Chapter Six
Micah studied her, as though trying to find some hint of hesitance in her decision.
“Are you sure about this?” It had been a few weeks since Pastor Jim’s sermon on justice, but the whole time the idea of how unfair the terms around her trust felt had been her constant companion.
Christmas had passed, and she’d witnessed the sweetest engagement between Isaac and Louisa, but the short lived distraction of Louisa’s family’s visit and their relationship taking the next step was now behind her.
It had already been five months since her grandfather’s passing, and if she didn’t marry and become pregnant within the year, she forfeited her inheritance to Percival.
“I know you want your own money,” Micah continued.
“You deserve it, but you don’t need it to survive here. We’re happy to help you.”
He would. The whole Sutton clan had been nothing but kind and generous to her, but the money was rightfully hers. If she wanted to keep it or give it away, the thing to do would be to pursue it. “I know you are. I don’t know where any of this will go, but I have to try.”
The law office they stood outside in Cloverdale had a fading sign on the window telling them it was open. The sign painted Goddard Law had also faded, though not quite as much as the OPEN sign. She was ready, if for nothing else than to simply see what her options were.
Micah nodded, placing his hand on the doorknob and opening the heavy wooden door.
“Then I’m with you, no matter what. Tom Goddard is a good attorney, and his wife works for him at the desk.
You’ll like her.” He followed her through the door where a kind looking woman with thick glasses smiled up at them.
The woman’s gray hair became her, as did the lines around her mouth and eyes. “Mrs. Goddard, how are you today?”
Rather than being decorated like Ellie might imagine a law office, the place looked more like someone's home.
There were throw pillows on the sofa, a fireplace and rug in front of it in the waiting area.
The whole room was decorated in warm earth tones, dark reds, rusty oranges, the occasional goldenrod yellow to accent the dark wood doors and desk Mrs. Goddard sat behind.
Even her dress blended with the backdrop, a deep red accenting her gray hair and kind looking face.
Mrs. Goddard smiled even wider. “Oh, Micah Sutton, I’ve told you to call me Truly, and I’m so happy to finally meet this beautiful young woman I’ve been seeing at church.
” She stood and hurried around the desk to pull Ellie into a surprisingly strong hug.
“I’m Truly Goddard, dear. Welcome to Cloverdale. ”
Of course, word had spread of what had happened with Brent and her subsequent stay at the clinic, but Mrs. Goddard didn’t even mention it. For that alone, Ellie liked her. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. I’m Ellie Cartwright.”
The woman pulled back and knocked on the door behind her. “How can we help you today, Ellie?”
The door opened, and the man who must be Tom Goddard opened the door.
He wore a suit, though his tie was loose, and he looked as friendly as his wife.
His hair was slightly amiss, as though he'd run his hands through it, and the slight paunch of his belly told her Mrs. Goddard must be a good cook. “Aah, Micah. Ellie, is it? It’s so nice to finally meet you. I know my Truly’s been making you both feel welcome. ”
“She has,” Ellie answered before Micah had a chance.
He was so kind to come with her, but she had to stand on her own two feet if she had any hope of making a life for herself.
“I’m here to speak to you about the terms of a trust I’m to inherit.
I’m not sure they’re all legal, but I’d like to know for sure. ”
The man’s face changed into compassionate understanding. “Oh, I’d hoped those parts of the rumors weren’t true, though I’m sure they were embellished. Do you have the papers with you?”
Ellie held up the envelope her grandfather had tossed on the floor in the study all those months ago. “I do.”
“Excellent. Then you two come on inside, and we’ll take a look. Truly, would you mind getting our clients some tea, please?”
“It’d be my pleasure.”
Tom led the two of them through the simple pine doorway into an equally simple office.
It was clean and welcoming, but there was nothing pretentious about the decor or the way Tom Goddard handled himself.
All of Grandfather’s lawyers had all seemed a little too big for their britches, and Ellie had wondered on more than once occasion if the profession made them that way.
Apparently not, if Tom Goddard was any indication.
“Have a seat, please.” Tom gestured to two wingback chairs in front of his desk, their leather upholstery dark brown in contrast with the lighter pine woods.
