“Eat, my dear. You know what the doctor said. You must put on more weight.” Gertrude admonished her from the other side of the table.
“I swear I’ve eaten enough to founder a small pony. Lunch was particularly delicious today, Gertrude. Thank you for all the fruit. It was delicious and I enjoyed more than my share.” Aggie proved this by pointing out all the peels sitting beside her plate. “Between the oranges and apples, I’m beyond full. Surely, that effort must count for something,” she teased.
“As long as you are getting your fill, that’s all that matters.” Gertrude helped herself to another piece of fried pork. She offered Aggie a slice and Aggie’s stomach turned.
“Oh, no thank you. How about if I eat another piece of this beautiful red delicious-looking apple instead?” She reached for her knife and carved away at the peeling. Then, she cut the fruit into sections. Her actions seemed to satisfy her mother-in-law.
After a couple of minutes of quiet munching, Gertrude spoke. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I asked Gladys to lay out a couple of my spring dresses from last year’s wardrobe. And, I’ve asked Mrs. Haversham to come by this evening on her way home from her dress shop and adjust whichever one you choose for a better fit. And after this tea party, I’m going to take you down to Mrs. Haversham’s dress shop and choose every single pattern, fabric and trim the woman has. You will be the Belle of Boston when I get through with—”
“Gertrude.” Aggie stopped her mother-in-law before she gathered too much steam. “I appreciate your gesture. I truly do. But as I told Hiram, it would be a waste of time and money to fit a very pregnant woman with all new clothes only to have to turn around in a few weeks and need to have them refitted. I’m perfectly happy with the clothes I have until the baby comes. I just didn’t want to give Prudence Persnickety Pendergast any ground at all to wage war on my marriage to Hiram. He told me this morning the ole’ bitty was questioning his choice of wife. I may be at a disadvantage at present, but I can assure the busybody and her league of backstabbers, that this southern belle can hold her own with any Boston debutante, and if anyone tries to lay claim to my husband, there will be hell to pay. Without question.” Aggie huffed and breathed deeply to calm her erratic heartbeat.
A chuckle from across the table pulled her eyes up from her plate where she met the same colored eyes as her husband’s. The toothy grin on her mother-in-law’s wide face stopped her short until she realized what she had been saying. She grinned back.
“I guess I got a bit carried away. It’s just that I don’t trust Prudence Pendergast or her minions. It’s not that I know the woman. In fact, I’ve never met her, but I’ve known people—or I should say, women—like her before. The north doesn’t have a claim on jealous, mean-spirited, backstabbing females. No, the south has our share too.” Aggie’s anger bubbled near the surface again.
Gertrude poured herself another cup of hot coffee and offered Aggie a refill. “No, thank you. I seem to be excited enough.”
Her mother-in-law set the silver pot down and sipped the black brew. “Your emotions seem to indicate you’ve had firsthand experience with women, or a woman, like Prudence. Care to talk about it?”
Aggie hesitated for a moment. Did she want to talk about it? Maybe talking about it would help, even after all this time. What could it hurt? “Yes, I…I suppose I would. I mean it’s been a long time since those days, but there were times when I wondered…” Aggie’s words fell away. She cut a glance at Gertrude and saw the look of concern on her face.
“If you’d rather not talk about it with your husband’s mother, I completely understand,” Gertrude said.
Aggie shook her head. “You are my husband’s mother, but…but, you are also my friend. At least, I consider you as such. And I could use a woman’s ear right now. That is, if you don’t mind.” Aggie was so blessed to have such a kind, open-minded mother-in-law. James’ mother had certainly not been so friendly.
“My dear Aggie. I would consider it an honor to be your friend. Please, continue with your story.”
She could tell by the expression on Gertrude’s face that she was pleased with Aggie’s offer to share something of her past. The truth be told, Aggie needed someone to talk to, and since her own mother was no longer alive, Hiram’s mother was a perfect substitute.
