Mail-Order Husband: The Millionaire's Debt by Rebecca Tilley Page A

because she had heard rumors that he had them in his own
house, decorating his gaudy dining table.  Daphne had hoped her husband
would do something to defend her, but he was so useless that all he did was
laugh at her anguish, and hope Mr. Gantry would continue to loan him a couple
dollars a month to buy booze.  Hank had taken to joining in taunting his
wife when Mr. Gantry came around, so he wouldn’t be cut off.
    All that was about
to change, though, when the train came in today her savior would get off and
set things right.  How good it will feel to be out from under this
tremendous weight , she thought.

Chapter 2
    Daphne’s heart
pounded with excitement when she heard hooves beating the ground some distance
off.  This is it, my new husband.   The train was not due in
for another couple of hours, but things didn’t run on a particular schedule out
here.  She looked at herself in the small mirror in her bedroom . 
Her hair was pinned back in a bun, which made her look very severe.  She
had lost a lot of weight over the years due to a lack of food.  Her face
had become very angular, with a sharp jaw line, and high sharp cheek
bones.  She had been the most beautiful girl in town when she was young,
with dozens of suitors.  She had nearly married Johnny Dawkins, but had
been won over by Hank in the end.  Johnny was not very adventurous, boring
even, and Hank was the exact opposite.  She found out that Johnny had
opened a printing press and started a newspaper back home, and was now a
millionaire.  How different her life could have been…no sense thinking
about that now.  Her husband was nearly here, and she could not wait.
    She heard the horse
pull up to a stop and a man dismount, then a familiar voice called out to
her.  “Daphne, come on out here…we need to have a chat.”  He said
with a sinister sneer in his voice.
    It was Mr.
Gantry.  Panic gripped her and her throat began to close up.  Why was
he here?  She had three days to get a payment together.  Had they
moved up her foreclosure and not told her?  Certainly not, that would be
against the law.  The law rarely falls on the side of poor widows, however. 
The man with the money makes the law.  She drew herself up to her full
height, and tried to carry herself with dignity as she walked out the front
door.
    “What is it Mr.
Gantry?”
    “I was just out
this way visiting some of my good, paying customers, and thought I would
check in on you.  Let you know I am still here.  Do you have any
money for me?”
    “Not yet Mr.
Gantry, but before the deadline is past I will have you paid up, I promise.”
    “I know you will,”
he said with a sarcastic grin.  “You haven’t ever let me down before.”
    “I know I am way
behind, but I WILL have your money.  You have to believe me.”
    “I do believe you
Ms. Haynes, but you see the board doesn’t believe you.  They told me to
execute the sale of your collateral today.”  He emphasized the word
collateral in such a way that it felt like a dagger in her heart. 
    “You can’t be
serious.  I have three more days.  Our contract…the law…”
    “The law nothin ’, Ms. Haynes, you have a debt to pay, and we have
every right to collect by whatever means necessary.”
    Daphne was trying
to remain strong, but the news of her candlesticks being sold was too much to
bear; she began to cry.  Mr. Gantry loved to see her in so much
pain.  His sneer curled his upper lip underneath a bushy handlebar
mustache while he reached into his suit jacket pocket.  He produced two
mostly used candles and threw them down to the bottom of the porch steps. 
“Our buyer wasn’t interested in your cheap, used candles.”  He mounted his
horse saying, “I’ll expect your payment promptly,” and he rode away.
    Daphne was
heartbroken.  The last shred of her family had just been sold.  Even
while the heirlooms had been out of her possession she had known they were safe
at the bank, just waiting for