Mr. and Mrs. Halpert were not pleased when they discovered that their youngest son was engaged to a farmer’s daughter without a fortune and connections; her relation to Sir Michael was considered nonexistent and did not make her look more worthy in the eyes of his worried parents. They tried to speak to their son and explained the disadvantages he would receive from a union with a low-born woman, but he did not want to listen to their reasons; then they chose a different tactic and promised to deprive him of his part of the heritage as a threat if he would keep persisting on the unequal marriage. When it did not change his mind, they used as the last way to resolve the problem sending an attorney to Pamela to persuade her to break the engagement in exchange for a large sum of money. For sure, Pamela did not agree to it; and when Mr. Halpert found out about the purpose of the visit of his parent’s man, he bought a special license that allowed him to get married as soon as would be possible.
This decision only worsened the spat between him and his parents. In the end, though, they arranged to get together and meet Pamela. After the first meeting, Mr. and Mrs. Halpert reluctantly agreed that she seemed to be a nice girl and did not look like a golddigger. After the second they found out that Mr. Beesly gave after her three hundred pounds and that her connection with Dunder Hall allowed her to expect more benefits in the future; and after the third, they remembered that they had three other, more ambitious children, and let their youngest son ruin his life in the way he had chosen.
As opposed to Mr. and Mrs. Halpert, Sir Michael was thrilled. He concluded that being married to a gentleman — young, amiable, and with money — was as good for Pamela as being the housekeeper in Dunder Hall. The sureness that it was he who had contributed her happiness by inviting Mr. Halpert in the first place flattered him. When Mr. Halpert had informed about his intentions towards Pamela, Sir Michael interrupted his visit to Bath and returned to Yorkshire. He wanted to be involved in every part of the preparations for the wedding; strangely, but watching the young couple together was an excellent cure for a broken heart.
And when just after the month of engagement, Mr. Schrute pronounced James and Pamela as husband and wife before the faces of God and all Dunder Mifflin commoners, this event generated many speculations and rumors. Mrs. Vance was wondering what made the couple have such a rushed wedding (and mentioning that the cause might have been in the attempt to save the honor of Miss Beesly). Miss Martin was too polite to accuse or slander her cousin; she found solace in the realisation that her engagement and her wedding would follow all established rules and traditions. And when she and Mr. Schrute exchanged their vows, their union was perceived by members of Dunder Mifflin society more benevolent than the Halperts.
If Pamela even heard this or that rumor about herself, she was too happy to worry about it. The newlywed moved to Hampshire, where they found a home into a little country cottage with a rose garden. The first years were quite tough for them; but Pamela had gotten used to economizing, and her husband was content with a little as long as his wife was near him. Besides, he had many friends, who did not leave him in need; after all turmoils, he found a place with a stable income and the family — that had been doubled by that time — could enjoy the quiet happiness of their lives without worries about the future.
There was another person, who had received the benefit from the union of Mr. Halpert and Pamela, though his joy was short-lived. Mr. Howard was pleased that Pamela, who had a significant influence on Sir Michael, got out of his way. Besides, he used the engagement of Mr. Halpert as an excuse to interrupt the acquaintance with him; he explained this with his protectiveness of the feelings of Miss Filippelli, who had been deceived by Mr. Halpert — though Miss Filippelli herself had quickly recovered from her disappointment and had found enough more proper suitors in Bath. Truth be told, Mr. Howard had noticed the suspicions that Mr. Halpert had towards him and had shielded himself from unnecessary revelations that might have appeared.
And yet, Pamela's departure had played a cruel joke on Mr. Howard. Sir Michael, though he had let Pamela go gladly, had been in need of a reliable housekeeper; and in the end, he had offered that place to Miss Flax, who had been still staying in Dunder Hall, waiting for answers to her letters. She had agreed gladly, and, with Pamela's instructions, had quickly gotten familiar with the established rules of Dunder Hall. She did her job so well that Sir Michael quite soon quitted his complaining about Pamela's absence; and, unlike Pamela, Miss Flax was not afraid to speak her mind if Sir Michael had done something unreasonable, though more often than not she supported him in his deeds — and that Sir Michael found especially endearing. Just a year had passed since Pamela's wedding when Sir Michael decided that he wanted to marry again. And Miss Flax gracefully accepted his proposal.
Mr. Howard was barely hiding his disdain toward the newlywed Lady Scott and collected rumors of all kinds about her that could help him to set Sir Michael against his wife. But before he could do it, he received a verbose letter that announced the birth of Sir Michael's son and invited Mr. and Mrs. Howard to celebrate that grand affair in Dunder Hall. Mr. Howard never replied, as well as never answered the second letter that arrived a few years later and contained the same announcement; Lady Scott wisely decided not to send the third letter, taking pity on the rejected heir. His card debts and expensive tastes had made Mr. Howard dependent on money; and as hope to inherit and sell Dunder Hall had turned into ashes, as his debts had made him persona non grata among his friends, he could rely only on his wife's goodwill. His affection to her was counterfeit unlike hers, but, as it turned out, Mrs. Howard remained the only person who genuinely was glad to be in his company.
In a few years, Pamela received two letters from Mr. Flenderson. In first, he congratulated her on her engagement and wished her happiness; in the second, he told her about his moving to Costa Rica. She was quiet for a while after receiving the second one; she felt it was his farewell to her. Even if she could have never returned his feelings, he remained important to her. So, all Pamela could do was pray for his well-being.
What happened to Lady Levinson, no one knew for sure. But, in a few years, the arrival of a rich English widow, Mrs. Gould, traveling with a little daughter and an adult nephew, caused considerable turmoil in the salons of Boston and even caused a duel. No one, luckily, died, and Mrs. Gould left the city for Philadelphia and Atlanta, where her trace was lost.
Mr. Schrute kept preaching and found in the face of Mrs. Schrute a faithful follower — she was even more ardent than Miss Martin had been once. The church school was running exceptionally well, and though children complained about strict rules and a constant need for obedience, their parents decided that free lessons, meals once a day, and a few hours of being without their offsprings at home were a true blessing.
***
Once Mrs. Halpert went into her husband's cabinet with a small package in her hands and a glint in her eyes.
'I have something for you,' she said, smiling and giving him the package. He put his pen aside and unwrapped the paper, finding a little tome inside.
'A Tale of Patience and Persistence, or The Letters to All Young People with Admonition of How to Avoid Temptations and Live a Sinless Life,' he read aloud and gave his wife an incredulous look. 'May I ask why do you have this book?'
'Because you contributed to its existence and have not even read it. How could it be possible?' she grinned and added. 'Besides, I have a feeling that that trick of yours, or, to be precise, the consequence of it, allowed us to understand each other — or pushed us to that understanding. So having this book is the least that I can do to show my gratitude for our happiness.'
'I see your point and share your feelings,' he said, took her hand, and kissed it gently. 'What do you think, could we persuade Mr. Schrute to publish the second tome?'
