Authors: Heaven
Bobbi Smith (30 page)
“But how can you expect me to believe that you have, at a home just miles from me, the very child I’ve been searching all over the country for for years?!”
“Don’t take my word. Accompany me to the orphanage. Come see her for yourself. Only you will know for sure if she’s Belinda’s daughter.”
Markham was terribly afraid of being hurt yet another time, but he knew even the remotest possibility was worth again risking the pain.
“Stranger things have happened,” Matt added. “You have nothing to lose but a little of your time. If it turns out that she isn’t your granddaughter, then we can continue with the sale of the property. But if Lisa proves to be yours . . .” He let the thought hang for a moment. “Do you dare not go?”
Markham gave in. “All right. You win. I’ll go. I’ll call the carriage around.”
“There’s no need. We have a hired conveyance outside waiting for us.”
They were in the carriage and on their way toward St. Joan’s, when Markham began asking questions.
“How much do you know about the child? What do you know about her past and her parents? What’s her last name?”
“Lisa is six now,” Catherine explained. “She came to us about four years ago. According to the woman who left her here, Lisa had no known living relatives. Her father had deserted her mother before she was born, and then when her mother died, she was left with only the neighbors. They’re the ones who brought her here. They told us her family name was Brown.”
Markham’s expression was pained. “Everything you’ve just told me fits except that last name. Belinda’s married name was Stanhope. Her husband deserted her and she was too much like me . . . too proud to admit she was wrong and just come home. She was left on her own. When she died, I lost not only her, but her daughter as well. Does the child know about her family?”
“I’m not sure. I hope so. I want you to have some solid proof of her parentage, something irrefutable that will convince you she really is yours.”
“I hope so, too.”
They fell silent, each trying to imagine what was going to happen when they reached St. Joan’s.
Matt could sense Catherine’s nervousness as she sat close beside him in the carriage, and he reached out and took her hand in his. A thrill went through him when she didn’t resist, but grasped his hand back. He glanced at her then, and when their gazes locked, he knew she was the woman he wanted above all others, needed above all others. She was beautiful, but that wasn’t why he wanted her. It was her heart and her spirit that had taken him captive. She was the woman he needed. His logical mind told him it was ridiculous to feel this way since he’d only known her for a short time, but somehow, time seemed unimportant where they were concerned. Matt felt she had always been there for him. It had just taken him until now to find her.
Catherine’s spirits were soaring. When she’d looked up at Matt, and their eyes had met, she’d seen the depth of emotion in his regard, and a warm, feminine awareness had stirred deep within her. It was a sensation she hadn’t experienced in years . . . not since her husband had been alive. Frightened by the intensity of her feelings, she’d quickly turned her thoughts back to St. Joan’s and Lisa.
Catherine and Matt sat together in the sunlight that shone through the carriage window, both waiting for the ride to be over.
When they finally arrived back at St. Joan’s, Markham climbed out of the vehicle first and stared up at the building. He was careful to hide his feelings as he saw how shabby and rundown it was, and he ignored the twinge of guilt that stung him. He told himself he’d be glad to be rid of the building.
As he started up the walk, the sound of children’s laughter came to him from somewhere nearby. It grated on him. He didn’t want to think about happy children. Not when his beloved Belinda was dead and her baby lost. He felt lonelier than ever as he slowly mounted the steps. His life had no purpose, no real meaning. There was no sunshine or joy, only heartbreak and solitude.
“Come with me,” Matt and Catherine told him as they came to his side, the others were following slightly behind. Matt could see the slight look of distaste and skepticism on the older man’s face as they entered the building.
“Where are we going?” Markham asked.
“To Mrs. Sutherland’s office. We can send for the girl and have her meet us there.” Matt stopped for a moment to face him. “Mr. Markham, Lisa has no idea about any of this. So, please, if she isn’t your granddaughter, at least be kind. She’s only six, and in spite of all her losses and hardship, she’s still an innocent child.”
“Contrary to what you might think of me, McKittrick, I am not a monster.”
Their eyes met in complete understanding, and Matt was relieved when he saw a flicker of gentle emotion in the depths of the other man’s gaze. Catherine led the rest of the way to her office.
“I’ll go get Lisa, and then I’ll be right back. Please make yourselves comfortable,” Catherine said as Markham, Winn, and Alex entered the room.
“I’ll go with you,” Matt offered.
When they were alone in the hall, he asked, “Where do we start looking for her?”
