They started down the path toward the garden and stable, and he glanced her way. “Have you had any opportunities to talk with Clara? I mean, besides at meals?”
“We’ve spoken a few times.” Her last conversation with Clara came to mind. Although she hadn’t promised Clara she would speak to Nate about Owen Campbell, she’d meant to. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to help Clara and Nate come to an understanding about her young man. But she would have to tread carefully.
Nate clasped his hands behind his back as he walked and frowned at the gravel path. “She has developed an interest in a young man, but my stepmother is not in favor of it. She insists I put an end to it immediately. But I’m not sure that’s the best way to handle things.”
“What do you think of the young man?”
“I don’t really know him. I met him just once. We spoke only briefly when I found them together.” He nodded to the left. “Behind that hedge.”
Maggie’s cheeks warmed. “I suppose that was awkward.”
“They were only talking, but yes, it was uncomfortable for them and for me. I sent him on his way and asked Clara for an explanation. She was quite upset and ran off in tears.”
Maggie sighed, unsure what to say.
“I probably should’ve handled things differently. And now Helen is adamant that I speak to Clara again, but I’m not sure what to say.” He glanced at her. “I thought I might ask your advice.”
He wanted her opinion, and he was humble enough to ask for her help? Her heart warmed. “I’d be glad to help you if I can.”
“Thank you.” His tense expression eased a bit. “Here’s the question. How can I convince her to be reasonable and see the situation more clearly?”
“And what exactly do you want her to see?”
“First, that she should listen to her family. And second, that she should not give her heart away to someone she barely knows.”
Maggie nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“She says she loves him, but she’s young and impressionable, and I doubt she understands the true meaning of the word. And even if she does have strong feelings for him, she shouldn’t choose a husband based on feelings alone. There are much more important things to consider.”
“Such as?”
“What kind of man is he? Will he be able to provide for her? Would he be a loving husband and father? Does he have a good reputation, a strong faith, and proven character? What about his family and background?”
“Those seem like reasonable questions to ask.”
“She says he hopes to study to be a veterinarian, but how do I know if he will follow through on that plan?”
Maggie wasn’t sure how to answer that question.
“Since my father is gone, I’m responsible for her.” He grimaced. “Along with her mother, of course.”
“And you agree with your stepmother? Owen Campbell is not a worthy suitor for Clara?”
He stopped and looked at her, a hint of accusation in his eyes. “You knew about this?”
She gave a reluctant nod. “Clara told me about him the day she brought me the dresses.”
“I see.” He frowned. “And you didn’t think you ought to tell me?”
She considered that for a moment. “Clara wanted me to speak to you and try to convince you to let Owen call on her. But I wasn’t sure if that was wise.” He was obviously disappointed, and she regretted her decision to remain silent. “I’m sorry. I should’ve spoken up sooner.”
Nate shook his head. “It’s all right. I don’t blame you for not wanting to get involved.”
“If I thought there was any real danger, of course I would’ve come to you right away.”
He nodded, seeming to accept her explanation.
“Also, I wasn’t sure if I should be involved in a private family matter.”
“Well, Clara and I have both confided in you, so you are involved whether you want to be or not.” He walked on a few more steps, then said, “I’d welcome any words of wisdom you have to share.”
She pondered the situation as they entered the enclosed garden.
“I could dismiss Campbell and send him away, as Helen suggests.” Nate continued, “But if I do, Clara will be hurt and angry. I could face that, but what if she runs off and tries to follow him?”
“Do you think she might?”
“She’s always been headstrong, so I have to consider the possibility.”
Maggie hoped Clara would not make that choice. The consequences would be painful for everyone. “If you send him away or insist Clara never see him again, you might push her to defend her position and draw them even closer. But if you listen to what she has to say with an open mind and show a bit of sympathy for her feelings, I think she might be more open to your concerns.”
“I can’t pretend I’m in favor of her involvement with Campbell.”
“No, I don’t suppose you can be…especially when you don’t know him.”
“Are you suggesting I get to know him?”
She smiled. “I think a conversation with Owen Campbell might help you discern his character and intentions, and you could help him see the seriousness of his actions. But I don’t think you should do it in an overbearing or threatening way.”
“Hmm, I’ll have to think about that.”
Maggie considered the situation for a few more seconds. “I think the best chance you have to influence Clara is to come alongside and treat her with sympathy and respect. When she knows how much you care about her and her future, then she’ll be more likely to listen to what you have to say.”
Andrew crossed the garden toward them. “Excuse me, sir. Mr. Hendricks of the Portsmouth Insurance Company has arrived. Mrs. Hayes would like Miss Lounsbury to return to the house to meet with him.”
Nate nodded. “Very good.”
The footman turned to go.
“Thank you, Andrew,” Maggie added.
He looked back. “You’re welcome, miss.”
“We should go in. I’m sure you’re anxious for this meeting.” Nate motioned toward the house.
Maggie hesitated. Nate had been humble enough to ask her opinion about his sister’s predicament. Perhaps it was time she asked for his help as well. “Will you join us when we speak to Mr. Hendricks? I’d appreciate your input about the insurance settlement.”
