A week had passed since the ill-omened visit to Hyde Park and Emma remained under a cloud of misery. Thankfully, even though Mrs. Lucas and the Whales were solicitous in their behavior to her, they did not mention Neal Cassidy by name in her presence, for which Emma was profoundly thankful, and suspected Mary Margaret's hand behind it. She had apologized to her sister for her unkind comment about David, but there still remained an air of constraint between them. Emma continued to feel that Mary Margaret could not relate to her pain. Even if David needed time to work up the courage to stand up to his stepmother, he would do it at some point sooner than later. But as for herself, there was nothing left to hope for.
Indeed, Emma did not even wish for a reversal. Neal had raised false hopes of marriage in her, left her in silence and suspense for months together, and in the meantime, had gained the affections of another woman. Perhaps he had fallen in love with Miss Lambe, but Emma was skeptical, even though she felt a little ashamed for thinking so. She could not help wondering time and again whether Neal would have proposed marriage to Miss Lambe if she had not been an heiress. By the same token, would Neal have proposed marriage to herself if her income had been a larger one? Were his actions motivated by mercenary concerns? Emma could not answer any of these questions satisfactorily. However, of one thing she was certain. If Neal broke his engagement to Miss Lambe this very minute and begged her to marry him, she would not consent.
Emma could not help recollecting Captain Jones's warning against trusting Neal. Since he had not given her any reasons for it, she had discounted them. He was likely crowing in the triumph of his better judgment over hers right now. In a sober moment of reflection, Emma admitted to herself that she had then not wanted to believe the captain. It had been easier to question his character and motives rather than acknowledge that he might be right about Neal. Emma had wanted to hold on to the conviction that Neal loved her, just as she loved him, in spite of his long silence. In reality, his inclination for her had been too weak to last over time and distance. If he had ever truly cared for her, that was.
Finishing up a letter she had been writing to Ingrid, Emma went downstairs to join Mary Margaret at the breakfast parlor. As she neared the room, she heard the sound of voices from within. Ruby and Mrs. Lucas had gone to pay some calls that morning, and as far as she knew, had not yet returned. Wondering who the visitor was, Emma opened the door and stepped in.
Kelly West and Mary Margaret sat facing each other on a sofa, one wearing a peevish look, and the other a frustrated one.
"If you don't think your sister-in-law invited me because she is really fond of me," Miss West said petulantly, "you are very much mistaken."
Emma shut the door behind her a little noisily in order to announce her presence.
The other two in the room whipped their heads around. Mary Margaret's shoulders relaxed visibly on catching sight of Emma. Kelly West glared at Emma for a moment before plastering a self-satisfied smile on her face.
"I hope you are well, Miss Emma," she said. Without giving Emma a chance to reply, Kelly West gushed, "I was just informing your sister that Mrs. Blanchard has kindly invited me to stay with her at Grosvenor Street."
"Indeed…that is…nice," Emma finished, feebly, directing a questioning look at her sister. Mary Margaret grimaced.
"It is wonderful." Kelly West clasped her hands together. "The children are such precious little things, aren't they? I own, I quite dote upon them already. Mrs. Blanchard quite laughs at me about it."
Emma had forgotten how tiresome she found the other woman's style of conversation.
"How long you and your sister have been staying with Dr. and Mrs. Whale, Miss Blanchard!" Kelly West continued, directing her remark at Mary Margaret. "I had a notion you would stay for some time with your brother's family. But I suppose they did not invite you."
"You're quite right, Miss West," Mary Margaret replied calmly. "Our sister-in-law knows we would not trespass on her hospitality."
Kelly West pressed her lips together.
The door opened and David was ushered into the room. Emma almost gave an audible sigh of relief on seeing him. She hoped his arrival would precipitate Kelly West's exit. David's glance swept the room and he visibly faltered for a moment. However, he stepped forward and made a sweeping bow.
Mary Margaret and Emma rose to greet him.
