“Ah, so you're the one who slandered my name, are you?” He rubbed a hand over his chin and drew in a breath. “Because, you see, the oddest thing happened about an hour ago. Mr. Lawrence stopped me on the street to let me know the police would be serving me papers soon, as he intended to sue me for price gouging. And then, when I went to the bank, they informed me that you and Mother had left this morning … with my accounts.”
“Not yours. Mother's, since almost everything is in her name. She was rather surprised to discover how many things she's been purchasing without even knowing it.” Noah shook his head, continuing to create a wall with his body between George and Kizzie. “How could you, George? After all she's already lost?”
Something flickered on George's face. He looked back at Kizzie. “If you marry her, you'll see nothing of your inheritance, you know that? Father would never have approved of her. I'll be forced to disinherit you just like Father had to do to Clarice.”
“Funny thing about my visit to the bank, George. It seems I've already lost the money Father left me. It seems Mother, unbeknownst to herself, reverted my inheritance to a business account that has been depleted considerably. So your threat is powerless.”
The smile vanished from George's face.
“Exactly,” Noah continued. “I know about it all. The overcharging vulnerable customers. Stealing from the mill. Forging my name and Mother's name on bank documents. I imagine there's more we haven't uncovered yet.”
George's face paled a few shades. “You don't have any proof.”
Kizzie looked up at Noah, whose only response was to fold his arms across his chest.
“What?” George matched his brother's stance.
“Mother has legal access to any documents in her name.” Noah shrugged. “We should have caught things before now, but we didn't think our own flesh and blood would stoop to such a level. I suppose the bank didn't either, to take all this at face value. And for what, George? Status? Prestige?”
“If you share what you know …” George loomed closer, and Noah stood to his full height.
“If Mr. Lawrence and the bank already know, do you think it's going to be a secret for long?” Noah released a sigh. “And the worst part of it is that you've not only ruined your own life, but you've stolen from dozens of people. Mother and I will lose the mill and property Father worked so hard to purchase, and the mill workers will lose their livelihoods.”
“What do you mean?” George gave his head a severe shake, as if not fully hearing. “Once Beatrice and I marry, I'll have the prestige of her family, and then I can do what I want with the mill.”
Kizzie stared at George. Did he really not know? Even Kizzie with her narrow upbringing and experience read between the lines of Noah's statements. If George's debts proved substantial, which it certainly seemed they were, the creditors would seize everything in his name—or in this case, his mother's—to use as leverage against debts.
Everything.
Including the mill, the land … everything he owned.
“George, if she smirked at the very idea of sharing a table with Kizzie”—Noah's voice softened with entreaty—“do you truly think Beatrice will have anything to do with you once this news comes out? You'll be labeled a criminal.”
“It's all a mistake. An easy fix.” He sneered. “I'll sell the land. We have hundreds more acres. I can sell Mother's house too.”
“The house isn't in your name to sell,” Noah reminded him. “And even if you sold the land, you can't change the reputation you've made for yourself now. Laws you've broken require justice.” He sighed, taking a step toward George as if approaching a wild animal. “We'll have to start over, George, with whatever is left after the debts have been paid.”
“Start over?” George yelled so loudly, it startled Charlie, and his cry broke into the sudden silence. “I will not start over. I will not lose what I've created. This is all your fault.” George rushed forward, and before Kizzie knew what was happening, he hit Noah across the face. Noah stumbled back into Kizzie, and she steadied him as best she could.
“You just wait.” George's face distorted into a deepening frown. “I'll speak to Mother, and we'll see about this.”
The man's voice cracked like a whining child's. He turned and raced down the stairs.
Noah stumbled toward the door after him and then looked back, but Kizzie waved him away. “Go, you need to get to your mama.”
“We'll finish this conversation later, Miss McAdams.” He nodded and pointed at her. “I know what loss feels like, so I have plenty of fight in me to not lose what is worth saving. And you and Charlie are worth it all to me.”
With that, he followed after his brother. Kizzie took a sniffling Charlie up in her arms and then dropped into the nearby chair, the overwhelming urge to laugh and cry crashing together inside of her chest.
He loved her. Wanted to marry her. She was worth saving.
She pinched her eyes closed against the hope dangling too close. It was impossible.
Even as her hand palmed her protruding abdomen.
Too wonderful forher.
But the joy barely took a foothold when a sudden rush of questions followed, assaulting her. Who are you to deserve something this good? Who are you to accept it? What have you ever done to earn the love of such a fine man? Don't you know he'll come to regret marrying you?
