A-Splendid-Ruin(97)

“In any event, the daughter—you—had been given this inheritance on the condition that she never contact the family, but he said they’d received word that she’d gone to San Francisco, and that they were concerned that she may have perished in the disaster, and—” He waved at the paper in my hand as if he did not wish to say the rest.

I glanced down at the letter, easily finding what he must be referring to. It is a rather substantial amount of money, and if she is dead, we should not like it to be lost, but returned to us, as the original agreement states.

Just as Shin had said. It was impossible not to laugh at my family’s . . . well, I would be generous and call it practicality.

Stephen made a face. “Peter is a good man. I can’t vouch for the rest of his family. I do know they’ve endured their share of scandals over the years, and so . . .”

“And so you agreed to look for me?”

“Yes. It’s been difficult, of course, given the circumstances. Mr. Emerson had learned little. You’d simply disappeared. I did go to speak to your uncle. Knowing as I do of Jonathan Sullivan’s unsavory business dealings, I was reluctant to involve him, but I felt I had no choice by that point. I was disturbed as to how unconcerned he seemed to be about you. He said your name had not appeared on any lists, and so you could not be presumed dead without investigation—”

“Because if I were dead, the money would have to go back,” I said.

“—and when I asked about the money, he told me it was none of my concern and accused me of harassing Goldie and informed me that I would be very sorry if I did not leave them alone. I was suspicious, but I felt I should be cautious before I contacted Peter. I knew so little of what had happened, you see. So many city records burned, and there was the fact of . . . well . . .”

“Blessington,” I said.

“Yes. Blessington.” The play of emotions across his face was wonderful to see. He hid nothing; he would have been easy prey for Goldie, and I was grateful that he had escaped her.

“You wanted to be certain I wasn’t insane.”

“Your uncle had appointed himself your guardian.”

Dante said, “You’ll pardon me, Oelrichs, but why should Miss Kimble trust you—especially as a representative of a family who wishes to have nothing to do with her? Why are you involved at all?”

Oelrichs sighed deeply and sat on the edge of his desk. “I’ve told you. Peter Van Berckyl is a friend.”

“There’s more to it,” Dante noted.

“Let’s just say I feel sorry for anyone attached to the Sullivans.”

“And yet you almost became attached to them yourself.”

Stephen Oelrichs colored and glanced away. “Yes. A momentary madness. Miss Sullivan is quite beautiful. And she can be charming.”

“She said you taught her to gamble,” I informed him. “And then jilted her when she grew to like it.”

He was obviously taken aback. “That’s what she said?”

“She also said that you took every opportunity to shame and humiliate her.”

“Ah. I’m sorry she thinks so.”

“Is there any merit to it?”

His finely arched brows—a perfect foil for Goldie’s, dark where hers were gold, what a perfect couple they would have made—came together in a thoughtful frown. “It was only a matter of time before I realized that your cousin cared little for me, but wished only to move in a—forgive me—better class of society. Also, she needed money. I did not teach her how to gamble, May. She was already very proficient when I met her. I knew she visited China Joe. I have no idea how she became involved with him. He’s no one to toy with, you know.”

I thought of the folder full of IOUs. Shin’s missing finger. That menacing smile. “If you do not . . . Your cousin finds out what happens when I don’t get paid.” I tried to feel nothing. Goldie had set her own fate. That she didn’t realize it should not be my concern.

Oelrichs went on, “Anyway, she wished to marry me, and she was ruthless about how she went about it.”

“Ruthless how?”

Again, he colored. I thought of Goldie’s seductive smiles that had so beguiled me. “Never mind. I think I know.”

He cleared his throat. “Yes, well. When I realized it, I was appalled at my own stupidity. And yes, I’ll admit that there have been times when I have sometimes added to the gossip about her. I was angry, you see.”

“Are you still angry? Is that the reason you’re helping me now?”

“What if I am?”

“Goldie manipulated me to make all of society believe me a lunatic.” I remembered my desperation when I’d realized how they’d used just enough truth that everything I said or did only made things worse. “I thought I’d never be able to make anyone understand, and now here you are, and . . . and maybe I don’t need to explain how easily she made me a fool.”

“No,” Oelrichs said with a smile that was both embarrassed and compassionate. “No, you don’t need to explain.”

“My uncle named himself my guardian the moment my money became available. He killed my aunt when she tried to warn me, and then he blamed me for it. I have a witness to prove it. Now I want my inheritance back, Mr. Oelrichs. I want to clear my name. And I want to punish the Sullivans for what they did to me. Will you help?”