скачать книгу бесплатно
Sasha nodded vigorously and stretched out her hand for the fabric.
Charlotte almost told her to wait, but Sasha had waited for so much already—parents and love and a real family. And it could all be taken away tomorrow. Why make her wait for anything more?
She dug some more in the trunk and found her tattered old rag doll. “This is the doll I had when I was your age. You can play with her while I make your new one.”
Sasha hugged the ragged old doll.
Charlotte smiled to think Sasha could like something so misshapen. “Let’s think of a name for your new doll.”
“Katya.”
Charlotte wished she would have chosen a more common name like Katy or Katherine, but she supposed the girl couldn’t help but hang on to her Russian roots. Unfortunately, people like Beatrice Ward would frown on the foreign name and hold it against Sasha. But for now, it was better to please a little girl than a bitter old woman.
“What a pretty name. Katya it is.”
If only keeping Sasha could be handled so easily, but that man, Wyatt Reed, wanted to take her away. Moreover, she’d trusted him! How foolish. She should have known he was trouble from the start, but she’d been misled by his tenderness toward Sasha. How could a man who’d held Sasha so gently turn around and tear her and the other children from their homes?
A rap on the door startled her from her thoughts. Even Sasha swiveled in her chair, worry creasing her little brow.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Charlotte said, forcing a smile, but all she could think about were Wyatt’s words. He’d come to take away the children. Was he here now?
Her heart pounded as she grasped the door handle. What could she say to persuade him to leave Sasha with her?
“Charlotte, it’s me,” said a female voice on the other side of the door. “Holly.”
Holly? Relief coursed through her until she remembered that Holly should be with Mason tonight. Something must have come up. Maybe she wanted to help Charlotte tonight instead of Saturday.
She opened the door. “I can’t sort through Charles’s things tonight.”
Holly shook her head and motioned for Charlotte to step outside. “There’s news.”
Judging from the distress on her face, Charlotte knew what that news was. She closed the door behind her.
“This man came from Greenville to take away the orphans,” Holly said breathlessly.
“I know.”
“You know?”
“We met already.” Charlotte swallowed hard. How could she have misjudged the man so badly? Worse, she’d led him straight to the mayor. “I overheard him talking to Pauline.”
Holly drew in a shaky breath. “Then you know that Liam would have to leave.” She choked. “Oh, Charlotte, I can’t lose him. Mason can’t lose him. We...we love him.”
Charlotte wrapped her arms around her friend, marveling that they found themselves in a similar situation. In the past couple weeks, they’d both come to love a child. Holly adored Liam, and Sasha had claimed Charlotte’s heart.
“I know, I know. I can’t bear to lose Sasha, either.” Charlotte fought back tears of her own. “What will we do?”
“We’ll fight.” Determination fired Holly. “The mayor had Rebecca cable the Orphan Salvation Society office. Then she called an emergency town meeting for first thing in the morning. Nine o’clock. She told the Greenville man to come at ten o’clock. By then we’ll have figured out what to do.” She squeezed Charlotte’s hands. “Pauline is on our side. She won’t let anyone take away our children.”
That anyone meant Wyatt Reed. Charlotte felt sick that she’d trusted him.
Holly let go of Charlotte’s hands and dashed toward the street. “I have to tell the Hutchinsons, the Hollands and the Regans. We’ll win this, Charlotte. With Mayor Evans in the lead, we’re bound to win.”
As Holly flew off into the night, Charlotte hugged her arms against the chill wind. She hoped Holly was right, but hope alone wouldn’t do it.
She cast a prayer high into the star-filled sky. Lord, You love all Your children. Be with us tomorrow. Show us the way to keep Sasha and Liam and all the children here where they’re loved. We’re counting on You.
