Daniel
Southampton
Meg entered her room and noticed an envelope on the desk, something she hadn’t seen for several months, and was a bit surprised to see that Charlie had finally written her back. The last time he had corresponded he had seemed quite distant. He’d discussed his classes at Harvard and a few of his friends, but the letter was short and not very personal. She wondered if it was in response to the sort of letter she was forced to send him, but she couldn’t imagine what it might have been that had changed his tone.
She picked the letter up and was about to open it when she heard footsteps behind her. Setting it back on the table, she found Kelly approaching her bed, the expression on her face quite serious. “What is it?” Meg asked, sitting down next to her.
“I have something important to tell you, and I’m not quite sure how you’re going to react,” the redhead said with a heavy sigh.
Meg was quite concerned, her mind jumping all over the place. “Has my mother let you go?”
“Oh, goodness, no. Nothing like that,” Kelly assured her.
“Well, what is it then? It isn’t my uncle is it?”
Kelly’s eyes grew quite large. By now, everyone in Southampton seemed to know that her uncle had nearly forced himself upon a young lady at Christina Edgebrook’s coming out, an act that had him banned from every social activity ever since and had lost the factory quite a deal of money in contracts pulled away by outraged individuals, friends of the Edgebrooks and the young lady in question.
“Do you honestly think I wouldn’t have told you immediately if he were to try something like that with me?” Kelly nearly spat.
Meg considered the question and then shrugged it away. She still had never told Kelly, so yes, she could understand. “What is it then?”
“I’ve met someone,” Kelly said, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
Confused, Meg asked, “What’s that now?”
“A man. I’ve met a man,” Kelly clarified.
“I’ve met dozens of men,” Meg replied, leaning back against the headboard. “Each time I attend a ball, I meet half a dozen more. So what?”
“So what? Oh, Meg, you are truly ridiculous,” Kelly said picking up a nearby pillow and tossing it at the younger girl. “I mean to say, I’ve met a man and fallen in love, Meggy!”
This had her sitting bolt upright. “What? You’ve fallen in love? How is that possible, Kelly? You’re only…”
“Nineteen!” Kelly reminded her. “I’m plenty old enough to be married. You’re nearly there yourself, though one wouldn’t know it from the amount of running about you still do. At any rate, I’ve met a man and he’s proposed, and we are to be married soon.”
Meg leaned back again, taking it all in. The thought of Kelly getting married…. Before she knew it, she’d be having babies and then going off and leaving her. She really couldn’t think of much to say. She was happy for her friend, but at the same time, she hated the thought of losing her. At last, she finally replied, “Well, congratulations. I hope he is a nice fellow.”
“Oh, he’s wonderful,” Kelly answered, dreamily. She tossed herself back onto the bed and interlaced her fingers behind her head. “He has strawberry blonde hair and gorgeous eyes. His laugh is so robust, yet he’s just the gentlest man you could ever imagine. I really do love him, Meg,” she said, turning to face her.
Pursing her lips, the closest thing to a smile she could muster, Meg asked, “What’s his name?”
“Daniel,” Kelly sang. “Daniel O’Connell. He’s a carpenter. He has his own place, a little one, over by my mother’s. He does quite well for himself. I met him a few months ago when I went to visit my ma.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Meg asked, crossing her arms.
“I don’t know,” Kelly shrugged, returning her gaze to the ceiling. “I wasn’t certain how he felt about me at first. And then, well, I was afraid I might ruin it if I spoke about it to anyone else. Then, when he asked for my hand yesterday, well, I couldn’t wait to get back here to tell you. You’re the first person I thought of to tell, Meg, though I did see my mother first so she knows.”
Meg let out a loud humph and managed, “I suppose I should be happy for you. And I am. I truly am. I’m just… surprised. I had no idea. And you honestly think you’ll stay on here, then?”
“Oh, yes,” Kelly assured her. “We’ve talked about it. I’ll stay on here for as long as need be—at least a few more years, I’d say. Then, when we’ve saved up enough money, Daniel and I have decided to go to America.”
“America?” Meg repeated, her eyes like saucers.
“Yes. I know it’s far—and a very expensive endeavor—but I have a cousin there, and Daniel and I have decided that we’re just the sort of adventurous people who could really make it work.”
“Adventurous?” Meg repeated. “You’ve never even left Southampton except for the few times you’ve traveled to the mainland with me or home to Ireland with your mother. I’d hardly say you’re adventurous.”
Kelly sat up, looking at her sharply. “That’s not true, Meg, and you know it. I love a good adventure. I just haven’t had the means to explore much, that’s all.”
“Well, I know you about as well as anyone does, and I certainly wouldn’t call you adventurous.”
“Now you’re just being mean,” Kelly said, crossing her arms. “Just because I don’t steal horses and ride about in the muck….”
“I haven’t done that in years!”
“Still, I may not have the means you have to make my wanderlust known, but it’s there nonetheless.”
“And I think you’ll go to America and miss your mother and be on the next boat back!”
“I can’t speak to you when you’re in one of your selfish moods!” Kelly practically shouted as she jumped up off the bed.
“Selfish? I’m selfish? You’re the one who just said she’s going to leave me here with these… these monsters!”
“I never said that!” Kelly retorted. “Good grief, Meg! Why does everything have to revolve around you? Why can’t you just be happy for me for once?”
“Perhaps you should go find a pot to scrub or a stocking to mend!” Meg shot back, ignoring the question because she knew in her heart she was being selfish, but she couldn’t face that just now.
“You really can be horrid sometimes, Mary Margaret Westmoreland!” Kelly yelled as she approached the bedroom door.
All she could think of to say was, “Get out—and stay out!” and when Kelly slammed the door behind her, she flew out of the bed and ran over, grabbing the doorknob and pulling it open. “Only I get to slam my door!” and forced it to again as loudly as possible.
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