Of Corsets and Secrets and True True Love by Fiona McHugh

Author:Fiona McHugh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: road to avonlea, fiona mchugh, mchugh
Publisher: Davenport Press

Chapter Twelve

The next afternoon, Marilla was bent over a steaming tub, scrubbing the children’s dirty clothes on the washboard, when she heard Rachel shriek at the top of her lungs. In another second she came striding in to the kitchen from the veranda, clutching the Avonlea Chronicle.

“Would you take a look at this!” she screeched, thrusting the newspaper at the astonished Marilla. “That Olivia King should be strung up!”

“You know I can’t read a thing without my glasses. What on earth’s the matter?”

“Ambrose Dinsdale. That’s what’s the matter. Olivia King’s written a whole piece about him. Right here, for everyone in the world to gawk at.” Rachel’s finger jabbed at the offending page. “I blame you for this, Marilla. I would have taken my broken heart silently to the grave, but you had to prompt that snippet’s curiosity!”

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times, Rachel. I had no idea you’d kept his portrait. That’s what piqued her interest.”

“Why shouldn’t I keep his portrait? I had every right to it, didn’t I? I could have been Mrs. Ambrose Dinsdale right now if you hadn’t forced me to marry Thomas Lynde. I’ve always been faithful to his memory, poor soul. But I was never happy.”

Rachel pulled an enormous handkerchief out of her sleeve and attached it to her nose. Her usually well-disciplined hair stood out in rebellious wisps against her flushed face.

Marilla gave silent thanks she had taken steps to ensure that Rachel would see Dr. Blair that afternoon. Rachel in one of her moods was bad enough, but Rachel with an infected tooth and a fever was enough to try the patience of a saint. Still, relief was near at hand. Knowing this, Marilla was able to keep her tone level.

“I had nothing to do with your marrying Thomas, Rachel,” she said reasonably. “That was completely your decision. I merely gave you a word of advice, that is all. Besides, Thomas worshipped the ground you walked on.” More fool he, she felt like adding.

Rachel’s eyes were wet. “Nobody loved me like Ambrose Dinsdale. I should never, never have let you influence me, Marilla. When I think of the nights I’ve cried myself to sleep over Ambrose.” Her shoulders heaved with emotion.

“Rachel, for pity’s sake, have some sense!”

The sound of shattering glass from the floor above interrupted what might have developed into a bitter argument. Silenced, both women stared up at the ceiling.

As soon as he heard their footsteps on the stairs, Davy braced himself for the pain. He knew it would come, but he did not feel in the least bit scared. More important was finding out about a whole mess of things. He would find out if the mechanism he had rigged up worked. He would find out how the pain felt. Most of all, he would find out if he could make Mrs. Lynde like him. He sat up straight on the edge of the bed. At his feet lay the shattered mirror. He was sorry to have to break it.

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