- Chapter 16 -

The circle of society that Katherine now occupied, as well as the circles she was raised in, were all abuzz with gossip surrounding her and her family.

The story now stood thus: Katherine Wheaton, who was formerly known as the daughter of The Baroness's friend, was now 'confirmed' to be a distant relation of the Baroness Compton of Rosforte. The Baroness had searched for this last distant relation of hers for many years; having no other on whom to bestow her riches. The relative was miraculously found fallen on hard times, in the very village the Baroness had always resided, and had a wife and five children; one of which was Katherine Wheaton, who's new fortune allowed her and her beloved Mr Gray to marry.

All the world, it seemed, was in love with the romanticized Wheaton family and welcomed them with open arms; even if only to increase numbers at social events and consider themselves connected to the family of the Baroness.

When Mrs Bianca Routley was told of these events by way of her sister at a lunch party, she, of course, responded as one might expect; realizing finally that Katherine Wheaton was the farmer's daughter who had once loved her son, she grew sickly pale, believing without a doubt that the Wheaton's would have told their new family member every cruel detail of her dealings with them in the past.

She carried on the conversation saying she'd always loved the Wheaton's, and 'what a dear family they are.' When questioned by her sister, she admitted that 'why yes' they had once resided on her land but misfortune had sent them to cheaper lodgings on the Ritewood's land. How happy she was for Miss Wheaton, and how strange Miss Wheaton had changed so much that she hadn't recognized her when last she saw her.

Bianca Routley left her sister's house the very next day, her destination being Rosforte Castle. She swept into the grand establishment rigid and determined. The Baroness herself met her.

"Lady Routley, to what to I owe this sudden pleasure?" She greeted her visitor warmly.

"Lady Compton, I only wish to speak with Miss Katherine Wheaton if she is in, to eliminate any misunderstandings or hard feelings between us." She announced.

Lady Compton laughed in puzzlement, "What on earth do you mean? Why would there be hard feelings between you."

"You needn't trifle with me," Mrs Routley straightened and lifted her head haughtily "I know the Wheaton's wouldn't keep you uninformed of the misfortunes inflicted on them two years past, and I know the cruel light I would be cast in. I have a right to be heard in order to lighten the blame that has, no doubt, been laid upon me."

Lady Compton stared in astonishment "I do not trifle with you, and I have been informed of no such thing! The Wheatons only ever have good report to share with me. Now that you have brought it up, however, I am overwhelmed with curiosity and will have Katherine tell me the story immediately. Do return home and I beg you to come again in an hour that I may hear you with some understanding."

She ushered her bewildered and indignant guest to the door. Once in her carriage Mrs Routley began to mutter to herself fretfully, "They did not tell her, how could that be, I should not have come. I should not have come!"

Katherine was fetched and the details of her connections with Mrs Routley pried from her. "A little over two years past," she started, "I met Mr Routley in the woods surrounding his family's estate. We used to manage one of the Routley farms you know, before we were employed by the Ritewoods; but I will get to that. He had just returned home from Oxford to care for his mother who was ill. Miss Routley is often ill as you know. I would not have become acquainted with him had he not then spoken to me directly that day and I know not why he did; but as he felt the whim to do so we entered into a lengthy and increasingly profound conversation that carried on until nearly dusk. After that day he seemed to seek me out; we met each other extraordinarily often over the next many months, on wooded trails near Compton village, in Compton village itself, even in the fields near the farm. We grew very close, and I believe I considered myself very much in love with him though it may have been a girlish love. This fancy was inflamed by his claims that he may quit the navy, hinting at making a home here, with me."

"It did not last longer than five or six months. His mother had noticed his growing attachment to Compton and suspected more than the countryside was keeping him home. She saw us together on a walk as she passed in her barouche; Routley was helping me over a stile, or rather...lifting me I should say for we were...very close." she blushed prettily, much to Lady Compton's delight, for the Baroness adored a good love story.