He gave a quick nod, looking pleased. “Of course. I’d be glad to. Hopefully, we can make sure the matter is settled in your best interest.”
“Thank you.” She could barely hold back her smile as they walked to the house. Not only had he confided in her, he’d also welcomed her advice on an important family matter. Now she would show him the same measure of respect and listen to his advice concerning their conversation with Mr. Hendricks.
Maggie shifted in her chair and studied Mr. Hendricks, the insurance adjustor, while he wrote one of her answers in his notebook. He was a stout man of about forty-five, with a drooping brown mustache, and he wore a wrinkled gray suit.
They were seated in the library with Grandmother and Nate. Mr. Hendricks had asked them a series of questions about the fire, their business, and the contents of the shop and their private rooms, all without giving his opinion or offering any conclusion.
Maggie glanced at the clock, then shifted her gaze to Mr. Hendricks. The interview seemed to be coming to a close, and he had yet to tell them how much money they could expect to receive in the settlement. She didn’t want to appear presumptuous, but they needed an answer. She looked at Nate, hoping he might read her thoughts and ask the question for them, but he remained silent while he watched Mr. Hendricks.
Mr. Hendricks wrote a few more lines in his notebook, then looked up. “If you could give me the names of a few witnesses who were there at the time of the fire, I can contact them to verify these details.”
Nate leaned forward slightly. “I was in the village when the fire broke out.”
Mr. Hendricks’s eyebrows rose, and he sent Nate a skeptical look. “Wer
e you?”
“Yes, I had just finished a meeting with Reverend Samuelson at Saint Peter’s and walked to the Red Lion to pick up my horse when a man charged in, yelling there was a fire at Neatherton’s. I immediately thought of Mrs. Hayes and her granddaughters and went to warn them. Neatherton’s was already ablaze when I ran past, and men were gathering to fight the fire. I knocked on Mrs. Hayes’s door and encouraged them to leave the shop for their own safety.”
Mr. Hendricks wrote as Nate spoke, then looked up. “So you can verify the fire started at the neighboring shop?”
“Yes.” Nate thought for a moment and added, “Once the ladies were safely away, I returned to their shop and collected a few personal items for them.”
Mr. Hendricks’s brow creased. “What kind of personal items?”
Nate shot a quick glance at Maggie before he answered. “Miss Lounsbury’s mother’s Bible, her sister’s shawl, and a box holding money from their shop.”
Mr. Hendricks glanced at Maggie. “I didn’t see any of those items mentioned in your letter.”
Irritation coursed through Maggie. Was he trying to trap her? “No, they were saved from the fire, so there was no need to list them.”
“Ah yes.” Mr. Hendricks looked up. “Is there anyone else who could verify the story you’ve told me?”
She didn’t like him calling it a story, but perhaps giving him the names of other witnesses would settle the matter. “Mrs. Fenwick owns the teashop directly across the street from our shop. She was with us while the men fought the fire. And of course you can speak to Mr. Alvin Neatherton and his son, Joseph.”
Mr. Hendricks jotted the names in the notebook. “All right. I believe that’s all the information I need.” He rose from his chair and slipped his notebook into a small leather case.
Grandmother adjusted her glasses, looking weary. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Hendricks.”
Maggie’s breath caught. That was all her grandmother was going to say? They couldn’t let the man go without pressing him for some answers.
She stood and faced him. “Mr. Hendricks, I’m sure you can understand how eager we are to make plans to rebuild the shop and open for business again. When do you think we can expect to receive the payment of our claim?”
“Well now, I’m not sure about that. It will take some time to collect all the facts and interview the witnesses.” He studied her through narrowed eyes. “You’d be surprised how many people fabricate their stories, hoping for a larger settlement.”
Nate rose to his feet and towered over Mr. Hendricks. “I hope you’re not suggesting Miss Lounsbury and Mrs. Hayes are being dishonest in their statements.”
Mr. Hendricks tugged his vest back in place. “No, sir. I’m simply stating the facts and letting the ladies know I have to verify the details they’ve given me before we can move ahead.”
“I’m sure when you do you’ll find everything exactly as we’ve told you.”
Mr. Hendricks tucked his leather case under his arm. “Even eyewitnesses who see the same event may report it in a very different light.”
“Perhaps, but the facts remain unchanged.” Nate held his gaze steady. “I’m confident the witnesses will confirm the events as we’ve relayed them, and when they do, I’m sure you’ll see these ladies receive a quick and generous settlement to their claim.”
Mr. Hendricks’s face flushed, and he eyed Nate a moment longer. Then he placed his bowler hat on his head and turned to the ladies. “Mrs. Hayes, Miss Lounsbury, I’ll be in touch.”
Maggie could barely contain herself until he disappeared out the door. “Oh, what a pompous man! He practically accused us of lying. I can’t believe someone like that holds our future in his hands.”
Grandmother rose from the settee. “If that were true, we would be in a sorry situation. But we’ve no need to worry.”
Maggie stared at her grandmother. “How can you say that?”
“Our future is in the Lord’s hands, Maggie. And He’s proven Himself faithful time and again. I’m sure He’ll look out for us in this matter as well.”
