Through His Grace (19 page)

Another doll relaxed on the sofa before Lizzie sat back. “Perfect.”

“You did a great job,” Nickels praised her. “Anyone would want to live here.”

“We
did a great job,” Lizzie corrected. “Now we can show Auntie Grace!”

“Wait. I have one more thing.” Nickels pulled a wrapped bundle from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. He waited while she unwound the cotton batting he’d wrapped around his
pièce de résistance
.

“It’s a rocking chair!” Lizzie looked at it in awe. “It’s beautiful.” She sat it down perpendicular to the couch and tested it by pressing gently on the seat. “And it really rocks!” “I should hope so.” Nickels grinned. “It wouldn’t be a proper rocking chair otherwise.”

“Thanks, Mr. Nichols!” Lizzie tackled him in a bear hug. “It’s important for everyone to have a real home.”

“You’re right, Lizzie.” He stroked her hair, his chest aching at the solemnity behind her words.

“Now can we show Auntie Grace?”

“I think so.” Nickels put his finger to his lips when Lizzie opened her mouth wide as though to shout down the stairs. “Let’s get her and bring her up, okay?”

“Okay!” She held his hand and headed down the stairs. “Auntie Grace! You should come see…” Her voice trailed off as she looked from Grace to the strangers at the door. Further down the hallway Jake stood clutching Carl’s hand.

“Ah, Lizzie.” Grace’s smile was strained. “Come and meet your aunt Celine and her husband, Max. They’ve come a long way to see you.”

“We’ve come for the children.” Celine Rockheart’s proclamation made Grace gasp.

“Of course you have.” Nickels stood behind her, his hands bracing her arms. “We’re all here for the children, aren’t we, Carl?”

“That’s what family’s for,” Uncle Carl added. “And Lizzie and Jake just got home from the ranch.” Celine grimaced at his words, but he continued, “So they’ll need to freshen up and change.” With that he herded the children up the stairs.

Grace caught Lizzie’s worried glance and managed a smile.
Are they truly here for the children, Lord? They cant just waltz in here and take Jake and Lizzie!

She waited until the children were upstairs before inviting the Rockhearts into the living room.

Max settled into the overstuffed armchair with a decided air of authority, while Celine perched delicately on the edge of the sofa.

Eric’s hand on the small of her back steered her to the love seat, where he sat down beside her.

“You are Grace Willard?” Celine pursed her lips while she awaited the answer. “Relation to Jim Willard?”

“Yes,” Grace confirmed. “And, pardon me, but what were you saying about the children?”

“We’ve come for them.” Max looked at her as though she’d gone daft. “Lisa was Celine’s sister, and naturally we’re willing to take them on.”

“Provide a proper home,” Celine added in a tone that stirred Grace’s anger.

“Their home is here.” Eric placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“And who might you be?” Max raised a superior brow.

“Eric Nichols. A friend of the family.”

“You have no jurisdiction in this matter.” Celine sniffed. “We were on an anniversary cruise in Europe—unreachable. When we arrived home we had several messages from a Miss McNarty regarding my niece and nephew. Naturally we came here at once.”

“I appreciate your concern and am glad to hear you want to be a part of Lizzie’s and Jake’s lives.” Grace tried to remain calm. “But this is their home.”

“Temporarily.” Celine waved her hand. “And you will, of course, be reimbursed for your trouble.”

“That’s not necessary.” Grace gritted her teeth to keep her anger from spilling out. “I love having them.”

“And I’m sure they’ve enjoyed their adventure in this… quaint little town.” Max flashed a super-white smile her way. “But with us Elizabeth and Jacob will have every advantage.” “Lizzie and Jake,” Grace said firmly, “have endured far too much upheaval in the past five months to even consider taking them from our home.”

“Children are resilient,” Celine informed her. “And they’re all I have left of my sister.”

“Lizzie and Jake are human beings.” Grace saw the muscle work in Eric’s jaw as he spoke. “Not possessions.”

“Of course.” Max looked surprised. “And we’ll see to their every need.”

“They need stability,” Grace countered.

