Among the Darkness Stirs

He reasoned that it would not hurt to meet the small, bespectacled Wakefield woman and see if she had anything to recommend herself. If she did, he would be able to sway the other board members. He got along well with most of them, and those who disagreed could be turned in his favor. He only wished he could speak to his mother on the matter before he met the vicar’s daughter.

Theodocia Ryland had always been involved in his life on a level most mothers were not. She took great interest in his schooling and the law, and when he had followed his father into the law firm, she kept the books for the firm and gave advice to father and son alike.

Henry was grateful. She was a voice of supreme reason, and he admired her greatly. They had always seen eye to eye on almost everything, except when she had watched a growing attraction between him and Della Keene. His mother had not been pleased with the seriousness between them, and when Henry had invited Della over for a light supper, his mother had been accommodating but very cool to the young woman.

At the time, Henry had thought himself in love and wanted to marry Della. But it had not gone as he had hoped. He sighed as the carriage slowed and shook himself away from the memories. He must not think of Della or dwell on the past. It was water under the bridge now.

Audrey reread the letter several times and then showed it to her mother at the breakfast table.

“Dr. Thomson is in London and has asked you to join him there? It says he has a plan to help you seek employment.” Augusta looked up to meet her eyes. “I don’t understand, Audrey.”

Audrey filled her mother in on her visit to Dr. Thomson and her asking for his help.

Augusta pursed her lips. “I’m not sure I agree with going behind my back and telling Dr. Thomson of our troubles.”

“Mother,” Audrey said softly, “I didn’t go behind your back. And everyone in the village knows that father is dead and that we’ve lost our income.”

Augusta stiffened. “I don’t approve of idle gossip.”

Audrey quickly tried to head off her mother’s anger. “We aren’t the subject of gossip. It’s just chatter. As to my seeking out help from Dr. Thomson, I thought he might have an idea of how I might earn employment.”

“Earn employment?” Augusta’s eyes widened, and she looked from Audrey to Frances seated next to her.

“Surely you knew that would be the next step. I must earn a living for us,” Audrey reasoned.

August reared back as if struck. “It’s scandalous!”

“Mother, it is not.” Audrey tried to hold her tongue and her temper, but it was getting more difficult.

“No one woman has ever worked in my family before,” she said.

“Fine,” Audrey snapped, her eyes flashing. “Then contact your family and ask them for help. If not, let me journey to London to speak to Dr. Thomson and his plan for us.”

Augusta sputtered. “How dare you!”

Warmth crept up into Audrey’s cheeks. “I dare because I seem to be the only one in this family looking for logical solutions to keep us solvent!”

“Solvent?” her mother asked.

“Yes. I don’t mean to be harsh, but we are running out of time. And if you don’t think about it, I must. I don’t want us to be beggars on the streets, and with my education, I believe I can earn a living for us,” Audrey told her.

Frances looked back and forth between her mother and sister and wisely said nothing.

“Whatever plan Dr. Thomson has for me, it must be something reasonable, else he would not summon me to London. I can take the morning train and be back after supper,” she told her mother.

Augusta was silent for a long moment before she finally spoke. “I’m not ignorant of our situation, Audrey. I understand my husband and his living are gone. If I’m honest, I’ve been too much inside my own grief. I do appreciate you looking out for us. I see now that I have lived a certain kind of life and that may change.”

Audrey covered her mother’s hands with her own. “We may have to make changes. I’m not happy about that either. But we will be together. You and Francie are everything to me.”

“I’ll see if Mrs. Jones can watch Frances for the day, and I’ll come with you so you won’t be alone,” Augusta said, squeezing Audrey’s hands lightly. Mrs. Jones was the quiet woman who lived at the end of their lane.

“Thank you, Mother. I’d like that.”

“Then it’s settled. Write Dr. Thomson and agree to the day and time he mentioned. I’ll check the train time tables.”

“Dr. Thomson has been gracious to help us. But whatever plan he might have, I can always say no. I’ve been looking at the advertisements in the newspaper. There are many things I might be able to do.” She tried to sound upbeat and positive, even though the advertisements had not been as plentiful as she led them to believe.

“You can do many things, Audrey. You are very capable,” Frances chimed in finally.