The Courtship of the Vicar's Daughter (66 page)

“How silly of me, Thurmond! I’ve left out the most exciting part.”

“You have?”

“The school would be named The Thurmond Bartley School of Advanced Learning,” she replied, clasping her hands together rapturously. “With an elegant signboard, of course, attached to the one that says
Gresham Town Hall
.” She reckoned she would end up feeling compelled to pay for that herself, but if the children would benefit from it, she would forever have the satisfaction of a wise investment.

It was clear to see from the slight shift forward in his chair that he was interested, but there was also a curious narrowing of his eyes—almost a cagey look directed at her. “I’ve a better idea.”

An unsettling awareness of having lost control of the situation almost put her at a loss for words. “You have, Thurmond?”

“Yes.” Slowly, a smile spread across his face. “I would prefer the sign read The Octavia Bartley School for Advanced Learning.”

Mrs. Kingston had been expecting a proposal of marriage for weeks but still suffered a jolt when the time actually arrived. With her better instinct still demanding coyness, she affected an expression of incomprehension. “Thurmond … are you suggesting we become associates in sponsoring the school? Because I must tell you that while I have at my disposal considerable funds, this is a project that will need to continue indefinitely. I don’t know if—”

He shook his bald head. “Octavia. Will you force me to get down on my aged knees?”

“Your knees, Thurmond?”

“I’m asking you to marry me!” When she did not reply at once, he sent her the cagey look again. “And it’s the only way I’ll support that school. Marry me, Octavia Kingston, and I’ll even donate a new building next year!”

“Aleda is at archery practice,” Julia explained to Philip after she and Grace had taken turns embracing him on the railway platform Saturday morning. “She says to come by the school and watch if they’re still at it when we get home.”

“My sister with a bow and arrow.” The boy affected a shudder. “I suppose I’ll have to stay on her good side from now on.”

“She doesn’t bring them home with her,” Grace reassured him with a serious expression.

Julia laughed, more from the joy of seeing Philip than by their remarks. It was good to hear evidence of his same good humor, though she was disturbed by the presence of faint shadows lurking under his eyes whenever he held his head at a certain angle. Either her imagination was playing tricks upon her, or he had lost even more weight, for she had never noticed his Norfolk jacket hanging so loosely upon his frame.

Andrew hopped down from the driving seat of the landau upon first sight of them. Smiling, he shook Philip’s hand. “I declare you’ve grown another foot.”

“Why, no, sir, I still have just the two,” Philip bantered, to which Andrew clapped him on the shoulder and laughed at the old joke.

However, as he assisted Julia into the carriage while Philip was storing his satchel in the boot, Andrew whispered, “Has he lost more weight?”

“I noticed the same thing,” Julia whispered back.

They were halfway to Laurel’s school when Julia realized what was the matter, for she had gone through something like this with Philip only a year ago.
He’s pushing himself too hard again … just as he did when he wanted to win that trophy
. And no doubt at the Josiah Smith Preparatory Academy, competition was even more intense to be among the top students.

Relief seeped into her tensed nerves, for she had almost convinced herself he had contracted some mysterious disease. Surely this was something that could be mended. She determined to speak with him alone sometime today and make him understand that while it was admirable to set lofty goals, few were worth ruining one’s own health over. And if his appearance did not improve very soon, he would have to stay home and attend the new school, which was but a fortnight or so away from becoming a reality. If it broke his heart, so be it. Reconciling with disappointment was a lesson best learned earlier than later in life.

Her thoughts temporarily switched to another subject as the landau drew closer to Saint Julien’s—Andrew’s sudden strange behavior. For instead of reining Donny and Pete into the sweeping carriage drive, he had turned onto a side lane shaded by massive oaks. After the horses had come to a stop on the side of the lane, he twisted around in the driver’s seat with a sheepish look across his face. “You went inside with your mother last month, didn’t you?” he asked Philip above the noise of a passing chaise.

Philip sat up in his seat. “Yes, sir.”

“Would you mind fetching Laurel this time? It’s just a short walk across the grounds.”

“I don’t mind.”

“May I go too?” Grace asked as her brother hopped from the carriage.

“That’s up to Philip,” Julia replied. All Grace had to do was turn her hopeful face toward him, and he grinned and held out his arms to help her alight. After watching them set out across the grounds hand in hand, Julia leaned forward to speak to Andrew.

“I never imagined you to be a coward,” she teased, for the reason for his behavior had dawned upon her.

He winced, still twisted in his seat. “Those are words that pierce the heart, Julia.”

“Surely he’s not as obnoxious as you imply.”

“And surely Henry the Eighth was just a little temperamental. You met him once. Did you not find him irritating?”

“Henry the Eighth?”

“No!” he replied after a little chuckle. “And I must tell you … if Gresham happens to lose that archery competition, I may start parking around back at the service entrance.”

Julia smiled, then became serious again. “Is that why you’ve decided to forgive Mr. Raleigh?”

