(There’s a new part of this story dropping Saturday in the Broadsheet, so it’s time to give last month’s part it’s own post so it can be found more easily.)
Find previous chapters (to previous Harriet and the Colonel stories) here.
Edmund was gone. He had been gone for two days now. By now, he had likely met Richard along the way and was soon going to discover the information that Wickham thought he possessed.
Harriet had never met this Wickham fellow. Truth be told, she was not certain she cared to meet him. Although…
“What are you planning?” Samantha asked when Harriet accidentally gave away the fact that she was pondering with a small “hmm.”
Harriet directed the two of them to the right of the pool with the fountain, since the path along which they had been strolling along required them to turn one direction or another.
“I am not planning anything other than a wedding,” she replied.
Next to her, her sister laughed knowingly. “I believe all you have left to do on that front is make sure your dress fits when you return to town.”
Yes, well, that was true. There was very little left to be done. She knew the menu for, as well as the songs which she wished to have played at, her wedding breakfast. She had contracted with the appropriate people to have flowers sent and arranged, and she had written up all the schedules for what needed preparation and when.
“I have not packed all my things.”
“And for that, you have servants,” Samantha replied. “So, allow me to repeat myself: What are you planning?”
Harriet sighed. “I truly am not planning anything. I am merely pondering a certain situation.” It was a situation that had taken over much of her quiet time – frustrating her with its seemingly unanswerable questions.
“Does this certain situation include a particularly awful man who kidnapped the colonel’s cousin?” her sister asked. Of course, Samantha would know what Harriet was thinking about. She had nearly always been able to decipher what Harriet was thinking.
“Yes. Something just does not feel right, and there is no way for me to feel less unsettled when questions have not been answered. Or at least, when those answers have not been shared with me.” She huffed. This was all too similar to how she had felt after Andrew’s death.
“You found Andrew’s watch,” Samantha said quietly as if, once again, she knew what her sister was thinking. “Remember that,” she added firmly. “Edmund and his men did not find it. You did. And they gave you no information about it. You did it on your own.” She bumped Harriet’s shoulder with her own. “Do you really need their answers?”
Harriet could not help smiling at that. “It would make it easier.” But was it necessary? Was there truly a way for her to discover useful information from here? And not town? With only the bits she knew? And not with the full scope of information her brother had?
“So what are we planning?” Samantha whispered conspiratorially as they entered the cool shade of the folly, which had been their objective when setting out on their garden stroll.
“We are not planning anything,” Harriet said with a laugh as she took a seat on the settee that was tucked in the back of the folly where it would be sheltered from the weather. “You are far too pregnant to be taking part in schemes.”
Samantha placed her hands on her hips – or the side of her belly, it was rather hard to tell these days where Samantha’s every growing baby began and ended – and scowled down at her younger sister before taking a seat, none too gracefully, next to her. “I will have you know that I am not going to let you carry out whatever plan you concoct without my help. Edmund expects me to see to your care while he is gone.”
“I do not need a nursemaid,” Harriet protested. She pulled her feet up under her and turned sideways on the bench so she could look at her sister while they spoke.
“Perhaps not, but I do need the practise being a mother hen.”
Harriet rolled her eyes. “I think you are well prepared for motherhood on that front. I have made certain of it for you for years now.”
“So then, do not push me aside now. Please.” Samantha sighed. “Our lives are going to change so much in a few months. I will be a mother, and you will be a wife. Let us attempt to enjoy a few weeks this summer of just being sisters.” She patted her belly. “Even if I must bring this little one along on our adventures.”
“Julian would kill me if he knew I allowed you to take part in anything that might in some way be remotely dangerous, and Edmund would assist him.”
“Then, we will not do anything dangerous.” She bit her lip the way she had always done when they were young and she had an idea that she thought was clever. “I am quite certain that taking tea, making calls, and doing a bit of shopping are not overly dangerous.”
A furrow formed between Harriet’s eyebrows. “How will that help me figure out what I need to know?”
“And Edmund thinks you are the clever one,” Samantha teased. “What do we women do best when taking tea and making calls and shopping? We talk and listen.”
Harriet sucked in a quick breath as a smile spread across her face. Why yes! That was how she had finally discovered Andrew’s watch, was it not?
“And what we hear is not the same as what a group of men would hear in a tavern or over a game of cards, now is it?” her sister continued.
A thrilling shiver raced up Harriet’s spine and down her arms. It was brilliant. How had she not considered that? Of course, what women talked about was different from what men did. It was entirely possible that someone might have a story about some fellow who was not at his home during the summer as he normally was or some such thing, would they not?
“In fact,” Samantha said, “I believe we have spent enough days at home as of late. I find a change of scenery would be most beneficial, and I would love to procure a few embellishments for some of my motherly projects, as well as for the dress I plan to wear to your wedding. And I am certain there must be some items left for you to add to your trousseau. If there are not, we can invent a project or two.”
Harriet clapped her hands in delight. “I do love how clever you are.”
“I dare say I am nearly as clever as you,” she said with a laugh. “Now tell me, what information do we hope to discover?”
