The sheriff peered at the paper again. “According to this, one thousand, two hundred fifty-nine dollars and twenty-seven cents.”
Nate whistled softly. “That’s a lot of money. I’m going to have to talk to Sylvia, and see what she knows about this. I’ll tell you, Sheriff, my mother-in-law has her faults, but I doubt she would be involved in stealing money from her husband’s bank.”
“Well, I’ll let you all handle it. Either the money goes back to New York or she does.” He glared at the attorney. “And please remember, Mr. Lawton, Mrs. Hardwick is out of this jail based on your assurance that she would not leave.”
“I understand, Sheriff,” Damian said. “I’m going out to Eli’s place now.”
Sylvia reclined on the bed in one of the guest rooms, a cold cloth on her head. Tears would no longer come, but as tired as she was, she found it impossible to sleep. Thoughts about the arrest kept swirling in her mind. Thinking she would be dragged back to the jail, and locked up again, terrified her.
Her head jerked at the sound of a buggy arriving. She hurried to the window. If the visitor was the sheriff, she planned to hide.
She pushed the heavy damask drape aside and watched Eli’s attorney and Nate walk up the front steps. After dabbing her face with the wet cloth, she smoothed her hair and left the room.
“Sweetheart, how are you feeling?” Eli took her ice-cold hands in his warm ones.
Her voice trembled. “Not good. I’m still terrified.”
He led her to the oversized settee and sat next to her, pulling her body close to his, a dour expression on his face. He motioned to the two chairs across from him. “Have a seat, gentlemen. I assume you have information?”
“According to the wire the sheriff got from New York, Mrs. Hardwick left New York with money due to depositors in her husband’s bank.” Damian sat stiffly in the chair, obviously not happy to be the deliverer of bad news.
“Honey, do you know what he’s talking about?” Eli turned to Sylvia.
“No. All I know is the attorney for Gerald’s estate told me while my husband was sick, the assistant, who he’d left in charge, stole money.” She cleared her throat, her chin trembling. “All the money my husband left me, as well as our home and all its belongings, were turned over to the bank for the people who lost money.”
“Did you get any money before you left?” Nate leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.
“Yes. The lawyer gave me a check for two hundred eleven dollars. All I had in the world. That’s why I moved in with my sister. The money barely paid the fare for me and my maid to travel to Virginia.”
“How much are we talking about here?” Eli looked at Damian.
Damian scanned his notes. “One thousand, two hundred fifty-nine dollars and twenty-seven cents. The sheriff said, according to the New York City Police, either the money or Sylvia has to be returned to New York.”
“I don’t want to go back to New York.” Sylvia wailed, tucking her head into Eli’s shoulder.
“You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.” He rubbed circles on her back.
He glared at his attorney. “Write a check, and make this go away, Lawton. I don’t want my fiancée upset.”
“Yes sir.”
Eli stood, and helped Sylvia up. “Mrs. Hardwick has had a terrible day. I am going to see she gets a hot bath and a comfortable bed. You’ll excuse us.”
Nate and Damian both nodded at the couple, and started for the door.
It had been a long, tiring day. Nate walked into his bedroom and unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it out of his pants. Angel slept, propped on a pillow, with a book on her lap. Even in sleep, she wore a slight smile. Once again he reflected on how much he loved her, and what a difference she’d made in his life. Her cooking was dreadful, her housekeeping skills minimal, and she was a beautiful woman. All the things he hadn’t wanted in a mail order bride. Thank heaven the Good Lord hadn’t taken him seriously.
He retrieved the book, closed it, and placed it on the table next to her, then reached over and blew out the lamp.
He finished undressing and crawled into bed. He eased Angel down, and she cuddled against him, wrapping her arm around his waist. Nate settled her onto his chest and kissed her sweet-smelling hair. He tucked his hand behind his head, and thought about the day. The missing money presented a quandary, but Eli evidently wanted to forget the whole thing. Sylvia could be described as flighty and somewhat silly, but she didn’t have the makeup to do something criminal.
“How did everything work out?” Angel’s sleepy voice interrupted his musings.
“I thought you were asleep.” He shifted and took in Angel’s half-lidded eyes.
She yawned. “I was, but the sound of your thinking woke me up.”
“How much did you know about your father’s estate?”