It bothered William to have to wait in Mr. Sutphen’s office. Secretly, William disdained the man. Trying to think of a word that described him, William realized what he disliked most was Sutphen’s lack of what the Germans called, einfühlen. He had no idea why his father continued to employ him. Although maybe Sutphen’s lack of empathy was what his father found most valuable.
William suspected the two of them were behind some shady dealings with the Adirondack Railroad investments. William had been appointed President of the corporation in January, and this was the third time he had been summoned from Saratoga to sign certificates of shares. Each time, the names on the shares were left blank and William was instructed by his father to sign, and not ask any questions. This time though, he had questions.
It was becoming readily apparent that his father was desperate for cash.
A telling sign all was not well was the delay, and in some cases, outright denial of orders he placed for materials and supplies to continue construction at Pine Knot. Just before coming to the Railroad offices he had checked on the shipment dates for furniture and was told by the New York merchant “Cash only, credit would not be extended.”
And then last week, while visiting the Durant home in North Creek William was passing the library when he overheard his parents arguing about money.
His mother was crying, “Pet, I know some of the stock shares for the Railroad are in my name, can’t we just sell them and raise money that way?”
“What do you think I am, Hannah? A magician? Do you think I can just snap my fingers and money will magically appear?” Dr. Durant bellowed.
“You know I’ve never asked you to do anything that you are not capable of. But Pet, be reasonable. There must be some investment we can access? What happened to your plans to sell the Adirondack Railroad land holdings?”
“I’ve had enough of this! You and William both need to stop meddling in my affairs!”
When he heard this last declaration William felt it was necessary to intercede, if for no other reason than to defend himself against his father’s tirade. Just as he reached for the door handle, Margaret was standing next to him with a tray of tea. Although she must have heard everything, she appeared completely unruffled as she knocked on the door to the library.
“Who is it?” Dr. Durant yelled from within.
William opened the door for Margaret. She gave him a crooked smile and entered.
William was startled when Sutphen’s clerk came out to the waiting room to retrieve him. “Mr. Durant, Mr. Sutphen will see you now.”
William rose and followed him into the interior of Sutphen’s spacious office. No wonder we’re broke, William mused, the man has a bigger office than me.
“Mr. Durant.” Sutphen looked up briefly from what he was doing, writing some last minute instructions. He handed the note to his clerk and gestured for William to take a seat at the large mahogany desk in the middle of the room. William sat down.
“Coffee or tea?” Sutphen inquired.
“No, thank you, I just came from the Union Club.”
“Very well. Let’s get down to business then shall we?”
“Yes.”
Sutphen rose from his desk chair and collected a large folder from his desktop. He placed it in front of William.
“This shouldn’t take long. I just need you to sign off on these shares.”
William opened the folder and shuffled through the twenty or so certificates — shares in the company stocks — the line bearing the holder’s name left blank, to be filled in, when and to whom? after he signed them.
“I would like to know to whom exactly am I selling these shares?” William said as he closed the folder. He made no move to pick up the pen that had been placed next to his right hand.
Stuffer’s brows flickered. “It is standard procedure for the company to obtain signed certificates in anticipation of future sales. I cannot be expected to draw these each and every time there is an inquiry for shares of stock. Signing these gives me the freedom to move expediently when the opportunity arises. This isn’t the first time you have signed blank certificates, Mr. Durant. Is there a reason you need to know now?” His eyes locked on William’s.
William shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What did this man know about his family’s finances? He cleared his throat. “I think I would enjoy a cup of tea after all,” he said.
“Very well then.” Sutphen opened the door to his office to find his clerk. “Jones, bring us a tray of tea.” He came back and took his seat across from William at the table. “Your father expects you to sign these. He left me no further instructions.”
“Yes, I see. But then, for whom do you work? Me and the Adirondack Railroad Company, or my father?”
Sutphen’s lips curled into a slight smile, which did nothing to improve his sinister appearance. “Mr. Durant, rest assured that as the lawyer for the Adirondack Railroad Company I represent the interests of your father, a stockholder, and by default, the Durant family. Selling these stock shares is imperative to the solvency of the Railroad. As President of the corporation you should be aware of the gravity of the situation at hand.”