Maggie lifted her hand. “If that’s true, why did He allow the fire in the first place?”
Grandmother and Nate exchanged a glance. It looked as though they shared a private understanding Maggie did not grasp, and it frustrated her to no end.
“Honestly, I don’t know how you can accept what Mr. Hendricks said or the way he said it. I think we ought to write a letter to the company and report him to his superiors.”
Nate’s mouth tugged up at one corner. “I don’t believe that would help your case.” Was he amused by her comments or simply not as anxious as she was about the situation?
Maggie crossed her arms and tried to let go of her frustration, but her stomach continued to churn. “I suppose we can’t very well report him, not if we want our case to be settled any time soon. We’ll just have to wait to see what happens.”
Nate crossed to stand beside her. “Perhaps there is something else we can do.”
Maggie looked up at him. “And what would that be?”
“We could go ahead and make plans to rebuild your shop, with the hope and expectation your claim will be upheld and the funds will be forthcoming.”
Grandmother chuckled. “Now that sounds like a fine idea.”
Maggie rubbed her forehead and suppressed a groan. No matter what they said, the outcome of their claim was still undecided and very much in Mr. Hendricks’s hands. How could they dismiss the man’s rude behavior and be confident everything would be resolved in their favor?
She supposed her grandmother’s optimism sprang from her faith. Was the same true for Nate? He had mentioned prayer and God’s guidance a few times in their conversations, but she had assigned it to custom or his upbringing.
But as she thought of how Nate conducted himself, the way he spoke and treated her and others, she saw a definite similarity to her father’s character and actions—and he had been a man of strong faith.
From the time she was a little girl, her father had spoken to her about the wonder and beauty of God’s creation and His love and care for all His creatures.
When she was young she had taken her father’s faith and actions for granted, but when she was fourteen, there had been an incident that made her think about it more deeply…She and her father had been on one of their jaunts across the estate and were climbing to a particularly high, rocky point. Maggie was out of breath but pushed on to stay close to her father as he climbed higher.
Father turned and looked over his shoulder. “Come on, Maggie girl, we’re almost there.”
“I’m coming.” Her leg muscles burned, but she wasn’t about to complain or give up, not when they were so close to the top.
Father set off again, using his walking stick to help him up the steep trail. She puffed along with the help of her own walking stick, slowly making her way among the rocks and crags. Suddenly, off to the left, she heard a soft bleating. Turning her head, she strained to listen. After a few seconds it came again.
“Father, did you hear that?”
He stopped and glanced back at her. “What?”
“Some animal is crying. I think it’s down there.” She pointed to the left over the cliff.
They stopped to listen, and Maggie turned toward the cliff. Had she truly heard an animal, or was it just the sound of the wind rushing up the mountainside?
The cry came again, soft and faint.
Father’s eyes lit up. “I hear it!” He scrambled across the rocks and looked over the side of the cliff. Maggie followed more slowly, making her way between the boulders and over the scratchy heather.
Father knelt and leaned out over the edge, searching the rocks below.
“Father!” Maggie grabbed his jacket and held on tight, fearing he would slip over the side.
He sat back. “It’s all right, Maggie. I’m not going to fall. Trust me.”
She searched his face, then loosened her grip. He turned back toward t
he cliff and continued his search. A tired bleat reached them once more. Maggie crept forward, looked over, and spotted the small lamb caught between a scraggly bush and the rocky hillside about fifteen feet below. “There he is!”
“Yes, I see him.” Father slipped his knapsack off his shoulders and took out a rope.
Maggie’s stomach tensed. “What are you going to do?”
He met her gaze. “I’m going down after him.”
Maggie’s heart lurched. “You can’t! It’s too steep.”
“I’ll be all right.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “You hold tight to this end of the rope. I’ll wrap it around the lamb, and we’ll bring him up together.”
Maggie glanced over the side once more, and a dizzy wave washed over her, making her head swim. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. He needs our help.”
“But you could fall.”
“If we don’t rescue him, he’ll die.” Father sent her a tender smile. “Say a prayer and trust the Lord. We’re on His mission of mercy. I’m sure He’ll help us.”
Maggie nodded and tried to swallow past the dreadful lump in her throat.
“Have faith, Maggie girl.” He patted her cheek, then he turned and slowly lowered himself down the side of the cliff. Maggie scooted closer, lay on her stomach, and peered over the edge. Small bits of rock fell away as Father took another step down, searching for the next foothold.
She pressed her lips together and held her breath. What would she do if her father fell? How would she rescue him? Her father’s reminder to pray rose in her mind, but she didn’t know what to say.
She recited formal prayers at church and joined the family for mealtime prayers, but she rarely spoke to God on her own. There were those few times when she’d disobeyed her mother and been sent to her room to wait for her punishment. Those pleas for mercy had rarely been answered, and she’d been punished anyway.
She pushed those confusing thoughts away. They were certainly in trouble now and needed God’s help. She squeezed her eyes tight. Please, God, take care of my father. Help him rescue this lamb, and please bring them both back up safely. Amen.
She opened her eyes and scanned the scene below.
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