A Perfect Gentleman(7)
“Three.” The woman snorted. “And none of them good enough for her.”
Before Matthew could comment, she returned inside. He turned to Mr. Cooper who watched him with interest, one eyebrow raised. Matthew wondered what he questioned.
“Three suitors?”
The man gave a quick nod then brought his hand up to his ear.
Mr. Cooper may not be able to speak but he was far from a simpleton. Matthew quieted so Mr. Cooper could eavesdrop on his daughter’s conversation. While Matthew did not condone such activity, he understood completely in this instance since it was the man’s daughter, and her possible future. Matthew sipped and listened as well. Perhaps this was not well done of him and he should leave the man to his business, but curiosity won him over.
The conversation drifted out the window and he had to wonder what Mr. Cooper thought. Each of the men offered options for how Miss Cooper could take care of her father. “It doesn’t sound like Miss Cooper is open to their suggestions,” Matthew whispered.
The man shook his head and they both went back to listening.
Matthew was astounded when she announced her answer was no and he turned back to her father. “Did they all propose at this visit?” Usually gentlemen approached these matters when he had the opportunity to speak to the lady alone, and after he had spoken with the father.
Mr. Cooper rolled his eyes, shook his head in the negative.
“Did any ask for your blessing?”
The man frowned.
No need to ask if he favored one over the other. If they couldn’t respect the father, or tradition, they didn’t deserve to marry the lady in question.
“Is the uncle your brother?”
The man scowled further and nodded.
A door further down opened and Miss Cooper stormed onto the terrace. Mr. Cooper raised his finger to his lips. So, Miss Cooper didn’t know her father heard the entire conversation. Matthew wondered how often the man had sat there and listened. He wasn’t about to be the one who told her and stood to greet the young woman when she approached.
She regarded him with irritation, or perhaps she was still provoked from her encounter inside. “Vicar Trent, I had not realized you came to call.”
“I was riding in the woods and followed the path. I did not know it led to your home.”
She glanced at her father.
“When I saw your father sitting here, I could not just ride on by. Mrs. Thomas was kind enough to introduce us.”
Miss Cooper worried her bottom lip. Was she afraid he would insult her father? Given her most recent conversation, and what he had heard in town, he could well understand her concern. As their prior meetings had not gone well either, there was a very good chance that Miss Cooper didn’t want him anywhere near, and he really couldn’t blame her.
“Your father and I were just having a nice discussion. I would be pleased if you joined us.”
Her eyes narrowed but she settled into a vacant seat. Her spine remained stiff however. “You know my father cannot carry on a conversation.”
Matthew needed to put her at ease. Perhaps her three suitors had left her in a foul mood, not that he could blame her. “I beg to differ, Miss. Cooper. A man can speak volumes with mere facial expressions.”
Her shoulders relaxed.
“You did not accompany your daughter to church. Were you under the weather?”
Mr. Cooper gestured to his legs, and then pointed to the cane on his left.
“My father can no longer get in and out of a carriage, or ride a horse.”
As there was no other way to travel to church, as he was certain Mr. Cooper could not walk that distance either, Matthew knew this man would never grace one of the pews. Still, that should not keep the man from the Word of God. I would be happy to call on you each Sunday, after service, and share with you the message of the day.”
The man’s face brightened and this time the smile revealed straight white teeth. Matthew was encouraged that the man still wished to attend even though it was physically impossible.
“Do you intend to stand in the parlor and deliver the same sermon?” Miss Cooper asked.
Matthew chuckled. Perhaps she was thinking she would not have to attend either and simply hear the message here. “No. When I visit my parishioners in their home, I offer an abridged version and talk with them.”
Her cheeks pinked.
“I know my father has missed attending services. We would both be grateful if you could call.”
Mr. Cooper nodded his head with enthusiasm.
“And, if you are here with my father, I won’t need to worry about how much noise the children make during Sunday school.”
