Christine Johnson - The Marriage Barter

She cast a prayer high into the star-filled sky. Lord, You love all Your children. Be with us tomorrow. Show us the way to keep Sasha and Liam and all the children here where they’re loved. We’re counting on You.

In the meantime, Charlotte would do all she could to stop Wyatt Reed.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Wyatt sat in the hotel dining room eating breakfast and waiting for the ten o’clock meeting. From his seat at the window, he could see people scurrying through the grove of hackberry trees toward the town hall. He checked his pocket watch. A quarter to nine. Something was afoot, and he wouldn’t put it past Madam Mayor to work some shenanigans ahead of the scheduled meeting.

He left enough money on the table to cover his meal and strode out onto the porch, where he put on his hat. When he saw Charlotte Miller hurry from the general store toward the town hall, he knew he’d guessed right.

It took less than a minute to catch up to her. “Good day, Mrs. Miller.”

She jumped but didn’t slow.

He matched her stride. “How is Sasha this morning? Any ill effects?”

She shook her head, but her shoulders squared defensively. “She’s visiting her friend, Lynette Gavin.”

He hadn’t accused Charlotte of losing the girl, but she’d clearly taken it that way. He tried again. “You’re sure in a hurry this morning. Anything I can help you with?”

“No.” Her reddened cheeks said otherwise.

The rosy tinge became her, and again, Wyatt fought the urge to touch her cheek. “I’d gladly help.”

“You’ve done quite enough already.”

Her sharp words caught him in the gut. She wasn’t embarrassed. Those flushed cheeks came from anger. Why? He wasn’t going to take her daughter away from her. But had she heard that part? He thought back to yesterday. The gasp. The slamming of the door. Had it come before or after he’d agreed to let Sasha and the other placed children stay?

Charlotte accelerated her pace.

He chased after her. “Let me explain.”

“There is nothing you can say to me,” she choked out.

“But I—”

“Y-y-you heartless man.” She halted and faced him, her fists balled and her eyes blazing. “How could you?”

“I—”

“Innocent children.” She shook a fist at him. “You’re taking innocent children from their homes. What sort of man are you?”

Wyatt’s temper piqued. He’d done plenty that he wasn’t proud of, but not this time. He wasn’t taking any children from their homes. He was trying to give homes to the orphans who hadn’t been selected. But Charlotte got him so addle-brained that he couldn’t piece together the words.

He settled for pointing out the facts. “I’m a man doing a job.”

“A job.” She trembled with emotion, which only made her prettier. “You’re ruining children’s lives for money?”

She said the last word with so much distaste that he couldn’t keep back a smile. If she’d just give him a chance to explain, most of that anger would go away. “First of all, I’m not ruining children’s lives. Second, if I didn’t do it, someone else would. But you need to understand—”

“Oh, I understand perfectly.” She lifted that gorgeous little chin, her eyes afire. “The only thing you care about is money. Well, if that’s all you want, then maybe we can work something out. How much are you getting paid?”

He stared at her. She was offering to top Baxter’s fee? He wouldn’t take money from a widow, especially when it wasn’t necessary. “More than you can afford.”

Her cheeks darkened, and her spine straightened. “I see.”

But he could tell she was struggling to hold back tears. “Let me explain.”

“I don’t want your explanations, Mr. Reed.” Without waiting for a reply, she stormed off toward the town hall, where quite a crowd was forming.

He started after her, but she quickly fell in with a pale, somewhat plump woman. Wyatt rubbed his chin, half frustrated by Charlotte Miller and half intrigued by what was going on. Once the last person entered the hall, he made his way to the wooden steps and carefully cracked open the door. A gavel pounded on a tabletop, and the murmur of voices hushed.

Ten o’clock meeting, eh? According to his watch, it was nine o’clock. He slipped inside and let the door glide shut. Mayor Evans wasn’t going to surprise him with this little early meeting. He’d hear every word.

* * *

Charlotte tugged at her bonnet strings as she settled onto a seat in the crowded room. Even at this cool hour, the hall was hot and her old wool mourning dress pinched at the waist so she could barely breathe. So much had happened since Charles’s death that she hadn’t found time to dye one of her everyday dresses. She’d have to do that soon or suffer through the heat of summer in thirteen-year-old dresses that had been made for wintertime. Still, that prospect, miserable as it would be, couldn’t top her distress today.

That man, Wyatt Reed, had made her lose her temper, something she never did. But how could she remain calm when he was going to take Sasha away? For money, no less. Tears stung her eyelids. She’d thought he was a good man. He’d held Sasha so tenderly. He’d rescued her. Or had he? Maybe he’d been whisking her off when Charlotte saw him carrying Sasha down the street. Anger welled up again. He’d dismissed her offer to pay him to keep the children in Evans Grove without even hearing her out. Men like him had no heart.

Mayor Evans called the meeting to order with a rapping of the gavel. “Good morning.” Her strong voice carried above the chatter, and talk ceased in seconds. “I’m pleased to see so many of you here at this early hour.”

Theodore Regan stood. He and his wife had taken in one of the orphan girls. With three boys already, Helen Regan had wanted a girl, and snapped up little Galina Denikin at once.

Mr. Regan’s thick shoulders and arms gave him an imposing figure. “We heard Greenville’s tryin’ to take away our children.”

A murmur of protest rose until Mayor Evans put it to a stop with an upraised hand.

“They did send a Mr. Wyatt Reed to request the orphans continue on to Greenville as originally scheduled.”

“Well, Reed can’t have ’em,” Regan said.

A jolt of emotion shot through Charlotte. Could the town succeed where she’d failed? Could they convince Mr. Reed to leave without the children? She started to tell them he’d refused her offer to pay him, but the grumbles made her realize they were already angry enough to run Wyatt out of town, perhaps at the end of a pitchfork. She didn’t need to do a thing.

Mayor Evans calmly regained control. “Let’s not act in haste. Even though the Orphan Salvation Society office in New York confirmed the agreement with Greenville, Mr. Reed agreed that those children already placed in homes could stay.”

Charlotte’s jaw dropped. Had she heard correctly? Considering the nods of approval and diminishing anger in the room, she had. Wyatt wasn’t going to take Sasha away. She could keep her daughter. Was that what he’d been trying to tell her outside when she kept interrupting?

She bit her lip. Maybe she should have listened. She should have given him a chance. He had arranged for her to keep Sasha. She felt like crying out in joy, but not everyone was pleased.

Holly looked stricken. “That solves part of the problem, but it doesn’t help the children who haven’t been approved for selection yet.”

The crowd shouted in agreement.

Charlotte battled despair as she recalled how much Holly and Mason adored Liam. Of course they would want to take the boy in once they married. She pressed a hand to her mouth. Poor Holly. Poor Mason. Poor Liam.

“They have been through so much,” Holly continued, battling her own fears with such bravery that Charlotte marveled at her fortitude. “I’m positive homes can be found for every one of them right here in Evans Grove. Why should they be wrenched away when they’ve just started to hope?”