Page 37 of The Widower Without a Will
They gathered in the garden drawing room.Martha was grateful; the last time she and Lord Preston had shared that space was on her first afternoon there, when they had been awkward and polite with each other.She pretended she was still that woman—a stranger to the Prestons, worried most of all about never finding a home among her family—as Lord Preston took a straight-backed chair at one end of the seating arrangement, his gaze not quite meeting Martha’s.Among company he always grew stiff like this, and with Caroline especially they needed to be careful.
Over rose hip tisane, Caroline laid out her ideas for the assembly.There would be a spread of food provided by different households, music played by the musicians of Northfield Hall, and dancing called by Mr.Griswick.
“It all sounds very nice, but I would be happy to host it here.Are you quite sure the school building will do?”Lord Preston said as Caroline drew to a close.
“The people of Thatcham don’t like coming all the way out here for an assembly.Not enough of them have carriages to make it convenient.”
“And we have enough carriages for everyone from Northfield Hall to drive into Thatcham?”
Caroline set her lips in determination.“You may have your own celebration at Northfield Hall if you like, Papa, but Aunt Croft wants this party to be in Thatcham, where Uncle Maulvilived, instead of here, where heworked.”
Martha watched these words injure Lord Preston.His eyes dropped and his jaw worked, as if words were leaping to his tongue and he had to fight to keep them from getting out.She intervened: “It is beautiful that Mr.Maulvi belonged to two such rich communities.He was beloved by so many.”
“Yes.”Lord Preston looked at her with gratitude.“Well said, Mrs.Bellamy.”
“Would you like to open the first set of dancing with Aunt Croft?”Caroline asked.
“She means to dance?”Lord Preston said sharply.
“She is the hostess.She wants to dance the opening set.It would be well done of you to dance with her.”
They were approaching their customary bickering.Lord Preston said with an obvious attempt to calm the fire: “Of course I will dance with her.I am merely surprised she means to dance a month into mourning.”
“People do all sorts of things while mourning,” Caroline replied, and her eyes landed on Martha.
As if accused of some sin, Martha felt her cheeks heat, the absolute worst thing for them to do.She straightened in her seat like the rector’s wife she had been for forty years and absolutely didnotlook at Lord Preston.“Mrs.Croft is a woman who follows her own compass.It is one of the things I admire about her.”
“Indeed.And will you dance, Mrs.Bellamy?”asked Caroline.
Martha wondered what answer would bring an end to the interrogation.“I am a little old for dancing, I think.”
“Nonsense.You are no older than Papa or Aunt Croft, and as we established,theywill be dancing.”
The girl was insatiable.Martha placated her: “Then, although I have never been very good at it, if someone asks, of course I shall accept.”
Caroline smiled for only the briefest of moments.“However, Papa, I do not thinkyoushould ask Mrs.Bellamy.I’m afraid there is speculation in Thatcham about the nature of your relationship, and I should hate for more gossip to spread at Mr.Maulvi’s memorial of all places.”
Martha did not dare look at Lord Preston as a bolt of fear spiked down her spine.
It was one thing for Caroline to make her insinuations.It was another for her to name the gossip aloud.
Lord Preston sputtered: “I do not know what you are implying, Caroline, but I find your words offensive to both my character and Mrs.Bellamy’s.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs.Bellamy.I have the greatest respect for you.I speak only to protect you, not to shock you.”
Martha forced herself to look at the girl.She was so young, dewy and brimming with the life growing inside her.Of course she meant no harm to Martha.
It was her father she wanted to injure.
Caroline wanted to see a shocked, offended widow.But Martha was a rector’s wife, who had seen and survived her own share of scandals.She made an honest reply: “I am no stranger to the world.I suspect such rumors were inevitable the moment I accepted the invitation to stay here.Still, I thank you for your care.”
Caroline at last ducked her chin, the bluster that had allowed her to say such daring things disappearing.Martha was about to change the subject when Lord Preston said, “I’m sure such talk will disappear when Mrs.Bellamy moves to her niece’s.”
He did not look at her.Did that mean that he said it as a lie, knowing as Martha did that she still hadn’t heard from Georgina?
Or did he want her to move on to clear his name from scandal?
“Yes,” Martha agreed, because she would play along for him and him alone.“Perhaps I will even be gone before the date of the assembly.”
