To Love and Honor (19 page)

“Riches can't provide what I want in a husband. Believe me, I've stopped looking back to the past. I want you. Are you trying to squirm out of marrying me?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

“No, but I wanted to give you one last opportunity to back out before I gave you this.” He pulled a jeweler's box from his pocket. He removed a diamond ring and placed it on the third finger of her left hand.

“Are you willing to accept this ring, remembering that you have to take me in the bargain?”

Violet caught her breath and held it momentarily as she looked down at the cluster of small diamonds, which probably didn't total a carat, but even at that, was more expensive than Roger may have been able to afford. For a fleeting moment, she compared it to the ornate, multidiamonded ring that Josiah had made her wear at the reception, and it was an unfavorable comparison on the part of the Conley heirloom. The small ring that Roger offered her spelled freedom—freedom to be her own person, freedom to love Roger and rear their children as they wanted, freedom to worship God and to serve Him in the environment of a Christian home. On the other hand, she envisioned the expensive Conley ring as a collar that would enslave her and make her a bondwoman to her grandfather's whims. Her decision didn't take a second thought.

“I want to marry you now,” she said, “but I suppose we should hold to our original plans. At least, let's announce it in the paper, so everyone will be aware.”

He kissed her as she moved closer into the shelter of his arms. She perceived that their life's journey would not be without its problems and frustrations, but
in Roger she had found the support she needed to weather the storms.

“Why not? There isn't any need to keep our engagement secret. After all, we're being married in two months.”

T
he telephone was ringing when Violet entered the kitchen, her arms filled with two bags of groceries. She hurriedly deposited the bags on the sink counter and snatched the receiver just before the answering machine took over.

“My name is Clifford Skeen. I'm trying to contact a Violet Conley, who is the teacher of Janie Skeen.”

“This is Violet Conley, and Janie Skeen is a pupil in one of my classes.”

“My wife and I are in Maitland, and if you have time, we would like to stop by for a short visit with you to get some information about Janie. I understand you're a friend of hers.”

“Please do, I'd like very much to see you,” Violet said and gave him directions to her house from the motel where he was staying. Violet's heart was alternately pounding and singing as she hurriedly stored the groceries in the proper places. Could this be the answer to Janie's future? She picked up newspapers and other items from the living room. Saturday was
not only grocery day, but cleaning day as well, and she sometimes became careless in her housekeeping near the end of the week.

She was watching at the window when the white sedan drove into her driveway. A tall, lanky man with a full black beard came around the car and opened the passenger side door for his wife. When they entered the house, Clifford Skeen shook hands with Violet.

“Miss Conley, this is my wife, Alta.”

Alta Skeen, who appeared to be at least ten years younger than her husband, was not a beautiful woman, but she had dark green expressive eyes that impressed Violet with their wisdom and kindness. She stood shoulder to shoulder with her tall husband, and although she exhibited a quiet manner, Violet wondered if Alta was not the driving force in their marriage, if it was she who had made this union more successful than the one Clifford Skeen had apparently had with his first wife.

When they were seated in the living room, Skeen cleared his throat. “Miss Conley,” he said, “I'll come to the point of my visit. I have reason to believe that Janie Skeen is my daughter.”

Violet smiled. “I hope that you are. Janie needs a real family.”

“Where is Janie's mother?'

“She doesn't have any idea. It seems her mother disappeared, and when the state social agency couldn't find her, they placed Janie in a foster home.”

Clifford Skeen shook his head in disgust. “To think that a child of mine would have to live under such conditions. If her mother didn't want the child, there are a half dozen people in our respective families who would have wanted her. I didn't remarry for several
years, so I couldn't have cared for her, but my mother would have taken her gladly.”

Alta spoke for the first time. “You see, Miss Conley, we aren't able to have a child, although it's important to both of us. We were applying to adopt when we heard from a sister of Clifford's first wife that he had a child. We had a younger child in mind, but we decided that if Janie was Clifford's child, we wanted to give her a good home if she needed one. Clifford wanted to have a relationship with her no matter what. We finally traced her here, to Maitland.”

“My first wife's family is very similar to mine—small-town folks,” Clifford said. “As far as I know, Janie's mother is the only one that doesn't live a respectable life. When we were married, I didn't know that Pat had a problem with alcohol, and I tried to help her overcome it, but she couldn't seem to. She left me, and after two years when she didn't return, I got a divorce on the basis of desertion, but I had no idea there was a child. Alta and I have talked it over since then and prayed for guidance, and we want to take her, if we can be convinced that she is my daughter.”

