thirty

By eight o’clock I thought I would explode. After the soufflé we’d been served, in succession, rice croquettes, larded grouse with bread sauce, potatoes à la Parisienne, and dressed celery. Then came the desserts: Royal Diplomatic Pudding, raspberry sherbet, vanilla ice cream, an orange cake, sliced apples, coffee, crackers, and cheese. The pudding was a work of art, with an outer moulded ring of jellied cherries, an inner mould of the same, and the space in between filled with a rich custard. The cheeses were from France, and one in particular was deliciously soft and creamy, but I was too full to enjoy it.

I was not accustomed to such quantity and such richness of food. How in the world did David keep his trim physique if he ate like this all the time? My energy was flagging from both the surfeit of calories and my injury, and I wished I were already tucked into my bed.

“Shall we go through, gentlemen?” Herbert asked the men. “I’ve a bottle of excellent port I’ve been saving.” He pushed back his chair and stood. “Mrs. Dodge, that was a fine meal. A very fine meal, indeed.” He beamed, patting his stomach.

Clarinda inclined her head in acknowledgment. “Ladies, if you’ll come with me.” Benjamin hurried around behind her and held her chair as she rose.

Mother glanced at me and stood, as well. “I’m afraid I need to take my daughter home. She suffered a head wound in the attack and needs her rest. Please forgive us for an abrupt departure.”

“Of course, of course.” Herbert rang for a servant and asked for the driver to bring the carriage around.

I shot Mother a grateful look before addressing our hostess. “I thank thee for the invitation, Clarinda. I very much enjoyed this lovely evening.”

“I’m happy you were able to join us, with your busy schedule and all.” Clarinda’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.

I only smiled back at her, ignoring the barb her words delivered. Mother and I both said our good-byes all around and David took my elbow. We’d stepped into the front hall when Benjamin appeared at my side. Of course, the thing he wanted to tell me. What could it be?

“May I have a brief word?” he asked in a low tone.

“Of course. David, Mother, I’ll be right out.”

David raised his eyebrows but held the door open for my mother. After it closed, I turned to Benjamin. “Thee knows something about Rowena’s death?”

He checked the hall, which was empty except for us. The doors to the parlor and the library were closed, too. “I know of the events leading to her promotion at Bixby & Batchelder, and I know thee has done thy share of detective work in the past,” he said. “Thee should be careful, Rose. I have had a few dealings with Elbridge Osgood, including on the cricket pitch. I believe he suffers from a kind of illness of the psyche.”

“Illness of the psyche. I have made a small study of such things as part of my quest to better treat my pregnant clients. Please go on.”

“I’ve seen Osgood in court. He can be unpredictable in temperament and reason. Sometimes brilliant, but sometimes almost illogical and with a great anger.”

Elbridge sounded like Frederick.

“I have reason to believe he is being suspected for Rowena’s murder.” Benjamin continued keeping his voice low. “Does thee know this?”

“In fact I’ve talked with the detective about him.”

David opened the front door. “Rose? The driver is waiting.”

“I’m just coming,” I told him.

“Be careful is my only message,” Benjamin said, locking his gaze on my face. “All right?’’

“Of course.”

“It was good to see thee and thy mother tonight,” he added.

“And to see thee. I know she enjoyed meeting another Friend. I appreciate thy caution about Elbridge, and I shall heed it.” I turned toward David, then paused and glanced back. Benjamin’s face was etched with concern.

Before David handed me into the covered carriage, he murmured, “I’m going to do what I can to convince my Mother about our union, yours and mine. I’m a grown man and can marry whom I like, of course, but I’d rather have her blessing.”

“I doubt my conversation tonight helped thy cause. Talk of attacks, bodies, and murder at the dinner table very much displeased her, I think.” The temperature had dropped precipitously since we’d gone into dinner. The moon wasn’t yet up, and the glittering star diamonds that littered the black sky did nothing to warm me as I pulled my cloak closer about me.

“Don’t worry. I know she’ll grow to love you in time.”

I very much doubted it. “I’m not so certain.” I mentally scolded myself for forgetting to seek out lovely yarn for Clarinda. I could’ve brought it to her tonight as a kind of hostess gift. Anything to gain her favor.

“It will come to pass, I’m sure of it.” David chastely kissed my cheek, since Mother sat just inside the carriage, and we said our good-byes.

As we clattered toward the bridge over the Merrimack, Mother said, “What an astonishing repast. Why, I would be as round as a washtub if I ate such meals all the time.”

“I would, too. I doubt it’s their everyday fare. At least I hope not. I don’t think such rich food is good for the health.” I gazed out the window for a moment, feeling dejected about my prospects with both Clarinda and Amesbury Friends. “Mother, does thee think I’ll ever marry David?” I heard my voice whine and hated the sound, but whiny was how I felt. Where had my normal strength gone, my usual determination? Had the head injury changed my personality?

She twisted in the seat to face me. “If thee wants to, thee will.” She covered my hand with hers.

“But where ever will we hold the ceremony? If I’m to be expelled, Amesbury Friends won’t allow the Meeting for Marriage to be held in the Meetinghouse. And I can’t imagine being married in David’s mother’s church, with all its ornate trappings. Organ music and incense, can thee just imagine?”

She laughed softly. “No, I can’t. But doesn’t David attend other services?”

“Yes, he does, with the Unitarians at the First Religious Society. He brought me to the church once, just to look inside, and it’s quite lovely. Not as simple as our Meetinghouse, of course, but still full of light and much less ornate than other churches.”

“Maybe his church would be a possibility, then.”

“Maybe.” I closed my eyes and sank back into the seat to try to ease the returned pounding of my head.

“I have an idea,” she said. “Thee knows our Lawrence Meeting is much less strict than some about certain practices. And it was thy own Meeting for many years. It would make sense to have thy Meeting for Marriage there, if they are willing. Women of many different faiths often return to their homes to be married.”

My eyes flew open again and I sat up straight. “Mother, what brilliance. Does thee think they would accept me?”

“It’s worth a try. I’ll write the clerk of the Women’s Meeting a letter tomorrow. Not an official application, just to get a sense of what she thinks.”

I leaned against her shoulder, closing my eyes again. “Mother, I love thee.”

She laughed again. “Well, that’s good, because I plan to be thy mother for a goodly long time yet. I do hope thee will be able to avoid entangling with any more attackers in future.”

“I do, too. Kevin will have to apprehend the current one first, though.” And I hoped it happened sooner rather than later. Benjamin’s words echoed in my mind. Elbridge was unpredictable in temperament and reason. Sometimes brilliant, but sometimes almost illogical and with a great anger. And in court, in full view of his peers. What was he like in private?