by Merry Farmer
“No, Mama. Not Mr. Mercer.” She sagged against the back of the sofa once more.
“And what is wrong with Mr. Mercer?” her mother asked, blinking rapidly, as though she were offended.
Natalia snorted. “Only everything. He’s such a pill. He dresses like some sort of undertaker. And he wears spectacles.”
“Mr. Mercer comes from an old and distinguished family,” her mother argued. “His clothing is impeccably tailored, and his manners are exquisite.”
“Mama.” Natalia arched one brow, though she was tempted to roll her eyes at her mother. “The man is as dull as dishwater.”
“As if you’ve ever so much as seen dishwater,” her mother muttered.
“And he’s not the least bit interested in company,” Natalia went on, ignoring the jab.
“He’s interested now.”
The uneasy feeling in Natalia’s gut returned, and she sat straight once more.
“I’ve invited him for tea on Friday,” her mother finished.
“Mama, you didn’t.” Genuine fear began to replace Natalia’s incredulity. Her mother couldn’t possibly be playing matchmaker, could she? Not when she knew full well how she felt about Linus.
“I expect you to be on your best behavior and to show Mr. Mercer all the kindness he deserves,” her mother said, seeming to confirm Natalia’s suspicions.
“I love Linus,” Natalia insisted, tilting her chin up stubbornly. “If you invite Mr. Mercer for tea, I will not speak to him.”
“You will,” her mother said with a lopsided grin, “because it is not in your nature to offend company, no matter what you think of them.”
Natalia deflated a bit. Her mother was right. “I love Linus,” she repeated, this time in a softer, more cajoling voice.
Her mother matched her tender tone with compassion of her own. “You cannot marry him, my darling. No matter how much you love him.”
“Bianca married the son of a woman of ill-repute,” Natalia argued.
“Who has made quite a name for himself,” her mother reminded her. “And you know as well as the rest of us, in spite of your age and innocence, that Bianca forced us all into accepting that marriage with her bad behavior.”
Natalia sat straighter. “Are you so determined to keep me away from Dr. Townsend because you fear I’ll take a page from Bianca’s book and force you and Lord Malcolm into letting me marry someone you don’t approve of…that way?” Her sister had ended up with child by her beloved Jack Craig, and their parents had been forced to let the two of them wed, in spite of the fact that Jack had only been a police inspector.
“I wouldn’t put it past you,” her mother said. “I wouldn’t put it past you to fall into a situation like that without knowing what you were getting into.”
“The only reason that would happen is because you continue to insist that everything be kept from me,” Natalia fired back. “You never tell me anything about what’s going on or how things work.”
Her mother sighed. “Natalia, innocence is a beautiful thing. You should be thankful that you’ve been spared so much of the harsh realities of life.”
“What if I don’t want to be spared?” Natalia asked with a scowl. “Do you know why I love Linus so much? Because he doesn’t hide ugly things from me. He tells me the truth about the patients he has treated and the way the world is. He doesn’t force me to be ignorant and call that innocence.”
Her mother pressed her fingertips to her temples. “Good gracious, Natalia. Why must you be so difficult?”
“Because you do not listen to me,” she said. “I love Linus, and I believe he loves me. Why should we not be together?”
“Because you are not of the same class, my dear,” her mother sighed, frustrated. “You lack the experience of a man like that. And you do not understand the sort of life you would live if you ended up married to him.”
“It would be a happy life,” Natalia insisted. “Why are you trying to punish me for Bianca’s sins? She may have behaved scandalously, but she went after the man she loved and won him. I should do the same.”
“Your sister’s life has changed drastically because of her choices,” her mother said, speaking in firm, hard tones. “She is no longer accepted in the highest circles of society. You do not have the same strength that she has. If you want honesty, then there it is.”
“You’re wrong, Mama,” Natalia insisted. “I am stronger than you think I am. I will not be pushed into marriage with the likes of Mr. Phineas Mercer, Esquire simply because you find it more expedient.”
Her mother’s frustration transformed into a tired sigh as she shook her head. “Oh, my darling. I love you so much. I am simply trying with everything I have not to let you get hurt.”
“Perhaps we have different ideas of what might hurt me,” Natalia snapped.
“I believe we do,” her mother said, arching one eyebrow. “Though which of us is right is another story all together.”
“In this instance, the person who is right about what is best for my life is me,” Natalia insisted. She stood, wanting to gain at least a few inches on her mother by doing so. “I will prove it to you, Mama. I will prove to you that Dr. Linus Townsend is absolutely the right man for me, and that he is good and noble and ambitious in every way.”
“I have never said the man isn’t good or noble or ambitious, just that he is not your equal,” her mother said. “But if you think you can make me change my mind, then go right ahead and give it a try.” She rose as well, drawing herself to her full height, which was several inches taller than Natalia. “But if you don’t convince me, you need to be ready to accept your future as Mrs. Mercer.”
“Never,” Natalia said. “Linus is the man for me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to show you that.”