“No, Julia.” Andrew shook his head to emphasis his point. “Although I’m aware the timing appears suspicious. It’s actually because of what you said to me last time we spoke about him. About ‘everyone being someone’s son or daughter,’ if you will recall. Mr. Raleigh has proven himself enough as far as I’m concerned.”

“And if he asks permission to court Elizabeth again?”

He took in a deep breath. “That will be up to her, which means it will likely happen, for I believe she still has strong feelings for him. But if and when it does, it will be under my conditions, of course.”

She recalled the “ten minutes alone after dark” rule he had enforced when Elizabeth was being courted by Mr. Treves and had a feeling the rules of conduct governing Mr. Raleigh would be even stricter. But she couldn’t fault him for that. “I don’t think you’re making a mistake, Andrew,” she smiled. “I like the young man.”

“Well, even though I’ve forgiven him, I can’t quite go
that
far yet.” Returning her smile, he added, “But if he makes Vicar Nippert eat his words, I will likely be disposed much more favorably toward him.”

The children returned with Laurel presently. “Why did you wait out here?” she queried her father.

“It’s a long story,” he replied. He urged the horses at a brisk trot most of the way home, then gave his apologies after the landau came to a stop in the
Larkspur
’s carriage drive. “I promised Mr. Raleigh I would help him with archery practice,” he said, turning the horses over to Mr. Herrick. “Would any of you care to come and watch?”

Of course Grace wanted to go, and Laurel as well. They both turned pleading eyes upon Philip, who had just taken his satchel from the landau’s boot. He grinned back at them. “Just let me change from this uniform and say hello to everyone in the house.”

“I’ll come along with Philip,” Julia said. The short walk would not give them ample time to discuss his schooling, but she was painfully aware that the minutes were rapidly ticking away until it would be time for him to leave again. While her son was being greeted and embraced and teased by servants and lodgers, she sat next to Mrs. Dearing on the piano bench and listened to her halting efforts of a simplified version of “The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz.” The elderly woman paused from her music to proffer a cheek when Philip walked by, and he planted a hurried kiss upon it.

Ten minutes after her son had disappeared into his room, Julia was still seated with Mrs. Dearing, who now had begun to practice her scales. She didn’t wish to hurry him, but mindful that he would regret missing the chance to see his sister shoot a bow and arrow, she walked down the corridor and tapped upon his door. He didn’t answer, and she tapped again. “Philip?” she asked, turning the knob and slowly pushing open the door. He had not even changed his clothes but lay across his bed upon his side, with both arms wrapping his pillow so that only part of his face was visible.

Julia eased a couple of steps closer, but she could have stomped and not disturbed the deep slumber that produced soft snoring sounds from the space between his arm and pillow. She closed the door quietly on her way out, her earlier suspicions all but confirmed. Surely it was studying long into the night that had put shadows under his eyes. Now she was more determined than ever to have that talk with him.

For the fifth time Mercy steeled herself and hopped into the back of the butcher’s cart. Again Mr. Langford and Thomas were at chores somewhere outside, so she let herself into the house and set to work. She smiled to herself upon hearing them at the back door at noon. Apparently Mr. Langford was of the mind that since she was determined to show up at his cottage, he may as well be on time for meals.

After they had consumed a goodly portion of baked trout—seasoned with lemon slices and pepper—in relative quietness, Thomas told her proudly that he had made a perfect mark on his spelling examination yesterday.

“That’s wonderful, Thomas,” Mercy told the boy. “Would you spell a word for me now?”

He screwed up his face for only a second before replying, “Carriage. C-a-r-r-i-a-g-e.”

“That’s absolutely correct.” She was so thankful for the boy’s presence at these Saturday meals, first, because she had never realized children could be such delightful company, and second, because his joyful outlook almost always spilled over to his adoptive father. Mr. Langford sent her an appreciative look after she had listened to the spelling of three more words but then kindly told the boy that he should give her a chance to finish her meal.

“He’s excited about the spelling bees Mr. Raleigh says they’ll begin having after the Christmas holiday,” Mr. Langford explained. “At first I was at a loss, because I never went to school. A spelling
bee
?”

Mercy, who had only yesterday had the same thing explained to her by Edgar, smiled. “They must be grand fun, all right.”

“You never went to school either?” Thomas asked.

“I never even saw the inside of the schoolhouse until just recently.”

“How did you learn to read?”

“Mrs. Brent taught me from her Bible. She would print out words for me to learn at home too.”

“Didn’t you have your own Bible? My father has one.”

“Thomas.” Mr. Langford’s mildly stern tone did not quite match the shining of his eyes.

Thomas said “father,”
Mercy realized. “Oh, but I don’t mind,” she assured him, and in reply to the boy’s question, she said, “Not until Mrs. Brent passed away and left me hers. But after I knew enough words to put sentences together, I began borrowing books from the lending library.”

Thomas nodded, obviously fascinated that someone could learn to read outside of a school setting. Of his father he inquired, “Who taught you to read?”