[Yukon Quest 01] - Treasures Of The North Read Online Free PDF

cowering to Martin Paxton?’’
    Her husband’s expression turned angry. ‘‘I cower to no one, dear woman. I simply believe this to be more of a lover’s misunderstanding.’’
    ‘‘One which resulted in our sweet child hideously bruised,’’ Myrtle retorted. ‘‘Come see for yourself if you doubt my word.’’
    ‘‘I do not doubt your word, but apparently you doubt mine.’’
    Myrtle Hawkins sat down on the chair in front of her husband’s ornately carved desk. The desk had been a gift from her own father upon the celebration of their marriage. A matching, more feminine counterpart stood in her own private sitting room. It was there that she wrote her correspondence and instructions for the servants. She had addressed the invitations to Grace’s engagement party from that same desk. The party had seemed the right thing to do, in spite of her misgivings. Now she wished fervently that she might have fought harder to impose her own thoughts on her husband’s rash actions.
    ‘‘I do not doubt that you feel you must cooperate with this man’s wishes, but what I do not understand is why. Grace suggested that Mr. Paxton was threatening in regard to our well-being. The man himself spoke threateningly to me only moments ago.’’
    Frederick’s face reddened. ‘‘The scoundrel! How dare he talk of our business to my womenfolk?’’
    Myrtle realized her husband’s anger was motivated by some unnamed fear. ‘‘What has he to do with you, Frederick? What has happened? Please tell me.’’
    He looked at her with such a pained expression that for a moment Myrtle nearly took back her request. Perhaps there were some things a wife shouldn’t know in regard to her husband’s business arrangements.
    ‘‘I owe Paxton money,’’ he finally said with great resignation. ‘‘A great deal of money.’’
    Myrtle considered the words for a moment. ‘‘How? Why?’’
    He shrugged. ‘‘Bad business dealings. Paxton came along and bailed me out, but the price was Grace, along with repayment of the debt at an exorbitant interest rate.’’
    ‘‘But why Grace? Why should the man impose himself on a young woman he doesn’t even know?’’
    ‘‘I don’t know!’’ Frederick answered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. ‘‘I just know that I cannot back out of the arrangement for Grace to marry Paxton.’’ He drew a deep breath. ‘‘This union will allow for us to continue in the fashion and society for which we’ve become accustomed.’’
    ‘‘But at the price of our daughter’s happiness?’’
    ‘‘Since when has that figured into our decisions?’’ Frederick asked his wife quite seriously. ‘‘You’ve had your heart set on being the social matron of Chicago. You’ve worked hard to position this family among the very cream of the crop.’’
    ‘‘With the intentions that our daughter might marry well, yes,’’ Myrtle said, beginning to feel a strange sensation of misgiving and guilt course through her heart.
    ‘‘Our daughter will marry very well. Paxton is worth a fortune. He may treat her with a heavy hand, but he has the money to give her whatever she desires. That is what counts, after all. I know it has always meant a great deal to you, and perhaps Grace will now understand why all those sacrifices have been made. Perhaps now is the time she make a few sacrifices of her own.’’
    Myrtle felt rather sickened by his suggestion. She didn’t like the woman he portrayed her to be. A money-hungry, social-climbing, coldhearted fish who put her position above her child. The realization overwhelmed her.
    ‘‘I see by your silence that you agree.’’
    ‘‘I do not!’’ Myrtle said, shaking her head. ‘‘What I agree with is that I have been mistaken. I have been cruel in my own fashion. I have worried over issues of society instead of working to draw our family closer. I have been a poor mother, indeed.’’
    ‘‘Nonsense. You have done your duty as I