Chapter 90
<90> Whitefield (7)
His frankness and volatile emotional expressions were qualities she lacked, making them appealing. Moreover, his manners and tastes were refined, making his company pleasant and without friction. Being with him felt like their minds were interlocking like perfectly meshed gears.
She hadn't encountered someone so easy to talk to and so compatible since a man who had briefly appeared and disappeared twelve years ago.
As Laura enjoyed her friendship with Mr. Dalton, autumn arrived in Yorkshire. The crisp air of fall permeated the midday air, and the green leaves of the trees began to turn mottled shades of yellow and red, like fabric that had been dyed poorly. The servants grew slightly plumper as they layered wool sweaters and flannel long johns under their uniforms, and the distance between Mrs. Fairfax's comfortable rocking chair and the fireplace narrowed by half a handspan.
Around that time, Laura also became friendly with the parson and his wife.
It was all thanks to a sudden downpour. One autumn afternoon when Laura and Olivia were attending tea at the Parsonage, rain clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, which had been clear until morning, and a torrential downpour with thunder and lightning began.
After tea, the assembled villagers borrowed umbrellas from Mrs. Star and left, but Laura and Olivia had no choice but to remain at the Parsonage. Numerous fields and streams lay between the Parsonage and Dunville Park, and the streams often overflowed even with a little rain. Moreover, the fields were unkempt, and the sticky mud easily sucked in wheels. If they rashly set out, they would surely get stuck halfway.
After waiting for the rain to stop for several hours, Mrs. Star, unable to bear it any longer, suggested that they spend the night at the Parsonage. She said that there was a guest room, that preparing more food was no trouble at all, and that her husband, Reverend Star, would be honored to have the ladies of Dunville Park stay. The two accepted her kindness.
That evening remained a pleasant memory for Laura. The Stars' hospitality was impeccable, and there was nothing to fault with the meal or the guest room. But what warmed Laura's heart the most was the Stars' marital harmony.
As evidenced by the French kiss incident that had caused a stir in the small village, this young couple was deeply in love with each other. The vivacious Mrs. Star looked enraptured no matter what her husband said, and the composed Reverend Star tried to appear serious in front of the guests, befitting his position, but he couldn't hide his smile whenever his wife acted affectionately.
Laura soon learned that the two had been childhood friends from the same village and had become husband and wife after a long nine-year engagement. Having become a pair of larks after a long time, the two were enjoying the happiness of living as lovers and family, rubbing their beaks together in their small nest, the Parsonage, while raising their adorable son, the fruit of their love.
The next day, the weather cleared, and the sun shone brightly enough to harden the roads. Laura, with a heart naturally gladdened by the beautiful couple, returned to Dunville Park with Olivia.
And soon after, an invitation arrived from the Parsonage, asking her to come to a formal dinner on a weekday evening. Laura was troubled. She was eager to go, but given her circumstances, she couldn't freely move about in the evening. However, Olivia, upon hearing the news of the invitation, rushed to tell her mother, and soon Mrs. Fairfax summoned Laura, sat her down beside her, and gently said,
"Reverend Oliver Star has been assisting Reverend Jenfield as a curate since he was a young man, and I have always regarded him as a son. I can't visit often because of my health, but it would be a great favor to me if you would associate with the Stars."
With that permission granted, Laura, feeling grateful to Olivia and Mrs. Fairfax for their consideration, got into the carriage, unaware that the mother and daughter left behind were whispering about how often Ian usually frequented the Parsonage dinners.
Surprisingly, Laura was the only guest invited to the formal dinner. Mrs. Star, noticing Laura's efforts to conceal her bewilderment, explained the reason in a whisper.
"Please understand, Miss. He gets so nervous when there are more than three people at the table that he turns into a paper doll, even though he preaches for hours in front of over 100 people during services. Maybe if he becomes friends with you, we can invite more friends."
Mrs. Star seemed quite apologetic for not being able to invite more guests to entertain Laura. But Laura not only understood but was even pleased. Large, bustling social gatherings were not to Laura's taste.
At the small formal dinner, Laura came to understand the couple even better. Reverend Star, though shy, possessed undeniable intelligence and willpower. Born as the youngest son of a poor farming family, he had continued his studies solely on scholarships and eventually graduated at the top of his class from Cambridge to become a theologian.