"Mrs Routley lit from her coach in a rage and separated us immediately, such awful things she said, I've never felt so degraded and dirty in my life. Poor Routley to be ruled about as if he were a child, and for the girl he held such an affection for to be so insulted...but I shan't unbury the past. We were forbidden to see each other, but Routley being a man, and wishing to be independent, did not see fit to obey her. She resorted to threats and Routley did a very foolish thing in response to them; he formed an engagement to a lady-friend without the intention of following through, thinking it would satisfy his mother and deter any suspicions of us still seeing eachother. I will give no names but I will say the lady-friend is well known to both of us. It worked for some time but once I discovered what his solution had been I was loath to continue our dalliances when he was engaged to another, no matter how false the engagement. I would not continue. He has always had a passionate and boyish nature, therefore when guilt (and frustration with me too I imagine) ate at him, he grew violently bitter and childishly resentful; we had an argument one day and in a moment of weakness allowed him to embrace me."

Katherine paused, as if too embarrassed to continue. Lady Compton sat forward, rapturously absorbed in her adopted niece's romantically tragic story, eager for it's continuance. After the suspenseful second of hesitation, Katherine continued with a sigh. "We were then interrupted, by his false fiancée..."

Lady Compton gasped and fluttered a hand in a gesture for Kat to continue. "Yes? Then??"

"Well, unsurprisingly, the engagement was soon thereafter called off. Mrs Routley was suspicious and called for an audience with Routley's lady friend and asked her plainly if I was the cause of the engagement being broken off. Dear Lily did...Oh! Bother I've slipped it!" Miss Wheaton grimaced in apology but was waved on by her listener and obliged.

"She did not betray us, but would not lie. Her silence was enough of a confirmation for Mrs Routley. As her son would not stop seeing me despite the threat of disinheritance, she saw fit to confiscate my family's living. We were evicted from her land and our name muddied to ensure father would be unable to secure other means of income. Eliza Ritewood's family came to our rescue, knowing the true circumstances, and they allowed us to rent a farm on their land. That is the whole of the story, as simple as I can make it."

"Good Gracious!" Lady Compton exclaimed furiously "What a prejudiced, heartless, vile woman! and to think she would waltz into my home and believe herself capable of shining herself in a good light! Unthinkable! Lady Routley will never be welcome in Rosforte again you can be certain!"

"Oh No Aunt! I beg you not to exclude her, I'm sure she wanted the best for her son and I was of no consequence then, I had nothing to offer. Bran..Mr Routley would not have been happy with farmers as his only family and his mother surely would have disowned him."

"You had everything to offer!" The baroness cried in angry indignation "You do yourself little credit Kat dear, I'm sure she would never have disowned her son, no matter her threats!"

Katherine laughed "Very well, but it is of no consequence now; I am to be happily married to my dear Benedict, and I have those circumstances of the past to thank for it!" The baroness was pacified with this conclusion, and the Wheaton's past misfortunes were not thought of again.

~~~

It was mid-November, and Flakes of snow fell gently on dry golden leaves and frosty earth. Church bells tolled as Mrs Katherine Gray stepped from the church, beaming with joy. They were soon settled comfortably on a pretty estate between Compton and Croydon. Landyn House was not overly large, well within the young couple's five thousand a year, especially now with Katherine's added thirty thousand pounds.

News of the wedding spread through family, friends, and acquaintances. It soon reached the ears of Brandon Routley via a letter from his mother; who claimed with authority that he should have stayed true to Miss Wheaton, now Mrs Gray, and reprimanded him for his fickle heart.

He read it through it stoically, and when finished, ripped it calmly to shreds over the flames in his fireplace and left the barracks for the nearest open bar. He ordered not a thing and merely sat, watching the scattering of clientele come and go. An acquaintance entered, but he had no interest in conversing with anyone and let John Gray pass.

Gray's focus, Routley noticed, was on a shockingly attractive barmaid who currently scrubbed an empty table. The following discourse between Gray and the girl grew increasingly distasteful to Routley, what with Gray pushing his advances and the quiet girl visibly uncomfortable. The roiling emotions within Brandon Routley begged Gray to push further and allow him to intervene.

Gray obliged, driving the girl nearly to tears, and Routley was on him in a blink; lifting him off his feet by his lapels and growling with the violence of too-long-contained anger and passion "The lady said no." before throwing his victim on the floor.

Gray jumped to his feet, bewildered and infuriated. "Are you mad, man?!"

"I may be." was the response, before a well-placed fist collided with John Gray's jaw.

Gray fought well, this not being his first brawl, but Brandon Routley fought with a rage fueled by the grief and fury born of excruciating heartache. He did not let up until he was pulled away by two men; then, wiping blood from his lip passive and calm as ever, he walked away into the dark.