A/N: Thanks to my betas thegladelf and mryddinwilt.
David did not come to visit the Miss Blanchards. He had, however, sent them a note with the directions of his current lodgings. Mary Margaret could not blame him for wishing to avoid a face-to-face meeting at this time. She had written to Ingrid informing her of David's engagement to Kelly West, and of Neal Cassidy's engagement to Miss Lambe. Ingrid's reply was full of her affectionate solicitude for her young cousins, and had Emma clamoring to return to Misthaven.
"Mrs. Lucas shows no signs of wanting to return," said Emma, with a petulant shake of her head, "for all her claims that she'd grow tired of London within a few weeks."
"With all the snow and rains we've been having, I believe the roads are pretty bad for travel right now," said Mary Margaret.
"I'm sure they aren't that bad," Emma declared, "If Mrs. Lucas wants to stay on, you and I could go by ourselves. We could easily take the mail coach to Devonshire, and hire a chaise from there to take us home."
Mary Margaret looked at her sister with affectionate exasperation. "I'm afraid we'll have to stay here a little longer than we'd planned for, Emma. You know very well that the Whales will not let us travel alone."
"Well…they can come along if they wish," said Emma.
Mary Margaret huffed.
A housemaid entered. She curtsied and said, "Captain Jones to see you, ma'am. He's waiting in the breakfast parlor."
"To see me?" asked Emma, twin spots of color on her cheeks.
"No ma'am, he asked for Miss Blanchard."
Emma and Mary Margaret exchanged a surprised look.
"You better go," said Emma, gesturing at the door.
"Yes, I suppose," said Mary Margaret. Turning to the housemaid, she added, "Thank you, Ellen. I'll be down right away."
Mary Margaret went downstairs, bubbling with curiosity. Captain Jones was standing at a window when she entered the parlor. Catching sight of her, he came forward and bowed.
"Thank you for seeing me, Miss Blanchard," he said, when they had both sat down. "I have a matter to consult with you regarding a connection of yours—a Mr. Spencer."
"Oh?"
"Mrs. Lucas appraised me of his engagement to a relation of hers, a Miss West, detailing that he has lost the support of his family in consequence." He paused, looking at Mary Margaret for confirmation.
"That's quite true," Mary Margaret nodded. "His family does not approve of the connection."
Captain Jones continued, "In that case, I find that it may be in my power to help him."
"Indeed!" Mary Margaret leaned forward a little, her curiosity piqued.
"As you may know, Dr. Stone passed away in December." He paused and Mary Margaret inclined her head in acknowledgment. "I've been too preoccupied with private concerns to pay attention to parish matters, and in consequence, have not gotten around to appointing a new rector."
"Oh," said Mary Margaret, guessing the nature of the Captain's offer.
"If Mr. Spencer is inclined on taking holy orders, as Mrs. Lucas indicated to me, I would be happy to offer him the now vacant position of rector," he said. "The living is worth about four hundred a year. And at least a hundred more if he plans to cultivate the farmlands connected to the parsonage."
"That's very kind of you, Captain," Mary Margaret replied. "I know that Mr. Spencer is very much inclined to the church as a profession. This would be just the thing for him."
"I'm glad to hear it," the Captain replied. "Would you be so good as to acquaint him with my offer? If he's agreeable, please ask him to call on me at the Clarendon Hotel."
Mary Margaret hesitated. "Wouldn't it be better if the offer came from you directly, Captain?"
"I rather think Mr. Spencer would appreciate it if it came from someone familiar—" the captain gave a small smile "—lest he look upon my offer as an act of charity."
After relating additional details about the living, Captain Jones enquired after Emma before leaving. There was nothing odd in the question in and of itself, but the almost detached manner of his query set Mary Margaret furiously to think. She had previously not failed to notice the naval gentleman's interest in her sister, but she had believed Neal Cassidy and Emma better suited to each other's temperaments. Now that Neal had proven himself fickle, Mary Margaret wondered if the captain had a chance. He certainly was quite the gentleman and well settled in his life and profession. In addition, his offer of the rectory to David was an act of disinterested kindness that struck her favorably. On the other hand, Emma was in no state to think of another man in her current condition of heartbreak. Sighing, Mary Margaret trudged upstairs and detailed Captain Jones's offer to Emma.
"Captain Jones has offered the Misthaven living to David? Why?"
"I suppose he had to find a rector, and hearing about David's situation from Mrs. Lucas, he thought he would do him a favor."
