The wedding of Mr. Schrute and Miss Martin was planned for the fall, after Michaelmas. The date left enough time for Mr. Schrute to prepare everything required for the wedding and for Miss Martin — to enjoy every benefit of her newly engaged status. The smile never left her face, and though the sincerity of her attachment to Mr. Schrute was unquestionable, Pamela suspected that her unhidden joy might have been caused by another reason. Last nine years, Miss Martin was dependent on the grace of her kins; with the change of her name, she would leave Beesly’s farm and become the mistress of her own home — the home she had been born and had been raised in. This union could not be less perfect for both of them. 

No one indeed was surprised when at the Sunday sermon, Mr. Schrute dedicated the whole lecture to the importance of marriage. He spoke with a passion Pamela had never seen before, even when he had been irked beyond measure; he remembered the stories of Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, and also used line or two from Song of Songs. Pamela wondered briefly if this sermon would become a chapter in his book; when this thought appeared, she threw a glance at Mr. Halpert, sitting in the front row. His posture was tense and motionless, and Pamela sighed quietly. She had not had an occasion to speak to him after their exchange one evening, though, even if she had what would she have said to him? Pamela was not going to apologise for her words, and she did not know what else he wanted to hear from her. 

When the sermon was over, Mr. Schrute was surrounded by his parishioners, who wanted to congratulate him and show their respect. At the same time, their wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters gathered around Miss Martin to share their delight with such pleasant news and ask questions about the wedding, the parish school, and — in hushed voices — about the raise of Mr. Schrute’s income. Pamela knew how much her cousin despised the idle talk, though Miss Martin looked surprisingly pleased with this attention. 

‘It seems that Mr. Schrute has made a perfect choice,’ Pamela heard a voice and turned around to see Mr. Flenderson, standing near her.

‘He has,’ said Pamela. ‘And I am genuinely glad for my cousin. She deserves happiness like no one else.’ 

‘Besides, it will be a blessing for the whole parish when the preacher is married,’ Mr. Flenderson continued, fumbling with his top hat. ‘A single man, even if he had friends and helpers, could not keep everything in order and the female presence would definitely make improvement both for the husband and the community, like running the school for the children of poor or… or…’

He stumbled, and Pamela said, wanting to avoid more awkwardness. 

‘Perhaps, you are right. But, if you estimate the good opinion of Mr. Schrute, I beg you, do not mention the possible improvements in this parish. As much as he would like to hear the praising to virtues of Miss Martin, he would be insulted if someone supposed he did not do enough in his position.’ 

She gave him a small smile, and her companion chuckled in response. 

Mr. and Mrs. Beesly left the church, ready to go home; Pamela noticed them and curtsied Mr. Flenderson goodbye. 

‘I hope I could see at the evening’s gathering?’ he asked her. 

‘Well, the only way you will not be able to see me there is if you will not come yourself,’ she smiled sadly to him; her smile faded as she noticed Mr. Halpert watching their conversation.

‘But… why should I miss the gathering?’ Mr. Flenderson furrowed his brows in confusion. Pamela just shook her head. 

‘I am sorry it was a silly joke. Have a good day, Mr. Flenderson.’ 

And she went after her father, followed with two gazes — a warm and a steadfast one. 

In the evening, the air in the Blue Salone felt even tenser than before. The engagement of the clergymen fueled the interest of Mrs. Howard — but, at the same time, it diverted everybody’s attention from her own marriage, what was unacceptable for her. So, Mrs. Howard asked question after question — about the dowry, the wedding gown, the bridesmaids, the honeymoon journey — and when Pamela struggled to give her comprehensive answers, she reminisced about her own wedding and all the pleasantries connected with it. But when her tirades were met not with excited and jealous questioning but with short, polite exclamations, Mrs. Howard’s mood started to worsen — as well as the sentiments of other ladies. 

The gentlemen entered the salon soon, and all of them, except for Mr. Halpert, radiated cheerfulness. 

'Ah! What are you talking about?' said Sir Michael as soon as he took his place and made a sign to set the table. 'But I know already! What ladies could talk about if not weddings?'

Mr. Howard laughed. 

'That is true. Mrs. Howard knows everything there is to know about weddings. If she is to be believed, the sharpness of scissors used to cut the ribbons for the carriage decoration or the price of the rice could have a tremendous effect on the success of the whole enterprise. Couldn’t they, my dear?' 

'Ah, Mr. Howard! How many times should I remind you that it was important!' exclaimed Mrs. Howard. 'If the edges of ribbons had been ragged, people might have thought that those ribbons had been used before! And if you had thrown cheap yellow rice, people would have thought that you had been poor or even worse — a miser. Could you have allowed it?'

