They sat in silence, holding each other. The rays of sun peeking through the clouds diminished their problems. A God who could make such magnificence would certainly help them through this. Everything would be all right. It had to be, for she couldn’t handle anything less. The children were too important.
“Well, I guess the next step would be to see Mr. Lawton in the morning and tell him our stories,” Nate said.
He clutched the reins in his hands and started for home. Angel laid her head on his arm. Anxious to see the children, she hoped her time with them would not be cut short by grandparents who didn’t care for them, but for what they believed in.
Sylvia placed the book she tried to read in her lap. It didn’t hold her interest, anyway. Her mind kept returning to the situation with Lucy. Eli wore blinders when it came to his daughter’s problems, and Sylvia could see disaster on the horizon. The young woman had been very clear she disliked her, and resented the relationship Sylvia had with her father.
Although not a very likeable girl, she felt sorry for Lucy in a strange way. Under all that nastiness, a spoiled young girl who’d never had the influence of a mother, cried out. Nate seemed capable of handling Lucy’s ever-increasing advances, and luckily Angelina kept her head about her, and ignored the young girl. But since her drinking had come to everyone’s attention, the time had arrived to take action before something tragic happened.
She rested her head against the back of the comfortable damask chair and allowed her thoughts to wander. She’d been thrilled when Eli hired her at the restaurant, and knew from the start he was attracted to her. As much as she liked his money, she also cared deeply for the man, and didn’t want to see him hurt. He was so protective of her, and had taken care of that nasty matter with the sheriff.
The whole episode still bothered her. The attorney for the estate had handed her a check for two hundred eleven dollars, when all the claims against Gerald’s estate had been paid. Why there remained over a thousand dollars still due depositors continued to be mystery.
But now she worried about her future stepdaughter. She rose from the chair to ready herself for an evening of dinner and the theater. Various ways to address Lucy’s situation with Eli ran through her mind. It would not be an easy conversation, but a necessary one.
Sometime later, after dismissing the maid who fixed her hair, Sylvia picked up her wrap, gloves and reticule, and headed downstairs. Eli waited for her in the library, a glass of whiskey in his hand.
“Would you like a sherry before we leave, sweetheart?”
“Do we have time?” She settled on the padded bench in front of the fireplace.
“Yes.” He poured a small glass of the dark liquid and handed it to her. Taking the seat across from where she sat, he lifted his glass in a toast.
Sylvia took a small swallow. “Eli, we need to talk about Lucy.”
“What about Lucy?” Eli frowned.
“I don’t mean to upset you, but I have reason to believe she’s been drinking quite a bit.”
Eli dragged his hand down his face and sighed. “At one time I would have denied that, and taken offense at the suggestion, but I’m afraid you’re right. Even though she denies drinking, I’ve noticed liquor disappearing from my stock, and I have no reason to believe anyone on the staff has suddenly started stealing from me.”
She set her glass on the small cherry wood table next to her, and took his hand. “What are we going to do?”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I thank God every day for you, my dear. You cannot imagine how wonderful it is to have someone to share my life, and concerns about my daughter.”
He rose and placed the empty brandy glass on the sideboard. “I wish I knew. A lot of Lucy’s behavior has to do with not having a woman’s influence. Also, my allowing her to run roughshod over everyone and giving her everything she wanted didn’t help.”
“I don’t think you should blame yourself.” Sylvia edged to the end of her seat. “Certain personality traits are present at birth. I really hate to make comparisons because it’s not always fair, but Angelina also experienced a childhood with no female influence, and had every advantage Lucy had. Yet you’ve seen how well she’s adjusted to her life. She adores her husband and the children. She doesn’t miss all the material things she had before. And she even took me in after I pulled that dirty trick on her.”
/> Sylvia remembered when she’d told Eli the mail order bride story, taking quite a bit of guilt onto herself when she did.
“Sweetheart, don’t keep blaming yourself for what you had to do to take care of Angel. You didn’t have a lot of choices, and I haven’t seen a happier couple than those two.” He sat alongside her and ran his knuckles over her cheek. “You did a good thing.”
“Well, if I’m to not blame myself, how can you blame yourself for Lucy’s failings?”
“Ah, but it’s a parent’s duty to feel guilty,” he said with a small smile.
“Enough of this wallowing in pity.” Sylvia swallowed the last of her sherry and stood. “I think we should take this up with Dr. Penrose. Maybe he can suggest something, or maybe you can hire a companion for Lucy. Someone near her age.”
“Wonderful idea.” Eli helped her into her wrap. “Now, let’s go to dinner and the theater. Although,” he winked at her, “I understand the seating host at the Bella Donna Restaurant is nowhere near as good looking or fascinating as the one at The Golden Buck.”
Nate yanked at his collar as he steered the buggy around a half-rotted tree trunk in the road. The morning of the court hearing had dawned cool and cloudy. Nobody had spoken much while the family dressed and had breakfast. Nate had decided not to tell the boys why they were going to court, but Angel had changed his mind.
“You can’t keep this from them,” she said as they readied for bed the night before.
“I don’t want them to worry.” Nate stopped in the middle of pulling off his boots.
“I think the chance of the Belfords getting them is slight, but if they do, I don’t want them surprised by the whole thing.” She sat and unbraided her hair, then brushed it.