The Marriage Barter. Christine Johnson

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СКАЧАТЬ motioned to Wyatt that they should come back later. Instead, he rapped on the door frame.

      Mayor Evans and Mr. Brooks looked up, startled.

      “Charlotte.” A smile sprang to Pauline’s lips. “What can I do for you?” The auburn-haired mayor hurried toward her with genuine warmth. “And Sasha, too.” The formidable woman’s handclasp and smile conveyed sympathy and something else. Worry? No, pity.

      Of course Pauline pitied her. She knew the pain of widowhood. Robert Evans had been a fine man, an excellent mayor and a loving husband. His death following the flood had been a harsh blow to the town. Everyone had expected him to take charge of the rebuilding. Only a woman with Pauline’s will and determination could have fulfilled his dying request to take over as mayor.

      “I’m not here for myself,” Charlotte said softly as Sasha clung to her skirts. She glanced at Wyatt, who waited in the doorway, hat in hands. “This is Mr. Wyatt Reed. He said he has business to discuss with you.”

      Pauline looked genuinely surprised. Contrary to what Wyatt had implied, she must not have been expecting him. “Mr. Reed.”

      “Mrs. Evans.” He stepped forward, his boots rapping on the plank floor. “I wonder if I might have a word with you.” He glanced at Charlotte and Mr. Brooks. “Alone.”

      Though Charlotte understood that whatever he had to discuss was none of her affair, part of her hated to leave the man. He’d shown kindness to Sasha and had proven worthy of her daughter’s trust.

      Mr. Brooks, however, took umbrage. “What is your business, Mr. Reed?” He positioned himself beside Pauline, clearly ready to defend her.

      Pauline saw it differently. “I am fully capable of handling city business on my own.” Her curt response left no room for argument. “Your bank might have loaned us money to rebuild, but it does not have any place in council chambers.”

      Curtis Brooks, thoroughly chastened, left any protest unspoken. Bowing stiffly, he begged his leave and departed.

      Charlotte had to go, too. She cast a shy smile at Wyatt and Pauline. “I should get Sasha’s supper.” Then she left the meeting room.

      In the vestibule, she stopped to straighten Sasha’s dress. Rising, she spotted a notice tacked to the wall. In the poor light she could just make out that the orphan selection committee was meeting tomorrow. Maybe someone had stepped forward to take one of the remaining four children. If Pauline removed Beatrice from the committee, more people might step forward. At least there wouldn’t always be someone pointing out each child’s flaws.

      Just thinking of the way Beatrice had acted when families first came forward to take in the children made Charlotte fume. If only she could take in more children... But her resources were limited since Charles’s death, and she doubted even a selection committee without Beatrice Ward would entrust another orphan to her.

      “I’ve come from Greenville,” she heard Wyatt Reed say.

      Charlotte knew she shouldn’t listen, but his voice carried so clearly that she could hardly avoid hearing what he said. She glanced at the door. To leave, she had to cross the entrance to the hall, which would make it clear she’d overheard them. Best to linger here until an opportune moment and then slip away.

      “A prominent citizen hired me to find out why the orphans didn’t arrive there as promised.” His words sent a prickle of unease up her spine.

      She leaned a little forward for a better view and saw Pauline’s elbow jerk in irritation.

      Still, the mayor’s response was calm and collected. “Which prominent citizen?”

      Wyatt hesitated long enough that she wondered if he wasn’t supposed to reveal the answer. “Mr. Felix Baxter, but he’s just the one who hired me. He’s acting on the town’s behalf. They’re wondering why the children have been delayed.”

      “I believe Miss Sterling wired Greenville about the situation immediately after arriving in Evans Grove. She needed to await instructions from the New York office after the train robbery forced them to stop here.”

      Charlotte pressed her hands to Sasha’s ears at the mention of the train robbery. Holly had told Charlotte how the robbers waved guns and crowded aside Miss Sterling—one of the agents from the Orphan Salvation Society—and the orphans in their quest to steal the loan money Holly and Mr. Brooks had brought from Newfield to rebuild Evans Grove. Thanks to Holly’s quick thinking and the orphan boy Liam’s bravery, Sheriff Wright had been alerted in time to capture the robbers. Unfortunately, their victory had come at a terrible price.

      “I wasn’t told all the details, ma’am,” Wyatt was saying, “but I understand the Orphan Salvation Society sends two agents with the children. If Miss Sterling was indisposed, couldn’t the other agent have escorted the children to Greenville?”

      “Unfortunately, Mr. Arlington was shot during the robbery and died before Doctor Simpson could treat him. Since he was the senior agent, Miss Sterling felt she couldn’t in good conscience move forward without the Society’s counsel.” Mayor Evans wrapped up her argument. “As you can see, there was no one available to escort the children to Greenville.”

      “Maybe not at the time, but it’s been two weeks,” Wyatt pressed. “Surely Miss Sterling has recovered and gotten her orders from the Society by now.”

      “She has, and they accepted our offer to place the orphans here in Evans Grove. So you see, there’s no need for an escort. The children will be staying.”

      “No, ma’am, I’m afraid they won’t. The Orphan Salvation Society had a prior agreement with Greenville, and I aim to see that they deliver on the terms. They can’t go changing their minds halfway through.”

      “The Orphan Salvation Society is the children’s caretaker,” the mayor reminded him.

      “That is not my point. They already had an agreement. Those children are supposed to go to Greenville. Now, if there’s no one to escort the orphans there, I’ll take them myself. There are eight, I believe.” Wyatt Reed’s words shot through her.

      All eight? Charlotte gasped and clutched Sasha to her side. He would take her daughter away from her?

      Never!

      Without the slightest concern of being overheard, she scooped up Sasha and fled the building.

      * * *

      Wyatt heard the gasp and turned in time to see a shadow of black flit across the doorway. Mrs. Miller. She must have heard every word.

      If the mayor saw her, she gave no indication. “Several of the children have already been placed. Surely the citizens of Greenville would not want to tear children away from their new families.” A triumphant smile slid into place. “For instance, Mrs. Miller—the woman who brought you here—took in Sasha Petrov.”

      So Sasha was one of the orphans. An icy finger of doubt slid into his well-constructed plan. Focus, Reed. You need that money to get to San Francisco. He took a deep breath. The mayor said several of the children, not all.

      “How many?” he said between his teeth.

      “How many what?” she asked cheerfully.

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