He looked nearly as tortured as he had when Megan had been gone. Savannah ached for him. “She’s been through an ordeal.”
“She’s shutting me out.”
“It’s the nature of the ordeal. She can’t face you.”
“But I’ve told her over and over again that I don’t care. I’ve told her that I love her as much—no, more than I did before. She won’t listen.”
“Just keep saying it. It’ll sink in.”
“No. She’s punishing me. And she’s right. It’s my fault. If the alarm had been working—”
“No, Will,” Savannah said, turning to face him. “You will never know what would or would not have happened if the alarm had been working. It’s done. There’s no point agonizing over that. Megan loves you. She needs to know that you’ll stay by her regardless of what’s gone before. She needs to know that you won’t be put off by her moods.”
“She never used to have moods. She used to be the most even tempered woman in the world.”
Susan came forward. “After what she’s gone through, she has a right to be moody.”
“But she was moody even before the kidnapping. She was worried about—” he waved his hand, “—things. That’s what I’ve done to her.”
Savannah took his hand in both of hers. “She loves you, Will. Shelovesyou. Whatever has happened, you can work it out. Just stick with it.”
Susan looked down at the kid-leather gloves in her hand. “About the business, Will.” She looked up. “I know someone who could help.” When Will started to shake his head, she hurried on. “I understand the position you’re in. Believe me, I know how awful it is to be humiliated in front of people you know. But the man I know works out of New York. I met him through my work with one of the hospitals there, and, if nothing else, he’s discreet. Let me call him. He could come down and talk with you, look over the books, go through the mills. He could give you the kind of advice you need, and he won’t charge you an arm and a leg for it.”
“An arm and a leg is relative.”
“Trust me. You’ll be able to afford his services.”
“How do you know?”
“I know,” Susan said with confidence.
Savannah felt that the question of the fee was better deferred. “You could talk with the man, Will. Once Meggie’s home and you’re both feeling better, you could talk with him and make your own decision.”
“This is my family’s business. I don’t want outside people snooping around.”
“If you go bankrupt,” Susan pointed out, “you may have no choice. You don’t want to go bankrupt, Will. What will come of the family business then?”
Savannah softened the blow. “Just think about it. Okay, Will?”
Though skeptical, he nodded. Savannah and Susan had to be content with that, particularly since the elevator had arrived. With encouraging smiles for Will, they joined the people inside for the trip to the street floor.
Once there, Savannah caught Susan’s arm. “A quick phone call. I’ll be right back.” She hurried to a nearby phone booth, closed the door, and punched out her own number.
The phone rang a full ten times before Jared picked it up.
The sun rose inside Savannah, bringing a smile of relief and pleasure to her face. “I wasn’t sure you’d still be there.”
“I wasn’t sure I should answer. When it rang so many times, I decided that it was either you, in which case I wanted to talk, or someone who wanted you badly, in which case I wanted to know who it was.”
“If it hadn’t been me, who would you have saidyouwere?” she asked, still smiling.
“Your cleaning man.”
“But he comes on Thursdays.”
“Ah. Well, then, I guess he changed days this week. Where are you?”
“Visiting Megan at the hospital. We’re leaving for Boston now.” She paused for the tiniest space of time before turning the question back to him. “Where are you?”
