Adoration

Rather than answer, he slid a look at his wife. She looked uncomfortable but sighed. ‘They are just gossiping. You know what villages like this are like,’ she offered with a shrug.

‘Are they discussing the fact that Mr Lauder has sold the house to the lord? Or that we have been to view Farmer Martin’s cottage for rent?’ Sissy pressed. While she didn’t want to know she knew she had to find out because not knowing was going to worry her more.

‘They are discussing the fact that Morgan purchased the house, and that you were seen taking a walk with him the other day,’ Maud offered. ‘They then saw you and Norma leave in his carriage last night.’

‘But we went to dine with him and his mother,’ Sissy cried. ‘What does that have to do with anything? How could that be deemed wrong? I have known Morgan all of my life.’

‘Yes, but he isn’t in your social circles any longer, is he dear? I mean, I don’t want to sound presumptuous or anything, but you have had to leave that house of yours and live amongst us. He is high and mighty over at that huge estate. It doesn’t do to cross the boundaries, if you know what I am saying.’ The grocer’s wife busied herself tidying the counter between them.

‘They think I am his mistress, don’t they?’ Sissy gasped.

‘People will talk. I mean, he did have his hands on you and he was overly friendly, if you don’t mind my saying.’ There was such a pious look of virtuosity on the older woman’s face, Sissy felt nothing but annoyance at being judged and found wanting.

‘Like I have said, I have known Morgan all of my life. I am not responsible for my father dying and leaving us with nothing.’

‘Sissy.’

Sissy ignored Maud, shrugged her hand off her arm and glared hard at the grocer’s wife who looked astonished at the boldness of Sissy’s statement. ‘How dare people judge me? For doing what? Taking a walk on a sunny day? I was upset at the spite of the gossips who were watching us, if you must know. If we had anything to hide, do you think we would be walking out in the open for the entire village to see? Besides, what does it matter if we are spending time together? There is nothing wrong with a formal courtship.’

‘But it is not a formal courtship, is it? I mean, a Lord of the manner marrying a pauper. I have never heard of such a thing,’ the grocer’s wife cried. ‘It is too ridiculous to even mention.’

‘You don’t know what you are talking about,’ Sissy growled. ‘Morgan is free to marry who he pleases.’

‘Oh, Morgan now is it? Not my Lord or anything, no. You are on first name terms then.’ The grocer’s wife raked her with a look that left Sissy in no doubt just how intimate she suspected her ‘terms’ were with Morgan.

‘Do you know something? You can keep your mind in the gutter as far as I am concerned. Think what you like. Whatever you call me, whatever you think of me, at least I don’t spend my days trying to besmirch people’s characters like you,’ Sissy snapped. ‘And I will get my groceries from someone else from now on, thank you.’

With that, Sissy marched out of the shop and slammed the door behind her. She was so angry she wanted to cry, but instead turned toward the bakery. Without uttering a word to Maud, who fell into step beside her, Sissy crossed the road and marched into the fragrant shop owned by Mr Farley.

‘How are you this morning, Sissy, my dear?’ Mr Farley paused when he saw the look on Sissy’s face. He slid a wary look at Maud.

‘We will each have a loaf of bread please, Mr Farley,’ Maud murmured.

Thankfully, there was nobody else in the shop. It gave Sissy a few moments hidden from view to compose herself.

‘I should have expected it. I knew what they were going to do when those women watched us the other day. All we did was take a walk. How could they be so spiteful or presumptuous?’

‘Well, you were wrapped in his arms, dear,’ Maud argued. ‘I don’t want to sound presumptuous and all that, but he was also seen coming out of your house the other day as well, at a time when Norma was at my house. People notice things like that in a place like this. Then you went to dine with him and his mother. Why, anybody would be inclined to think that there is a proper courtship going on.’

She eyed Sissy almost challengingly, as if daring her to deny it. Sissy didn’t. Instead, she sighed heavily and tried not to feel too despondent. She focused on handing Mr Farley the money for her purchase and used the temporary distraction to try to adopt a banal expression nobody would be able to read. But when her gaze turned to Maud, she read the astuteness in the woman’s eyes. Maud knew exactly what had happened on the riverbank. In fact, the entire village knew, and now believed that she was Morgan’s mistress.

God forbid they should ever meet with Mariette. At least she will have plenty of people to share her spite with.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured to Mr Farley before leaving the shop.

Out on the pavement, she studied the quiet road. When she saw two young women hurrying along the opposite side of the road whispering to each other and looking her way, Sissy promptly turned her back on them. She tightened the ribbons on her bonnet and checked her reflection in the window.

‘What do you plan to do about groceries?’ Maud asked curiously.

‘I am going to have to go into Conley Bridge,’ Sissy sighed. ‘It means we cannot get anything until tomorrow, but we will get by.’

‘If you are sure,’ Maud replied. ‘It will all blow over in good time. Just wait until someone else does something nobody likes and then they will lose interest in you.’

‘Morgan came to tell me that he had purchased the house,’ Sissy explained, although why she felt the need to do so was beyond her. ‘I told him that Norma wasn’t there but by that time it was too late. He was already inside the house. I was upset at having to move to Farmer Martin’s cottage. It is in a state and would have been such a horrid place to live seeing as it is so far away from here. Now, I cannot help but wonder if it is not perfect for us.’

‘Don’t say

that,’ Maud reasoned. ‘If Morgan has purchased that house for you then you would be churlish to refuse to live in it, wouldn’t you?’