“Very well.” She hesitated for a moment to gather her courage. “There was a woman. Someone who also had her sights set on my husband. Even after our marriage, the woman used every conniving trick possible to try to lure him away from me.” Aggie kept her eyes on her plate and waited to see if her mother-in-law would pick up on the jest of her comment.
“And was she successful…in luring your husband away?” Gertrude’s question floated softly across the breakfast table on her whisper.
Aggie’s heart punched her chest, her eyes still focused on her plate. She had thought this was a subject long forgotten, but her emotions from that day bubbled to the surface as if it were yesterday. Apparently, it was not quite as forgotten as she had hoped—
“Aggie? Was she success—”
“I don’t know,” Aggie blurted out. “I wish I could say no, but the truth is…I don’t know.” Aggie’s voice broke with emotion.
Her confidant was quiet for a moment, then she reached across the table and grabbed one of Aggie’s hands, giving it a squeeze, she said, “Tell me about it. Your story is safe with me.”
Tears burned Aggie’s eyes. She squeezed Gertrude’s hand back and nodded. “I have never spoken about this matter to anyone. I guess I figured I had enough to mourn over without digging up unnecessary pain, but…” Aggie’s words wandered off once again. She used the moment to collect her emotions. When she felt more in control of her emotions, she squeezed her mother-in-law’s hand again, then let go, took a deep breath, leaned back in her chair, and began.
“I first met my husband—sorry, I first met James in the spring of fifty-seven. He was fresh home from college, and it was the year before my coming out party. He was handsome. And dashing. Every girl’s dream. I had my cap set for Mr. Michael James Bohanan.” She sent Gertrude a cutting look. “But I wasn’t the only one.”
“Margaret Pritchard’s father was the tobacco king around our parts. My papa dabbled in a little bit of everything, but Nathaniel Pritchard controlled everything tobacco. He was a very wealthy man. And that made Margaret a very prized young lady.” Aggie couldn’t keep the grimace off her face at the recollection of Margaret Pritchard. She was very beautiful, very rich, and very spoiled. And a beautiful, rich, young woman had no trouble collecting young men. They flocked around her at every social gathering within miles of Meadowlark.
“She was very selfish, and she never hesitated to make her wishes known. That year, it was obvious to everyone she wanted James. She danced every dance she could with him. She even chased him into the garden once when he was talking to my father about the possibility of a business arrangement. But James didn’t pay much attention to Margaret and you could tell it irked her. The season came and went. Margaret was still unmarried and James went back to college.”
“I see. That must have made you happy.” Gertrude took another sip of her coffee and sat back for the rest of the story.
“Yes, I was very happy, especially because the next year was my coming out year. My parents spared no expense. There was something going on all spring and summer at Meadowlark. There were serenades under the huge oak trees on the verandas. Afternoon horseback rides. Evening dinners. And throughout them all, Margaret chased after James.” Aggie took a deep breath at the memory and continued.
“But, James seemed to find me fascinating. In fact, every time there was a social event, James asked to escort me. Not Margaret Pritchard. It was at one of those parties I met Hiram. I found your son quite dashing, and I was delighted by his sense of humor. He made me laugh. And the more he made me laugh, the more I found myself wanting to spend time with him instead of James. But then Hiram left to come back home. As it turned out, James
won my heart. We began to spend a lot of time together, and the more James paid attention to me, the more furious Margaret became.”
Aggie’s gaze dropped down to her hands now folded in her lap. Her fingers twisted as memories came flooding back. “And the more furious she got, the more she pushed the boundaries of social niceties. Even when James asked me to marry him, and I had accepted, Margaret threw herself at my future husband at every opportunity. In spite of the woman’s dreadful behavior, James and I married that fall.”
Gertrude smiled. “Was it a grand affair?”
“It was. It was glorious. I felt like a princess in a fairy tale, but that was before the war. There was no signs of the death and destruction on the horizon that warned of the coming disasters that would befall us all. My father threw a lavish wedding and everyone from miles around attended. I rode off into the sunset with my prince. But even after we were married, Margaret persisted.”
