The Fallen Woman #2
“Have your feelings softened toward Mr. Thornton? Is that why you had me tell him about Frederick? I never had any real concern Thornton would turn us in, even if he is a magistrate, but I never had a reason to tell him until you asked.”
“Yes, Papa.” She nodded. “I believe our misunderstandings have disappeared as I have come to know him better. I have come to love him, especially after seeing how kind and loving he has been toward Fanny despite her enormous mistake.”
“Love, eh?” A soft smile appeared on her father’s face.
“I was hoping it would come to that between the two of you. I have always longed to see you settled well and comfortable. But Fanny…will her behavior not cause scandal here? Do you wish to tie yourself so closely to a family that has something like this looming over their heads? What would your aunt say?”
“What do you say, Papa? Aunt Shaw is not my guardian; you are. If it will not offend you, ought I care what my aunt thinks?”
He chuckled. “Your mother said Mrs. Shaw called me a disgrace when I decided to leave the church. It bothered your mother, of course, but not me.” He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“I did what I knew was right in my heart and do not regret it but for the loss of my friendships with the parishioners in Helstone.”
“Friends… Oh, but I did not yet tell you. Bessy has died.”
Silently she walked into his embrace, seeking the comfort only a father’s hug could give. Tears began to flow once again. The next few days would be almost as difficult as the days following her mother’s passing.
“Lucien Picard will be here Thursday,” John told his mother. He folded the letter from his friend and set it on the table next to his chair.
Today was Sunday, his only day free of the constraints of the mill.
They were sitting in the parlor, drinking tea and awaiting the arrival of Margaret and her father.
He had invited them for lunch following church services that morning.
He believed the first bachelor candidate, Scotsman Ewen Stewart, would arrive for Fanny’s inspection soon, and it might be easier to have Margaret there to help push the conversation along should they decide to walk out.
Besides, he was anxious to see Margaret and sought out any excuse to do so.
She looked up from her stitching and met his eyes. “Can the Frenchman speak English?”
John grimaced. “Some. Enough, I think, for Fanny.”
“If she had only behaved as she was instructed…if she had acted like a lady instead of a—”
“Mother.” John cut her off with a warning tone in his voice. “It does no good to continue to reflect on what could have been or what should have been. We must hope she will now be on her best behavior and charm one of them enough to secure him.”
“Secure him!” She snorted. “And what of Miss Hale? That was a surprise, you inviting her to lunch, but I suppose she’s secured you, eh?”
He rolled his eyes at her but grinned nonetheless. “As you well know, she had my heart long ago.”
She clicked her tongue and then asked, “Have you approached her again or spoken with her father?”
“No.” He set aside his cup, leaned his head against the back of the chair, and stretched out his legs. “My attention these past two weeks has been fixed upon finding a comfortable situation for Fanny.”
“But you will?” she prodded.
He turned his head to face her. “Have you apprehensions, Mother?”
“I did,” she admitted. “No longer. She was a true friend to Fanny, despite Fanny’s cruelty to her. I believe she helped your sister because of her love for you. Now that I know she did not behave improperly at the train station, I have no reason not to accept her.”
A knock sounded on the door. A moment later, Jane stepped inside to announce Mr. Ewen Stewart, John’s closest friend from school.
John leaped to his feet and greeted Ewen with a hug.
Many years had passed since he’d last seen his friend, but theirs was a peculiar friendship that continued despite time and distance.
John pulled away, laughing and continuing to shake Ewen’s hand.
Ewen had widened quite a bit around the middle, was still as tall as John remembered, but now, like John, had stray gray hairs in his side whiskers.
“Mother, you remember Ewen?”
“Of course! Welcome, Mr. Stewart.”
She held out her hand, and Ewen quickly grasped it. She turned to address the maid who still stood in the doorway.
“Jane, would you get Fanny, please?”
The doorbell chimed.
“Admit the Hales first, Jane, then fetch Fanny.”
“Yes, madam.” Jane nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“You will now meet Mr. Richard Hale, a man who has kindly taken me on as a student of Greek,” John explained. “His daughter is Margaret. They come from the south, from a village called Helstone.”
“That is quite a distance,” Ewen said. “What brought them here?”
“I will tell you over drinks this evening.” John winked.
