––––––––
"Did you enjoy your outing, Miss?" Lynn asked, as she leaned against Miranda and hugged her. She'd done this of late, rather than trying to perch on Miranda's knee, insisting she was too heavy, and becoming heavier all the time.
"Yes. It was a very refreshing ride," Miranda answered, in an attempt to avoid mentioning anything that might have happened in town. The trouble was she could see that Kit, with her unerring intuition, wasn't believing any of what she said.
She soon realized even Colleen was suspicious when Jake wasn't there for dinner. But, Miranda just changed the subject, and hoped for the best, as she asked, "What did you all do while I was gone?"
"We started dinner for you," Lynn answered.
"But," Kathy said, as she entered the room, "we didn't begin cooking it, since we weren't sure when you'd be home."
"Well then, I suppose I better start cooking," Miranda said, adding, "especially since your appetites are coming back."
"No, Miss. We'll cook it. We just didn't want to have it ready too soon. After all, we wouldn't have been surprised if you decided to eat at the hotel with Dr. Thorne."
"Well, all right then. Start cooking." She smiled and then asked, "But, do you think I could have a cup of tea before dinner?"
Kathy grinned, and answered, "Yes, ma'am. I believe we could manage that."
*****
As soon as he was back in town, what had seemed like an excellent plan on the way suddenly lost its appeal. And, for the briefest moment, Jake considered heading back home. But, he'd told Miranda he would speak to Dr. Thorne and Neil, so he really had no choice. Even though he might not still think it was a good idea, he couldn't break a promise to her. He wouldn't break a promise to her.
So, after making sure the horse was in the livery stable and safe from the cold, he crunched through the snow and ice, and made his way to the hotel and into the restaurant. Standing in the doorway, he could see the couple, apparently having just sat down since they still held their menus.
After motioning Ann off, he made his way to their table and waited for the pair to notice him.
Victoria noticed him first, and gestured to Neil, who stopped talking and looked up. "Jake, what are you doing in town at this time of night? Is it Kathy?"
"No, ma'am. Everyone's fine. It's just something happened earlier, and I told Mrs. Hendriksen I'd tell you about it."
Then the doctor said, "Please, sit down. Have you eaten?" And when he shook his head, added, "Then, please, join us."
"Thank you. I'd like that."
"So," Neil began, as Jake settled himself in a chair, "what happened? What brought you all the way back into town?"
"To speak to you two, actually."
"Oh," Victoria said, eyeing him. "I'm assuming there's nothing wrong out at Miranda's, since you've agreed to eat with us. So..."
"I told Mrs. Hendriksen I'd speak to you both and hope you'll pass on what I tell you.
"She was in the mercantile earlier, and overheard some woman, a stranger, talking to quite a crowd, apparently."
"About what?" Neil asked.
"Oh, from what Miss Miranda told me, quite a lot of things. And, none of them good."
"I don't understand," the doctor said. "Speaking about what, exactly?"
"Let's see... and, not necessarily in this order." He began, "... the sheriff couldn't have been looking particularly hard for the brothel, because it took so long to find it. Ah... you," he said, looking at Victoria, "are an abomination, and the town is populated by sheep because they accept you."
"Now wait a minute—"
"Neil," Victoria said, placing a hand on his, "Jake's just repeating what he promised Miranda he'd tell us."
"That's right, ma'am. I didn't say it. Mrs. Hendriksen didn't say it. And, you must know that neither of us thinks it. Please, don't kill the messenger."
Victoria reached across the table again, this time squeezing Neil's hand. Then she nodded, adding, "Ann's coming. Do we know what we want to eat?"
"Whatever the special is," Neil answered. And Jake nodded in agreement. Then, before Ann could even ask, he said, "Three specials, please. And I'd like coffee and tea for the doctor."
Ann turned to Jake with an expression that asked, "Coffee or tea?"
"Ah, I'll have coffee, thank you."
After the waitress moved away, Neil asked, "Do you need to tell us anything else this woman said?"
"Oh, yes. She referred to the girls as whores."
"Whores!" the doctor repeated, suddenly realizing how loudly she'd spoken. Both she and Jake looked around. But no one appeared to have overheard, so she asked, "This woman actually called those poor abused children whores?"
"That's what Miranda told me, yes. And, of course, their babies will be bastards."