"It is so good to see you, David." Emma pressed his hands warmly. Turning to Kelly West, she added. "Do you know Miss West?"
"Ah…yes, we are acquainted," said David, bowing again.
Kelly West gave him a demure smile.
"It's been such ages since you called on us, David" said Emma, once the enquiries after their mutual relations and Christmas festivities were over. "Why, we haven't see you once since Christmas!"
"I've been visiting friends out of town." David made a helpless gesture. "The snowstorm delayed my return."
"You went out of town?" Emma gave him an admonishing look. "When so many of your friends are in London!"
David smiled ruefully. "It was a prior engagement I could not get out of."
"Old engagements ought to make way for new ones when there are such friends to be met!" Emma glanced between David and her sister with a playful smile.
Mary Margaret coughed. David cleared his throat.
"Perhaps you think all gentlemen are apt to treat their promises frivolously, Miss Emma," Kelly West cut in.
"Oh, I know how scrupulous David is over keeping his word." Emma smiled fondly at David, completely missing Kelly West's intended jibe. "Perhaps a little too much so, at times."
David shot up from his seat.
"Leaving so soon?" Emma shot a quick glance at Mary Margaret, who remained silent.
"Yes. I have a few errands at Pall Mall."
"If you're going via Grosvenor Street, Mr. Spencer, would you be so good as to accompany me?" Kelly West enquired, rising as well.
Taking leave of Mary Margaret and Emma, David and Kelly West exited the room, the latter holding on to David's arm rather more tightly than necessary, in Emma's opinion.
Emma turned to her sister. "Why didn't you say anything to David?" Mary Margaret's continued reluctance to give any kind of overt encouragement to David confused her very much.
"I did speak to him."
Emma huffed in frustration. "Well...nothing that meant anything."
Mary Margaret arched her brows.
"Couldn't you see David wasn't feeling comfortable to talk freely in front of Miss West?" Emma continued, "Poor David, now he's stuck with her all the way to Grosvenor Street."
"I didn't think David needed encouragement to talk to us." Mary Margaret replied.
"Sometimes, I do not understand you at all, Mary Margaret!" said Emma, shaking her head.
There was heavy rainfall in the next couple of days, melting the huge piles of snow and effectively trapping people within their houses. The street outside was flooded, but due to the fortuitous circumstance of the Whales' house having been built on a raised foundation, water did not enter the house. The gloomy light filtering through the window curtains added to Emma's sense of oppression as she sat listening to the occasional peals of thunder. When the rains had stopped and the streets were somewhat more passable, Emma and Mary Margaret received a note from Robin. Mary Margaret opened it, read it through, and handed it to Emma, looking in equal measure relieved and guilty. Curious, Emma took the note and quickly skimmed it.
Dear Mary Margaret and Emma,
I have some very strange news to relate. Prepare yourselves for a surprise: Regina's brother David is engaged to Miss Kelly West. Indeed, it has come to our knowledge that they have been secretly engaged for four years. This has been very distressing to Regina and Lady Spencer, as you may imagine. I will call on you to discuss the matter further in a day or so.
Yours,
Robin
Emma gave an involuntary giggle. "Is this some kind of jest?" she asked, and shot a half-amused smile at Mary Margaret. Her smile slipped on noticing the grave look on Mary Margaret's face. Emma's heart stopped for a moment. Was the whole world split into knaves and fools?
"Mary Margaret…can this really be true?" Emma paused. "Did you have prior knowledge of this?"
Mary Margaret took a deep breath and looked at her sister steadily. "In short, Emma, yes."
"How long have you known?" Emma demanded.
Mary Margaret gave her sister a rundown of her conversation with Kelly West back in November.
"So, you've known about this for weeks and weeks, and you didn't tell me?" asked Emma, in an accusing voice. She was feeling angry and betrayed both at David and her sister for different reasons.
"I wanted to Emma, very much," Mary Margaret said, squeezing Emma's arm briefly. "But Miss West extracted a promise from me that I was not to reveal her secret to anybody."
