A Life Worth Living by Irene Brand

Author:Irene Brand [Brand, Irene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780373486465
Google: W1HZrQEACAAJ
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1985-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

eight

Dora watched for the mail every day, not expecting Allen to write but hoping that he would. She was determined not to be the first one to make contact, but after a few months she missed him so much that she decided to do something about it. She bought a thinking-of-you card. It was a rural setting, which reminded her of North Carolina. The ground was covered with snow, and a red barn was featured in the background. The message read, “To wish you health and happiness.” As Dora prepared the card to mail it, she wondered if she was making a mistake. She almost wished that she could change the word health to wealth, for she was convinced that her wealth and his lack of it was what kept Allen from seeking a closer relationship with her. She wrote a note on the card wishing him well for the coming year.

To her surprise, he answered her note. He misspelled a few words, which made her wonder if his lack of education as well as his few worldly possessions kept him from declaring his love for her. Frustrated because of the seeming impossibility of any serious relationship between them, Dora slept with the letter under her pillow for a week. When she received the annual report of the financial status of the Fairfield Textile Mill, she was amazed to find that instead of making a profit, the mill had actually lost money. She also noted the annual bonus gift to the workers had not been paid. Why hadn’t she listened to Allen?

She knew that her father would hear about it because, until she proved that she could operate the mill, he was to receive copies of the same financial reports she did. Two days later he stormed into the apartment, waving the mill report. It was a stormy session, which ended when he said, “Missy, you have another six months to put the business on a paying status, or I’m taking control.”

Six months ago she would have shouted at him and told him to keep the mill. Instead, she said, “Very well! Six months it is, but during that time, I won’t tolerate any interference from you. I can’t make decisions if I feel as if you’re looking over my shoulder all the time. I didn’t want that mill, but you forced it upon me. If I’ve made a failure of operating the business, it’s your fault as well as mine. However, I’m going back to Asheville to prove to you that I have as much business acumen as you have. If at the end of a year, I haven’t made a success of the business, I’ll return it to you gladly.”

To her surprise, he agreed not to interfere, and Dora started making plans to move to North Carolina. Maude agreed to go with her, but not wanting to burn all of her bridges behind her, Dora sublet the apartment to a cousin who wanted to move to the city. If she couldn’t make a profit on the mill, she would have a home to return to.

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