How Far the World Will Bend

How Far the World Will Bend - Chapter 16

Chapter 16. Advice from a Caterpillar

Several days after Meg received flowers from Mr. Thornton, Mr. Hale stood in the hallway of his home, preparing to take his daily walk. He had just wound a scarf carefully about his neck when a knock sounded on the door. Wondering who might be calling at this hour, he shuffled forward to open it. To his surprise, Mrs. Thornton stood upon the stoop, dressed entirely in black like a great, grim crow.

"Mrs. Thornton," Mr. Hale exclaimed, "How do you do? How kind it is of you to pay us a call!"

"Good morning, Mr. Hale. I am here to speak with your daughter," she explained in her usual curt tones. "Is she in?"

"Yes, she is. We were just preparing to take our daily walk. Please," he said politely as he moved toward the stairs, "come up to the parlor and I will fetch her to you." Mrs. Thornton inclined her head politely, and followed him. Once she was settled, Mr. Hale hurried up the steps to Meg's room and knocked on her door. When she bade him enter, he peered around the half-open door and said softly, "Mrs. Thornton has come to call. She wishes to speak with you."

"Me," exclaimed Meg in surprise and alarm, removing her bonnet from her head. "Whatever could she want with me?"

Mr. Hale looked mystified. "I do not know, my dear, but you best make haste. I will take my walk without you for today." She heard his light step on the stairs and, moments later, the sound of the front door shutting.

Meg raised her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. What could Mrs. Thornton possibly have to say to her? Casting her mind back, she thought of her recent conversation with Fanny the night of the Thornton's dinner. Fanny has asked if Meg knew of a certain piece of music, and Meg had offered to ask her cousin Edith if she could procure this music. Edith had sent it with her last letter. Meg went to the desk and retrieved the melody. Squaring her shoulders as if going into battle, she stepped into the hallway and descended the stairs to the parlor.

Mrs. Thornton sat rigidly upright in one of the wing chairs, and had a decidedly determined look about her. When she first learned of her son's intent of offering marriage to Miss Hale, she had been prepared to try to like this frank young woman. However, when John returned home and admitted that she had refused him, and she had witnessed his silent grief and sorrow, a strong hatred grew within Mrs. Thornton that this strange chit, this nobody from the South, would rebuff a man who was ten times her worth. She nursed her hatred and it solidified into implacable resentment against Miss Hale.

While she rejoiced that this girl would never be kin to her, she despised her as well. She would rather never speak with Miss Hale again, but a promise was a promise, and she had vowed to Mrs. Hale to watch over Meg and help her if she saw her taking the wrong path. Heaven knows, standing about a train station late at night with a strange young man was not the correct thing to do, and Mrs. Thornton intended to let her know just that.

As Meg entered the room, she noted her visitor's grim expression and thought it was unlikely that Mrs. Thornton had come to Crampton to discuss musical airs. "Good morning, Mrs. Thornton," she said politely, "How kind of you to call. May I offer you any refreshment?"

Mrs. Thornton shook her head. "Miss Hale, I have come here today to do my duty to your mother." At Meg's puzzled look, she continued, "Before your mother died, she asked me to look out for you. I promised her that I would attempt to counsel you if I ever saw or heard of you doing wrong."

She looked away from Meg's gaze and continued, "When I learned that you had been seen out after dark with a young man, I thought to warn you against such behavior. Many a young woman has lost her character behaving in such a way, and after your indiscretion at the train station-well, it showed poor judgment on your part that it made me feel relieved you had rejected my son's offer of marriage."