Page 85 of Harpy of the Ton
Was I once as happy as Sophie is now?
“Bella?”
A large hand enveloped hers.
“What did you say?” he asked.
She let out a sigh. “I was only wondering whether I was as happy on our wedding day as Sophie is now.”
His eyes flared, and the guilt in them thickened. The children shifted in their seats, and three heads turned in their direction, watching their father, as if they feared his response.
“Weddings are happy occasions,” he said. “Mine was no different.”
Mine?Why did he respond in such a manner?
Had he been forced to marry her? Perhaps because…
Sweet Lord—had their wedding been out of necessity, like countless marriages where a woman ruined herself to catch aman, and the man was threatened into matrimony at the muzzle of a pistol?
She glanced about the church. Was that why they thought her a hussy?
The ceremony over, Bella rose and took her husband’s proffered arm as they filed out of the church, the children in tow.
“May we explore the churchyard, Mama?” Roberta asked.
“No, Roberta,” Bella’s husband said. “It’s not done to clamber over gravestones. It’s disrespectful to the dead.”
“The dead won’t care,” Jonathan said. “They’re too busy being eaten by worms.”
“Would a worm eatyouif I stuffed it down your shirt?” William asked.
“Children!” Bella cried. “Leave the churchyard be. Why don’t you go and speak to Thomas? He’s all alone with his mother. Perhaps he needs a friend.”
“Don’t like Thomas,” Willian said. “He pushed me at school yesterday.”
“You pushed him back twice as hard, Billy,” Roberta said.
Bella sighed. “Then it’s time to make up and be friends again.”
“Hestarted it.”
“That doesn’t matter,” she said.
“Why?” Jonathan asked.
“Because it’s lonely not having any friends. Perhaps Thomas pushed your brother because he was unhappy, and it was the only way he could show how unhappy he is.”
“Why didn’t he just tell us?” William asked.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to tell others how we feel,” Bella said. “We can only talk to people we love and trust—and who love and trust us in turn. If Thomas behaves badly, we should try to understand why. Perhaps he’s hurting.”
“Like when I fell out of the tree and hurt my leg?” Roberta asked.
“No, Bobby,” Bella said. She placed her hand over her heart. “Perhaps he’s hurtinghere. Just because we can’t see where he hurts, it doesn’t mean he’s not in pain.”
A small hand took hers, and she looked down to see Jonathan staring up at her.
“Areyouin pain, Mama?”
