to the boardinghouse, Mr.—?”
“Fear,” Nicholas said. “I am Nicholas Fear.” He relaxed. Both mother and daughter were so warm and friendly, he could not stay nervous.
Betsy squealed and dropped down on the sofa, her blue eyes wide. “Fear! Are you related to the crazy people who used to live in the mansion?”
“Betsy!” Mrs. Winter chided. “It is not polite to call people crazy.” She smiled apologetically at Nicholas.
Nicholas suddenly realized he knew almost nothing about his family. He knew they once lived in a big house, on a street named after them. But he had no idea what kind of people they were.
“But the Fears were crazy, Momma,” Betsy insisted. “Everybody thinks so.”
“I have been told my great-grandparents used to live in that house,” Nicholas answered slowly. “My father died there.”
“Now that I think about it, you do look remarkably like Daniel Fear,” Mrs. Winter said. “We need to get you settled in your room right away. You are soaked.”
Nicholas felt grateful to Mrs. Winter for changing the subject.
“I will take him.” Betsy jumped up from the sofa and grabbed his suitcase.
“Come down to the kitchen once you dry off and I will give you something to eat,” Mrs. Winter called as he started after Betsy. “And mind you do not let my daughter talk your ear off,” she added.
“I know you will like it here,” Betsy said. “We started renting rooms about three years ago. After my father died. He never had a lot of money, so we were not left with much.”
Nicholas had never heard someone talk so much or so fast.
“Not like your family,” Betsy rushed on as she reached the top of the stairs and led him down a long hallway. “I imagine they left tons of money. They owned all that land. And that huge mansion.”
Betsy stopped and opened the door to a small bedroom. “This is yours. You share a bath two doors down. I will leave you some towels. I am so happy you are staying here.”
Betsy hurried away with a little wave. Then she spun back to face him. “I hope I did not offend you by talking about your family. Momma always says I do not think before I speak. Please tell me you are not angry.”
Nicholas shook his head and smiled at her. How could anyone be angry with Betsy? It was clear she just blurted out whatever popped into her mind. “I hope you will tell me more about my family later,” he answered. “Do you know about the fire?”
“It happened before I was born,” Betsy told him. “But everyone knows about it. Poof! In one big fire, all the Fears were gone. And everything went with them. Except the land. Andrew Manning owns it now. He is the wealthiest man in Shadyside. I heard—”
“Betsy!” her mother called. “Come down here and leave Mr. Fear in peace, please.”
Betsy winked at Nicholas. “Yes, Momma,” she answered.
As he watched Betsy scamper down the stairs, Nicholas decided that first thing in the morning he would make a call on Mr. Andrew Manning. Mr. Manning might be the wealthiest person in town now … but not for long, Nicholas promised himself. Not for long.
Betsy was right, Nicholas thought as he peered up at the Mannings’ house the next morning. Mr. Manning must be rich.
Nicholas pushed open the huge wrought-iron gate and walked up the pebbled path. He wondered how much of Mr. Manning’s wealth came from the Fear land. How much of it rightfully belonged to Nicholas.
He climbed the steps of the wooden porch, then grabbed the brass door knocker and gave it three sharp raps.
“I am coming!” a shrill voice cried. “I am coming!”
The door swung open. A wrinkled-faced woman with snow-white hair stared at Nicholas. Her gray eyes widened. Then she uttered a loud shriek of terror.
“What has happened now?” a short man bellowed as he strode up behind the woman. He led her to a kitchen chair, gesturing for Nicholas to follow.
“I apologize. Somehow I frightened—“Nicholas began.
“Take deep
“Fear,” Nicholas said. “I am Nicholas Fear.” He relaxed. Both mother and daughter were so warm and friendly, he could not stay nervous.
Betsy squealed and dropped down on the sofa, her blue eyes wide. “Fear! Are you related to the crazy people who used to live in the mansion?”
“Betsy!” Mrs. Winter chided. “It is not polite to call people crazy.” She smiled apologetically at Nicholas.
Nicholas suddenly realized he knew almost nothing about his family. He knew they once lived in a big house, on a street named after them. But he had no idea what kind of people they were.
“But the Fears were crazy, Momma,” Betsy insisted. “Everybody thinks so.”
“I have been told my great-grandparents used to live in that house,” Nicholas answered slowly. “My father died there.”
“Now that I think about it, you do look remarkably like Daniel Fear,” Mrs. Winter said. “We need to get you settled in your room right away. You are soaked.”
Nicholas felt grateful to Mrs. Winter for changing the subject.
“I will take him.” Betsy jumped up from the sofa and grabbed his suitcase.
“Come down to the kitchen once you dry off and I will give you something to eat,” Mrs. Winter called as he started after Betsy. “And mind you do not let my daughter talk your ear off,” she added.
“I know you will like it here,” Betsy said. “We started renting rooms about three years ago. After my father died. He never had a lot of money, so we were not left with much.”
Nicholas had never heard someone talk so much or so fast.
“Not like your family,” Betsy rushed on as she reached the top of the stairs and led him down a long hallway. “I imagine they left tons of money. They owned all that land. And that huge mansion.”
Betsy stopped and opened the door to a small bedroom. “This is yours. You share a bath two doors down. I will leave you some towels. I am so happy you are staying here.”
Betsy hurried away with a little wave. Then she spun back to face him. “I hope I did not offend you by talking about your family. Momma always says I do not think before I speak. Please tell me you are not angry.”
Nicholas shook his head and smiled at her. How could anyone be angry with Betsy? It was clear she just blurted out whatever popped into her mind. “I hope you will tell me more about my family later,” he answered. “Do you know about the fire?”
“It happened before I was born,” Betsy told him. “But everyone knows about it. Poof! In one big fire, all the Fears were gone. And everything went with them. Except the land. Andrew Manning owns it now. He is the wealthiest man in Shadyside. I heard—”
“Betsy!” her mother called. “Come down here and leave Mr. Fear in peace, please.”
Betsy winked at Nicholas. “Yes, Momma,” she answered.
As he watched Betsy scamper down the stairs, Nicholas decided that first thing in the morning he would make a call on Mr. Andrew Manning. Mr. Manning might be the wealthiest person in town now … but not for long, Nicholas promised himself. Not for long.
Betsy was right, Nicholas thought as he peered up at the Mannings’ house the next morning. Mr. Manning must be rich.
Nicholas pushed open the huge wrought-iron gate and walked up the pebbled path. He wondered how much of Mr. Manning’s wealth came from the Fear land. How much of it rightfully belonged to Nicholas.
He climbed the steps of the wooden porch, then grabbed the brass door knocker and gave it three sharp raps.
“I am coming!” a shrill voice cried. “I am coming!”
The door swung open. A wrinkled-faced woman with snow-white hair stared at Nicholas. Her gray eyes widened. Then she uttered a loud shriek of terror.
“What has happened now?” a short man bellowed as he strode up behind the woman. He led her to a kitchen chair, gesturing for Nicholas to follow.
“I apologize. Somehow I frightened—“Nicholas began.
“Take deep
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