“She is musically gifted and would benefit greatly from the fine musical program you have here. If you accept this scholarship for another deserving orphan with musical talent, I will happily provide the money agreed upon for a specified number of years to come. We can negotiate those terms. I will also make a five-thousand-dollar donation to the music department.”
Before James, Mary, and Maizie left the admissions office, James had agreed to offer the scholarship for a decade. The admissions officer couldn’t say no. Maizie’s curriculum would consist of history, English, literature, and music, with a little math and science. She auditioned and was given a position in the choir and was scheduled to start next semester.
There was no mention of Maizie’s heritage, nor was there any suggestion that Maizie needed to take an entrance test. Drury College needed paying students. The Depression had put the school in financial jeopardy. Maizie coming to Drury was a windfall, plain and simple, money in the coffers.
Chapter 95
The Inheritance
“Bonjour, Glidewell Ranch,” Leon said over the phone.
“Is Capp Wembley there?”
“Non, ‘e ‘eez not. May I take a message?” asked Leon in his thick but understandable French accent.
“I see. Is he on the property?”
“Eez possible.”
“Will you go look?”
“No madame, I’ll not. Capp lives and works at the backside. A ways from ‘ere.”
“It’s very important. Surely you can find him.”
“No madame, I cannot. May I take a message?”
“I’ve talked with you before. I recognize your fancy accent. Did you ever deliver any of my messages? Have you seen my letters?”
“It eez my duty to deliver all messages and letters.”
“Then deliver this message. Tell him Miss Coombs called from Kentucky. Tell him I need to speak with him. It’s very important. Do you understand English?”
Leon removed the phone from his ear. Angered by her assuming he didn’t comprehend English, he yelled his response, in French, into the receiver. “Je comprends l’anglais, madame! Au revoir,” and hung up.
On the other end of the line Tilly slammed the phone down thinking it was quite rude of Leon to speak French. Damn foreigners! she thought, stomping from the room in her everyday high heels. Succumbing to her annoyance, she almost ran into her mother coming down the hall.
“Matilda dear, you nearly knocked me over.”
“I could say the same of you, Mother.”
“Sweetie, where’s your respect?”
“I got to run. Have you seen my pack of Wrigley’s gum? It was right here, yesterday!”
“No, I haven’t seen your gum. Where’re you going, dear? Lunch will be ready soon.”
“Lunch? I can’t possibly think of lunch now. My life is ruined. Martin is gone. My farm will be gone soon.”
“Your farm?”
“Can’t we find someone else to lease the farm? Then we won’t lose it. This place is my inheritance. I’m losing everything.” Tilly began to cry.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with Martin. If you’d been nicer, a better wife maybe…”
“Nicer? A better wife? Oh Mother. I was nice. I was a very good wife. We just fought a lot. He didn’t want a baby. He was mad about that. Blamed me! So I had it taken care of.”
“Why you would go off and have an abortion, I’ll never know. Why, in my day…”
“Oh Mother, please. Not this again.”
“You nearly died. It gave me no pleasure to see you go through that. You are drinking too much, too! I’m worried about you. You don’t seem right, even now. And look at you, so angry all the time.” Tilly stared coldly into her mother’s eyes but said nothing. “Don’t you know how hard this is on your father?” asked her mother.
“Mother I know what’s going on. Dad can’t get a loan. The bank won’t risk it. That was his last hope. Now we really need a horse rancher to partner with us. I want this farm when you and Daddy are gone. I got to have it. I’ll die a poor woman. I’ll die alone.”
“You are being dramatic, dear.”
“Dramatic? Well, listen to this! I’m getting me a handsome horse rancher and this ranch or farm or whatever you call it. There’s a horse rancher that loves me. You wait and see. He is good-looking and bona fide. He has contacts. He’ll find someone to lease the farm. I’ll convince him.”
Chapter 96
Glidewell Ranch
Christmas 1934
Despite the cold that descended as the winter season approached, work at the backside continued. The men were tending to the horses, young and old. Yearlings were trained gently as they gained size and awareness. Pregnant mares, both quarter horses and thoroughbreds, waited patiently for their foals. Young racehorses took gentle laps around the track in preparation for the new race season. Despite the many possibilities of champions, most of the sense of awe was in the nearly two-year-old colt Glory Be. Glory Be was in training to become a champion because he looked and acted like one. Wil, Capp and Tommy O’Rourke worked with him daily, taking care not to overwork him because he was still developing and growing. With proper training, who knows how successful he could become?
Capp had more than just training horses and Christmas on his mind, there was the resurgence of Tilly. She was writing letters—angry letters—and calling the Glidewells on the phone. Leon was charged with running interference, often exclaiming, “Mon Dieu, that woman eez difficult.”
Christmas at Glidewell in 1934 was a memorable event. In addition to having the entire backside team for Christmas dinner, all guest rooms were filled. Among the guests were Theo Tillerman, Rye Fulton, Bob Hench, and many more. Theo Tillerman went from guest to guest asking if they were enjoying their guest quarters. Had they seen the new saddling stall area? He talked about the new barn and outside entertainment area he was designing. Everyone listened politely and assured him that, indeed, his work at Glidewell was remarkable.
Despite Mary’s resistance, Rye Fulton was busy with his camera taking photos of everyone and everything. Rye convinced James he could pitch a new layout for a magazine. It would
