Revelations
Despite her exhaustion, there was a bit more information Miranda wanted to share with her sister before turning in for the night.
Celeste helped her unbutton her dress and loosen her stays. Miranda’s clothing had all been purchased with the knowledge she had a dresser to assist, so most of her garments fastened in the back. Not wishing to strain her husband’s budget as a newlywed, Celeste had arranged that her own trousseau consist of garments that fastened on the side or in front, so she could dress herself.
Once she was in a wrapper, Miranda pulled a folder from her valise and handed Celeste the letter from their father.
Celeste read through it, looked up at her sister, and then read through it again.
“So I no longer need consider myself destitute.”
“If I understood Henry’s hints, you never were. I believe it was a ploy of Mr. Grey’s to force you home for your own protection. He believed you were at risk on your own and Father was still trying to get back from California. You need neither to work nor to marry, unless you wish.”
Celeste smiled brilliantly.
“I needn’t depend on Chip to take care of me!”
Miranda looked at her, confused.
“I mean,” explained Celeste, “if I were to marry Chip, it would be for love, not just because I needed to be dependent on another for food and shelter. If I’d married him under those circumstances, having grown up as we have, I was terrified I’d grow to resent him, having to be dependent on him for my every stitch of clothing and my pin money.
“Of course I guess that is true in most marriages! The man provides for his family and the woman runs the household. It was true with Ralph, except I felt more of an equal partner as my dowry was part of our marital assets.”
Miranda brightened.
“I never thought of it that way, but you are right! Of course we are both accustomed to think of ourselves as equal to anyone at all,” she laughed.
“But of course my own desire to wed is because I want a family of my own before I become too old to have one. I very much envied you and your husband your daughter, and wanted the same for myself.”
“Well we now both have that option,” declared Celeste, “and all thanks to our Grandfather.”
“Actually, thanks to Grandmother! Father left me a packet of papers with the letter which showed the terms of the trust she set up for her daughter and female descendants. You are quite welcome to peruse them at your leisure.”
“Would I be able to understand them? I haven’t studied the law as you have.”
“Your Latin is every bit as good as mine, and so is your mind. You might not be familiar with the style but I doubt you’d have trouble following the meaning.”
Both of them said silent prayers of thanks for the fine education they’d received at Our Lady of Mercy under the supervision of Father Flanagan’s sister, Mother Superior Evangeline.
“But,” mused Celeste, “that still leaves the question of whether I can love Chip the way I did Ralph—and still do. He’s been a part of my life for most of it, not just the period we were married, and I can see him every day in little things Samantha does.”
Arrangements
It took several days of discussions to work out the details, but it was finally decided that the sisters would rent Chip’s house. It was too large for him on his own and he wasn’t really able to take care of it because of his work schedule. He truly was putting in that much time to keep his paperwork up to date, Celeste discovered. Chip would move into Sylvester’s town house, into his own suite of rooms, and Sylvester’s housekeeper would have two men to mother and feed.
Although it was too far out of town for most daily help to cope with, a full-time, live-in housekeeper was soon acquired. A young widow with an infant of her own was thrilled to be able to find so perfect a circumstance, and Celeste had been impressed with the immaculate cleanliness of Mrs. Oliver’s tiny flat when she’d stopped by to interview her at the recommendation of Sheriff McNamara, who was continuing to keep an eye on the ladies for their father. It was hoped that the information in the press would discourage the puppet master who had directed the Krause Gang from pursuing the family further.
The property was actually a small horse ranch, breeding and caring for the draft horses which pulled the lumber wagons. Seeing the stables and equipage, all a good distance from the family home, Celeste finally understood why Chip had tried to put a saddle horse between the shafts of the surrey. He had no carriage horse, and the draft horses were far too large!
That omission was soon rectified with a trip to the Tri-Brand Ranch to purchase some saddle horses and a carriage horse from Mrs. Barnett, Mary, who managed the Rocking R Stables. Chip also introduced them to her husband, Charles Barnett, from whom Chip had obtained his dog, Big Red, who had been named by Mary’s daughter, Chrissy.
Samantha had joined them on this venture and Chrissy had introduced her to the current crop of puppies. A fat yellow pup had immediately come over to Samantha and overset her unsteady balance, then proceeding to lick her face. Sammie squealed in delight, wrapped her chubby arms around the squirming bundle, and named it Buh-Cup, which her doting mother correctly interpreted to mean Buttercup. Buttercup also came home with them.
~~~
In addition, it was agreed, Celeste was to work for Hardwick Lumber in the glass-fronted office on Main Street, which also functioned as a hardware store, and Miranda would join Sylvester daily in his
