All in Good Time (The Gilded Legacy) - By Maureen Lang Page 0,3

wasn’t used to formal office attire. That was likely true, since most of the Denver workforce consisted of former miners, failed fortune seekers, or railroaders. “He asked me to let him know when his appointment arrived, and she has.”

She? Henry wondered what kind of appointment Tobias had with a woman.

“Thank you, Mr. Sprott,” Tobias said. He stood, excused himself from Lionel, and offered a brief glance toward Henry.

Henry watched him leave, seeing nothing more than the back of a slender woman clad in the deepest purple from hem to hat. She followed Mr. Sprott into the smaller office Tobias used, adjacent to Henry’s.

Henry frowned. It was likely the same do-gooder Uncle Tobias had mentioned yesterday, a woman whose application the bank had recently received. She wanted a loan in order to coddle those who’d have been better off back East, where life was unequivocally easier.

If Henry didn’t have Lionel waiting to continue this unnecessary meeting, he’d have followed Tobias into his office and shown the woman to the door.

But Lionel didn’t appear ready to be put off so quickly.

Dessa Caldwell stepped inside the small bank office and raised a gloved hand to check one more time that her hair was still swept up neatly and her hat wasn’t askew. The Lord had chosen her for this task, and she meant to represent Him well.

She looked around the office. One tall, barred window let in ample light, but other than that, the room was rather spartan. It offered a serviceable, solid wood desk scattered with paperwork, as well as a sturdy chair of matching varnish. Two chairs in front of the desk were also wood, stained a similar dark color. A clock and a calendar hung on one wall, but there was nothing to identify this office as belonging to anyone in particular.

At least the bank didn’t waste money on opulence. The exterior of the building itself was impressive enough: three stories high and boasting tall white pillars flanking the doorstep. Inside, the half-dozen busy employees she’d passed presented every indication of a successfully run bank. And the vault—what little she’d seen of it on her way in—was more than intimidating. Surely those were all good signs.

Dessa placed her parasol beneath an arm to adjust one of her gloves. This was only the fourth bank she’d tried for her loan, and she was determined not to let the first refusals dampen her confidence. After all, her inspiration came from something more than just confidence, didn’t it?

“Good afternoon,” greeted a jovial voice behind her.

Dessa turned, automatically mirroring the smile offered to her. The man possessed a mix of gray and brown hair, fair skin, and a round, pleasant face. His size could have landed him a position as bouncer at any one of the disreputable establishments Dessa knew existed on the darker side of town. For some reason that comforted her, even though she’d never once needed a bouncer’s aid or even met such a person.

As he passed her on the way to his desk, he reached out to shake her hand. She accepted without hesitation.

“Mr. Ridgeway?” she asked.

“That’s right. Tobias Ridgeway, at your service. And you’re Miss Caldwell; is that correct? Please, have a seat.”

She did so, leaning forward despite her desire to not appear too eager. There was something immediately inviting about this man, so warm and friendly as he sank into his chair and gave her another smile. Nothing at all like the last bank clerk, who barely gave her a moment’s attention before sending her away. Loan money to a woman! It simply wasn’t done.

In this first instant of facing Mr. Ridgeway she knew he would do no such thing. Pushing caution aside, she let his smile inspire a lighthearted bubble of optimism.

“I see from your application that you would like a loan.” He pulled familiar papers from one of the stacks on top of his desk. She recognized her own handwriting and the many questions she’d been asked about the intentions and risks associated with the loan she had in mind. “Quite a substantial amount. Hmmm.”

“Yes, it is quite a sum, Mr. Ridgeway. As you can see, we’ve tried to foresee every need. But as you’ll also see, I’ve raised a fair amount in donations from churches as well as from the Ladies’ Benevolent Society. Beyond that, once Pierson House opens we intend to sell textile goods. Children’s clothing, linens, quilts, and blankets. Several stores and churches in the area have agreed to help us sell our