Chapter 8 - THE NAME HIS MOTHER LEFT HIM
Miriam Ror's remaining papers were found inside a church archive.
Not by Emmett.
By Ruth.
Miriam had donated regularly under another name.
The parish kept correspondence.
One letter was addressed:
For Emmett, when he becomes old enough to stop defending us.
Margot laughed when she heard.
Emmett did not.
They read it together.
My son,
You will inherit men who call obedience respect.
Be careful.
The difference is whether people can say no and remain safe afterward.
Emmett stopped.
Margot looked at him.
“That's annoyingly good.”
“She enjoyed sentences like that.”
He continued.
Your father will teach you that protection requires silence.
Calder will teach you fear is efficient.
Both will be correct often enough to be dangerous.
If you become powerful, make refusal survivable.
Emmett put the letter down.
Margot understood something.
Everything he had been rebuilding—
contracts.
oversight.
independent review.
It came down to that.
Could someone say no and survive?
She thought of Howerin.
Ada.
Ruth.
Doyle.
Samuel.
Elias.
Herself.
Then Emmett said:
“I asked people for loyalty my entire life.”
Margot waited.
“I don't know how much of it was real.”
“Probably some.”
He looked at her.
“Comforting.”
“You want lies?”
“No.”
“Then some.”
He smiled.
Later, he asked:
“Dinner?”
She looked toward the empty club.
“This is a restaurant.”
“Not here.”
“Why?”
His confidence disappeared slightly.
Interesting.
“Because I'd like to take you somewhere where you are not working.”
Margot folded the napkin in her hand.
“You're my employer.”
“Technically Ardmore employs you.”
“Your family owns Ardmore.”
“Minor inconvenience.”
“Large inconvenience.”
He nodded.
“Then wait until your semester starts and you no longer work here.”
That surprised her.
“You'd wait?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“When do you leave?”
“Six weeks.”
He grimaced.
Margot smiled.
“Character building.”
“I've had enough.”
“No.”
“You've inherited enough.”
Different.
He laughed.
Six weeks later, on Margot's final shift, Emmett did not appear.
She was disappointed.
Hated that.
Then Ada handed her an envelope.
Inside:
No money.
No jewelry.
A reservation card.
Friday, 7:00.
Underneath:
Only if you still want to.
Margot stared.
Ada pretended not to watch.
May you like
Margot wrote on the back:
7:15. Nurses are allowed to be late.
