Chapter 13

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Sitting down to breakfast Flora was pleasantly surprised to realize that having slept in she had only her son for company. Apparently Evelyn had dined early as she had a mornings worth of calls to get through and Edward for reasons known only to himself had decided to head into town for a spot of shopping. Pouring the tea Flora watched silently as her son chewed slowly on a buttered crumpet, an unaccustomed frown creasing his young brow as though very serious thoughts were being debated. Then suddenly as though he had come to a decision he placed the half eaten crumpet back down on his plate and turned to face his curious mother.

"When you marry Uncle Edward will that make him my father or my Uncle or both?"

Momentarily flustered by such a direct and disturbing question Flora sought refuge in sipping her tea as her brain frantically searched for an answer. "I think that will be up to you William, of course you will always be related but you only need to call him father if you want to."

Nodding as if his mother's answer had simply confirmed his own thoughts William returned his attention to his crumpet.

"You haven't really said how you feel about the wedding William." Flora probed and for a moment she couldn't help the flush of shame that overcame her. She really hadn't given her son's feelings much thought at all, he had always been such a warm placid child that it had never occurred to her he might harbor hidden fears and concerns over her marrying, or more to the point who she married.

"I think…" William murmured as he chewed his breakfast. "I think it's a good idea."

"You do?" Flora asked unable to quell the sudden feeling of dread as it settled in her stomach. "And you want Edward to be your new father, if you could choose anyone would it still be him?"

"Yes, he doesn't shout and he smiles and plays with me and he tells the best stories…Oh and mother he told me when he's feeling better oh and if you don't mind then we can go back to India and he'll get me another monkey and maybe even an elephant!"

"India!"

"Yes or maybe Africa, he isn't sure yet it depends where he gets sent but it won't be back to fight, we'd go to the capital and then I could go to school with all the other boy's…Princes and generals and…"

"Yes thank you William I think I get the idea." Flora cut in hastily reaching for the nearest newspaper to fan herself with and hide the look of blind panic from her son. Clearly whilst she had been entertaining foolish notions of romance her entire future had been planned out and what was worse her son clearly approved wholeheartedly with the idea of her marrying his uncle. Where once she had thought she had all the time in world it now became quite clear that there was no way to extricate herself without causing pain or distress. And although she had prepared herself for the inevitable pain her change of heart would have on her fiancé she had never thought of the distress and confusion it would cause for William. Glancing across at her son's happy and content expression, as he tried to sneak another crumpet, she wondered for the first time if she actually had the strength to go through with this. What was more important after all security and William's happiness or risking it all for the chance of a love match?

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Pulling on a fitting blue brocade coat Walter admired his reflection, admitting if only silently to himself that for a low down farmer he somehow managed to scrub up alright. Reaching for his hat he took the stairs two at a time, unable to quell the very feeling of latent excitement that bubbled under his skin; in a few hours she would be here in this very cottage and then they would see just how resistant a certain widow was to his charms. But first there was the more mundane task of dropping his mother at the church group, a task he could have delegated to one of the hands yet for the prospect alone of catching a certain lady's eye of sharing a knowing glance or wink that alone was worth the disruption to his day.

However as he entered the farmyard a waiting carriage caused his curiosity to pique. Nodding at the waiting boy Walter made his way quietly in through the kitchen entrance and along the hall to where two distinct voices could be heard quite clearly even through the closed door.

"I won't interfere why the idea is diabolical!" His mother's angry voice insisted and Walter was just on the point of kicking open the door and demanding their rude guest leave at once when another equally recognizable and yet strangely calm retorted.

"It is your choice Helen rein that boy of yours in, keep him so busy he doesn't have time to come sniffing around my household, or a few well chosen words will be spoken in a few influential ears. Imagine the scandal; you wouldn't be able to set foot in town again and as for your beloved Walter. Where could he go that the stigma of your disgrace wouldn't follow him?"

"Walter is a grown man, a successful businessman, people would judge him on his own merits."

