On Sunday - Part 2

At the church, the service had almost commenced when I arrived. It was what I desired all along. Let me deal with the looks first of all before the endless questions would commence once the service is over.

Lily was In the front pew with her family, and the moment she saw me, she left her seat and came to sit in the space beside me.

What was all this?

I spoke no words to her and feigned being immersed in the sermon of the vicar. Couldn't she be quiet for a minute or at least at such a moment? The Mothers and daughters of the parish were already giving endless stares at me and now she was making it worse.

When she saw I was not interested and neither was I ever going to make any comment to her mutterings, she grew silent but it only lasted for a moment.

"Wasn't it strange?"

I made no response.

"That your Steward is not here?"

I turned to her.

"So?"

Don't act that way, you know what I mean, and to inform you, no one in the district is fond of the lady. I wonder why you never asked me about her?"

Of course, I happened to forget that Lily was the head department of information offering and gossip distribution in the parish. You only need to ask and it will be delivered to your doorstep with the right or even overboard amount. How she managed to get the information about a matter or a person within days of observation was beyond me. High level of superpower for gossip.

By all means, I was curious to know but I cut her off when I saw my mother sending glares at us from the front pew, and the vicar, the stern man was doing the same as he preached on the pulpit.

"We will talk about it later"

"As you wish." She resolved.

❊❊❊

"Mr Houston! Mr. Eugene!"

Greetings were falling on each other the moment the grace was said. Of course, I did the needful in attending to the attention. I fake smiled and answered to the best of my abilities until I managed to draw myself out of the circle of women and girls.

"You've grown more handsome this past years!" A young girl said.

Oh, do spare me single daughters and desperate mothers of the parish! I'm not ready to marry anybody's daughter.

I smiled at them and ended up offering my promise to visit each household when I deemed fit, leaving the polite Dennis and mother who chose to stay instead of drawing themselves from the absurd crowd.

I was long gone with my horse after I slipped away, except that this time I walked with the reins of the horse in my hand and Lily beside me.

"So what is it I'm supposed to know?"

She smiled. I wondered why she decided to walk with me Instead of joining her family. Whatever her reasons were, it was up to her.

"Aren't you too curious about this? Is that why you didn't tell me off when I requested to accompany you?"

"I never asked you in the first place, You were the one who initiated it yourself, now why are you turning it into something else?"

"Fine, I can't say I know much. It's difficult for anyone to know anything about her as she is neither from this town nor even the state"

"Melton?"

"Is that what she told you?"

"It must be the name of her town, I know not"

"She appears to be a widow"

"Why do you say so?"

"I heard about the death of her so-called faraway uncle from Mrs Houston, but I can confirm that she has been in black clothes since the first day she stepped foot into the parish"

"True talk?"

"Yes, you never asked your mother?"

"No, I'm yet to"

"Has she rubbed off on you?"

"You could say the least"

She chuckled. "I think she is a widow. Yes, either a widow or a witch of some sort"

"A witch!"

She defended with a crafty smile. "Who knows?"

"Mother would not employ her if she was one"

"And how would you know?"

"Oh, drop it, Lily we're not doing this"

"She avoids any place with a multitude of people, she goes to the market only at dusks. No one sees her in daylight except in the manor, and whenever she goes out that shawl never leaves her face."

"Do you spy on this woman?"

"Of course not! She is easy to notice and suspect. I wouldn't waste time in firing her out of the house if I were you."

"It's not as easy, as when she had completely stolen mother's heart. I doubt she would hear of such."

"You should all be cautious, I think even your mother knows nothing about her"

"I don't think it has gotten to the point of being extra careful, but we shall see and I would find out sooner enough"

"But…."

She stopped in her tracks when I did.

"..do you reckon there was no dead uncle?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I doubt there was"

And to recall she came back that night in the early hours.

We were now on the path that led to different houses in the district.

"Hop on" I offered the horse.

She was getting tired with each step we took.

The weary smile on her face broadened. "What a gentleman"

"Come on, hop on, I do not wish for your father to scream off my head when I visit for tiring out his precious daughter with a walk"

I mounted after her and we rode to her home.

"Beware of the ghost or witch who knows!"

She shouted when I dropped her in front of their manor.

"Oh, shut up Lilly white!"

Her outrageous laughter resounded in the air as she waved to me.

"Crazy girl."

I murmured as I mounted the hills to our house.