Hearts Entwined (Victorian Love #3) - M.A. Nichols Page 0,108
was up to.
“Terrance, your mother is likely missing you,” said Mina with a nod for him to leave.
The young man required no other prompting and scurried to free himself from Mrs. Banfield’s hold. She watched her retreating companion with pinched brows and dimming eyes, looking almost fragile. But it fled with equal speed when she finally met Mina’s gaze.
“Jealous, are we?” asked Mrs. Banfield, running a hand over her much thinner hips.
Mina blinked at that question, and in a bout of utter honesty, she replied, “Not in the slightest.”
“Deny it all you like, but you have always been envious of me.” There was so much satisfaction in Mrs. Banfield’s smile, a spark of triumph glowing in her eyes, but Mina was struck by a realization so clear and obvious that she wondered why she hadn’t recognized it before.
“No, though I do believe you are quite jealous of me,” said Mina with a hint of awe in her voice.
Mrs. Banfield’s expression fell, her eyes widening for a silent moment before she broke out in brittle laughter. “Your wits are clearly lacking. What need have I to be jealous of you?”
With that question, Mrs. Banfield gestured at Mina’s figure with a sweeping motion, as though that provided all the evidence she needed. But Mina felt no flush of embarrassment or spark of anger at that assessment, for her thoughts were fixed on the truth of the situation.
“You are and have always been nothing more than an awkward, ugly woman with the grace of a donkey, Mina Kingsley,” said Mrs. Banfield with another derisive laugh. But as the woman outlined all of her faults and failings, Mina saw the tightness in Mrs. Banfield’s expression that had naught to do with disgust. With each word, it became clearer to Mina.
With a half-smile, she replied, “This awkward, unattractive lady won the heart of Simon Kingsley. You offered yourself to him, and he rejected you in favor of me.”
Yet that was not all. As Mina spoke, epiphanies flooded her thoughts, bringing with them more truths to share.
“You’ve spent your life being admired, yet even in your prime, a frumpy spinster stole away one of your admirers. Not because of my looks but because he loved me beyond all reason. And with each passing year, I grow more greyed and wrinkled, yet Simon loves me still. More, even. For our love has deepened from those first flutters of infatuation into something deeper and more meaningful than can be conveyed in such a simple word like ‘love.’”
Mina smiled to herself. Her heart lightened with that statement, bringing with it a flush of gratitude for the many blessings filling her world. “You are jealous because I am happy. And because he is happier with me than he ever was with you.”
Mrs. Banfield stared at Mina, her expression stoic, though there was a tremble to her lips and a sadness in her eyes that testified to those truths. And whatever elation Mina felt fled in the face of such sorrow.
“You treat me as though I am nothing, but you are not the first to do so,” said Mina. “My life has been filled with acquaintances and strangers wishing to put me in my place because they viewed me as worthless simply because I had not the looks or social grace to earn their respect. So, I learned to see my value even when others do not.”
Mina’s heart twisted as she thought about the lady before her and the others who had so often mocked and maligned her. “Whereas you drew your value from others’ admiration, which they gave freely because of your beauty. But that has faded, taking with it the validation you crave. So, you throw yourself at men, hoping to capture a portion of the love and admiration I receive from my husband and children. And even your own daughter.”
Mrs. Banfield gaped at that, though she said nothing to refute it.
“I am not jealous, Susannah Banfield. I pity you. Vanity and easy affection have cursed your life.” Turning, Mina strode down the hallway with her head held high, though her heart broke for that poor creature. Whatever their past, Mina did not wish such misery on Mrs. Banfield. A life spent as hers would bring nothing but fleeting moments of joy tinged with the knowledge that they would fade. And Mina’s was too precious and full of goodness to be wasted fearing the opinions of others.
***
Nights were meant for socializing and entertainment, and Victoria had spent her grown