As Jane announced the Hales, a shiver of familiar excitement race through John at the thought of seeing Margaret again.
She wore the same dress she’d had on at services that morning.
For the past two weeks following Bessy’s passing, Margaret had worn only black.
Now, she had on a dark-blue gown. A few days earlier, she had admitted to him how sad she still felt at her friend’s death.
He knew her so well. He could see the pain in her expression but doubted anyone else would notice, except her father perhaps.
“Miss Hale, Mr. Hale, may I introduce you to my good friend, Ewen Stewart?”
“How fine to meet you both,” Ewen said jovially. He shook both their hands. “Thornton tells me you are his tutor, Mr. Hale?”
“More than a tutor,” John said. “Mr. Hale is a mentor and, I would like to think, a friend.”
“Indeed.” Mr. Hale smiled. “We could not have asked for better friends upon arriving here than the Thorntons.” Hale looked between John and his mother.
“I can well believe that! And Miss Hale?” Ewen turned his attention to Margaret. “Do you teach, also?”
“No, sir,” she said with a smile. “I keep home for my father.”
Fanny breezed into the room, and all attention shifted to her.
Ewen had met Fanny years earlier when she was barely grown.
John quite looked forward to seeing how she’d react to Ewen now she was a grown woman and, likewise, to learning what Ewen thought of Fanny.
The fact Ewen was willing to meet with her despite the secret she carried from the rest of the world was a testament to his character and proof enough of his friendship for John.
“Miss Thornton,” Ewen said, “it is fine to see you again.”
Fanny being Fanny, she replied, “Although I am told we have met before, sir, I am sorry I do not remember you.” She nodded toward Ewen.
Ewen laughed. He was a good-natured bloke. John could never tire of his company, but he worried Ewen might not be firm enough to keep control of John’s sister. Of course, who was he to judge? John had failed miserably in that endeavor.
“Shall we go in to lunch?” his mother suggested.
Mr. Hale offered his arm, and he and John’s mother led the way.
John allowed Margaret to enter the room ahead of him, leaving Ewen and Fanny to bring up the rear.
The food was already on the table, and they would eat family style, passing bowls and serving themselves.
John raised a brow. He had expected his mother would have ordered a more formal lunch.
“Everything smells wonderful, Mrs. Thornton,” Margaret said.
John pushed in her chair for her, which was located to the right of his.
“Indeed, we are very thankful for your invitation,” Mr. Hale said. “We have only a single maid, Mr. Stewart, and Sunday is her day off. Margaret is quite a fine cook despite not having a great many opportunities to practice the skill, but I am certain she’s pleased to be free of the chore today.”
“Thank you, Papa.” She flushed a rather becoming shade of pink and stared down at her plate.
John settled into his chair. Why had the compliment embarrassed her so? Perhaps the fact she was expected to cook?
The food was passed quietly around the table.
Fanny put much on her plate, while Margaret ate only a little.
John was looking forward to walking out with her that afternoon, chaperoning his sister as Fanny did the same for him.
But what a ridiculous idea… Chaperoning a woman who had already given up her virtue!
“In what occupation are you employed, Mr. Stewart?” Mr. Hale asked.
Ewen wiped his mouth before answering. “I am a barrister. I work with two others in an office and serve the needs of those planning estates and wills.”
“I suppose everyone needs a will,” Fanny said between bites. “It must be quite steady work. And rather…dull?”
Ewen chuckled. “Not at all, Miss Thornton! Steady, yes, as every one of any means ought to have a will, but never dull. I enjoy meeting new people, learning their stories.”
“You are from Glasgow?” Margaret asked.
“Born and raised but for the few years I came south and attended school with Thornton, here.” Ewen clapped John on the shoulder. “We had some good times, did we not?”
“We did.” He grinned. “Although I am not so certain we ought to share tales of those times with my mother present.” He nodded toward her and glanced at Margaret.
She gave him a warm smile, and his heartbeat increased a bit. Ah, the affect she had on him!
“Nothing so bad as that!” Ewen exclaimed. “Just boys being boys.”
The rest of the meal passed peacefully. John spent his time catching conversations between his mother and Mr. Hale and trying to gauge the interest between Fanny and Ewen. Margaret ate silently next him. Was she glad to be there, or had she felt pressured to accept his invitation?