experienced our first night together.”
Nathanial blinked. Did she refer to intimacy ? He could not ask an elder such a thing, but the sly smile and twinkle of her eyes suggested as much. Unsure how to proceed, he opted to change the subject matter. “Faith is worried about you.”
“She worries too much.” Felicity gave him a long, searching look. “She is young…she should concern herself with finding a husband.”
“Perhaps, but she does not want to leave you alone.”
Felicity waved a hand. “I am an old woman. One day I will leave her, then what? In her foolishness, she will be left exactly as she fears I will. Her father has been gone a long time, and though I miss him, I treasure the memories. We had a good life, although a short one. I want that for my daughter, but she is stubborn.”
“I am in fact here to discuss your daughter’s stubbornness, Goodwife.”
“Felicity, please.”
“Felicity.” Nathanial tried the name on his tongue, unsure he was worthy of uttering it. “I care a great deal about Faith, and I wanted to discuss with you the possibility of joining with her.” He toyed with his collar, more nervous and uncomfortable in that moment than he had ever been facing London’s fiercest barristers. “Would you consider granting me your daughter’s hand in marriage?”
Felicity gave him a long, searching look. He worried, though it was without malice, that the hesitation did not bode well. Nor did her lack of response.
He had not expected to hit a wall with her. “Perhaps if you can tell me why you do not approve,” he said, “I can assay your concerns.”
She turned the kerchief in her hands, pulling one corner after the next through bent fingers. “I would not say I do not approve. I am just concerned for my daughter’s happiness, for when I leave this earth she will truly be alone. I have to trust whoever takes her hand will honor her as a husband should. You have spent a great many hours in this house, but you have been gone years. A man can change a great deal in that amount of time.”
“And my family has done this horrible thing to the whole of the town,” he added. There was no point in pretending that would not factor into…everything.
“That Abigail…there is no doubt she wanted to bring pain. The younger of them, one cannot be sure. But though they share your name, it is not my right to judge you based on their actions.”
“That is a most progressive viewpoint.”
She waved a hand. “It is a practical mind. I may be fading, but I know firstly there is but one judge.”
Nathanial remained silent for a moment, his thoughts heavy. “Your daughter,” he finally said. “She is a lovely woman.”
“She is stubborn. Independent. Not at all as a lady should be.”
He leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, “Perhaps that is why she intrigues me so.”
Felicity studied him with a depth and intensity he had not expected. “She will refuse you.”
“She loves you. She will respect your decision.”
“What do you mean to do with her?”
Nathanial had many an answer to that question, but none he wished to share with Faith’s mother, despite her forthcoming reference to her wedding night.
His hesitance did not go unnoticed.
“I refer, of course, to her lodging.”
He breathed a sigh of relief, also not unnoticed. Felicity actually smiled.
“Whatever is her desire,” he said. “I will not attempt to take her to my family home. I own no land, but I have a worth that will buy any piece she pleases. We can make a home in Cambridge or London or any of the great European cities.”
“And if she wants to stay here?”
“She will visit as often as she likes. You will see one another often, and even after we settle elsewhere I will continue to take care of all of your expenses.” He softened his tone. “Faith believes wholly in the people of Salem, but she has never traveled beyond its borders. She is, as you say, stubborn. But I can offer her
Nathanial blinked. Did she refer to intimacy ? He could not ask an elder such a thing, but the sly smile and twinkle of her eyes suggested as much. Unsure how to proceed, he opted to change the subject matter. “Faith is worried about you.”
“She worries too much.” Felicity gave him a long, searching look. “She is young…she should concern herself with finding a husband.”
“Perhaps, but she does not want to leave you alone.”
Felicity waved a hand. “I am an old woman. One day I will leave her, then what? In her foolishness, she will be left exactly as she fears I will. Her father has been gone a long time, and though I miss him, I treasure the memories. We had a good life, although a short one. I want that for my daughter, but she is stubborn.”
“I am in fact here to discuss your daughter’s stubbornness, Goodwife.”
“Felicity, please.”
“Felicity.” Nathanial tried the name on his tongue, unsure he was worthy of uttering it. “I care a great deal about Faith, and I wanted to discuss with you the possibility of joining with her.” He toyed with his collar, more nervous and uncomfortable in that moment than he had ever been facing London’s fiercest barristers. “Would you consider granting me your daughter’s hand in marriage?”
Felicity gave him a long, searching look. He worried, though it was without malice, that the hesitation did not bode well. Nor did her lack of response.
He had not expected to hit a wall with her. “Perhaps if you can tell me why you do not approve,” he said, “I can assay your concerns.”
She turned the kerchief in her hands, pulling one corner after the next through bent fingers. “I would not say I do not approve. I am just concerned for my daughter’s happiness, for when I leave this earth she will truly be alone. I have to trust whoever takes her hand will honor her as a husband should. You have spent a great many hours in this house, but you have been gone years. A man can change a great deal in that amount of time.”
“And my family has done this horrible thing to the whole of the town,” he added. There was no point in pretending that would not factor into…everything.
“That Abigail…there is no doubt she wanted to bring pain. The younger of them, one cannot be sure. But though they share your name, it is not my right to judge you based on their actions.”
“That is a most progressive viewpoint.”
She waved a hand. “It is a practical mind. I may be fading, but I know firstly there is but one judge.”
Nathanial remained silent for a moment, his thoughts heavy. “Your daughter,” he finally said. “She is a lovely woman.”
“She is stubborn. Independent. Not at all as a lady should be.”
He leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, “Perhaps that is why she intrigues me so.”
Felicity studied him with a depth and intensity he had not expected. “She will refuse you.”
“She loves you. She will respect your decision.”
“What do you mean to do with her?”
Nathanial had many an answer to that question, but none he wished to share with Faith’s mother, despite her forthcoming reference to her wedding night.
His hesitance did not go unnoticed.
“I refer, of course, to her lodging.”
He breathed a sigh of relief, also not unnoticed. Felicity actually smiled.
“Whatever is her desire,” he said. “I will not attempt to take her to my family home. I own no land, but I have a worth that will buy any piece she pleases. We can make a home in Cambridge or London or any of the great European cities.”
“And if she wants to stay here?”
“She will visit as often as she likes. You will see one another often, and even after we settle elsewhere I will continue to take care of all of your expenses.” He softened his tone. “Faith believes wholly in the people of Salem, but she has never traveled beyond its borders. She is, as you say, stubborn. But I can offer her
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