A Surrendered Heart (10 page)

The article stated that Wesley Hedrick had been the host at a number of grand parties attended by many dignitaries. Wesley was described as the sole beneficiary of Lord and Lady Illiff, who had been lost at sea when their ship went down off the coast of France. The newspaper fluttered to her lap. How could this be possible? The man who had fathered Sophie’s child and then run off like a thief in the night had inherited a vast fortune and was dividing his time between London and New York City.

What if he should decide to reenter Sophie’s life? Surely he wouldn’t do such a thing. He’d have far too much to explain. Should she tell Sophie? Would it be best to prepare her cousin for such a happenstance, or would such a revelation only open old wounds and create more pain? She considered writing Fanny to seek her advice, but there was the possibility the letter would be seen by someone other than Fanny. She best not take such a chance. If only they would lift the quarantine, she could talk with Fanny. Together they could come to a sound decision. She looked to the bedside table for scissors but seeing none decided to simply tear the article from the paper. It might come in handy later when she tried to explain her concerns.

Fanny stood outside the gate at the Home for the Friendless and pulled the rope attached to the metal bell. She hoped the noise wouldn’t disturb any patients who might be resting. Her uncle waved from the doorway and then hurried down the path to greet her. “Fanny!” he said, stopping a few feet from her. “I do hope you’ve brought some of the supplies from the pharmacy.”

She nodded and set the basket down in front of her. “Yes, but not the amount requested by Dr. Carstead. The pharmacist said to tell him that he’s running low on supplies but expects another shipment next week.”

“Next week? Some of our patients can’t wait that long. Perhaps Paul could take the train to Syracuse. Surely he could purchase drugs at one of the pharmacies there.”

“I’ll give him your message and tell him it’s important he leave as soon as possible.” She dug her toe in the dirt. “I brought these things for Amanda. There’s also a note for her,” she added.

“Why so downcast? Is something amiss?”

“Nothing that can be easily remedied, and nothing that I can’t learn to accept, I suppose.”

Her uncle frowned. “Are you ill?”

“No, but I do feel pain.”

“What kind of pain? In your stomach? You should see a doctor immediately. We don’t want you coming down with cholera.”

She shook her head. “My pain isn’t caused by illness. Have you ever felt betrayed by someone you care about? Someone you trusted and thought loved you and cared for you?”

“Does this have something to do with Michael? Has he written and said he no longer intends to marry you?”

Tears welled in her eyes. “No. I haven’t had a letter from Michael in months.”

“Tell me what’s happened, Fanny. I’ll help in any way I can.”

She longed to tell him that Uncle Jonas had betrayed her trust and deceived Amanda. Yet she didn’t want to be the cause of another rift between the two brothers. There had been enough harsh words among family members in the past. Better to remain silent than say something that couldn’t be taken back. What was the Bible verse that Michael’s mother had quoted to her? It was from Proverbs. Something about the tongue and power. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and they that love it will eat the fruit,” she muttered. That was close, anyway. Better to keep Uncle Jonas’s name out of the conversation. “I’m simply disappointed because someone I thought I could trust has let me down.”

His brow furrowed. “What has Jonas done now?”

9

Monday, June 12, 1899

Amanda folded her hands in her lap. “This is entirely unfair. My parents can’t continue to order me from pillar to post because it suits their whims. I’m no longer a child.”

“They are doing what they believe is best for your full recovery. Besides, it’s June and the weather is quite lovely. In times past we would already be at the island for our annual summer stay. And when your mother departed, I promised I would escort you to the island.” Fanny had been trying to reason with her cousin for well over an hour before Dr. Carstead and Uncle Quincy joined them.

“In the future, you should refrain from making promises you can’t keep.” Amanda tightened her lips into a sullen pout.

After more than six weeks the quarantine had finally been lifted the preceding day. Immediately after breakfast Fanny had arrived at the Home and announced she planned to escort Amanda to Broadmoor Island. Amanda had promptly refused. She planned to remain in Rochester and work at the Home. Though their train would leave the station in only two hours, Amanda continued to wage a battle.

“Tell my cousin that I am needed here to assist you with your duties,” Amanda said, waving Blake forward.

“I’ll do no such thing. I plan to escort you to the train station and make certain you board the train.” He sat down in a vacant chair beside her. “In fact, I’m going to wait until the train leaves the station to make sure you don’t attempt an escape.”

His chuckle didn’t ward off her feelings of betrayal. How
could
he? Until stricken with cholera, she’d worked alongside him without complaint. There had been days when her back ached and she longed for a few minutes’ rest, but she’d continued to do his bidding. Now he sided against her. “So this is my reward? What did my father promise you in order to gain your complicity in this plan?”