William had no idea what the situation at hand really was; he just knew his company was insolvent and his parents were once again on the brink of financial ruin. It was a replay of the Panic of 1873. How naïve he was to think that by becoming the official owner of the company, whatever economic quagmire the family was in would be fixed. William realized he was President in name only.
“Just do what I tell you,” his father would say whenever William tried to prise more information out of him about company strategy. He was perplexed about why he was being left in the dark. And at this moment, staring back at Sutphen, his anger got the best of him. To hell with his father and his games.
“I’m the President now, not my father. And as such I have every right to know who exactly is purchasing these shares,” William practically spit out the last sentence as he glared into Sutphen’s eyes.
“I see. Maybe then you should take this up with Dr. Durant? These certificates can wait,” Sutphen said and in one smooth motion made a move to reach for the folder. William put his hand over it to prevent him from taking it away.
“I will. And I’ll take these with me.” William picked them off the table and put them in his leather satchel.
Mr. Sutphen gave off a heavy sigh as his clerk came in with a tray of tea. William watched as the clerk served the tea, appearing out of sorts about the whole affair, flustered and nervous — like he didn’t know what he was doing. His long neck and blushing skin reminded William of the flamingoes he shot while hunting in Egypt. He gave himself a moment to reminisce about his adventures there, a reprieve from this awful encounter with Sutphen. The clerk finished serving and left them.
“That would be impossible I’m afraid. I cannot have these certificates leave the office. It would be a disaster if they were somehow lost and not in my care.” He gestured toward the tray between them, “Do you take milk or sugar with your tea?”
William shook his head no. Sutphen was stonewalling him and he was running out of options. He knew if he didn’t sign these certificates his father would be enraged and threaten to cut off his allowance, or worse have him fired as President of the company. Meager as the pay was, it was all William had and his membership to the Union Club was coming due, so was the rent for his flat in Saratoga.
He took a sip and held back a look of disgust over the tepid liquid, realizing he had yet to meet an American who knew how to properly brew tea. Avoiding Sutphen’s sneer, it took all of his effort to reach for the documents in his satchel where he had just placed them.
“I’ll sign these then if that is what is necessary to keep the Railroad Company solvent.” He tried to keep his hand steady as he picked up the pen to sign.
“It is indeed,” Sutphen said, pretending not to notice William’s obvious discomfort.
The cold air slapped William in the face when he finally got outside Mr. Sutphen’s building and into the New York streets. He lifted the collar of his wool coat up as far as it would reach on his neck and shuddered at the image of Sutphen hovering over the documents he had just signed. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had just signed away his life. He walked briskly toward his office and wondered how Louise was faring. He had told Ike in case of an emergency to send news by way of telegraph. Cousin Frederick had one installed at Prospect House. When he had the opportunity, William planned to get a telegraph line set up at Pine Knot so they could communicate.
When he arrived at his office there was a telegram from Ella. She was in New York City, had a suite of rooms at the Sherwood House and wanted him to stay with her. Her message concluded with: “I’m attending the Trinity Church charity ball. Would you be willing to accompany me?”
So their father was letting her travel to New York City without a chaperone. Given the arguments at North Creek about finances, William was surprised she could book a suite anywhere.
William looked over the rest of the mail and messages on his desk. Along with Ella’s telegram there was also one from his father that read:
“Mother is frantic over Ella’s whereabouts. If you receive word from her, tell her to contact home immediately.”
He shuffled a few papers around. His family’s affairs, the events at the furniture merchant’s store, and then the indignity of signing blank certificates while drinking stale tea with the insipid Sutphen had left him spent. He looked up at the clock and wondered how to reply to Ella and his father. He was in no mood for Ella’s antics. And he was sure she planned a clandestine meeting with Poultney. He had no intention of getting in the middle of the two of them ever again. Nor did he want to act as peacekeeper between Ella and his father.
