"I want to see. Phillip and Christopher go and put on your suits and let me inspect them. I want to make sure they are perfect for tonight."
"Can't we do it later?" both Phillip and Christopher asked the mother.
"No, the tailor's will be closed later and it will be too late. Go fast and let me see them. You represent me and your father when you go outside of this house so you must look your best at all times."
There was some more conversation around the topic but eventually, the two sons gave way to the mother's demand, and they left the room to go to try on their suits and to showcase them to their mother who was eager to inspect them. When Christopher and Phillip quitted the room, the mother followed closely behind them to ensure that her sons would do as they were instructed quickly.
Alone in the room with Mr. Campbell, we both took a seat beside each other on a large and comfortable sofa. It was my first time in their house and I must admit that I found the drawing-room to be tastefully decorated. The walls had paintings hung on them and they were all landscape artwork containing green fields, mountains, and animals.
"The picture is of the Highlands in Scotland, where my family is from," Mr. Campbell remarked as he saw me inspect the images.
"They look beautiful."
"They are," Mr. Campbell responded. "I'm extremely proud of my heritage and my family's history."
"Just as every person should be."
After a quiet pause, Mr. Campbell shifted his sitting position so that he was closer to me and looking directly at me. I looked back at him and I felt uncomfortable. He still smiled and looked like the gentleman I knew him to be, but it was evident that something was troubling him and that it was now at the forefront of his mind. I felt compelled to ask him if there was anything wrong with him.
"No, nothing is wrong," He immediately responded.
"You looked troubled. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"It is a question about love, Monsieur Levasseur."
"I see," I said not entirely understanding the situation that Mr. Campbell was addressing.
"I know you are unmarried, Monsieur Levasseur, but have you ever been in love?"
"No, I can't say that I have."
"I didn't think so. I imagine that a man like you, in your position, would find a bride without too much difficulty if you so chose one."
"Perhaps, but I doubt it would be that simple. What is it about love that is troubling you? I'm struggling to understand your problem."
"Christopher and Miss Jane, they are no doubt in love. I have watched them and listened to them and seen how they look at each other. They are in love."
I acted surprised as if I had not known that such a romance existed between the two young people. I asked Mr. Campbell if his son had confirmed with him that he was in love or had spoken openly about it, but Mr. Campbell said that although he had not been told about the relationship by his son, he was certain they were in love.
"I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but I know that they are in love," Mr. Campbell reiterated.
"And why is that a troubling thing for you?"
"I am proud of my family and its history, exceedingly so. I want my sons to carry on the strong tradition of my father and grandfather, I think that any such union between my sons and a person of a lower rank in society is unacceptable as it lowers our name rather than raises it. Therefore I am asking you, what would you do in my situation?"
"What would I do?" I repeated his question, looking for clarification.
"How would you prevent it from happening?"
Thankfully I was in the position to say that France did not follow the same traditions and rules that the English did. The French Revolution had done away with the aristocrats and royalty, and all others who put themselves above others. I told Mr. Campbell that in France everyone was considered equal with the same rights and laws and access. I also said to him that such a connection between Christopher Campbell and Miss Jane would be welcomed by everyone if it was proven that the love between the two young people was true.
"That is France and this is England," Mr. Campbell retorted. "Social standing is very important in our society."
"I can't say I understand the situation, sir, nor can I relate to your dilemma, though I must ask if the same problems were present when you and Mrs. Campbell got married. Was she considered to be of the social rank as you?"
"No, her family was below mine."
"Yet you loved her and married her? Is that not the same situation as you seem to think Christopher and Miss Jane are in?"
"I am not as hypocritical as you may imagine me to be. My wife's family was of lower rank than mine, but they had money. When her parents and my parents spoke of the union it was agreed that if I took her hand in marriage then a significant portion of that money would be inherited by her which made the marriage a favourable one to all parties involved. Her family's standing in society would rise through association with mine and my family would secure more wealth."
"So if Miss Jane was wealthy then you would welcome her as a daughter through marriage?"
"If she was wealthy then I would be able to overlook her obvious deficiency in rank, but I see no reason to believe that she has anything significant in her bank."
