Page 87 of Rival to Resist
“I must convey Eliza home,” she said, trying to keep her tone even.
Eliza had no pressing need to leave—indeed, they had not even arrived at church together—but she was too good a friend to say as much.
Oswald merely nodded. “May I call upon you tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Caroline responded, though she did not look forward to it.
The first minutes in the chaise were quiet and Caroline’s thoughts too in need of untangling to make conversation.
“It is a shame,” Eliza said quietly.
Caroline’s throat thickened, but she forced the emotion down with a determined swallow. “At least now the election may proceed without a great to-do.” She was trying to convince herself as much as anyone.
“I suppose so,” Eliza said doubtfully. “You shall vote for Mr. Oswald, then?”
Caroline glanced at her friend. “There is no other candidate to votefor.”
“No…” The way she said it made it sound as though she had asked her question well-aware of that fact.
“Do you suggest I refrain from voting altogether?” Caroline asked bemusedly.
“No,” Eliza rushed to say. “That is…” She paused. “You must do as you see fit, my lady.”
“Andyoumust explain your meaning.”
Eliza’s lips pressed together, as though she was trying to keep her comments safely to herself. “I would not wish to speak ill of Mr. Oswald. He is your friend…”
“As are you. A good enough one, I hope, to speak frankly to me.”
Eliza hesitated. “I have no wish to gossip, my lady, but indeed, I do not believe that any of what I have heard is unfounded.”
Caroline merely looked at her, waiting for her to go on.
“Oswald paid Mrs. Tonkin a visit before he left for Truro.”
As he was their landlord, this was hardly something to bat an eye at, so Caroline waited.
“It was…cordial, I believe, and yet…”
“And yet?”
“Cautionary? Some think he has taken exception to the good terms between Mr. Yorke and Mrs. Tonkin and, I gather, believes this is doing harm to the view the villagers take of him. You know the influence Mrs. Tonkin has…”
Caroline’s pulse quickened as she pulled on the reins to slow the horses. They had reached the place where the lane grew too narrow for her to turn the chaise around. “What exactly did Oswald say?” She thought about the strange interaction she had seen at church. Mrs. Tonkin had not wanted Frederick to sit with them.
“I believe he reminded Mrs. Tonkin that her lease requires renewing soon and that he would appreciate more vocal support from her.”
Caroline’s stomach swam.
“Perhaps I should not have said anything,” Eliza said.
“No. You did right. I had remarked Mrs. Tonkin’s change in behavior toward Mr. Yorke, and now it makes more sense.”
Oswald had threatened Mrs. Tonkin—however subtly—over her friendship with Frederick.
Caroline’s jaw clenched.
She had been dreading Oswald’s call tomorrow, but notanymore. She had a great many questions for him—and she prayed he would have satisfactory answers.
