by Rose Gordon
“I must be off, too,” Alex said without any preamble, forcefully dropping his arm and causing Lady Olivia to break her hold.
Brooke mumbled an incoherent excuse about needing a nap and ran off, leaving Lady Olivia to find her own entertainment.
Chapter 17
Brooke floated up to her room. She felt like she was higher than a kite she’d seen at the May Day festival just a few weeks before. Nothing could make her come back to Earth at the moment. Not even an impromptu visit made by Liberty couldn’t dash her daydream.
“Where have you been all morning?” Liberty asked in a sharp tone as she burst into Brooke’s room without so much as a knock.
“I went for a tour,” Brooke supplied. Conveniently leaving off who she went with and what exactly the tour consisted of.
“I do hope you enjoyed yourself,” Liberty said icily, making herself comfortable atop Brooke’s bed. “I have suffered the most intolerable morning. Ever.” She put so much emphasis on the last word that she made it sound as if nothing, in the past or future, could possibly compare with whatever calamity she had just gone through.
Liberty’s misfortune, however, did not so much as stir Brooke. Instead, she just smiled and asked, “What could possibly be as bad as that?”
“I do believe I have found the one person in this world that I can honestly say I hate.” The declaration was made with so much conviction that Brooke jumped a little.
“Hate?” Brooke repeated in a questioning tone, her brown eyes narrowing and her brows furrowed. “We’ve all met someone that we dislike. I’ll gladly admit to disliking a whole list of people, but to actually hate someone…” Brooke trailed off and looked to Liberty who was wringing her hands. “Are you certain?”
Liberty nodded.
“Who is it? What did they do? Who else knows? Do you think we need to tell Papa and Mama?”
“No!” Liberty shouted.
“All right, we'll keep this to ourselves,” Brooke said calmly. It must be bad if Liberty didn’t want to tell Mama and Papa. “Why don’t you just tell me what happened and we can figure something out?”
Liberty fidgeted a minute. Then she hmmed and hawed a bit. When Brooke started making irritated rolling hand gestures, Liberty got on with it. “It’s Mr. Grimes. You know, the man Papa's mentoring?”
“Yes, I am acquainted with him,” Brooke said, nodding her head. She was also aware that Mr. Grimes had been Liberty’s dinner companion last night. Brooke knew that the two of them had not enjoyed the other’s company last night, but that was because of such opposite personality types. Liberty liked to talk, blab really; whereas Mr. Grimes was silent, and when he spoke it was brief.
“I know you’re acquainted with him,” Liberty blustered. “The thing is, I was talking to Madison in the drawing room and I thought we were alone. I was embroidering a handkerchief and she was just sitting there. She was daydreaming. You know how she is. She was just staring out the window, and I may have said something to her about it. And, Mr. Grimes was there and he said—”
“Wait,” Brooke clipped, raising her hand to stop Liberty’s endless chatter. Her eyes had narrowed even more and were pinned on Liberty in a way she knew scared the wits out of her younger sisters. “What did you say to Madison?” Her tone was sharp and her stare was deadly.
“Oh, nothing really,” Liberty said, looking everywhere but into Brooke’s eyes. “All right, I’ll tell you. But not because I feel guilty or anything. It’s that stare you’re giving me. Truly, Brooke, it makes me uncomfortable.”
Brooke was pleased to hear that. She enjoyed making her younger sisters uncomfortable and bending them to her will.
Liberty shook her head. “I told her to snap out of it, that it’s not a ladylike behavior to sit around staring like that.”
“Is that all?” Brooke asked quietly. She was starting to feel less sorry for Liberty and her situation, and was rapidly growing sympathy for Madison.
“I might have mentioned a thing or two about her never finding a husband, being an old maid and pursuing more ladylike interests,” Liberty said meekly.
“And all of this was said in front of Mr. Grimes?” Brooke asked, knowing the answer, but desperately hoping that by some small miracle Mr. Grimes hadn't heard the entire conversation.
