How Far the World Will Bend

How Far the World Will Bend - Chapter 19

Chapter 19. Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Aunt Shaw looked stunned and exasperated. "What nonsense is this, Margaret? Get in the carriage-we must be off."

Meg shook her head vehemently. "I am not going, Aunt. I am staying in Milton. I will accompany you to the train station and explain my rationale to you there, if you like, but I am not getting on that train." She turned to Nicholas and Mary and smiled. "I shall be by later tonight to see you and explain everything." With that, she hopped into the carriage and set off down the street, leaving Nicholas and Mary to stare at each other in bewilderment.

"Do you think she'll convince her aunt?" Mary asked wonderingly.

Nicholas snorted. "Of course I do! My money is on our Meg, but I wouldn't want to be in that carriage with those two women!"

As Nicholas sagaciously prophesized, the atmosphere in the carriage was not pleasant, and the discussion was quite heated. Aunt Shaw was outraged at the idea of Meg remaining in Milton. "You cannot stay in Milton alone!" she exclaimed angrily. "Whatever are you thinking?"

"I will not be alone," Meg insisted calmly. "Dixon will live with me."

"A single woman, setting up house by herself? You will be an outcast from society!" her aunt insisted.

"What society, Aunt Shaw? I have no desire to be part of society," Meg explained in a cool, amused tone that aggravated her aunt further.

"What will you do with yourself?" she said in challenge.

"I will go on as I did before, working at the clinic and helping the poor," Meg replied promptly.

"Walking all about Milton at all hours of the day and night, with no one to watch over you," her aunt fretted. "I hardly recognize you, Margaret. You have grown to be quite independent and...and... revolutionary."

Once again, Meg felt the burden of living in this time and place rather than in the twentieth century. Oh, for the ease of her time, to come and go as she pleased and answer to no one. The war had changed many things for women, and it was time that things changed in the Milton of this time for this woman. "I am sorry that I am a grave disappointment to you, aunt, but I cannot go to London. I believe I belong in Milton, and would be miserable elsewhere."

Her aunt sat gazing at her, a puzzled look upon her face. "I do not understand you, Margaret. You were heartbroken to leave Helstone for Milton-I remember the letters you wrote Edith before your departure. What has happened to change all of that?"

Meg took one of her aunt's hands between her own and said earnestly, "I fell in love with the people here in Milton, aunt. Oh, not the manufacturers and the wealthy," she hastened to explain, guiltily thinking except for one, "but the working people. They are in such need of medical care and proper shelter and nutrition, as well as education and employment. I want to stay here and help them, aunt." For the time remaining to me here, she amended silently. "Please believe me when I say my life is full and happy."

Her aunt studied her before slumping back against the seat in defeat. "Very well, Margaret, I wash my hands of you."

The carriage pulled up to the train station, and her aunt said severely, "I suppose it is time for us to part." She speared Meg with a direct glance, and spoke in a gentler tone, "Should you ever need me, you know where I am. You are welcome to make your home with me. I loved your mother very much, and I love you, too, and I will always be there should you need me."

She smiled fleetingly before hurrying on, "You have a small inheritance that passes to you now that your mother is gone. Our father, Sir John Beresford, settled an amount on both of his daughters upon his death. It was this fund that provided the money for Maria's gowns and your clothing, as well as other things. I daresay your father forgot about this money, but Henry Lennox has managed this fund for your mother, and is willing to continue to manage it for you. I will instruct Henry to send you the funds quarterly. It is not much, but it will enable you to live comfortably in Crampton, if that is what you desire."