“If we find Tommy, we’ll find Lisa,” she explained. “She’s adored him and followed him around since the first day she came here. Even as a toddler she couldn’t take her eyes off him, and he took to her hero worship without complaint. I’d say it was love at first sight.”
“I can understand that emotion,” Matt said with heartfelt intent as he looked at Catherine.
She felt color rise to her cheeks, and she smiled at him. Together, they made their way to the yard.
“There they are.” She pointed to where the two were sitting together across the yard.
“What do you think?” Matt asked Catherine watching them for a moment and mentally comparing Lisa to the portrait of Belinda at the same age.
“I don’t know. It seems too good to be true. Too perfect . . .”
“Maybe every once in a while, life needs to be perfect,” Matt remarked, thinking of how frustrating life generally seemed to be. “It would be nice to know that miracles really can happen.” He thought of the small miracle Alex had worked at the convent and hoped something just as wonderful could happen here.
“Let’s go see,” Catherine said as she walked toward them.
Tommy saw Matt and Catherine approaching. “Is it time to go to dinner already?” he asked.
“No, and from the look of things, I think we’re probably going to have to skip dinner tonight, Tommy,” Matt told him. “Mrs. Sutherland needs to talk to Lisa for a minute.”
“What about?” The boy watched over the little girl closely, and he wanted to know what they wanted.
“We’ve brought someone here who wants to meet you, Lisa.” Catherine sat down with them. “His name is Mr. Markham, and . . .”
“Mr. Markham?” Tommy asked quickly, remembering what Matt had told him about the man earlier.
“Yes. Mr. Markham’s granddaughter has been missing for four years. He’s searched everywhere for her. Today, when Matt and I saw a picture of her mother, she bore a very strong resemblance to you, Lisa. We think you may be the girl.”
“Me?” She was stunned.
“It’s possible. Tell me, Lisa, do you have anything that belonged to your mother? A Bible or some other keepsake from your family?”
“Why?” She looked nervously from Catherine to Tommy again.
“If you do, it might prove that you and Mr. Markham are related.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Show her your little purse,” Tommy urged. He knew she kept a small change purse that had been her mother’s safely tucked away in her pocket during the day and then slept with it under her pillow at night. She’d shown him her treasure only once, but he had not forgotten it.
“Are you sure, Tommy?” Lisa was nervous about displaying her most precious possession, and she looked to him for moral support.
“It’s all right. You can trust Miss Catherine.”
“I know I can trust Miss Catherine,” she answered, “but can I trust him?” She looked straight at Matt who was standing quietly beside Catherine.
Tommy considered her worry for a moment, then answered, “Miss Catherine trusts him, so I think we can too. Go ahead and show them what you’ve got.”
Matt didn’t realize until that moment that he’d been holding his breath, waiting for Tommy’s pronouncement. Relief washed over him as he realized that the boy had begun to have a little faith in him.
“Okay.”
Tommy scooted nearer to Lisa to offer her moral support as she drew the small embroidered purse from deep in her pocket. The purse looked old to Catherine and Matt. It was not a child’s ordinary plaything.
“You can look at it, Miss Catherine, but you can’t have it. It belonged to my mother, and I have to keep it safe.”
Lisa opened the purse and dug into it, drawing out a handkerchief from inside. It was tied, the four corners drawn up into a knot, and it weighed heavily with the hidden treasure kept within. Her little fingers struggled with the tight knot until Tommy reached over and quickly untied it for her. He handed it back, and Lisa gave him a grateful smile.
Matt and Catherine exchanged an understanding look as they watched the pair together. They had deliberately not crowded too close to allow them the room they needed to feel safe and unpressured. They watched now as she opened the handkerchief and revealed the contents.
“This was my mother’s,” Lisa said softly. “It’s all I have of her.”
Matt stared in shocked disbelief at the necklace she held in her hand. It was a heart-shaped golden pendant exactly like the one he’d seen Analisa Markham wearing in the portrait in Markham’s parlor. They had found Benjamin Markham’s granddaughter.
“Shall we go down to my office now and meet Mr. Markham?” Catherine suggested. She, too, recognized the heart and couldn’t wait to see grandfather and granddaughter reunited. “He’s waiting there to meet you, and I’m sure he’ll be interested in seeing your necklace.”
“Tommy?” Lisa looked to him for advice.
“It’s all right. Let’s go see him.” Tommy stood up and waited for her to put her treasure back in her pocket before they started inside.
Catherine went in first, opening the door to the office when they reached it.
