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“Three spouses,” Amelia responded, her voice dry, though she did not appear as amused as her friend. Her smile was tight, with fine lines fanning beside her eyes.
Giulia couldn’t contain her shock. Was that why they were unwed? The three women had each lost a husband?
“I think we have confused our guest.” Hattie giggled.
“It is not so very interesting.” Amelia squeezed Giulia’s hand once before releasing. “But it is why I have been dubbed the Black Widow.” She cast her gaze to the ceiling.
Mabel nodded. “Yes, that and your propensity for wearing the color black.”
Giulia looked at them each in turn, confused.
“It was all me,” Amelia explained. “I have lost three husbands.”
Giulia stared at the beautiful, regal woman as the words soaked in. One woman had married and buried husbands thrice. It was such an outrageous claim for one so young that Giulia stared, open-mouthed at Amelia and did something most unbecoming.
She laughed.
And then, much to her surprise, the other women joined in. Laughter floated about the room, touching each soul and then dying out nearly as quickly as it had come on.
Giulia pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her eyes, unsure if she felt more relief or embarrassment. But the gentle looks on each woman’s face was a testament of their acceptance.
The shared mirth had somehow bonded her to these ladies. She felt comfortable, which was foreign to her. She was not used to having friends. At least, not females her own age who spoke English. It was a welcome experience and she suddenly found that she did not want it to end, ever.
Mabel looked pointedly at Hattie with an eyebrow raised and then at Amelia. Amelia nodded and Hattie simply lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Very well, it’s decided,” Mabel announced triumphantly. “We would like to invite you to our literary society.”
“Your literary society?” Giulia was more than a little confused. She had never heard of such a thing.
“Yes; we choose a book and we all read it, and then every Thursday we meet in our loft and discuss it.”
“Loft?”
“Yes,” Mabel said, nodding for emphasis, “our loft. It is in the old barn on the edge of Hattie’s property, so it lines the border between Green House and Halstead Manor.”
“I did not know anyone lived so close.”
“Well,” Hattie said, screwing up her nose, “close is relative. Do you ride? Because on horseback it really is not so far.”
“I do.” Giulia shifted slightly in her seat. She had never ridden sidesaddle, but how very different could it be?
“Would you like to join us next Thursday?” Amelia asked eagerly.
Giulia looked from one lady to another, wanting so badly to be admitted and accepted into their group, but nervous at the prospect. What if she came to care for these women and then had to leave suddenly? Her position was temporary, and she had not had any luck finding employment worth pursuing in the papers.
It would not be so different from what she had endured her entire life, but this time she desperately didn’t want their association to end. Alas, how could she argue with the patterns of life? She had never stayed in one place long enough to make friends she could keep, and this was no different. She would just enjoy this camaraderie while she had it and then when it was over, that was that.
She gave the group an encouraging smile. “I do not know if I have time to read an entire book in one week.”
“Oh, that is irrelevant,” Hattie said, swatting the air as though shoving away Giulia’s concern.
Mabel grinned. “We hardly ever actually read the books; that is just our excuse for getting together.”
“I see,” Giulia said, even though she did not. If they did not read the books, then why not just gather for tea or some other activity?
“You may not now,” Amelia said, “but you will, come Thursday.”
Giulia stayed and spoke with the women for another half-hour, finding herself at ease with their varying personalities. She discovered that Amelia and Hattie were both three and twenty, and Mabel was two years their senior, all three approaching spinsterhood quickly by England Society’s standards. She did not discover anything further about Amelia’s three deceased husbands, or why Hattie and Mabel remained single, but those were things she might learn over time, perhaps.
Dr. Mason was out for the duration of her visit, so Giulia left Amelia with a message for him regarding Nick and said farewell to her new friends.
The words were sweet, and she felt giddy at the revelation.
Giulia Pepper now had friends.
