The Whitaker family meeting ended with a preliminary decision to bring Elizabeth and Scarlett back.
There was little choice—Elizabeth and Scarlett had been staying at William’s home in Wellwater Village for more than ten days, refusing to return. The Whitaker matriarch, while deeply disliking the mother and daughter, had to admit that Elizabeth was a capable worker. She might not have produced a son, but her tireless work ethic outshone both Maria and Veronica combined. Veronica had always been lazy, and Maria, after years of living in the county with Rosaline, was out of practice with farm work.
Still, the matriarch fervently hoped that Scarlett, the “troublemaker,” wouldn’t return to disgrace the family further. If she stayed with William, so much the better.
She trusted her two daughters-in-law to handle the matter appropriately and worried about it even as she went to bed.
The Whitaker family all lived in a shared courtyard, and any late-night conversations had to be whispered. Veronica, like the matriarch, believed Elizabeth could return, but Scarlett absolutely couldn’t.
“Don’t be fooled by how Maria acted today,” Veronica grumbled to her husband, Henry. “If Rosaline can find someone like Walter Janson, why can’t Helen? So what if she didn’t finish school? A girl just needs to know how to read and write. By the time they graduate, most college students are already old spinsters!”
Henry, exhausted from the day’s work, replied irritably, “Helen was never the scholarly type. Don’t just act like the villain when you go to William’s tomorrow. What’s one stubborn girl? Bring her back, lock her up, and find her a husband far away. The gossip will die down eventually.”
Veronica nodded outwardly but had no intention of changing her plans.
Ironically, in another room, Maria and Albert were discussing the same issue but from a different angle—they wanted Scarlett brought back to the family.
As Henry had said, locking Scarlett up and marrying her off to someone—anyone—would solve the problem. Her reputation was already in tatters. An old bachelor or widower would do, and even Wesley, the source of the rumors, could work. If Scarlett married Wesley, their past involvement would seem legitimate, turning scandal into propriety.
The more Maria thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
“We’re not talking about locking her up forever. She’s a woman—once she’s married and has children, she’ll settle down in the countryside,” Maria said.
Rosaline didn’t want Scarlett to leave Larkspur Village, and Maria thought marrying Scarlett to an old bachelor or widower—or even Wesley—would also resolve that concern.
As long as Scarlett was brought back, Maria was confident she could handle the rest.
The Whitaker family would receive a dowry payment, and Scarlett wouldn’t have the chance to cause trouble again. After all, Scarlett had brought this upon herself by trying to steal Rosaline’s match!
Albert found Maria’s reasoning logical, and the couple had no disagreements on the matter. Late into the night, they shifted the conversation to other concerns. With Rosaline now attending college in Zoriville, Maria could no longer use the excuse of caring for her to stay in the county. Albert was particularly worried about their family business.
“Do you think your brother and sister-in-law can manage the shop without issues?” Albert asked.
“What issues could there be? They’re kind enough to help. Without that shop, where would we get money for Rosaline’s dowry or our son’s wedding?” Maria replied.
Albert frowned. Rosaline’s uncle was known for skimming off the top whenever he handled money. Every penny passing through his hands felt like a loss to Albert. The shop had grown from a street stall to a proper storefront under Rosaline’s guidance, and business had only improved. The thought of leaving it in someone else’s hands made him uneasy.
“You should oversee it yourself,” Albert said. “Once Scarlett’s issue is resolved, we’ll tell the family the shop belongs to your side of the family, and you’re going to help manage it. Say it’s to earn some extra money for Rosaline’s expenses.”
Maria, eager to avoid farm work, was more than happy to settle in the county.
“You should come too. The shop needs more hands. Once you’re there, we can send Rosaline’s uncle and aunt back. With just the two of us, we can keep things running.”
“I’ll think about it. Get some sleep; we have to head to Wellwater Village early tomorrow.”
