“Yes,” Sara said. “They are very good at that.”
“You like it here, don’t you?” Sally asked.
“Miss Richardson, if Jason asked you to…”
Sally was already shaking her head. “No. He has not asked me to influence you in any way. The actual reason I came out, other to drop off the papers for Jason, this, as I mentioned earlier, was something else.”
Leaning back in the chair, cup and saucer cradled in her hands, Sally looked over the cup at Sara. “I know Jason has given you money, and that you want to pay him back. I need some additional help in the office and I thought you might just be interested in a job.”
Sara smiled. “That is very nice of you, Miss Richardson. But you know I will be going back to Indiana with Mother. Are you sure Jason did not put you up to this?
“He said he was coming up with a plan. That it was not location specific, so I do not really see how this could be part of it, but he is really tricky, I have learned.”
“You are certainly right about that,” Sally said, with a small laugh. “But, no, he did not put me up to this.”
Sally put the tea down on the desk and straightened in the chair. “Sara, you realize you do not necessarily have to go back to Indiana with your mother. And I am sure Jason would forgive any debt either of you might have. He can certainly afford it. You could…”
“Please, Miss Richardson! I do not want to hurt your feelings. You, like so many other people, have been nice to me. But this is none of your business. Simply being able to afford something does not obligate anyone to not expect compensation for a debt. My Mother will need me through this problem. I am not going to abandon her to her fate. It is simply not right. We will manage somehow in Indiana.”
Sara sighed. “I honestly do not know quite how, but we have survived every-thing else, so far. We will manage this, too.”
Sally nodded. “I understand, Sara. I just… wanted you to know you have op-tions. You are right; it is not any of my business.”
Moving the tea aside, Sally took Jason’s laptop from her briefcase and set it on the desk. “I should check with Jason to see if everything is satisfactory with the papers.”
“I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, Miss Richardson. I know you really are just trying to help.”
“That is fine, Sara. I know how important it is to stand on one’s own two feet when it could be so much easier to take help when offered.”
“That is exactly it, Miss Richardson. I have to do that. Stand on my own two feet. I cannot afford to depend on anyone. I just… Cannot.”
“I tell you what, Sara. You call me Sally from now on, and I promise not to try to give you unsolicited help or advice. How is that?”
Sara smiled. “That sounds very nice… Sally.”
Sally smiled in return. “Good. You finish your homework while I go consult with Jason.”
When she entered the living room, Sally stopped and watched Jason as he read the last few words of the contract, slipped it back into the envelope, and set it on the table beside the chair he was in.
“Well?” Sally asked softly.
“Thank you, Miss Richardson. It was just as we discussed. I certainly do appreciate you getting these over to me this fast. I will have plenty of time to have supper before I meet with Commodore Erickson.”
“No questions about my conversation with Sara?”
“Of course not,” Jason said, rising. “That was a private conversation.”
“How can you be so calm, with so much at stake?” Sally asked.
“I can only do what I can do. There are many other people involved in all this. I have very little control. Why worry? It works out, or it does not.” Jason shrugged.
They both turned at the crash that came from the entry hall.
Juliet, Sara, and Mrs. MacDougal were all in the process of making sure Mrs. Lee did not knock anything else over as they guided her to the study, at her insistence.
Sara cut a quick glance over at Jason, then away, when Mrs. Lee asked, loudly, “Where is the rich kid with the money?”
Sally touched Jason’s shoulder for a moment, then let herself out.
“I will bring it right in, Mrs. Lee,” Jason replied calmly as the other three women guided the staggering Mrs. Lee to the study.
He met Sally at the door on her way back inside. “There’s…”
“A cabbie waiting for fare and a huge tip,” Jason finished for her.
Sally nodded. “Jason…”
“It is okay, Miss Richardson,” Jason replied, handing the waiting cab driver the fare and an even more generous tip than the drunken woman had promised.