'Of course not, my dear,' Mr. Howard said, kissing his wife's hand. 'I cannot stop to amaze with your ability to make sense of such tiny details.' 

'Men know nothing about such things as weddings. Let the women organise it, pick flowers, dresses, and… and all the rest. The men's task is to make a proposal, and the women's — to take care of the rest,' Sir Michael said abstrusely. 

'Ah! Then I dare to say the women do their task much better than the men,' said Mrs. Howard. 'I know so many fine young gentlemen with a fortune who just refuse to engage! What could you do about that?' 

'Only to give the example of proper behavior,' said Sir Michael meaningfully. 'Have you ever heard this nice old song 'Going to One Wedding Brings on Another?' Lady Levinson, what do you think about its truth?' 

Lady Levinson smiled tightly but said nothing. Mr. Howard forced a small laugh.

'Well, I think Mr. Schrute gave us all a great example indeed, didn't he, Halpert?' 

Mr. Halpert met his question with clenched teeth and heavy silence, so Mr. Howard quickly changed the subject. 

'And what about you, Flenderson?' 

Mr. Flenderson was speaking quietly with Pamela about his practice and was caught off guard with this sudden question. He blinked perplexedly and tried to form a coherent response. 

'Oh… I… well… I agree, though, I am not sure I could follow his example. I am afraid I forgot what little about ladies' preferences I had ever known.' 

Sir Michael huffed loudly, but Mr. Howard's smile grew bigger. 

'Oh, I do not think that it is possible to learn the women nature at all. They are such mysterious creatures that even if you think you know them, they will find a way to surprise you.' 

Mr. Howard paused, and Pamela thought that she had never seen him so complacent before. When he caught everyone's attention, he continued. 

'Today, I received a letter from a friend of mine, and he told me quite an interesting story concerning one lady from society. She was a well-respected woman, a widow who was mourning after her husband for a few years. You all know these prejudices against the widows, but this lady was still beautiful, had authoritative friends and, though her husband had left his business ruined, many supposed she would marry for the second time. This lady even had a suitor, a wealthy landlord from the North. As my friend said, the things were going towards an engagement.' 

'This story sounds pleasing so far,' said Sir Michael with a smile. He did not notice the silence that fell in the room. 'Did she get married?' 

'Ah, that is the most interesting part. This lord courted her for quite a long time, and she, though accepted his signs of affection gladly, did not agree to engage. Firstly, my friend wondered what she was waiting for? But then the most curious obstacle revealed. You see, this lady,' Mr. Howard said with unhidden delectation, 'was already engaged!' 

Pamela, as well as Mr. Flenderson, Mr. Halpert, and Miss Filippelli, turned their heads to Lady Levinson, who froze on her seat with an arrogant smile on her lips. Miss Flax dropped cards she held in her hand. Mrs. Howard looked at her husband, covering her mouth and giggling. Sir Michael burst into a laugh. 

'No way!' exclaimed Sir Michael. 'Poor fellow, that lord. What a sly thing was that lady! So, what happened next?' 

‘To be honest, I do not know the end of this story,’ Mr. Howard shrugged. ‘But I expect my friend to write me more about that case.’

‘I would be delighted to hear more of this,’ Sir Michael said. ‘Indeed, women are hard to understand.’ 

‘I feel an urge to protect my sex,’ said Lady Levinson calmly. Pamela tensed, dreading that she was going to say. ‘We are not as mysterious and unreliable as the men want us to see. And, in some cases, our secrecy is nothing but the way to protect ourselves from misbehaviors of men.’

‘You speak so confidently as if you suffered from it before,’ said Mr. Howard cheerfully. ‘I beg you to reveal that sad story. I assure you, you are among friends, and no one thinks low about it.’

‘I was fortunate enough to avoid such a miserable experience,’ said Lady Levinson, studying her cards and picking one. ‘But it was my close friend who had the misfortune to meet that young gentleman. He was handsome, with charming manners, and was from a good family. She thought she was in love with him, and this was what he assured her of. And yet, she felt some confusion about the recklessness of his courtship, and she asked for my advice. I said to her to take her time with her answer, to look closer at his friends, and to send a servant to watch how he behaved out of her view. And who could have guessed? This young gentleman appeared to be a rake, who had more debts than pennies in his pocket and who, due to circumstances, was in a rush to find a fiancée with money. Of course, my friend declined his offer and thus caused the great incomprehension among her friends and relatives. But she saved herself, and the reputation of heartbreaker was the small price to pay.’ 

‘Oh, poor thing!’ exclaimed Mrs. Howard and gained a sideways glance from Miss Filippelli. ‘I hope that rake was punished for his deeds!’ 

