Natasha's Legacy Read Free Page A

warrant a scholarship.”
    “Rose?” Hope questioned.
    “Shh,” she responded, a scowl creasing her
forehead.
    Richard turned and looked toward Hope and
Adam. “Alex’s speaking with Elaine on the telephone,” Richard
informed them.
    “Shh,” Rose grumbled.
    “I disagree.” Alex’s voice was loud. “Our
relationship lacked communication . You
spoke—”
    Hope turned her attention to Adam. “Oh my,”
she whispered, then placed her hands over her mouth.
    “There were many assumptions.” Alex’s voice
rose angrily. “I don’t recall buying a ring, proposing, or
discussing a living arrangement.”
    “I’m a proud sister.” Rose gave a gloating
smile.
    “Agh,” Adam groaned, putting his hands on his
hips.
    Hope stepped toward her daughter, reached for
her arm, and pulled her away from the doorway. “Rose Alisha, we’re
eavesdropping on a private conversation. Your poppa and I will
speak with you in private about this.”
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    Alex opened the door to see his parents
standing with Rose and Richard. My voice got
loud. Too loud. He closed his eyes for a moment. This is silly. What’s done is done. He
opened his eyes and looked at his sister.
    “Rose, your instincts were correct. Elaine
was seeking confirmation of our heritage. I found myself thankful
she was not aware of Momma’s…,” Alex stopped himself and looked
toward Richard. My sister’s beau is aware of Papa
Stewart’s business, but is he aware of their connection to the
Strathroys? Who our nana was?
    Rose shrugged her shoulders when Richard
glanced her way, but not a word was spoken. Not wishing to discuss
it any further, Alex walked into the playroom, avoiding his family.
The second the door closed, a light went off in his head. “What in
heaven’s name was I thinking,” he grumbled quietly. Alex stared at
the ceiling. “I discussed and confirm Papa Stewart’s business?” He
turned around and walked into the lobby.
    Quiet, he heard the hum of voices in the
office. Tapping lightly on the door, he opened it and went in. His
grandfather and Izabella were sitting on the chairs with his father
and mother leaning against the wall, talking.
    “I have made a grave error.” He closed the
door. “I spoke of Papa’s business to Elaine.”
    The room went dead silent, magnifying his
guilty conscience. His stomach did somersaults. The connection
between the orphanage, Papa Stewart’s business, and his nana’s
heritage had been discussed many times over the years, but never
publicly. Alex and Rose had been warned the knowledge of their
heritage would be detrimental to the funding of the orphanage from
public donations.
    Tom was the only person outside the family
who knew Papa Stewart owned a successful business. People would
cease donating and stop adopting children from their business if
the truth was revealed. It would break Alex’s heart if the
orphanage were forced to shut its doors to needy children. It would
break his father’s heart.
    “I don’t believe Elaine will speak of this,”
Izabella responded, breaking the silence. “In the mind of her
family, she wasn’t marrying a man able to support her financially.
Revealing the truth exposes the lack of communication and her lack
of judgment. It would be plain to everyone, Elaine didn’t know the
man she was planning to marry. That would be embarrassing and
beneath her.”
    “That assumes she uses common sense,” his
papa reminded her.
    “With this evening to think and sleep,”
Izabella continued, “I’m confident she will remain silent on the
topic. If Alex and Elaine were to reconcile—”
    “Reconcile?” he questioned, finding the
notion preposterous. “I would be a fool. Elaine isn’t capable of
change. As long as I’m shy, Elaine will attempt to dictate my life.
That will never happen,” Alex assured
them, looking at each member of his family.
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    Two days later, Alex was sitting in the
office at his mother’s desk. Hearing