Aunt Felicity sighed heavily. “Shall I ask your uncle about the carriage to return you to London after the marriage ceremony? Wednesday, is it?”
“No, Thursday,” Freya explained. “As I said previously, Miss Whitchurch’s father arrives today. He is currently teaching in Oxford, but he was a vicar for many years. I thought perhaps Mr. Whitchurch and Uncle Philip would have much in common. Miss Whitchurch wishes me to come to her tomorrow. Several of His Lordship’s associates from the Home Office will come tomorrow also. The happy couple will host a large supper on Wednesday to which you are invited. The wedding is Thursday morning. I would leave Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, whichever is most convenient.”
“Will the younger Lord Graham attend?” her aunt asked.
“I do not know with any assurance,” Freya admitted. “I did not have the opportunity even to take the acquaintance of the woman who appears to be the younger Lord Pitcairn’s betrothed. The donkey was being contrary, and the elder Lord Graham stopped to assist. Then Lord Pitcairn and Lady Rhonda arrived at the scene in a gig and sitting very cozily together. Lord Graham assisted me when the donkey took off on its own.Once we returned to where both his horse and his younger brother awaited, His Lordship handed me the note from Miss Whitchurch, and I returned to the vicarage. I have no idea what transpired between the brothers and the lady.”
“Did you wish to know what occurred?” her aunt asked with a lift of her brows.
“It is all a large hubbub,” Freya declared. “The elder Lord Graham supposedly approached Lady Rhonda Hightower’s father several years back, but was refused.” Realizing she should not have told her aunt this, for Freya should have no knowledge of this, she added, “At least that is what I have been previously told by Miss Whitchurch and the others. Now, the woman is engaged to His Lordship’s younger brother, Lord Pitcairn.”
“Was not Lord Pitcairn aware of his older brother’s interest in the woman?” her aunt asked. Freya knew Aunt Felicity always loved a bit of gossip.
“I cannot say with confidence. It is my assumption the elder was refused and that was less than a handful of years removed. I recall when father attended Lord Hightower’s funeral, but I cannot recall the year.” The realization of what she said meant that Aaran Graham could have spoken the truth about Lady Rhonda and the woman’s quick need to marry well. “Perhaps His Lordship’s objection to his younger brother’s arrangement with the woman has something to do with more than a broken heart.”
“All this mixing of families is assuredly quite odd,” her aunt observed. “What you said suggests that Lord and Lady Rayland, or perhaps, simply Lady Rayland, wishes to punish the elder Lord Graham.”
“It does, does it not?” Freya remarked, but her mind was on the mystery of Lady Rayland’s actions. From Freya’s first impression of the woman, she believed Her Ladyship was capable of a variety of sins.
“That girl isforever placing herself in danger,” Boyde observed as Lady Freya’s cart turned to cross the narrow bridge leading to the vicarage.
“Perhaps,” Lady Rhonda said in sweet tones, but Aaran heard the touch of venom, nevertheless, “Lady Freya wants your brother’s attention. Women often fake danger to gain a gentleman’s response.”
Aaran said with equally mocking sweetness in his voice, “I disagree. In my few interactions with the lady over the last six months or so, Lady Freya has been nothing but open and truthful in her interactions.” Aaran immediately knew his words were accurate: Lady Freya wished him to court her and be damned if her father refused. Aaran had been the one who was cautious, for he would not wish Lady Freya ever to regret a joining between them, but she had repeatedly professed her intention to pursue him. She had told his brothers’ wives of her choice, and they were women Aaran respected and who he knew wanted only the best for him. They were women who had aided Lady Freya in coming to Kent.
Therefore, with a lift of his brows, Aaran asked, “Did she not read you the riot act, Boyde, when you accused her of trespassing on Rayland’s land?”
“My mother spoke to her about her zealous reactions,” Boyde confessed.
Aaran attempted to keep his anger under control. “You spoke to Lady Rayland regarding Lady Freya?”
“I reported the incident to His Lordship and my mother,” his brother responded with a deep frown of obvious confusion. “Mother was concerned that I was out alone in an area with which I was still unfamiliar.”
“I see,” Aaran said. “Her Ladyship thought it acceptable for you to be in London with all its temptations, but it was not acceptable for you to call upon those who Rayland employs to tend to the religious needs of his tenants. Such seems more than a bit askew to me. Next time, I will permit either your stepfather or your mother to deal with your debts to Mrs. Dove-Lyon when you think that an evening out with your mates proves you to be a man.” Aaran turned his horse to return to Thom Manor, but not before he noted how both Boyde and Lady Rhonda flinched with the power of his rebuke.
Chapter Fourteen
Freya’s aunt anduncle had agreed to Freya spending the last days of her time in Kent at Thom Manor, so she might have a bit of society. Even her uncle had declared, “There is no company for a young woman on Rayland’s property. The vicarage and church should have been built so the village could be more involved in the actual church business instead of everyone associating at the assembly hall, but I realize I am fortunate that I could claim the living associated with the barony.”
“Until recently,” Freya admitted, “I did not fully understand how competitive it is to claim more than a curacy.”
“Naturally, a rector receives the better tithes,” her uncle explained. “But a clergyman, generally, receives ten percent of the income of his parishioners, not all in coins,” he reminded her, though Freya had not known all he said. “Instead, I might be paid a percentage of the crops or the eggs or even a piglet or a hen, as well as the privilege of pasturage for my sheep and cows, and then I am paid for performing weddings, and funerals, and baptisms, and the like.”
“You are blessed,” Freya observed. “I have never truly appreciated the difficulty of your choices and how you and Aunt Felicity conduct your lives. I have learned a lesson in humilityfrom you. Thank you for permitting me to know you better. I hope to one day claim the fulfillment and respect you have from your community and in the manner in which you conduct yourself. I am proud to be your niece.”
Miss Whitchurch and her father had called to claim Freya, and she had been proud to present her uncle to the pair. Uncle Philip had asked Mr. Whitchurch’s opinion of the type of students coming out of the university, while Aunt Felicity, having the bride one-on-one had asked of Miss Whitchurch’s role in Lord Thompson’s plans to refresh and rebuild parts of London.
Miss Whitchurch blushed at some of her aunt’s accolades; yet, Aunt Felicity appeared to approve.
When they were traveling to the Thompson manor house, the lady confided, “Lord Thompson has even ordered an array of fireworks for tomorrow evening. Many from the village plan to journey out for the festivities. I pray it does not rain.”
The lady’s father patted the back of his daughter’s hand, where it rested on the seat between them. “Your young man, my girl, simply wishes you to know happiness. He is a good man. A godly man.”
Miss Whitchurch sighed in a manner that made Freya jealous. Freya, too, had longed to know such contentment, but it was not meant to be. “I do not know Lord Thompson well,” Freya said, “but I must say he has excellent taste in his choice of wife.”
Miss Whitchurch giggled before saying, “I proposed to His Lordship. I tired of waiting for him to say the words.”
The woman’s father pretended to be shocked, but Mr. Whitchurch was laughing too hard to complain. “Lord Thompson will never know a day of humdrum again.”
