Eli stopped rummaging and looked at Ben. “I know you loved Emily. You loved her more than anything. Don’t you think Emily would want you to find love again? How do you think she would feel knowing that you have decided to spend the rest of your days alone?”

  Ben sighed. “She probably wouldn’t like it.” He gave a pause. He thought about the future, when his girls would come of age. What would he do then? They deserved to have a strong female influence. He got tongue tied now over things that weren’t so personal. How was he going to be a good father to his girls? “I know that I need to find someone to mother the children. But my heart, I don’t know if I can let someone else in. And I don’t think that would be fair to another woman.”

  “It isn’t about you now, is it, Ben? It is about those girls. Someone wants to take them away from you and you need to decide what is more important.”

  When Eli put it in those terms there was no doubt. “The girls are. They always will be.”

  Eli pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the desk. He looked at Ben with a penetrating stare.

  “So, you don’t necessarily know if you are ready for a marriage, but I imagine you would like to stop the busybodies of the town?” Ben nodded. “Well, I think I have a solution for you. As you know, Autumn and I were married by proxy.”

  “I know that, but I don’t know exactly what it means.”

  “It means we were married before we even met. Before she ever arrived out here.”

  “How did that work if you weren’t there?”

  “My brother married us. When she married me, there was a stand-in to take my place during the ceremony. I had to send notification to allow Jacob to marry us on my behalf.”

  “Why would someone do that?”

  Eli thought for a moment. “Quite a few reasons. Jeremiah Price did it so that his bride wouldn’t run away when she saw his children. I wanted a guarantee that when Autumn came out here, she wouldn’t leave. Think of it as a guarantee, if you will.”

  “But I told you, I’d rather not have her come out.”

  “That’s alright as well. Sometimes people marry for convenience because there is something mutually beneficial, they receive from the union. It is almost like a business transaction.”

  “That doesn’t sound like something a preacher would condone.”

  “Do I want you to marry again for love? Absolutely. But I don’t want those precious girls to be taken away from you.”

  “I dunno…”

  “Ben, this would solve your major issue. Getting your mother-in-law to cease her pursuits of the girls. You’ll have a marriage certificate to present the courts, and we will arrange that the wife won’t come to Sulphur Springs.”

  “So, this will truly be in name only?”

  “Yes. This will placate the ones who wish to see you married in this town.”

  “But what happens when my new bride fails to appear?”

  Eli shook his head. “It won’t matter. A marriage is a marriage and we will have the paperwork to prove it. No one should bother you because of it.”

  “And you are sure?” he asked, still skeptical of the pastor’s words.

  “It isn’t anyone’s business but your own. If you agree, I can send a telegram to my brother in Philadelphia. He is excellent at making matches.”

  Ben felt a measure of relief wash over him. He’d be married in name only to a woman he would never have to meet. According to the courts he would have provided a mother for the children, whether she lived with them or not.

  Ben walked out of the church, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in ages.

  Chapter 4

  Philadelphia

  The scent of fish-tainted water stung her nose, as Hilde looked at the river rising up before her. It was hard to believe that the last time she was here was a year ago to surprise her parents when they arrived home from one of their many trips.

  They were delighted with the visit until the quarrel about Hilde’s future. Hilde wiped the tears away from her eyes remembering her last interaction with her parents. She wished she could take the words back that she said to them that day. She gave a quick shake of her head, dismissing the thoughts and looked at the scene before her.

  Men were busying themselves for the day, moving cargo and tying ropes. Several women carried baskets filled with the day’s catch from the Delaware River.

  Several waved to her and she waved back. She looked over at Natalie, who seemed to be having a hard time adjusting. Hilde tilted her head to the side, wondering what Natalie was thinking.

  Natalie stood there, clutching her scarf around her arms with one hand, and the other was trying to keep her hat from blowing away in the breeze. The poor girl looked like she was freezing.

  Hilde thought the air was brisk, but it wasn’t any colder than it was in New York. She continued to watch the workers get busy to prepare a ship for launch. She wondered where it was going, and if the people on board would be lucky enough to make it home.

  “Miss, may I ask why we are here?” Natalie said, turning towards Hilde.

  Hilde sighed. She had debated whether to bring Natalie with her or not. She thought to send Natalie along to San Francisco and Hilde would catch up as soon as she could. Natalie insisted on coming for moral support.

  Honestly, she was pleased that Natalie accompanied her. She took Natalie’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

  “We are meeting Mr. Turner,” she answered. And my wretched uncle, she thought to herself. She didn’t dare say it out loud, as if the mere mention of him would conjure the vile man out of thin air.

  Her uncle, Julian Carter was her father’s younger brother; a hateful man that made Hilde uncomfortable just to be around him.

  Julian Carter resented that his brother, Samuel, inherited the majority share of the import company after their father, the senior Carter’s, death. She knew if he had his way, Julian would have sold the company outright after his father died, wasting the money on women, liquor and cards.

  But instead, Hilde’s father wanted to make Carter Imports the largest import company on the east coast. Samuel purchased a new ship and put Julian in charge of the routes along Mexico, offering a portion of everything he brought back.

