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“Well, it’s a lesson not to let it happen again, isn’t it?” Ruth said unsympathetically.
Georgiana nodded and watched Ruth study the list. “So, what’s next?”
Georgiana sighed. “I don’t see the point of it.”
“I don’t want to worry you, my dear, but I need to tell you something,” Ruth began somewhat hesitantly when Georgiana attempted to leave the table.
Georgiana went cold as she read the concern on her aunt’s face; something had gone horribly wrong.
“Has Will spoken to you?” Her heart began to hammer wildly as she waited.
Ruth’s gaze met hers and then slid away uncomfortably. “Not Will, no.”
“What is it?” Georgiana’s voice was a mere whisper.
“Someone saw Will leave the house at dawn this morning.”
Georgiana worked hard to keep the guilt from her face but her cheeks turned fiery red, anyway. “At dawn, you say?”
Ruth nodded. “This is the countryside, Georgiana. The farmer was moving his cattle out of the field out back at dawn this morning. He saw Will leave the house through the conservatory door. Obviously, he knows this is my house and is aware that no man lives here, so was concerned. He found out from his wife that I was with Mrs Merriweather, and came to see me this morning because he was concerned that someone had been at my house while I was out. He was on the verge of sending for the magistrate.”
Georgiana closed her eyes. “I am sorry,” she whispered.
“I have to say that I am a little disappointed that Will would be so irresponsible with your reputation. He is a man who is used to living in the country himself. Even at dawn, people are starting to go about their business, he knows that. He should never have been here in the first place. As soon as he realised you were alone, he should have left. I cannot help but wonder if he is trying to ruin you himself. A village like this thrives on gossip. It is no different to Cranbury.”
Georgiana’s startled gaze flew to her aunt’s. Their eyes met. She read the question in her aunt’s eyes.
“We didn’t,” she whispered. “We didn’t.”
“Good. I hope not because he is due to marry someone else. If a man is prepared to double cross his intended wife before he even gets to the altar then he won’t have any qualms about doing so when he is married. Remember that.”
“I don’t want the villagers to gossip about me,” she replied. “It isn’t fair on you given how wonderful and generous you have been to me.”
Ruth snorted. “It is a bit late for that,” she replied crisply. “Word is already spreading. The gossips will run rife with the news that a man stayed overnight here, and all sorts of ridiculous stories will be born from it I don’t doubt.”
“I am sorry,” she whispered. “If you want me to move out then I will,” she offered, but mentally began to pray that her aunt wouldn’t take her up on the offer.
“Nonsense,” Ruth protested, softening her stance slightly at the sight of her niece’s distress. “I need to have a little word with Will, if he is still in the village. Now that you have explained what happened, I can put it about that you were not well and, given that I was with Mrs Merriweather, Will, an old family friend, came to check on you. That should appease people.”
“In the early hours of the morning?” Georgiana looked doubtful.
“You need to stay indoors for the next couple of days so people have no reason to question the story,” Ruth suggested. “Meanwhile, Will needs to be told that it would be best for your reputation now if he leaves the village and doesn’t come back. I can make a show of wishing him well with his forthcoming marriage and all that, just in case there are any doubters. People will hopefully then turn their attention to other gossip.”
Georgiana nodded. There was nothing much she could say to that. If Ruth wanted to try to limit the damage in this way, then that was fine with her.
Ruth tapped the list. “For the time being, you should consider the wisdom of doing anything else on this list for now. After all, there is no rush. You are here for a long time yet. Before you rush headlong into anything else, stop and contemplate not only what you want to try your hand at next, but how you can go about it safely without anybody in the village being any the wiser.”
“I don’t want to bring you any trouble,” Georgiana whispered.
Satisfied that she had found a way to resolve the gossip, Ruth left the table. “I need to go back to Mrs Merriweather’s but will call in and speak with Will as I go. I will see you later.”
Georgiana remained perfectly still and silent while she listened to her aunt bustle about before she left. Once the door had closed behind her, she slumped dejectedly in her seat and rested her aching head on the table. Last night had created nothing but trouble, not only for herself and Will, but now also for Ruth.
“I hate small villages,” she whispered aloud, and meant it.
Although Mecklemerry was a pretty village, occupied by friendly people, they still had a tendency to gossip, and life was as restricting as it was back in Cranbury.
“It won’t do to try to live a freer life in a place like this,” she sighed. The only difference between her life here and her old life back in Cranbury was that Cecily didn’t order her about.