Blake’s jaw twitched. “I have not had contact with your father, and I have not sided against you. But I am intent upon seeing you attain a full recovery.”

“I
am
well. Why don’t you offer me that wager again, and we shall see who will win this time?”

He shook his head. “That kind of talk is exactly why you must leave Rochester. If you stayed here, you’d work too hard. No matter what you say, I will not change my mind.”

“You don’t control me, Blake Carstead. If I want to remain in Rochester, you can’t force me to go to Broadmoor Island.”

He shrugged. “You’re right. But if you don’t go, I’ll no longer teach you. If you want to continue with your medical career, you’ll have to enroll in medical college or find another physician willing to train you.”

Amanda extended her neck. “Do you have a collar and leash you’d like to place around my neck so you may control my every step?”

Fanny nudged Amanda and shook her head. “What has come over you?”

“Nothing has come over me. I’m simply weary of others controlling my life.”

Blake leaned forward and rested his forearms across his thighs. “You’re exaggerating in an attempt to gain a toehold in this argument. You know that your plans to remain in Rochester are faulty.” Blake raked his fingers through his unruly dark hair. “I don’t want to part on unpleasant terms. Surely you know that my concern for you is well founded and has nothing to do with any edict you’ve received from your parents. You have my word that you can continue your training with me once your family returns. I hope you’ll get plenty of rest and avail yourself of the fresh air.”

“I’ll have little choice, will I?” Her behavior was no better than that of a petulant child, but Amanda didn’t care. “And we’ll see whether I’m still interested in working with you when I return.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I may very well decide to move to Syracuse or New York City. I’m certain I’ll find a physician who will be pleased to continue my training there.”

“Please give that matter considerable thought, Amanda.” He stood and held out his hand. “I believe we should be on our way. I assume you’d like to stop at home and put some things in a trunk before we head to the depot.”

Amanda huffed but took his hand nevertheless.

“We’d better make haste. I don’t want you ladies to miss your train.”

Throughout the ride to the train station, Amanda stared out the carriage window. Fanny and Blake discussed the cathartic effect the fresh air at Broadmoor Island would have upon Amanda during the next weeks, but she steadfastly ignored their conversation. Let them attempt to win her over by expounding upon the beneficial and invigorating effects she would experience while languishing in the fresh air and strolling along the St. Lawrence River—she’d not be swayed by their talk.

Blake didn’t budge from the strategy he’d laid out to her. He accompanied them through the station and out the heavy wooden door that led to the platform. “Once Amanda ceases her pouting, you might ask her to tell you about the healing effects of fresh air upon infants who have been transported to live near the water during the heat of summer. She read a lengthy article on the topic, didn’t you, Amanda?”

Amanda decided against breaking her silence, but she did offer a slight nod.

Fanny grasped her arm. “Oh, I do hope you’ll tell me all about what you’ve learned. It sounds fascinating.”

The hissing and clanging of the arriving train mixed with shouts from the porters, crying children, and passengers bidding their loved ones farewell. Amanda was thankful the noise prevented further conversation. While Blake assisted Fanny up the steps to the train, Amanda stared longingly at the door leading back inside the station. She could make a run for it—but to where and for what purpose? She’d still be unable to tend to the ill. Blake would make certain of that. No need to dwell on thoughts of escape.

“Come along, Amanda,” Blake said.

The toe of her shoe caught on a heavy baggage cart as she stepped toward the train. Like a bird attempting to take flight, her arms spread and flapped while she lunged to gain her footing.

Blake charged toward her and captured her in his arms. “Are you all right?” His dark hazel eyes glistened with concern.

Her pulse quickened as she stared into his eyes. “I th-think so,” she stammered.

He pulled her close to his chest. “I was so worried. I thought you were going to fall and injure yourself.”

She took a backward step. “Did you worry for my safety, or was your concern that if I suffered injury you wouldn’t be able to send me off to Broadmoor Island?”

His eyes turned darker. “Think what you will, Amanda. Whether you wish to believe me or not, my concern is for your welfare.”

“Are you injured, Amanda?” Concern edged Fanny’s voice.

Her cousin’s words were enough to bring her back to the present. One glance at his hands resting on her hips was enough for Blake to release his hold. He escorted her to the train and bid her a formal good-bye. As promised, he waited on the platform while their train departed the station.

Once the train had begun to gain speed, Fanny nudged her. “I believe Dr. Carstead cares for you.”

“I had thought the same thing. But what man who truly cares does everything in his power to rid himself of the woman he loves?” Amanda settled against the dark green upholstered seat. “Now let us speak of something else. I don’t wish to dwell upon Dr. Carstead.”