“Yes,” Liberty said in a small voice. Then as if a strong wind started to blow, Liberty’s attitude and tone changed and she went from meek and humbled to irate and hysterical again. “But that is nothing compared to what he said to me,” she exclaimed.
“Liberty, you’re not looking very good in this story, are you sure you wish to finish it?” Brooke asked weakly. She didn’t know if she even wanted to hear how this was going to end.
“Yes! The things I said to Madison pale in comparison to the beastly things that coxcomb said to me,” Liberty said with a grunt.
“Did you just grunt?” Brooke asked with a grin.
“No, I did not grunt,” Liberty said defensively. “Ladies do not grunt; it’s impolite.”
“You would know, Miss Propriety.” Then just because she couldn’t help but rub Liberty’s nose in her misstep, she said, “But for the record, you’re not really a lady, and you did too grunt. My brain knows what my ears heard.”
Liberty ground her teeth. “Fine. I grunted. I admit it. Now forget about that for a moment or I will add you to my list of people that I hate. There may only be one person on the list now, but I assure you, there’s room for another.”
“Go on. No more interruptions from me,” Brooke said, adding a silent “For now.”
“After I had given my advice to Madison, not too unkindly might I add, that beast had the nerve to clear his throat, which scared us both half out of our wits. When I turned in his direction he said the most hurtful thing.” She sniffled a little and a single tear rolled from each eye.
Brooke couldn’t tell if those were real tears or just theatrics. She was beginning to wonder if she were ever going to hear this “beastly” statement made by Mr. Grimes.
Just when she couldn’t take it much longer, Liberty wiped her eyes and said, “He looked right at me and snapped, ‘Leave her be. You’re well on your way to being an old maid yourself.’ I was so surprised that he said that I couldn’t say anything back. He was so mean to me.” She looked to Brooke for confirmation, but her eyes didn’t quite meet Brooke’s.
“Is that all?” Brooke asked her sister curiously. To her mind this was not exactly a statement that would compel someone to hate another.
“No, that’s not all. If you’d let me finish, I’d tell you the rest,” Liberty snapped. “He then said several statements about how I stick my nose where it does not belong.” Her face turned scarlet with rage, and her voice began wavering. “He was so mean about it! He said I was mean and callous, too. Oh, Brooke, I hate him. I don’t know how Papa can tolerate his presence.”
“Are you sure you do not wish to tell Papa about the awful things Mr. Grimes said to you?” Brooke asked softly, rubbing her hand up and down Liberty’s back to help calm her down.
“No,” Liberty said adamantly.
Brooke wondered why Liberty was so set against telling Papa. If Papa knew what happened between Liberty and Mr. Grimes, surely he’d take Liberty’s side and end all association with Mr. Grimes.
“Not to worry, I won’t say a word,” Brooke falsely assured her sister. Something about the whole situation was off. But before bringing it to Mama and Papa’s attention she needed to get more facts. That meant asking Madison. “Why don’t you go join the others on the lawn. I believe they are playing some sort of game out there. I would like to take a nap before tea.”
Liberty got off Brooke’s bed and left to go join the games on the lawn.
Brooke exited right behind Liberty and went straight into Madison’s room.
“What happened between Liberty and Mr. Grimes?” Brooke demanded without ceremony.
Madison didn’t even take her eyes away from the window. With a sli
ght sigh she said, “That was quick.” The words were spoken as if she had expected someone to seek her out.
“Is it true the horrid things Mr. Grimes said to Liberty?” Brooke asked bluntly, taking a seat next to her sister on the bed.
Madison started to twist some of the fringe on the counterpane between her slender pink tipped fingers. “Yes, he said some wretched things to her. It wasn’t very gentlemanly of him, but who could blame him. She provoked him into it with her blistering set down.”
“Oh, Madison,” Brooke said soothingly, moving closer to wrap her sister in an assuring hug. “I’m so sorry Liberty is so critical of you. She just doesn’t know how else to be.”
