by Jane Charles
“Oh dear, she is the town’s worst gossip.”
“Don’t worry,” Matthew was quick to assure Miss Cooper. “I doubt anyone will pay attention to her words or anything she has to say for that matter.” And, he truly prayed that was the case.
Grace paused inside the entrance to the house and glanced into the mirror. Goodness, she was a fright. Why hadn’t she bothered to look into a mirror before now? One would think she just rolled out of bed. Even her dress was wrinkled beyond repair. No wonder Mrs. Montgomery was so rude.
She turned away from the mirror. It didn’t matter. Grace’s appearance could have been pristine and that woman would still have found cause to complain. Mrs. Montgomery had never liked her and never would, though Grace could not for the life of her understand. She had never caused the woman harm before, or said an ill word against her. And Audrey, her best friend, was the woman’s daughter. Grace couldn’t credit it and decided it wasn’t worth the effort to worry and understand. She didn’t have the energy to do so right now anyway. Instead, she would check on her father and if he were still sleeping, she would retire to her room and put herself to rights before anyone bothered to visit again.
Vicar Trent closed the door as Grace began to walk down the hall. “I wouldn’t let her upset you.”
Grace stopped and turned to look at him. “I won’t. Besides, you are a vicar. How could anyone think poorly of you? Me perhaps, but never you.” Though she had to admit, he looked as bedraggled as she did. If she had come upon two individuals leaving the barn looking such as they did, she may have very well jumped to a similar conclusion, as ridiculous as it seemed. The idea of Vicar Trent wishing to do whatever people did in privacy with her was absurd.
His shirt was torn from the hens and the once white linen was blood streaked. “Oh dear, your arms. Come with me to the kitchen.”
He held up his hands. “There is no need. I am sure I will heal in no time.” He nodded toward the back of the house. “Go check on your father.”
She gave another glance at his arms. They could wait, but she would tend him. It was the least she could do after he had come to her aid so many times these past few days.
When she entered the room, her father slept soundly, his chest rising and falling with even breaths. Perkins dozed in the corner, chin against his chest. As quietly as possible, Grace picked up the tea service and carried it from the room. She would need to see about some form of sustenance before the day was out and before they all starved.
Vicar Trent was still standing in the entry when she came back down the hall. “How is your father?”
“Resting peacefully.” Grace could feel the smile on her lips. Though she shouldn’t smile, given her father’s grave condition, there were signs that he was on the mend and for that she was relieved.
Vicar Trent followed her into the kitchen and she placed a new pot of water on to heat.
“Please sit, and let me look at your arms.”
He did so, and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. His arms were marred with cuts and scrapes though most of them had stopped bleeding. But it did appear the hens got the better of him. There was brisk knock at the door and Grace straightened and Vicar Trent turned in his seat. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I will be right back.”
It wasn’t far to the front door but Grace prayed it wasn’t another nosey, judgmental neighbor. Had anyone else been with her besides the Vicar, her reputation would be in shreds already. No doubt Mrs. Montgomery wasted no time in going into town and spreading her filthy innuendos to the first person who would listen. But, at least those in town knew her and wouldn’t believe what the woman said since she was with Vicar Trent.
Grace took a deep breath and flung the door open. A sigh escaped when she realized it was his brother, Mr. Trent.
“Good morning, Miss Cooper.” He bowed slightly. “How is your father?”
She stepped back so he could enter. “He has awakened but only long enough to take some tea.”
“That is a good sign, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
Mr. Trent glanced beyond her and started to chuckle. “What, pray tell, happened to you?”
Grace turned to find Vicar Trent standing in the door leading to the dining room. His shirtsleeves rolled up revealing the bloody scratches on his arms.
“Chickens.”
“Hens,” she corrected.
“Do I want to know why or how?” Mr. Trent continued to chuckle and placed his hat on the table just inside the door.
“Vicar Trent was kind enough to help me milk the cows this morning and gather eggs. The hens didn’t particularly care for him.”
“Cows? Hens?” Soon Mr. Trent would be laughing too hard to remain upright and Vicar Trent’s complexion had taken on a lovely rosy hue. What would it be like to have a sibling? For years it had been just she and her father. A younger, or older, brother or sister would have been nice. Then she wouldn’t feel so all alone, especially after her father’s accident.
She moved forward and gently grasped Vicar Trent’s upper arm. “Back to the kitchen.”
He turned easily enough and didn’t pull his arm from her grasp. She could hear Mr. Trent’s boots click across the wood floor as he followed them through the dining room into the kitchen. The tea kettle was whistling when she entered and she moved to take it from the stove and placed three cups on the table.
“Do you take anything in your tea, Mr. Trent?”
He dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “I can pour my own. You should see to my brother.” There was a hint of mischief in his eyes and he bit his lip as if to hide a grin.
Grace placed sugar and milk on the table before rummaging through another cupboard that held bandages and salves. These she placed on the table before wetting a cloth and cleaning Vicar Trent’s arms.
The two men talked as she worked.
“What did Brachton say?” Vicar Trent asked after Mr. Trent placed a cup of tea within reach.