"Who is this bi... woman?" Victoria asked, apparently unashamed that both men realized exactly what she'd started to say.
"I told you, Miranda didn't know her."
"Well, whoever she is, she held nothing back, did she?" Neil stated flatly.
"No, but I haven't finished yet," Jake told him.
"Please," Victoria asked, "what else could this... this harridan possibly have said?"
"You’ll love this," Jake answered. "She doesn't believe that Meg and Gus are actually married."
"What?" the two others exclaimed, simultaneously.
"Well, she's sure there's something not right about it, even if they are. Or else, why would they have been so secretive."
"I certainly hope this woman isn't staying in town, because I don't want to catch sight of her," Victoria said, just as their dinners arrived
"I believe I can safely speak for all of us when I say none of us want to see her," Jake told her, before he dug into his dinner.
*****
As luck would have it, the very first person Neil saw as he left the restaurant the next morning was Gus Gunderson. Who, of course, walked directly up to him.
"Well, good morning, Neil," he began. "I trust you and the good doctor are both well and happy."
"You know, Gus, since your marriage, you're just too damned happy." But Neil was grinning. Then he remembered his news.
Gus was already answering, "I'm not sure you can ever be too happy. But, I suppose I could be wrong."
"Well, hopefully, I won't ruin your good mood. At least, not completely."
"What are you talking about? How could you ruin my mood? Why would you even think you could ruin my mood?"
"Victoria and I got some news at dinner, last night. Jake rode back into town just to tell us. It seems that Miranda overheard some strange woman in the mercantile, pontificating on everything that's wrong with this town."
"So, if she's so unhappy, she'll probably leave. Why worry about it?"
"Because, and Jake didn't tell us this, it's only the impression I got, that she was talking like she intended on making changes," Neil told him.
"All right," Gus responded, sighing. "What's wrong with us all?"
"Well apparently, the sheriff is, at best, an incompetent because he claims it took months to find the brothel. The people of Manchester are sheep because they blindly accepted Victoria as their physician. Since clearly a woman doctor is... and this is a quote... 'an abomination'. She can't believe that they haven't chased the 'whores' out of town, especially since they're about to drop their 'bastards'. And finally, and this is the part that pertains to you, she's sure there's something not right about your secret marriage."
"Meaning what, exactly?"
"Of course, this is only a guess, but either you two didn't really get married. Or, there's something you've kept secret from everyone."
"Really?"
"From the way Jake was talking, Miranda was livid on the ride back to the house. He said it took most of the ride home to calm her down."
"And, we have no idea who this extremely vocal, paragon of virtue and knowledge is?"
"No. Not a clue."
"And, Victoria believes I should tell Margaret about this?" Gus asked.
"Yes. After all, you wouldn't want her to hear it on her own. Besides, I'd think if you tell her that the woman basically insulted the entire town, she'll take it a bit better. Don't you?"
"Yes, I suppose." He looked around, and added, "I think I'll go see if Frank has any idea about who this woman could be."
"Normally I wouldn't presume to advise you," Neil told his friend, "but maybe you should talk to Meg first."
"You're probably right. So, I'll go check on my lovely bride," Gus conceded. "Although, I hate to think I might ruin her day."
*****
"What!" Meg cried out, as Gus tugged her through the door from the workshop to the residence. "Why in heaven's name would anyone say we aren't married?"
"I don't know, Meg. We don't even know who the woman is who said these things. However, apparently Miranda felt she should let us all know what she overheard. So Jake spoke to Victoria and Neil, and Neil told me, so I could tell you.
"And once I'm sure you're all right, I suppose I'm going to have to try to find Frank, so I can talk to him."
"To tell him what, that we are really married?"
"Well, yes, among some other things."
"What other things?" she asked, suspiciously.
"Everything that—according to this unknown and mysterious woman—believes is wrong with Manchester and her people."
"Gus..."
"Don't worry about it, Meg. Clearly, the woman is delusional. Perhaps, she's escaped from some insane asylum. There are several in Chicago. I suppose she could have made it here."
"I'm being serious, Gus."
"I know you are. But, it's nothing to concern yourself with. People will always find someone or something to gossip about."
"Well, that's true enough," Meg agreed. "Even back in North Brookfield, there was always some story going around, usually about me. And, if nothing presented itself, people just made things up."
"Exactly," Gus said. Then, he kissed her, and left through the back.