Sally sighed and went to her car. Jason went back inside the house.
“Mrs. MacDougal,” Jason said when he entered the study, “would you and Juliet make sure Mrs. Lee’s room is ready for her to retire. I am sure she is tired from her long day.”
The two hurried out.
“I can…” Sara began.
Her mother cut her off. “Hey. Get me another rum and coke, Sara.” She managed to focus on Jason for a moment. “Do you have my money, sonny?”
She laughed. “Did you hear that? Money. Sonny. It rhymes.”
“Mother, here is a nice cup of tea.”
Mrs. Lee looked at her daughter. “Tea? I don’t want tea! I want a drink.”
“But, Mother, I think you already had one.”
“I can have another. I am a grown woman. Now, go get me a drink!”
She cut an annoyed glance at Sara for a moment, then looked at Jason again. “You have my money?”
“Yes, Ma’am. It is right here. I think there will be enough for you and your daughter to get back to Indiana and take care of your problem there.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Indiana. Where is my drink?” She glared at Sara.
“It is okay. There will not be any trouble getting her upstairs.”
Sara hurried out.
Jason waited patiently while Mrs. Lee tried to count the money. She was still trying when Sara returned with the drink.
Clutching the money in one hand, Mrs. Lee took the drink in the other. “This is kinda weak. You never did know how to make a drink, Sara.”
“Yes, Mother,” Sara replied, keeping her eyes lowered. “Would you like me to help you up to bed?”
“Inamina,” Mrs. Lee replied.
“Oh,” Jason said, picking up the envelope from the desk where he had set it upon entering the study. “I was not sure if you had already made arrangements to get the guardianship papers drawn up for you daughter, Mrs. Lee. I know how stressful the next few days are going to be, for both of you. Miss Richardson said she would take care of preparing a standard set. All you have to do is sign it and fill in the name of the person you want to be guardian. Then they sign it and it is done.”
Jason turned toward Sara and handed the paper to her. “I am sure you will want to look this over before your mother signs it. Miss Richardson’s cellular number is on the card there. I will give you some privacy to…”
“Wait,” Sara said, looking at the papers. “Shouldn’t this wait until we get to Indiana? I do not even know who we can get to be guardian.”
Suddenly Sara glared at Jason. “You did not think you were going to fill in your name after she signed it, I hope!”
Jason smiled at her. “I am a minor. I could not be your guardian, even if you wanted me. That will have to be an adult, willing to accept the responsibility. I would suggest Mrs. MacDougal… She likes you, and I am sure, could shoulder the responsibility without a problem. But since she is in this household, there could be a conflict of interest problem again. Especially considering Mr. Lawrence’s opinion of this entire situation.
“If you want to wait until you decide on someone, that is fine. I thought you might want your mother to sign it now, just to make sure there is not a problem later, when time might be short.”
“You could be right,” Sara said, watching her mother still trying to count the mon
ey in her hand. At least she had seemed to forget the drink that now sat on the corner of the desk.
“Mother,” she said, kneeling beside the chair in which her mother sat. “Do you want to sign this now, or wait until we get to Indiana. I am sure you know someone there that will be willing to be my guardian while you are… When you cannot do it yourself.”
“Sure, Sara. Sure. I bet Brian Sanford would do it. He used to tell me he would take you off my hands any time I wanted.”
Jason saw the tremor of disgust that shook Sara. He handed Sara a pen while she was saying, “I know we can find someone, Mother. Just as soon as we get back to Indianapolis.”
Mrs. Lee was never meeting Sara’s eyes, Jason noticed.
“You sure that will be okay?” Jason asked. “She has been drinking.”
Sara sighed as she set the papers aside. “Her hands are steady as a rock when she drinks. See?”
Jason took the papers when Sara handed them to him. He looked at the signature. “You are right. She has a beautiful hand, actually,” Jason added.
Sara managed a small smile. “I know. She is very proud of her penmanship.”
