LITMIR.BIZ

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been her last connection to her parents. She’d clung to it as if that would bring her mama and papa back. Sadie must have suffered similar loss. “I loved my Dollie. Does yours have a name?”

      Sadie just looked back with solemn eyes.

      Pearl rose, having made no progress. School would be difficult for Isaac and Sadie if they refused to talk.

      “She calls it Baby,” Garrett mumbled, his color high.

      “Pearl—Miss Lawson—is not here in response to the advertisement,” Roland needlessly pointed out.

      Garrett’s gaze drifted to the other three women, and Roland once again swooped into action.

      “Where are my manners?” Roland introduced each of the ladies in turn.

      Fiona no longer bubbled over with witty comments. Her gaze circled the room repeatedly, and she looked ready to accuse the men of what Pearl had already noticed. The advertisement had misled them. Louise didn’t even look up at Garrett. She hung back and said little more than the children. Pearl walked her trembling friend closer to the prospective groom once Roland introduced her.

      “Amanda and I have been friends since we were Sadie’s age.”

      Amanda instinctively looked at the little girl and smiled softly. “Would you like me to make you a pretty new dress?”

      Sadie’s eyes widened, and she nodded her head while holding out her rag doll.

      “Oh, a matching one for your doll, too?”

      Amanda had always had a gift with children. Where Pearl loved to see a child learn and grow, Amanda took them into her confidence. As a consequence, children adored her. Already she had made progress with little Sadie.

      Her father’s expression had soured, however. “I’m not wasting money on frivolous things.”

      That startled Amanda, who stared at Garrett as if he’d just confessed to murder. “A new dress for school is hardly frivolous.”

      Pearl could have cheered. While adults might make her friend nervous, Amanda would rise to defend any child. Clearly, Sadie needed some encouragement, which she wasn’t getting from her father. Unless, of course, he couldn’t afford a new dress.

      Pearl looked Garrett Decker in the eye. “We will work something out. Amanda can create beautiful things with the needle.”

      His set jaw told her she’d meddled where she didn’t belong. Oh, dear, this wasn’t going well for Amanda. Not at all.

      “Come to think of it,” Roland interjected, “we’ve got some odds and ends of fabric at the store that I was going to throw away. If you and Miss Porter would like to look through them, I’d give you any that you think you can use.”

      Amanda gushed her thanks, but Roland wasn’t looking at her. He sought Pearl’s approval. She had to swallow the lump in her throat. Even though the scraps were probably too small to make a dress, the gesture meant a lot, for it smoothed over the differences that had sprung up between his brother and Amanda.

      Pearl couldn’t help but smile. “We are most grateful.”

      His trace of sheepish concern vanished in a brilliant smile. “Then we accept, don’t we, Garrett?”

      Roland’s brother had not unlocked his jaw, even though his little girl looked up at him with the most hopeful, tremulous expression that Pearl had ever seen. Her heart just about broke. She would do anything to bring a smile to that little girl’s lips. Anything.

      Garrett puffed out his breath. “I don’t want to owe anyone.”

      “I’ll pay any costs,” Amanda offered.

      Pearl stared at her friend. Between them, they had only enough for room and board until school began. Where was she going to get money to pay for thread and ribbon and whatever else she needed?

      Roland laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Isn’t that like you, always counting your pennies?”

      A snort from behind Pearl reminded her that Fiona and Louise were also in the room. She turned to see Fiona standing with her arms crossed and a fire brewing in her eyes.

      “Pennies?” Fiona said now that everyone’s attention had shifted to her. “Your advertisement said you were wealthy. Now you’re talking about counting pennies? What kind of man are you to lure us here under false pretenses?”

      Though Louise didn’t verbally second the sentiment, her dismay spoke volumes. Amanda, naturally, said nothing, but Pearl had never shied from speaking her mind.

      “The advertisement did hint that you were a man of means. I believe it said you had a handsome inheritance.” She dug in her bag to find the crumpled bit of paper and came up empty. What had she done with it?

      “Now, ladies, I’m sure this little misunderstanding can all be cleared up over supper.” Roland waved them toward the table. “Have a seat, and I’ll be right back with the stew.” He scooted through the door beyond the table faster than a rat abandoning a sinking ship.

      “Little misunderstanding?” Fiona shook her head. “This is not a misunderstanding. This is deception, pure and simple. I know better than to throw good after bad. I’m here to make a good match, not marry a pauper. I could have had that in New York.”

      Pearl wondered why Fiona hadn’t stayed in New York. A thriving musical career should have brought her to the attention of men of wealth. For her to throw herself into such an uncertain situation, something must have happened.

      She didn’t have time to contemplate it, for with a final toss of her head, sending the feathers on her hat dancing, Fiona stomped toward the door. “Come, Louise, Amanda. We can’t let these men get away with this. Stew!” She said the word as if it was the final insult.

      Louise meekly followed, but Amanda hesitated, torn between obeying Fiona and staying behind with the children. She looked to Pearl for answers, but Pearl would not tell her friend what to do. Amanda must learn to trust her instincts and the Lord instead of relying on the advice of others.

      Amanda looked back at little Sadie, who clung to her father’s hand. “I like stew. Do you?”

      For the first time, Garrett Decker’s expression cracked. “She doesn’t talk. Not since...” He stroked his daughter’s head.

      Pearl squeezed back a tear. He didn’t have to finish for both her and Amanda to understand. Little Sadie hadn’t spoken since her mama died or left. The vivid memory of watching her father walk away returned with an ache. Be a good girl, Pearl. Her papa’s admonition had carried with it the hope that if she was good enough, maybe then her mama would get well and her parents would come back for her.

      They never did.

      Roland walked back into the room carrying a pot of stew. “Can you fetch the bowls, Isaac? The spoons, Sadie?”

      The children hurried off.

      He looked around the room and then at his brother. “You sure do know how to clear out a room.”

      Pearl again noted the six chairs. Maybe that had been the plan the whole time.

      * * *

      Roland’s brother had barely finished saying grace when Pearl began to point out her friend’s virtues.

      “Amanda is an excellent housekeeper, and she’s wonderful with children.”

      What Pearl said mattered far less to Roland than the charming tilt of her head and spark in her eyes. The two individuals at the center of her persuasion paid the potato and cabbage stew an uncommon amount of interest. Pearl barely touched hers, while the children watched the two ladies with a mix of curiosity and fear.

      Most men would find Amanda the prettier of the two ladies, but he preferred Pearl’s chestnut hair and lively green eyes. The fact that her spoon spent more time pointing at Garrett than in the bowl

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