Loving Lizzie Finn

18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

B yron headed to his father’s room, his stomach churning and his heart pounding. He could put it off no longer. He had to tell his father about Greeley & Company’s difficulties. Honestly, he’d delayed the matter too long, but he’d hoped he could resolve this mess before it affected his family or the employees. He’d even asked his mother to keep silent these past couple of days in anticipation that something would be found in Teague’s safe.

Byron knocked on his father’s door and stepped inside once his father bade him to enter.

His father winced at the sight of him. “You’re looking the worse for wear.” He adjusted his position on the bed, sitting up a bit higher. “Your mother told me what happened to you. How are you feeling?”

“Better than I look,” he half lied.

His father sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry I didn’t check in on you. I’ve been rather tired these past few days.”

Which made this confession all the more difficult. His father was sick—he shouldn’t have to deal with a financial crisis as well. “I understand. You need your rest.”

Silence settled between them, and Byron averted his gaze as he struggled to come up with how to begin.

“Do you know who it was who broke into the workshop and attacked you?” his father asked.

He certainly knew who sent the men to rough him up, but the reason had more to do with his relationship with Lizzie than Greeley & Company’s debt.

“Your mother mentioned that you have something to tell me which I may not be happy to hear. Enough stalling. Stand up straight, and spit it out.”

Byron straightened his spine and swallowed past the tightness in his throat then forced the words out. “I’ve failed you. You gave me your company to manage, and through my mistakes, it’s going belly up. I’m sorry.”

“Going belly up?” His father frowned.

Byron blinked away the moisture in his eyes and averted his gaze again. “We can either sell Greeley & Company or file for bankruptcy. Which do you think I should do?”

“Bankruptcy? What happened?” His father gestured toward a chair by the bed. “Have a seat, and let’s talk about this.”

He didn’t deserve to sit. Guilt weighed on him so heavily he wished his father would scream and curse at him. But his father wasn’t the kind of man to lash out in anger.

“Byron, tell me.”

His father’s gentle tone only made him feel worse. “You remember I asked you about the loan you had with Teague?”

His father nodded.

“You told me that you’d made a side deal with him regarding a price drop for the Howell & Harmon store.” Byron rubbed the back of his neck. “Before I asked you about the price change, I didn’t realize you had made an arrangement with Teague … and when I found the difference, I raised those prices to match what we charge other stores.”

His father’s neutral expression didn’t change. “Go on.”

“Teague found out and altered our loan balance to an amount we couldn’t afford. I’ve been trying for months to prove he made the change without our permission, but he had someone steal my copy of the original loan agreement, and I’ve failed to find any evidence against him.” Byron finally sank into the chair in defeat. “The loan is coming due, and I don’t have the funds to pay.”

“This is my fault. I forgot to tell you about the side deal.” His father shook his head. “Hell, I should have never made that deal in the first place. The fact that he made the offer should have told me what kind of businessman he is. I should have never trusted him.”

“You’ve run Greeley & Company for years without problems … I should have asked you about the unusual prices instead of assuming they were a mistake.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” his father insisted. “You did nothing wrong.”

“I still feel like a failure. You would have handled this situation better.”

“You’re selling yourself short. You couldn’t have predicted this would happen, and I’m sure you’ve done everything you can to rectify the situation.” His father looked him straight in the eyes with the utmost sincerity. “I wouldn’t have left Greeley & Company in your hands if I didn’t trust your abilities. This isn’t your fault. I know that with complete certainty.”

His father’s words eased some of the guilt, but they didn’t solve the problem, and Byron hadn’t yet told him everything.

“Even if I’m a fair manager, I’ve made things worse by coming to care for Teague’s … niece.”

His father smiled. “You can’t help who you fall in love with. Still, this issue with Mr. Teague will definitely make pursuing his niece more difficult.” His smile dimmed. “Unfortunately, that issue will have to wait for another day. First, tell me more about what this changed loan says and how much time we have left.”

His father had a way of putting everything back into perspective. In hindsight, maybe he should have consulted with him sooner. No, his father’s health had been declining. This added stress couldn’t be good for him. Even now, his expression had turned to one of exhaustion. Still, he valued whatever advice his father could give him when it came to Greeley & Company and Lizzie.

Midmorning, Lizzie’s bedroom door opened, and her aunt stood in the hallway.

“Come with me.”

Lizzie rose from the seat at her dressing table and followed her aunt. A footman no longer stood outside the bedroom door. Was she now free to go about as she wished after only one night?

A hat with a simple bow perched on her aunt’s head, and she wore an unadorned traveling dress. “Are you going somewhere?”

Her aunt ignored her question as they descended the stairs and continued past a stack of trunks in the hallway.

Aunt Margaret entered the study and approached Teague’s desk. She yanked open the center drawer—no, she removed the drawer and set it on the desk. Reaching inside the opening where the drawer used to be, she tugged something down and withdrew a tray that held a short stack of documents.

“What are those?” Lizzie asked.

“Among these papers, I imagine you’ll find the evidence Mr. Greeley has been looking for.”