"But why?" Emma repeated. "What is it to Captain Jones?"
"I don't suppose it's anything to him really." Mary Margaret frowned. "Why, what's the matter?"
Emma immediately gave a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing. I was just curious, that's all."
Mary Margaret arched her brows. This was interesting. Was it possible that Emma did harbor an inclination for the captain, after all? Wanting to find out more, she probed. "It doesn't sound like nothing, Emma. Because if it was nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it."
"It's really nothing." Emma repeated. "Let's talk about David."
"But I don't wish to talk about David," Mary Margaret blurted out.
Emma's gaze softened. She got up and sat next to her sister. "Oh, Mary Margaret, this cannot be easy for you. I can write to David about the offer if you like."
Mary Margaret sighed. "No, I'll write and ask him to call here. We can tell him about the rectory position together."
Emma looked thoughtful. After a moment she said, "No, you should meet him alone. That'll give him an opportunity to explain himself if he so wishes."
David called at Harley Street a few hours after the receipt of Mary Margaret's note. As Emma had suggested, she went down to meet him by herself, even though she doubted whether David would offer any explanations. And if he did, Mary Margaret was sure it would only serve to increase the awkwardness of their meeting.
A hint of color on David's cheeks when Mary Margaret entered the room indicated his embarrassment over the meeting. Mary Margaret was much more composed, having had several months to digest the news of his engagement. She still was unsure whether David knew that Kelly West had shared the facts with her, or if he assumed that she had only learned of it with the rest of his family.
Without further ado, Mary Margaret related the details of Captain Jones's offer to David, finishing with, "As soon as you are ordained, you will be able to assume the position at Misthaven."
"And this is a rectory position, not a curacy?" Disbelief was written plainly on David's countenance.
"It is. Would you like to hear the terms of the offer?"
"Of…of course," said David, without any marked degree of enthusiasm. Mary Margaret sighed within herself. This conversation was proving to be quite an uphill task. When she had finished, David made a small gesture of acknowledgment and said, "I am grateful to Captain Jones, though I suspect it is you who I should be thanking."
"Me?" Mary Margaret asked in surprise.
"Why would a gentleman I've never met make me such an offer if not for your good offices?"
"If there's anyone you should thank other than the captain, it is Mrs. Lucas," Mary Margaret replied. "She is a relation of Miss West, and has been quite concerned about the two of you. As are all your friends, including Emma and myself."
"Thank you," said David. He was silent for some time. His furrowed brows indicated that he was pondering over something. Finally, he said, "I remember your brother telling me that he had met Captain Jones at a dinner party here in December. He's one of the principal landowners in the village of Misthaven, is he not?"
"Yes. His country estate is called Misthaven Abbey, and I believe the parsonage shares a boundary with it," said Mary Margaret. "From all accounts, he would be quite accommodating as a neighbor."
"I'm sure he would," David said with a bite.
Mary Margaret blinked, taken aback. David flushed. "I sounded quite ungrateful there, didn't I?" He gave a self-deprecating smile. "I'm wondering whether his worth as a neighbor is something I shall particularly prize if Robin's hints are anything to go by."
Mary Margaret finally understood the import of his words and she almost laughed out loud. It appeared that her dear brother had decided to matchmake her with Captain Jones. Whether Robin had specifically fixed on her rather than on Emma as a suitable match for the captain, or if that was merely David's extrapolation, she could not predict. Whatever the cause, David was jealous. For a moment, Mary Margaret was tempted to let the idea stand unchallenged. Deciding against it, however, she stated, "Perhaps Robin was thinking of Emma when he spoke highly of the captain."
David searched her face as if to check the sincerity of her statement. Then, his shoulders relaxed a trifle. "Oh, well. Still, if this captain has a partiality for Emma, perhaps that explains his wish to show kindness to a connection of hers."
Mary Margaret looked at him steadily. "The unkindness you have met with in your family prevents you from recognizing sympathy and understanding in other people," she said gently.
David reddened. "Forgive me, that was unpardonable. I have no right to judge another man's motives when…" he trailed off. A resolute look crossing his face some moments later, he added. "I feel I owe you at the very least an explanation of my history with Miss West."
So, Emma had been right, thought Mary Margaret, her heart sinking. She had no wish now to understand why David had contracted a secret engagement and she hastened into speech. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Mr. Spencer."