“As you wish, but I’m not convinced you’re correct.” Fanny adjusted her skirts around her. “Do tell me about the report you read on the infant hospitals.”

At Fanny’s mention of the article, Amanda’s thoughts returned to the piece she’d seen in the paper regarding Wesley Hedrick. “I’ll tell you about the summer hospitals later. First I must tell you about something else I read while I was in confinement.” She reached into her reticule and handed the now neatly trimmed piece of newspaper to Fanny.

Fanny quickly scanned the piece and looked up in disbelief. “Instead of simply a ne’er-do-well, Wesley has become a wealthy ne’er-do-well. I cannot imagine why Lord and Lady Illiff would leave their vast fortune to the likes of Wesley Hedrick.” She handed the article back to Amanda.

Amanda shrugged and slipped the paper between the pages of a book she’d brought along. “They had no other family.”

“He wasn’t a blood relative. I’m not certain he was married to Lady Illiff’s cousin for more than a few years before she died. I would think they could have found someone more deserving of their wealth. A charity would have been a better choice. I can only imagine the women who must be flocking around him.”

“Like hens scratching for feed.” Amanda giggled, then stopped short and clapped her hand to her lips. “I shouldn’t be making light of the situation, for this bit of news could upset Sophie. What if someone should read the news and mention it to her? I have been weighing whether to tell her since the day I picked up that newspaper. What do you think?”

“I don’t believe it would serve any good purpose to tell her. And few people were acquainted with Wesley.”

“Few people? Do you forget that Uncle Quincy announced at the Home for the Friendless fund-raising event that Wesley had pledged a huge donation? I would think those who attended would remember his name.”

“You give the local gossips far too much credit, Amanda. They would have discovered more recent fodder long ago.” Fanny tapped her finger on the armrest. “On the other hand, a wealthy eligible man does stir up a great deal of interest. How long ago was the piece in the newspaper?”

“I don’t remember the exact date, but all the out-of-town papers were at least three months old.”

Fanny gave an affirmative nod. “You see? No one gave notice to the news. If anyone had remembered Wesley, we would have heard something by now. I don’t think we should mention any of this to Sophie. Wesley is but a bad memory in her life.”

“I suppose you’re correct, but Uncle Quincy told me Mr. and Mrs. Oosterman have arrived at the islands. And you know Mrs. Oosterman doesn’t forget even the tiniest morsel of information. What if she’s heard something? I would rather Sophie hear the news from us than from someone such as Mrs. Oosterman.” Amanda scooted sideways in her seat. “And what if Sophie should discover we knew and didn’t tell her. Would she think we’d betrayed her?”

“You worry overmuch about something that isn’t likely to occur. Even if she should find out, Sophie would understand our reticence to tell her. She would know our decision was made with her best interests in mind. Unlike others, the three of us would never intentionally hurt one another.” Fanny turned and stared out the train window.

“I suppose you’re correct,” Amanda replied.

Her cousin appeared lost in thought. Amanda studied Fanny and decided that she hadn’t been herself since they’d boarded the train. No. It was before that. Even back when Fanny had first arrived at the Home, she hadn’t had much to say. Not that she’d been rude. Fanny would never be impolite. But she’d barely entered into the conversation before their departure. Of course, Fanny had been polite to Blake during the carriage ride, but that was likely to offset her own ill-mannered behavior.

Amanda tapped her cousin on the arm. “Are you feeling unwell, Fanny?”

“I’m fine,” she said without turning away from the window.

“We’ve been separated for weeks with only a few letters exchanged between us, yet you have nothing of interest to tell me? Come now, Cousin, what ails you?”

“Truly, I am fine. Don’t worry yourself over me.”

Amanda slapped her gloves on the leather seat. “You are not fooling me in the least. I know you as well as I know anyone in this world, and I can certainly tell when something is amiss. You may as well tell me, for I’ll not give you a minute’s peace until you do.”

“Ever the persistent one, aren’t you! Sometimes it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. I can’t talk about what is bothering me just yet.”

“I
knew
it! You’re keeping a secret from me. We’ve never kept secrets, Fanny.”

Fanny arched her brows. “We’re going to keep a secret from Sophie.”

“Because it’s for her own good.”

“Then you must consider this the same thing. If and when the time is right, I will tell you. For now, you must trust my decision to remain silent.” Fanny squeezed Amanda’s hand.

Though she longed to know what bothered her cousin, Amanda said no more. They conversed little during the remainder of the journey. Fanny appeared lost in her own thoughts while Amanda contemplated whether Dr. Carstead might hire someone to help at the Home during her convalescence. Although she knew he needed help, the very thought annoyed her.