Lizzie’s pulse leaped, and she reached for the contents of the tray. She found a ledger, an informal letter from Harmon & Howell, and—she gasped—two loan agreements with Greeley & Company, each showing different amounts due. She gazed up at her aunt. “Can I take them?”

“Do what you will.”

This didn’t make sense. “Why are you helping Mr. Greeley?”

“This has nothing to do with Mr. Greeley and everything to do with your father.” Aunt Margaret raised her chin, her posture rigid. “After he suggested I leave … I finally saw him for who he is, and our relationship for what it is.”

Lizzie gathered up everything from the tray and clutched the stack to her chest. “Do you plan to ever return?”

When Teague discovered the items missing from his desk, would he realize Aunt Margaret had given them to her before she left? After all, he knew Lizzie had searched the house and failed to find any evidence against him.

“No, I won’t be coming back to Eldon. He’s always done whatever he desires without a thought to my feelings, and now I’m doing the same to him.” Margaret gestured toward the documents in Lizzie’s arms. “Give Mr. Greeley my regards.”

“You’re sure about this?” Lizzie had no intention of returning the evidence to the desk, but she could insist she’d found the hidden tray if need be.

Aunt Margaret’s lips curved in a bittersweet smile. “Last night it became clear that your father would always choose you and your mother’s memory over me.” She shrugged. “I’m tired.” A flicker of pain glinted in her eyes. “I’m tired of waiting. I’ve loved Eldon for the last twenty years, and I had foolishly hoped all this time that he would someday come to care for me as much as he had your mother.”

Lizzie’s chest constricted. She’d never thought she’d feel sympathy for her aunt, but she couldn’t help herself. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry you’ve been mistreated.”

Aunt Margaret stared at Lizzie for a full minute. Her chin trembled, and she released a sigh. “Perhaps you were right. All this time I’ve been blaming you and your mother for Eldon’s infidelity, but even without Caroline to lure him, he visits that damned brothel.”

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. “Now that I’m leaving Eldon, I remember more clearly the type of person your mother was—kind, thoughtful, and stubborn. We were close at one time.” A tear trailed down Margaret’s cheek. She swiped away the moisture on her face and blinked back her tears. “I’d wondered if Eldon had been the reason she’d married that Finn fellow so quickly.”

“You knew even then that Teague had been pursuing my mother?”

“Not exactly, but I saw the way he looked at her. He’d been so attentive to her.”

If that were the case … “Why did you marry him if you knew he cared for another?”

“I thought he would come to love me once we were married, once Caroline was no longer an option for him.”

Unfortunately, Teague married her aunt for business purposes. Love had never been a factor. Even so, if she and Lizzie’s mother had been close, why hadn’t she stepped in when the abuse began? “Why didn’t you help my mother when Declan beat her? You could have talked to my grandfather about letting her return home.”

Aunt Margaret cast her a skeptical look. “My father would never have allowed her to return. He was strict and firm in his decisions. She’d defied him when she married a stable hand, and he never forgave her for that sin. As for the abuse she suffered, I didn’t know.” She stared down at her gloved hands, picking at the fingertips. “I admit, I was resentful toward her because of Eldon, and once she married, we didn’t keep in contact. I only found out she was living at Maude’s House because I’d followed Eldon there and asked questions.”

Margaret frowned. “My bitterness toward her grew when I’d learned Eldon had been seeing her.”

“She never wanted his attentions. My mother tried to push him away even at the brothel.”

Margaret’s frown deepened.

“I’m telling the truth. I’ve read her diary.” She took a step toward the door. “Would you like to read it? I can get it for you.”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” Margaret said. “I already feel bad enough for doubting her. She’s gone now, and I have to move past this.”

Fair enough. Perhaps dwelling on the past would do her no good. “What will you do now?” Teague would be furious if he found out Margaret betrayed him.

“I’m going to take my husband’s advice and leave.” Margaret pulled her shoulders back and adjusted her gloves. “For years, I suspected this day might come. I was so furious when he brought you home that I started hiding away money in case I couldn’t stand living here anymore. With those savings and the inheritance from my father, I have enough to live comfortably.” She headed toward the hallway. “Good luck to you. I hope you and Mr. Greeley live well.”

With those parting words, Aunt Margaret left the room to start a new life.

Lizzie returned to the desk and put the tray in its usual place, then slid the drawer back into its slot. How long would it be before Teague discovered the missing ledger and documents? What then? Would he finally wash his hands of her? Oh, what did it matter? Excitement coursed through her veins. She finally had the evidence Byron needed.

She hurried out of the room. She’d best give this evidence to Byron before Teague returned. Then she would gladly pay the consequences.

Byron’s mother slammed her hand down on the dining room table. “You can’t sell the business. Not after all the years your father worked to build Greeley & Company.”

Byron wasn’t surprised by her reaction. Along with his father, she’d made sacrifices to see that her husband’s dream of owning a successful business came true. Still, Byron squirmed in his seat. His mother was a force to be reckoned with.

“Alice, I agree with Byron. It would be a better option than to file for bankruptcy.” His father sat back in his chair. “Besides, the courts may tell us to sell Greeley & Company anyway.”