“I’m not talking about what she said to me,” Madison said, looking Brooke’s face over curiously. “I should have known,” she muttered after a minute.
“What?” Brooke asked, scooting backward. What should Madison have known?
“She didn’t tell you all of it.” She sighed. “My guess is she only told you the things he said to her about becoming an old maid and being mean, callous, and essentially calling her a busybody. Am I right?”
Brooke nodded.
Madison mumbled a few words Brooke was unable to make out, which was probably for the best. Madison might be the daughter of a minister, but that did not qualify her for sainthood. Not only did Madison delight in hearing gossip, but from time to time a coarse word or two would escape her lips.
“You know of the words she spoke to me, and I’m assuming you heard that when she was done he told her she was on her way to becoming an old maid herself.” At Brooke's nod, she continued, “When he barely had the words out, Liberty jumped up off the settee and yelled back at him, ‘Those are not kind words for a man of God to be speaking. No wonder you had to seek Papa out to help you with your church. You’re probably as ineffective as a minister as you are a conversationalist. I have never had such a boring dinner companion.’ Mr. Grimes made no response; he just bowed and started to leave.
“Liberty wasn’t done though. Oh no, she didn’t want him to get off so easily, she started raging again, ‘If you would be a little more socialable your problems would diminish. If I were the vicar, I wouldn't have near the problems you do. I would have the ballocks to get down to the bottom of the mess and sort it out.’”
Brooke gasped. Her proper sister said a word like ballocks? And she wasn’t there to witness it? Life seemed to be unfair at times. But even to hear Liberty say ballocks she wouldn’t have traded her morning with Andrew.
“That’s when Mr. Grimes accused her of being too involved in other people’s business for her own good. He used me as an example, which I must say was just as uncomfortable as when Liberty pointed out my flaws. That got Liberty’s hackles up further. Either because of the truth of his words or maybe her defense for my feelings, my bet is on the former reason. Either way, she turned to Mr. Grimes again and said, ‘You, sir, are a jacknapes. You have no business calling yourself a gentleman. I hope the problems with your parishners never get solved and you live in the misery they’re causing you forever.’ She took a deep breath and noticed Mr. Grimes was staring at her as if she'd just grown a pair of horns. Then, she let it go again for one final insult, ‘Forget what I just said. I hope your problems multiply and you are removed from your church and have to go find a hole to live out the rest of your days all by yourself.’ Then she gave a sniff to emphasize her distaste for him.”
This was worse than Brooke thought. In a way it seemed silly, but in another way, she knew her very sister well. Liberty never spoke to anyone this way, not even her. “Is this when Mr. Grimes said she was mean and callous?” Brooked asked, not sure if she could take much more.
“Yes, although I do believe he said she was mean-spirited and had a callous heart.” Madison looked surprising unsettled by the whole exchange. “I know I shouldn’t say this, and do not tell Liberty what I’m about to say, but I think she deserved to hear the things he told her. Maybe not from a stranger, but all the same, I don't believe the words were undeserved. She made some very unkind remarks.”
“Yes, she did,” Brooke agreed, thinking of what she was going to say to Papa. This was no little incident that could be swept under the proverbial rug. At some point he was going to find out about it. It might as well be sooner rather than later.
Brooke stood to leave, but when she got to the doorframe she turned back to her sister. “Madison, do you know what sorts of issues Mr. Grimes is dealing with?”
“I've been wondering the same all morning,” Madison confided. “I tried to ask Mama, but she immediately changed the subject.”
“She knows then,” Brooke mused. “I suppose it’s unimportant just. We'll need to find a way to sort this out. I better be on my way.”
***
Paul spent the better part of his morning in a private sitting room staring blankly at an open book. Every time he heard footfalls in the hall he thought it was John coming to put an end to their arrangement. It wasn’t anything less than he deserved for the hateful things he’d said to Liberty, but he still wanted to avoid it if possible.
