Hopeless Heart

Ruth looked at her and smiled. “She would have liked that,” she said softly.

Ruth had also had a recent loss. The demise of her good friend had rendered her grief-stricken as well and had sunk the house into one of tearful despair for the last several weeks.

“Her nephew will be glad it is going to someone who will appreciate it,” Ruth continued.

“I cannot stay with you forever,” Georgiana replied with a smile.

“You are more than welcome,” Ruth assured her. “So, are we going to call today the beginning of a new era?”

Georgiana considered that as she entered the kitchen and nodded.

“We should, both of us. Neither of us can carry on this way,” she replied. “We have both suffered a loss and need to catch our breaths and regroup.”

“Well, if you need my help in any way, just let me know,” Ruth offered.

Georgiana nodded her thanks and, together, the women set about preparing the luncheon.

“Hallo?”

They both watched Henry Parker poke his head around the door.

“Good morning, Henry,” Georgiana replied.

“Come on in, Henry.” Ruth beckoned into the kitchen. “Would you like to take luncheon with us?”

“No, thank you,” Henry waved. “No, I am just passing by on my way back from church and decided to drop in to make sure everything is alright with you both.”

He is wondering why we didn’t go to church today.

“We are alright,” Ruth replied hesitantly and watched Henry close the door carefully behind him.

There was something in the rigid set of his shoulders that warned both women he had news. They looked at each other warily and waited.

“Would you like tea?” Georgiana asked helpfully.

“No thank you. I just wanted you both to know that I overheard some news in church about Simeon Findley-Wreake.” He looked at Georgiana hesitantly, clearly undecided whether he should tell her or not.

“Go on,” Georgiana said bravely, her face betraying no sign of the dread that swept through her.

“He has been found hiding out at his uncle’s old hunting lodge in Normanton. He has been arrested for attempted murder and assault because he attacked the men who arrived to arrest him. The magistrate has sent men to speak with Will and, once furnished with statement, then sent a group out to find Findley-Wreake. His father’s lack of help in the matter has resulted in his arrest for attempting to thwart the judiciary.”

“Good Lord,” Georgiana murmured, slumping down into a chair at the table. Her legs were trembling so much that they wouldn’t hold her up for much longer. Fatefully, the memory of what had happened that awful evening resulted in her thoughts turning toward Will, and his departure later that same night. It had been the last time-

“He is behind bars?” Ruth asked.

Henry nodded. “I hear that the magistrate is getting statements off other guests in the hotel that evening who can attest to having witnessed Findley-Wreake with a weapon. Whatever they have learned, it is enough to ensure that Findley-Wreake is put behind bars for a very long time.”

“It won’t be just him, though, will it?” Ruth interrupted. “His father is going to face jail too.”

“It looks like it,” Henry said calmly. “I am afraid it is the talk of the village.”

“Is there any mention of Georgiana?”

Henry shook his head firmly. “No. So far, nobody knows she was there at the time.”

“It is inevitable that they will find out,” Georgiana whispered. “I still want to buy Mrs Merriweather’s cottage though.”

“Given that Simeon is going to be tried for attempted murder, people won’t bother whether you were there or not, Georgiana. It will be mentioned, but if anybody does we can assure them that you were in town to buy some new dresses and were followed by Simeon, who has been stalking you.”