“It’s all right, Tommy and Lisa. Come on in and meet Mr. Markham. He’s here with Mr. Bradford and Miss Parker. You’ve met them before. They’re Mr. McKittrick’s friends.”
Tommy followed Catherine into the office first, and Lisa trailed right behind him, afraid to let him out of her reach. He saw the older man sitting in one of the chairs before the desk, and he wondered if this man was really related to Lisa. In a way, he didn’t want them to be. He and Lisa were as close as any sister and brother, and he wanted to keep it that way. He’d been taking care of her for four years now, and he intended to keep it up for as long as she needed him. His expression was serious and defensive as he stepped inside the office.
Lisa took great care to stay right behind Tommy, following in his wake. Shy as she was, she was more than a little afraid to face this stranger. It was a scary thing for a six-year-old to do.
“Mr. Markham, this is Tommy Glosier. He’s Lisa’s best friend.”
Markham rose from where he’d been sitting and put out his hand toward the sturdy, dark-haired boy. “It’s nice to meet you, young man.”
Tommy moved forward to shake his hand. When he did, Lisa followed on his heels, not wanting to be left standing all alone in the doorway.
Markham shook Tommy’s hand and then glanced behind him. It was then, for the first time, that he saw Lisa. Markham froze. His knees suddenly weakened and would no longer support him. He sank heavily back down on his chair, his gaze never leaving the child. His heart was pounding in his chest and he blinked several times, unable to believe what he was seeing. It seemed to Markham that he’d been transported back through time to his daughter’s childhood. He could have sworn this was his own beloved Belinda standing so quietly before him.
Seventeen
“Belinda . . .” Markham gasped, staring into the face of a child whose resemblance to his daughter at the same age could only be described as phenomenal. Pain shot through him as he lifted his agonized gaze to Catherine. “Dear God . . . How . . . ?”
Catherine saw Markham’s reaction to his first sight of Lisa, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Mr. Markham,” she said with great dignity. “I’d like you to meet Lisa Brown. Lisa, this is the gentleman I told you about, Mr. Markham.”
Tommy was watching the man who might be Lisa’s grandfather closely. His first impression of him was that he looked hard and maybe even a little mean. The minute Markham saw Lisa, though, his expression faltered and his vulnerability and pain were revealed for all to see. Tommy saw it, and he knew then it was true. He was thrilled with the knowledge that she might be finding a home, but a part of him rebelled at the thought of losing her.
“Lisa, come on. It’s okay,” Tommy urged.
She came to his side and grabbed his arm. She kept her eyes downcast and her manner was unsure.
“Lisa, I want you to go talk to Mr. Markham,” Catherine said.
“I can talk to him from here,” she replied defensively, hanging onto Tommy even tighter.
Catherine gave Tommy a look that spoke volumes, and though the last thing he wanted to do was turn her over to this stranger, he knew he had to give her the chance to find her family. “Come on, we’ll talk to Mr. Markham together.”
Tommy took her hand firmly in his, and drew her reluctantly forward. She balked every step of the way.
Matt’s heart ached for the child. He knew how frightening it could be to leave the only home you’d ever known. “Lisa, honey, there’s nothing to be afraid of. No one’s going to hurt you in any way. Mr. Markham is here because he cares about you. Can you show him the locket?”
She glanced over at Matt and saw the reassuring look on his face. She wanted to believe him, but Tommy was the only one she really trusted. “Tommy . . .”
“Go ahead, show him the heart,” Tommy told her. “He won’t take it away from you. He just wants to look at it for a minute.”
“She has a heart locket?” Markham breathed, his color turning ashen.
While all looked on, Lisa pulled out the little purse and again took out the handkerchief. She untied it and lifted up the heart on its chain. She looked up at the old man who was watching her so intently. His eyes were brimming over with tears, and she finally went to him.
“Here’s my heart,” she said timidly as she held it out to him. “It was my mother’s.”
In the depths of his soul, Markham had already known the answer to his quest to find his granddaughter, but now with this solid proof he knew beyond any doubt. With trembling hands, he took the necklace from her. He stared down at the golden heart he held in his palm and immediately recognized it as the one he had given to his wife Analisa on their tenth wedding anniversary and then had passed on to Belinda after Analisa died. There was no mistaking it, for he’d had it specially crafted. He was crying openly now, and he lifted his eyes to gaze at the child he’d been searching for.
