Minor Indiscretions by Bárbara Metzger Page A

mean the money donated for the orphans?" Melody had a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach.
    "Oh dear, I thought you knew by now. You see, it started with your Aunt Judith, Miss Morley. She was a spinster lady, you will recall, with no family to speak of except your mother, who was at the time recently married to your father and living in London. Judith had the Oaks with its few acres, and a small competence, and was already responsible for Sir Bartleby's daughter."
    "Felice."
    "Ahem. Sir Bartleby's support included provision for your aunt, naturally, which enabled her to take in another unfortunate, ah, child. Your mother in London, meanwhile, met various ladies who, ah, wished to see such children given a better life than foundling hospitals offered. So, they became sponsors in the new Dower House Home for Children."
    "Do you mean they made charitable gifts?"
    "It was more than that. To sponsor a child, a patron had to pledge to provide for that particular boy or girl through infancy and onward, right up to getting them started in a career or dowered to a respectable marriage. Other times the sums were provided to help the foster parents your Aunt Judith found, families who otherwise could not afford another mouth to feed."
    "How kind of those ladies to make such a commitment."
    Mr. Hadley took out a handkerchief and dabbed at this brow. "Ah, indeed. I helped draw up some of the papers, myself. Now some of the sponsors chose to pay—ah, make their donations—monthly or yearly. Others made one large deposit to the Dower House account. Here is where it gets a bit ticklish."
    That nasty feeling in Melody's stomach was arguing with her breakfast. Aunt Judith was a rigid moralist, who would never have touched the orphans' money. Mama could
not
have, could she? Melody was certain Mr. Hadley did not mean ticklish as in funny, but she had to ask. "How?"
    "You see, it was understood with each contribution that your aunt, then your mother, was to have a share of the financial benefits, for their efforts and attention to the children. When there was a lump sum, an endowment if you will, the interest would accrue to Lady Morley, for her expenses in operating the home, et cetera. Then your father died and left all of those debts, and you and your mother came to live with Lady Morley. Slightly more of the, ah, principles were withdrawn. With Lady Morley's passing, I am afraid your mother became a tad careless with her bookkeeping."
    "As in which was the orphans' money and which was hers?"
    "Something like that. She did feel that by investing the principles she could increase the, ah, profits. As I said, the investments failed. All would still have been well, however, if she had stopped spending, or if the, ah, gifts continued coming."
    "But?" It was strange. Mr. Hadley kept mopping at his forehead as if he were overwarm, while Melody was chilled through.
    "But recently the money has not kept coming. Your mother feels this may be due to certain rumors circulating in the ton."
    "She mentioned the same to me. Do you have any idea what these stories are about?"
    "I do not travel in those circles, of course. If I had to guess, my dear, I'm afraid I would have to say that people think your mother is stealing from the children."
    There, it was said. Melody had refused to put the idea into words, although the notion had niggled at the back of her mind since seeing that ledger. Now she refused to believe it. "No," she firmly declared. "Not my mother. Mama is a lady."
    Isn't she? a tiny voice asked. Melody overruled it and stiffened her already straight back in the hard chair. "We'll come about, you'll see. Mama mentioned that the dowry you hold for me, as trustee, could see us through this temporary setback, so I must ask you to release those monies to me."
    "But, my dear, how will you contract a marriage, then?"
    "I am afraid I am not likely to encounter eligible gentlemen in debtors' prison either, Mr. Hadley."
    "But you are