'I didn't have any other place to go.'
She finally really looked at Mary Rose. Her eyes filled with fresh tears.
Eleanor looked miserable and still very afraid. Mary Rose decided to find out what had caused her to become so frightened. Her friend had always been quite unemotional at school and somewhat cold-hearted. Except late at night, Mary Rose remembered. She would hear Eleanor weeping then.
'You're a contradiction, Eleanor,' she remarked. 'Tell me about your father. Weren't you going to Europe with him after you finished school?'
'It was all a lie,' Eleanor answered. 'Father ran away. He didn't even tell me he was leaving. He just… ran.'
'Why?'
'The authorities came to the school to question me. I found out what Father had done then. I had to leave the school of course. The headmistress was furious. It seems that Father had promised her funds to construct a new building.'
'She couldn't just toss you out,' Mary Rose protested.
'She did,' Eleanor insisted. 'The last of the fees hadn't been paid. The investigators told me Father had taken money from other people. All these past years he's been stealing from his clients with one scheme after another. He lived high and mighty. He was always impeccable in his dress, always insisted on wearing the latest fashions. He must have had over fifty suits in his wardrobe. Father always had a young woman latched on to his arm.'
'And?' Mary Rose prodded when she didn't continue.
'He didn't want me dampening his social position. I was a constant reminder to others how old he was getting. He stuck me in boarding school so he wouldn't have to have me around.'
'You can't know if he wanted you or not.'
'Yes, I can know. He told me so many times, I got sick of hearing it. He never wanted me. My mother tricked him into marriage by getting pregnant. She died having me, but she had a ring on her finger, so she was probably content.'
Mary Rose was appalled by what she was hearing. Her heart went out to Eleanor. She was careful not to show her compassion openly, for Eleanor would undoubtedly think she was feeling sorry for her.
Mary Rose was feeling sorry for the poor woman, but she didn't want her to know it.
Pride. It certainly got in the way of practical solutions.
'I thought you and your father lived an exciting life. Did you go to all those exotic places on your vacations…?'
'No, I never went anywhere. I stayed with the housekeeper at home.'
'But the stories you told me about…'
'I read about all those places. That was all. I wanted to impress you.'
'Why?'
Eleanor shrugged. 'I don't know.'
'Why didn't you just tell me the truth?'
'I had my appearances to keep up,' she muttered. 'Like father, like daughter, I suppose. Besides, you would have pitied me.'
'What happened to your father? Where is he now?'
'I don't have any idea. No one does. The authorities are still looking for him. I should be thankful he paid some of my tuition, but I'm not. He used other people's money. He didn't leave me a note telling me where he went. The police didn't believe me. I was taken to a jail and had to stay there for two nights. It was horrible. They finally had to release me. It is all a big scandal, of course. People as far away as Chicago hate me because I'm related to him. Everyone seems to think I know where he's hiding. The authorities were watching the house night and day. It was unbearable. I hid behind the drapes and tried to pretend nothing had happened.'
'I'm so sorry,' Mary Rose whispered.
Eleanor didn't seem to hear her. 'I thought we owned the house, but we didn't. Our landlady threw me out. I didn't know where else to go. You told me I could come to you if I ever needed you. Did you mean it?'
'Yes, of course I meant it.'
'You won't send me away?'
'No, I won't send you away,' she promised. 'Were you worried I wouldn't let you stay because you and I haven't always gotten along?'
'You're the only person at school who put up with me at all. I know I can be difficult. I was hateful to you because I knew you were feeling sorry for me.'
'I didn't feel sorry for you. Are you about ready to get out of the coach?'
'Yes.'
Eleanor reached for the door handle. Mary Rose stayed her hand. 'Wait just one minute,' she asked. 'I'd like to talk to you about my brothers before you meet them. Adam…'
'The man with the black skin?'
'Yes,' she answered.
'You aren't going to believe what that horrid driver told me. He said the dark man was your brother. Can you believe such outrageous…'
'Adam is my brother. Because he is the oldest in our family, he is also the head of the family.'
Eleanor's mouth dropped open. 'You can't be serious.'
'I'm perfectly serious. You're going to have to apologize to him before you can come into our house.'
Eleanor was flabbergasted. She leaned back against the cushions and stared at Mary Rose. 'How in heaven's name…'
'How isn't important,' Mary Rose insisted. 'Adam is my brother, and I love him with all my heart.'
'He can't be your brother.'
Mary Rose was weary of trying to convince her. 'He is,' she insisted abruptly, for what she decided was the last time. 'Adam and my other brothers raised me from the time I was an infant. We're a family, Eleanor, and family comes before everything else.'
'Do people around here accept all of you?'
'Of course.'
'Why?'
Mary Rose let out a sigh. 'We've been here a long time. I suppose everyone's used to us. Well? Are you going to apologize?'
Eleanor nodded. 'I didn't mean to offend him. I didn't say anything mean, Mary Rose. I thought the driver was lying to me. He had already tried to toss me out in the middle of a dirt road. Can you imagine?'
'The driver's name is Clive Harrington. He's a good man. You're going to have to apologize to him too. You really shouldn't have shot at him.'
Eleanor shrugged. She obviously wasn't overly contrite. 'I didn't mean to shoot at him, but I don't believe I want you to tell him that. He might get angry if he knew the gun just sort of went off.'
'He's already angry.'
'It was an accident,' Eleanor insisted. 'Why do I have to apologize to him for something I didn't mean to do?'
'You could have killed the man.'
'I didn't.'
'You also inconvenienced him,' Mary Rose told her. 'And you hurt his feelings. I promised him you'd say you were sorry. I also gave my word that you would purchase a new hat for him. You put a hole in the only one he owns.'
'I can't buy him a hat. I don't have enough money.'
'Then I'll give you enough,' Mary Rose said. 'Just don't let Clive know. Pretend you're going to buy the thing with your money.'
'Why do you care about his feelings?'
'Clive is my friend.'
'Oh, all right,' Eleanor muttered. 'I can tell you're going to be stubborn about this. I'll apologize and I'll buy