In the meantime, Charlotte would do all she could to stop Wyatt Reed.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Wyatt sat in the hotel dining room eating breakfast and waiting for the ten o’clock meeting. From his seat at the window, he could see people scurrying through the grove of hackberry trees toward the town hall. He checked his pocket watch. A quarter to nine. Something was afoot, and he wouldn’t put it past Madam Mayor to work some shenanigans ahead of the scheduled meeting.
He left enough money on the table to cover his meal and strode out onto the porch, where he put on his hat. When he saw Charlotte Miller hurry from the general store toward the town hall, he knew he’d guessed right.
It took less than a minute to catch up to her. “Good day, Mrs. Miller.”
She jumped but didn’t slow.
He matched her stride. “How is Sasha this morning? Any ill effects?”
She shook her head, but her shoulders squared defensively. “She’s visiting her friend, Lynette Gavin.”
He hadn’t accused Charlotte of losing the girl, but she’d clearly taken it that way. He tried again. “You’re sure in a hurry this morning. Anything I can help you with?”
“No.” Her reddened cheeks said otherwise.
The rosy tinge became her, and again, Wyatt fought the urge to touch her cheek. “I’d gladly help.”
“You’ve done quite enough already.”
Her sharp words caught him in the gut. She wasn’t embarrassed. Those flushed cheeks came from anger. Why? He wasn’t going to take her daughter away from her. But had she heard that part? He thought back to yesterday. The gasp. The slamming of the door. Had it come before or after he’d agreed to let Sasha and the other placed children stay?
Charlotte accelerated her pace.
He chased after her. “Let me explain.”
“There is nothing you can say to me,” she choked out.
“But I—”
“Y-y-you heartless man.” She halted and faced him, her fists balled and her eyes blazing. “How could you?”
“I—”
“Innocent children.” She shook a fist at him. “You’re taking innocent children from their homes. What sort of man are you?”
Wyatt’s temper piqued. He’d done plenty that he wasn’t proud of, but not this time. He wasn’t taking any children from their homes. He was trying to give homes to the orphans who hadn’t been selected. But Charlotte got him so addle-brained that he couldn’t piece together the words.
He settled for pointing out the facts. “I’m a man doing a job.”
“A job.” She trembled with emotion, which only made her prettier. “You’re ruining children’s lives for money?”
She said the last word with so much distaste that he couldn’t keep back a smile. If she’d just give him a chance to explain, most of that anger would go away. “First of all, I’m not ruining children’s lives. Second, if I didn’t do it, someone else would. But you need to understand—”
“Oh, I understand perfectly.” She lifted that gorgeous little chin, her eyes afire. “The only thing you care about is money. Well, if that’s all you want, then maybe we can work something out. How much are you getting paid?”
He stared at her. She was offering to top Baxter’s fee? He wouldn’t take money from a widow, especially when it wasn’t necessary. “More than you can afford.”
Her cheeks darkened, and her spine straightened. “I see.”
But he could tell she was struggling to hold back tears. “Let me explain.”
“I don’t want your explanations, Mr. Reed.” Without waiting for a reply, she stormed off toward the town hall, where quite a crowd was forming.
He started after her, but she quickly fell in with a pale, somewhat plump woman. Wyatt rubbed his chin, half frustrated by Charlotte Miller and half intrigued by what was going on. Once the last person entered the hall, he made his way to the wooden steps and carefully cracked open the door. A gavel pounded on a tabletop, and the murmur of voices hushed.
Ten o’clock meeting, eh? According to his watch, it was nine o’clock. He slipped inside and let the door glide shut. Mayor Evans wasn’t going to surprise him with this little early meeting. He’d hear every word.
* * *
Charlotte tugged at her bonnet strings as she settled onto a seat in the crowded room. Even at this cool hour, the hall was hot and her old wool mourning dress pinched at the waist so she could barely breathe. So much had happened since Charles’s death that she hadn’t found time to dye one of her everyday dresses. She’d have to do that soon or suffer through the heat of summer in thirteen-year-old dresses that had been made for wintertime. Still, that prospect, miserable as it would be, couldn’t top her distress today.
