Tom had his answer all set. “In a nutshell, I see marriage as a partnership of equals, like a team, but that’s not what I’m dealing with here. She has no faith in me, and that undercuts any faith I might have in myself. I’m no expert on the Bible, but Scripturewise, that doesn’t seem right.”

Cora had jumped in, giving the minister her side. “But we’re not equals. I brought a fortune into this marriage and he didn’t have a dime. I don’t understand why I have to sacrifice half of what I have so he’ll feel like a whole man.”

The minister said, “I understand what you’re saying, Cora, but there has to be a little give here.”

Cora blinked at the man. “Give?”

The minister turned to him. “Tom?”

“I’m not asking for a nickel of her money. All I want is a little help getting on my feet.”

“Why don’t you direct your comments to her?”

“Sure. Of course. I’d be happy to. What I can’t understand is your attitude. It’s not like you earned the money. Loden Galsworthy did that. When you met him, you were clerking in a dry goods store. He was a shrewd businessman. His funeral parlors are a big success, and I admire that about him. Who else would be ghoulish enough to make money off the dead? I’m asking for the chance to show you that I’m just as good or better.”

“Why do you insist on seeing yourself in competition with him?”

“I don’t. I’m not. How can I compete when the man is dead? Cora, I’m not a taker. That’s not my nature. Given half a chance, I can prove it to you. All I need is a stake.”

“Loden didn’t have money handed to him. He earned it all himself.”

“But he was born a man of privilege as you well know. I admit I come from humbler stock. You come from humble stock yourself and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. What I don’t see is why you’d begrudge me the opportunity.”

“What do you call the twenty thousand dollars I loaned you last fall?”

“That wasn’t enough to do me any good. I tried telling you at the time. You might as well have made it twenty dollars instead of twenty thousand. You can’t start a business without capital outlay, especially one like mine. But look at what I’ve accomplished. I got myself up and running and I did it on my own. What I’m talking about now is a little boost.”

“If your business were up and running, you wouldn’t be sitting here trying to browbeat me into giving you more.”

Tom looked at the minister. “Browbeating? Is this browbeating when I’m practically down on my hands and knees?”