“They’ll have it once they’ve moved to Maine,” Celine said. “With us.”

“No.” Grace stood. It was time to end this dispute. “Here, in Oklahoma, where I have custody.”

“Temporary
custody,” Celine corrected with a gleam in her eyes. “You’ve not been designated their legal guardian.”

What with settling the children in, school starting, helping Uncle Carl move, and dealing with the appendectomy, I haven’t had time for that yet. This couldn’t cost me my family, could it, Lord?

“It’s only a matter of time,” Grace faltered.

“No, I’m afraid it isn’t.” Max Rockheart stood. “We gathered from Miss McNarty that you might prove difficult. We’ve retained a lawyer specializing in family law.”

“A lawyer!” Eric’s angry exclamation chorused with Grace’s.

“If you refuse to see reason”—Celine gestured widely— “then we have no other recourse.”

“There is nothing reasonable,” Eric growled, “about dragging to court the woman who’s made a home for Lizzie and Jake!”

“Well, that’s just it, isn’t it?” Celine smirked. “Grace is a woman. A single woman, trying to raise two orphans all alone and on a limited salary.”

“I’ll manage,” Grace said.

“You’ll manage, will you?” Max dusted a speck of nonexistent dirt from his well-tailored sleeve. “Lawyers’ fees and court costs add up quickly, Grace.” He handed her a business card. “Please call if you reconsider. Otherwise…” His voice drifted off as he walked past her toward the door.

“Our lawyer will be in touch.” Celine breezed by them, closing the front door with a bang.

“No,” Grace whispered. “Please, God, don’t let this happen.” She leaned into Eric’s strong embrace. “How am I going to tell Lizzie and Jake?” The last word barely squeaked out as tears stung her eyes.

“We’ll figure it out, honey.” He held her tight. “One way or another we’ll get through this.”

“They’re asleep.” Grace came downstairs that night looking defeated.

“Good.” Nickels held her hand in his.

“Time for a family meeting.” Carl jerked his thumb toward the dining room.

Grace hesitated for an instant, and the old man chuckled.

“That meant both of you.” He cast a meaningful glance at their clasped hands.

“Right behind you.” Nickels kept a firm grip on Grace when she would’ve pulled away and led her to her seat.

“Now I’m not pressuring you two,” Carl said. “But it’s clear which way the wind blows, if you catch my meaning.”

“I’ve wondered when you’d say something,” Grace admitted.

“I’m no interfering busybody, but now’s not the time to prance around the issue. What’s needed here is a united front.”

“Agreed.” Nickels nodded at Carl.

“Grace, you need his support, and we both know he has a stake in all this. If that weren’t the case I would’ve had you take Lizzie and Jake upstairs, Nickels, instead of my doing it.”

“I appreciate that.” Carl was the patriarch of the Willards— his approval was a step in the right direction. “We need to work together for Lizzie and Jake.”

“I worry about keeping the problem from them,” Grace said. “Just telling them Max and Celine love them and want to make sure they’re taken care of sidesteps the issue.”

“It’s still the truth, albeit a softer version.” Carl planted his chair more firmly. “Frightening Lizzie and Jake by telling them two strangers are trying to steal them from us would only do harm.”

“Especially”—Nickels hurried to point out—“when we’ve only spoken to them once. If it progresses to a legal battle, Lizzie and Jake will need their own representation. Lizzie, at least, is old enough to have a say in the matter.”

“And we all know who she’ll choose.” Carl reached across the table to pat Grace’s hand. “I’ll stand beside you, too, for whatever it’s worth.”

“It’s worth a lot.” Grace smiled at him.

“Good. Now I have an old buddy whose son is a family court lawyer,” Carl explained as headlights flashed through the front windows. “That’ll be him coming now.”

“You called a lawyer already?” Grace seemed astounded.

Her uncle smiled and nodded. “The minute I heard what they were up to.”

“They did, too,” Nickels reminded her as Carl went to open the door. “It’s good sense to be as prepared as possible.” He stood up as Carl ushered in a tall, dignified man with smile lines at the corners of his eyes and a sprinkling of silver at his temples.