“He will not even give consideration to a hearing or guardianship until after Mr. Cooper recovers enough to tell us what happened, or new evidence is found that can tell us who tried to kill him.”
Grace felt as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Even though she hadn’t given any thought to the upcoming hearing, it apparently had been in the back of her mind, sitting like a rock of worry because as soon as Mr. Trent said there would be no hearing yet it felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted.
“My father isn’t well enough to tell us anything yet,” Grace offered as she smeared a foul smelling salve across the cuts. “Even then he will have to write what he knows.”
Mr. Trent leaned forward and placed his cup on the table. “Do you know of anyone who could have done this?”
She paused in her task and looked at him. “I won’t want to believe his brother would, but who else has anything to gain by my father’s death?”
“Had anyone else been around the area that day, before you came to Brachton’s?” Vicar Trent asked.
Grace picked up the roll of bandage and began to wound it around his arm, going over the day’s events in her mind. “When I left town I passed Mr. Thorn in the woods. I then cut through the yard.” She tied off the end and picked up another roll and began bandaging Vicar Trent’s second arm. “On the road I passed Mr. Richards. He wanted to discuss our potential betrothal.”
“Anyone else?” Vicar Trent prompted.
“No. Uncle left Brachton’s before us and we all saw Mr. Draker.”
“Who did appear to be in a hurry,” Mr. Trent offered.
“But I can’t imagine any of them having anything to gain.” She sank down into a chair and picked up a cup of tea.
“Perhaps when we are more rested something will come to us.” Vicar Trent stood and began to roll down his sleeves.
“You do look like you didn’t get much sleep, brother.” Mr. Trent blew into his tea but Grace could see the grin on his lips. Certainly he didn’t think
something improper happened, did he. His brother was a vicar for heaven’s sake.
“It was a long night. Mr. Cooper didn’t wake until this morning.”
The grin disappeared from Mr. Trent’s face and he became serious.
“I need to return home to clean up.” Vicar Trent looked to his brother. “Could you please stay with Miss Cooper and her father until I return?”
Mr. Trent stood. “Of course. I’ll see that they are protected.”
“Thank you.” He nodded and turned to Grace. “I will return shortly. If anything should happen in the meantime, send Perkins with a message. I would rather my brother remained to watch out for your welfare.”
It was sweet of him to be concerned but Grace knew she would be safe. “I will.”
With a nod Vicar Trent turned and left the room. She could hear his footsteps as he walked toward the front door and outside.
“How are you holding up, Miss Cooper.”
She offered Mr. Trent a slight smile. “Better, now that Father drank tea. But, I will not fully be relieved until he is awake and communicating.”
Mr. Trent helped her gather the salves and bandages and took them from her and placed them in the cabinet just as the front door flung open with enough force to bang against the wall. Mr. Trent reached inside his coat and pulled out a gun. Grace’s heart raced.
“Grace, where are you?” Audrey’s voice called.
“I am in the kitchen.” She moved toward the front of the house as Mr. Trent put the gun back into his pocket and followed her. “And, please, keep your voice down.”
Audrey met her in the dining room. “Oh, you do look horrible. I didn’t want to believe mother, but she was so convincing.”
“Believe her about what?”
Audrey stiffened and narrowed her eyes, looking past Grace’s shoulder. With a none-too-gentle shove, she moved Grace to the side and marched up to Mr. Trent and lifted her arm, hand straight and poised as if to smack him across the face.
“Audrey, what are you doing?” Grace cried out as Mr. Trent grabbed her wrist with the swiftness of a cobra strike to keep her friend from hitting him.
“Haven’t you already done enough damage?” She yelled at Mr. Trent, ignoring Grace.
“I have no idea what you mean,” Mr. Trent drawled, not relinquishing hold of her wrist.
“You know very well what I am referring to,” Audrey practically spit. “You’ve caused the ruin of one young lady and I will not stand by while you ruin my dearest friend.”
Grace stepped forward, ready to intervene. She had no idea what her friend was talking about. “Audrey, what has gotten into you?”
Audrey looked over her shoulder at Grace before jerking her arm out of Mr. Trent’s grasp. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Grace took a step back. “There is certainly something.”
Audrey tucked a stray curl behind her ear then straightened her gown. “I was afraid this would happen when he came to town.”
“He? Mr. Trent?”
“Yes, Mother said he was here all night and it is no secret what a lothario he is.”
“Lothario?” Grace looked past her friend to Mr. Trent who simply shrugged his shoulders. “Mr. Trent was not here last night. In fact he arrived barely an hour ago.”
Audrey tilted her head. “But Mother said that Trent had been here all night and the two of you looked as if you had been …” Her face bloomed a deep red and Audrey bit her bottom lip.
“It wasn’t me,” Mr. Trent answered.
“It was Vicar Trent,” Grace confirmed “Despite how it may have appeared, I can assure you that I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. We are speaking of Vicar Trent, after all. He would never consider the matters that your mother seems to be accusing him of, especially where I am concerned.”
Both Audrey and Mr. Trent looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Was everyone at the brink of madness around here?
“I apologize,” Audrey offered.
“You should also apologize to Mr. Trent.” She had almost slapped the man for no good reason.
