Read Online Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman - Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy Herriman
Ads: Link
selected it—the space was perfect.
While he wandered, Sarah explained her plans in a carryingvoice. How the main floor would be used to display samples and would be where they’d interact with customers. That design work and painting would take place upstairs, where the windows were large and airy. That the gas-lit room right behind him was for a girl named Emma’s business office.
“The lithography area will be located against the back wall,” she was saying. “The stones are heavy to move and have to be near the press, so it’s critical to have a large ground-floor workspace. Also, there’s a sink and plumbing available for washing away etching solutions and inks, along with these wonderful windows to work by.”
The more she talked, the stronger and more confident she sounded.
Daniel fiddled with his hat brim and observed her, took in the gratified smile curving her lips, the assured sweep of her arms as she gestured to point out this or that. She was too young to comprehend all that might go wrong in spite of her best intentions. Naive about the world. If her donors withdrew their financial support, the loss of the store would be a terrible blow. With no one he could see to pick her back up.
The guilty spasm in his gut that had taken hold in the Occidental’s lounge tweaked harder and forced him to look away.
“Whoever rented this storefront before left in a hurry,” he observed, having to say something, anything other than what was on his mind.
“A milliner.” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that her gaze followed his, scrutinizing the countertops and display shelving tacked to the walls, grime darkening their surfaces. Pausing where a table edge had rubbed a hole in the striped pale green wallpaper and been left unrepaired. Noting the water stain on the ceiling. “I don’t know what happened with her.”
She sounded bothered by the fact. Maybe she was worried that if the space had failed the milliner, it might fail her too. Not totally naive.
“I hope you won’t be unsuccessful like she was, Miss Whittier,” he said before he could put two thoughts together as to why he felt the need to reassure her.
An amused look crossed her face. “You can’t suddenly be on my side, Mr. Cady.”
Daniel crushed his hat brim before he admitted that as well. Miss Whittier was intelligent and determined, strong willed and pretty enough . . . commendable attributes, but ones he couldn’t afford to admire. He had to remember that she was not to be trusted until his lawyer had finished reviewing the particulars of Josiah’s estate. Not if he wanted to keep a cool head around her.
Not if he wanted to keep himself from caring.
“I came here to fetch what Josiah owed me and my sisters,” he said plainly, truthfully, “not to ruin a young woman’s future.”
“You might succeed in doing both.”
He slapped his hat against his thigh, fanning an eddy of dust across the floor. “Listen, I’m not out to hurt you. But I can’t go back on the promises I’ve made, any more than you can go back on yours. You believe your girls need you. My sisters need me.”
“Do you honestly think we can fulfill both our promises, Mr. Cady?”
“You have your backers,” he pointed out.
“Anxious men whose charitable impulses read well in the newspaper but don’t always hold up under pressure.” She wasn’t naive in the least.
Daniel stilled the nervous motion of his hands. Pretty young women like Sarah shouldn’t be so cynical or worldly-wise. They should be sheltered and supported, what he’d spent half a lifetime doing for his sisters, trying to keep them from suffering the worst of the damage Josiah had caused. He didn’t have to learn much about Sarah Whittier to realize that, even though she’d worked for Josiah in that comfortable house, she’d had to scrape and claw to be where she was today. Just like he had, making them two of a kind. An uncomfortable recognition.
“What do you want
While he wandered, Sarah explained her plans in a carryingvoice. How the main floor would be used to display samples and would be where they’d interact with customers. That design work and painting would take place upstairs, where the windows were large and airy. That the gas-lit room right behind him was for a girl named Emma’s business office.
“The lithography area will be located against the back wall,” she was saying. “The stones are heavy to move and have to be near the press, so it’s critical to have a large ground-floor workspace. Also, there’s a sink and plumbing available for washing away etching solutions and inks, along with these wonderful windows to work by.”
The more she talked, the stronger and more confident she sounded.
Daniel fiddled with his hat brim and observed her, took in the gratified smile curving her lips, the assured sweep of her arms as she gestured to point out this or that. She was too young to comprehend all that might go wrong in spite of her best intentions. Naive about the world. If her donors withdrew their financial support, the loss of the store would be a terrible blow. With no one he could see to pick her back up.
The guilty spasm in his gut that had taken hold in the Occidental’s lounge tweaked harder and forced him to look away.
“Whoever rented this storefront before left in a hurry,” he observed, having to say something, anything other than what was on his mind.
“A milliner.” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that her gaze followed his, scrutinizing the countertops and display shelving tacked to the walls, grime darkening their surfaces. Pausing where a table edge had rubbed a hole in the striped pale green wallpaper and been left unrepaired. Noting the water stain on the ceiling. “I don’t know what happened with her.”
She sounded bothered by the fact. Maybe she was worried that if the space had failed the milliner, it might fail her too. Not totally naive.
“I hope you won’t be unsuccessful like she was, Miss Whittier,” he said before he could put two thoughts together as to why he felt the need to reassure her.
An amused look crossed her face. “You can’t suddenly be on my side, Mr. Cady.”
Daniel crushed his hat brim before he admitted that as well. Miss Whittier was intelligent and determined, strong willed and pretty enough . . . commendable attributes, but ones he couldn’t afford to admire. He had to remember that she was not to be trusted until his lawyer had finished reviewing the particulars of Josiah’s estate. Not if he wanted to keep a cool head around her.
Not if he wanted to keep himself from caring.
“I came here to fetch what Josiah owed me and my sisters,” he said plainly, truthfully, “not to ruin a young woman’s future.”
“You might succeed in doing both.”
He slapped his hat against his thigh, fanning an eddy of dust across the floor. “Listen, I’m not out to hurt you. But I can’t go back on the promises I’ve made, any more than you can go back on yours. You believe your girls need you. My sisters need me.”
“Do you honestly think we can fulfill both our promises, Mr. Cady?”
“You have your backers,” he pointed out.
“Anxious men whose charitable impulses read well in the newspaper but don’t always hold up under pressure.” She wasn’t naive in the least.
Daniel stilled the nervous motion of his hands. Pretty young women like Sarah shouldn’t be so cynical or worldly-wise. They should be sheltered and supported, what he’d spent half a lifetime doing for his sisters, trying to keep them from suffering the worst of the damage Josiah had caused. He didn’t have to learn much about Sarah Whittier to realize that, even though she’d worked for Josiah in that comfortable house, she’d had to scrape and claw to be where she was today. Just like he had, making them two of a kind. An uncomfortable recognition.
“What do you want
Similar Books