‘I do not think so,’ Lady Levinson shook her head with mocking upset. ‘I heard a rumor that this gentleman when he did not get the goodwill of my friend, turned his attention to her sister — or a cousin, I do not know exactly. The other girl was quite a simpleton, so in the end, he reached his goal. Though, I would be delighted to witness what his honorable relatives would think about his intention, that he had stated once, to sell the mansion he was going to inherit.’ 

Mr. Howard met her words with a crooked grimace on his face. Mr. Halpert watched him with furrowed brows; Miss Filippelli without preamble started to play — Pamela flinched at the sudden sound. Miss Flax seemed to be uncomfortable, sitting at the card table between Lady Levinson and Sir Michael. The latter, though, as well as Mrs. Howard remained oblivious to all the innuendos filling the room. 

‘That were quite the accusations, weren’t they, Miss Beesly?’ said Mr. Flenderson quietly. 

‘They were. But, perhaps, we should not believe blindly every word that was spoken,’ answered Pamela. Mr. Flenderson agreed with her, and yet, that exchange between Mr. Howard and Lady Levinson kept bothering them both. 

As soon as the first round of the game came to an end, Lady Levinson said that she was tired and went to her chambers. Miss Flax hurried to go with her, but was declined with a cold ‘I can do without your service.’

‘Pamela, dear, would you be the fourth?’ asked Sir Michael, and she reluctantly joined the game. The way Mr. Howard smiled encouragingly to her made the unpleasant feeling in her chest tightening. The way the rivals charged each other, without false subtlety and pretense, was evidence that this quiet war would be over soon, though Pamela doubted that it would have a winner. 

The end of the war came the very next day when Miss Flax found Pamela. 

‘I wanted to help Lady Levinson to get dressed,’ she said with high anxiety in her voice, ‘but she did not answer my call. I worried about her; may I borrow a spare key?’ 

‘Of course, of course,’ answered Pamela. She took the needed key, and both women hurried to Lady Levinson’s chambers — only to find them empty. 

It was hard to describe the turmoil that appeared after the missing of Lady Levinson was discovered. Sir Michael refused to believe in it, repeating again and again that it was a misunderstanding, and Lady Levinson just went to the village or found a secluded corner in the mansion to avoid the nosy attention. But then Miss Flax took a look at the chambers and noticed that a small carpetbag also was missing — and with it Lady Levinson’s jewelry, letters, and some clothes. Each of these evidences pointed that Lady Levinson had left; the news from the village inn about a carriage that had stopped there last night, only proved that. 

Then Sir Michael got furious. How did she dare to do such a thing, to make a fool of himself? After all the goodness he had given to her, after all the attention to her needs and compassion to her predicament! And Mr. Howard — had he known all of this and had not warned him — not in a way he could understand at least. If Pamela had not been there to calm him down a little, he would have expelled his own heir and all of his friends, not saying about poor Miss Flax. 

It was Miss Flax's presence that made him had second thoughts about the situation. Even if Lady Levinson had run away, how could she have left behind her friend and companion? Inconceivable! She might return soon; she might have some business in the city that could be done only with her attention. Perhaps, she prepared a surprise for him and would not want to ruin it. 

But in a few days, his faint hope was gone. Miss Flax was an old school-fellow of Lady Levinson, but they had not seen each other for many years before they met, and Miss Flax was proposed her current position; she knew nothing about how Lady Levinson had lived all these years. No news about the returning of Lady Levinson reached the mansion — only rumours that an elegant lady had been seen in Gretna Green in the company of young Scottish doctor. After Pamela tentatively had told him this news, he just nodded and locked inside his cabinet for three days — without speaking to anybody and barely eating. 

Mr. Howard exulted; his victory was slightly tainted with the distress of Sir Michael and appeared coldness of his friends, but that did not seem to bother him. After breakfast, one day, when ladies idly wondered what they were going to do and gentlemen discussed quietly the continuance of Sir Michael's absence, Mr. Howard sent for Pamela. 

'Well, Miss Beesly, what do you think about this unfortunate event?' he asked with a smile. 'I feel so much sorry for Sir Michael's disappointment.'

'I hope he will recover from the shock soon,' Pamela said politely, though it took her an effort. 'All of this would be forgotten and remained only as an unpleasant story or a lesson about quirks of human nature.' 

'I hope so,' he agreed. 'But the damage had been done, and we need to make some restitution. Do you know how much money she took from Sir Michael?' 

'I do not know,' Pamela said. 'And I doubt that she asked for money directly; she passed him some letters, though I do not know what they were about. And I doubt that Sir Michael saved them or has any other acknowledgment of their agreement.'

