“Well… yes, I suppose that might describe him. Certainly, a man possessed of a serious nature. Till recently, that is. At least, when we last met, he seemed more light-hearted.”
“He spoke of me?”
“Of course! He spoke of youandyour family. Mind you, he’s always been discreet as well, so there was not much elaboration. But he had a hint of pride in his voice, and I’m convinced I noticed a sparkle in his eyes.” She parted with a wistful sigh. “Then I saw the way he looked at you this morning. And as for that kiss on the cheek!”
Louisa’s brows shot up. “The way he looked at me?”
“When he first introduced you.” Jane frowned and cocked her head. “You seem surprised. Do you have reason to doubt his affection for you?”
“No, not specifically, though I confess the kiss was a surprise. He’s not usually one for such displays.” Louisa took another sip of lemonade. “I know he’s fond of me.”
“Fond?” Jane huffed. “A suitable epithet for a hobby or a dessert, and I doubt Maxwell sees you as either of those things.”
Louisa giggled. “Well, perhaps dessert on occasion.”
Jane’s eyes widened. “My dear Mrs. Harlow, what an atrociously indelicate and delicious remark. Dare I hope to have found a friend who isn’t dripping with false sanctimony?”
Louisa cleared her throat and pretended to primp her hair. “My dear Mrs. Fairburn, I’m not without propriety when it is called for, but being raised with brothers tends to open one’s mind to different perspectives, and not all of them ladylike.”
Jane laughed. “Oh, how wonderfully refreshing!” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I love Charles dearly but being married to a man of the cloth means being obliged to keep certain thoughts to oneself. Not always easy, I must admit. Bruce, in contrast, had a wicked sense of humor. Terriblyrisqué, in fact. But I enjoyed it. We laughed a lot in private.”
“Did he make Maxwell laugh? He does so rarely, in my experience.”
“Hmm.” Jane tapped a finger on her chin. “I only saw them together a couple of times and do not recall him being anything other than pragmatic. That said, I cannot imagine he was totally impervious to Bruce’s humor. It was highly infectious. They didn’t see each other much after university, either, but kept in touch through letters. Bruce was an excellent judge of character and trusted Maxwell implicitly, which says much. He was also a cautious man. Shrewd. The epitome of a canny Scot.” She released a soft sigh. “I consider it a blessing to have shared four years of my life with him.”
Four years! Not long.Louisa wondered about the lack of children. Not that she would ever be so bold as to ask about that. “I’m sorry for your loss, Jane.”
“Thank you. The grief will always be there, but I’ve learned to live with it. And it does not impede my love for Charles. He’s a dear man, and I consider myself fortunate to have found happiness again. Indeed, it’s what Bruce wanted for me.”
“No doubt Charles considers himself fortunate as well.”
Jane smiled. “As does Maxwell, I’m sure.”
I’m a fortunate man.“Yes, he does,” Louisa replied. “He has told me as much.”
Jane cocked her head again, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Don’t underestimate your worth to him, Louisa. I see a change in him. A positive change. And I believe you’re the reason for it.”
At that moment, the back door opened, and a maid indicated that luncheon was ready.
The subsequent gathering proved to be more than pleasant. The lighter fare leant itself to continued afternoon activities rather than the need for a nap. Maxwell appeared very much at ease. But then, Louisa realized, there was no one here who would judge him, surreptitiously or otherwise, on his perceived lack of societal status or his ‘vulgar’ wealth.
Her mind wandered, and she dared to imagine Grandmama Hutton seated at such a gathering. The grand old lady might have poked at a slice of ham and maybe even sampled a freshly picked tomato, but she wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the pickled onions or the thickly sliced crusty bread. Given her sweet tooth, a slice of fruit cake might have tempted her. But the setting as a whole, despite its charming simplicity, would have resulted in a display of aristocratic huffing. Indeed, the imagined scenario made Louisa’s mouth twitch.
“Would you care to share whatever it is you find amusing, my dear?”
Louisa blinked and regarded her husband, who was looking at her with an amused expression of his own. “Not really, no. I beg your pardon. My thoughts wandered for a moment. Did I miss something?”
“We were discussing our charitable venture,” Charles said. “Your husband is a generous patron.”
“Yes, so I understand.” She gave Maxwell a smile and then addressed Charles. “How many children do you have in your care, Charles?”
“Children?” Charles looked perplexed. “I’m not quite sure I understand the question, my dear.”
Bewildered, Louisa glanced around the table, noting similar expressions on Jane’s and Maxwell’s face. “It would appear I’ve misspoken, though I’m not certain why,” she said. “I justwondered how many orphaned souls your charity cared for, that’s all.”
A collective mumble of comprehension followed.
“My fault, I fear,” Maxwell said. “Obviously, I failed to fully explain the nature of the institution.”
