“Is that what your father hid?” he asked, his eyelids drooping.
“Part of it.” Frances explained about the bearer bond her sisters had taken to Luke. “But see how much bigger the outside of the drawer looks compared to the space inside?”
“A hidden drawer?” Nick perked up. “Show me.”
“I wanted us to do this together.” Frances shifted the drawer so he could see what she thought was likely the lever. “You do it.”
“But it’s yours.”
“We’re in this together, my love.” Her eyes prickled as she said the words for the first time.
“Say it again.”
“What?” Frances refused to meet his gaze; she was done crying.
“Say it again,” Nick repeated. “You led me on quite a chase, and I think I’ve earned the right to hear it.”
“Fine.” She looked at him and said, her voice rough, “Mylove. But don’t expect me to call you that in front of other people.”
Nick rewarded her with a kiss before lifting his good hand to give the lever a flick. It must have been on a spring, because the front of the drawer popped up about half an inch. Frances eased it up to expose another document. She removed it, read the writing, and met Nick’s gaze, confused.
“Why would he hide a deed?” She held up the paper, so he could see it. “In Texas, no less.”
“Does it say where in Texas? What county?”
Frances checked the document. “Looks like Jefferson County.”
“The Spindletop oil gusher happened in Jefferson County. Could be there’s oil on the land.” Nick’s shoulders drooped, and Frances set aside the map to help support him.
“We’ll find out what it means later.” Fortunately, the men showed up then, and she left them to get her sisters to help make up the bed.
* * *
Sittingat the dining room table a few days later after dinner, Nick watched as Frances mixed his pain medication powder into fruit juice. The doctor had provided a fairly new one called aspirin. It wasn’t addictive but had a foul taste. Nick still liked it much better. It didn’t make him feel drunk or want to sleep all day. It also didn’t last as long, which meant he was less likely to overdo it. Frances liked that.
His wife. Nick grinned. His wife he was going to get to keep. His wife, who’d turned out to be much more attentive than he’d ever dreamed. He’d taken to calling her his “Little Nag” in company. Instead of being cross about it, she’d embraced it.
“Well, this is our final meal in Indianapolis,” Luke said, standing, his expression serious. “I’d like to make a toast.” He took a moment to meet the gaze of every person at the table. “To family as itshouldbe.”
“To family,” everyone said softly and took a sip.
“I received a telegram today from Texas,” Luke said, sitting again. “Thank you, Nick, for your suggestion of an attorney there.”
“Just tell us.” Frances poked her brother in the leg.
“The survey your father set in motion more than a year ago confirms there’s oil on your land. The attorney suggested you hold on to it for a while. He agrees with Nick that automobiles aren’t going away, and they’ll need fuel. In a few years, the value of your property is likely to increase. A lot.”
“Oh, good,” Doris cried, clapping her hands. “I can see that the school gets those desks.”
Everyone started talking at once, except for Frances. She laced her fingers with Nick’s and leaned closer to him.
“We’ll burn that agreement when we get home,” she whispered into his ear, her hair tickling his neck and sending shivers down his spine.
“No, let’s just amend it.” He kissed her cheek. “Now that you’re a rich lady, you might get greedy and hire a rich lawyer to take my pittance.”
“There you two go again,” Marshall complained. “Why do you have to do that at the dinner table? You’ll ruin my appetite for dessert.”
“I love you.” Frances whispered to Nick before straightening, her gaze full of so much promise for their life together.
