Once he was gone, Mary smiled, and Judith did as well. “What is it you needed to discuss?” Mary asked.
“Apparently the St. Anthony Falls have been greatly alteredover the years. The water is wearing down the rock, Mr. Black informed me.”
Mary looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Judith just shrugged. “It was something to discuss and allowed me not to have to be escorted back to the house by Mr. Black. He seems determined to court me.”
The housekeeper burst into laughter and picked up the tray. “Oh, you do my heart good, Mrs. Stanford.”
“Call me Judith.”
“Miss Judith is familiar enough,” Mary replied. “That is more appropriate for our present situation.”
Bert wasn’t happy to fail at starting a courtship with Judith Ashton. She seemed abnormally unconcerned with marriage and having a family of her own. The few times he’d tried to bring up the topic, she easily changed the subject as though it meant nothing to her. Good grief, she was an old maid with limited choices. His research had shown her to be thirty years old. And while she was comely, even beautiful, many a man would surely cast her aside for fear of her being unable to bear children.
What was it she wanted? She had shown no interest in her grandfather nor his wealth on the trip to Minneapolis. At first Bert had thought it was all an act, but the woman truly seemed unconcerned. Perhaps she had a great deal more wealth of her own than she let on. She was, after all, the owner of a steamboat service.
He made his way to Mr. Ashton’s room, still quite perplexed. He’d never had any difficulty wooing young ladies. In fact, he had nearly allowed himself to get engaged on more than one occasion. It wasn’t until he realized that he might be able to work his way into James Ashton’s good graces and be appointed his heir that Bert put serious thoughts of courtshipaside so he could give the man the focus he required. Despite the granddaughter’s arrival, he could still have the entire inheritance if he could just convince Judith Ashton to marry him.
Winchell met him at the door to the old man’s suite. “He’s waiting for you.”
Bert nodded and headed into the bedroom. Ashton looked particularly frail, perhaps even more so than when Bert had been with him an hour earlier.
“You called for me?”
“Yes, Bert. I want to go over the changes in the Iverson contract. Some ideas came to mind, and I believe we should look into the legalities.”
Bert nodded and retrieved the papers in question. The old man was a thorn in his side at times, but he had promised to mention Bert in his will. If Bert could just hold out until the end, he would be rich. He would have a good part of the Ashton fortune, and maybe even have it all. It would work out. He was certain of this. He just had to endure for a little while longer.
Then a thought came to mind. When he’d asked Judith to join him for the evening, she had said something about being unable to leave her grandfather for an evening of pleasure.
So shedoes see an evening with me as being pleasurable.
He perked up a bit. Perhaps she really did care for him more than he realized.
11
By Friday, Judith could see a pattern to some of her grandfather’s dealings. He was always the moneyed partner. His associates usually had some form of collateral to offer, and generally speaking it came in the form of land.
Noting this, she couldn’t help but wish there were older records to consider. Her grandfather had released additional materials for her to study, but everything was written up in the last five years.
Catching sight of the time, Judith closed the ledger she’d been reading and prepared to go to her grandfather. Every afternoon at two, he had requested she come to his room to discuss what she was learning. It was rather fascinating to hear his reasonings behind certain projects and his projections of what he felt he could accomplish in the days to come. He was determined to leave a legacy in his Ashton Block in downtown Minneapolis. Unfortunately, Judith knew the legacy he was really leaving behind made him much despised instead of respected and admired as he hoped.
She made her way to his room and encountered Mary onthe way. “I wonder if after I visit with my grandfather, you and I might have a talk. Perhaps in the garden again.”
“It looks like it might storm this afternoon, but we can surely find somewhere to speak without being overheard.” Mary walked with Judith and paused when they stood at the door to her grandfather’s room. “You know the doctor just left.”
“No, I didn’t realize.” Judith frowned. “Is the news bad?”
“I don’t know. I showed the doctor out and figured I’d come up and confer with Winchell. He’ll be able to tell us everything.”
As if speaking his name had summoned him, Winchell opened the bedroom door and looked in surprise at the two women.
“May I help you?”
Judith nodded. “I was coming to speak with grandfather per his instructions. However, Mrs. Deeters just mentioned the doctor was here. I wondered what he had to say.”
Winchell stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed. “The news is not good. He has ordered your grandfather to remain bedfast. He said that Mr. Ashton is not strong enough to be up on his own without overtaxing his heart. He may sit for fifteen to twenty minutes each morning and afternoon, but otherwise should rest in bed.”
“I see.” Judith hadn’t expected things to happen quite this fast. “Did he say ... well ... did he speak of when...” She fell silent. It was harder than she’d expected to ask about when the doctor thought her grandfather might die.