Aggie pushed her chair back from the table and stood. She needed to pace in the small breakfast room to get past the anger she was felt rising in her gut. Another deep breath and she reached back into the past and pulled out more of those the dark memories. “James and I had been married four years. The war was all around us and we— I—was having trouble conceiving a child. We were both frustrated, but I sensed James was pulling away from me. When I confronted him about it, he said he didn’t blame me and was certain it would happen soon and I shouldn’t worry. But I could tell he was less and less convinced with every month that passed without good news. And, he became less and less inclined to try.” Aggie gazed out the big window next to the table.
“I tried to blame his distance on the war. It was all around us and he was constantly talking with neighbors about plans to form a protective barrier against the Union Army should it make that far south. And I blamed my inability to conceive on all the worry and stress surrounding us during those dark times.
“But then one day, he told me he was going into Savannah to visit someone at the bank. Just to make sure we were on solid financial footing. An hour after James left our farm, my father came by and insisted I accompany him into town. He said I was too isolated out at the farm and he didn’t like me being there without James to protect me, so off to town I went with my father.”
The memories of that day crept their way back into her conscious. She could never be certain what she saw that day proved James to be a cheating husband, but there was enough evidence to raise doubt in her mind.
Lost in the past, a discreet clink of china on china pulled her back into the present. She inhaled a deep breath and placed a gentle caress on her moving belly. “When my father and I arrived in town, he let me off at the dressmakers while he took care of business. The dressmaker had a customer and asked me to select a bolt or two of fabric, and when she was finished, we would pick out a pattern and trimmings. So, I wandered around her store studying the bolts trying to decide which one to buy. It was then I happened to glance out the front window toward the street and I—”
“You don’t have to finish this story if you don’t want to, Aggie.” Gertrude stood at the window next to her. A kind hand on her arm.
“I want to tell you the story, Gertrude. I need to say the words loud and clear so I can hear them. Perhaps I’ll say something that will vindicate James after all this time, and I can see that my suspicions were the imagination of an insecure wife who couldn’t give her husband the child he so desperately wanted.” A tear slipped down Aggie’s face and she left it there.
Her mother-in-law’s soft hug around her waist gave her the encouragement she needed to go on.
“I saw James and Margaret Pritchard coming out of the hotel arm-in-arm, laughing. I froze in the window and I watched. I couldn’t seem to help myself. Then, when they got to the corner, they kissed, and parted ways.” Aggie realized another tear had slipped down her cheek. This time, she wiped it away with the back of her hand.
Gertrude nodded in understanding. “But what kind of kiss was it, Aggie? Was it a passionate kiss between two lovers, or was it Margaret taking advantage of James’ good nature? Think about it. What kind of kiss did they share on a street corner in broad daylight?”
Aggie offered a weak smile. “That’s just it, Gertrude. I can’t say. Not really. I know what Margaret is capable of, and it could have been a chance meeting that she took advantage of hoping someone would see them together and start a rumor that would get back to me. But then my mind wants to know why my husband would allow the kiss to happen in the first place. Why would he take a chance on something that sordid getting around town? James was an honorable man. At least, I think he was.”
“Did you ask him about it when you got home?” Gertrude asked. Aggie wished a thousand times since that day, she had. She wished she had marched right home and confronted James about the whole scene. But she hadn’t. She had been too afraid of the answer. And now, she would never know the truth.
“No, I—was a coward,” Aggie admitted.
“Then I think perhaps you do the man an injustice, Aggie. If you didn’t ask him, and you can’t say for certain it was a kiss of passion between two lovers, then I think you must conclude that Margaret was up to her old tricks and James was too kind to embarrass her. Was he ever caught in a compromising situation like that again?” Gertrude asked.
“No, never. At least there were no rumors that circulated back to me indicating he was being unfaithful. But as much as Savannah would normally have relished that kind of scandal, the war was headed to our front doors, and there was so much more for people to worry about than a neighbor’s cheating husband.
