The Vicar's Daughter

by Josi S. Kilpack

  “A note for you, Miss Cassie,” Young said, holding out a paper. “It was on the doorstep when I went out to sweep.”

  Cassie pulled her eyebrows together as she looked at the note in Young’s hand.

  “I’ll see ta this,” Mrs. Ashby said, gathering the wrung-out items from the basket so she could hang them on the line. “You bin hard at it since mornin’. Take yerself a minute.”

  “Thank you.” Cassie wiped her hands on her apron before taking the note from Young. Young held Cassie’s eyes a moment and then glanced at the letter with nervous significance. Confused, Cassie looked at it again and then caught her breath at the familiarity of the letter addressed to the servant. Her eyes jumped back to meet Young’s. “Thank you,” she said again. She began walking away from the maid while turning the paper over in her hand. There was no stamp on the seal, but Cassie knew it was from him. Who else would write to her through Young?

  She looked at Young’s name scrawled across the front. Was that Evan’s script? She remembered it being . . . finer than this. But it had come from the manor. No, Young said it had been on the doorstep. But who else could it be from?

  She was about to break the seal when her hands stilled. She had promised her father she would not correspond with Evan, and she was determined to live with integrity. But it was right here in her hands.

  It was not her corresponding with him.

  What could he have to say to her?

  The conflict kept her frozen for several seconds. To take this to Papa would be a betrayal to Evan. To not take it to Papa would break the promise she had made. Her stomach was tight, and she closed her eyes and took a breath while saying a silent prayer for help in this decision. A measure of peace came to her mind, and she opened her eyes and looked at the letter in detail. The words did not look right. There was similarity in the looping letters, but they did not precisely match the lovely script of Evan’s practiced hand. If this letter was not from Evan, then it was not a betrayal of him to take it to her father. Surely Papa would not fault her for seeing what it said.

  Despite her fear that what was written inside might only add to her troubles, Cassie turned the letter over and broke the seal. She unfolded the letter and then furrowed her brow as she read the lines that were even less similar to Evan’s writing, though the signature gave him ownership.

  Dear Cassie,

  I must speak to you and I hope that you will agree to meet me in the glen behind the barn where we have met before. Please come at four o’clock this afternoon. I must see you.

  Evan

  “This is not from him,” Cassie said under her breath.

  “Miss?”

  Cassie looked over her shoulder at Mrs. Ashby, not realizing she was close enough to overhear.

  “Nothing.” Cassie’s heart was racing. Only a handful of people other than Evan even knew of the letters: Mama, Papa, Rose, Lenora, Evan’s mother, Mr. Glenside, and Young. None of them seemed likely to have sent this letter, but someone had. Why? And who knew of the significance of the glen? Was someone trying to get her in trouble?

  Lenora.

  Cassie swallowed, but the possibility quickly rose to the top of the short list of suspects. Lenora had returned to Leagrave a few days ago, but she had gone directly to Rose’s house. Rose was confined to her bed, the midwife and doctor agreeing that the longer she could remain pregnant, the greater good for her baby—or babies, as everyone had come to expect. Lenora had come to the vicarage for dinner the day after her arrival. She had been more pleasant than she’d been before her visit to Bath, but she had not engaged with Cassie directly.

  Cassie forced her mind to remain calm. She had to think clearly. It was just after one o’clock. That gave her a few hours to determine what this letter was about and if she were correct regarding Lenora’s interference. What a spiteful thing that would be—and yet did Cassie not deserve her spite? Perhaps Cassie confronting her sister, without anger, would provide the opportunity for them to discuss their feelings and even make repairs. On second thought, she had no time to waste.

  “Mrs. Ashby,” Cassie said. “I am afraid I have an urgent appointment I must see to. Would it be possible for you to finish the wash and leave the items on the line for me to remove?”

  The woman made a face but she nodded.

  “I am very sorry,” Cassie said, shoving the note into her apron pocket. “I promise to make it up to you.”

  Mrs. Ashby grudgingly accepted the apology, allowing Cassie to turn in the direction of Rose’s farm some half a mile away and walk as fast as she could.

  When Lenora opened the door of the farmhouse and her eyes went wide with guilt, Cassie’s suspicions were confirmed. She withdrew the note from her pocket. “We need to talk,” she said evenly, then forced enough of a smile to reassure Lenora that she was not there to ring a peal over her head. “Can you get away?”

  Lenora swallowed and gave a quick nod. “Give me a minute to come up with an excuse,” she said softly, then shut the door and left Cassie to pace upon the porch and prepare what she would say.

  By the time Lenora returned, Cassie felt she had found the right words for this conversation. Lenora stepped gingerly onto the porch and closed the door behind her.

  “How can I make this right?” Cassie asked before Lenora could speak. “I have made such a mess of things, Lenora, and I hope you can believe me when I say that I have tried to make things right here in Leagrave. But I have not been able to determine how I might make things right with you and that causes me a great deal of pain. If going to the glen and being reprimanded will work toward your relief, I will do it, but if there is some way I might make amends without endangering Mr. Glenside, I would prefer to take that direction.”