He let out a sigh, took a watch out of his vest pocket and looked at the time. If he could find a cab quickly he had time to see Ella before his appointment at Delmonicos.
Ella rearranged her boudoir to make room for her dresses. Maybe she had brought too many? She knew she was just filling in time, waiting to hear from William. She had checked in earlier that morning after a fretful train ride from North Creek and was hoping they would connect and he would escort her to dinner.
She hung the last of her tea dresses in the wardrobe, sat down on the bed and stared at the door. If William wasn’t going to call on her maybe she would call on Martha. The events of the last twenty-four hours had shaken her and she needed to talk to somebody.
It started when meddlesome Margaret came into her bedroom while she was folding her clothes and packing her trunk. Still acting as though she was her governess, Margaret immediately demanded of Ella where she thought she was going without an escort. This interrogation led the two to argue and eventually her mother overheard the commotion. She ascended the stairs, entered Ella’s room and inquired where she was heading.
“I accepted the invitation from Reverend Dix to attend the Trinity Church charity ball,” Ella took a moment from packing to address her mother. Margaret stood across the bed from Ella like a vulture waiting for a wounded animal to die so it could feast.
Ella continued packing as Margaret clucked her disapproval. Ella glared at her and unfurled a petticoat in the direction of her face, hoping it would snap on her mouth, taking the place of her own hand.
“You can’t go gallivanting off to New York City unescorted to a charity event Ella. I have already responded to Morgan that we are unable to attend,” Hannah said.
“Well good for you, Mother. I know how much you tire of traveling back and forth to New York City. But I’m still young and would like to socialize with people who are not only my own age, but also have better manners and a larger vocabulary than the farmers and miners in North Creek.”
“Humph,” Margaret said.
Ella turned to her. “Would you leave?”
Hannah gestured for Margaret to leave.
“Ella.” Hannah kept her voice low as she took hold of her daughter’s arm and held it tight. “I’m not sure if you are quite aware of our family’s financial predicament.”
“What are you talking about?” Ella wrested her arm away and went to her dresser to pick out jewels to pack.
Hannah started wringing her hands and pacing the floor.
“To put it simply, the railroad has run out of track, your father has come up short with investments to carry the railroad to Canada and in case you haven’t been reading the news lately, the Adirondack Railroad Company is bankrupt.”
Ella tittered nervously. “As I recall we have been in this situation before and Father has always found a way out of it.”
Hannah shook her head. “It’s such a disgrace, I know!”
Ella noticed she was on the verge of tears.
“Mother, what’s wrong?” She went over to her mother and put her hand on her arm gently guiding her to sit on the bed.
Hannah’s eyes welled up with tears. “I have nothing left to sell. He has spent all of the money we acquired from my father’s property in Brooklyn, and I sold all of my jewels when we left England during the last crisis. I have nothing left to give.” Hannah started to sob. “There is no one to borrow from, there is nowhere to turn.”
Ella held her close and looked out at the dreary streets of North Creek. A thought occurred to her.
“All the more reason for me to go,” Ella said, determined. If she had learned anything from her time in England and the plight of the landed gentry who found themselves titled but penniless, it was that maintaining an air of prosperity while suffering penury left the door open to opportunity. She still needed a publisher for her book of poetry, and Morgan Dix had assured her that George Putnam from Putnam and Sons Publishing House was coming to the ball.
“Mother, listen. Don’t fret. I’ll represent the family in a dignified manner. Can you imagine if none of us attend? After all that the Dix family has done for us and General Dix, rest his soul, did for father and the Union Pacific? The least I can do is attend in honor of him. They would be very disappointed in us otherwise.”
Hannah sat up and sighed. She patted her daughter’s hand. “You do know how to charm don’t you?”
“It’s settled then, I’m taking a train in the morning. Jem is driving me to the station.”
“But where will you stay dear? William no longer has his apartment and I don’t think you’ll be allowed to stay with him at the hotel.”
“Don’t worry about that. I have it all figured out. I’m staying with Martha Parker.”
