Jekyll's Wife

Chapter Eight - Hopes Harvest

"Mrs Lantmore, good morning!" The vicar cheered as she greeted him at her doorstep.

She smiled half a smile and silently closed the door behind her.

"Good morning Vicar, thank you so much for allowing me to attend the harvest festival with you. I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience." They walked up the garden path and met his wife, Nancy, who stood waiting for them.

The vicar's wife was similar age to Maria, though she had always had an air of wisdom around her that Maria didn't think she'd ever possess.

"Not at all. It'll be good for my wife to have some company during the service. Nancy, I believe you've met Mrs Lantmore before-"

"Maria. Please, call me Maria." They nodded a greeting at each other and the two women fell into step beside one another, with the Vicar walking just ahead of them.

"I hear your husband is doing well at the University. You must be proud."

Maria flinched at the mention of Jonathon but hoped that Nancy hadn't noticed, her throat still burned and the purple bruise that met her in the mirror this morning had taken a long time to cover.

She prayed it would be cold today, as she was wearing a tight collar and a thick scarf which was usually only reserved for the dead of winter.

"Of course." She lied, briefly wondering if lying to the Vicar's wife was as bad as lying to God himself. "I'm so lucky to have such a clever husband. How about you though, how are you and your husband settling in to this town?"

Maria relaxed into the conversation a little as Nancy proceeded to explain where they'd moved from and how much they were enjoying living here, although they found a few of the locals to be a little intrusive.

Maria longed to tell her that it was to be expected in this kind of place, but she bit her tongue, happy enough to let Nancy take the conversation whilst they headed towards the church.

They were early, much earlier than Maria had ever been to the church service. She'd never truly considered the amount of setting up required. From lighting the candles to distributing the bibles, she quickly found herself assigned a role to perform.

Her and Nancy spoke occasionally as they attended to the various jobs, the two women taking a few moments to collect some flowers from the near by meadow to decorate the ends of the pews.

By the time the church service arrived, Maria had grown to like Nancy. A straight talker, she had lived a life that Maria could dream of. Having met Alfred, the vicar at a young age, her parents had been more than happy to let their daughter marry a vicar.

They'd travelled around to a number of different towns, in each place Nancy seemed to have adopted a number of the townsfolk, whilst her husband offered them religious council. They were a team.

Nancy had grown ill so they'd stopped travelling and had settled 30 miles south from here, where they'd lived for the past 5 years.

They had experienced a hectic summer and fires had broken out, destroying a number of the homes and even the church. Eventually the decision had been made to leave, which is how they'd ended up here.

Maria listened, captivated by their plight. She found herself jealous of their tale, despite the illness, devastation and heartbreak, because at least they had been together, they had fought any obstacle together.

The church service began and the two women took their seats, but even as she knelt to prey or stood to sing, Maria found she could not focus on the Vicar's words, her mind too focused on her husband.

The way he'd threatened her yesterday had scared her, she had never seen that side of any man, let alone her husband.

Her hand must have been absently tracing her bruise, for Nancy's expression suddenly changed and she too, lost interest in the sermon her husband gave.

Surprise flickered across her features as she repeated Maria's name, before reaching out and pulling the corner of her collar to the side. She recoiled away and Maria grimaced at her, before quickly checking around her to see who paid them attention.

Here at the side of the great stone church, they were secluded enough to be left alone, the rest of the congregation firmly fixed on the vicars forewarning.

"Maria," Nancy whispered, "What happened to you?"

When Maria didn't answer, Nancy pressed on, "Was this your husband?"

Maria still didn't reply, unable to meet Nancy's troubled gaze. "After the service you will come with me to my house. Alfred will understand if we miss the festival. I have something that will help with the bruising." Maria's eyes welled without her intention, as her gaze flickered up to meet Nancy's.

The honest concern on the woman's features, was nearly enough to make Maria cry out in anguish. "Thank you." She whispered in a clipped voice. Nancy nodded and took Maria's hand, holding it tightly, cradling it in her lap.

An unspoken bond formed through the two women as they sat in the cold, wooden pews and watched the man of God speak words of praise and punishment.

Neither listened to his words, both too busy thinking over the many things they would need to discuss, yet both grateful for the abject silence this building provided.

Sat beside Nancy, her hands warmed by her hold, she felt safer than she had since yesterday afternoon, maybe even before that.

Here there was no split personality or a husband whose mood was balanced on the flip on a coin; here was only an honest woman with goodness in her heart, who Maria knew that she could likely call, friend.