Around the River's Bend by Aaron McCarver Read Free Book Online

Elberta. That won’t be necessary.”
    Huffily Elberta rose and left, passing by a rather short man with sandy hair on her way out.
    â€œGood afternoon, Miss Fairfax.”
    â€œMr. Franks. Good of you to call. Will you have a seat?”
    Franks looked around and then settled himself in the chair that Elberta had vacated. He had a case in his hand and balanced it on his lap, seemingly looking for words to say.
    â€œI’m afraid you can’t have very good news, Mr. Franks.”
    â€œI wish I had better.” Franks shook his head. “I’ve done everything I could. Mr. Smith and I have been going over the accounts, and—”
    Sabrina’s heart sank. She had had some hope that Mr. Franks, who had been a good friend of her father as well as his solicitor, had found some solution, but she found no hope on his face. “You may as well tell me the worst. I’ll have to hear it sooner or later.”
    â€œI’m afraid that’s true—and I’m afraid it will be sooner.”
    â€œIs it really so terrible?”
    â€œIt couldn’t be worse, frankly.” He opened his briefcase and pulled out several sheets of paper. “Word has gotten out of the failure of your father’s affairs, and several creditors have appeared. Your father made these loans but neglected to mention them to Mr. Smith.” He passed the papers over and sat silently while Sabrina stared at them. They amounted to a great deal of money.
    She handed them back, saying, “What’s to be done?”
    Mr. Franks shifted uneasily in his chair. He ran his fingers over the case, obviously embarrassed. “Things are very bad, Miss Fairfax. When something like this happens, creditors all converge. They all want their money, of course, and there is no money.”
    â€œWe’ll have to sell the estate, then?”
    â€œThat is not possible. It’s already mortgaged. There’s a second mortgage, as well. I’m afraid there will be a terrible lawsuit between the two mortgage holders.” Franks went on speaking of the various loans that were out, and each one seemed to drive a nail into Sabrina’s spirit. She finally interrupted him and said, “Give me the worst. What’s going to happen?”
    â€œI’m going to try to salvage a little something so you’ll have a small income, but your father was a gambling man. That doesn’t come as a surprise to you, I’m sure, but you’re going to lose this house. There’s no getting around that, and that includes the furnishings. And I’m afraid most of the personal property, as well.”
    Sabrina felt as if she had heard a door close, locking her in a dark, terrifying place. She had known little fear up to this time, but she was learning it now in a most terrible way.
    ****
    For two weeks Sabrina had met almost daily with Mr. Franks or Mr. Smith. She did not tell her father the worst of it, but neither could she deceive him. He grew even paler and seemed to fall into a deep depression. Sabrina slept very little these days as she alternated between worrying about their financial lives and her father’s precarious health. She was able to do little.
    Sir Charles Stratton visited her once each week, offering his condolences, but Sabrina was aware that their relationship had changed. It was not so much what Stratton said as his attitude.
    When I was a wealthy woman, you were interested in me, Charlie , she thought as he left after his second visit. Now I’m a poor woman, and you’ve lost interest . As much as she had enjoyed Charles’s company, the thought of losing him did not trouble Sabrina, for she could not picture a life with him.
    One afternoon Mr. Franks came for one of his frequent visits. He fidgeted and spoke of the weather until finally Sabrina said, “What is it? More bad news, I suppose.”
    â€œI—I’m afraid you and your father are going to have to vacate