Irene Brand - Heiress

Dressed in jeans, wearing a heavy parka and fur-lined boots, she certainly looked out of place, and she breathed a sigh of relief when the door of her room closed behind her. Even here she felt overwhelmed as she viewed the large room with king-sized bed, lavish draperies and bedspread, thick carpet and modish furniture. How she wished she were still in Chicago!

After she telephoned her mother that she had made the journey safely, Allison contacted the attorney’s office and made an appointment for the next morning. Still, she had several hours on her hands before bedtime. She wouldn’t consider going to a dining room in this building for dinner, especially when the few dress garments she owned were packed away in the car. She contemplated room service for her meal, but she couldn’t cower in the room for hours. So exhibiting a nonchalance she didn’t feel, Allison took the elevator to the lobby, happily noting that many people were dressed in casual attire, and went out to take a look around the shopping district.

Trying to envision what the city would be like in spring and summer, Allison snuggled into the warm parka, tucked gloved fingers into her pockets and merged with the natives. After she reached Capitol Square, she slowed down and looked in the shop windows, wondering if she should buy some new clothes. She wouldn’t spend an inheritance she hadn’t received, but she did have some Christmas gift money that she had been carrying in her billfold for weeks.

In a large department store, Allison tried on several dresses before choosing a two-piece brick matte jersey skirt and a matching tunic with vee-necked top. She also decided on a tailored navy suit with a long, fitted jacket and straight-cut skirt Though the style was a bit more severe than her usual taste, she thought it looked businesslike and made her appear older. Taking over Page Publishing, she’d need all the help she could get.

Leaving the clothing department, Allison stopped to look for a new nail color, for she wanted to work on her nails tonight. Packing and the rush of moving had been hard on her hands. She had spent all her gift money, so she didn’t buy anything new, deciding instead to use what she had in her cosmetic bag at the hotel.

The shopping had consumed Allison’s extra time and dusk was falling when she left the department store. She stopped for a meal at a nearby Chinese restaurant, and it was completely dark by the time she finished eating. The air was considerably colder, so Allison hailed a taxi to take her back to the hotel.

Dressed in her new blue suit, Allison didn’t hesitate about breakfasting in the luxurious hotel, and she asked the concierge to order a taxi for her at nine o’clock. She would leave her car parked at the hotel until she could make other living arrangements. After seeing the cost of the room for one night, Allison knew that her bank account wasn’t adequate to spend many nights here, and she figured it would be a long time before she had any access to funds from her inheritance.

The fast-driving taxi driver arrived at Curnutt’s office before she had her mind composed to talk to the attorney. One minute Allison was excited and optimistic about the adventure she was facing, and other times she was clammy with fear and indecision.

The latter emotion predominated when she cautiously entered the lawyer’s office. She thawed somewhat under Mary Curnutt’s welcome and the attorney’s outstretched hand, but when she sat facing him and Curnutt started discussing the legal ramifications of her inheritance, Allison swallowed hard and said, “You can’t imagine how inadequate I feel to be taking over this estate. You’re wasting your time explaining all those things to me. I don’t understand much of what you’re saying. Can’t you just take care of what has to be done?”

“I can do what I think is best if you’re willing to trust me that far.”

“I have no one else to trust, so please settle this estate as you would if it had been received by one of your children.”

“Very well. I promised Harrison that I would assist you in any way possible. Also, I will have his accountant refer any financial matters to me for the time being. Within a few months you will be more qualified to make decisions. For the present, you will have all you can do to take over the management of Page Publishing. I’ll take you there today.”

“Do I have to go so soon?”

“Yes, I believe so. The employees are quite edgy. Several of them have contacted me trying to find out what is going to happen to the business, but I had no right to divulge the contents of Harrison’s will without your permission. It isn’t fair to keep them in the dark any longer.”

Allison referred to the copy of Harrison’s will that she carried. “Who are the people named in his will?”

“Of course you know who I am, and I’m flattered that Harrison chose to remember me.” He read the names from the will. “Adra and Minerva McRamey are the caretakers at Harrison’s home. They’ve been in his employ for years. Minerva took care of Harrison’s wife, and of him before he chose to enter a nursing home. The McRameys are in their sixties.”

Curnutt adjusted the nosepiece of his glasses.

“Celestine Handley is an employee at the company. She has been Harrison’s secretary for years, and I question that he would have managed half as well if she hadn’t been there to support him. I’m sure she will be just as helpful to you. Benton Lockhart came to Page Publishing Company out of college and proved his worth right away. He is competent and steady, faithful and devoted to his work, and self-sacrificing for the company. When Harrison became ill two years ago, he made Benton his assistant, and after Harrison was no longer able to come to the office, Benton took charge and has been in charge since. He’s a calm and collected individual and the publishing company has expanded under his leadership.”

The lawyer tapped the document significantly. “All these people have been valuable employees to Harrison, and they deserved to be remembered in his will.”

“I wasn’t implying that they shouldn’t have been, but if I encounter them, I want to know why my uncle regarded them so highly.”

“You’ll probably see all of them today, so it’s well that you know something about them.”

As she folded the document and returned it to her purse, Allison said, “I knew a Benton Lockhart once. I’ve been wondering if it’s the same person.”

“I didn’t know Benton until he came to work at Page Publishing.”

“Then he isn’t a native of Columbus?”

“No. I believe he came from somewhere in Indiana.”

“Then it could be the same person, for I met the Benton Lockhart I’m talking about at a youth crusade in Indianapolis. He was the most fantastic spiritual speaker I’ve ever heard. I had expected him to go into the ministry, but I haven’t heard of him since that time.”

“To my knowledge, Benton isn’t a churchgoer, and although we meet socially from time to time, he’s never impressed me as a man with any spiritual side to his nature.”

Curnutt telephoned the publishing firm and made an appointment to see the entire staff at one o’clock, and while he talked, Allison was conscious of a deep disappointment. She had been hoping to renew the acquaintance with the Benton of her youth.

“That will give us time to have lunch,” Curnutt said when he finished the phone conversation. “There’s a nice café in German Village that provides a light lunch that you’ll enjoy. If you don’t mind, Mary can come with us.”

Allison replied that she didn’t mind in the least.

The Curnutts were delightful company, and as they traveled along the tree-lined brick streets, Mary commented on the unique atmosphere of the tiny Dutch-single and large Dutch-double houses of an earlier century.