Mrs. Star said with a self-deprecating tone that she had attended a girls' school for seven years but had only properly learned how to embroider muslin. But in Laura's eyes, Mrs. Star, though lacking in intellect, possessed willpower equal to her husband's.
Mrs. Star was the daughter of a wealthy fabric merchant and was popular with men thanks to her vivacious personality. Nevertheless, she had endured her parents' nagging for nine years, waiting for him to become the wife of a poor theologian. Their happiness would not have been possible without Mrs. Star's fidelity.
Laura came to have respect for both of them and grew to like them even more. And since they felt the same way about Laura, they continued to invite her to formal dinners.
Whenever Laura came, Mrs. Star focused on finding a common ground of interest where everyone could happily chat.
If she brought up the trivial lives of the villagers, Laura would fall silent; if she started chattering about baby Harry, her husband would fall silent; and if she brought up topics about theology or literature, she herself would fall silent. After much deliberation, she found a topic that everyone could enjoy: Mr. Dalton.
Mr. Dalton was also a close friend of the Stars. Reverend Star and Mr. Dalton were alumni of Cambridge, and they had become friends as upperclassmen and underclassmen, one year apart, while living in the same King's College dormitory.
"Honey, honey, honey. Tell her about his Cambridge days. Miss will find it interesting."
He chuckled softly and began to speak.
"I became friends with Mr. Dalton in my first year at Cambridge. But I had known about Mr. Dalton since before I entered. In fact, there was no one in Cambridge who didn't know him. He was so handsome that he attracted attention from the entrance ceremony. From his first year, love letters from ladies arrived at his dormitory every day."
"Ladies?"
Mrs. Star added an explanation to the surprised Laura.
"In the Cambridge area, they hold a ball every year to welcome the freshmen. All the ladies in the area who saw Mr. Dalton there fell in love with him. Mr. Dalton only attended once out of courtesy and didn't even stay for ten minutes. But Mr. Dalton returned all the letters without even opening them. He said he couldn't trust women who confessed their love after only seeing his face once."
It was a very Dalton-like action, so Laura simply smiled.
Urged on by his wife, the reverend continued his story.
"But the real reason he became famous in Cambridge was something else. As soon as he entered, the Cambridge rowing coach came to the college, asking why he hadn't submitted an application. Mr. Dalton had been the captain of the rowing team at Eton School for a long time."
Laura was startled.
"Mr. Dalton rowed?"
"It was his father's wish. When he was the captain, Eton's rowing team always won every national competition. He was physically worth three people and had great leadership and strategic skills. At that time, Cambridge had been losing to Oxford in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race for several years. They desperately needed Mr. Dalton. But he didn't even bat an eye, even though the coach repeated his pleas and threats."
"Why did he quit rowing?"
"Because he couldn't find personal time while juggling studying and sports. He had also promised his father that he would do what he wanted after entering university. Since the coach couldn't persuade him with pleas, even the president of the university stepped in to persuade him. He asked him to join the rowing team for the sake of the school's honor, saying that he would talk to the professors to give him consideration for his grades and give him a scholarship. But Mr. Dalton said this."
Reverend Star began to speak in Mr. Dalton's characteristic arrogant expression and cold voice when he was annoyed. He was a perfect impersonator, as befitting his longtime friend.
"'I entered to study, not for the school's honor. Beating Oxford means nothing to me, and I don't want to waste a single minute on things that mean nothing to me. And Mr. President, if you believe that the school's honor is determined by who rows faster, I would advise you to go back to school from the beginning.'"
Laura was amazed by Mr. Dalton's consistent character.
"In the end, everyone gave up, and Mr. Dalton became free. For the next four years, Cambridge lost to Oxford in rowing, and every time, Mr. Dalton was glared at by all the students. He was the target of public criticism."
Reverend Star smiled.
"But he lived his university life leisurely without batting an eye. He would often read books and draw by the lake where they were always training, just to tease the coach who had tormented me. He never missed being the top student at Cambridge for four years and graduated at the top of his class."
A moment of silence fell. After about ten seconds, all three burst into the laughter they had been holding back. Those who knew Ian Dalton instinctively thought the same thing.
This man is so consistent.