Briefly Violet explained about Janie's flight from her mother, how she had lived on the streets for six months before she had been found and brought to Maitland.

“Do you know when she was born?” Skeen asked.

“I can check the exact date on the school records, but I believe that she was born on May 26, sixteen years ago.”

Clifford thought for a few moments. “Then she could be my daughter, for it was about six months before that when my wife deserted me, so we were still living together when Janie was conceived. All
things considered, I suppose I would prefer that she take a DNA test to prove that I am her biological father. Do you think she would submit to such a test? Do you think Janie would want to live with us?”

“Janie is the only one who can answer those questions, although I do know she wants the security of a home. She's content with Mrs. Grady, but she worries about having to leave there and go to another foster mother.”

“Would you talk to Janie for us? Or perhaps you could invite her over here and we could talk to her now.”

“Nothing would please me more than to have you take Janie, but I wonder if you shouldn't move in a different direction. She's a ward of the state right now, and I believe you should work through the agency that handles her case. If her mother is still living, that will complicate the situation. Perhaps you should hire a lawyer to contact them for you.”

“Yes,” Alta agreed, “I can see that is the best procedure, for if we don't handle this legally and wisely, we could ruin our chances to take Janie into our home, but I would like to see her. We are both overanxious, I suppose,” she admitted with a smile. “I think I was born to be a mother, and I've often wondered why God hasn't sent us a child. When I learned about Janie, I hoped that He had withheld a baby from us so that we would be ready to take Clifford's daughter.”

Hearing these words from Alta encouraged Violet, because after the spiritual climate Janie had enjoyed in Mrs. Grady's home, it would have been difficult to see her thrust into a non-Christian atmosphere.

“Be assured that I will do anything I can to help you,” Violet told them, “but Janie shouldn't have her
hopes raised until you know how to proceed.” Rising, she said, “If you'll excuse me, I think I have a picture of Janie.” She went into the dining room and extracted an album from her desk. She opened it and handed it to the Skeens. “I took that picture of Janie beside her Social Studies exhibit when we were in Springfield a few months ago. It's a good likeness of her.”

“She's a pretty girl,” Alta said.

“Yes, she is. She was very thin when she enrolled in our school, but she's filled out quite a lot under Mrs. Grady's care. I'm very fond of her.”

“Yes, we can tell that, and it goes a long way in making me believe that we could make her happy.”

“You've been a big help to us, Miss Conley,” Clifford Skeen said as he stood to leave. “I'm pleased Janie has found such a good teacher and friend.”

“She's a lovely girl—it's easy to love a girl like Janie.”

 

Three weeks passed, and when Violet didn't have another call from her grandfather, she rested more easily, believing that he had given up on her. Apparently the letter from William O'Brien had convinced Josiah that Violet would not come to live with him. She did feel sorry for the man, that now with the end of his long life in sight, he had no family to share his wealth. He had lived for worldly gain, and in the end it would profit him little. When she thought along this line, she was so relieved that she and Roger had made the choice to live on a modest income, rather than to enjoy “the pleasures of sin for a season,” as the biblical writer had stated.

At the school, some of her popularity had dimmed, but when the announcement of her engagement to
Roger was made public, her students looked at her slyly, and especially in the class where Misty was a student, they made cute remarks about her upcoming marriage.

Up until that time, Larry had continued to be friendly, although he had not asked her for another date. When the announcement appeared in the paper, he stopped by the classroom during her preparation period.

“So, you're going through with your marriage to Gibson?” he said.

“Of course. I told you—did you think I was joking?”

“I didn't give it much thought, but I think you can do a lot better. I can offer you a lot more than he ever will.”

“That's a matter of opinion—opinions about what traits I value in the man I marry, but that's beside the point. Perhaps I have a short memory,” Violet said, “but I can't remember that I've ever had a proposal from you.”

Larry's face flushed. “I had planned to ask you to marry me about the time your mother came to live here.”

“And you abandoned me at a time when I needed comfort the most! That was when I learned how much I loved Roger—he was my main support during those three months, and I realized he was the kind of man with whom I wanted to share my life.”

“But what about your grandfather's wealth? You will need someone to handle your share in his estate. Gibson can't do that.”

