plans to build houses along each side of the street. Beautiful houses.”
The older man shook his head. “But I underestimated how superstitious people can be. No one wanted to live on Fear land. They had all heard one wild story or another. I had to abandon the project.”
Mr. Manning’s chair scraped against the floor as he got up. He placed his hand on Nicholas’s shoulder. “I truly am sorry.”
“I know,” Nicholas rasped. “I just …” He sighed deeply.
“Had hopes,” Mr. Manning finished for him. “And dreams.”
“Something like that,” Nicholas agreed as he turned to face Mr. Manning. “I am sorry to have bothered you.”
“No bother,” Mr. Manning said. He opened the French doors leading to the garden. “Step outside for some fresh air. You look as though you need some.”
He and Nicholas walked onto the patio. Mr. Manning breathed deeply. “I love the way the air smells in the morning.”
Nicholas stared out at the trees and flower beds until he felt in control of himself. Then he stuck out his hand to Mr. Manning. “Thank you again. I am sure you are very busy, so—”
Mr. Manning gave Nicholas’s hand a firm shake.“What are your plans now?” he asked. “Will you return home?”
Nicholas shook his head. He could not go back to Shadow Cove a poor man. “No,” he replied. “There is a girl back home I want to marry. But her father will not give his consent. He wants his daughter to marry a wealthy man.”
Nicholas hesitated a moment. He felt ashamed to tell Mr. Manning the rest. “I promised Rosalyn—that is her name—that I would return with a fortune big enough to convince her father to change his mind,” he admitted. “I thought it would be so easy.”
“Every father tends to think no man is good enough for his daughter,” Mr. Manning told him sympathetically. “I know I worry about finding someone good enough for my Ruth. Someone who will love her and make her happy.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Rosalyn’s father is different. He does not care how much I love Rosalyn. He only cares about how much money I have. I have to prove to him that I can earn as much as any other man.”
Mr. Manning studied Nicholas for a moment. “I have a sawmill. You can work there. Learn the trade,” he offered. “The pay is fair. A man with ambition could make something of himself in my sawmill.”
Nicholas felt a little hope return. A job in a mill was not what he had in mind when he left Shadow Cove. But it was a start. “I am a man with ambition,” he declared.
“Then I expect to see you at seven o’clock sharptomorrow morning,” Mr. Manning said. “Anyone can give you directions to the sawmill.”
“Thank you. You will not be disappointed,” Nicholas promised. Mr. Manning showed him through the house and he hurried down the walkway toward the wrought-iron gate.
He clanged the gate shut behind him and took a few steps down the street. Then he stopped and turned back. He waved to Mr. Manning. “See you at seven!” he called. “Even earlier!”
Mr. Manning waved back. “Seven is fine,” he yelled before he returned to his study.
I will work hard, Nicholas promised himself, staring up at the Mannings’ elegant home. I will learn everything about the lumber business. And someday I will have a house as large as this one. Someday I will regain the Fear property.
A piercing scream rang out behind him.
Before Nicholas could turn around, something rammed into him. Threw him to the ground.
The air rushed out of his lungs with a whoosh .
Burning pain shot through his side.
Something heavy pressed down on his chest.
Dots of light burst in front of his eyes.
He could not breathe. Could not breathe.
Chapter 19
P ain burst through Nicholas’s chest as he gasped for air.
Someone moaned.
He forced his eyes open.
A bicycle lay beside him. A tall, skinny girl was sprawled over his chest.
No wonder I cannot breathe, he thought.
She lifted her head and flung her
The older man shook his head. “But I underestimated how superstitious people can be. No one wanted to live on Fear land. They had all heard one wild story or another. I had to abandon the project.”
Mr. Manning’s chair scraped against the floor as he got up. He placed his hand on Nicholas’s shoulder. “I truly am sorry.”
“I know,” Nicholas rasped. “I just …” He sighed deeply.
“Had hopes,” Mr. Manning finished for him. “And dreams.”
“Something like that,” Nicholas agreed as he turned to face Mr. Manning. “I am sorry to have bothered you.”
“No bother,” Mr. Manning said. He opened the French doors leading to the garden. “Step outside for some fresh air. You look as though you need some.”
He and Nicholas walked onto the patio. Mr. Manning breathed deeply. “I love the way the air smells in the morning.”
Nicholas stared out at the trees and flower beds until he felt in control of himself. Then he stuck out his hand to Mr. Manning. “Thank you again. I am sure you are very busy, so—”
Mr. Manning gave Nicholas’s hand a firm shake.“What are your plans now?” he asked. “Will you return home?”
Nicholas shook his head. He could not go back to Shadow Cove a poor man. “No,” he replied. “There is a girl back home I want to marry. But her father will not give his consent. He wants his daughter to marry a wealthy man.”
Nicholas hesitated a moment. He felt ashamed to tell Mr. Manning the rest. “I promised Rosalyn—that is her name—that I would return with a fortune big enough to convince her father to change his mind,” he admitted. “I thought it would be so easy.”
“Every father tends to think no man is good enough for his daughter,” Mr. Manning told him sympathetically. “I know I worry about finding someone good enough for my Ruth. Someone who will love her and make her happy.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Rosalyn’s father is different. He does not care how much I love Rosalyn. He only cares about how much money I have. I have to prove to him that I can earn as much as any other man.”
Mr. Manning studied Nicholas for a moment. “I have a sawmill. You can work there. Learn the trade,” he offered. “The pay is fair. A man with ambition could make something of himself in my sawmill.”
Nicholas felt a little hope return. A job in a mill was not what he had in mind when he left Shadow Cove. But it was a start. “I am a man with ambition,” he declared.
“Then I expect to see you at seven o’clock sharptomorrow morning,” Mr. Manning said. “Anyone can give you directions to the sawmill.”
“Thank you. You will not be disappointed,” Nicholas promised. Mr. Manning showed him through the house and he hurried down the walkway toward the wrought-iron gate.
He clanged the gate shut behind him and took a few steps down the street. Then he stopped and turned back. He waved to Mr. Manning. “See you at seven!” he called. “Even earlier!”
Mr. Manning waved back. “Seven is fine,” he yelled before he returned to his study.
I will work hard, Nicholas promised himself, staring up at the Mannings’ elegant home. I will learn everything about the lumber business. And someday I will have a house as large as this one. Someday I will regain the Fear property.
A piercing scream rang out behind him.
Before Nicholas could turn around, something rammed into him. Threw him to the ground.
The air rushed out of his lungs with a whoosh .
Burning pain shot through his side.
Something heavy pressed down on his chest.
Dots of light burst in front of his eyes.
He could not breathe. Could not breathe.
Chapter 19
P ain burst through Nicholas’s chest as he gasped for air.
Someone moaned.
He forced his eyes open.
A bicycle lay beside him. A tall, skinny girl was sprawled over his chest.
No wonder I cannot breathe, he thought.
She lifted her head and flung her
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