  Not happy but wanting to stay as near to the family fortune as he could, Julian begrudgingly took the job.

  He was always looking to cut corners. He would complain to Hilde’s father that too much money was spent on the dock workers and deck hands. If they spent less on employees that money could go to line their own pockets.

  But Samuel was fiercely loyal to the people that worked for him. He wouldn’t want anyone to lose their job. Samuel knew families were dependent on being able to work. And it wasn’t just dock or deck hands that worked for her father. There were many women and elderly employed in the warehouse cataloging and sorting inventory.

  When that didn’t work, Julian tried to get Samuel to sell the factory. Hilde knew that Julian would like nothing more than to dismantle the whole company.

  Hilde knew the only other import company in Philadelphia had a reputation for being harsh task masters and underpaying their staff; sometimes working them to the point of collapse. Hilde wouldn’t want any of her father’s workers to be employed by a company like that.

  As the sole heir to her father’s company, she would do everything she could to make sure that the staff felt secure in their employment during the transition. She wondered how difficult her uncle would make this for her.

  “Miss Hilde,” she heard Mr. Turner call from behind her. Hilde turned and saw the man pulling his coat lapels closer around him.

  Just behind Mr. Turner stood her uncle with a menacing scowl on his face. Julian was tall with thinning hair that was greased back, drawing attention to his high forehead. “Hilde,” he sneered, walking towards her. “It is such a shame you have to return to Philadelphia this way.”

  “Uncle,” Hilde said coolly. Julian reached his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. He held her so tightly, she could feel his heart beating beneath his overcoat.

  Hilde stiffened as her uncle placed a wet kiss on her cheek. He smelled like fish and grease, coupled with the smell of Eau de Quinine, the cologne her uncle normally wore. It was enough to make her retch.

  Mr. Turner gave a cough, and Julian quickly released Hilde.

  “Shall we head to the office, my dear?” Julian said offering Hilde his arm.

  “Yes, let’s,” Hilde said, stepping around him to head towards the large brick building on the other side of the seaport.

  Natalie ran to catch up with Hilde, grabbing her arm as they walked forward. Hilde could hear Mr. Turner’s footsteps as he caught up to the pair, followed by the heavier footsteps of her uncle.

  “Who is this woman that is coming with us?” Julian asked in an accusatory tone, catching up with the small group.

  Hilde stopped and turned towards her uncle. “This woman is my personal assistant. She accompanies me everywhere.” Natalie squirmed under Julian’s gaze. She didn’t extend a hand, instead holding tighter to Hilde’s arm.

  Julian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You have an assistant? You must be doing very well in New York.”

  Hilde smiled tightly. She could feel her jaw clench under the weight of her annoyance. She nodded, turning to Mr. Turner, who seemed to be rather flustered by Julian’s presence.

  “We really should get inside,” the attorney said, holding open the door to the office building and ushering Hilde and Natalie inside. “It looks like rain.”

  Mr. Turner went down the hall until he came to the door with her father’s name on it. Hilde’s throat became thick and she stifled a sob as she looked at the letters painted on the door.

  He opened the heavy door to reveal the offices inside. There were several desks where men were going over ledgers and making notations. Her father was meticulous in his record keeping. She was glad to see that it hadn’t stopped since the news of his passing.

  Towards the back sat her father’s secretary, Elle. She was a nice older lady. A widow. She had known Hilde since she was a small child.

  Gladys stood up as soon as she saw the group walk in, a pink handkerchief in her hand. She sniffled into the cloth, balling it up in her hand. “Oh Hilde,” she cried. Hilde patted the woman on the back, trying to hold back her own tears. “It isn’t going to be the same without Mr. Carter.” Gladys sent a pointed look towards Julian. “Mr. Turner, the office is already prepared for you.”

  Mr. Turner nodded and Hilde followed him into her father’s office. There was a lithograph of Hilde and her mother on the credenza behind the desk.

  Hilde sat in the chair on the far side, with Natalie standing behind her. Her uncle sat in the chair closest to the desk, as Mr. Turner went around to sit behind it.

  “If you need any additional assistance, I will be outside,” Gladys said between sniffles as she closed the door behind them.

  Mr. Turner looked at his papers on the desk. “Well, shall we get started? There is no reason to prolong this more than we have to.”

  Hilde let out a soft sigh, as Natalie grasped her shoulder in comfort. Her uncle seemed to only grunt in response, his smile seemingly hinting at some mischief.

  Mr. Turner ignored her uncle and continued. “Your parents left a will with intricate instructions on how to divide the assets to all their living recipients.” He nodded towards Hilde. “Hilde is to inherit the Carter Shipment Company and all the assets that go with it.”

  Hilde looked at her uncle. He sat in the chair pulling on one side of his mustache. He must have felt her looking at him as he turned towards her with a loathsome grin.

  Did he know something she didn’t?

  Mr. Turner continued. “Your parents were very specific in their will. They have a few stipulations that need to be fulfilled before you are to inherit the company.”

  Hilde leaned forward in her chair. She wasn’t sure she heard right. “Stipulations?”

