Will rushed straight to Patterson’s garage. “Mr. Patterson, I might get the money, but I won’t know until next week. Can you hold off until then?”
“Will, I want to. I think you’ll uphold my reputation. But John Elder’s put the squeeze on. He deposited the money at the bank with the order to put it in my account as soon as I’ve signed the agreement.” Patterson pointed to his desk top. “There it is. Just waiting for my signature.”
“I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. It’ll only be a week.”
“There’s a hitch, Will. Elder gave me two days. If I don’t let him know in two days, says he’ll pull the money.”
“Can you get him to wait?”
“He’s a slick operator, but I don’t want to sell to him. I’d sure like you to have it, but Matilda’s in a terrible way. Just stays in bed. Cries all the time. She won’t even look at me. I don’t know, Will. I’m in an awful fix.”
* * *
Will felt caught between Frank’s obstinacy and Elder’s pressure, but all he could do was to keep busy and wait. He repaired fence. He trimmed trees. He hitched Fanny to the wagon, walked her up the lane and back again. He positioned grain bags so that his father would have little trouble pulling them out for feeding. When in the house, he stayed within hearing distance of the phone and waited for Frank’s call, which he knew would come. Like his grandpa, Frank may be an SOB, but he was a dependable SOB. He prided himself on keeping his word.
But it had been seven days since he visited Frank and he still hadn’t heard. Cold and snow came early, so Thomas decided to keep the cows in the barn. That meant shoveling gutters and hauling manure to the fields. Will was spreading manure in the far hay field when Frank’s call came. Thomas rode out to tell him the news. “Frank called. He wants to see you.”
Will hitched Fanny to the buggy and raced toward the old farm.
Frank strolled from the house when Will and Fanny slogged up the drive. Will could see he was expecting them. And Frank didn’t waste any time. He grabbed Fanny’s harness before Will got off the buggy.
“Have you decided?”
“Do you think Grandpa would have lent you the money?”
“Grandpa’s dead.” No wonder he got the farm. Why couldn’t he be his own man? “What will you do?”
“Grandpa was a good judge of people. And I’m not sure he’d do it. He wouldn’t put his money at risk.”
“Frank, for heaven’s sake, will you loan me the money?”
“I suppose I owe you a little. But business is business. I’ll expect interest. And I’ll want a security.”
“You know I don’t own anything. If I had collateral, I could get the money elsewhere.” He reached toward Frank. “After I get on my feet, I’ll make it worth your while. I’ll give you a deal on a Lizzie.”
“Why’d I want a Lizzie? No, I expect something now.”
“But I don’t have anything now.” Will slumped.
“You do, Will. Grandmother’s diamond wedding ring and her diamond brooch, too. You’re the only one who got anything when she died. I expect the money to be repaid in a year, and I’ll hold them until then, but no longer.”
Grandmother’s ring and brooch? Will hoped to propose, to give Doris’s ring to Mary at Christmas. But he had no choice. Would Mary wait awhile longer? And then there was that more pressing matter: had Patterson waited?