Judith couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. “I neither despise you, nor care for you. You have no place in my life.”
The old man frowned. “You must be of some opinion toward me.”
She nodded. “As I mentioned to Mr. Black, I feel pity for you.”
“Pity!” He practically roared the word.
Judith had anticipated his reaction and sat unmoved. “Yes. Pity. It was the emotion my father associated with you as well. We felt sorry for you.”
“Sorry? So-sorry? You—you cannot—” The old man sputtered and cleared his throat. “I am not someone to be pitied. I have everything that a man could possibly want.”
“Except an heir, apparently.”
“You are as willful as your father.”
She laughed. “I am, after all, an Ashton.”
“No!” he declared, jumping to his feet. “You cannot call yourself that until you earn the right. It might be the name given you at birth, but as I told your father, that name holds with it much responsibility and esteem. You must prove yourself.”
“I’m afraid I am no one’s puppet or performer.” She stood. “I’m sorry, but it was a mistake for me to come. However, I’m certain your money has blessed a great many people in Philadelphia, and for that I am grateful.”
“I desire you to stay.”
She looked at him for a long moment. “I realize you are a man used to getting whatever you want; however, I see no reason to remain. I am a Christian woman, and you find no value in such things. I’m a worker of charities and desire to better the lives of the poor. You apparently have no interest in that either. There’s very little we have in common, and I can only suppose that this makes me a poor choice for your heir.”
“I’ll give you another ten thousand for your charities if you’ll remain with me until I die. The doctor is convinced that it won’t be longer than a couple of months. Perhaps the end of summer.”
Judith was surprised by this but said nothing. She knew he was sick, but he seemed so strong and obstinate that it was easy to forget. Still, the last thing she wanted was to spend her summer in his company. The money was hardly worth it.
“Make it twenty thousand,” he said, seeming to read her mind.
She was nothing more than a business transaction to him. If that’s the way he wanted it, Judith could play the game. “Thirty thousand, and I will consider it prayerfully and give you an answer in the morning.”
He smiled as if knowing he’d won. It nearly caused her to take back her words, but if he agreed to it, then Judith could arrange to have homes built for quite a few families in Philadelphia.
“Very well. Thirty thousand dollars will be given to you at the end of the summer, whether or not I choose you to be my heir. I’ll have a contract drawn up tomorrow that you can sign if you agree to stay.”
Judith nodded. It would take a great deal of prayer to know if she was making the right choice. It could benefit so many, but then again, the Bible admonished her to flee the devil. At the moment, she wasn’t at all convinced that the man standing before her wasn’t the very incarnation of that entity.
5
Sitting across from her grandfather the next morning, Judith noted the space between them wasn’t nearly as extensive as it had been the night before. It was clear that several leaves had been removed from the massive table, and now they were only a dozen or so feet apart. Whether this was regularly done for the purpose of a less formal breakfast, or her grandfather had hoped to show her that he was willing to draw her closer, Judith had no idea. It was, however, a more comfortable setting, and after such a restless night, she found herself grateful.
When James Ashton appeared and took his seat, the servants immediately brought breakfast to the table. Judith was not surprised to be served rather than given a choice. It seemed to be her grandfather’s fashion. Thankfully, his choices were like her own. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.
The footman appeared at her side with a cup of tea, a small pitcher of cream, and a sugar bowl. She thanked him and then bowed her head to pray over the meal, knowing hergrandfather wouldn’t concern himself with such things. When she finished, she looked up to find him watching her.
“So have you decided?” he asked, wasting no time.
“I have.” She saw no reason to draw out the matter. “I will accept your offer on two conditions. One, the money will be released immediately. I want it sent directly to the charity I set up for widows and orphans in Philadelphia. This way houses can be built for them prior to winter. Second, you will agree to attend church with me on Sundays, so long as your health allows.”
He fixed her with a glaring expression. “And how do I know you’ll keep your word if I release the money now?”
“How do you ever know if your investments will come to fruition? You must take a chance. I am a woman well-known for keeping my word. You will simply have to accept that, or we have no deal ... sir.” She added the title of respect, hoping to show that she wasn’t without regard to his position.
“You know I’m not a religious man.”
“I do, but frankly that is unimportant to me at this point. It is a condition of my staying, and I won’t be moved on this matter.”
