Page 53 of Inventions of the Heart

He stared at Laura. “Just how much do you charge for those trees you cut down?”

Laura smiled and patted him on the arm as they stood on the porch of their San Francisco house. “This is California Hill, but it’s gained the nickname of Nob Hill. Some say it’s because nabobs live here.”

“What’s a nabob?” Nick muttered.

“Someone rich or powerful.”

“Or both,” Mama Stiles added.

“The name Nob Hill has caught on so well, I expect them to change the name officially one of these days,” Laura went on. “Papa and Mama didn’t build this house. They bought it when some railroad or other went bankrupt. It’s beautiful, but you have to admit it’s a rather boring rectangular thing. And half the size of most of the other mansions up here. It’s not blessed with all the flourishes and turrets and porches most of the other houses have.”

“I grew up in a three-room cabin.” Nick looked around the street of lavish homes. “It seems real fancy to me.”

“All this lovely architecture on our neighbors’ homes here was an inspiration for our house on the mountain.But ours out there is a fraction of the size of some of these.” Margaret pointed to one down the street from hers. “I’ve heard that house has twenty-five bedrooms.” Then Margaret smiled at Caleb. “And I can promise you my husband charged every penny the market would bear for his lumber.”

Caleb was amazed at how much she looked like Laura when she smiled, even with her dark hair. Margaret bore a much stronger resemblance to Michelle, but that smile she shared with all her daughters.

A locksmith followed them into the house, intent on changing the locks. Margaret had already been to her bank and closed all her accounts, then reopened them in such a way only Laura could withdraw money.

Caleb had listened to her lament how low the accounts had gotten, but he’d heard the numbers. Mama Stiles still seemed plenty rich to him. He thought of those folks he’d ministered to in Purgatory. No food in their homes. Children around their knees.

He controlled his expression, but he felt sure he needed to discuss laying up treasures in heaven with the Stiles family. And do it soon.

Margaret strode into the house. Edgar stepped into the foyer to meet her.

His voice cold, Edgar said, “What are you doing in San Francisco, Margaret? I told you to stay on the mountain.”

Caleb felt a chill at the tone. He didn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but he suspected Edgar hadn’t spent much time contemplating his soul.

The entrance hall was huge. So big that Edgar’s voice echoed. The hall was two very tall stories high. Rooms openedto the left and right, and hallways led to the back of the house on either side of an imposing central staircase.

Caleb slipped his arm around Laura, and the two of them came up beside Margaret on her right. Nick stepped to her left side. Edgar’s eyes narrowed.

Margaret said to the locksmith, “Can you please wait for us in that parlor to the right, sir? We’ll be in to discuss what’s to be done about changing every lock in this house.”

The locksmith seemed nervous, and he was all too glad to leave the tension-filled room.

“My girls have married, Edgar.”

Caleb noticed she didn’t lie, but she didn’t mention Jilly still remained single.

“The man you sent to harm them failed, and we’ve spoken to a US Marshal, the governor, and a lawyer the governor recommended to me. On his recommendation, we’ve stopped in at the bank that holds our company’s funds. The girls have taken possession of the company, and the bank has seen the legal documents and understands they now have controlling interest. That includes Stiles Lumber and also the various companies my husband owned shares in. I no longer have any say in the company, and for certain, you don’t.”

Laura stepped closer to her ma. “This house and the one on the mountaintop are part of that company, and speaking on behalf of my sisters and myself, you are no longer welcome in either place. You’ll find the company bank accounts all closed. The new ones we opened are expressly set up to block any attempt on your part to withdraw funds.”

Stiles Lumber was a collection of many businesses. Caleb had watched Margaret change it all over. Each business had its own accounts, and its own tidy set of books. He’d alsowatched Laura very carefully conceal her dread at being in charge of the whole company. She still hadn’t told her mother she didn’t want to be an industrialist.

But with Jilly still in hiding and Michelle stuck on a ranch, it looked like Laura was it.

Stuckwasn’t really accurate for Michelle. Being stuck on a prosperous ranch with a gold mine, well,stuckwasn’t a fair word.

Anyway, Laura didn’t want the job. Something she’d told no one but Caleb. Caleb should probably offer to take over, but he didn’t want the job, either. He was a preacher. Called by God. One of these days, and it’d better be soon, Laura was going to have to be honest about what she wanted.

“I want you to leave now, Edgar.” Margaret, as warm and kind as any woman Caleb had ever met, sounded cold and harsh. “As the owners, Laura and her sisters are changing the locks on the doors here and doing the same at the mountain house.”

Laura took up her being-in-charge stance again. “I’ve sent word that your henchmen there are to be fired. I left a man I know I can trust in charge to carry out those orders.”

Margaret said, “Send a messenger when you get settled, and I’ll have your clothing packed and sent to wherever you’re staying. I will add, I’ve filed for divorce. I’ll forward those papers to you, also.”

---