A Family Found by Laura Abbot Page A

side of the valley, he had not read his mail, picked up by his foreman, Sam. Only now had he opened the letter from Wallace Tolbert III, full of flowery language and evasions. Despite their flourishes, the man’s words screamed cowardice. Once full of brave, idealistic promises, the young man had “reconsidered the generous offer to serve as tutor and companion” for Marcus and Toby. “Other opportunities of a more civilized nature” had presented themselves, so now Tate was once again faced with the dilemma of educating his sons. He threw the offending letter on the desk, cursing under his breath. He sat down, opened a desk drawer and withdrew several brochures from Eastern boarding schools. For the umpteenth time he studied them: “exceptional young men”; “a remarkable classical education”; “playing fields worthy of Eton.” The claims swirled in his brain.
    No doubt they were excellent schools. Faraway excellent schools. Parentless schools. He swiped the papers to the floor. No. He couldn’t send his boys away. No education was worth their separation.
    He wasn’t a praying man. Yet he had no other place to turn and no solutions for the problem gnawing at his heart. Could he spare the time from his schedule to tutor them? Not if he intended to maintain his business interests, which would one day, when they were academically prepared, enable him to send his boys to the finest universities. Besides, their needs were so different, and nothing in his education had prepared him to teach anyone. He buried his face in his hands, uttering only the small word, “Please.”
    Preoccupied, he barely heard the tentative rap on the door. He waited, and the knock came again. “Come in,” he called.
    Marcus edged into the room, trailed by Minnie. “May I have a piece of paper and some ink for my pen?”
    â€œOf course. Are you writing a letter?” Even as he asked the question, he couldn’t imagine to whom his son might write.
    â€œIn my mythology book, I found more information about Minerva. I thought Miss Sophie might like to know.”
    â€œI’m sure she would. If you write it down, I could have one of the hands deliver it for you.”
    He rubbed his right toe over his left boot. “Good.”
    Tate handed him several sheets of paper and a small bottle of ink.
    Instead of withdrawing, the boy hesitated as if wanting to say something more. “Papa, do you think if I send this letter, she’ll come see us again? She’s very smart. I like talking to her.”
    As if a knife had lodged in his chest, Tate recognized his son’s hunger for knowledge. “In your letter, perhaps you could invite her for another visit.”
    â€œThank you, sir,” Marcus said before beating a retreat.
    Sophie Montgomery. He’d thought all he had to do was accompany her from the Hurlburts’ to her mountain cabin. Mission accomplished. Yet she wouldn’t go away. Not out of his home and not out of his mind.
    He leaned back in his chair, staring at Wallace Tolbert III’s annoying letter. The longer he studied it, the more incensed he became. Until, like a bolt from the blue, an idea occurred to him. Not one without pitfalls, but nevertheless a practical solution in such an extremity. Did he dare? What choice did he have?
    Raising his eyes heavenward, Tate expelled a sigh. He’d had no idea God could work that fast.

Chapter Six
    F riday evening Sophie marked her place in the book she was reading and stared into the flames licking at the logs. What a different world Henry James depicted in
The American
, one where Americans were viewed as upstarts invading the bastions of European aristocracy. Old society clashing with cultural change. Although James’s prose style was challenging, his characters piqued her interest. She longed to converse about the book. Might Tate prove a worthy literary companion? She sighed. Not likely