Page 24 of Love Thy Enemy (The Vaughns #4)

“I forgot some of Mother’s wound balm,” said Edward, followed by the sound of clinking glass as he opened and closed the drawers of the cabinet along the far side.

“Vaughn’s Miracle Balm. There’s a jar in the third drawer on the far right,” said Gregory, not bothering to look at his brother.

Silence followed that. “Please say that is not its name.”

Gregory finally cracked his eyes open, leveling an amused look at his younger brother. “No. But it rolls off the tongue better than balsam of meadowsweet and marshmallow.”

“My brother has a sense of humor,” muttered Edward with more than a hint of amazement, though there was a dash of jest threaded in his tone.

“Will wonders never cease? Next, you will tell me that you’re courting some young lady in the village and intend on joining in the Morris dancing at the Midsummer Festival. ”

“With ribbons and all,” said Gregory.

“I look forward to your performance.” Snatching up the jar, Edward turned to leave, but Gregory called to the fellow before he disappeared again.

“Have you heard anything about false allegations of grand larceny?” asked Gregory as he added the pilfered item to his brother’s list.

Edward turned, tucking the jar into his medical bag. “As in, generally speaking? Or are you referring to something specific?”

Drawing in a breath, Gregory let it out.

In for a penny. “Regarding ladies and their shopping. I was told the other day that a store clerk leveled false allegations of larceny against a patroness. Is there any possibility that it is true? The whole thing seems like bad business, which is certain to drive off customers.”

Glancing back at the door, Edward shut it and took the seat beside his brother with a sigh. “It does seem illogical, but I assure you it happens, and more frequently than you might believe. Especially to ladies who are alone and unprotected.”

“But the shopkeeper’s standing would be destroyed, and he’d lose his clientele.” Gregory frowned. “And grand larceny? That would require a fair bit of thievery.”

“Again, that is the logical conclusion, but as the purpose is to extort ladies who are terrified of damaging their reputation, few are willing to speak of it. Thus, the shopkeeper’s sins never come to light,” said Edward, setting his bag on his brother’s desk.

“And a length of lace is expensive enough to venture into the realm of grand larceny whilst small enough to slip in amongst the lady’s purchases.

Once they leave the shop, they are ‘caught’ and threatened with legal charges.

Most ladies would rather pay a bribe than risk a damaged reputation. ”

“That seems so ridiculous,” said Gregory with a shake of his head, but Edward met that with a hard look.

“It happens.”

“I am not doubting you,” he replied with a shrug. “I am simply saying it sounds a touch far-fetched.”

Edward’s brows rose in challenge. “It happened to Sadie.”

Gregory jerked upright as though leaping into action, his pulse quickening, though his brother’s calm wave of the hand made it clear that the business was done and over with.

“She came for a visit when I was studying in London, and she dragged me to some marketplace, though I insisted on remaining outside whilst she dug through bolts of fabric.” Edward shook his head as though chastising himself.

“The moment Sadie emerged, the rat came scurrying out the door and accosted her, snatching back her purchases to reveal the ‘stolen’ item. She was beside herself, and had I not been there, Sadie would’ve handed over every last farthing she had and the clothes off her back to placate him. ”

It had been years since that had happened, yet Gregory felt a surge of fury ripple through him at the thought. Their little sister was just the sort of sweet soul that villains preyed upon, and he could well imagine how readily she would’ve paid.

“I was able to convince him to leave things be,” said Edward, his lips twisting into a smile that was too satisfied to mean anything less than justice had been served.

“And Uncle Franklin and I paid a call on the fellow later to discuss how terrible an idea it was for him to continue that business practice.”

Gregory could hardly imagine Uncle Franklin doing anything of the sort (assuming the threat rife in his brother’s tone conveyed just precisely what sort of visit it had been).

Then again, Gregory wasn’t one to resort to such brutish behavior either, yet the thought of Sadie falling prey to someone—even if it was only a threat to her reputation—sent a shudder of fury through him that proved he was quite willing to go to blows with the right incentive.

“But why are you asking? This doesn’t have anything to do with a certain widow lurking about the village, does it, Gregory?”

“I heard she was arrested for grand larceny not long ago.”

Brows rising, Edward huffed. “Mrs. Stuart is a bold woman. I don’t know many who are willing to fight such injustice. It likely cost her a fortune compared to a bribe.”

“I do not know for certain that it was false,” said Gregory. “I assume she was found innocent, as she is walking free, but my informant did not specify the outcome of the trial beyond the fact that it occurred, and I am waiting for more details.”

“I will wager everything I hold dear in this world—including my wife and children—that it was false,” said Edward.

“From what I have seen and heard of her, Mrs. Stuart doesn’t seem the sort to steal in the first place.

She’s generous to the staff at the inn, has paid for most of her expenses in advance, and even donated to a charity fund that Joanna is collecting.

Those actions aren’t indicative of a woman who must resort to such underhanded deeds. ”

Gregory scratched his cheek and considered that. While Edward’s logic was sound, Mrs. Stuart had confirmed that she was the sort to steal. At least from her husband.

Glancing at the journal, he wished he understood more about what had passed between the pair.

In the good moments, Rodney’s descriptions of his wife were glowing and tender.

Clearly, they’d been in love once upon a time, yet those bright and beautiful feelings had devolved into thievery, broken promises, and lies.

