| |
MY SUPPORT OF THOMAS Weston is solidified when Ben and I drop in on Edwin and find him in a mistress' arms.
“Hell no,” Ben says as we avert our eyes from the lovers' tryst. “This guy needs to go. Where's the Weston guy? He needs to make an appearance before Rosalind accepts this dickhead's proposal.”
Unfortunately, Thomas hasn't called on Rosalind for the last two days. His mother's declining health has him pinned to her bedside. I appreciate his dedication to the woman who raised him, but if he's going to win the battle for Rosalind's heart, he needs to act now. I give his mother an energy boost, which is enough to get them outside, but they only go as far as the garden behind their house. If we're going to make this happen, we need Rosalind to go to him.
When Ben and I warp to Rosalind's house, she's mending a dress, thinking about Edwin. The first time I peek into her mind, all her thoughts are about him.
Should I marry Ed? Mama would be livid if she knew I didn't accept his proposal straight away. I do care about him, but could I ever love him as a woman should love her husband?
I give a nod to Ben, letting him know it's time to act. Once he opens his mouth, we're officially against Archangel Jeremiel. I hope I won't regret this.
“Hey Rosalind!” Ben exclaims. “You remember Mr. Weston, right... the guy who was courting you before your loser friend came crawling back to you? I think you should pay a visit to Weston and his mom. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear from you.”
Ben, for all his faults, has a knack for getting through to his mortal charges. Rosalind sets aside her dress and immediately starts thinking about the other man in her life. I'm still in her head when her thoughts shift abruptly.
What happened to Mr. Weston? I haven't heard from him for some time. I wonder... would it be socially acceptable to pay him a visit?
Ben and I work together to get Rosalind out of the house. We convince her to walk the two miles to Mr. Weston's estate, through wind and light rain. The weather is clear when she reaches her destination, and a servant directs her to the garden, where Thomas is enjoying tea with his mother.
Thomas pops out of his chair when he sees her. He sweeps the hat from his head, bows, and says, “Miss Banks! This is an unexpected surprise. You're always welcome, of course. I'm sure my mother is happy to see you again.”
Thomas' mother doesn't share in his joy. Instead, she squawks, “Tell the angels to go away, Thomas! I'm not interested in dying today.”
It isn't unusual to be spotted by people who are old and infirm. They tend to have one foot in the spirit world, and one foot in the physical world. They're often seen as senile, but there's more to it than that.
“I'm sure I look... bedraggled,” Rosalind says. “It was raining a few minutes ago.”
“Not at all. You look lovely, as always,” Thomas corrects her. “And you're right about the rain. It's been coming and going all day, but my mother insists on being in the garden, so... here we are.” As he pours his mother's tea, he asks his guest, “Would you like a cup as well, Miss Banks?”
“No. Thank you for the kind offer, but I shouldn't stay long,” Rosalind says. “I wanted to speak to you about... unexpected changes in my circumstances.”
Mr. Weston's mother interrupts their conversation with a few thoughts of her own. “Thomas, did you hear me? The angels! I need you to do something about them!”
Unlike her son, I know Mrs. Weston can see us, so I lay a hand on her shoulder and say, “It's alright, ma'am. We're not here for you.” That seems to calm her down a bit, but she's still watching Ben with a curled lip and wary eyes.
Ignoring his mother, Thomas asks Rosalind, “What changes do you speak of, my lady?”
“The other day, I had an encounter with a friend I hadn't seen in a year,” Rosalind says. “He... proposed to me. He wants me to marry him, but to be honest, I'm not sure that's the life I want. I...”
One of the servants arrives with a cup for Rosalind, and as he pours her tea, Thomas asks, “What do you want, Miss Banks?”
Her eyes focus on the amber liquid flowing into her cup. Her gloved hands cross over her stomach, and she answers with a sigh, “I... don't know.”
“Do you love your friend?” Thomas asks.
“I... do. In a way.” Rosalind immediately shakes her head, as if to nullify her reply. “But if another option was to present itself, I might be less inclined to make a hasty decision.”
“Such an important decision should not be made in haste,” Mr. Weston says. “If you were truly interested in... another option... would it not be worth the wait?”
“I don't know how long I can wait. My mother is constantly reminding me that I am barely of marriageable age. I hear the word spinster more often than I hear the word hello.”
Thomas chuckles at Rosalind's reply. Pointing at his own mother, he says, “Mothers can be a challenge. I cannot begin to count the times my own mother has begged me to settle down.”
“That's because I'll be dead soon!” Thomas' mother shrills. “Seeing you happy with a nice, young lady is the only thing I wanted! A grandchild would have been nice, but... I know it's too much to hope for.” Glancing at Ben, she says, “Thomas, did you tell the angels to go away? People shouldn't fly, you know. I've seen them flying!”
I've never had my wings out in front of Mrs. Weston, but she must have seen us warping. I give her a smile and a wave, hoping to calm her down. She only glares at me.
Rosalind asks her beau, “Do you have any interest in settling down, Mr. Weston?”
“For the right woman... perhaps,” he replies. “But if that woman is already invested in another man, I doubt I would risk it. My heart would be easily broken, believe it or not.”
Rosalind asks, “Has it been broken before?”
“No.” Thomas pauses to sip his tea, and sighs into his cup. “I don't hand it out too readily.”
These two would be perfect for each other. Ben and I both try to tell them that, but they're too stubborn to admit it.
I'm starting to think a happy ending will be nothing short of a miracle.