Read Online The widow's war by Sally Gunning - Free Book Online Page A

Cowett’s? I’ve some business with him.” The lawyer smiled. “In fact, Widow Berry, the business has to do with you.”
    “Me?”
    “He’s agreed to divide the woodlot.”
    Lyddie stopped walking, the better to think what she was feeling, and although several of her emotions remained clouded she was able to identify strong curiosity among them. “What persuaded him?”
    “I haven’t the least idea. But you’ll have your shoe buckles soon, now.”
    “How soon?”
    “Quite soon. We pass the papers on the woodlot first, of course, but then we move right on to the house sale.”
    “You say ‘we’?”
    “I should say ‘we’ for the first part only. Once the woodlot is divided it’s on to Esquire Doane and nothing to do with me.”
    “Or me.”
    “You enter the second part only, Widow Berry. You’ll be required to sign over your dower rights to the property. Now watch where you step or you’ll wet the rest of you. And as we come again to the subject, I wonder, might you not think of a safer place to walk than the shore? Especially in such weather?”
    “I might.”
    He peered at her a moment. “Widow Berry, if you would excuse me…If I might say only…I, too, have lost a partner in life, and I believe I know something of the circumstance in which—”
    “Excuse me, Mr. Freeman, but you know nothing of my own particular circumstance. You may have lost a wife, but you did not lose your home of twenty years, nor the right to manage your affairs.”
    “I…Indeed. But consider, Widow Berry. A lone woman—”
    “Does not turn overnight into a witless fool. Must I remind you again of the many months I managed alone while Edward was at sea?”
    “I beg your pardon. I did not mean—”
    Lyddie exhaled with violence. “No, I beg yours, Mr. Freeman. It appears this is not a good day for me to attempt sociability. I’ll say good-bye.” She pushed her legs hard and drew away from him. He could have easily caught her up; she considered it a sign of some understanding that he didn’t attempt to do so. But before she made the distance too great he appeared to change his mind and came running.
    “Widow Berry, I would have you know, I’m acquainted with your skill at management. Your husband often boasted of it. But a woman temporarily alone and a woman widowed…it’s quite different.”
    “In the law, yes.”
    “In the law and in life. But in either case, please remember, if you should ever have need, I am at your service.”
    Lyddie had no time for the necessary thank-you. Deacon Smalley had just rounded the turn, and Lyddie had no interest in witnessing any of his joy over the sale of Edward’s house. She decided to reverse direction and continue her walk. She took a long loop, and by the time she reached the Clarke house her skirt was nearly dry, but Eben Freeman was only just stepping up the path ahead of her. As it happened, Nathan was just coming down, and Lyddie had no stomach for an encounter with either of them; she stepped into the lee of the barn, thinking they would go directly to Nathan’s study and she could slip inside without notice, but where the men crossed in the path they stopped.
    The conversation began with some back and forth about the weather: the wind would blow off in a day; no, it would take two, as it was in the main from the north; no, it was east all afternoon;at which point Freeman cut it off with, “And how fares Mrs. Clarke?”
    “She fares well.”
    “And the Widow Berry?”
    “Ah! And to what end do you ask that question?”
    “To what end! To the end of determining how she fares. To the end of adding a small note of pleasantry to an otherwise dry conversation.”
    “Hah! Very well, then. Allow me to inform you that the Widow Berry fares nicely. Very nicely, indeed. She keeps herself neat, she remains fit, there are those who yet consider her handsome; I’ve no doubt she’ll stay but briefly in my stable.”
    “You appear to mistake me, Mr. Clarke. I