“Lisa . . .” he said in a choked voice as he dropped down to one knee before her. “I want you to know that I gave this heart to your grandmother many years ago. I told her I was giving her my heart that day.” He managed a watery smile as he was overcome with emotion. “Lisa, I’m your grandfather . . . your mother’s father.”
“You really are my grandfather?” she repeated.
“Yes, and I’ve come to take you home with me.”
He started to reach for her, to hug her, but she darted away from him, running straight into Tommy’s arms. Her eyes were wide and frightened and tears threatened.
“No!”
“Lisa . . .” Catherine was surprised.
“No, Miss Catherine! I don’t want to go home with him!”
“But Lisa, I have a big house and . . .”
“I don’t care . . . I want to stay here with Tommy! Miss Catherine don’t make me go! Please!”
Markham had gone from the heights of ecstasy to despair in less than a minute. He’d expected to find his grandchild and take her home and have a family again.
“Lisa, I don’t understand . . . I’ve been searching for you for years, ever since I heard your mother died. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to find you, but now that I have, I can’t give you up. I love you too much.”
Real terror showed now on her face as she clung to Tommy. He wrapped his arms protectively around her. He could feel her quaking against him. His throat tightened. He wanted her to stay with him. She was the only real family he had outside of Miss Catherine. But he knew she should be with her grandfather.
“Lisa, you need to go with your grandpa,” he said quietly.
“No! I won’t leave you!” Her hands gripped him even tighter as she looked up at him, shocked that he would even suggest such a thing. “I don’t want to go. You’re my family! I want to stay here with you!”
“Tommy has been like a big brother to Lisa ever since she came to us four years ago,” Catherine explained to the stricken Markham, wanting him to understand what was happening.
“Then I suppose there’s only one solution,” the old man said as he stood up and went to the two children.
Tommy thought Mr. Markham was going to physically take Lisa away from him. He felt his eyes begin to burn, but he fought back the tears. He was a man now. He would not let anyone know how much losing Lisa was going to hurt him. She was going to have a home. She was going to be happy. That was all he’d ever wanted for her.
Everyone else was looking on fearfully, not quite sure what Markham was about to do. Matt tensed, ready to take action if he tried to drag Lisa away from Tommy. But their worries were for naught. They watched as Markham stopped before the boy, put his hand comfortingly on his shoulder, and looked him straight in the eye.
“Tommy, I know how much you mean to Lisa. You’ve protected her all these years, and I’m more grateful than you’ll ever know. Tommy, how would you feel about me adopting you? Would you do me the honor of becoming my grandson? If Lisa loves you, I can do no less. Will you come home with Lisa and me? Will you be a part of our family?” he offered, humbling himself before the youth who could make his granddaughter smile.
Tommy had been prepared for the worst as he’d shielded Lisa in his arms for what he thought would be the last time. He’d expected his world to end. He’d gone very pale as he’d waited for Mr. Markham to speak. Now, at his words, he could only stare up at him. “Do you really mean that?”
“Yes, Tommy I do. I’d like you to officially join our family, if you’ll have us.”
A sweet, exploding joy erupted within him.
Mr. Markham not only wants Lisa, he wants me, too!
He stared up at him speechlessly for a moment. Then as he fought back tears, he broke into a broad smile. “Yes, sir. I’d love to have you for my grampa . . .”
Mr. Markham not only wants Lisa, he wants me, too!
He stared up at him speechlessly for a moment. Then as he fought back tears, he broke into a broad smile. “Yes, sir. I’d love to have you for my grampa . . .”
“Tommy, what’s this mean?” Lisa asked, still not relinquishing her hold on him.
“It means we’ll get to stay together, Lisa.”
“Forever?”
“Forever,” he answered.
Overcome by joy, she turned to her grandfather for the first time without being afraid. “You really are my grampa?”
“I really am,” he replied solemnly.
“And you’re gonna be Tommy’s grampa, too?”
“I am.”
“Tommy! We have a grampa!” she cried in ecstasy. “We have a grampa!”
“Lisa? Could I have a hug?” Markham needed to hold her, to know that she was real and not a figment of his imagination.
“Yes! Oh, yes!”
When he opened his arms to her, she flew into his embrace. Her small arms hugged him back as tightly as he was hugging her.
“Oh, Lisa . . .” The old man buried his face in the softness of her hair as he crushed her to him. After a moment, he lifted his gaze to Matt and Catherine. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Matt. Catherine, Winn, and Alex looked on, their own eyes filling unashamedly with tears of joy.