Their accounts of what had occurred were so vastly different that one of them must be lying. And the more he read the journals, the less certain he was that it was Mrs. Stuart.

“Does this have anything to do with that tussle at the inn?” asked Edward.

“What tussle?”

Edward’s brows rose. “Between Clark and his mother. The village has been buzzing about it for the past two days.”

Frowning, Gregory shook his head. “No one tells me any gossip.”

That drew up his brother’s brows even further. “What? The ladies of Thornsby don’t rush to your side to tell you all the latest on dits ?”

With a grunt, Gregory pushed away from the desk, rising to his feet, but Edward grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“Peace, Gregory. I was teasing. Between being the village physician, meaning I spend far too much of my time in parlors, and my wife being a veritable font of tittle-tattle, I hear far more than I wish to know about our neighbors.”

Holding up his hands in placation, Edward waited for him to settle again before adding, “Clark accosted Mrs. Stuart in front of the inn. Though their discussion wasn’t overheard, the lad threw something at her and looked liable to strike her down in the streets before he stormed away.”

Gregory shifted in his seat. “No doubt the gossips are inflating what actually happened.”

“Likely,” said Edward with a nod. “But even taking that into account, it is worrying. I spoke with someone who witnessed it, and they were convinced he would lay hands on her.”

Stomach sinking, Gregory considered that.

Even if everything Rodney had said about Mrs. Stuart was true—which was seeming less and less likely—hearing that the lad treated any woman with such disdain was disconcerting.

That behavior was unacceptable. And when paired with Walter’s reports about Clark’s performance at school of late, Gregory knew the lad’s current state was devolving at a rapid pace.

And what was he to do about that?

“You are a father,” said Gregory, rubbing his forehead. “Do you have any suggestions for how to manage an unruly young man?”

Edward jerked back, his hands up to ward off the question. “I may have children, but there is a world of difference between being the parent of little ones and those nearly grown. The older they become, the more my hair grays and the wrinkles deepen.”

“Your children are dears.”

Widening his eyes comically, he shook his head, “Marianne is an angel for now, but little Timothy looks to follow after Caro and Shirley’s example and become a monster once he learns to say ‘no.’ And Oscar has always been a handful.”

Edward gave a pained chuckle. “You, dear Uncle Gregory, see them at their best, for you are blessed to swoop in and spoil them when it suits you and leave Joanna and me to manage the rest.”

Gregory’s brows rose at that. “I am sorry if I have made your work more difficult.”

His brother waved it off. “That is the purpose of aunts, uncles, and grandparents. I cannot describe how much joy it brings me to see my family dote on the children I love so dearly.”

And a spark of that same warmth flickered in Gregory’s heart at the thought of Mother working with Jackson and Joanna taking Daphne under her wing. In their own way, the family was reaching out to his own brood now.

“I fear, dear brother, that you have a difficult road ahead,” said Edward with a sigh, “Being guardian to a child isn’t an easy burden to bear, but at least natural guardians have the blessing of taking on one at a time as they slowly grow into more and more difficult issues.

With most of my children, the greatest worry Joanna and I have is whether or not they will eat their supper or if they will have a difficult night’s sleep.

You have proper people to worry and fret over. ”

“And matters aren’t helped by the fact that their mother is running about making trouble,” muttered Gregory.

“Making trouble or attempting to set things to rights?” asked Edward.

But Gregory had no answer to give.

“Give yourself some grace, brother of mine,” he said, rising to his feet. “You became guardian to six children all at once. You are going to make many mistakes, but you care too deeply to go too far afield.”

Taking up his bag once more, Edward strode to the door and paused, his hand hovering over the handle. Turning back, the fellow considered Gregory for a long moment before speaking.

“I don’t have much advice, but I will say that you ought to remember something Rodney never did: it isn’t your place to decide what relationship the children have with their mother.”

Edward paused, but there was far too much contemplation in that silence for Gregory to think he was finished, so he waited.

“As Joanna doesn’t speak of her father, I doubt it will be a surprise if I say that she is not on good terms with him.

” Pausing again, Edward sorted through his words.

“For reasons too complicated to enumerate here, my father-in-law does not love his daughter. Yet Joanna never stops hoping he will one day.”

Setting the bag on the shelf beside him, Edward crossed his arms. “She wished him to meet the children, so we brought them to London as he cannot be bothered to visit. And though he dotes on them when they are underfoot, he doesn’t give them another thought after we return home and never shows any interest in their mother.

Her letters go mostly unanswered, and the scant responses she does receive show no interest in her whatsoever. And it pains her so much.”

Edward’s jaw clenched as he drew in a deep breath.

“For a long time, I encouraged her to cut ties. To embrace the family she found with my kin. And though she has done the latter, she cannot seem to help herself with the former. I cannot bear to see the heartache it causes her, but forcing the issue merely placed a wedge between us. Eventually, I came to understand that my role as her husband is to reassure her that she is adored and valued—not to keep her locked away from anything that might harm her. It is her choice if she wishes to put her heart at risk, and it is my privilege to help her piece it back together.”

Snatching up his bag once more, Edward nodded at Gregory. “Besides, from what I hear, Mrs. Stuart has purchased a seat on the stagecoach tomorrow. She is returning to Leeds, so I doubt she will be a bother in the future.”

And with that, Edward took his leave, abandoning his brother to his thoughts.