Page 45 of The Heir
“Vickelchen!” Aunt Sophia kissed her on both cheeks. “So, her grace let you out this morning? Did she not fear you would get your feet wet?”
“It was time for my walk. I am glad to see you, Aunt. There has been some news, and I was not sure anyone would have thought to tell you.”
Aunt Sophia shoved her bulbous spectacles up on her nose and craned her neck, as if she needed to get a better look at Victoria. “What news?”
“I’m afraid Dr. Maton is dead.”
Victoria expected some strong reaction, at the very least an exclamation that her aunt had known Sir John was a liar. But all that happened was Aunt Sophia’s face went blank for a moment.
“Maton?” her aunt murmured. “Well, well.”
“He is the one who was found on the green,” Victoria prompted.
“Not a gardener, then?” Aunt Sophia was looking out across the gardens, toward the lawn and the green.
“You knew it was not. How did you know that?”
“Well, as you have seen, I know the groundskeepers well.” She waved back toward the cluster of gardeners, who were now busy at work around the flower bed and its companion hedges.
“Is that what it was? You expected they would tell you if one of their men had died?”
“Oh, they would not have had to tell me. I know all the secrets of the flowers and the hedgerows.” She beamed.
“I’m serious, Aunt. How did you know?”
“Perhaps I did not,” said Aunt Sophia owlishly. “Perhaps I just wanted to make a scene to see your mother and her lapdog jump.”
“You’re teasing me.”
“That also could be. But you mustn’t mind it.”
“I don’t. But I do mind that you won’t answer me.”And that you and Uncle Sussex really are keeping secrets. No matter what Lehzen says.
Aunt Sophia sucked her cheeks in, making her face even more hollow. She stooped slowly, brushed three leaves off the gravel path, and straightened just as slowly.
“Did you consult Dr. Maton?” Victoria asked her.
“Occasionally, yes.”
“Was that how you knew something was amiss? He did not call on you when expected?”
Aunt Sophia’s face spasmed. “Yes, yes, that is fair. He did not behave as expected, not as he had or as I thought. Old fool, if you miss one blossom, the disease spreads.” She stopped and swayed on her feet. Victoria tensed, ready to catch her in case she began to fall.
“Vickelchen, you mustn’t mind me,” murmured Aunt Sophia. “You mustn’t take what I say or do seriously. No one does.” She blinked, and her low voice grew ragged. “I am an old woman. I have lived most of my life behind walls. In the royal nunnery, they called it. Ha! If only they knew. Not that they would believe, because I am not to be believed . . .” The brittle bitterness in those words stunned Victoria. “I’m wandering. I’m wandering. Pay me no mind, Vickelchen.” She beamed and blinked.
She wants to appear foolish. She does not want any more questions.That heartbreak she’d felt when she realized that Uncle Sussex was keeping things from her returned.
Victoria decided to try a different approach.
“Mama and I are going to call on the Matons this afternoon,” she said. “Shall I add your condolences?”
“Yes, do. He was a good friend once, when I needed one.” Aunt Sophia’s voice softened, and her gaze grew distant. This time, Victoria decided, the emotion was real. “I do not blame him,” Aunt Sophia murmured. “Say that. Be sure to say that there is no blame on him.”
“For what, Aunt?”
Aunt Sophia still did not look at her, but the set of her jaw changed. Her hand closed and opened again. Victoria held her breath.
But then, all at once, Aunt Sophia slumped. “Ah, ah, my knees!”