That man, Wyatt Reed, had made her lose her temper, something she never did. But how could she remain calm when he was going to take Sasha away? For money, no less. Tears stung her eyelids. She’d thought he was a good man. He’d held Sasha so tenderly. He’d rescued her. Or had he? Maybe he’d been whisking her off when Charlotte saw him carrying Sasha down the street. Anger welled up again. He’d dismissed her offer to pay him to keep the children in Evans Grove without even hearing her out. Men like him had no heart.
Mayor Evans called the meeting to order with a rapping of the gavel. “Good morning.” Her strong voice carried above the chatter, and talk ceased in seconds. “I’m pleased to see so many of you here at this early hour.”
Theodore Regan stood. He and his wife had taken in one of the orphan girls. With three boys already, Helen Regan had wanted a girl, and snapped up little Galina Denikin at once.
Mr. Regan’s thick shoulders and arms gave him an imposing figure. “We heard Greenville’s tryin’ to take away our children.”
A murmur of protest rose until Mayor Evans put it to a stop with an upraised hand.
“They did send a Mr. Wyatt Reed to request the orphans continue on to Greenville as originally scheduled.”
“Well, Reed can’t have ’em,” Regan said.
A jolt of emotion shot through Charlotte. Could the town succeed where she’d failed? Could they convince Mr. Reed to leave without the children? She started to tell them he’d refused her offer to pay him, but the grumbles made her realize they were already angry enough to run Wyatt out of town, perhaps at the end of a pitchfork. She didn’t need to do a thing.
Mayor Evans calmly regained control. “Let’s not act in haste. Even though the Orphan Salvation Society office in New York confirmed the agreement with Greenville, Mr. Reed agreed that those children already placed in homes could stay.”
Charlotte’s jaw dropped. Had she heard correctly? Considering the nods of approval and diminishing anger in the room, she had. Wyatt wasn’t going to take Sasha away. She could keep her daughter. Was that what he’d been trying to tell her outside when she kept interrupting?
She bit her lip. Maybe she should have listened. She should have given him a chance. He had arranged for her to keep Sasha. She felt like crying out in joy, but not everyone was pleased.
Holly looked stricken. “That solves part of the problem, but it doesn’t help the children who haven’t been approved for selection yet.”
The crowd shouted in agreement.
Charlotte battled despair as she recalled how much Holly and Mason adored Liam. Of course they would want to take the boy in once they married. She pressed a hand to her mouth. Poor Holly. Poor Mason. Poor Liam.
“They have been through so much,” Holly continued, battling her own fears with such bravery that Charlotte marveled at her fortitude. “I’m positive homes can be found for every one of them right here in Evans Grove. Why should they be wrenched away when they’ve just started to hope?”
“Because they don’t belong here.” Beatrice Ward stood to make her point. “The Orphan Salvation Society’s agreement with the town of Greenville came first, did it not, Miss Sterling?” She briefly glanced toward the elegant orphan agent and gave her only time to nod before continuing. “It would not only be morally wrong to deny Greenville the children they desperately want, but it would be illegal to break the agreement. The children—all eight children—must go to Greenville.” With a look of smug triumph, she settled back into her seat.
The crowd erupted, mainly in protest, but Charlotte saw a couple of people nod in agreement with Beatrice. Her stomach knotted yet again. Beatrice couldn’t win, could she? She anxiously looked toward the doorway, hoping Wyatt would appear and counter Beatrice’s claims. The opposition came from another quarter.
“That’s not quite correct, Miss Ward.” Curtis Brooks, the dapper banker from Newfield, faced the crowd. He exuded such confidence that people instantly quieted.
After safely delivering his bank’s loan to Evans Grove despite the attempted robbery, Mr. Brooks had garnered a lot of respect in town. Then he’d insisted on staying to oversee the loan distribution, and Mayor Evans had asked him to serve on the Orphan Selection Committee. His dedication in the following weeks had led people to trust his opinion. He’d struck Charlotte as a thoughtful, perceptive man. Perhaps he had the answer to this mess.