  “Well, yes. When I wrote these with your father, I didn’t think your parents would be dying so soon.” He coughed nervously. “Remember, they had the best intentions for you, Miss Hilde.”

  Her stomach felt queasy and all of a sudden, she felt faint. She leaned back in the chair, unbuttoning the top button of her jacket. Why was it so warm?

  She felt Natalie place a glass of water in her hand and she took a few sips. Hilde looked at Mr. Turner. “What kind of stipulations do I need to adhere to?”

  Mr. Turner fumbled with the papers. “Well, it says here,” he looked down at the papers in his hands and back towards her, “you can’t inherit the company unless you are married.”

  Hilde jumped from her chair, knocking it over. Natalie picked it back up. “Married?” Hilde repeated, her voice coming out as a squeal.

  “Yes, married.”

  “I can’t believe that they would make such a rule. They know that I have no intention of settling down.” Hilde sat back down in the chair. “What happens if I’m not married?” She gave a side glance to her uncle who was practically giggling in glee.

  Mr. Turner placed the papers down. “It unfortunately reverts to the next living relative, which in this case is your uncle.”

  Hilde looked at her hands in disbelief. Marriage? She had no intention of getting married. She had seen enough wives to know that they had to follow their husband’s bidding. Women who had given up careers at the insistence of their husbands. She had no intention of ever doing that.

  “Why would they do that?” she asked, looking back at her attorney. Anger burned inside of her. If this was a way to pressure her to get married, she wouldn’t stand for it.

  “Miss Hilde, you must understand,” Mr. Turner said, reaching over the desk for her hand. “Your parents were only worried about you. I know it isn’t unheard of for a lady to own a business, but frankly, shipping is a man’s world. They were afraid that you wouldn’t be able to handle the business alone. They wanted to guarantee that you had a partner.”

  “If all I need is another person to run the business, why must I be married?” If she could find some other person she could partner with, then maybe she wouldn’t have to get married to a stranger.

  “I’m sorry, but it specifically states that it must be marriage.”

  “You knew about this, didn’t you?” Hilde accused her uncle. He merely shrugged and continued to twirl his mustache. “I think we are done here. Hilde is unwed; therefore, everything reverts to me.”

  “Wait!” Natalie said. “What if she gets married?”

  “What?” Hilde cried.

  “That is impossible,” her uncle replied. “It is there in black and white. Hilde isn’t married; therefore, the company is mine to do with as I wish.”

  “No, I won’t let you do that,” Hilde said, letting her emotions get the better of her. She wouldn’t let this happen. She knew what would happen if her uncle got his hands on her father’s company. He would start breaking it apart and selling it off to his business friends.

  She thought of Elle, her father’s secretary. She was a widow with no other means of earning an income. Many of the men that worked on her father’s ships would have difficulty finding other work. If Julian got a hold of the company, these people would be without jobs; out on the streets with no way to make a living. Her parents would never want that to happen.

  “Hold on a moment. I think Miss Natalie is correct. Hilde can get married. Let me remember what we put in here,” said Mr. Turner, shuffling through the papers, looking for something specific.

  Her uncle was getting impatient. He clasped his hands on his knees and started bobbing his foot in a nervous manner. “Which is it?” he asked. “Does she have to be married or doesn’t she?”

  Hilde watched as Mr. Turner ran his finger over the page. “Here it is. She does have to be married, but she has some time before it forfeits to you.”

  “How much time?” her uncle asked trying to peer over the desk to look at the papers.

  Mr. Turner pulled the papers aside, out of Julian’s view. “Hilde will have three months to produce a certificate of marriage to the court. If after that time, she has not been able to present a husband then it forfeits.”

  “So basically, I can marry anyone, turn in the certificate and be done?” Hilde asked.

  “Not exactly. It also states that you must remain married for a full year.” Hilde groaned. “And you must live as husband and wife.”

  Hilde felt faint. She looked at Mr. Turner hoping that there was something else in the will. He looked at her with smiling eyes and shook his head.

  “Of course, dear Hilde,” Julian crooned to her. “I will be more than happy to manage the business affairs until you get this little mess sorted out.”

  Natalie scoffed in the background. Hilde raised her hand to silence her assistant before she said something they both might regret. She looked at her uncle, his cold eyes void of all emotion.

  “You may think you have won,” she said. “But you haven’t.” Hilde stood and headed towards the door, with Natalie following her. “I have three months to save the company from a wretch like you,” she called back. “I’ll stop by your office tomorrow, Mr. Turner to go over some details. I think I’ve had enough for the day.”

  “Let’s get you back to the house, Miss,” Natalie said, guiding Hilde towards the outside. She took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air as the rain misted on her face. Natalie grabbed her arm and started walking in the direction of the Carter house.

  When they arrived, Natalie prepared them both a pot of tea and brought it to the sitting room. Hilde sat on one of the overstuff chairs and looked out the window at the rain coming down heavier.

  It was as if the sky was crying, when she could not.

  “What are you going to do, Miss?” Natalie asked, passing Hilde a china cup.

  Hilde took a sip of the milky tea. “I’m going to find a husband.”

  Natalie took a sip of her tea and nodded.

 

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