Page 32 of The Women of Wild Hill
The twins shared a glance, each wondering if the other had understood the strange question.
“It seems to me that she could choose not to betray other women,” Ivy said.
“Her fortunes are tied to her husband. If she could leave him, she would. But without Mr. Campbell, she has nothing. None of us do. That’s why we must all do what he asks of us, no matter how awful.”
Ivy didn’t care for the last part. Not one little bit.
“What has he asked ofyou, Molly?” she inquired. When the girl stayed silent, Ivy didn’t pry any further. Molly’s face had gone pale. And Ivy already knew the answer. “When was the last time you menstruated?”
“Seven weeks ago. Maybe eight.”
“And Charles is the one responsible?”
Rose, who hadn’t caught on until that very moment, gasped and promptly burst into tears.
“He has a key to my room. He told me that he would ruin me if I refused him. He said he would make it known far and wide that I was a woman of loose virtue. I would be banned from every house on the Island. I have no family and no other means of support. I couldn’t say no.” Molly began to cry, too. “I’m so sorry. You two have been so kind to me and now you know how wicked I truly am.”
Ivy felt her fists clench so hard that her nails dug into her palms. “How can you say such a thing? You are not wicked.” She made that perfectly clear. “My sister and I are kind because we like you.”
“It’s not your fault that our uncle mistreated you,” Rose assured her. “I didn’t even know him before today, but now I dislike him very much indeed.”
“Mrs. Campbell told me I have brought great shame on your family,” Molly said.
“She has done more to bring shame on our family than you ever could.” Ivy was adamant.
Rose wrapped her arms around the crying girl. As she did, she saw Molly as a woman of thirty, with two young children she adored, a husband who doted on her, and a shop where she sold pretty things to women who treated her with respect.
“You need to make your way to St. Louis,” she told Molly.
“St. Louis?” As far as Molly was concerned, it might as well have been Mars. “I’m with child. And I haven’t a dollar to my name. How can I travel to St. Louis?”
“We will take care of it,” Rose said with certainty.
WHEN CHARLES AND RENATA EMERGEDfrom the cottage, Molly was sitting in the back of the car, right where they’d left her. Anunfamiliar shawl was draped around her shoulders, but nothing else appeared amiss. What they couldn’t see in the right pocket of her dress was a vial of brown liquid labeledAsafetida. Tucked into the left pocket was a roll of bills that represented Ivy and Rose’s combined life savings—one hundred and eighteen dollars. Renata dropped her handbag into the back of the Model T and climbed into the front. Just as the engine turned over, Ivy and Rose ran up to the side of the car.
“So delightful to have met you!” Rose chirped.
“Would you mind if I took my shawl?” Ivy inquired of Molly.
“Oh, certainly,” said the girl. “Thank you so much for letting me borrow it. I’m feeling much better now.” She handed the shawl over the side of the car and Charles sped off.
Sadie came to stand by her daughters as they watched the car disappear down the drive. “So what did that little rat try to steal from us?” she asked Ivy.
Ivy handed her sister the shawl but kept Renata’s handbag, which Molly had hidden beneath the fabric. Inside the bag was the paper the girl had warned them about. “They wanted your marriage certificate so they could claim you and Father were never truly married,” Ivy told her mother. “They’re trying to steal Wild Hill from us.”
“Oh dear.” Sadie’s grimace slowly transformed into a smile. “Just imagine what would happen to them if they ever succeeded. Bessie would send them packing in less than an hour.”
“Charles will be back,” Rose warned.
“I imagine so,” said Sadie. “I’ll let you two decide what’s to be done with him. I don’t need to know.”
They both agreed it was the best present their mother had ever given them.
A WEEK LATER, CHARLES CAMPBELLmade his second trip to Wild Hill. This visit was far less friendly. When he arrived at the estate’sgates and discovered they were locked, he honked the horn until Ivy and Rose appeared.
“Where is your mother?” he demanded.
“Away,” Ivy said. It was true. Their mother had gone to the city for the day and wouldn’t be home until the following morning. Charles’s timing was perfect. “She should be returning soon. Would you care to wait for her?”
