What Lies Buried: A Novel of Old Cape Fear by Lambdin Dewey

Author:Lambdin, Dewey [Lambdin, Dewey]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2005-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

THE WIDOW had come from Tuscarora.

Matthew Livesey had been surprised when a liveried, black house slave had delivered an invitation to attend her at the townhouse. He had thought, like others, that Georgina Tresmayne would stay cloistered during her year of mourning out at the plantation house. Yet here she was, uneasily seated in a throne-like parlor chair in her dark widow’s weeds, her wide-brimmed hat veiled with black netting even indoors, reigning over the small gathering of close friends and relations, whojust as uneasily drank her wine, and ate her cakes and light “kick-shaw” snacks off the sideboard. Osgoode Moore attended her like a royal equerry might a queen, bending down to mutter deferentially to her, or listen to her low conversation. Anne Moore stood a bit behind the throne-like wing-chair, much like a lady-in-waiting would. Thomas Lakey and his nephew Andrew Hewlett were present, young Cornelius Harnett from Brunswick, a few other leading lights of the Tresmayne faction and their ladies, and Matthew and his family. Harry had been the last of the Tresmayne tribe living, but there were some Maultsbys from Georgina’s side, hovering together near a settee.

Livesey could, indeed, not face her directly: his dream about her still plagued his conscience. Yet he had to, for the only chair left wasjust a little in front of her and to her left, and his leg was paining him. Armed with a neat brandy, he settled himself.

“Dear Matthew,” Georgina said in a soft, weary voice almost at once. “Our closest and dearest friend.”

“Umm …” Livesey nodded to her, peering in spite of himself to penetrate her veil to read her features, or to gaze upon her beauty. “You are well, ma’am?” he asked gently. “Do you bear up?”

“’Tis hard, Matthew,” Georgina barely whispered. “Wretchedly hard, but I try.” A gloved hand penetrated the veil to dab her eyes.

“I must own surprise, ma’am, that you came back to town. The restful, bucolic peace of Tuscarora surely would be more … umm … conducive to …” Livesey stumbled, then blushed in dithered silence.

“To mourning?” Georgina supplied for him. “One would think so, Matthew. More contemplative a place, yes, one would surely suppose. But the silence, Matthew!” Georgina almost shuddered as her control slipped. “No one with whom a body may converse but servants, or the overseers. The loneliness of the estate, with few visitors …”

“I deeply apologize for not coaching out sooner to relieve you of such loneliness, then, ma’am,” Livesey grunted with another cause for shame to contemplate. “I would not like you to think I, or any of the Liveseys, meant to abandon you. No! It’sjust…”

“Life must go on, truly, Matthew,” Georgina responded. “Those who remain must cope with the mundane matters, even direct kin or the closest of friends. And, I’ve found,” Georgina came near to jesting, for a brief moment of her former self, “people feel awkward around the widow, or widower. As if death is catching, like the ague?”

“Yes,” Livesey confessed.

“When your dear Charlotte passed over, Matthew, Harry and I were just as awkward toward you for a time,” Georgina admitted.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.