“Maybe, maybe not. They might be able to reduce the amount we have to pay,” his mother countered.

“We shouldn’t have to pay the amount stated on Teague’s agreement anyway,” Byron grumbled. What was Teague going to do with the extra money he received? No doubt it wasn’t going to the bank. He shook his head. He shouldn’t waste time thinking about something he couldn’t control. “If we file for bankruptcy, our reputation will be ruined. Later, if we want to open another business, what suppliers and customers will trust us?”

“Even if we don’t open another business, Byron will have an easier time getting a job as a manager if he doesn’t have that stain on his record,” his father added.

His mother threw her hands in the air. “Is it better to be sued by the bank because we haven’t paid our loan? That won’t do much for our reputation either, will it? What about our employees? Where will they go? They depend on us for their incomes. They have families to feed.”

Byron’s stomach clenched. Yes, their employees would suffer. “I’ll do what I can to help them find new jobs.”

“Have you told them they’re about to lose their employment? And your sister? Have you told her what’s been going on?” his mother asked, her voice even louder than before.

“Not yet. I wanted to decide what we plan to do before I brought up the matter,” Byron admitted. Some might say he’d been stalling for time—they might be right.

A rap on the door drew their attention, and his mother left to see who was visiting. The creak of the door opening was followed by Lizzie’s voice. Byron rose to his feet and headed for the entry.

“Is Byron home?” Lizzie asked.

“He’s resting,” his mother replied.

“It’s urgent that I speak with him.”

“I don’t think—”

“Lizzie, how did you know I was here?” Byron asked as he rounded the corner.

Her eyes lit up, and a smile curved her lips. “I didn’t. I went to the workshop first. I see everything has been cleaned up, and everyone is working again.”

“No thanks to your uncle,” his mother pointed out. “And not for much longer, again due to your uncle.”

Lizzie’s smile faded and then disappeared altogether.

“Mother,” Byron implored.

“Isn’t it true? You wouldn’t have been attacked, and the workshop wouldn’t have been damaged if not for your relationship with Lizzie.”

“Alice. Enough,” his father said from behind him.

Lizzie winced although she had nothing to wince about. She wasn’t at fault.

His mother crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Lizzie. “Now we’re about to lose Greeley & Company because of Mr. Teague.”

“That may not be the case any longer.” Lizzie held out a small stack of documents and a book. “I found evidence against Teague.”

Byron’s pulse sped. Evidence? He took the book and flipped it open—a ledger. He scanned the documents … “Both loan agreements with Greeley & Company!”

As Byron continued to thumb through the pages, the anxiety that had racked him for the past few months finally eased. “Where did you find all this?”

“Teague had a secret drawer in his desk. My aunt showed it to me.”

“She did?” Her aunt would help them prove Teague’s guilt? “Why?”

Lizzie let out a breath. “She’s leaving Teague.”

Unexpected, but her parting gift would give Teague a headache. No, more than a headache … “Lizzie, if I take this evidence to the police, Teague will be ruined.”

“I know, but this is the only way you can save your business. Besides, he committed a crime. He should atone for his actions.”

“What about you? If Teague is convicted, you’ll also face the repercussions.”

Lizzie shook her head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve lived through worse than this.”

How could he forget? She’d grown up in a brothel.

His father offered a smile. “Thank you for bringing this to us, young lady. We truly do appreciate your help.”

Lizzie smiled back. “I’m simply glad you finally have the evidence you need.”

Meanwhile, his mother tapped her foot. “Now that you’ve seen Byron, I think you should go. He’s still recuperating.”

“Don’t push her out the door,” his father admonished. “She just saved our business.”

“Even so, she shouldn’t be here,” his mother insisted. “What will happen if her uncle finds out she’s with our son again? Will he have Byron killed next time?”

“Alice, stop.”

“I will not. They’re not good together.” She threw her hand toward Byron. “Our son used to be a sensible person before he met Miss Finn. But now … he broke into a bank, for heaven’s sake!”

“How was that Lizzie’s fault? That was my choice.”

“She went along with your idiotic idea. She even provided the key to her uncle’s safe.” His mother’s eyes narrowed, and her volume rose once more as she turned toward Lizzie. “If you’d been caught, you would have been forgiven, but Byron would have been sent to jail.”

Lizzie backed up a few steps in the face of his mother’s fury.

Byron held himself in check. He knew better than to argue with his mother now. She wouldn’t listen to anything he had to say until she calmed down. “Lizzie, perhaps you should go,” he said instead, ushering her out the door.

“I can help you look through the ledger. We can—” Lizzie’s eyes widened, and she glanced down at her skirt. Her face pinkened. “You’re right. I should go.”

“Is something wrong?”

She leaned closer. “I’m certain now. I not carrying your babe.”

Relief flooded through him. He closed his eyes, smiled, and released a long breath. He didn’t need that complication on top of everything else right now. “I guess things are finally going in our favor,” he said as he gently nudged her out the door. “I’ll contact you soon,” he promised as he closed the door behind her.

Byron clutched the ledger in his hand. This day had been full of good news. After all, he had the evidence he needed to beat Teague at his own game.