Toward the Sunrise Read Online Free

weathered by centuries of harsh New England winters, she was glad Sophie was still here to commiserate with her. Nobody knew of Julia’s far-flung ambitions better than Sophie. As children, the two of them had prowled through the attics of the mansion, trying on old dresses from the eighteenth century and daydreaming about the grand balls that once would have been held at Dierenpark. They’d sprawled side-by-side on the floor of the library, gazing in wonder at the embossed leather books that towered to the ceiling.
    Julia wished Sophie had been with her that day she’d run off with Ross McKinney’s dog. Sophie would have had the entire Philadelphia Fire Department and Police Department in a puddle at her feet. That was simply the effect she had on men. With her blond hair, angelic beauty, and gentle demeanor, men simply adored Sophie. Sophie had a radiant kindness most people instinctively responded to.
    Julia always felt she was pretty enough—she had a slim figure, chestnut hair, and fine brown eyes—but when she stood beside Sophie she felt like a rough hazelnut next to a luminescent pearl.
    “There now,” Sophie soothed as she drew Julia into the kitchen. “This won’t seem so terrible after we have a nice cup of hot chocolate. Chocolate always makes everything better, don’t you think?”
    Sophie’s mother had been the cook at Dierenpark until the older woman died of pneumonia not long before Julia left for medical school. With only a handful of staff maintaining Dierenpark, there wasn’t need for a full-time cook anymore. Sophie lived in town with her father, but she came up to the mansion every day to prepare a few meals.
    Julia accepted the cup of chocolate from Sophie, who joined her at the pitted kitchen worktable that had served centuries of cooks here at Dierenpark.
    “Emil thinks the Vandermark attorneys might be able to help, but money isn’t the issue,” Julia said. “I was expelled for moral turpitude because they think I stole that dog.”
    Sophie winced. “Well, you did kind of steal her . . . not that I blame you! But you’re right, money can’t fix this.”
    “The Vandermarks have always been very good to me,” Julia said. “Perhaps one of their lawyers would be willing to help me mount a legal challenge to get that decision overturned. I think it’s my only hope.”
    Sophie fidgeted and sighed. “That’s just it,” she said gloomily. “I don’t think the Vandermarks are all that decent. They didn’t claw their way to the top of the world’s shipping industry by being nice people.”
    It was true the Vandermarks had a ferocious reputation. Nickolaas Vandermark presented himself to the world as an elderly, dignified gentleman, but rumor had it he was as tough as Genghis Kahn in the world of business. And his grandson was even worse. The grandson was gradually assuming control over the Vandermark empire and lived somewhere in Europe. Julia was grateful she didn’t need to deal directly with any of the Vandermarks, but they’d vowed to always provide for the Broeders, and for centuries they had been delivering on that promise.
    And what she needed right now was a good attorney.
    “Mr. Carlyle visits the estate each December,” she said. “Maybe I should wait until his regular visit rather than barge in on him now. What do you think?”
    “Don’t wait,” Sophie advised. “If the Vandermarks are paying your tuition, they need to know about your change of status immediately.”
    Money was going to be an issue. After the unexpected fees for traveling back from Philadelphia, Julia had burned through most of her funds, but what choice did she have? She felt like a supplicant going on bended knee to the Vandermark law offices in Manhattan, but if she ever wanted to become a doctor, she was going to have to appeal to Mr. Ashton Carlyle.

3
    The law offices for Vandermark Shipping consumed the entire ninth floor of an office building on Broad Street. There was an elevator,