Footsteps in the hallway halted the conversation between Mr. Campbell and me. The three family members, that had previously gone away to check their attire for the night's festivities, had now returned. Mrs. Campbell was smiling, so I gathered that the suits had passed her inspection. With their return, the conversation that Mr. Campbell and I were having ceased altogether, and a new topic was discussed.
"Mrs. Campbell told me that everything in London has been good since my absence. She said that there has been a lot of activity and social gatherings. I hope I haven't missed anything exciting," I said including all the family in the conversation.
Like before, Mr. Campbell was the first person from his family to speak. He contradicted his wife's words. He had a very different version of how London had been since my departure from the city.
"Mr. Cromwell has taken ill. He was absent the last four times we dined with them and the Alexander family. Mrs. Cromwell says that he has much improved, but he still does make any appearances," Mr. Campbell said.
"You are making a fuss over nothing. If Mrs. Cromwell says that her husband is feeling better, there is no reason to doubt it," Mrs. Campbell said interrupting her husband just as he was concluding his words.
"If he was better and back to full health then I don't understand why Ms. Tilney would travel from Bath to live with them," Mr. Campbell said arguing.
"Maybe Ms. Tilney wanted a change of scenery or to visit her family. There could be a hundred reasons why Ms. Tilney has come to London," Mrs. Campbell retorted.
"No, I am sure the situation is more complex than how you are portraying it."
"Well, I am sure that Mr. Cromwell will be present tonight since the ball is being hosted by him and his wife in their home. I hope that will settle all your doubts."
"I certainly suspect that he will appear at some stage throughout the evening or it will be very rude indeed, but that does not mean that he is no longer ill.”
Phillip and Christopher rolled their eyes during their parent's exchange and I assumed that the debate was not a new one, but an old one that had been rekindled. I took a step closer to the two boys and the door. I winked at Phillip and Christopher and they smirked in response.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but if the ball party is on tonight then I should return to my hotel and get ready at once. Is there a set time when the guests should arrive and do you think my presence will be unwanted there tonight?"
Both Mr. and Mrs. Campbell stopped their debate and told me that I would be most welcome at the party. They also told me the time they were told to arrive at the Cromwell house. They stated that I should arrive at the same time as them.
"I'm sure you're presence will help cure whatever is ailing Mr. C
romwell," Mrs. Campbell said to me.
I confirmed that I would attend the Cromwell house that evening and after I bid all four of the Campbell's goodbye I made my way back to my hotel room. I pondered over what was wrong with Mr. Cromwell and had a hypothesis about his illness. I would ready my dinner suit and then later on that evening I would see him for myself and diagnose the cause of his problems. I would then work diligently to create more problems for him.
Chapter 25 - The Torment of Mr. Cromwell
I walked from my hotel to the Cromwell house when the correct time in the evening arrived. Wearing my well-pressed suit and a hat on my head, I told the reception staff that I was attending a party and that I would be back later that night, they wished me a pleasant evening. Upon arriving at the Cromwell house I found the front door to be wide open and a servant waiting inside the house to welcome me. It was a pleasant evening, so the Cromwell house and its inhabitants must not have minded their large front door being opened. There were no other signs of guests on foot, nor were there any sounds of horses and carriages roaming around the street. Therefore I entered the house at the instruction of the servant and he led me to a room where he said the dinner party was scheduled to dine.
"There is dinner? I was under the impression that there was a ball party happening tonight. I did not know that dinner was scheduled," I said to the servant as he directed me through the house.
"Yes, sir," the servant started. "Dinner will be served first and later in the evening a ball will commence and more guests will arrive."
Feeling a little uneasy about showing up to the house uninvited, now knowing that food and a table had been prepared for guests, I started to wonder if I should retreat from the house and simply return later at a time when the ball would have commenced. My indecision and thought process were eradicated when the servant delivered me into a room. In the room sat Alice and Aunt Tilney. Both of their faces showed the look of surprise at my arrival, but it was also evident that they were happy to see me. The two ladies were alone in a large room and although the emptiness of the room would have perhaps normally made it look cold, the bright faces of the two women that looked at me warmed up the entire room.
"Monsieur Levasseur, welcome!" my sister started. "You remember my aunt, Ms. Tilney, of course."
