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she’d suspected for some
    time had been unraveled in startling increments and ugly realizations. Eliza covered up his disinterest in
    Jenny Lee and Tyler to protect them. Her sister was dying. She didn’t need the hurt of knowing her
    husband had married her to get his hands on The Sutherland Brick Company and their other investments.
    Henry had left a portion of the business to each of them, and they’d had equal say in decisions. Most
    often Royce had been able to sway Jenny Lee to his point of view on investments and holdings, and Eliza
    hadn’t been willing to fight him in front of her sister. The few times she’d tried, the hurt look on Jenny
    Lee’s face had discouraged her.
    She didn’t want to plan for her sister’s death, but she had to be realistic. Once Jenny Lee was out of the
    triangle, Royce would own the major share of the brickyard and could do whatever he pleased.
    His intentions didn’t stop there. A shudder ran up her spine and infused her with ominous panic. With
    controlled effort, she fought down the feeling.
    Eliza Jane had a plan.
    She’d stashed away and hidden her savings—not in the bank, because they owned a share of the bank
    and Royce could look at accounts anytime he wanted. But in a safer place. When the inevitable time
    came to escape, she would be able to take care of herself and Tyler.
    “Remember how Father used to read to us in the evenings?” Jenny Lee asked, and Eliza was grateful to
    return to a happier time with her. “Mama would sit in that brown wing chair and work on her quilts while
    he read us stories. He was a good father, wasn’t he?”
    Eliza sensed the disappointment her sister felt that her husband had never been a caring or loving father
    to Tyler. It had always seemed to Eliza that he’d tolerated the boy just to pacify Jenny Lee and her
    father. Now she knew it was so.
    “It’s so unfair that I got this puny heart,” Jenny said with a catch in her voice. She rarely spoke in such a
    hopeless fashion.
    “I’m going to take care of Tyler.” Eliza looked right into her sister’s eyes and assured her.
    Jenny Lee squeezed her hand without much strength. “I know you will.” The medicine had taken its
    effect, and her eyes drifted closed. “I’m going to rest for a few minutes.”
    Her lashes lay against the dark hollows under her eyes. With her blue eyes closed, she didn’t even look
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    like herself. Eliza often washed and curled her hair, but it was thin and lank. Eliza swallowed a painful
    lump in her throat and fought tears. A show of emotion wouldn’t help a thing. Strength would.
    “I love you, Liza.” Jenny hadn’t opened her eyes, for which Eliza was grateful. Pain was sure to be
    evident on her face.
    “I love you, Jenny.”
    Once she was sure her sister slept comfortably, she slipped out of the room. In the hall, she stood with
    her back against the wall, a great weight crushing her heart, and the pull of tears threatening her last
    shreds of composure. As sorrow washed over her in cresting waves, she clasped both hands to her
    breast, and pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back sobs. If she started now, she would never stop.
    After several minutes, she took a deep breath, collected herself and made her way downstairs. She
    found Tyler working on his arithmetic assignments in the kitchen. She stoked the oven and checked the
    temperature to bake the bread. “I remember sitting here doing my schoolwork when I was your age.”
    Jenny’s talk had kindled memories, and Eliza ached for happy carefree times. Jenny Lee had never been
    strong, not even then, but the seriousness of her heart condition hadn’t been apparent. They’d simply
    been two young girls with two parents, sharing the comfortable home their father had built for them and
    that their mother ran with aplomb.
    “And Mama, too? Did she do her arithmetic right here?”
    “That she did.” She