A shadow flickered across Maeve’s face.
Ah-ha, thought Rose.Thereissomething. At the very least, there was some matter that Maeve and Mrs. Brewster had discussed, though whatever it was, it could not be true.
Maeve tried to move past her, but Rose stepped quickly sideways.
“I don’t know anything,” Maeve insisted.
“In the same way that you didn’t know anything about William Woodsom’s kissing habits? Or how about meddling in my association with him by sending him chasing after me the other day? What did you hope to gain by that? Why, I am starting to wonder if you are carrying a torch for my fiancé.”
Maeve pursed her lips. “I never would have thought this before, but I am not sure you’re good enough for Mr. Woodsom.”
Momentarily, Rose had no words. How dare Maeve Norcross say such a thing! She quickly regained her wits.
“Fortunately, it is not your place to judge my merit, nor to judge Claire’s for that matter.”
Maeve gave a toss of her head.
Rose had had enough of this game. “Unless you want me to tell this entire gathering how you once threw yourself at William Woodsom and then lied to me about who kissed whom, I suggest you tell me what Mrs. Brewster has against Claire.”
“You wouldn’t! Why, it would cause a stir.”
“I would. I don’t mind stirring things up at all. I care only about Claire. There is no better girl in the world, and any man would be lucky to have her.
“Fine,” Maeve spat out. “I’ll tell you.”
However, she had raised her voice, and whatever Franklin’s cousin was about to say, false innuendo or not, Rose was certain she didn’t want the rest of the guests to hear.
“Let us stroll in the Brewster’s gardens, shall we?” She leant very close to Maeve and added, “Let’s take our littletête-a-têteoutside after all.”
Maeve pursed her lips then stalked out of the room, leaving Rose to follow. She glanced back at Claire and gave her a reassuring smile. Better to get to the bottom of this than to let it continue.
***
Five minutes later, Rose was ready to weep. It was all her fault that Claire might lose her heart’s desire.Herfault! Someone had seen Claire sneak out repeatedly about four years ago, both early and late, over a period of a few months, taking her carriage, which would be gone for hours. No doubt that someone was a servant, one who lacked loyalty to the Appletons and had moved on, taking her gossip with her.
Unfortunately, that servant had ended up at the Brewster home in time to “save” Franklin from a terribly bad match with an immoral, disreputable female. For, of course, there was only one credible explanation for Claire’s comings and goings — she had been secretly meeting a man.
Except she hadn’t.
Maeve finished speaking and still Rose remained silent. Claire had lent her the carriage to go and see Finn on more than one occasion. Whereas Rose knew her mother would be watching her like a hawk, Claire, with her rather indifferent parents had assumed no one would notice or care if she borrowed their town carriage at odd hours.
Who else was privy to this terrible blight on Claire’s reputation besides Maeve and Mrs. Brewster?
“Does Franklin think ill of Claire?”
“Not that I know of. In truth,” Maeve said, “I don’t approve of taking the word of a servant. I never have. Most are too flighty and stupid to give them such importance. However, my aunt says they have no reason to lie, either.”
Rose could barely focus on Maeve’s words. How could she fix this for Claire? What’s more, how could she do so without bringing down the condemnation of Boston’s elite upon her own head and, worse, besmirching the Malloy name?
Her mother would be heartbroken. Elise would be beyond disappointed. Reed would kill her.
Could she speak with Mrs. Brewster and convince her of Claire’s purity without offering up her own misguided actions as proof?
“Personally,” Maeve continued, seeming unable to stop being the center of this drama now that she’d been thrust onto the stage, “I don’t care a fig if my cousin has fallen in love with Claire and vice versa. Whatever happened four years ago is ancient history.”
If only that were true.
“What does Mrs. Brewster plan to do with the information?”