David hunched back in his seat, deflated. With sudden clarity, Mary Margaret realized that David had probably never talked about this to anyone before. In a softened voice she added, "But I'm glad to lend a listening ear as a friend."
David looked at her with a faint twinkle in his eyes that spoke to the twisted humor of their current situation. It was an echo of their past camaraderie that was likely now lost forever. "Thank you, you are too kind," he said. Drawing a deep breath, he proceeded, "I met Miss West shortly after the death of my father, and asked her to marry me soon after. Even back then, I knew I had very little hope of winning my stepmother's approval for the match."
"Did you form plans on what you would do if she did not give her blessing?"
"I wanted to take ordination and gain some degree of independence, but I knew that choice would hurt Lady Spencer as well."
"No matter what you did, you were going to disappoint her." Mary Margaret stated.
David sighed and nodded. "That thought ought to have been enough to push me into decisive action. Instead of which, I dithered around."
"You tried to keep everyone happy…" Mary Margaret made a helpless gesture.
"…but I ended up hurting them instead," David finished.
Mary Margaret gave a humorless smile and bent down.
"Miss Blanchard," David continued. "I know I should have told you about my engagement. I came close to doing so a couple of times—on the last day of your stay at Locksley and again when I came to Misthaven. I very much regret that I did not."
"It would have been a breach of confidence with your fiancée if you had." Mary Margaret gave a tight smile. "There is no point in dwelling on it now."
David looked so downcast as he rose, that Mary Margaret's heart ached for him. Hoping to end their conversation on a more positive note, she said, "The folks at Misthaven haven't had a settled clergyman in more than a year, and will be quite glad to hear of the appointment."
David smiled in a slightly more cheerful manner and took his leave.
After David had left, Mary Margaret continued sitting in the parlor for some time longer, thinking over their conversation and what Captain Jones's offer would mean to his future. One part of her rejoiced over the knowledge that David would soon be enabled to take up his profession of choice. But a much larger part of her could not help anticipating the event this would expedite—David's marriage to Kelly West. She had no doubt that Miss West would jump at the chance of settling down at an early date. Four-hundred a year was a far cry from the thousand or so a year that Spencer Hall yielded, but it would enable them to set up an establishment in a modest way. A heavy weight settled on Mary Margaret's chest as she realized that within a few months, she would see David and his wife at church every Sunday and very likely at many of their social engagements. Ought she try convince Ingrid and Emma to move away from Misthaven? Go to Scotland, perhaps? Half-sighing, half-laughing at her absurd thoughts, Mary Margaret went up to her room to talk over David's visit with her sister.
A few days later, Robin Blanchard called at the Whale residence again. Emma was in bed, laid up with a severe headache. Mary Margaret had bathed her sister's temples with lavender water, and drawn the curtains in her room so she could try to get some rest. She then went down to the morning room, and had just picked up her work basket when Robin was announced. Mrs. Lucas, too curious to know how matters stood with respect to Mr. Spencer's engagement in his family, stayed put.
"A very alarming report reached us this morning, and I've come expressly to inquire as to its veracity," said Robin, as soon as he entered the room.
"Yes?" said Mary Margaret, setting aside her needlework.
Robin took a deep breath. "Is it true that Captain Jones has offered David the Misthaven living?"
"Yes, it is true," said Mary Margaret. "He told me so himself, and I intimated Mr. Spencer of his kind offer."
"Good lord!" exclaimed Robin, sitting down heavily on the couch. "This is dreadful news indeed! But, perhaps there is still time to persuade David against taking ordination."
"Why has this news agitated you so much? I don't quite understand…" said Mary Margaret, frowning.
"My dear Mary Margaret! How can you ask such a thing?" Robin looked shocked. "The eldest son of Sir Albert Spencer, to be a mere country parson?!"
"Being a country clergyman may not be fashionable enough for the high society of London, but it's a very gentlemanly calling," said Mrs. Lucas, frowning at Robin Blanchard over the rim of her spectacles. From their short acquaintance, she had not formed a very favorable opinion of this brother of the lovely Miss Blanchards. "After all, not every gentleman is likely to have a fortune at his disposal. Those that do not, typically have to seek out a profession, and what can be more respectable than the church?"
"Ah, that situation may apply to some people, ma'am, but not to my brother-in-law. He could have lived a life of ease and comfort had he paid due deference to the wishes of his family." Robin shook his head sadly. "Lady Spencer will be heartbroken when she hears of this. David has expressly defied her wishes on both the matter of his marriage and his profession! It will bring the family a great deal of embarrassment when this news gets about."
