“I may have told her something to the effect that she was a bitter and, perhaps, miserable woman, those conditions brought about by her ridiculous decision to put her idiotic social responsibilities before her son.”
“I don’t imagine Opal enjoyed hearing that.”
Gwendolyn smiled. “Someone needed to tell her, and if what I said has her rethinking her priorities, then I don’t regret speaking my mind. What does Father think about her sending letters?”
“He’s relieved, as well as delighted. She is his mother, after all, and while he’s been angry with her for years, I know he’s missed her.” Finella tucked a stray strand of hair that was a shade lighter than Gwendolyn’s behind her ear. “I’m sure Thanksgiving will be interesting, but we have more pressing matters to concern ourselves with—such as why you’re hiding out in the barn.”
“I’m not hiding, merely rethinking my purpose in life.”
“Ah, of course you are.” Finella gave Gwendolyn’s hand a pat. “Have you come to any conclusions?”
“I’ve been thinking about something Catriona said. And annoying as this is for me to admit, she may be exactly right with her assessment of me.”
“Catriona can be unusually astute when she sets her self-centeredness aside. What did she tell you?”
“She believes I’m not an unconventional lady at all, but that I’m actually meant to pursue a more traditional role, complete with a husband and children.”
Finella gave Gwendolyn’s hand a squeeze. “I could have told you that years ago, darling.”
Gwendolyn wrinkled her nose. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because all of us have a journey we need to take before we realize what our true purpose in life is meant to be. You were so determined to be an independent woman, a decision I know you made because you respected that about me before I married your father. Truth be told, I was of the same mindset before your father swept into my life and changed everything I thought I wanted.”
“May I assume you’ve never had any regrets, since it seems you fell in love with Father at first sight?”
“What I felt for your father at first was not love. It was more on the lines of extreme annoyance.”
“What?”
“It’s true.” Finella smoothed out a wrinkle in her skirt. “Pierson was incredibly handsome, of course, but when he saw me walking out of that dress shop and immediately came over to introduce himself, I found him beyond irritating.”
“But Father is such a charming sort.”
“He was not charming at all when I first met him. He was arrogant.”
Gwendolyn blinked. “I find that hard to believe.”
“If you’d known him back then, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine at all. Pierson had been brought up to believe himself superior to everyone except other members of the social elite. And even though he was struck by me from the moment he saw me, he clearly believed I should consider it an honor he’d set his sights on me.”
Gwendolyn’s lips twitched. “I can’t imagine you appreciated that.”
“I didn’t. I led him on a merry chase for a good month before I started to see something in him that he rarely let people see—his true heart. That heart is what finally convinced me he might have potential. I wasn’t convinced we should marry though, because I knew it would be a sacrifice for him to marry beneath him—though by then I believed Pierson didn’t see me as that.
“It wasn’t until I sought out the advice of Reverend Richard Hunt that I realized a marriage with Pierson might be possible. After I told Reverend Hunt I’d always believed my purpose in life was to open my own shop and subsequently help my family escape the poverty they were living in, he suggested I might be mistaken, and that God could very well have a different purpose for me. He suggested God might have sent Pierson in my direction because, being so far removed from the life he knew, I might very well be his saving grace in the end. I could show him how to live life as it was supposed to be lived—not consumed with the material aspects wealth afforded him but focusing on the possibilities of a life filled with love.”
Gwendolyn tilted her head. “Reverend Hunt believed you were Father’s saving grace?”
“Perhaps. Or maybe he simply believed God brought me and Pierson together because we complete each other.” Finella smiled. “By breaking free of the shackles that kept him bound to convention, Pierson’s been able to live a fulfilling life complete with unconditional love, which has allowed me to do the same.”
“And while that’s a beautiful story, I’m not certain how it relates to my situation.”
“It relates to you because your purpose of seeing after Catriona is now in your past. You, being you, couldn’t have ignored the pain your cousin was in after her loss of Barnabas, but she’s clearly on her way to reembracing life, what with how Frank Lambert has followed her here and they seem to be well on their way to a committed relationship. That means it truly is time for your next adventure—one that, after everything you’ve told me, might involve Walter. I assume you picked up on the similarities between your relationship with him and what I experienced with your father.”
“Except that Father fell head over heels for you from the moment you met, whereas Walter thought I was the most annoying woman he’d ever had the misfortune of encountering.”
“Annoyance is occasionally a precursor to love.”
“In this instance, I believe it was simply annoyance.”
Finella smiled. “You’re being deliberately stubborn. You told me how much Walter changed during the weeks you spent with him, and I believe you were responsible for those changes.”
“He only changed because he realized he’d been missing a great blessing in life—being involved in his children’s lives.”
“But if you’d not entered his life, he would have probably already settled on one of those young ladies out this Season in Newport and would have handed over the care of his children to that lady, never getting the opportunity to become the father you told me he has the capability to become.”
Gwendolyn blew out a breath. “Perhaps, but Walter’s capacity to become a wonderful father does not mean he possesses the ability to love me. His mother even made a point of telling me he’s not an emotional sort, while also telling me she wasn’t certain he’s capable of forming a relationship with a lady based on love. I won’t settle for anything less in a marriage.”
She caught her mother’s eye. “You and Father are responsible for that. I want what you have—a partnership. I’ll only marry someone I can spend my days laughing with, arguing with occasionally, and then setting aside our arguments to laugh once again.”
“From what you’ve disclosed over the past week, you and Walter experienced that in Newport.”
“He doesn’t love me, Mother.”
“Perhaps Walter simply hasn’t realized he loves you. You’re an exceptional woman, darling. I’m sure Walter realizes that—just as I’m sure you were the reason he was finding all the ladies you put in front of him merely pleasant.”