  Lenora looked at Cassie with confusion. “Reprimanded? What are you talking about?”

  “You’re trying to get me in trouble with Papa.” It was the only possible motivation. “And I deserve that, but Mr. Glenside does not. He has been a victim of my idiotic behavior all along.”

  Lenora blinked but looked no less confused. “You think I was trying to get you in trouble with this note?”

  “Papa has forbidden me from having any contact with Mr. Glenside.” Cassie held the note higher. “Why else would you want me to go to the glen at four and make it appear to be at Mr. Glenside’s bidding?”

  Lenora’s expression softened. “I was not trying to get you in trouble. I was . . .” She began wringing her hands and stomped her foot. “Oh, I am making such a mess of this too.”

  It was Cassie’s turn to be confused.

  Lenora let out a breath and raised her hands for just a moment before dropping them and giving Cassie an entreating look. “I was trying to arrange for you and Mr. Glenside to be together so that I might talk to both of you.”

  “What?” Cassie shook her head. “Why?”

  “So that I might apologize,” Lenora said, sounding embarrassed. “And give you my blessing.”

  The world froze. The birds did not sing. The wind did not move the leaves on the trees. Cassie let go of the letter, and it fluttered to the ground. “Your blessing?” she repeated in a breathless voice.

  Lenora moved forward and took Cassie’s hands in both of hers. “I have been selfish, Cassie. I have refused you the forgiveness you have asked for and held bitterness in my heart.”

  Cassie swallowed against the lump in her throat while Lenora continued. “Rose told me of your feelings for Mr. Glenside—feelings she sensed were very real and that Evan returned for you. I have heard all you’ve done for his family here in Leagrave, and how it has changed people’s reception of them, and it caused me to evaluate my own actions and ask if I have been as good in my behavior as you have been in yours.”

  “Lenora,” Cassie breathed, shaking her head. “I have only tried to remedy in some small way the pain I have caused. There is so much I
cannot do.”

  “Yet you have made every repair you possibly could.”

  Cassie looked at the ground. “I am unworthy of your praise.”

  “No, you are not,” Lenora said, giving Cassie’s hands a squeeze. “I have undertaken my own evaluation of the situation and my actions in it, and I am not without blame. I see that now.”

  “You did not know I was writing to him on your behalf, and you would never have condoned it if you had.”

  “Yet when I did learn of it, I was pleased to continue the deceit. I was relieved to be spared the discomfort. I let you do the work on my behalf but benefitted from the spoils. I knew you had interest in him but I did not care, certain it would fade. I knew when you went to Mary’s that it was to avoid seeing us together, and I still thought only of my future and my interests. I gave no consideration toward you or, for that matter, Mr. Glenside, who was treated the most unfairly of any of us. Now that I have faced the truth, I know it would be wrong for me to prevent the two of you from being happy with one another, and so I did what I felt was very brave. I invited you to be together so that I might explain myself clearly to you both and not risk any misinterpretation of my thoughts.” She turned toward the house and waved. “I even wrote down what I wanted to say so I would not bungle it like I am doing now.”

  Cassie raised her eyes to meet Lenora’s, overwhelmed and unsure if she could trust the joy that rose in her heart. After so long convincing herself that there was no hope, it was difficult to make room for it now.

  Lenora smiled nervously. “If Evan is what will make you happy, Cassie, I will not stand in your way.”

  Tears filled Cassie’s eyes, but she attempted a smile even though she felt as though her heart was breaking all over again. “I cannot tell you what it means to me to hear you say this, Lenora, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for forgiving me and being so good and pure, but those things are not enough to repair this. Mr. Glenside is lost to me, and I have accepted it. Papa has renounced any possibility.”

  “Because of me,” Lenora said, putting a hand to her chest. “To preserve my feelings.”

  Cassie hesitated. To hope again and have it foiled was too much risk. “In part, perhaps, but there is public opinion to consider. I have caused enough embarrassment. To have any kind of connection between me and the man who jilted you would never do. Papa has been very clear that the allowances he has granted between our families does not include a connection between Mr. Glenside and me.”

  “Papa would not keep you from your heart’s desire if he knew I was content with it,” Lenora insisted.

  Cassie wiped at her tears. “I wish that were true, but I don’t believe it is.”

  Lenora looked away, lost in her own thoughts and regrets.

  Cassie was touched by her sister’s consideration and grateful for all she had done, yet there was one more question that needed to be discussed.

  “Lenora?” Cassie said. “Did you send a letter to Evan, then?”

  Lenora nodded. “I thought it would be . . . romantic. The two of you would meet and then I would announce myself and explain.”

  And it would have been romantic. Cassie could imagine seeing Evan there, in the glen, waiting for her. Their first private moment since he’d walked away from her. She was tempted to be at the glen at four o’clock just in case he came, but she couldn’t do that.

  “He has promised Papa no correspondence with me just as I have promised,” Cassie said. “If he acts on this letter, he’ll be breaking his word. I cannot let that happen.”

  Perhaps he would not act on it, but Cassie knew how tempting it had been for her when she thought the letter was from him. Could he resist? What might it mean if he could?