“Shall we go home?” Markham asked when he finally could muster the strength to let her go.
“Oh, yes, Grampa. We’re ready to go home with you.” Lisa gazed up at him with starry eyes. She was beaming with happiness. “Come on, Tommy. Let’s go pack our things!” Lisa took Tommy’s hand.
“We’ll wait here for you,” Catherine said as the two children started from the room. “You and Tommy go ahead.”
“We’ll be right back, Grampa. I promise.”
“I’ll be here waiting for you. I won’t leave you.” Markham said the words with emotion that came from the very depths of his soul.
When the children had gone, Markham looked over at Matt and Catherine. “I can’t believe she’s been right here in New Orleans all this time.” He paused as he lifted a tormented gaze to Catherine. “Belinda must have hated me so much to deliberately give Lisa a false last name. How terribly sad and tragic that in a fit of temper, I drove my only child away from me forever . . .”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Catherine said gently. “You’ve found Lisa.”
Markham’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Yes, I’ve found her.”
He smiled up at the others. He’d been alone for such a long time, and now, at last, he had Lisa . . . and Tommy. Suddenly there was hope for the future.
“By the grace of God, and thanks to Mrs. Sutherland and Mr. McKittrick, I’m being given a second chance,” Markham went on. “I can’t make up for the pain I caused Belinda, but I can raise her daughter in a home filled with love. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure she’s happy.” He looked over at Matt and Catherine. “I owe you two both more than I can ever repay.”
“I’m glad we forced our way into your house,” Matt told him with a grin.
“So am I, young man. And Lord Bradford, I want you to know that St. Joan’s is no longer for sale, not for any price. Tomorrow, I’ll send one of my solicitors over to see you, Mrs. Sutherland, and I want you to tell them exactly what you need to fix up the place for the children.”
“Do you mean it?” Catherine couldn’t believe he was saying these words to her. Her dreams were coming true. Her eyes were filled with joy and hope.
Markham went to her and took her hands in his. “Yes, I mean it. I’ve been a blind, lonely old fool for too many years, but that’s all about to change. There is hope for the future, Mrs. Sutherland. That hope is our children. I want the children here at St. Joan’s to know that.”
“Thank you, Mr. Markham.” Catherine couldn’t help herself. She threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.
He accepted her embrace and returned it warmly. “No. Thank you. You’ve given me back my life, sweet lady. You’ve raised my granddaughter to be a lovely child. You’re a wonderful woman.”
“I love the children, and I only want them to be happy.”
“We’ll make them happy together, Mrs. Sutherland. I promise you that.”
Their gazes met and held, and she knew Markham was a man of his word. Her heart swelled near to bursting with love and happiness. St. Joan’s had been saved! And Matt was the reason. Without him, none of this would have happened.
“It’s all because of you, Matt,” Catherine said, turning to where he stood with Winn and Alex.
“Yes, McKittrick. If you hadn’t come to the house this morning, I would never have found Lisa. Thank you.”
“You’re more than welcome. It’s just good knowing that Lisa has a family, and St. Joan’s is going to stay open.”
Lisa returned then with her small bag of clothing and personal things. Tommy was taking a little longer to gather his things, so while they were waiting on him, Markham and Lisa went on out to the carriage to put her bag away.
When there was just the four of them left in her office, Catherine glanced at Matt and saw that he was looking at his friends and that they seemed puzzled and troubled about something. “Matt? Is something wrong?”
He gave her a wry grin. “No, not where the orphanage is concerned.”
“Then what is it?”
“Well, we came here to St. Joan’s on a quest for a clue, and we still don’t have it. I’ve looked everywhere, and I know Winn and Alex have, too. I don’t know what to do next.”
“You mean Lawrence Anthony hid something for you here?”
“I don’t know about ‘hid,’ but there should have been something he left behind, something that would help us continue the search.”
“You never did tell me why you came to St. Joan’s, other than Lawrence Anthony sent you.”
He began to explain, knowing he could trust her with the complete truth. “When Lawrence Anthony died, he left three books with clues in them that led to a hidden treasure. Winn, Alex, and I each got one of them. In order to claim the treasure, we have to use his clues and work together.”
“What is the hidden treasure?”
“It’s a crown from Ancient Egypt. It was looted out of one of the graves years ago, and we want to see it in a museum where it can be kept safe. That’s why Lawrence picked the three of us to work together. He knew we would never want to sell it or profit from it.” He quickly explained the curse and the crown’s history.
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