Faithful Unto Death

More Than a Brother

“Yes, sir.” “Don’t let me detain you further.” “Yes, sir.” Roy made his escape. More Than a Brother “good to see you again, Mr. Thacker,” said Mr. Dodge. He’d begun to reach his hand across the table, until he noticed the guard scowling and shaking his head. He pulled it back. Henry appeared not to notice ; his smile was wistful. “Mr. Thacker. I like that. Makes me feel like I’m somebody again.” Mr. Dodge shifted in his chair. “How are they treating you?” Henry glanced at the guard who stood behind him, appearing to study a ›y on the opposite wall. “Can’t complain, no sir, indeed I can’t.” After an uncomfortable pause: “Say, Roy wrote to me about the note. You must be here because of that, aren’t you? Do you suppose it will help the appeal?” “That will depend on a number of circumstances. As I explained to your older children, an appeal will take time, and, unfortunately, quite a bit of money. Now I don’t wish to impoverish your family, but you must know that we in the legal profession have our obligations just like everyone else.” “Surely, surely. I’ve written Ralph about that, told him he was to sell off some of the stock and machinery . . .” “Yes, yes. It’s not the state of your family ‹nances that I’ve come to discuss, primarily, that is, it’s your appeal. Your sister-in-law’s testimony was the most damaging, as you know, albeit many things she said were contradictory and rambling. I believe that we may be able to . . .” “That addle-brained woman! She’s Anna’s only sister and I know I should be more forgiving, I know she’s a sick woman . . .” Mr. Dodge cut him off. “When she took the stand, Miss Spencer mentioned some notes that she felt were owing to herself, or possibly to herself and her brother. She apparently had some business dealings with Mr. Warner, who, you know, led the prosecution of your case. What can you tell me about those notes?” Henry thought a moment. “Mr. Spencer wasn’t a rich man, but he 184 saw to it that all three of his children were provided for. He knew that Brainard, being a minister . . .” “You refer to David Brainard Spencer, your brother-in-law, I believe .” Henry nodded. “Brainard didn’t have any interest in staying in Benzonia , and there was no question about Charlotte’s getting married and keeping the Spencers’ house. Mr. Spencer gave us the house we live in now, as a wedding present.” “I understood he actually gave it to your wife, is that not so?” “Well, yes, to Anna, but really to us, don’t you see, because we were getting married. I never really thought about it’s not being both of ours, until she made such a much, there at the end, about signing it over to me so the children would be sure of having it. Mr. Spencer also gave us a pair of horses when we got married, you know that old gelding Star, he’s outlived the other, Squire, by ‹ve years already. I bought Duchess, that’s the mare that threw that nice little ‹lly, after . . .” The guard sighed, audibly. “Let’s move along,” suggested Mr. Dodge. “Mr. Spencer gave the house to your wife and the horses to you both, and how did he provide for the other two of his children?” “He gave Brainard some money when he married Amelia, and when he became ill and moved in with us . . .” “Brainard Spencer lived with you?” Henry forgot his circumstances for a moment and chuckled at the picture of Brainard and himself, under the same roof again, annoying the dickens out of one another. He shook his head, and returned to his narrative. “I meant Mr. Spencer, Anna’s father. He fell ill and he and his wife moved in with us. This was shortly before Charlotte came back from Turkey. They’d been sending some money to Charlotte right along, whenever she needed some little thing or another. The Spencers sold their house and had a little money, so when Charlotte came back and Mr. Spencer died, he left some of that money to Charlotte.” “And then what happened?” Mr. Dodge could see over Henry’s shoulder that the guard was ready to call an end to the conference. “Quickly now, what about those notes?” “When Charlotte...