  Cassie looked at Lenora. “In truth I do not know where Evan’s heart is. He has every reason to want nothing to do with me. I could not blame him should he feel that way, but I also cannot risk him getting in trouble for this. If he comes to the glen . . .”

  “What can we do?” Lenora asked, her face reflecting the same desperation Cassie felt.

  Cassie searched her mind, instantaneously weighing out every possible course. Only one seemed reasonable, though it was also the most uncomfortable. “I think we must confess the whole of this to Papa.”

  Lenora’s eyes went wide, and her breath shuddered out of her. But she drew her shoulders up and nodded. “I will go with you.”

  While Lenora explained to Rose that she had to go to the vicarage, Cassie’s anxiety seemed determined to propel her the opposite direction. Would this additional complication push Papa past all reason? Would this confession affect Evan negatively?

  Cassie picked up the letter from the porch and refolded it carefully along the creases. She imagined Evan receiving his letter. Would he be glad to have it? Or angry to think she might entice him to such a meeting?

  Lenora came out the front door while tying the ribbons of her bonnet beneath her chin. Cassie had no bonnet and was surely going to be pink from the sun come tomorrow. She was also dressed in her washing clothes, her hair curled with her sweat around her face. They had to explain before Evan possibly acted on the letter he received.

  The sisters turned toward the church, walking together with commitment and purpose. By the time they reached their father’s office door, the letter was nearly burning through Cassie’s hand.

  She took hold of the door handle, shared a look with Lenora, and pushed the door open without knocking. “Papa,” she said as she walked in, Lenora a single step behind. “We need to talk to you about—” She stopped as every other thing fell away, and she stared into a pair of blue eyes she had resigned herself never to see up close again. “Evan?”

  Evan stared at Cassie, as surprised to see her as she seemed to be to see him.

  “Evan?” she asked again.

  He couldn’t help but smile. To be so close to her after all this time was invigorating. She wore a gray dress with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Her apron was stained and sweat had turned the hair around her face into soft curls that would wrap perfectly around his finger if he should reach for them. Her cheeks were pink, and her brow wet with perspiration—beautifully undone.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Cassandra.”

  She opened her mouth but said nothing, just stared at him in a way he completely understood. Then she flicked a glance behind her and Evan realized she wasn’t alone. He straightened and swallowed, attempting to keep his smile in place when he saw Lenora.

  “Miss Wilton,” he said, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

  She smiled nervously and shut the door without saying anything. Evan took the chance to meet Cassie’s eye again only to have Mr. Wilton clear his throat. Evan faced the vicar but had no idea what to say. It had been hard enough to come; if he’d known Cassie and Lenora would be here as well he could never have done it.

  “Cassie,” Mr. Wilton said, looking hard at his youngest daughter. He was holding Evan’s letter, or rather Cassie’s letter to Evan. “Did you send this to Mr. Glenside?”

  “No, Papa,” Cassie said.

  No? Evan repeated in his mind.

  Cassie continued. “But please let us explain.”

  Us?

  Lenora stood shoulder to shoulder with Cassie, who held an envelope in her hand.

  “Perhaps I should go,” Evan said, feeling sure he would be unwelcome at a family council.

  “Please don’t, Mr. Glenside,” Lenora said rather bolder than he’d expected. “As this involves you, I wish you would stay.”

  Evan looked toward Mr. Wilton, who did not look happy with this turn. “Apparently my daughters have no consideration for propriety at all anymore,” he said gruffly, then leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest.

  After a moment, Lenora cleared her throat. “I wrote that letter,” she said, nodding t
o the envelope in Mr. Wilton’s hand. “And this one.” She took the envelope from Cassie and handed it to her father. Then she clasped her hands tightly in front of her, her knuckles turning white.

  “You?” Papa said, sitting forward. He looked between the three of them but then locked his eyes on Lenora. “Explain.”

  Lenora took a breath and then the words poured out of her. She explained her bitterness toward Cassie, and then her understanding of what Cassie had done in her absence. She explained her discussion with her sister, Mrs. Capenshaw, and her idea to write two letters that would bring Evan and Cassie together in the glen—the place where their paths had been separated several weeks ago.

  “I wanted to do for them what Cassie had done for the Glenside family,” Lenora said. “I wanted to make things right, and I . . .” She paused for a breath. “I wanted to be brave to make up for my lack of courage, which was what spurred Cassie toward writing Mr. Glenside in the first place. I didn’t know Cassie was forbidden to have any contact with him, or he with her. I didn’t know I was putting them both at risk of your anger or displeasure. I thought I was making everything better, not worse.”

  Mr. Wilton rubbed a hand over his forehead as though exhausted. After a few seconds, he looked up at Evan. “You did not write this letter to Cassie?”

  “No, sir, I did not write it.”

  Mr. Wilton turned to Cassie. “And you did not write this letter to Mr. Glenside? Lenora is not taking responsibility for something she did not do?”

  “No, Papa,” Cassie said. Was it Evan’s imagination that she seemed disappointed that her father could think her deceptive again?