"If Lady Spencer had been so concerned with the family prestige, perhaps she ought not to have cut Mr. Spencer off without a penny to his name and settled everything on his brother," retorted Mary Margaret, finally pushed past her usual restraint. "After all, a man has to live on something."
"What Lady Spencer did, she did from the very best of motives. David's stubborn insistence on remaining engaged to a mere nobody in the face of all her strong representations showed such a want of gratitude and respect that one cannot be surprised at her decision. She had hoped to remind her stepson of his duty to his family."
"So, it was last ditch effort on her part? Reduce him to penury in order to force him into compliance?"
Robin shook his head admonishingly. "You wrong her very much, Mary Margaret. Lady Spencer has always treated David as her own son. If David had followed the path she had set for him, and betrothed himself to Miss Midas, his future would have been secure."
"But not his honor," commented Mary Margaret.
"Well said, my dear!" chipped in Mrs. Lucas. She added, addressing Robin directly, "I wish to give you some advice, Mr. Blanchard, unsolicited though it is. Don't take it amiss, but I think your affection for your wife is preventing you from seeing things from other perspectives. The family name would suffer more if it got about that Mr. Spencer had thrown away his fiancée because his mother had threatened to cut him off from his fortune."
Robin was taken aback at this joint attack. "As to that…"
"And one more thing," said Mrs. Lucas, interrupting him. "I can understand why you do not look upon poor Kelly with kindness, but pray do not call her a nobody. She is a relation of mine, distant though it may be, and I will not stand by and let her be put down so abominably."
"Pray, do not be offended, Mrs. Lucas," said Robin, in a conciliating tone. "If she's your relation, it is only right and understandable that you stand by her. However, you must consider how her conduct has pained our family! Miss West insinuated herself into my wife's good graces in the guise of a friend and betrayed our trust."
"I do not say that was the right way to go about things. However, women must live, and I will not judge her too harshly for it," said Mrs. Lucas.
Robin had nothing to say in reply to that and rose to take leave. Mary Margaret walked him to the door. Pausing near the entrance, he said in his usual ponderous manner, "Captain Jones is quite the worthy gentleman, and his consulting you first about the rectory offer makes me suspect he has a tendresse for you."
Mary Margaret suppressed a hysterical giggle.
"I will advise you, my dear sister, do not throw away this opportunity of fixing him." Robin smiled at her. "I have a notion to invite him to dine with us at Grosvenor Street. That will give you yet another opportunity to meet with him."
"Are you sure Regina will be happy knowing that you're planning another dinner after the way the last one went?" Mary Margaret said with an arch look.
Robin flushed a little. "Perhaps you're right, but I shall think of something. No attentions will be wanting on my part to shew the captain how thoroughly your family approves of the connection."
"My dear brother! You really are getting ahead of yourself. I'm sure Captain Jones has no such inclinations towards me."
"We shall see…" said Robin.
Mary Margaret let it go at that. Any further protests on her part would only seem missish. At any rate, Captain Jones would likely not complain of the opportunity to meet with Emma. Whether Emma would feel the same way, was quite another question.
The notice of Mr. Neal Cassidy's marriage to Miss Tamara Lambe appeared in the principal newspapers in early February. With the cessation of incessant rains, the round of social engagements had been resumed at Harley Street. The whirl of social activity left Emma feeling anxious and tired as she kept a watchful eye out for Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy every time they stepped out of the house. She was terrified of coming across them in public and did not know how she would be able to keep her countenance if she did.
When the first rush of her anger at Neal's betrayal had passed, Emma could not help tormenting herself by wondering whether she had only been a passing distraction to Neal. When she remembered how unpretentious he had been, she could hardly bring herself to believe that he was so mercenary as to marry solely for the sake of money. As she thought back to Neal's reactions during their unexpected encounter at Hyde Park, Emma realized that he had been very ill at ease. It was not the demeanor of someone who had wantonly toyed with a woman's affections. Had their meeting caused him any pangs of regret at having thrown away her affections? Emma knew that the last line of thought was unproductive in the extreme. He was now married and the sooner she put away such thoughts, the better. But it was easier said than done, and she spent many a waking hour in restless anxiety and paid the price for it in nights of disturbed slumber.