Emma gave her sister a long and hard look. "Is this why you were so quick to jump in Neal's defense when we found he was engaged to Miss Lambe? You were thinking of David, were you not?"
Mary Margaret bowed her head in acquiescence.
"I think we've been deceived in both of their true characters." Emma's expression hardened. "And David paid a visit to Misthaven with this hanging over him! I did not think he could be so dishonorable."
"Now, I must defend David from that charge," said Mary Margaret, putting up her hand. "I do not believe he was acting by design. When he realized that he had raised expectations in me that he could not fulfill, he became more reserved in his manner. You and I talked of this at the time, don't you remember?"
"Well…if you can excuse his conduct that easily, I have nothing more to say." Emma pursed her lips.
Mary Margaret reddened. "I know you think my love for David is not strong or passionate like yours for Neal Cassidy because I can speak so calmly about the situation. But I've carried the pain within my heart for weeks, Emma! Without being able to confide in you even when I most needed comfort." She blinked away the tears that had pooled in her eyes. "In my heart of hearts, I have the conviction that David loves me, not Miss West. But the only way for us to be together is if he behaves dishonorably by her, and that's not something I could abide."
Emma immediately felt remorseful. She had once again wounded her sister by her thoughtlessness. Tears filled her eyes and she reached forward to comfort her sister, but Mary Margaret withdrew apace, her tears starting to fall freely. She sniffled and continued, "To add to all this, I've borne the taunts and insults of Regina and her mother, because they thought that I was bent on entrapping David into marriage. I was placed in this invidious position through no fault of mine."
Emma immediately scooted closer to her sister and embraced her. "I'm sorry, Mary Margaret. I'm so sorry," she cried. Mary Margaret rested her face in her sister's shoulder and took a few shuddering breaths.
After some moments, Mary Margaret sat up and gave her sister a watery smile. "I'm sorry for what I said about Neal. You were correct in surmising that I was thinking of David," she confessed.
"And I'm sorry for not noticing the burden you've been carrying all this time," said Emma, her lips trembling a little. "I've been too selfishly blind."
"No, Emma, you have not," said Mary Margaret, pressing her sister's hand. "How could you have known?"
Emma gave a small smile.
"I wonder if David opened the matter to his stepmother or…" Mary Margaret trailed off, deep in thought.
Struck with a sudden thought, Emma giggled. Mary Margaret looked at her enquiringly. Emma grinned and said, "I just realized that Kelly West must have been staying at Grosvenor Street when all this came out. I wish I had been present at that denouement!"
Mary Margaret smiled reluctantly. "Well…in all probability Miss West is no longer Regina's guest."
"Oh, I agree. Regina would have gotten rid of her the minute she learned the truth." Emma laughed again. "I can't help suspecting that Regina only invited Kelly West to stay as a slight to you, Mary Margaret. This is poetic justice, indeed!"
"Whatever the cause, Miss West did find a foothold in David's family." Mary Margaret countered. "I can't help wondering if she will not succeed in winning over Lady Spencer and Regina with her flattery eventually."
Emma scoffed. "That is extremely unlikely."
Mary Margaret did not look convinced.
Now that she was aware of Mary Margaret's secret at last, Emma was able to recognize how much her sister's spirits were affected in spite of her evident determination to stay strong. Emma tried to make amends for her former blindness by making more of an effort to mingle with her hosts, and not letting Mary Margaret bear the brunt of their curiosity regarding herself.
Robin Blanchard called at Harley Street a couple of days later as promised. He looked so unlike his usual calm self, that Emma was genuinely concerned. "Are you ill, Robin? Are Regina and the children alright?" she enquired.
"I'm quite well, thank you. And so are the children," said Robin, and slumped down on a chair. "But Regina's spirits are greatly affected. It has been quite the shock, you know."
"A shock? You mean…" began Emma.
"Yes. This engagement of David's to Miss West." Robin shook his head. "Everything has been at sixes and sevens ever since we found out. None of the family knew of it—not even Walsh. It appears David concealed it from everybody."