There was a dark burgundy rug on the floor and a few paintings hung, one of which was a painting of Mr. and Mrs. Goddard, as well as two children which appeared to have been done decades ago.
The children were small, so they’d have to be adults by now. “May I take a look?”
Ellie handed him the papers and took a deep breath.
“From what my grandfather said, and what I’ve been able to surmise from these, I have to marry and be on my way to having a child within one year after his death in order to inherit any of the money.
This is why Brent took me in the first place.
He assumed marrying me and forcing me to adopt the children he already had would speed along the process.
I don’t know if Grandfather’s lawyers would’ve been satisfied, but that was his plan. ”
Mr. Goddard studied the documents, his glasses down his nose for clarity. “You were kidnapped, correct? How did you happen to have these papers with you when you were taken?”
“That, sir, has to be a miracle from the Lord.” It was the only explanation.
“I’d been invited to tea, or so I thought, by a young woman from town.
My grandfather’s business partner watched my comings and goings quite carefully, so I thought I might slip into a law office after tea and see if they could find any loopholes for me.
Unfortunately, I never made it to tea or to the law office, but the letter inviting me turned out to be a ruse from Brent anyway. ”
Whether she'd have been able to find a single lawyer in Cartwright, California, who wouldn't have simply gone along with Grandfather and Pervical’s wishes, she didn't know.
When the town was named after a man, folks tended to do his bidding regardless of anyone else who might share the name - particularly if that person was a woman.
Mr. Goddard shook his head as Micah reached over and took her hand.
The lawyer clearly noticed, but he didn’t comment on the movement.
“I’m sorry for all you’ve been through, Ellie.
At first glance, and knowing what I do about the precedent here in Texas, I predict the requirement to marry is probably enforceable.
It wouldn’t be the first case I’ve seen in which parents, particularly those possessing as much money as your family had, would require a husband to be in the picture for a daughter to inherit.
Now, typically there is no timeline, but how was your relationship with your grandfather? ”
He was clearly careful with his words, but he needn’t be. “My grandfather was a snake. He was mean and hateful, and I believe he did this out of pure spite.”
Mr. Goddard’s eyes flicked to Micah’s before going back to her.
“Then, if you’ll permit me, I’ll speak freely.
” When Ellie gestured for him to go ahead, the lawyer placed the papers on the desk.
“These terms, past the marriage requirement, are absolutely ridiculous. I do not believe a judge will require you to be expecting a child, and the timeline is simply cruel. That said, it appears the money goes to his business partner in the event you forfeit the trust, which makes sense. Would I be correct in assuming this Percival James isn’t a man who can be reasoned with? ”
“Not a bit,” Ellie responded as Mrs. Goddard knocked on the door once more.
“I have tea,” she said as she quickly placed the tray on the desk and left to their thanks. The tray also held some delicious looking sugar cookies, but Ellie's stomach was so wrapped up in knots she knew she wouldn't eat a bit.
Micah’s hand tightened around hers. “So, what would we have to do in order to fight the will?”
Mr. Goddard studied them a moment more before responding.
“Well, first I’d like to have the circuit judge in the area take a look at these papers.
It’ll take me a week or two, as his schedule always changes a little, but I think I can catch up with him this week.
I’d like to find out if my suspicions regarding the child requirement being unenforceable are correct.
If he agrees, you’ll have to go back to California and argue your case against a judge in that jurisdiction.
I can have the circuit judge here send a letter along with you which will hopefully help sway their decision, but it would help matters if you were married. ”
Ellie gasped. Married? There were only a couple of men on the whole Earth who didn’t make her break out in an anxious rash being around them.
Her face grew hot, and her breaths came in short pants at the very idea.
Returning to California? It was too awful to even imagine, like a lamb being led to the slaughter.
Her vision had started to cloud around the edges and noise felt like it was coming through water when suddenly Micah knelt before her and cupped her cheeks with his hands.
“You don’t have to marry, Ellie. I know you want this money, but you do have the choice.
I promise, we won’t let you be out on your own whether you let the timer run out or not. You’re safe here.”