About this time, Robin invited his sisters to a play at the Theatre Royal, having secured a box for the occasion. After what Robin had let slip the other day, Emma half expected Regina to be more cordial in her manner towards Mary Margaret. However, their sister-in-law seemed almost as much irritated by the fact that David was not in love with Mary Margaret as she had been when she had believed that he was in love with her.
To Emma's surprise, she found that Captain Jones was one of the invited guests. From his manner, Emma could tell that he wanted to speak with her, and tried to avoid the possibility of a tête-à-tête as much as possible. Emma felt hopeful that she might succeed in her objective when she saw with some amusement that her brother was forwarding any attempt at conversation between the captain and her sister. When he stepped out of the box during the intermission, Emma knew that her luck had run out. Sure enough, the captain maneuvered to find a chair next to her when he returned. However, he did not speak immediately. After a few minutes, Emma let out a small, frustrated breath, and broke the silence herself.
"Aren't you going to gloat?" she said in a low murmur.
Captain Jones looked puzzled. "Why would I do that?" he whispered.
Emma threw a sideways glance at him. "Because you were justified in warning me about Mr. Cassidy."
"You must think very poorly of me if you think me capable of exulting in such a situation." He sounded pained.
"Do not tell me that you don't feel at least a little bit of satisfaction in being right," Emma hissed under her breath. "It's only human."
Captain Jones smiled humorlessly. "I'll not deny that I was glad when I found that Mr. Cassidy was engaged to Miss Lambe, knowing that you were no longer in danger of being his dupe."
"And what of Mrs. Cassidy? Are you not sorry for her?"
"I am, but only in an abstract sort of way." Captain Jones waved his hand lightly. "You can hardly blame me for making a difference between someone I know and a stranger."
"You hardly know me," Emma countered.
"Perhaps you are more of an open book than you suspect."
"Indeed? And what do you claim to read so easily in my countenance?"
Captain Jones cocked his head to one side. "I have seen the look in your eyes many a time—that of a person who has had their heart broken."
"Is it because you have broken so many hearts that you recognize the look easily?" Emma shot back.
She had expected to offend him, as she had during their previous conversation. He looked at her steadily and replied, "It is because I've seen it in the mirror for many years now."
Emma's throat tightened and she fought to suppress the tears threatening to fall. She exhaled slowly to get her emotions under control and said with trembling lips, "I was in love with Mr. Cassidy, and he broke my heart. Are you proud of your accurate reading?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, Miss Emma, but I'm glad to hear it."
"You're glad to hear I had my heart broken?"
Still watching her with an intense expression, Captain Jones took her hand in his. "If it can be broken," he said, and gently pressed her hand, "it still works."
Emma could say nothing. She stared at the captain, her heart beating rapidly. Recollected to her surroundings after some moments, Emma blinked and gently extricated her hand. Captain Jones cleared his throat and turned his face to the stage. After a moment, a linen handkerchief was pressed into her hand and Emma used it to brush the tears from her eyes. She could not but feel touched by the captain's evident sincerity. This man seemed far removed from the cold and heartless villain Neal had painted him as. And if Captain Jones's previous oblique hints were to be believed, Neal was no paragon himself. Wanting to know more, she said, "Captain Jones, was Miss Lambe the person you alluded to during dinner the other night when you…" Emma trailed off, unsure how to complete her sentence.
Captain Jones seemed to have caught her meaning. He cleared his throat and said, "No, it was someone else."
Emma frowned. "You mean Mr. Cassidy was pursuing yet another woman?"
"Pursuing is a rather generous term to use," he gritted out. "And she's hardly a woman. She's just a girl, in fact."
Emma's breath hitched. Mrs. Lucas's remarks about Captain Jones's ward early in their acquaintance popped into her mind. "Wendy?" she blurted out.
Captain Jones's jaw dropped. He leaned forward slightly. "Who told you?" he asked in an urgent whisper. His proximity and the hint of anger in his voice flustered Emma.
"I merely guessed," Emma said, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to offend."
Captain Jones's jaw clenched. After a moment, his demeanor relaxed. "I apologize, Miss Emma. I was afraid that the information had spread."
Emma apologized again and assured him that she would not mention the matter to anyone.
"Thank you, Miss Emma." The captain gave her a small but genuine smile to indicate that he was not vexed with her.
Emma once again reassured him of her discretion. The play ended shortly after and they parted with a certain degree of mutual awkwardness.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I would love to hear your thoughts. :-)
