wise to think about Franklin’s offer. He’s only trying to do his duty by the girl and it isn’t as if arranged marriages among people of our class are unusual. Don’t turn it down out of hand just because I’ve endorsed the girl.”
Joshua smiled. “That would be rather childish. If I remember from our recent communications, we’ve decided I’m a man now. I’ll run the company and escort who I wish and, as it so happens, it suits my purposes