take him in no matter what, anything to get him away from her.
"If I agree to take him, you have to promise never to show your face here again. You're a disgraceful mother. Look at that boy. When was the last time he ate?"
"I told you I can't keep body and soul..."
"But you've managed to feed yourself, haven't you? Your face is round, and your figure full. You should be ashamed."
"You have no right to insult me. I've taken care of Randy's boy all these years by myself. He made promises. You have no right."
"I have the right of decency. Now, get out of my house before I call the police."
"Not so fast, lady. I ain't leaving here without some money. Randy made promises."
"I don't care what Randy promised. He's dead, and you weren't mentioned in the will."
"Then I'll stay around town and tell everyone about me and Randy. How would that set with you, missus?"
New Beach was a very small town, and Randall had been a prominent citizen. Hannah still went to the public school, and if word got out that her father had sired an illegitimate child, her reputation would be sullied.
"I don't have much money. Randall left me a small allowance."
"I'll take a hundred dollars and go."
Marian would have to contact the attorney handling Randall's estate. It would take a few days, and she didn't want Agnes in town longer than necessary.
"Wait here," she said.
She went upstairs to her bedroom. Inside the jewelry box on her dresser was her diamond wedding band. The gaudy piece of jewelry had belonged to Randall's grandmother, and Marian had always hated it. She plucked it out of the box and took it downstairs.
"Here," she said. "Take it to Atlantic City and pawn it. I'm sure you'll get what you want from the sale."
Agnes's eyes lit up at the sight of all those diamonds.
"I'm sure I will," she said.
Marian then sat down at the small desk in the corner of the parlor. She took out a piece of her ivory colored stationery and wrote something.
"Can you read?" she asked Agnes.
"I can sign my name."
"I'm writing that you have received a ring from me in return for some work you did in my home. You will need to show this to the pawnbroker. I'm making two copies, one for each of us."
Marian got up and went to the door.
"Becky," she called.
Becky appeared at the kitchen door.
"Would you please come here?"
Becky wiped her hands on her apron and came to the parlor.
"I want you to witness our signatures."
"How do I know what it says?" Agnes asked.
"Becky, would you read this?" Marian asked as she handed the paper to Becky.
"It says 'I, Marian Dawes of New Beach, New Jersey, give this ring, a gold and diamond wedding band, to Agnes Welsh, in exchange for services rendered.' "
"I'll sign it," Agnes said.
Marian put the paper down on the desk and sat to write another as Agnes signed her name. When Marian had finished the second sheet, they both signed and Marian handed one to Agnes.
"Keep it safe. If the police see that ring, they may question where you got it. You'll need this paper to prove you didn't steal it."
Agnes glowered at Marian.
"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you, Mrs. Randall Dawes. You're no better than me. We both spread our legs for him."
"You get out of here, you trollop, before I forget I'm a lady," Becky said.
"I'm leaving. Thanks for the tea."
"Don't you want to say goodbye to your son?" Marian said.
"It's better if I don't. He'll be upset if he sees me leave."
Agnes went out the front door, and Marian, who had grabbed her handbag, followed her. She saw Edward waiting with the carriage. He would have to take it back to the livery in Long Branch, and Marian had an idea.
"Edward," she said. "Will you come here?"
Edward walked to the porch and Marian met him on the walk.
"Yes, ma'am?" he said.
"I'm sorry I've taken so long."
She handed him a ten dollar bill. Edward's eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Would you please take Miss
"If I agree to take him, you have to promise never to show your face here again. You're a disgraceful mother. Look at that boy. When was the last time he ate?"
"I told you I can't keep body and soul..."
"But you've managed to feed yourself, haven't you? Your face is round, and your figure full. You should be ashamed."
"You have no right to insult me. I've taken care of Randy's boy all these years by myself. He made promises. You have no right."
"I have the right of decency. Now, get out of my house before I call the police."
"Not so fast, lady. I ain't leaving here without some money. Randy made promises."
"I don't care what Randy promised. He's dead, and you weren't mentioned in the will."
"Then I'll stay around town and tell everyone about me and Randy. How would that set with you, missus?"
New Beach was a very small town, and Randall had been a prominent citizen. Hannah still went to the public school, and if word got out that her father had sired an illegitimate child, her reputation would be sullied.
"I don't have much money. Randall left me a small allowance."
"I'll take a hundred dollars and go."
Marian would have to contact the attorney handling Randall's estate. It would take a few days, and she didn't want Agnes in town longer than necessary.
"Wait here," she said.
She went upstairs to her bedroom. Inside the jewelry box on her dresser was her diamond wedding band. The gaudy piece of jewelry had belonged to Randall's grandmother, and Marian had always hated it. She plucked it out of the box and took it downstairs.
"Here," she said. "Take it to Atlantic City and pawn it. I'm sure you'll get what you want from the sale."
Agnes's eyes lit up at the sight of all those diamonds.
"I'm sure I will," she said.
Marian then sat down at the small desk in the corner of the parlor. She took out a piece of her ivory colored stationery and wrote something.
"Can you read?" she asked Agnes.
"I can sign my name."
"I'm writing that you have received a ring from me in return for some work you did in my home. You will need to show this to the pawnbroker. I'm making two copies, one for each of us."
Marian got up and went to the door.
"Becky," she called.
Becky appeared at the kitchen door.
"Would you please come here?"
Becky wiped her hands on her apron and came to the parlor.
"I want you to witness our signatures."
"How do I know what it says?" Agnes asked.
"Becky, would you read this?" Marian asked as she handed the paper to Becky.
"It says 'I, Marian Dawes of New Beach, New Jersey, give this ring, a gold and diamond wedding band, to Agnes Welsh, in exchange for services rendered.' "
"I'll sign it," Agnes said.
Marian put the paper down on the desk and sat to write another as Agnes signed her name. When Marian had finished the second sheet, they both signed and Marian handed one to Agnes.
"Keep it safe. If the police see that ring, they may question where you got it. You'll need this paper to prove you didn't steal it."
Agnes glowered at Marian.
"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you, Mrs. Randall Dawes. You're no better than me. We both spread our legs for him."
"You get out of here, you trollop, before I forget I'm a lady," Becky said.
"I'm leaving. Thanks for the tea."
"Don't you want to say goodbye to your son?" Marian said.
"It's better if I don't. He'll be upset if he sees me leave."
Agnes went out the front door, and Marian, who had grabbed her handbag, followed her. She saw Edward waiting with the carriage. He would have to take it back to the livery in Long Branch, and Marian had an idea.
"Edward," she said. "Will you come here?"
Edward walked to the porch and Marian met him on the walk.
"Yes, ma'am?" he said.
"I'm sorry I've taken so long."
She handed him a ten dollar bill. Edward's eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Would you please take Miss
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