The Sins of the Fathers

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Cartwright Residence

Boston

Massachusetts

"Miss Tate always records the British daily service for us and then we have Pastor Reid's daily sermon as well...always an uplifting start to the day, I think?" Pamela Cartwright said as Miss Tate served coffee for everyone, after their devotions. Grace was sitting on a big sofa with Candice, recovering from spending an endless hour and a half on her knees. She had been joining Mary and Mena for their morning prayers since she had arrived in Boston, which she had never done before, but that was only twenty minutes, which she found annoying but bearable. But Pamela Cartwright obviously took everything rather more seriously than her dear mother-in-law, and there was the added complication of the keeper. Mary Stoddart had told Grace in no uncertain terms that they would all have to respect Miss Tate's position in the Cartwright household and let her do her job without hesitation or complaint. Mary did not think that they would be inconvenienced in any way, but she explained that there was a strict etiquette concerning other people's servants, and especially their keepers. And although Grace could not really moan about anything serious thus far, she found Miss Tate's brooding presence rather intimidating and really resented being gruffly told to keep still, twice, during her devotions.

"It certainly is...and it so kind of you to invite us, Pamela?" Mary said, resting her cup and saucer on her knee as Miss Tate started to fuss over Candice, arranging the skirts of her blue and white silk gown for her.

"Well, I know you wanted to meet Mrs Reid...such a pious gentlewoman...I am sure you and Olivia will enjoy her company over lunch," Pamela replied as Miss Tate moved onto Grace, smoothing the capacious skirts of her dark green damask gown and then pedantically straightening the matching bow in her hair. Grace almost flinched at that, but Mena had told her to ignore whatever the keeper did for her, as a lady should never take any notice of what the servants were doing. "And I thought that these two young things could spend some time together...Candice spends far too much time with me...she needs some company more of her own age?"

"I am sure Grace would enjoy that, wouldn't you, dear?" Mary said, turning to Grace with a meaningful look on her face.

"Of course...although I would also like to meet Mrs Reid, Ma'am?" Grace responded, not really sure why Mrs Cartwright was calling her a young thing and suggesting that she would be good company for an eighteen-year-old. She was a twenty-five-year-old married woman after all, not a teenager, even if her husband and his family, and even Mena, seemed to think that she sometimes behaved like one.

"Oh, I am sure we can introduce you, dear...perhaps the girls could join us for a little while after lunch, Miss Tate?" Pamela suggested with a beaming smile.

"But..." Grace began, glancing at Mena, who shook her head as the keeper started to speak over her.

"Of course, Mrs Cartwright...if it is agreeable to you, Mrs Stoddart, and to you, Ma'am, I thought I would take them out for a walk...Mrs Palmer-Stoddart seemed just a little restless earlier...I think she could do with some exercise?"

"Splendid idea...don't you think so, Mary?" Pamela agreed, and Grace looked over at her mother-in-law, expecting to be rescued from what sounded like a horrible idea.

"Of course, Pamela...we are your honoured guests, and more than happy to fit in with your arrangements? Grace, dear...Miss Tate will look after you as your keeper...please behave for her as you would for me?" Mary Stoddart said calmly, blatantly telling Grace to behave and not make a fuss about what was clearly an insult, and an embarrassment, because Pamela Cartwright was treating her like a child, not to mention forcing her to accept the authority of her daughter's keeper. Grace was appalled, and offended, but she could hear Brett's voice in her head telling her how important Reece Cartwright could be to his career. He was flying back to Boston that very evening, expecting to hear how she had charmed Mrs Cartwright and hopefully enhanced his reputation, and she did not want to have to tell him that she had caused a scene over something he would no doubt consider trivial. She could hear him saying that she would probably prefer a chat with a kid to lunch with a Pastor's wife.