Wronged (The Cuvier Widows Book 1) by Sylvia McDaniel

he had
questions, she would answer them, but why not let him get used to
some of the truth, rather than giving him more than he was ready
for?
    She should reprove him for fighting, but her
heart wasn’t in it So much had been thrust upon the boy all at
once, not to mention the fact that he grieved for his father.
    “Fighting solves nothing. I won't punish you
this time, but don’t do it again. If your friends start to taunt
you about your father, just walk away. They really aren’t your
friends.”
    A noise drew her attention and she glanced up
from her son. There in the frame of the doorway stood Louis,
watching her with Philip. His face held an odd expression, his eyes
filled with sympathy. For a moment she wondered, how long he'd been
standing there in the doorway? How much had he heard?
    ***
    Louis’s heart wrenched at the sight of
Philip, dusty, beaten, with scraped knees and an eye that was
rapidly swelling. He remembered those days of his own bygone youth,
when he’d tangled with someone in the schoolyard.
    His own boy would have been about the same
age as this boy by now. Quickly he pushed the thought from his
mind. There was no sense in dwelling on the past, especially when
it hurt.
    Marian was staring at him, her look
questioning.
    “They told me Philip came in hurt and I
wanted to make sure he was all right,” Louis said meeting Marian’s
gaze.
    She glanced at her son, whose head was bowed.
“I think he’s going to be fine.”
    The boy looked dejected and angry at the
world. Louis had heard just enough to realize what happened. The
boy had gotten into a fight at school because of his father. Louis
felt the urge to take him and give him some fighting lessons that
would cure the other boys from picking on him. But instinctively he
knew that Marian would not appreciate his efforts.
    “I know your carriage isn’t due until five
o’clock. If you’d like, I can take you and the boy home now, in my
buggy,” he said, wanting to do something to help Marian and the
child.
    Marian contemplated him for several moments
and then glanced at her son. “Thanks, I think that is a good idea,”
she said. “I’ll spend the rest of the day at home with my
children.”
    He nodded his head. “I’ll meet you at the
front door.”
    Less than five minutes later, Louis helped
her and young Philip into his buggy. He climbed in and picked up
the reins. He called to the horses and they were soon on their
way.
    Passing the river docks, a bird flew overhead
squawking a lonesome cry that was barely heard over the cries of
the men yelling to each other as they loaded the boats. The boy sat
between them, quiet and withdrawn. Louis felt sorry for the kid and
wanted to cheer him up.
    “Philip, is this your first black eye?” Louis
asked, trying to make light of the subject.
    “Yes, sir,” he replied, sullenly.
    “Most boys remember who gave them their first
shiner. My brother gave me mine. Of course my father thought we
shouldn’t have been fighting in the first place, and made us clean
the animal bam as punishment”
    “Nasty!” the boy said, with some
interest.
    “Yeah, we hated it” Louis told him.
    “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
asked Marian.
    “I have an older brother,” he replied. “He
runs my family’s plantation.”
    “Why didn’t you stay on the plantation
instead of deciding to go into the shipping business with my
husband?” Marian asked.
    Louis shrugged. “My father and my brother
were doing just fine running the plantation together. There was no
challenge, except in getting along with them. I didn’t want to do
their dirty work. So I took my inheritance and came to New Orleans
to make my fortune. That’s where I met Jean.”
    “You knew my father?” the boy asked.
    “Yes, I was his business partner,” Louis
replied. “Maybe your mother could bring you to the shipping office
sometime and I’ll give you a tour of the place. We could even go
out on one of the boats and see a