To Dream Again Read Online Free
Author: Laura Lee Guhrke
it?" He paused, then snapped his fingers. "Ah! I remember."
He pointed to the open doorway and the wooden crate she had tripped over. "My gears."
She watched him walk out to the landing and lift the box. He gave her a nod of farewell through the doorway.
"The men must have forgotten to bring this up," he said with another of those odd smiles. "Better have that lock fixed," he advised and then disappeared, carrying his box of gears and whistling an aimless melody.
She wondered if perhaps he was a little mad.
Chapter Two
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Elliot," Percy said. "I never know what to say at a time like this."
Mara looked away from the sympathy in his green eyes. "You don't have to say anything, Percy. I know you had a great fondness for James."
"He was difficult to work for, but he gave me a chance when no one else would. Who else would hire a seventeen-year-old with no formal education, no background, and no experience to be his assistant?" He sighed. "Do you want me to make funeral arrangements?"
"No. Mr. Finch has already done that. There won't be a funeral, just a memorial service. Nine o'clock tomorrow at St. Andrew's Church."
"Is there anything I can do?"
She shook her head. "Not unless you have five thousand pounds tucked away somewhere."
Percy straightened in his chair, astonished. "Five thousand pounds! Whatever for?"
"Joslyn Brothers is calling in our loan. I have three days to pay the balance owed or they take the company."
Percy pulled at his auburn mustache, staring at the floor. After several moments, he looked up at her. "This means we're out of business."
"No it doesn't," she answered, her voice hard. "Not if I can help it."
"What do you intend to do?"
She rose and picked up her portfolio. "I shall pay Joslyn Brothers a visit. I'll try to persuade them not to call in the loan." She started for the door, but she paused and turned around when Percy spoke again.
"Do you want me to tell the employees?" he asked.
She thought about it for a moment, then she nodded. "Yes, we probably should, but only about James's death. Don't say anything about the loan."
"Of course not. Shouldn't we close down tomorrow?"
"Close down?"
"Most companies do close down on the day of the owner's memorial service. For mourning."
She frowned.
"Mrs. Elliot, forgive me if I'm being impertinent when I say this. I know that you and Mr. Elliot had problems, but he was your husband."
She stiffened. "You are being impertinent, Mr. Sandborn."
Percy made no reply. He just looked at her.
She gave an exasperated sigh. "All right, then. Close down, make whatever arrangements you think best. I'm departing for the bank."
She walked out before Percy could say another word. James Elliot had never been any kind of a husband to her, and she failed to see why she was expected to mourn for him. She would go to the memorial service for the sake of appearances, but she didn't have time to grieve for a man who'd never given the needs of his wife and daughter more than a passing thought.
Portfolio in hand, she left the factory and began the short walk up Houndsditch toward Bishopsgate, joining the throng of delivery carts, cabs, and pedestrians that crowded the streets.
As she walked, she went over all the reasons why Joslyn Brothers should not call in the loan. Elliot's was in much better shape now than when James had departed. He had left her with a pile of debt, almost no sales, and a line of creditors at the door. By planning carefully, watching every penny, and taking no chances, she had turned things around. Surely the bank would see what she had accomplished.
***
Mr. Abercrombie saw nothing of the kind. He took only a few moments to glance through the financial statements she had brought, then slowly shook his head and set the documents aside. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Elliot, but I'm afraid we will be unable to comply with your request."
"But why?"
"The terms of the loan are very clear." He tugged at his
He pointed to the open doorway and the wooden crate she had tripped over. "My gears."
She watched him walk out to the landing and lift the box. He gave her a nod of farewell through the doorway.
"The men must have forgotten to bring this up," he said with another of those odd smiles. "Better have that lock fixed," he advised and then disappeared, carrying his box of gears and whistling an aimless melody.
She wondered if perhaps he was a little mad.
Chapter Two
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Elliot," Percy said. "I never know what to say at a time like this."
Mara looked away from the sympathy in his green eyes. "You don't have to say anything, Percy. I know you had a great fondness for James."
"He was difficult to work for, but he gave me a chance when no one else would. Who else would hire a seventeen-year-old with no formal education, no background, and no experience to be his assistant?" He sighed. "Do you want me to make funeral arrangements?"
"No. Mr. Finch has already done that. There won't be a funeral, just a memorial service. Nine o'clock tomorrow at St. Andrew's Church."
"Is there anything I can do?"
She shook her head. "Not unless you have five thousand pounds tucked away somewhere."
Percy straightened in his chair, astonished. "Five thousand pounds! Whatever for?"
"Joslyn Brothers is calling in our loan. I have three days to pay the balance owed or they take the company."
Percy pulled at his auburn mustache, staring at the floor. After several moments, he looked up at her. "This means we're out of business."
"No it doesn't," she answered, her voice hard. "Not if I can help it."
"What do you intend to do?"
She rose and picked up her portfolio. "I shall pay Joslyn Brothers a visit. I'll try to persuade them not to call in the loan." She started for the door, but she paused and turned around when Percy spoke again.
"Do you want me to tell the employees?" he asked.
She thought about it for a moment, then she nodded. "Yes, we probably should, but only about James's death. Don't say anything about the loan."
"Of course not. Shouldn't we close down tomorrow?"
"Close down?"
"Most companies do close down on the day of the owner's memorial service. For mourning."
She frowned.
"Mrs. Elliot, forgive me if I'm being impertinent when I say this. I know that you and Mr. Elliot had problems, but he was your husband."
She stiffened. "You are being impertinent, Mr. Sandborn."
Percy made no reply. He just looked at her.
She gave an exasperated sigh. "All right, then. Close down, make whatever arrangements you think best. I'm departing for the bank."
She walked out before Percy could say another word. James Elliot had never been any kind of a husband to her, and she failed to see why she was expected to mourn for him. She would go to the memorial service for the sake of appearances, but she didn't have time to grieve for a man who'd never given the needs of his wife and daughter more than a passing thought.
Portfolio in hand, she left the factory and began the short walk up Houndsditch toward Bishopsgate, joining the throng of delivery carts, cabs, and pedestrians that crowded the streets.
As she walked, she went over all the reasons why Joslyn Brothers should not call in the loan. Elliot's was in much better shape now than when James had departed. He had left her with a pile of debt, almost no sales, and a line of creditors at the door. By planning carefully, watching every penny, and taking no chances, she had turned things around. Surely the bank would see what she had accomplished.
***
Mr. Abercrombie saw nothing of the kind. He took only a few moments to glance through the financial statements she had brought, then slowly shook his head and set the documents aside. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Elliot, but I'm afraid we will be unable to comply with your request."
"But why?"
"The terms of the loan are very clear." He tugged at his
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