Chapter Seventeen #2
For a good few seconds, Abigail thought her ploy had worked, but when her mother turned her face toward her youngest, Abigail knew she was wrong.
She had not the skill at manipulating her mother that Judith and even Sophia possessed, or perhaps worse, Mrs. Fossey was simply too perceptive of Abigail to be convinced.
“Nonsense, child. I hear from Miss Guthrie that one of her nieces is soon to be engaged, and the other is likely to be on the way to Bath soon. Added to which Miss Guthrie informed me of a most pleasing prospect called Mr. O’Sullivan, an Irishman but a gentleman nonetheless.
Most handsome with excellent manners, I hear.
That he has been most interested in you, Abigail.
What a happy occurrence for you, dear.” Their mother looked at Judith.
“Would it not be something to have two of my girls wed this very year?”
“Mr. O’Sullivan is merely a friend,” Abigail said.
Maria was in the parlor with them still, busying herself over fussing with the flowers that required throwing away, but thankfully the cook made no mention of the early morning visitor for which Abigail was most grateful.
Robert’s ‘morning visit’ could have been dismissed by both Judith and Miss Schillers, but there was no chance that Mrs. Fossey would consider it anything less than courting.
Given what Robert had seen in the kitchen, even if she were agreeable there was no certainty he would see her again, let alone propose.
“You must make a call on your friends,” Judith said. “I am certain the town would be pleased to hear of Sophia’s success.”
For a moment, Mrs. Fossey looked delighted at proceeding to her morning calls, with such news, but then she asked a question which Abigail had never considered her mother thinking of.
“And do you think Judy there will be enough for me to journey back to Bath, and oversee the engagement to whichever suitor Sophia chooses?”
Never had Abigail considered that their mother would be aware of costs, or the huge financial burden of spending such a vast amount of time in Bath but then again, no person could look around their home and not see the ongoing fading glories of the house.
What it was costing everyone who remained in Lyme.
The place was so diminished from its former normality, and suddenly Abigail hoped against reason that Robert had not overlong on the state of the house.
“I am certain Mother provided Sophia does not order her dowry from London’s most expensive modistes we can manage a return trip to Bath.”
“Maria, will you help me?” Mrs. Fossey reached out and took the cook’s hand, before the two older women slipped from the parlor.
The two of them started to gossip, the sound of their voices moving down the corridor as they wound their way upstairs, presumably to freshen Mrs. Fossey up before she went out to greet her friends.
“Someone must be using Miss Schillers, relying on her trusting nature, or perhaps they are blackmailing her…as they are using our house to hide bootlegged goods in. I have my suspicions pointed toward Mr. Suchet since he is so wealthy, and always seems to be so smartly dressed. That man reeks of guilt,” Abigail said.
She was watching Judith most closely, waiting to see what her oldest sister would do with this news, but Judith did not respond.
“I found a mountain of contraband this very morning, bottle after smuggled bottle, and who knows what else. Downstairs.”
“Indeed?” Judith’s question was not precisely one of surprise, in fact she seemed remarkably composed for someone who might have committed treason. “I suspect that is not the only thing that occurred under this roof last night that shouldn’t have happened.”
“You mean Robert?” Abigail asked, even though she was certain that was precisely what Judith was alluding to.
When Judith bowed her head, Abigail asked how she had known about Robert, about what had occurred between the two of them.
As she spoke, she realized her sister had only in part guessed at how intimate they had been.
In truth, Judith did not know the reality that now existed between Robert and Abigail.
In haste, Abigail cut herself off, but she had the distinct impression that Judith now knew it all.
“You were never the most discreet of women.”
“Do you think Mother’s circle would know of it?”
“I do not believe they would think you capable of such a foolish act.”
“It’s not foolish—” There were hundreds of delicious words to describe what had happened between herself and Robert, none of which were foolhardy.
“If he won’t marry you, then the only word I can think to use is stupid,” Judith said.
Anger swelled within Abigail. “You do not have a pinch of romance in your entire being.”
“And I never thought you might be so similar to Sophia.”
The barbed comment hurt, but Abigail continued as if it had not struck home. “We were cautious.”
“You would hardly be the first woman to believe that. Has Mr. O’Sullivan spoken of matrimony, given any hint that he would be willing to—?”
“He is highly unlikely given what he witnessed in her kitchen. Maria must have agreed to some harebrained scheme, did she think it would generate some income…”
“Since when have you given any thought to the importance of wealth? You who willing spends shilling after shilling on equipment to endlessly search the ruddy beach—”
“I sell almost everything I find.”
“And do you think it begins to cover the cost of running this household, of sending Sophia to Bath, and to clothe our mother in the latest fashions?”
“Father left you—”
“Yes, he left me in charge, with little education, and no backing from any male relatives. Can you imagine how difficult it has been to be taken seriously by the solicitors, the estate manager, and the local stewards when money is meant to be given to us? Not when they look at what a spendthrift the rest of the women in our family are.”
Shame rushed through Abigail. Not for what had happened between Robert and herself, but for what Judith had endured, seemingly on her own.
“I am sorry,” Abigail said. She wished she knew the right answer to it all.
It was not fair that Judith had been left to fix and manage everything.
Tet who was a better pick than her wise and clever sister?
No wonder Father had chosen Judith. How nice it would be to solve the things that troubled her eldest sister, to soothe Judith.
That had been her intention to continuously seek out creatures along the seafront.
Yes, it meant recognition as a scholar and scientist, but the money that would flow from this would aid their family too.
Yet breaking the law surely meant greater danger for them all, and it seemed madness indeed if Judith could not see this.
“If you know of something to do with the smugglers’ actions, we should do something to help end this—the risk to all of us is too high a price to pay. ”
“Whichever way it plays out there is a price to pay. A cost for it all,” Judith said. She walked to the doorway and beckoned Abigail to follow her. “I thought you knew this already—even Sophia sees it. Whatever path you pick, as a woman you must pay a price.”