“I think it is now time to hear from your lips what part you have played in all this, and why you are here now if it was your sister who was supposed to have arrived.”
Taking her time, Celeste inhaled slowly and then began.
“I was with Miranda when Bridget, her best friend from school, came to tea and explained that her brother Frederick’s classmate was looking for a bride of good breeding and character. Before she suggested Miranda’s name, Bridget wanted to know if Miranda would have any interest in such a match.
“But let me take one step further back in time and explain our circumstances a bit. Not long after I married, our mother became ill and eventually bedridden. Although I came over when I could, the burden of running the household and caring for Mother became Miranda’s. After Samantha was born I visited even more frequently as Mother’s health was declining rapidly. I know she enjoyed getting to know her granddaughter. She tired easily so we didn’t stay long, but made every effort to be there daily.
“When Mother died we were, of course, devastated. But Miranda continued to manage the household and look after Father. Meanwhile, most of her friends had married and were starting families and she had been out of society looking after Mother, and now would remain so while in mourning. My husband died shortly thereafter in a carriage accident and I had returned home when Bridget approached Miranda, who agreed to entertain a correspondence.
“We both treated it as a lark at first, for its very novelty. When the first letter came in she wrote out a response and handed it to me to read. Our school taught us the most beautiful penmanship, but Miranda could never get her letters to cooperate. To this day they go every which way. The content is always entertaining but it can be a real chore to struggle through a missive to which she has put her hand. I offered to copy over her letters, but the content and signature were purely her own.”
Celeste paused to look at Sylvester and gratefully accepted the glass of water Mrs. Richardson had pressed into her hand. Sighing, she continued.
“It was clear to me, who was privy to both sides of the letters,” here she glared at Chip, who’d admitted to being unaware of the content of either side, “that an attachment was being formed. Even so, Miranda might not have been interested in such an unconventional arrangement as marriage to a man she hadn’t met, had Father not shown up with a woman he introduced to us as Harriet, our new step-mama. One of that woman’s first acts upon moving in was to fire Miranda’s maid, a woman who had been with our family our entire lives. Miranda ensured that Sally found a new position, of course, but it became evident that it was Harriet’s intention to push us out of the house.
“So now you know why Miranda accepted the marriage proposal.
“But while she was awaiting word on when she was to travel west, she went to visit a cousin for a few days, knowing it was unlikely that she’d have another opportunity. And it was while she was away that your letter arrived. I left my daughter alone in our bedroom while I went down the hall to my sister’s, to which I had a key. We both had taken to locking our doors to keep Harriet from wandering in and rifling through our belongings, but each has the other’s key.
I wasn’t gone more than a minute, but returned to discover Harriet in my room, striking my child on the face—hard enough that the skin whitened before it reddened. She whirled around and nearly knocked me over leaving the room. I was far more concerned about my darling Samantha, who had fled in horror the moment that harridan had released her. After bathing her face and putting Sammie to bed, I went back for the letter, opened it, and found the ticket and voucher. I then wrote my own letter, enclosing yours,” she glanced over at Sylvester, “and made arrangements to leave immediately.”
Realignment
Chip had heard an outline of the tale but in a few words and largely stripped of emotional impact. Now, the room was silent.
Sylvester spoke up.
“I don’t understand. Why did she never mention you?”
“You never mentioned your brother either. The topic just never came up,” Celeste replied.
Sylvester nodded, thinking back over the correspondence.
Chip spoke up. “Well, now that everything is out in the open, there is no reason I shouldn’t be able to marry you, Mrs. Clark. I do wish you’d tell me your name! And Sylvester can marry your sister when she arrives.”
Pastor Joe cleared his throat and everyone looked at him expectantly. He gave Celeste a gentle smile.
“Certainly once she arrives your sister will need to learn the truth. It will be up to her to decide how she wishes to proceed. Do you have an idea what she might do were she to decide not to marry?”
Celeste raised her forefinger to her chin, tapping once, then twice before dropping her hand.
“She was studying the law before Mother took ill. She continued to read it while she cared for mother, and when she learned a Miss Mansfield was actually admitted to the Iowa bar she became determined to try for admission to the bar herself. I expect she might approach a local barrister to see whether he might wish to engage a law clerk while she read law and prepared to request admittance to the bar.”
She was startled to see Sylvester beaming at her.
“Frederick and I studied together at the University of Pennsylvania in its law program. I practice as an attorney here in Green
