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I blinked away tears. How had I spent so much of my life trying to please this unfeeling man? No matter what I did, it would never be enough.
“Father, go now. No one wants you here, especially me.”
“What do I tell your mother?” His lips parted in a snarl, revealing pink gums and his slightly crooked teeth.
“Tell her the truth.” I was amazed at how calm I felt. Relieved, too. I was finally free of this web he’d woven to trap me. He’d been doing this all my life, and I’d allowed him to. No more. I was a grown man, one who could make whatever life I wanted. With Addie. “Tell her you were trying to trick me into marriage to save yourself. Admit that you love no one but yourself.”
“You’ll rot in hell,” Father said, sputtering. “All of you will. Turning on a man like this.”
“Jasper will help you with your bags,” Alexander said. “Safe travels.”
And that was that. My father, out of ideas of ways to get what he wanted, stalked out of the room and my life. I knew this would be the last time I ever saw him or spoke to him. I thought I would feel something other than relief, but that was not the case.
* * *
Alexanderand I sat with Masters and waited for Theo or Quinn to come with word of Lena. I sat quietly and prayed as hard as I’d ever prayed. I prayed for Lena’s recovery and for her father’s heart to soften and for the unborn baby and his or her father.
“How did you do it, Barnes?” Mr. Masters said, startling me from my sudden piousness. “Raise all these daughters without losing your faculties?”
Alexander smiled. “It’s not always been easy. They’re all different and have had various troubles. We’ve just dealt with them as they come.”
“What would you do?” Mr. Masters asked him. “If one of yours wanted to marry someone completely wrong for her?”
“I think our definition of who is right or wrong for our daughters is different,” Alexander said. “I’ve never cared about their wealth or position but rather their potential.”
“Potential? What do you mean, Barnes? Are we talking business sense?
“Not really, no. I judge them on what I believe is their aptitude for giving my daughter a joyful and love-filled life.”
“That’s just it. She marries this…this gardener—and her life will be miserable. How will they support her and a baby? She’ll live in squalor like my mother did and grow old and bitter before she turns twenty-five. He’ll end up leaving her, just like my father did, and then where will she be?”
“Offer him a position working for you,” I said, blurting it out even though no one had asked for my opinion.
“Preposterous,” Mr. Masters said. “He knows nothing about business and has no education. What would I have him do?”
“Start him out in an entry-level position,” Alexander said. “Give him a chance to prove himself. Like you did.”
“Like I did?” Mr. Masters scowled.
Alexander continued. “You worked hard and made clever decisions and now instead of living in squalor, as you put it, you’re one of the richest men in America. Isn’t that what you believe in? What you’ve done? It would be easy for you to give him a chance. Easier than losing your daughter, isn’t it? And a grandchild? You’ve no idea the joy a child of your child will bring you.”
“What would I tell people about him?” Masters asked. “That my daughter married a gardener?”
“Tell them he’s an American,” Alexander said. “And in America, we have the chance to better ourselves—to become more than our father was. A little help from you, Masters, and the boy might surprise you. I’m sure you’ve surprised people along the way.”
“People underestimated me,” Masters said. “That gave me more ambition, just to prove them wrong.”
“My point exactly,” Alexander said.
“He might be dumb as a block of wood for all I know.” Masters rubbed his temples as if his head hurt. It probably did. Remarkably, the ache behind my eye had disappeared.
Masters sighed and looked down at his hands. “I’ve made a shambles of things, haven’t I? To take her own life? Because of me. If she doesn’t make it, I shall never forgive myself. It’s only that I’ve wanted to give her everything this world can offer. The life my mother never got, or Lena’s mother, either. They both died before I could give them what they deserved. But Lena? She’s been my pride and joy. My everything.”
“You can make this right,” Alexander said. “God willing, you’ll have a chance.”
22
ADDIE