“Richard Woodbury.” He extended his hand to Nickels, then Grace, and took a seat.

“Before we take up your time”—Grace lifted her chin—“I’d like to know what your rates are.”

Nickels had barely opened his mouth to tell her he’d help with the cost when Carl waved the question away.

“Already taken care of.” He gestured for them to sit down. “Carl saved my father’s life back in the war,” Richard Woodbury said. “I’m just glad to have the opportunity to repay him. I’m doubly blessed to have such a good cause.”

“Thank you,” Grace managed. “So where do we start?” “According to Carl”—Richard took out a pad of paper and read aloud—“Lisa and Jim Willard passed away just under six months ago. Elizabeth and Jacob Willard have been in your care for approximately twelve weeks now. Is that correct?” He waited for confirmation before continuing. “You would have claimed the children more promptly but were teaching English to Guatemalan orphans over the summer?”

“Yes. There were no phones in the village,” Grace added. “I was unreachable for the first ten weeks.”

Nickels heard the catch in her voice and grasped her hand under the table and squeezed it.

“I can’t think of a better reason.” Richard smiled at her. “On your first day home I’m to understand you contacted their case worker and removed the children from the Lawton Group Home?”

“Of course.” Grace squared her shoulders. “They needed to come home.”

“Your relation to the children is what exactly?” He peered at his notepad, pen poised.

“Second cousin.”

“Hmm.” The lawyer looked up. “And Celine Rockheart is their aunt?”

“I’m afraid so,” Grace admitted.

“Not quite,” Carl broke in. “She was Lisa’s half sister.”

“It’s still a valid blood tie. Some would say a stronger one than Grace claims.” Richard tapped the pen on his paper. “What was her reason for not coming forward until now?”

“A European cruise,” Nickels put in.

“A six-month European cruise?” Their counsel raised his eyebrows. “And they had no way of knowing about Lizzie and Jake during all that time?”

“So they say.” Grace leaned forward. “And when I told them I wouldn’t simply hand the children over, they swept out of here.”

“Didn’t even ask to talk to Lizzie and Jake,” Nickels said. “I ask you, is that the behavior of a couple desperate to care for the children?”

“No,” Richard replied. “Forgive the assumption, but I guess their financial status is somewhat above your own, Miss Willard?”

“No contest.” She took a deep breath.

“But her heart’s bigger than all their bank accounts combined,” Nickels said.

“And that should count. Carl tells me you arranged for new living quarters so he’d be an integral part of the children’s lives?”

“Yes,” Grace said. “They love seeing him.”

“It seems to me the Rockhearts have two advantages in this situation. First, their money. And, second, they offer a two- parent household.” He looked intently from Grace to Nickels.

“We can—” Nickels began.

Grace cut in. “So what are our chances if they take this to court?”

“Even with your child-care background and all you’ve done so far for Lizzie and Jake”—Richard looked solemnly around the table—“you’re in for a fight.”

“Hello?” Grace rubbed her eyes as she answered the phone. Who would call at 3:30 in the morning? Not that it mattered— she’d been tossing and turning all night.

“Hey.” Eric’s voice rumbled over the phone line. “I kind of figured you wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

“You, too?” She leaned against the headboard.

“Listen—what if I came over so we could hash things out?”

“We already went over everything with Richard,” Grace pointed out.

“I’ve been thinking—there are other things to consider.”

“Like what?”

“Like character witnesses. Like hiring an investigator to check into these people.” His voice rose with each word until Grace had to hold the receiver farther away from her ear.

“Is there any reason why we can’t discuss this in the morning?” She yawned.

“It is morning.” He paused. “And I’m already in the driveway.”

“Planned it all out, did you?” She pulled back the covers.

“I did indeed.” He chuckled. “I brought hot chocolate. Meet me on the porch, okay?”

“You had me at ‘chocolate.’” Grace hung up the phone, ran a brush through her tousled hair, slipped into her jeans and knit top, then checked on Jake and Lizzie before stepping outside.