“Whether it was fate’s cruel sense of humor or God’s grace, it was shortly after that troublesome day, James and I finally conceived. We were both overjoyed at the prospect of becoming parents, and we were blissfully happy. Well, as happy as two people can be with a war breathing down their necks. But then, the war finally arrived at our own front door, and my husband was killed.”
Gertrude placed her hands on Aggie’s shoulders and turned her away from the window to face her. “Then I think you should put all of your doubts away. Let them rest alongside James.” Hiram’s mother hugged her in a warm and comforting embrace. Then, she released Aggie and said, “Thank you for sharing this story with me, Aggie. I hope talking about it helped in some way”
Gertrude’s insight about James’ fidelity helped to clarify Aggie’s doubts. Perhaps it was as simple as a chance meeting and Margaret was just being Margaret. It certainly helped her see other possibilities. And although she would never know the truth, she could at least give James the benefit of the doubt.
“Are you feeling better,” her mother-in-law inquired.
“Yes, I am. Thank you for your insight. It has opened my eyes to new possibilities.”
“Good. Now, while I don’t want to rush you, there are a lot of preparations to cover before next Tuesday’s tea party with the Barracuda of Boston and her minions. I think we should tackle the list together and attack each task one-by-one.”
Aggie grinned and hugged Hiram’s mother. “Thank you for listening. And I will be happy to take my share of the tasks, because I believe we make a great team.”
Hiram was glad to see the end of his workday. His court cases weren’t the easiest wins, but wins they were, and he was happy to be headed home. The kiss Aggie gave him this morning was unexpected. And after his initial surprise, he was delighted. But he also wondered at the reason behind it. He decided not to analyze the reason too much. After all, did it really matter why? She had offered him a kiss of her own volition and he had been overjoyed.
He thought about catching a hired carriage home, but he wanted to stop and buy Aggie some more of those sweet oranges she loved so much. The doctor said to offer her anything she found appetizing.
The market would be quiet this time of day. Most of the household staff members had come early this morning to pick over the best fruits and vegetables the farmers had to offer. He just h
oped there were a few oranges left so late in the day.
Hiram hurried down the streets toward the market. Once he arrived at the open area of tents and carts, he aimed straight for the man who sold the fruit. “Hello, sir. I see you still have some fruit left. I’d like a dozen of your sweetest oranges, please,” he told the man behind the counter.
“Of course, sir. I’ll have those boxed up immediately. That’ll be ten cents, please.” Hiram handed him the coin and waited for his purchase.
“Hello, Hiram. I didn’t know you visited the market.” A feminine voice spoke from behind him. He turned and saw Abigail Spencer standing at the flower merchant across the aisle. She had a wicker basket draped over her arm and a bouquet of colorful flowers hanging over the edge.
“Hello, Miss Spencer. How are you this lovely afternoon?” he asked politely although he would rather not speak to the woman at all. She was always so hard to detach from once she managed to engage you in conversation.
“Hiram, please. I consider us friends. Please. Call me Abigail,” she insisted and suddenly one gloved hand reached out and lightly squeezed his arm. He found it rather presumptuous of the woman. They weren’t friends. Not even acquaintances. She was the niece of one of Prudence’s friend and Prudence had, on more than one occasion, tried to convince Hiram to call on the woman. He had made it clear he was not interested in the overzealous, and often times odd-acting, Miss Abigail Spencer.
“Yes, well. I fear I must hurry home, Miss Spencer. My family is waiting for me.” He turned to the man boxing the fruit, but his unwelcome visitor was true to her reputation. She was not about to be left behind.
She sidled up against him in a most inappropriate manner and Hiram was forced to take a couple of steps sideways to avoid contact with the woman. Still, that didn’t stop her from talking to him.
“Ah, yes. I was surprised to hear you had brought a wife home from one of your trips down south. Really, Hiram. A Southerner? Is that safe?” The woman actually rolled her eyes at him. He knew better than to engage this kind of sentiment, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying to put the woman in her place.
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