Still ...
The more she thought about it, the more she realized how little she knew about her family’s business. If anything at all. For that matter...
What did she really know about her mother?
“Good morning, Martha.”
Martha gasped and spun. “Mother.” She put a hand to her chest. “Goodness, you gave me a fright.” Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest, but she forced everything within her to portray a calm façade.
“Not my intention, my dear.” She took graceful steps into the room. “I’m sorry to hear about Mr. Duncan being in jail, but Ididwarn you.”
Yes, she did. Why? Martha’s breath left her, and her stomach sank. If Mother had threatened Phoebe, could she be responsible for Jacob’s arrest too? Everything inside her shuddered. No. Not her own mother. “Did you...” Her voice cracked and she swallowed. “Did you have anything to do with his arrest?”
Everything stilled for a moment, then Victoria sat next to her daughter, a smirk marring her beautiful face. “Of course I did, dear.”
Twenty-Two
“I am getting where I do not fear, at least as I used to, to go to the greatest depth one can reach in science.”
~Earl Douglass
SATURDAY, AUGUST10, 1889•JANKOWSKIMANSION
Oh dear. The color in her daughter’s face went from red to ashen. Victoria lifted her chin. “You do realize that I did all this for you?”
Martha’s brow scrunched up. “What? I don’t understand.” She slumped into her chair.
Oh, for heaven’s sake. The child had always been weak. “Take some deep breaths, Martha. This isn’t a time to wilt.”
Watching the emotions play across her daughter’s face, Victoria stood still and waited for her daughter to come to the correct conclusion.
She loved her daughter. Of course she did. She’d never loved anyone else. Certainly not Antoni. Not even her own father.
But there was something about giving birth to a new life that had sparked a tiny ember inside Victoria’s chest.
Everything she’d done had been with Martha in mind.
Oh, the sweet little girl would never have been able to handle what Victoria had as a child. A pity she wasn’t as strong as her mother.
There were many times she’d doubted that Martha would make it in her carefully controlled world. It wasn’t an easy place. Tough decisions had to be made without caring what anyone thought. Without any emotion. But eventually, her daughter would take over the family business.
Many years from now.
When Victoria was ready to give up the reins.
A spark of hope had risen when she’d been informed of the confrontation at the museum. Her daughter had done her proud.
Of course, she’d never allow Martha to eliminate her. She was too smart for that.
But Martha would inherit it all. Once she was groomed for it and Victoria was no longer entertained by the work. Victoria almost smiled. Spending her later years traveling without a care in the world... once all the fun was over...
That would be lovely.
It would simply take time to harden her naïve daughter ... mold her ... help her learn how to do things right.
Like her mother did them.
“But he didn’t do it.”
