How Far the World Will Bend

How Far the World Will Bend - Chapter 20

Chapter 20. The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

Once Meg determined that it was time for her to leave Milton, she filled her days with a flurry of activities. She welcomed the mindless bustle because it kept her from dwelling on the sharp sense of impending loss that niggled at her mind. Soon, she would leave Milton and Mr. Thornton, never to return. Her longing and grief often threatened to bring her to her knees, but she would summon up her memories of Mr. Latimer's confidences to Mr. Bell, and the realization that Miss Latimer was destined for Mr. Thornton-and she was destined for something else. The dull ache never quite left her heart, but she was able to concentrate on the numerous tasks that stretched in front of her.

Mr. Bell departed Milton the day after their discussion, bound for Oxford to pack his bags and prepare for his momentous trip. Meg accompanied him to the train station, and hugged him before he boarded the train. She thought she saw a glimmer of tears in his eyes as he left her, but his parting words were jaunty and made her laugh. He promised to write to her from South America, and she nodded enthusiastically, thinking she would be gone before his first letter arrived.

She met with Mr. Bell's lawyer and, to his surprise, requested that he draw up a will for her. He did not understand why such a young woman required a will, and questioned her strenuously. However, once she explained that she was single woman with no immediate family, and that she wanted to ensure her wealth was used as she intended should anything happen to her, he thought her quite prudent. Mr. Bechtold reported to Meg that a check had been written and delivered to Mr. Thornton to stave off the closure of Marlborough Mills. Meg expressed her gratitude, and proceeded to discompose him further by requesting a change of ownership for the deed to Marlborough Mills. She also asked that he act as her agent to procure several properties-the first being the house in Crampton, and the second a similar house in an adjacent neighborhood. The first house was to be deeded to a Mrs. Dixon, and the second to a Nicholas Higgins.

Although startled, Mr. Bechtold maintained his professional demeanor and promised Meg that these things would be taken care of within the week. Mr. Bell had always been eccentric, he thought, shrugging his shoulders. Why should his heir be any different? In any event, her wealth was sufficient to cover these expenditures easily without depleting all of her resources. He thought her stipulations for the money were odd, but it was her money and Mr. Bechtold was a firm believer that his clients should be allowed to dispose of their assets as they saw fit. Odd girl, he mused, but she seemed to have a good heart.

Meg spent as many evenings with Nicholas and Mary as possible, listening to stories from Nicholas on how the mill was revitalized and business was beginning to pick up again. "Thornton is working day and night to bring things back on line-I swear, that man doesn't sleep," Nicholas declared, shaking his head in wonder. "He's in his office when I arrive, and still working when I leave at night. The men think he is made of iron." Meg longed to ask how he looked, how he fared, anything to sustain her connection with him, but she could not bear for Nicholas to know how much it mattered to her and so kept her peace.

She watched Nicholas, Mary, and the children carefully during these times, imprinting their features and voices in her memory so she could recall how they looked and spoke and laughed when she left them behind. She knew she would see Gran again soon, but never as the charming and shy young woman that she was now. Gazing at Nicholas, she thought with longing that he would have been her adoptive great-grandfather. Such thoughts were incredible to her, but not half as incredible as the thought of leaving them behind.

As she left one evening, she pulled Mary aside and asked if she might speak with her outside. Mary agreed immediately, and followed her friend out into the street. "Mary," she said hesitantly, "I didn't want to say anything to Nicholas or the children, but I am going to go on a journey shortly, and it may be a long time before I return."