“From what I’ve seen of the paperwork Miss Sterling showed me,” he said, “I’d say Greenville’s legal claim might be on shaky ground.”
Charlotte’s stomach unknotted a little as the crowd cheered. They seemed to take his words as proof Evans Grove would win this dispute, but Mr. Brooks had said the claim might not hold up to scrutiny. He didn’t say it definitely wouldn’t.
Beatrice Ward must have heard what the crowd did, but she didn’t have the same reaction. Not at all. Her eyes practically bulged from her head, as if her tightly bound gray hair had stretched even tighter. Her lips pressed into a thin, straight line, but she rallied quickly. “If you’re going to challenge Greenville’s claim, shouldn’t you address their representative?”
Mayor Evans sighed as the crowd focused on her. “Miss Ward is right.” She looked at Sheriff Wright. “Please summon Mr. Reed. I believe he is staying at the hotel.”
Charlotte felt sick. What would Wyatt say? What would he do? Would Beatrice convince him to take Sasha away? She tried to pray but couldn’t find the words. Surely God understood. Surely He would protect the innocent.
She didn’t have long to wait. Wyatt Reed must have stayed near the town hall, because he arrived almost at once.
Every head turned when Wyatt strode into the room. He stood taller than any other man in town, and his hardened yet startlingly handsome face sent whispers through the women present. She hadn’t noticed earlier, but he’d shaved off the stubble of yesterday, revealing cheeks honed to a hard plane and tanned by the sun.
He addressed himself to the mayor. “Ma’am.” He removed his hat and held it in both hands.
“Mr. Reed.” Mayor Evans showed not one ounce of discomfort before the intimidating man. Though considerably shorter in stature, she stood equally confident. “There is some debate over the legality of your claim.”
Mr. Brooks rose beside her, creating a strong and united front. “As I understand the agreement, which Miss Sterling graciously allowed me to peruse, Greenville will have the opportunity to select any of the children that have not yet been taken by the time the Orphan Salvation Society agent reaches their town. It stands to reason that if all the children have been claimed before Greenville, none will be available for selection. There was never a guarantee that any of the children would come to Greenville. Thus, the agreement has not been violated.”
Wyatt’s jaw tensed as he pondered Mr. Brooks’s words. The tiniest flicker of a smile indicated he’d found a crack in that argument. “The way I see it, you’ve forgotten two points. One, the Orphan Salvation Society doesn’t have a formal agreement with Evans Grove. That means this town never had a right to the children in the first place.”
The crowd murmured, but Mayor Evans wasn’t daunted.
“We received approval from the Society to form the selection committee and hold a distribution.”
The murmurs turned to cries of agreement, especially when Rebecca Sterling confirmed everything the mayor had said.
Wyatt showed no sign of retreat. “Second.” He waited for the crowd to quiet down. “As I said, I have two points. The second is that all the orphans haven’t been picked yet. Even though Evans Grove got approval to take some of the orphans, you still have to follow the rules. I understand that the standard procedure is that any children who weren’t claimed after a town’s distribution have to get back on the train and go to the next town. That means those orphans that weren’t taken at the distribution here must go to Greenville.”
Holly’s face fell. Liam hadn’t been officially placed yet. In fact, only Sasha, Lizzie and Galina had been selected at the distribution. Friedrich had gone to the Hollands later.
Pauline rapped her gavel. Judging from the set of her jaw, she wasn’t giving in, either. “All the children might not be placed in families yet, but they’ve been claimed by the town. We’re committed to finding homes for every one of them, right here in Evans Grove.”
Wyatt had to wait for the cheering to die down. “With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t imagine a town has ever been approved to claim the children. Have they, Miss Sterling?”
Rebecca Sterling had grown pale as ash. “N-n-no,” she finally conceded.
