Free A Life Worth Living by Irene Brand Page A

pour?”
    “No thanks,” Dora said. “I’ll take care of it.”
    “Ring if you need anything else.”
    Dora sat on the davenport and invited Allen to sit with her.
    “I’m not hungry,” he said. “I ate at the train station.”
    “Regardless, you can drink another cup of coffee or tea and eat a cinnamon roll while you tell me why you’re here. As I said, you couldn’t have made the trip just to see me . Is there something wrong at the mill?”
    Allen smiled. “As far as I know, everything inside the mill is all right. It’s Ted Morgan. Maybe I just have a suspicious mind, but your manager is building himself an office. He’s also driving a new buggy pulled by a team of thoroughbred horses, which I have an idea he bought with your money. If you approve of that, all right, but I’m sure your father wouldn’t.”
    “It’s your fault,” she said, a stubborn expression on her face. It amused him to some extent—they hadn’t been together fifteen minutes, and already they were disagreeing.
    “My fault!” he said.
    “Yes, your fault!” she answered. “If you’d taken over management of the mill as I wanted you to, there wouldn’t have been any problem.”
    “If you’d move to North Carolina like you ought to,” he retorted, “there wouldn’t be any trouble. With your intelligence and your riches, you could make that textile mill one of the best in the whole country.”
    “You still don’t understand, do you?” She stood and walked to the window again. With a sweep of her hand, she asked, “After you’ve seen all of this, can’t you realize what I’d be giving up to move to North Carolina?”
    “Of course I can,” Allen said and followed her to the window. His legs were still stiff from sitting for hours on the long train ride, and he wanted to stand.
    “You’d be leaving the noise, smoke, and crowded streets where people don’t even look at each other as they’re hurrying from one place to the other. If you’d leave this behind, you’d be gaining a view of the mountains, fresh air, and the opportunity to turn the Fairfield Textile Mill into a business that would not only be profitable for your employees, but also to you. You’d have neighbors and friends who would have your best interest at heart and would help you in any way necessary.”
    Dora sniffed. “And I suppose you think that would compensate for giving up the lifestyle I’ve had since childhood. It doesn’t matter to me whether I inherit his fortune or not. My grandmother left me plenty of money, but I don’t want Father to give his wealth to a cousin I don’t even like.”
    “I believe your father is testing you. It’s your choice, of course, and if you want to continue to be an absentee landlord, so be it. I thought it was only right for me to warn you that, if the present trend continues, Ted Morgan will probably steal you blind and maybe ruin the business in the process. I normally don’t meddle in other people’s affairs, but you’re my friend, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind to tell you. I’ve done that now, so I’ll head back to North Carolina.”
    He turned toward the door, and she jerked on his coattail.
    “You’ll do no such thing,” she said, an annoyed expression on her face. “When I’ve missed you for weeks, the least you can do is stay a day or two. At least stay long enough to see some of New York so you will realize how my life would change if I commit to spending the rest of my life in North Carolina. And if you’ve come bearing any more bad news, wait until you’re ready to go home to tell me.”
    “I’ll stay one night,” Allen agreed. “Then I’ll head south. I can’t afford to stay in this city very long.”
    “If you’ll be reasonable, it won’t cost you anything except your train fare. We have an apartment on the floor below, which Father keeps for visiting business associates. You can stay there free of charge, and I’d like for you to take your meals with me.