Chapter 2
Linus Townsend was good at two things—one he was proud of, and one, well, that was another story. He was proud of the accomplishments he’d managed to make in the treatment of men who had been disabled in one way or another. All too often, once a man was deemed physically imperfect, he was shunted off to the side of society and treated as an invalid for the rest of his life. It was even worse when the disabled man gave up hope of his life being any different. But Linus believed it didn’t have to be that way. He was determined to stop that sort of thing from happening to Lord Fergus O’Shea, his patient and benefactor.
Which was why he found himself marching through London, heading toward the May Flowers’s political rally in advance of the election, with the crutches he’d made tucked under his arm. Nearly everyone he passed stared at him, but he didn’t mind. He’d been stared at more than enough in his lifetime to make him immune to curious, prying, or even disapproving eyes. At least now he was being stared at for something he was proud of.
“Townsend!”
Linus snapped himself out of his thoughts and searched the area at the sound of his name. He found Lady Henrietta O’Shea’s brother, Lord Frederick Herrington, waving to him from across the street. The man seemed to be heading to the rally in St. James’s Park as well, so Linus waved back, put on a friendly smile, and waited for Lord Herrington to cross the street and meet him before walking on.
“Good morning, Lord Herrington,” Linus greeted the man.
“What on earth are you doing with those crutches?” Lord Herrington asked with a laugh. “You look like you’re up to no good.”
“Your brother-in-law conveniently forgot to take them with him to the rally,” Linus answered with a pointed look.
Lord Herrington smirked. “I’m not certain my brother-in-law is entirely used to his new situation in life yet.”
The comment started out as little more than a friendly jab at Fergus, but Lord Herrington grew somber as he finished, staring at the pavement in front of him, lost in thought. Linus instantly remembered the man wearing the same look at Lord Howsden’s house party earlier in the month. And with that memory, he recalled several other things he’d stumbled upon about Lord Herringto
n and Lord Howsden’s intimate connection.
As soon as the thoughts hit him, he pushed them aside. It was none of his business. None whatsoever. He wasn’t one to judge when it came to falling in love with someone he shouldn’t.
Natalia’s eager smile popped into his mind, making him smile as well. She was one in a million, his Natalia. She was vivacious, curious, and far cleverer than anyone gave her credit for. Not for the first time, Linus found himself scoffing at the ridiculous notion too many people had that young women should be closeted away and treated as fragile art pieces. It wasn’t the way he was raised.
Then again, very few people were raised the way he had been, which was probably best for all.
“I’m sorry,” Lord Herrington spoke suddenly as they crossed the street and made their way onto the paths of St. James’s Park. “It is exceptionally rude of me to walk with you without engaging in conversation. I apologize.”
“Not at all.” Linus shrugged. “I’ve always admired the ability of people to be companionable in silence.”
Lord Herrington laughed. “Not something you find very often in your work with the aristocracy, I’m sure.”
“Some people like to talk more than others,” Linus said judiciously. Though he never minded when Natalia went off on one of her soliloquies. He found them completely charming. Even the memory of them made him smile.
Lord Herrington smiled along with him. “I suppose I can guess who your thoughts have turned to.”
“I think everyone can guess,” Linus answered with a look of honest self-deprecation.
Lord Herrington laughed. “You’ve got your work cut out for you if you plan to make a case for Lady Natalia’s hand. Her parents are—”
“Her parents,” Linus finished when Lord Herrington hesitated.
“That they are,” Lord Herrington agreed jovially, but then his smile grew slightly forced. “I feel I should tell you that they’re advocating hard for Natalia to accept the suit of a Mr. Phineas Mercer.”
A flash of jealousy nearly made Linus trip. “Is that so?” Natalia hadn’t said anything. It hadn’t dawned on him that he might have competition for her hand. That thought brought with it a whole new feeling of urgency. Had he been too complacent in the last few months, simply enjoying Natalia’s company without making a move? Was now the time to press his suit?
“From what I understand, it’s true,” Lord Herrington said with a wince. His smile returned, and he clapped a hand on Linus’s shoulder. “But I don’t think the man stands a chance. I cannot think of anyone more suited for Lady Natalia than you. I may not know you well, but seeing the two of you together at Albany Court was enough to convince me.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Linus nodded to him.
He would have continued the conversation, but a small dais and the crowd gathered around it at the corner of the park caught his attention instead. A man past his middle years, dressed in a plain, black suit, stood on the dais addressing the crowd in a bombastic voice.
“Our God is a god of love, my friends,” the man appealed to the crowd. “And He has bid us to love one another as He has loved us. What good are divisions of politics and class if they keep us from doing as we have been ordered by a loving God?”
Linus stopped and stared at the man, his jaw going loose. Old anger welled within him, but it was secondary to the shock he felt.
“Is it not our duty to come together as a community of loving believers?” the man went on addressing the crowd, many of which, Linus noted, were ladies. As usual. “Is it not our duty to cling to each other, loving and consoling one another with those sacred bonds of spiritual togetherness?”
The women in the crowd hummed and murmured in agreement.
“I hadn’t pegged you as a religious sort,” Lord Herrington commented. He had stopped as well and watched Linus with a curious grin, as if he wasn’t sure whether to make a joke or not.
