A Perfect Forever (Leap of Love Series, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

where they lived?"
    The barkeeper rubbed his chin pensively.
    "From what I understand, their daughter sold the house and moved west. Somewhere in California. San Francisco, I think. Who knows? Maybe she moved west to follow the Gold Rush." With that, he shrugged and walked off.
    Jonathan rubbed his temples. Maybe the old man had a point. Hiring a Pinkerton might be the way to go. There was no other way he could think of to gain the information he needed. The lawyer was a dead end. His mother only knew so much. And there was no way he could continue to inquire around town because he did not want to muddy his mother's name.
    Going west was the only option. He had to find his half sister, and make her see that he was a rightful heir to their father's fortune.

 

Chapter 4
     
    San Francisco had been good to Amelia for the past month. With the opening of the finishing school keeping her busy, Amelia barely had time to recognize her growing doubt about her relationship with Alfred.
    When she first met Alfred, he seemed like the perfect man to marry. It would solve so many of her issues. She would be a married woman. Although life in California was not as rigid as it was back east in Boston, women were still expected to be married or at least have been married and possibly widowed or with child by her age.
    Now that they were getting to know each other a bit better, Amelia realized that he might not be the one. But it was essentially too late to find anyone else. There was a little under two months left before the deadline, and Amelia wanted to follow her father's wishes. She knew that if she did not take over the gold mine, she would still receive her trust, but what her father had asked her to do meant so much more. Amelia knew that his request was made to ensure that she had someone to grow old with and look out for her. It was also made to ensure that she had something of her own so she did not have to depend on anyone. She would be a trailblazer in her own right. Many women owned a stake in claims because their husbands had died in the search for gold. But Amelia would be an owner fairly through inheritance, and that would secure her and her family for generations.
    But here was Alfred. The quiet man who at first was seemingly boring and by the book, now seemed to be inquisitive, and he wanted to know everything about her father's business and her holdings. He even suggested several times that he take on a role as an accountant for her family's businesses.
    It was a point that made her uncomfortable. She did not feel that it was right to talk with Alfred about her financial situation. Besides, the fact was that her uncle was in complete control of everything, and Mr. McGill was overseeing everything else. There did not seem to be room for Alfred to be involved. But it was not something that he wanted to accept or understand. 
    And his mother was no better. She never missed an opportunity to bring up Amelia's inheritance, or the fact that she herself lived nicely on a meager existence. Amelia chose to not answer her soon to be mother-in-law verbally. There would be no point.
    Besides, Mr. McGill had warned her that people would surely covet a woman who had her own money and was the recipient of the Smith family fortune. So she had better be careful and choose wisely.
    She thought that meant that he wanted her to choose with her heart. But with such a short time, Amelia was not sure if that was possible. She was willing to choose a man who had good standing in society and who had the ability to be good to her and be a companion.
    Amelia even thought for a brief moment about leaving San Francisco. There was no need to live in the city just because the gold mine was near. Maybe she could even get Mr. McGill to hire someone to oversee the entire operation while she lived elsewhere and focused on nothing in particular. No pressures. No stress. No marriage.
    That was not possible. She had ten girls enrolled in this season's class