Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jarrod turned the wick up again on the kerosene lamp at his home office. The large musty law books were open in front of him as he searched the indexes. The oversized grandfather clock in the foyer chimed midnight. He squinted his eyes and shut them in frustration.

He awoke a few minutes later with Elisabeth rubbing his shoulders. He jerked awake and quickly leaned into her gentle touch.

"Thank you, my love. That's exactly what I need." pulling her hand down and kissed it.

Jarrod had gone to the library at Berkeley and then to the Sacramento Law Library in the capital city. He borrowed several volumes at each location and paid two young promising clerks handsomely to research guardianship cases and prenuptials in each city.

"I will make it worth your while and even pay a term's tuition for you if you find useful cases and precedents —-find a clerking position for you—we can discuss your future. I am a very generous man with many contacts across the country—-here is a downpayment of forty dollars to begin your search." The wide-eyed clerks jumped on the chance to begin work. Forty dollars was more than three of them had ever seen in one place.

"Have you found anything?"

"Not in American law or precedents. This feels like feudal England. Going to the Magna Carta most likely," he spoke with frustration and sarcasm.

"Maris really has no rights under the law. It disgusts me."

"Oh, my dearest. The love you have for your family is one thing that I fell in love with."

"Even after last night?"

"Yes. Nick had had too much to drink. He didn't mean it. I did worry you would come to blows."

Jarrod laughed, "He did. He has called me a pompous ass before and will likely again. And in our younger days, many punches were thrown."

Elisabeth laughed.

"Frances explained it well one night after a row with Nick over a contract."

Elisabeth listened carefully as Jarrod rarely mentioned his late wife, "She said what I can get by saying to my clients and colleagues comes across as confident and wise. When I use the same words, uh, let's say tone with Nick, it comes across arrogant and condescending because we grew up together, older brother, younger brother. We revert to two brothers one upping each other."

Elisabeth said, "That makes so much sense. I know I take things better from my friends and others than my sisters. And yet—-"

"And yet, we would give our lives for our brother and sister."

"That's it, Jarrod."

"And if I am honest, I still see him as my younger brother, to look after and—-I am right no matter what."

"And you have to prove it."

"Yes, my love."

"Me too."

"Come to bed, my dear."

His eyes twinkled for a moment, suggestively.

"Of course darling" she demurred.

—&—-

JD looked at his pregnant mistress née wife as she was led to believe with frustration in his eyes.

They had been holed up in his Denver mansion since her condition became obvious. She had gone on bed rest for a month after a high fever. She spotted a short time with the brief illness and the doctor sent her to bed for four weeks. She was finally up and around—but the doctor took away his conjugal visits. It infuriated him. He demanded his time with her that she perform "other activities."

She was frantic that she was going to hell for not being married and the prestigious doctor JD brought in thought the same thing.

"I am a man of God. Why haven't you married the young woman? She's lovely and refined, she's about Maris's age. Does she know?"

"Maris betrayed me. She is dead to me."

The doctor was taken aback by his cold fury and stormed to the door—he left his parting words before slamming the door.

"She needs a husband, JD. It will help her calm down and you have a happy baby," rang in his ears. "She is carrying the baby low and baby boys give their mother beauty, while girls tend to take their mom's beauty away during the time being. You still have time to make her happy again and get a boy. The sadder she gets the more chance it's a girl. Marry her for all that is right—and find a new physician."

He brought in a con man that owed him a favor or two. He had caught the man in an elaborate false-weighting scheme at the freight company; he lifted money off of the top of the proceeds and made falsified documents. He was known to have forgery skills. It was an excellent plan and JD kept him on to do his dirty work.

"Put on a backward collar. I need a preacher." and he created a false ceremony to relieve Lila's anxiety. He would decide what to do with her depending on the gender of the baby.

"I wanted Maris to raise the child but since she has lost her facilities and abandoned her son—I had a marriage license acquired from Canada just in case. That only cost me fifty dollars and it was well spent. We will announce the wedding discreetly if it is a boy. A girl? I still don't know what in the blazes to do!"

"Maris has abandoned me in my time of need and I haven't been able to get back to San Francisco to see my boy. The Headmaster and Peterson both confirm he has not been associated with the Barkley urchins once. All teachers and staff are on the lookout. I will pull him out in an instant if he defies me. I wonder how Maris liked her "belongings". Surely she will come back on hands and knees. She can't live off charity forever. Peterson said Barkley left her when there was no money, inheritance, and custody of my grandson's money. She is no longer engaged according to the court records. What is taking her so long to come home?"

His rant in his study was interrupted by the butler, "The art designer is here about redecorating the rooms upstairs."

"Yes, have them take everything that Maris liked and make it Lila's. Give the silly woman some choice in her boudoir and the nursery, insignificant colors or such—but make sure it is tasteful and that our Maris will like it when she returns. The nursery should fit a baby boy of his stature. Something I chose for James David if you remember."

The team was so unnerved by his suggestions they didn't dare ask, "What if it is a girl?"

—-&—

Nate was furious when he got home. Alice took him to the back of their home where the boys left the trunks.

A string of profanities flew from his mouth, "This is absolutely one of the most vengeful and venomous acts I have ever witnessed."

He looked over at Alice, "Sorry my dearest for my obscenities. I didn't think before I spoke."

"You only said what I thought, husband. I don't think I will ever get Maris's face out of my mind. Nate, destroy this man, please for all that is good in the world—-do it."

He smiled at his wife, "I always knew you would be a great adversary and I am glad you are on my side."

She kissed him on the cheek, "Nate, look in the crate. See the blue glass. Maris sliced her fingers open searching for a butterfly to remember this wind chime James David bought her—-she listened to it every night on her balcony. Little butterflies — they smashed it along with all the orchids and roses she grew in the greenhouse. All the beauty he tried to destroy that she loved."

"But he didn't, did he? She is still fighting for her life with Nick and her son—and she is still so loving and caring. He can't take that away—-"

"No, he cannot. We decided today that she is going to work tomorrow. Volunteer at the arboretum, become a docent—-keep her busy and with something she loves. Hopefully, she will be married in a few months living in Stockton but until then."

"Alice, I am proud to be your husband—-and your legal partner and father of our children. I love you."

"I love you. But Nate, make the bastard pay."

He burst out laughing, "Yes ma'am "