Hannah stood up. “Heavens no. Your father will already be upset with me for allowing you to go unaccompanied to New York, you mustn’t stay with that woman!”
“Where would you have me stay then? The Dix’s have company coming in for the ball and you said yourself I can’t stay with William.”
“I don’t know Ella, but we can hardly pay the servants much less pay for a fancy hotel.” She sat back down on the bed and pondered for a moment. “Don’t tell me you’re chasing after that Bigelow fellow!” she said.
“Of course not, don’t be absurd,” Ella said as she stayed focused on her packing so she would not have to meet her mother’s eyes.
“I know how much you adore him dear but he is not right for you,” Hannah said.
“Oh he’s not is he?”
“No, he is much too, what’s the word I am searching for? Cocky. Yes, much too sure of himself that one. And for no good reason either.”
“I assure you, I am not going to New York City in pursuit of Poultney.” Ella failed to mention the real reason for her journey — to meet Putnam.
“As much as I’d like to believe you, I know you better. Ella, swear to me you will not make a fool of yourself for him! I know how much you long to return to London but he is not your savior. Besides, your father has never approved of him. And call it mother’s intuition but the two of you would make a horrible match. You are both too much alike — head-strong.” She shook her head.
“You have to admit Mother, he is much more appealing than some of the dolts trying to court me here in North Creek.”
Hannah did not disagree. “But still there are other prospective men your father has suggested you consider.”
“Hah! Wealthy industrialists twenty years my senior. I’d rather stay a spinster than marry someone like Papa.”
“Hold your tongue Ella. He has his faults but he has provided for us.”
Ella was tired of arguing with her misguided mother. She went back to her dresser to collect the jewelry she intended to take. Looking up at her mother from the mirrored reflection she said, “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll stay with Estelle.”
Ella had no intention of staying with Estelle; it would be no better for her under Uncle Charles’ roof than here in North Creek. The domineering tyrant would be telling her and Estelle where and when they could go out and about in the city and with whom. But Ella wasn’t about to let her mother or father know the truth. She had been squirreling away the money she was making selling poems and short stories to The Queen and other ladies magazines. She knew where she could board without anyone taking notice: the Sherwood House, although risqué, was cheap. And nobody, including her mother, was going to stop her from meeting the publisher George Putnam.
The next morning Ella watched from the front entrance as one of the servants put her overflowing trunk of gowns in the carriage. She was putting on her gloves when Margaret slinked up close and said, “I suggest you take meals in. The servants are resentful that the mistress of the house is dallying in New York City while their pay is delinquent.”
Once again, Ella found herself staring down into the pinched face of her mother’s companion. Memories of Margaret’s terrifying predictions of her downfall when she misbehaved as a girl came flooding back. How she loathed the woman.
“I hardly think one delay in payment will cause my parents’ faithful servants to abandon their station. Nor is my social life any of their business.”
Margaret managed a sinister smile that made Ella uneasy. She leaned into Ella and said in a hushed tone, “Maybe not. But be careful, Ella, or you may end up becoming the very woman you vilify. An old maid like me, whose only available occupation is a governess of spoiled children and companion for a tired old dame who thinks she still deserves the respect that wealth brings.”
“You’re an evil woman Margaret,” Ella hissed back. “Why my mother has allowed you to stay with us all of these years is beyond me. But I will not have you talk about her that way.”
Margaret shrugged. “I’m still here because she has no choice now does she? I have always been there for her and know more about this family’s secrets than you or your brother. What would happen to the family’s reputation if I were to be cast out on the street as you so desire?”
It took only a second for the familiar rush of blood to reach Ella’s head, bringing with it the heat and oxygen she needed to lift her hand and bring it across Margaret’s smirking face. The sound startled them both.
The driver saw it all from the carriage. “Is everything all right Miss Durant?” He came up the porch steps to find Ella looking bewildered and Miss Molineaux, her complexion a crimson red, gawking and holding one hand to the cheek Ella had struck. Neither was speaking.
Ella started to tremble. “Take me to the station now. I have had enough of this household.” She fastened her cloak around her neck and fled out the door.