Emma forbore to point out that a clandestine engagement was predicated upon the idea of concealment. Wanting to satisfy her and Mary Margaret's curiosity over one point, she asked, "How did you find out about the engagement?
"Miss West told Regina," said Robin. "She's been staying with us, you know, and making herself very agreeable to Regina—running all sorts of errands, playing with the children, and has been altogether quite assiduous in her attentions. I suppose she thought Regina would be quite pleased when she found out and would speak up in her favor to Lady Spencer."
Emma gave an involuntary laugh. "As if that was likely!"
Robin shot her a look. "You could hardly expect Regina to take the news in her stride, Emma."
"I suppose not," Emma conceded. "So, how did Regina react?"
"It was pandemonium at first." Robin gave a slight shudder. "Regina kept insisting that Miss West be turned out of the house immediately. But with the streets flooded, that was out of the question!"
Emma bit her lip hard to keep from bursting out in laughter.
"At that, Miss West started crying and screaming hysterically. If not for the nursemaid coming in at that point to heIp, I simply couldn't have coped."
"Dear Edith," Mary Margaret said, irrelevantly, and smiled fondly.
Emma leaned forward a little in her seat. "And then what happened?"
"Regina finally agreed to let Miss West stay until the roads were safe enough to travel, but she insisted that Miss West be moved to the servant's quarters."
Emma's jaw dropped. Even she had not suspected Regina to be capable of sinking to such depths.
"I know that was rather extreme," Robin acknowledged. "But Regina simply wouldn't calm down until Miss West was banished out of sight behind the green baize-door."
"I suppose Miss West has been sent away by now?" Emma surmised.
Robin nodded. "As soon as she left, Regina and I took the carriage to Lady Spencer's lodgings and broke the news to her."
"How did her ladyship take it?" asked Mary Margaret.
"She was dreadfully angry, I suppose?" Emma chimed in.
"Oh, absolutely!" Robin said. "She immediately sent for David to have it out with him."
"Poor David. That cannot have gone well." Emma grimaced.
"No. He absolutely refused to break his engagement with Miss West, in spite of all our representations." Robin gave a sad shake of the head.
"He is determined on marrying Miss West, then?" Mary Margaret asked in a flat voice.
"Oh, yes. I had not expected him to be so stubborn!"
Emma and Mary Margaret were silent. Emma couldn't help lamenting within herself at the circumstances that had led David to defy his stepmother at last. He would have done the same thing for Mary Margaret if there had been no Kelly West in the case.
Robin broke the silence. "Have you two heard anything from David lately? I know how highly he regards the two of you. In fact, Regina and I had thought at one point…" Robin glanced awkwardly at Mary Margaret, "and indeed, Regina now feels that that would have been a thousand times better as an alternative to…"
Emma pursed her lips. She and Mary Margaret exchanged an unamused glance. Neither sister had any doubt as to what Robin was alluding to.
"No, David hasn't called on us," said Emma.
"I want to give you an idea of how severely his actions have hurt Lady Spencer, so you may be able to advise him if he does come to call on you."
"Ah! We wondered as to what we owed the pleasure of your visit," said Emma. This was the first time Robin had called on his sisters in nearly a fortnight. Mary Margaret shot her sister a warning look but she need not have worried, as the remark flew straight over Robin's head.
He continued, "If he does stop by, do try to convince him to give up this foolish entanglement!"
"My dear brother!" Mary Margaret interjected. "We wouldn't dare to presume on such a thing! Mr. Spencer knows how to manage his own concerns."
Robin shook his head sadly. "His foolish infatuation with Miss West appears to have drained him out of all common prudence! Lady Spencer assured him that he may as well forget the idea of inheriting Spencer Hall if he does not break it off with Miss West, and yet he remains stubborn."
"Spencer Hall is the family estate, is it not? As the eldest son of the family, David ought to inherit it anyway. Wouldn't you agree, brother?" Emma could not resist.