The money started to slip from Mrs. Lee’s hand. Sara reached down and was trying to help her mother get things rearranged when her mother pushed Sara’s hand away. “Hey! That’s my money! Oh… Maybe I should go to bed. I have a lot of things to get ready tomorrow.”
“I will buzz Juliet to help…”
“Please! Don’t! I…” Sara hung her head for a moment then looked at Jason. “Would you help me? I don’t want them to have to…”
“Of course,” Jason said quietly.
Jason waited outside the bedroom Mrs. Lee was using after helping Sara get her upstairs and onto the bed that was already turned back.
He told Juliet, when she approached him in the hall, “Would you mind getting Miss Lee’s room ready now?”
“It is alre… Oh. Yes, of course, Master Jason.” Juliet hurried off.
When Sara came out a few minutes later Jason turned to her and asked, “Is she all right?”
Sara nodded. “She will sleep for about an hour. She always does when she is like this, then gets up hungry. Then wants to sleep again. I will bring up an egg sandwich for her later. She always seems to want an egg sandwich…”
She sighed and started toward the stairs. “I guess I will finish my homework before supper. Do not know why, really. It will probably be a long time before I can get to school again, here or Indiana. I saw the Pontiac in the drive out front. We will probably leave tomorrow morning.”
Jason said nothing. He followed Sara down the stairs, then into the study.
“I cannot believe you are not going to say something,” Sara said, taking her chair by the desk and looking over at Jason.
With a very slight smile, Jason said, “You have made your wishes very clear. I do not believe in trying to talk anyone into anything. I offer options, occasionally, but it is up to the person to choose one, or reject them all.”
This time Jason’s smile was much broader. “I must admit, you are the best I have ever known in rejecting all my options.”
Sara managed a small smile herself. “Perhaps you will have one at nine with which I can live. The one to pay you back for everything you have done.”
Jason nodded. Instead of sitting down at the desk to continue working on his homework, as had Sara, Jason went over to the large safe that stood in one corner of the study.
“You are not going to offer me more money to stay, or something, are you?” Sara asked suspiciously as she watched his actions, her homework now forgotten.
“No. Of course not. I already admitted that I would not try to talk you into doing anything.”
It took only a moment for Jason to reach inside the safe after it was open and extract the item he wanted. He closed the door, spun the knob to lock it, then turned toward Sara.
For a moment she thought he had not actually taken anything from the safe. She saw nothing in his hands. It was only when he stepped forward, then went down to one knee beside the desk, facing her that she realized what it was he had taken from the safe.
Jason flipped open the small ring case and said, “I do intend to offer you one more option. You have already refused it once.
“Sara Lee, at some time in the future, I would sincerely like you to consider marrying me.”
“Jason! I told you…”
“I know,” Jason said softly staring into Sara’s eyes. “I have no intention of putting any pressure on you. This request is to consider the proposal sometime in the future. We are both too young to consider it now. The ring is only a reminder of me, for you. It is not a gift. When you feel you can make a decision, as an adult, you can either tell me yes and wear the ring, or return it with a firm no.”
“I will just say no now,” Sara said firmly.
Jason smiled faintly again. “Ah, but you are not an adult. You should not be making adult decisions like marriage.”
“Wait a minute,” Sara said, “You are asking me to marry you. That is an adult decision."
“No,” Jason replied. “I am not asking you to marry me. I am asking you to consider it in the future.”
Sara pushed the ring box Jason still held in his hand further away from her.
“No. I will not accept it, even as a reminder.”
She lifted her eyes from the ring to Jason’s face again. “I actually think you mean this, too.”
“I do.” Jason stood, closed the ring case and put it on the desk. As he sat down in the desk chair, he said, “Is there not anything you will accept as a remembrance of me?”
“I do not need anything to remember you by. I will never forget my time here.”
“That is actually very complimentary. I believe that will do nicely. When it comes time to think of marriage, you might just think of me. That is all I wanted, anyway.”
