Page 24 of The Tailor's Treasure

"I'll go back with you," Constance said firmly."And I'll speak on your behalf.So long as the two of you can come to some kind of accord, there's no need for either of you to do anything drastic."

Margery sniffed again.Her gaze darted around the room, then found Isabel."When you were," she started, then stopped."If Mother has her way – if I'm married –" She spat the word out like it was an insect that had been slipped into her food."What will – do I –"

Constance got up and went around the table, seating herself next to Margery and bending to murmur something in her ear.This, Isabel thought, was the point at which her presence became intrusive.She slid off the bench and stood, rolling her work up once again.

"Oh –" She had not moved quietly enough to prevent her being noticed.Constance was looking at her."You needn't, if you –"

"It's all right," Isabel said."I've errands to run anyhow.And –" She glanced up at the ceiling."A call to pay.Amends to be made."

Constance nodded, clearly too distracted to take in what she was saying.Isabel bent to stow the work in her basket – it was nearly done, but there were finishing touches to be added to the embroidery – before heading not for the front door, but for the stairs.She doubted either Constance or Margery noticed her going.

# # #

Once she reached thelanding, she hesitated.Peter had had a bad night, Constance had said: in all likelihood, he would be in no fit state to entertain visitors, much less a near-stranger whose previous intrusion had provoked nothing but ill feeling.But she had to at least make the attempt.If he chased her off again – well, that would be that, and she'd know better than to try again.Before she could talk herself out of it, she crossed the hall and knocked lightly on the bedroom door.

"Go on," said a voice from beyond.She took that for what it was worth, and gave the door a tentative push.It opened to reveal Peter sitting up in bed, picking aimlessly at the coverlet with one hand while the other dangled uselessly from the side of the bed.He did not look up at her first entrance; it was only when she stood there a moment without speaking that he finally said, "if you've come to check up on me, I told you I was well enough –" He looked up then, and his voice died in midsentence.

"You thought I was Constance," Isabel said, pointlessly.It was something to say, at least.

He snorted and tossed his head."And how did you reach that conclusion?"

She did not dignify that with a response."I've no intention to stay," she said."I only came to apologize for our last meeting – for my intrusion.It was poorly done of me not to knock."

He looked at her for a moment, his expression unreadable."You know," he said, "Constance was of the opinion that it was I who owed you an apology.She was quite inflexible on that point."

It was pointless to feel buoyed by this information, but Isabel felt it strike some tender part of her anyway, settling over old aches like an ointment.She couldn't recall the last time anyone who wasn't Matthew had taken her part, and certainly not to their own family."Well," she said, "you may keep your own counsel and do as you see fit."He had not, she'd noted, actually offered an apology."But for myself, I would not be easy in mind until I made my own amends."

"Your mind is easily unsettled, then," Peter said."I had all but forgot the matter already, so be troubled no longer."

"Your magnanimity is noted," Isabel said, almost without thinking.She had come up intending to make peace with Peter, but there was only so much needling she could withstand.She bore it all day at home; she would not do so here, in the one place where she was safe.Now that she had let the words fly, she braced herself for a sharp retort: she was entirely unprepared for what Peter did instead, which was to throw his head back and laugh.

"I was mistaken as to why Constance likes you," he said, once his chuckles had subsided."I thought you another stray she'd taken in, but you've a proper bite of your own, don't you?"

"Only when I must," she said.She could not decide which part of what he'd said offended her most, butanother straywas approaching the top of the list."When I extend a hand of friendship and find myself insulted.For instance."

"Mmm."Peter did not smirk, precisely, but the corner of his mouth twitched."And if I say no insult was intended?"

"Then I would say you are a poor judge of insult," Isabel fired back.It felt good to do it.She'd not realized how much the effort of holding her tongue exhausted her until the moment she no longer had to.

"I cannot dispute it," Peter agreed."Though I must beg pardon on account of my circumstances.I've not seen anyone outside of these four walls in months, and so my skills at repartee are somewhat atrophied.As Constance and Jack will tell you."

Isabel crossed her arms."Constancehastold me.Is this how you speak to her every day?I'm shocked she hasn't yet dashed a bucket of water in your face for it.Certainly, I would not blame her for it."

"Oh?"Peter still looked amused."Wouldn't you?"

"Not in the slightest."She was warming to her theme now, words pouring forth without effort."She nurses you, keeps your shop running, cooks and keeps house for you, and in return you offer her insults and cruelty.How much do you think she is required to bear?Marital vows may tie you two together, but she is not bound to accept ill treatment.She deserves far better than that."

She was out of breath by the time she had finished speaking - more than she ought to have been, really, for a few meager sentences - but she was too irked to care.Peter was staring at her now, faintly open-mouthed, as she stood there in silence, struggling to catch her breath.On the heels of her speech came the first flush of shame: not over what she had said, for she didn't think any of it was wrong, but for having said it all to begin with.Wasthiswhat she called making peace?She'd only made everything worse.Would she never be capable of managing her affairs to her own best interest?

"I ..."Peter looked as if he were rolling his words around in his mouth, seeking out the right ones."I said I was mistaken as to why Constance liked you, but it appears my error extends farther than that.I did not realize how much you like her."

Isabel shifted uneasily from foot to foot.What was he getting at?"Of course I like her," she said."She has been very kind to me, kinder than I deserved.She is kind to everyone.I only wish she received the same treatment in return."

"In that, I think, we are in agreement."Peter was looking at her very closely.She didn't like it; it felt as though he were peeling her like an onion, exposing soft and tender parts beneath her skin."And - if you will take no offense at my saying so - I am glad to see she has you now, to treat her kindly."

Isabel had not the faintest idea how to respond to that.Treat herkindly?She had only behaved towards Constance as she would to anyone else.If anything, she had burdened Constance with far more of her own worries than was warranted.Peter's understanding of kind treatment must be truly warped, if this was how he viewed things.Unless Constance had said something to him to make him think more of their relationship than there was ...?

She almost asked him as much, but she closed her mouth with a snap before the words could escape.She was not a green girl, to go about begging information from others regarding her own relationships.She had not been, even when shewasa girl.If Constance had somehow conceived a misapprehension of what they were to each other, then it was a matter to be settled between the two of them, not using Peter as a go-between.