Free This Gun for Hire by Jo Goodman Page A

here,” Ramsey said. “I am relying on your counsel in this matter.”
    “Please,” said Ann. “You figure largely in my ability to accomplish what I have set out to do.”
    Quill would have continued regardless of his employer’s wishes, but Ann’s appeal had his full attention. Still, he hesitated, and when he turned, it was done slowly, deliberately, and with the derisive smile still fixed to his face. Ramsey stared back at him, unmoved, but Ann had the grace to look sheepish. She was young, Quill reminded himself, and sheltered, and the grown-up airs she affected were to impress her father. He decided to return to his chair for Ann’s sake and determined he would have it out with Ramsey at another time.
    Ramsey waited until Quill was sitting before he asked his daughter, “What do you mean Mr. McKenna figures into your success?”
    “I would like to know that as well,” said Quill.
    Ann folded her hands in front of her and spoke to her father in clear tones. “I cannot be left entirely to my own devices. I believe I mentioned that I must be challenged intellectually, and that is best done by people who bring knowledge and expertise to the subjects I intend to study. Mr. McKenna is one such person.”
    Quill cleared his throat because neither Stonechurch waslooking in his direction. He was ignored, so he spoke up. “I am not one such person.”
    Ramsey kept looking at his daughter, but he tipped his head to indicate Quill. “He says he is not one such person.”
    “But he is.” She glanced at Quill. “You are. You are easily the most educated man in and around Stonechurch.” She said to her father, “That is no slight against you, Father, as you are knowledgeable in a great many things, but Mr. McKenna studied law at Princeton. He would be an excellent tutor.”
    “I would not be,” said Quill.
    “He says he would not be,” said Ramsey. “And you could go to Smith.”
    “No, I cannot. I will not leave you.”
    “What if Mr. McKenna could do it but does not want to? What then? He has other duties, you know.”
    “I am perfectly aware. But surely you can free him sufficiently to attend to my education.”
    Quill said, “I am sure he can’t.”
    Ramsey was silent, thoughtful, but before his daughter became too hopeful, he shook his head. “Mr. McKenna is correct. I cannot make him available to you.”
    Quill heard the finality in Ramsey’s tone, a tone that even Ann recognized as the end of the discussion. He considered what might be possible. “Katherine Nash,” he said to himself. Then more loudly, “Katherine Nash might be persuaded to tutor you, Miss Stonechurch.”
    Ann pursed her lips. This had the effect of deepening the crescent dimples on either side of her mouth. “Who is Miss Nash?”
    Almost simultaneously, Ramsey said, “I might not find her suitable.”
    Neither Quill nor Ann paid attention to him.
    Ann rested her chin on her fist as she considered Quill’s suggestion. “How do you know her?”
    “We met once briefly, but I primarily know her by what I have heard from others. She is highly regarded.”
    “She has a liberal arts background?”
    “I would definitely say that her education was liberal.”
    “All right. Do you think she will agree? Where is she now? How do we find her?”
    “Leave all of that to me,” said Quill.
    Ramsey rapped his knuckles on the desk. “A point of order, if you please. I
still
have not agreed to this.”
    Ann bent and put her arms around her father’s shoulders. She kissed him soundly on his cheek. “Of course you must agree, Father. We understand that. I will seek you out when you return from the bank. You can review my curriculum. When you see it, I think you will understand why Aunt Beatrice would be hopelessly out of her depth but fully in support of the endeavor. If you find that Miss Nash is suitably qualified and amenable, it is likely I will only need the occasional tutor to provide assistance in very specific areas.”
    She