Robin sputtered. "Sir Albert left Lady Spencer in full control of his estate to do as she saw fit!"
"I don't suppose he envisaged his eldest son being cut out of his inheritance," retorted Emma.
"Lady Spencer is not being unfair as you seem to think, Emma. She's perfectly willing to settle Spencer Hall on David outright if he breaks off his match with Miss West and offers for Miss Midas instead."
"Isn't it somewhat overly optimistic to assume that Miss Midas would be willing to marry a man who has jilted a woman he has been engaged to for four years?" asked Mary Margaret, giving her brother a skeptical look.
"The matter will need to be handled delicately, to be sure," said Robin, with a sweeping gesture. "We may be able to hush up the length of time for which David was engaged."
"Not if Miss West decides to sue David for breach of promise," said Emma, dryly.
Robin waved his hand airily. "There are ways of avoiding that."
"Such as?" Mary Margaret prompted.
For a moment, Emma was overcome with the absurd notion of Regina and Kelly West meeting at dawn, pistols drawn, to determine David's matrimonial fate.
"Lady Spencer is perfectly willing to expend a reasonable sum of money to placate Miss West," said Robin. "Once Miss West knows she had no hope of gaining David, I'm sure she would see that as the most prudent alternative."
"How…magnanimous of her ladyship," Emma remarked.
"Is it not?" agreed Robin, enthusiastically. "Most women wouldn't be half so solicitous for a stepson's welfare. That is why I'm hoping that you two may try and reason with him. Someone needs to make him understand how precarious his position is!"
"Well…Lady Spencer's generous offer does not seem to have tempted David into breaking off his engagement," said Emma. She gestured between herself and her sister. "Why do you think we would be successful in convincing him to act dishonorably, or that we would even attempt such a thing?"
"My dear Emma," said Robin, in a superior voice. "There is nothing more honorable than doing one's duty to the family."
Emma could barely restrain herself from rolling her eyes. Robin had not shown much of a family feeling when it came to herself and Mary Margaret.
"If David sticks to his resolution," Robin continued, "Lady Spencer is determined to settle the estate on Walsh permanently."
"That's a strange way to punish filial disobedience!" exclaimed Mary Margaret. "I had not imagined Lady Spencer to be so vindictive."
"You judge her harshly, Mary Margaret!" said Robin, frowning at her. "Lady Spencer is not doing this to punish David. She's merely trying to safeguard the family estate from being tainted by an unequal connection to a low-born woman."
"Is Lady Spencer so sure that Mr. Walsh will not contract a similarly unsuitable alliance?" asked Emma, cocking her head to one side. "With the independence to marry as he chooses, he need not have half the scruples David may have had."
"Walsh is too sensible to do anything of that nature. Besides, once Lady Spencer makes the estate over to Walsh, there is no reason as to why he and Miss Midas may not make a match out of it."
"Miss Midas would be amenable to exchange one brother for another, you think?" asked Emma, dryly.
"I see no reason why she should not," replied Robin.
This time, Emma did not resist the urge to roll her eyes.
Emma was not yet fully disposed to forgiving David. However, Robin's visit had done much to soften the anger she felt towards him. From Robin's second hand account of the proceedings, it was clear that David had received no kindness, support, or understanding from his stepmother and the rest of his family. With such relations as these, could one wonder that David had entered into a clandestine engagement in the first place? He would have been about the same age as she now was when he contracted it, and she was proof enough that not everybody made the wisest choices in love when they were twenty.
At the very least, Emma was inclined to agree with Mary Margaret in supposing that David had not meant to deceive her. Could she say the same for Neal? Did he warrant the same kind of mitigation? For a few moments, Emma tried to convince herself that perhaps Neal deserved the same kind of allowances that she was granting David. But soon, other sentiments prevailed. His attentions had been too particular and too open. Emma's lips tightened. No, nothing would excuse Neal's actions.
Please check-out captainswanandclintasha's gorgeous pic-set for chapters 7 and 8 on tumblr!