Jason picked up his pen and went back to studying.
It was several minutes before Sara finally asked him, “Did you forget to put the ring back into the safe?”
Jason smiled over at her serenely. “No. I decided that I would leave it there, just in case you changed your mind. About hanging on to it as a remembrance.”
“You can be very persistent, even when you are not trying to put pressure on someone.”
“So I have been told,” Jason replied with another smile. “In other words.”
Jason felt his insides grow numb when Sara chuckled.
He managed to continue to study, after a fashion, until Mrs. MacDougal entered the study to announce that supper was ready.
“I have just one more sentence,” Sara said, rapidly writing.
Jason had just closed his books when Mrs. MacDougal entered. He rose and said, “I will go wash up and be down in just a few minutes.”
Both women nodded.
Mrs. MacDougal suddenly noticed the ring box on the desk. She cut her eyes to Sara when Sara closed her note book and stood.
“Not that there is any risk, Miss Sara, but perhaps you should put your jewelry case away.”
Sara quickly looked down at the ring box. “It is not mine. Perhaps you should put it in the safe for Jason.”
She looked up and over at Mrs. MacDougal. Sara felt herself color just slightly. “He was showing it to me.”
“I understand.” Very softly she asked, “Are you entirely sure you do not want to accept… Whatever it was he was offering?”
Sara’s eyes went to the ring box again, before looking at Mrs. MacDougal.
“He asked me to take it as a reminder of him when I start thinking about getting married. I do not understand him, Mrs. MacDougal. We are both only fifteen. He knows I will not marry him. Why give me an expensive ring? The stone looked huge. And I would bet my life it is a top quality diamond.”
“I must admit, Miss Sara, that I do not understand his actions all the time myself.
“I would put the ring away, but I do not have the combination to
that safe. Only the household safe. I can put it in my pocket and give it to him later, if you do not want to leave it on the desk.”
“I think I should give it back to him, myself.” Sara frowned slightly. “Perhaps forcefully.”
“That might be wise,” Mrs. MacDougal replied. “He can, at times, be rather dense.”
“Oh,” Sara said, quite sure of herself, “he is not the least bit dense. He simply ignores what he wants to ignore, fully aware of what is going on.”
Sara shook her head. “It does not seem proper to leave it just lying around. We still have a discussion tonight at nine. I will give it to him then and insist he put it away.”
Picking up the ring, Sara weighed it in her hand for just a moment before slipping it into the pocket of her skirt. “I want to check on Mother, then I will be down for supper.”
“Very good, Miss Sara. Should I have a tray prepared for Mrs. Lee?”
“No. I will take something up later.”
Used to it now, Sara made no comment when Jason stood and pulled her chair out to seat her when she entered the dining room several minutes later.
There was little discussion during the meal. Mrs. MacDougal and Duchess both commented on Jason’s and Sara’s lack of appetite. Both made simple excuses.
Jason was the first to excuse himself. “If I am to be back in time for our meeting at nine, I must get to the Commodore’s.” He had addressed himself to Sara. Jason turned to Mrs. MacDougal and continued. “The carpenter did an excellent job, Mrs. MacDougal. Thank you for taking care of that so expeditiously.
“I will take a cab to Commodore Erickson’s. The limo is available, if needed.”
He was striding from the room, his cellular telephone in hand before Sara or Mrs. MacDougal could respond.
Simple curiosity prompted Sara to ask, “What was that about a carpenter? And who is Commodore Erickson?”
Mrs. MacDougal stared at the empty doorway through which Jason had exited before turning to look at Sara. “He wanted some work done in his bedroom. It still does not make sense to me…
“The Commodore…” Mrs. MacDougal smiled. “He is… was Mr. McKindrick’s friend. Both were sailors. He is trustee for the estate that Mr. McKindrick left.” She frowned suddenly.
The Contract Page 9