He thought about the conversation again. It wasn’t that he had intended to be mean to her; but neither was he going to just stand there as she upbraided her sister in such a way. Before he knew what he was doing, the words just poured out. Then it went from bad to worse when she started raging at him. He should have just left, but he hadn’t and now it was time to deal with the consequences.
With a sigh, he stood and left the room to search for the bane of his existence. There was no time like the present to atone for one’s sins.
He walked out of the house and went to the lawn where he saw her sitting in a lounge chair close to where other guests were playing lawn bowls. Her brown hair was neatly pulled into a bun on the top of her head. A few wisps of brown hair falling down beside her face. Her arms were crossed and she was impatiently kicking her feet back and forth. Her face was no more inviting than her posture. Her hazel eyes appeared hard as stone and she was baring her teeth in a way that could pass as a smile or a sneer.
“I have been searching for you,” he said, approaching her from the side. “Would you mind if we talked for a moment?”
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice. “I have nothing to say to you,” Liberty snapped.
“I think you do, it’s just nothing nice,” Paul teased gently. “I wanted to apologize to you. I am entirely to blame for the unfortunate conversation we had this morning. I should have ducked back out of the room when I saw you and your sister were in there alone.”
“We have finally found something about which we both agree,” she replied stiffly.
“Yes, well, the matter is that I did not.” He took a seat next to her, watching the player rolling the bowl. This was harder than he had anticipated it would be. He was trying to apologize, and she wanted to argue more. “I have come to make amends. I said some very harsh things to you, and I shouldn’t have. As a man of integrity and as a man of God, I should have known better. I spoke before thinking and I offer you my heartfelt apologies.”
“Apology not accepted,” Liberty said angrily, watching the profile of his rigid face. “Sir, I understand that you and Papa have some work to do. I shall not be in the way of that. I have no desire to tell him about the events of this morning, and I advise you not to mention it, either. If you do, he shall take my side, because I am his daughter after all, and you will once again be looking for a mentor.”
“Very well,” Paul replied. Coming to his feet, he accepted what she said and decided not to press her. He actually felt better after hearing those last angry words than he might have if she had accepted his apology and agreed to start over. He had no intention of being fast friends with her at this point. But the advice of her father was invaluable, and the thought of losing him as a mentor had been part of what had compelled him to seek her out and do the right thing.
“Why do you need the help of my fathe
r anyhow?” she asked, her tone considerably softer.
“That is a confidential matter.” There was enough going on in his life with the vicious lies, rumors and gossip, he had no intention of adding to it by telling anything to this dreadful young lady. She could ask all day and he still wouldn’t tell her.
Then without so much as a fare-thee-well, Paul vanished.
***
Alex was sitting alone in his library making a list of materials needed for his upcoming experiments when the door opened.
“May I join you?” Andrew asked, taking a seat before receiving an answer.
Alex shrugged.
After the tour this morning, he'd done exactly what he told Andrew he would: he locked himself in the library and read his newest issue of Popular Plants. There was a writer named E. S. Wilson who wrote some of the most fascinating articles for the magazine. For nearly two years Alex had tried to get information about this writer, but the publisher adamantly told him the writer was a recluse that he himself had never met.
He’d finished the article earlier, but was still thinking about it. He made a mental note that he would have to order some new trees in order to do the experiment outlined in the article. Not that he didn’t trust this E. S. Wilson fellow, but he liked to do the same experiments to make sure this unknown writer’s facts were straight.
“Did you have any success convincing Brooke you have no interest in Lady Olivia?” Alex asked after a few minutes. He knew the reason for Andrew’s visit had to do with Brooke. He wasn’t sure just how interested Andrew was, but it only took him thirty seconds of Brooke’s blabbing the night before to surmise she was in love with Andrew. Alex liked both Brooke and Andrew and saw no reason to stop them if they intended to make a match.
