told him who she was? She wouldn’t be in this mess now if she had.
“I will have a talk with that lawyer,” Naomi suggested, cutting into Angela’s thoughts.
“No!”
“But he works for Bradford, and maybe for Jacob as well, so he must be told you are Jacob’s ward.”
“Then he will feel it’s his duty to tell Jacob, and I would rather die than have Jacob know what I’ve done,” Angela said miserably.
“Angela, you seem to be forgetting that Jacob is expecting you home for Christmas.”
“You can tell him I got sick and can’t make it, that I will be staying with you instead. Please, Naomi, do that for me. I’m sure I can get myself out of this mess before the holidays are over, so the school won’t have to know anything, nor will Jacob. Bradford had no reason to do what he did and I’ll make him see that when he comes back.”
Naomi sighed. “Angela, I don’t understand any of this, but I will cover for you. It’s against my better judgment, but I’ll do it.”
Fifteen
Bradford rode to the jail with David Welk in a hired coach. Bradford had been delayed in New York longer than expected and this was the third day the girl had spent locked up. She was a student, and from a very exclusive girls’ school. Bradford would never have believed it, but that was where David had found her and she admitted to the theft. Yes, this was the girl.
“I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” Bradford said reflectively when they reached their destination. “But then again, it might just be to my advantage. She will undoubtedly be quite grateful when I have her released. You did find a house in the country?”
“Yes.”
“A private, secluded house?”
“Yes, yes ,” David replied with a good deal ofannoyance. “And I have to tell you I don’t approve of what you’re planning, Bradford.”
“Why? I will have the girl’s consent. I won’t be breaking any law, David.”
“It’s immoral.”
Bradford laughed.
“Well, we’re here,” David said huffily. “You know, what I don’t understand is why the girl’s parents haven’t been here.”
“Has anyone been notified that she was arrested?” Bradford asked.
“I assumed the chaperon who was with the girl has taken care of that.”
Bradford shrugged. “Perhaps her parents don’t give a damn. At any rate, if they do come, they won’t find her here now. And there’s no need for you to wait, David. I can handle things from here.” Then he added, “I assume the house you found is well stocked?”
“Yes,” David replied. “And there’s a carriage and a pair of matched bays in the stable. You will have to attend them yourself, though, since you specified no servants.”
“You’ve done wonders, David, and in such a short time. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You didn’t need a lawyer for this. Any experienced madam would have done.”
“Miss Smith.”
Angela was staring fixedly at the ceiling, counting the cracks for the hundredth time as she laystretched out on a narrow cot. She had never been so angry in her entire life. She was furious. She had had three days to feed that fury.
“Angela Smith!”
She gasped and sat up. She must remember that she had used the name Smith. She had impulsively lied about it and all the other information demanded of her, so she wouldn’t involve the school in scandal.
She stood up quickly when the door opened and a guard stepped into the cell. “Well, don’t just stand there, girl,” he said impatiently. “Come along.”
“Where?” she asked warily.
“You’re being released. The man you robbed has decided not to press charges. All he wants is a few minutes of your time. He’s waiting out front.”
“Oh, he is, is he?” Angela said icily.
She picked up the one small suitcase she had kept with a few changes of clothes in it. Naomi had taken the rest of her luggage. And then Angela walked stiffly out of the cell and continued to the entrance, not waiting for
“I will have a talk with that lawyer,” Naomi suggested, cutting into Angela’s thoughts.
“No!”
“But he works for Bradford, and maybe for Jacob as well, so he must be told you are Jacob’s ward.”
“Then he will feel it’s his duty to tell Jacob, and I would rather die than have Jacob know what I’ve done,” Angela said miserably.
“Angela, you seem to be forgetting that Jacob is expecting you home for Christmas.”
“You can tell him I got sick and can’t make it, that I will be staying with you instead. Please, Naomi, do that for me. I’m sure I can get myself out of this mess before the holidays are over, so the school won’t have to know anything, nor will Jacob. Bradford had no reason to do what he did and I’ll make him see that when he comes back.”
Naomi sighed. “Angela, I don’t understand any of this, but I will cover for you. It’s against my better judgment, but I’ll do it.”
Fifteen
Bradford rode to the jail with David Welk in a hired coach. Bradford had been delayed in New York longer than expected and this was the third day the girl had spent locked up. She was a student, and from a very exclusive girls’ school. Bradford would never have believed it, but that was where David had found her and she admitted to the theft. Yes, this was the girl.
“I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” Bradford said reflectively when they reached their destination. “But then again, it might just be to my advantage. She will undoubtedly be quite grateful when I have her released. You did find a house in the country?”
“Yes.”
“A private, secluded house?”
“Yes, yes ,” David replied with a good deal ofannoyance. “And I have to tell you I don’t approve of what you’re planning, Bradford.”
“Why? I will have the girl’s consent. I won’t be breaking any law, David.”
“It’s immoral.”
Bradford laughed.
“Well, we’re here,” David said huffily. “You know, what I don’t understand is why the girl’s parents haven’t been here.”
“Has anyone been notified that she was arrested?” Bradford asked.
“I assumed the chaperon who was with the girl has taken care of that.”
Bradford shrugged. “Perhaps her parents don’t give a damn. At any rate, if they do come, they won’t find her here now. And there’s no need for you to wait, David. I can handle things from here.” Then he added, “I assume the house you found is well stocked?”
“Yes,” David replied. “And there’s a carriage and a pair of matched bays in the stable. You will have to attend them yourself, though, since you specified no servants.”
“You’ve done wonders, David, and in such a short time. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. You didn’t need a lawyer for this. Any experienced madam would have done.”
“Miss Smith.”
Angela was staring fixedly at the ceiling, counting the cracks for the hundredth time as she laystretched out on a narrow cot. She had never been so angry in her entire life. She was furious. She had had three days to feed that fury.
“Angela Smith!”
She gasped and sat up. She must remember that she had used the name Smith. She had impulsively lied about it and all the other information demanded of her, so she wouldn’t involve the school in scandal.
She stood up quickly when the door opened and a guard stepped into the cell. “Well, don’t just stand there, girl,” he said impatiently. “Come along.”
“Where?” she asked warily.
“You’re being released. The man you robbed has decided not to press charges. All he wants is a few minutes of your time. He’s waiting out front.”
“Oh, he is, is he?” Angela said icily.
She picked up the one small suitcase she had kept with a few changes of clothes in it. Naomi had taken the rest of her luggage. And then Angela walked stiffly out of the cell and continued to the entrance, not waiting for
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