She said something to a woman holding a child, then reached into her pocket and handed the woman a bent tin can. The two of them spoke briefly, then Lilli turned around and went on her merry way.
He tapped on the carriage roof again. "Stay with her, Benny." When his carriage was directly beside her, he leaned back again and counted to five before he said, "Two hundred."
"No, thank you."
"Five hundred."
She shook her head.
"A thousand."
She ran right into a streetlight, blinked, and stepped back quickly —as if she hadn't done it.
He did smile. "Two thousand."
She spun around.
He couldn't tell if she was stunned or horrified.
"You're serious?"
"Very serious."
"Two thousand dollars?"
"Yes."
She gave him a direct look. "Cash?"
"Yes."
"Now?"
"Yes."
She walked over to the carriage and held out her hand, palm up.
He opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk, then peeled some money from a roll of bills and put them into her hand.
"Count it, please."
"What?"
"You need to count the bills into my hand. Just to make certain it's correct. You wouldn't want to make a mistake."
Irritated, he snatched the money from her and counted out each bill.
"Thank you."
"Get inside." He held the door.
"Wait just a moment." She hurried past him.
"Now," he called out.
She merely waved him away, already halfway back to the alley, and she stopped in front of a child, who looked up at her with eyes too big in a thin and pale face. She put a hundred-dollar bill in his small hand and closed his fingers around it. She then did the same with each person huddled in the alley. Finally she stood in front of the woman with the baby and handed her the rest of the bills. "Merry Christmas. Frohliche Weihnachten."
The immigrants stared shocked at the bills in their hands, then looked up at her as if she were God's own angel. He caught a whisper of a smile on her lips as she spun around and walked back to the carriage. Standing in front of him, she raised her chin. "Okay, Mr. Stewart. I'm ready now."
He thought as he got out, that he wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle her or congratulate her. So he merely stood there, surprised. Again. And he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Silently, he helped her inside, climbed in after her, and closed the door. They sat in the lush confines of his best carriage measuring one another.
Another kind of challenge. S he appeared inordinately proud of herself. He could tell by her expression.
He waited a moment, letting her bask in her victory. Casually, he settling back and looked out the window, then said, "I would have paid more."
"Would you have?" she asked quietly.
"Yes."
"Interesting." She cocked her head and tugged on her glove. "I thought you needed a lesson on how to treat people." She leaned forward, propping an elbow on her knee and her chin on a fist. She looked right into his eyes. "I'll tell you a secret, Mr. D.L. Stewart."
"What?"
"I would have come for nothing."
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers,
For thereby some have entertained angels
unawares. —Hebrews 13:2
Chapter Six
LILLI SAT IN A LARGE LEATHER WING CHAIR in his study and looked at the paintings, the rich mahogany and brass furnishings, the long windows that looked out over the street two stories below, and the snow that was falling again. She looked at everything. Except him.
"Lillian."
She turned.
He wasn't looking at her. He sat at his desk, his chair turned to the side and his gaze fixed elsewhere. He had all the appearances of a man who did indeed have the world at his feet. There was no denying that D.L. Stewart had power. His stance, his manner, his surroundings, even his voice exuded it.
He picked up a gray-marbled fountain pen and tapped one end on the desk blotter, then absently flipped the pen and tapped its other end. "You said something that caught my attention when you were here before."
She didn't say anything. But she did wonder what she could have said that would be of interest to such a powerful man.
He continued, "You claim there are things money can't buy."
"There are."
"I don't agree."
She opened her mouth to say something, but he raised his hand. "Let me finish. I don't agree, but I like challenges."
"I could tell," she whispered.
He gave her a stern look that said he wanted her quiet. She gave him what he wanted.
"I find what you said very intriguing."
"Oh? So what are you saying?"
"I'm giving you the opportunity to prove your point."
"I don't understand."
"You claim that