Linus cleared his throat and shifted Fergus’s crutches in his arms. “I dare say there are several things you may not know about me,” he mumbled. He presented the crutches to Lord Herrington. “Would you do me the favor of taking these on to Lord O’Shea for me?”
Lord Herrington took the crutches, glancing from Linus to the evangelist and back again. “Certainly. Shall I tell him you’ll be along in a minute?”
Linus heard the full question in Lord Herrington’s words. “Yes,” he answered gravely. “This won’t take long.”
The two men exchanged a nod, and Lord Herrington walked on. He spared a final glance over his shoulder for Linus before marching toward the other side of the park, where the May Flowers’s rally was being held.
Linus squared his shoulders, put on a frown, and walked off the path and toward the dais.
“A community of loving, like-minded individuals,” the speaker had gone on. “That is what we need to create. And with your help and generosity, my dear ladies, that is what we can create. But do not open your purses,” he told them, holding out a hand to one woman who must have done just that. “The Lord’s work needs to be done with so much more than money. Money is treasure on earth that lasts but a day. Oh no, what we need is treasure in heaven. We need—”
The man stopped in the middle of his sentence, his mouth open, as he spotted Linus striding quietly toward him. In an instant, his expression went from surprise to worry before charging on to delight. Linus braced himself for what he was sure would come next.
“What an astounding surprise,” the man said, standing straighter and extending his arms toward Linus. “What a blessing. Linus. Come, come here, my boy.”
“I’ll stay right where I am, thank you,” Linus replied, his brow knit in a scowl. “And it’s Dr. Townsend to you.”
The small crowd glanced from the evangelist to Linus, as if waiting for some sort of revelation or a show.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the evangelist went on, only a slight trace of tension in his smile. “May I introduce you to living proof of God’s love and the joys and benefits of a strong and loving community that serves him. Dr. Linus Townsend. My son.”
A few small gasps rose from the crowd. Along with them came the curious stares that he was so used to. He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked past them all to meet his father’s eyes.
“Come up here, son. Come. Tell these fine ladies and gentlemen about the gifts and blessings God bestows on those who join together to worship him,” his father said, beckoning him toward the dais with a smile that had taken on a desperate edge.
“No,” Linus said simply. He nodded to some of the onlookers. “These people are free to live their lives in any way they choose.” Which was more than could have been said for him in his younger years.
“But surely you can tell them how much joy is to be had living in a community of like-minded believers.” His father’s expression was beginning to fill with doubt.
“I don’t think you want me to do that,” Linus said in a quiet voice.
The air practically buzzed with tension. The crowd was suddenly alive, as if they were about to get more of a show than they had bargained for. Linus’s father must have sensed as much. He cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together.
“I will return to speak more later, dear souls,” he said, stepping off the dais. “For now, I must be reunited with my son.”
The onlookers began to disperse as Linus’s father cut through them, heading for Linus. Linus began to think that stopping was a bad idea. He couldn’t remember how many years it had been since he’d laid eyes on his father. However many, it wasn’t enough.
“Why are you here, Father?” Linus asked, crossing his arms as his father came closer.
“Why…er…um…it would seem I’m here to see you, dear boy,” his father fumbled as he rushed closer. “You’re looking so well, Linus. It appears I was wrong and that a medical career suits you after all.”
He reached Linus and embraced him. Linus kept his arms crossed, tensing like a statue, as he endured the hu
g.
“I thought we agreed you would never darken London with your chicanery again,” he said, his jaw stiff.
His father laughed as he took a step back, keeping one hand on Linus’s arm, as though Linus might bolt and he would need to hold him to the spot. “The past is the past, son. Let’s let it stay there.”
Linus arched one brow. “The past is a great deal more than just the past, Father.” He paused, studying the man and finding nothing even close to repentance in his weathered face. “So did you manage to avoid jail-time all together or have you recently been released?”
His father made a scoffing noise, still smiling. “I never went to jail. I’ve never done anything but spread the Lord’s word and His message of love as it should be spread.”
Linus pressed his lips together, bristling with frustration at what was either his father’s lack of remorse or his complete commitment to the lies he loved to spread. “What about the colony?” he asked. “What did you do to the others? Returned them to the bosom of their families, I hope.”
“The members of our community were always free to come and go as they pleased,” his father insisted, standing straighter. “You know that.”
“I know how difficult you made it for me to leave,” Linus said. “And I know that I wasn’t the only one of us who wanted out of your scheme.”
His father made a noncommittal sound, waving away the comment. “It’s all in the past now. And it’s been so long since we last met. I am eager to hear about everything you have accomplished since we last sat down to break bread together.”
Linus sighed, letting his arms drop at last. “I’ve no wish to smile and nod and forget that you made my life nearly impossible, Father,” he said. “I became a doctor, just like I always said I would. And I had to fight every step of the way to do it. That’s all you need to know about me. It’s all you deserve to know. Now, kindly remove yourself from London and stop preying on the generosity of people who don’t know any better.”
He attempted to move on, but, as he’d predicted, his father grabbed his arm and stopped him.