Staring at him with incredulous eyes, Violet said, “Larry, if you are taking this interest in me because
you think I'm going to inherit from my grandfather, let me set the record straight. I have repudiated my grandfather—I want nothing to do with the Conley millions.”

“What's going to happen to his fortune? As I understand, you're his only heir.”

Violet shrugged her shoulders. “I believe he mentioned donating to charity, but it doesn't matter to me. All I want is for him to continue to ignore me as he has all of my life.”

But if Violet wasn't interested in the Conley wealth, she soon learned that others were. Only a week after her frank discussion with Larry, one evening she received a telephone call from Olivia Holland.

“Violet,” Mrs. Holland said in her most persuasive tone, “I learned that your grandfather is coming to Saint Louis on a business trip next Thursday, and I invited him to come here to our home for dinner, and afterward to be honored at a reception at the country club, to which I've asked influential people in this section of the state. I want you to be our guest for dinner, and then to stand in the receiving line at the country club.”

“Thank you,” Violet replied, “but I have another engagement that night.” She was going with Roger and his youth group to his farm for a hayride and a wiener roast. “But even if I weren't already committed, I wouldn't accept your invitation—my grandfather and I aren't on good terms and never have been.”

Olivia's voice hardened. “I always considered you an intelligent woman.”

“I still consider myself intelligent,” Violet said calmly, although her heart was pounding like a jack-hammer. “And I prefer not to discuss this subject any
more. Thank you for the invitation, but I must decline.” She gently replaced the receiver, wondering if anyone else had ever been nervy enough to hang up on Olivia Holland.

And Violet hadn't done it without some trepidation. The Hollands were powerful in this state—powerful enough that they could exert pressure to cause Roger to lose his job, and certainly Larry could make her school employment difficult or nonexistent. She had already considered asking for a transfer, for it was becoming more difficult for her to concentrate on her work when relations were strained between her and Larry.

When she saw Roger, she shared her fears about Olivia interfering in their lives.

“She undoubtedly will,” he conceded, “so we should be prepared for it. But with my training, I can go anywhere and find a job, and good teachers are always in demand.”

“Would you mind leaving Maitland?”

“Yes, of course, but I would do that gladly rather than for either of us to kowtow to the Holland factions to keep our jobs. It might be better for us to start our lives over in a new environment anyway. I really don't think it's fair to you to move you into a house I occupied with my first wife. I've wondered if I shouldn't sell that house and buy another.”

“I'm not concerned about it, and Jason and Misty might object.”

“I wouldn't do it without discussing the matter with them, but they might prefer to move, too. I don't want you to ever feel that you're in second place. I loved my wife, but it's over. God has given you to me, and I love you for yourself. It will be a new life for me.”

“Then you're saying it doesn't matter if we do lose our jobs.”

“I wouldn't like it because a dismissal would not be good for my record, but I
do
have a good record and several years of seniority. I frankly doubt that the Hollands can touch me, but I'm saying that if we have to choose between our employment and standing up for what we believe is right, we can risk the jobs.”

“It's no wonder I love you so much, Roger. A lifetime with you is going to be a pleasure.”

 

So while Olivia Holland entertained Josiah B. Conley and made the headlines of the
Maitland News,
Violet, bundled in a heavy coat and jeans, acted as chaperon to a score of teenagers as the tractor jostled the loaded wagon over the uneven road to a secluded area on the creek bank where a bonfire was built. Until the flames died down, the group sang campfire songs, and then roasted their hotdogs over the glowing coals. More than once, Roger's eyes intercepted Violet's, and he nodded encouragingly. She realized that his mind also was on that other meeting and what repercussions it might have for them. Once he paused by her side, and whispered, “If God is on our side, what can man do to us? Compared to the power of God, the combined forces of Josiah Conley and Olivia Holland are feeble.”

Violet was pleased to see that the church youth had dropped many of their reservations about Janie's past, and she was reacting to their friendship as a rose would blossom in the rays of the sun. She strongly suspected that one of the boys had developed a romantic interest in Janie.

When Violet wandered away from the campfire, so
she could look up at the numerous stars in the darkness, Janie followed her.

“Miss Conley, I've had some news that could be bad, but I'm hoping for the best. Mrs. Grady has learned from the social agency that someone is asking questions about me and I'm hoping it's my father.”