"Does he know?" Evelyn's saccharine voice asked after a long pause. "Tell me sister dear did you weave him bedtime stories about it, the poor little sister forced to do her mean sister's bidding, like Cinderella? How did you word it so that he would understand and not see his mother as the rest of the world would as a common slut!"

"Now see hear Evelyn…"

"You didn't tell him then, never told him the version of Cinderella where the ungrateful guttersnipe goes out and whores herself bringing shame on her family, never told him the twist, never told him about that big sister he never in his wildest dreams supposed he had…"

Pushing open the door Walter's sudden appearance and ashen expression told both bickering all they needed to know, he had heard every word.

"Well it seems the little prince knows now." Evelyn added as she watched with malicious glee the silent exchange between mother and son. "Now I'll be on my way I have far too much to do and I can see you have much to discuss, please just try to remember that my house and members of my household are off limits to anyone with the name Corey unless of course you want our little family secret to no longer be quite so secret?"

"Get out." Was all Walter could gasp and his knuckles turned white as he continued to grip the door painfully.

"I'll see myself out." Evelyn replied her eyes narrowing as she once more scanned her modest surroundings before returning to the muted splendor of her own carriage confident her day's work was now well and truly done.

"Walter…" Helen began hesitantly trying to catch her son's eye but raised hand from Walter caused her to pause.

"Is it true?" He asked slowly enouncing every word like shot from a gun.

"Walter please let me try to exp…"

"Yes or No?"

"Yes but…" Helen began but Walter wouldn't stick around to hear the rest he turned on his heel forcing his hat on to his head as he strode out to the waiting trap. "Where are you going…Walter you can't just leave we have to talk about this…"

Gritting his teeth as he fought to hold on to his temper Walter caught his mother's eye as he snatched the reins from the stable hand. "Away, far away…" He managed to gasp until it looked like further discussion with her nauseated him. Then geeing up the horse he sped off out of the farmyard without even a backwards glance.

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Folding her hands neatly in her lap Flora had to breathe deeply to try and squash the nerves that fluttered about like butterflies in her stomach. Resisting the urge to fuss with her hair once more as the cabbie set her down at the top of the lane Flora paid the fare and resisted the urge to hurry. Determined that she would arrive calm and composed she forced aside thoughts of Edward and the fact she still hadn't seen him to call off their engagement. No she would explain all this to Walter and of the now apparent need to break the news more slowly to her son. He was not an unreasonable man and if he truly did love her then surely he could see his way to clear to giving her the time she needed.

Composing herself she knocked lightly on Walter's door surprised when the door was not immediately opened and there was no sound of life inside. Knocking again this time loud enough to rattle the door she waited expectantly and yet there was no sudden pounding of footsteps nor any calls for her to wait. Perhaps he had been called to the farm, should she wait here or risk looking for him?

Glancing up at the clouding sky the distant rumbling of thunder made up her mind. Gathering her skirts she practically ran up the lane to the Corey farm surprised when here too she found the kitchen door barred against her. Walking round to the rarely used front she pounded on the door as the sky opened her relief palatable when this door was at least answered.

"I'm so sorry to bother you Helen but…"

"You!" Helen hissed her normally composed face screwing up in disgust as she caught sight of her visitor. "You have a lot of nerve coming here my girl…"

"But…" Flora began unable to comprehend the change in her friend. "What have I done?"

"Don't act the innocent you Foresters are all the same, well you can clear off I won't have you in my house, go away with you!"

Biting her lip as Helen went to slam the door in her face Flora risked injury and wedged her foot in the gap. "I am looking for Walter if you won't tell me what I have done to offend you then the least you can tell me is where to find him?"

"He's gone." Was Helen's flat reply.

"Where? When will he be back?"

"Just gone, now get away you little hussy and stay clear of my boy the last thing he needs is a damn Forester in his life!" Helen added bitterly before managing to shut and bar the door.

Stunned and unable to understand just what had happened Flora stood against the door not caring as the rain seeped into her clothes he was gone. He had left just like that, without even a good bye, had he even given her a second thought before leaving? Tightening her grip on her shawl Flora took the first of many steps homebound moving as if numb to the cold not even noticing as her tears mingled with the first of the spring rain.

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