Thomas was already in his thirties and still unmarried. His parents were in poor health, and he had several younger siblings to support. As the eldest, his own life had been delayed again and again. Opportunities like this didn't come often in a small county like theirs.
The couple before him wasn't just generous. They carried an aura that made people want to follow them. If he missed this chance, he might never get another.
Mary felt satisfied. She needed someone reliable to handle things locally, and Thomas, with his manpower and experience, was a good person to test and use.
They talked for nearly an hour before Ryan returned alone.
"It's done," Ryan said with a relaxed smile. "The shops are ours now."
He handed the contract to Mary. Contracts in the 80s were simple and straightforward, nothing like the complicated documents of later years. What mattered most was ownership. When Mary saw her own name written clearly on it, a warm feeling spread through her chest.
