Page 31 of A Stormy Season
He had his servant tell them he wasn’t at home, as he simply could not face them, their questions, or their salivating for gossip and reassurance that he was not engaged to Jane Gilchrist, in spite of spending all night with her.
It was a kidnapping situation, for heaven’s sake! Surely the gossips would treat this differently. But a third set of callers was announced—this time his neighbor from Hertfordshire, Mrs. Frederick Abbot. Luke bid the servant show her in.
“I came as soon as we heard about your terrible ordeal,” Mrs. Abbot said. Her husband was a cheerful man in his late fifties with red cheeks, and her son was an only child and worked in London as a barrister. But neither of them had accompanied Mrs. Abbot.
“How did you hear of it?”
“Mr. Abbot heard when he was at his club this morning. It was said that Miss Jane Gilchrist was also taken, seized right off the sidewalk at the assembly rooms,” Mrs. Abbot added, her curls jumping alarmingly to keep pace with her words, her head bobbing up and down as she talked.
“The authorities are investigating it,” Luke said, trying to look calm and unconcerned. “You understand that I cannot say anything as to the particulars.”
“Of course, of course. But did you give them a ransom? Why did they let you go?” Mrs. Abbot fixed Luke with an intense stare.
“As a matter of fact, we escaped,” Luke said.
“Oh, how brave,” Mrs. Abbot cried. “And how romantic, to have saved poor Miss Gilchrist. Is she well after her harrowing ordeal?”
Luke cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t call it romantic, Mrs. Abbot. But Miss Gilchrist is well, I believe. She was not injured.”
“I suppose the two of you are now engaged,” Mrs. Abbot went on, lowering her voice, “after spending the night together.”
Luke’s stomach sank.
He’d had a fleeting thought that this might happen the night before when he was trying to think through all the possible ways he and Jane might escape without being killed. It had seemed too silly, under the circumstances, to worry about such a thing. But now it was happening. These otherwise upstanding women of Society would spread the gossip about him and Jane, and though his reputation would hardly even be tarnished in the eyes of most, Jane’s would be forever ruined.
“Mrs. Abbot, you do understand that we were taken against our will, just as we were trying to go home from a ball at the assembly rooms.”
Mrs. Abbot leaned forward a bit, as if waiting for him to go on.
“What I mean is, we did nothing amiss. We were seized and locked in a room, but we did nothing wrong.” When Mrs. Abbot still seemed to be waiting, he added, “Miss Gilchrist’s virtue is completely intact.”
“I don’t understand.” Mrs. Abbot appeared sincerely confused.
“I believe it is I who do not understand you, Mrs. Abbot.”
She scrunched her face, as if trying to think how to explain herself, then said, “You and Miss Gilchrist were together all night and now you must marry.”
“Because . . .?”
“Because her reputation is ruined. No other man will marry her.”
“So it does not matter that we did nothing wrong. Her reputation is ruined simply because she and I were in the vicinity of one another during the nighttime hours without the benefit of other people’s presence.”
Mrs. Abbot again seemed to be waiting, and when Luke did not go on, she smiled and said, “Yes, exactly! Now you understand.”
Luke brought his palm up to his forehead and closed his eyes. He let out a long breath.
“Mr. Watley? Are you well?”
He mumbled, “No, as a matter of fact, I was hit in the head, knocked unconscious by kidnappers who could have killed me.”
“What is that you say?” Mrs. Abbot asked. “I am rather hard of hearing.”
“Nothing. Do forgive me, Mrs. Abbot, but I have several matters of pressing business that I must attend to. You will forgive me if I have my servant show you out.”
Luke turned her over to the servant as quickly as possible. As he was hurrying away down the hall, he heard her call out to him, “You haven’t answered my question. Mr. Watley?”
He ignored her, quickened his pace, and was soon out of her sight.
