“Am I disturbing you? I was hoping that your letter brought good news.” Julia’s small smile faltered as she neared. “Oh dear.”

To Margaret’s dismay, she seemed not to have run out of tears, for a fresh reservoir began to roll down her face. “Sorry,” she said, scrubbing frantically at her cheeks. “I don’t seem to have a handkerchief.”

“Here.” Julia produced one from her pocket and sat down on the bench by her side.

“My letter was from Mama. She has decided to write to me, even though it is against my father’s wishes, and . . .”

“There, take your time,” Julia said, patting her hand awkwardly.

Margaret drew a shaky breath. “I’ve been an appalling guest, and you’ve been very patient with me. I was supposed to be keeping you company.”

“There is nothing worse than being forced to keep someone company when all you want is to be left alone to wallow in misery,” Julia said.

Margaret laughed weakly. “Was it so obvious?”

“Yes,” Julia replied simply. “I worried that you might think me indifferent, but I did not wish you to feel obliged to confide in me. If you want to talk now, though, I am happy to listen. Though only if you choose to.”

Margaret blew her nose. “I don’t want to take up your valuable time.”

“Time,” Julia said with a wry smile, “is one asset I have in abundance.”

“SO THERE YOU HAVE IT,” Margaret concluded. “I am dead to my father, and I have no idea when I’ll ever see Mama or any of my family again.” The relief of unburdening herself was already giving way to doubt about the wisdom of her confession. “I am afraid I have shocked you.”

“I won’t lie,” Julia said, “I am shocked. I had suspected it was a doomed love affair which brought you here, but I did not for one second imagine a secret betrothal to a parish priest. It’s a romantic notion, but only within the pages of a novel.”

Margaret shifted uncomfortably on the bench. “I never truly believed we could marry, but it took my father’s threats to force me to put an end to the dream that we might.”

Julia opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.

“What is it? Please, I want you to be frank with me.”

“Very well then. In all honesty, I think you have behaved very foolishly, but the situation is not nearly as bleak as you imagine it to be.”

“I fail to see how it could get much worse. I’m very grateful that you took me in, but I don’t have the means to leave, and nowhere to go even if I had.”