Audrey straightened and narrowed her eyes. She didn’t appear as if she was going to make the offer.
“He has done nothing wrong,” Grace insisted.
“Perhaps not to you or here,” Audrey mumbled and turned. “I apologize for reacting in such a hasty manner, and without the facts.”
Mr. Trent rolled back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest. “You do seem to make fast judgments, without knowing the complete truth.”
“I know enough.” Audrey pivoted, putting her back to Mr. Trent once again. She studied Grace from head to foot. “You do really look a fright.”
Grace brought her hand up and tried to smooth her hair. “I should go change and repair my appearance.”
“I’ll put together something for you to eat in the meantime,” Audrey grinned at her.
“We have nothing to cook with.” Actually, that wasn’t the truth. The pantry should be full. She just didn’t know what to do with all the ingredients.
Audrey reached down and picked up a basket. “Our Cook sent this along. She knows as well as I that you can barely make tea.”
Heat stole into Grace’s cheeks. “How would she know we needed food?”
“As soon as Mrs. Thomas announced she would not return and that someone had tried to kill your father, we knew a basket should be prepared before the two of you starved. Mother was supposed to have given it to you earlier.”
A chuckle rose from within in. “Thank you.”
“Now go.” Audrey began shooing her toward the stairs. “When you come back down there will be a meal.” She paused and tilted her head. “I am assuming you have not eaten yet today.”
“Does a cup of tea qualify?”
“No,” Mr. Trent answered.
“You should go into the parlor and wait for your brother.” Audrey tilted her chin, nose in the air and marched past Mr. Trent.
Grace turned to drag herself up the stairs, exhaustion seeping into her bones. .
Matthew stood in his office, staring down at this desk and half completed sermon. It needed to be finished and memorized by Sunday but how could he do that if he was with Miss Cooper. He should stay home, write more and then go visit to see how she fared. But, he couldn’t do that either. Someone had tried to murder Mr. Cooper and he should not leave her alone. What if the assailant came back to make sure Mr. Cooper died and decided to harm Miss Cooper as well? It didn’t matter that Jordan was there, Matthew knew he should be with her. Besides, if Miss Cooper needed comfort from the strain of her father’s injuries, he wanted to be the one to hold her and not Jordan.
The thought of Grace in Jordan’s arms, her head on his shoulder while his hands pressed against her back urged Matthew to hurry. He gathered up the sermon, more foolscap, quills, bottle of ink, Bible and a few referenced books that he shoved into a satchel. He could just as easily work on his sermon at the Cooper household as he could in the vicarage and then he would be there in the event Grace needed him and Jordan would be free to do what he wished, away from the Cooper home.
Instead of going directly to the Cooper household however, Matthew stopped off in town to visit a few shops where he purchased bread, biscuits and other foods that would serve the family until a cook could be found. After the way Mrs. Thomas left yesterday he was certain she would not wish to return, no matter how much he offered and Matthew knew Grace was not in a position to pay further wages. When the crisis had passed, he would see about finding a new cook for Grace, if she did not hire someone.
It didn’t take long for Jordan to answer the door after Matt’s brisk knock. He entered and carried the basket into the kitchen where he placed it on the table. There was already food warming on the stove.
“Good afternoon, Vicar Trent?” He turned to find Miss Montgomery enter the kitchen. “I can see you brought food as well.”
He didn’t bother to respond to the obvious. “It was kind of you to assis
t the family.”
“Grace is my dearest friend.” Miss Montgomery moved about the table putting items away. “I think I should warn you.”
Matthew stopped putting bread in the pantry and looked at Miss Montgomery.
“My mother has spread a few rumors.”
Matthew clenched his jaw and fought the urge not to yell. It wasn’t Miss Montgomery who was set on causing problems but her mother.
“She never specified which Trent, however, and I assumed it was your brother who had stayed the night here.”
“Why would you assume it was he?”
Her face colored slightly. “After Mother’s description and knowing your brother’s reputation, I assumed.”
“You assumed incorrectly.” He didn’t mean to sound harsh but if the citizens in this community began thinking Jordan had been here, Grace would be ruined and the only thing to salvage her reputation would be for her and Jordan to marry. He would be turning cold in his grave before he allowed that to happen.
Miss Montgomery gazed at the floor. “I apologized.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“I am sorry. I am sure you have.”
She looked back up at him. “I think I should also leave, now that you are here to watch over Grace, and go into town so those who heard mother’s gossip, and believe the worst, know the truth.”
“Thank you.” At least Miss Montgomery was more reasonable than her mother and hopefully the parishioners thought so as well.
“I am sure hardly any damage could be caused since it was you who was here instead.”
“Her father was on the brink of death and I was only offering my support in the event…”
Miss Montgomery began to laugh, which further insulted him.
“I can assure you, Vicar Trent, those in the community will understand. However, there are a handful that are as narrow-minded as my mother and it won’t matter a whit what your vocation happens to be.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“Unfortunately it is true, so I must run along before mother causes much more trouble.”
“Come with me.” Matthew startled at the sound of his brother’s voice and followed him out the kitchen door and around the corner of the house. They stopped just short of the windows to the parlor and Jordan pointed inside.