'Well, it was foolish of him,' he said harshly, but the smile quickly returned. 'I hope he would be more careful next time with the new acquaintances. And as soon as Miss Flax leaves, he will be surrounded only with the friends who will find a way to cheer him up.' 

'I do not think that Miss Flax could leave soon,' Pamela said carefully. 'She has nowhere to go and a little support. She should stay at least for the time it takes to find another job.' 

'That is insane,' Mr. Howard stated coldly. 'How could you protect the woman who was an accomplice of the person that was going to ruin Sir Michael? I instruct that she leave immediately.' 

'I suppose that only Sir Michael could make such an order,' Pamela said, trembling with anger. 'Before he says his opinion about the presence of Miss Flax, she will stay in Dunder Hall.' 

Mr. Howard narrowed his eyes. 

'You forgot about your position here, Miss Beesly,' he said. 'It is not your place to share your opinion.' 

'Isn’t it?' Pamela answered with a small smile. 'I recall you mentioned me as almost a relative, so, I suppose I have a voice here.' 

'Miss Beesly! How dare you…'

'Howard,' he was cut off by Mr. Halpert's calm yet warning tone. 'I suppose Miss Beesly spent more time here, and her opinion does weigh more than yours.' 

Pamela looked at Mr. Halpert, giving him her silent gratitude for his intrusion. He just nodded in response. At this moment, someone knocked on the door, and Miss Flax appeared in the room. 

'Oh, I am glad I found you, Miss Beesly,' she said quietly. 'I gathered my belongings, and I am ready to leave.' 

'But where are you going to go?' exclaimed Pamela. 

'Well… I suppose I could look for a bit of luck in a workhouse,' she said with a faint smile. 'While I have a head on my shoulders, I shall not starve.' 

'My mother, Mrs. Halpert, is patronising a school in Ramsgate,' said Mr. Halpert. 'She constantly complains about how it is difficult to find reliable and competent teachers. If you are not afraid of children, I can write her a letter and explain your difficulty. I am sure she would be glad to help you.' 

‘You are very kind, sir,’ said Miss Flax. And Pamela felt overwhelming tenderness toward Mr. Halpert for his want to rescue a barely known woman. 

‘Well, I have done nothing yet,’ Mr. Halpert shrugged as if his proposition was not worthy to be mentioned, and this sudden gesture almost brought tears to Pamela’s eyes. 

Miss Beesly and Miss Flax excused themselves, and went outside, to the kitchen garden. Miss Flax insisted on doing something while she was waiting for the response, and Pamela did not mind the company — especially such a pleasant one. 

‘I know that it is none of my business,’ Miss Flax started quietly, while they planted pole beans and scallions, ‘but I noticed that Mr. Flenderson is quite smitten with you.’ 

‘Is he?’ Pamela was surprised. ‘I assure you, you must be mistaken. He is an old acquaintance of mine, and he is not in favour of Sir Michael. Perhaps, you took his friendliness toward me for something more.’ 

‘Perhaps,’ Miss Flax said. ‘But I am sure, if you encourage him a little, he will propose to you instantly.’ 

Pamela blushed. 

‘Miss Flax! I would never…’

‘Please, Miss Beesly, let me finish, and then I would be silent about this subject till the rest of my days,’ Pamela nodded, and Miss Flax continued. ‘I know that you despise the arranged marriages and will not marry only for money. But I cannot stop comparing your fate with mine. Now you have a position and a stable income, but this could change, and sooner than you think. I am afraid you have gained a foe and an influential one. Who knows what damage to you he could make? And a marriage shields you; besides, the union with a friend would make the marriage much more agreeable. Think about it, Miss Beesly.’

Pamela was silent for a while. 

‘I thank you for your advice, Miss Flax. It is sensible and shows you as a true friend of mine, and if circumstances were different, I would follow it. But I cannot. If I wanted only security from the marriage, I would be married for four years now. But I want so much more from the matrimony; I need to love and be loved. And since I had lost the only man I have ever loved, I would rather have remained alone than became Mrs. Anderson or Mrs. Flenderson or…’

 They did not hear the soft rustle of gravel under the feet, did not notice the shadow behind the bushes of the genista. It was a quiet cough that interrupted their conversation. 

‘Miss Beesly, Miss Flax,’ Pamela was mortified to hear Mr. Halpert’s voice. ‘Sir Michael left his cabinet and asked for you. I think he wants to speak to both of you.’ 

 ‘Thank you, sir,’ Pamela said, wiping her hands, not daring to lift her eyes. Sir Michael called for her, and it was a chance to persuade him to show mercy to Miss Flax, but all she could think about was how much of their conversation had Mr. Halpert overheard.