Family Secrets

Chapter Four

My cheeks heated up. No one had ever told me such a thing! Who wanted to be informed they looked like their grandmother?

"Mama, you do know how to embarrass a person," the young man scolded, though there was a smile on his face. "You haven't even been properly introduced to our new neighbor."

Was he the man I'd seen earlier in the week? It was impossible to tell since he had been so far away. This man had sandy brown hair and laughing blue eyes. No! I couldn't let myself be distracted by a handsome face.

"Mrs. Smith! I know you have been grieving this week, but there is no call for you to be rude," Miss Greaves exclaimed as she came up behind me. "Let our guests come in. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Henderson. Do come in."

"Miss Greaves, there's no need to scold the poor girl," Mrs. Henderson responded with a smile. "We've not even had the time to introduce ourselves. As my son has just informed me, I have embarrassed her."

"No, Miss Greaves is right," I said quickly. I took a step back to allow them room to come in. "My apologies, Mrs. Henderson. Mr. Henderson. Please come in. Would you like some tea?"

"Absolutely not. We have arrived without warning and would never dream of putting you to the trouble." Mrs. Henderson stepped in. "I brought along some things to help you settle in."

Still standing on the doorstep, her son held up a basket as if to demonstrate the veracity of her words. Good heavens, did they think I was an invalid? "Thank you so much," I managed to say. "Miss Greaves, will you take it to the kitchen?"

Lips pressed together tightly, Miss Greaves stepped forward to take the basket. "You are too kind," she said. She turned and gave me a glare. "If we had known you were coming, Mrs. Smith would not be so embarrassed about her dress."

With a start, I looked down at my pale blue gown, one that I was fond of. Oh. I was not wearing black or even half-mourning colors of dark grey or lavender. I did not look like a woman mourning the death of her husband. My face flushed even hotter.

"There was no need to point it out, Miss Greaves," Mrs. Henderson said, her tone gently reproving. "I know it cannot be easy to change an entire wardrobe, especially when one has just moved."

Part of me was delighted at Miss Greaves being rebuked by our guest. Maybe that would put an end to her attempts to shame me.

"We promise not to tell anyone," her son added. "In fact, I will just leave you ladies to your tete-a-tete. Unless you have another basket for me to carry, Mama?"

"No. Thank you for walking with me, Frederick," Mrs. Henderson said to him.

Bowing, Mr. Frederick Henderson took a step back and then turned to go. I almost regretted seeing him go. While his mother had been kind so far, I didn't know what to expect when I was caught between her and Miss Greaves.

At least with a man, I knew what to say and how to behave to ensure I remained on his good side.

"Please come and sit down," I invited, gesturing to the sitting room. "Are you sure you won't have some tea?"

"I'm sure," the woman assured me as she followed me into the room. "I shared a delightful tea with my son before we came here. And I don't intend to stay long. When I heard you were here, I just had to come."

"You knew my grandmother well?" I asked as I sat down.

"Oh, yes. She was a wonderful friend, like my own mother," Mrs. Henderson said with a fond smile. "Your grandmother welcomed me to the neighborhood when I first married. We all felt the loss when she died."

Guilt niggled at my mind. I could vaguely remember being sad when Father told me that Grandmother had died. Given that it had only been two months since Mama died in childbirth, the news hadn't affected me. And even years later, I did not feel the same sadness that I saw in Mrs. Henderson.