Her smile did not meet her eyes, and Matthew surmised she still was not happy with his intrusion on her lessons earlier in the week.
“Perhaps it is the best arrangement. We shall see.”
Grace stared down at the structure of rocks and twigs. It was a fine replication indeed. The children surrounded her, each grinned, and pleased with their work. “And that, children, is Solomon’s temple.”
“It is very grand indeed,” a young girl whispered in awe.
“Now that we know how it was built, close your eyes and try to image it full size, and how splendid it must have been.”
They did as they were told, a variety of smiles appeared on their faces. It pleased Grace to see them this way. Learning the lessons from the Bible was very important, but she thought it almost as important to let them be creative. A stilted imagination led to a stilted mind. Had her gentlemen suitors’ imaginations been encouraged perhaps they would have been better suited to her. But no, given their conversations, their minds could not see beyond outward appearances. Was Vicar Trent as unimaginative?
No one saw beyond her father’s disability. If he lacked this ability, he would have dismissed her father at their first meeting. She wondered how the visit this afternoon progressed and hoped her father was not disappointed. Since his accident, he dressed only in the clothing he wore when working in the barn and tending animals. Today he had his valet dress him in a fine pair of breeches, waistcoat, outer coat, shirt and cravat as he had worn to church and to the office prior to the accident. It warmed her heart to see him enthusiastic and looking forward to the visit from Vicar Trent. He had even shooed her from the house before he arrived. This is what she found odd, but didn’t question it as her father seemed happier than he had been in a very long time.
“What do you think is most magnificent in Solomon’s Temple?”
Some of the children looked at her, others scrunched their faces as if trying to determine.
“The carved cedar walls,” Patrick, a boy of about ten, answered. This did not surprise her. Patrick always had a piece of wood and small knife and carved whenever he sat.
“The inner sanctuary in all gold.”
“The cherubim.”
The children called out their various answers.
“I have the ark, Miss Cooper.” Becca stepped forward and offered her a small boat made out of twigs.
Grace took the item. Oh dear, the child misunderstood. A boy to her left snickered and Grace shot him a disapproving look. Becca was only five. Grace should have anticipated that the term ark would confuse some of the children.
She knelt to look the young girl in the eye. “This is a lovely boat, indeed, Becca, but I am afraid I confused you.”
“You said they put the ark in the temple.”
A smile pulled at Grace’s lips. “Yes I did, which was my mistake. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the temple. Not Noah’s ark.”
The child frowned and took the boat out of Grace’s hand. Tears pooled in her eyes and Grace reached out for the girl. “I am sorry. I should have been more specific. Do you think you could make the Ark of the Covenant?”
The child looked up and nodded. Grace brushed the tear from her cheek. The little girl set about gathering more twigs.
Matthew stood a few feet away and listened as the children discussed the temple and he wasn’t surprised by Becca’s mistake. Children were always more fascinated with Noah’s ark and completely misunderstood the Ark of the Covenant. Miss Cooper handled the situation well so that the little girl was not too upset. His heart went out to Becca and it was a lesson for him. One cannot assume everyone understands, and he would need to be careful in the future so that one of his parishioners did not mistake his words.
One person who did understand and Matthew wished the man could converse with him verbally, was Mr. Cooper. They had spent the last two hours on his sermon from this morning, being the salt of the earth and light of the world. Mr. Cooper felt strongly about these verses, especially the part of the salt losing its saltiness. For so long Mr. Cooper had been treated as if he was no longer good for anything. He scratched out notes with his left hand, ones Matthew could barely read, but the message was clear. The village treated him as if he had little to offer the world, and he struggled with how he could make people see him differently. And, the man hated that his daughter was the one taking care of him instead of the other way around. Miss Cooper should be enjoying friends, attending dances, even the Season, but she refused to leave his side except occasionally.
“How long is a cubit?” the little boy from last week who had been brandishing the pretend sword asked.
“I don’t know, Tommy.” Miss Cooper shrugged.