"Of course," I responded. "It is great to see you both again."
Aunt Tilney asked how I had been in recent months and she reiterated that she heard I had recently left London and was away on business. She said that she thought it was an odd coincidence that out of all the many people in London that I should make a connection, I made a connection with her niece. However, she said that she was happy such a connection was established.
"And you have since met Miss Jane, too! What another happy connection," Aunt Tilney began. "Alice was telling me how both you and she are the architects in the relationship between Miss Jane and Mr. Christopher Campbell. That is very nice of you to help some people you barely know. In Bath, I strongly thought you were a gentleman and I am glad that I was right."
Alice then spoke and informed our aunt that we were not the architects of the romance, but we were simply trying to help the young couple solidify their existing love with each other. It was a love that the young couple had created themselves and they confessed to us about it on separate occasions. Aunt Tilney seemed to ignore her and attribute the very existence of the relationship between the two young lovers on us.
"I am sorry to come unannounced and uninvited. I visited the Campbell family home earlier today and they told me there was a ball. Had I known that you had prepared a dinner first, I would have made sure to arrive much later so as not to intrude on your party," I said humbly to both ladies.
"Nonsense, Monsieur Levasseur. Your presence is always a welcomed one. Isn't that right, my dear niece?" Aunt Tilney said. Alice nodded along with her words.
As far as I knew Aunt Tilney was still unaware of my real identity, she thought I was still legitimately Monsieur Levasseur. I assumed Alice kept to the promise she made with me about not revealing to anyone that I was William Underhill who had returned after years of absence and who was presumed dead. Everything that Aunt Tilney said, and how Alice addressed me, supported my theory.
The conversation between the three of us continued for some time before I asked Aunt Tilney what brought her to London. She said that she had always wanted to visit the Cromwell home as she had never been. She later gave a more detailed explanation which I suspected was the primary reason. She told me that in recent correspondences with her niece, Alice, she had been informed that Mr. Cromwell was having difficulty sleeping and that his whole manner had transformed throughout the last few weeks. Aunt Tilney said that she feared for the health of Mr. Cromwell, but more significantly she cared about her niece and her niece's children, so she immediately made her way to London to stay as a guest until everything returned to normal in the Cromwell house.
"I should inform the cooks that there will be an extra person dining with us this evening," Alice Cromwell said as she began to raise herself from her sitting position.
"No, you stay here and entertain the guest. I will go immediately and inform the cooks to prepare an extra portion and then I will tell the servants to set an extra seat at the dinner table. I haven't inspected the cutlery yet to ensure that it has been sufficiently polished so this will allow me the opportunity to do so," Aunt Tilney responded.
Without further need for conversation, Aunt Tilney got up off her chair and left the room. She left Alice and me alone in the large room and for a moment we just stared at each other. Alice was the one person in the entire world who knew who I was, when I was with her I didn't need to put on the persona of Levasseur. Furthermore, she alone knew where I had been for the previous weeks and what I had done. Through the use of her letters, she had facilitated my revengeful actions. Through the use of letters, word had no doubt reached her about the demise of Edward and Charles. She looked at me now, knowing full well that I had killed two people.
"It's great to see you again, Alice," I honestly said to my sister.
"It is great to see you too, William. I was worried about you. I'm glad you are back," my sister said in a tone that sounded authentic.
"I used your letters and visited Charles and Edward like I set out to do."
"I know," my sister said taking her glance away from me and looking down to the floor. "Word about their deaths has already reached us. James is taking their deaths very badly."
"Is that why he is ill?" I asked.
"What do you know of his illness? Aunt Tilney only said that he had problems sleeping," Alice returned her gaze at me.
"Nothing more than what the Campbell's told me earlier and what Aunt Tilney confirmed to me there now. I only know that he has not been his proper self for the last few weeks."
"Yes, he has been under the weather and his mind has been preoccupied. He barely talks to me at the moment and rarely eats. Their deaths have affected him in a very negative way."
When my sister spoke about James Cromwell and his illness I could tell that she cared about him. I felt sympathy for her as she knew that my primary objective for returning to London was to kill him. Despite my intention, she welcomed me back into her house and said she had missed me. It was clear to me that she was a strong woman but I had always known that.
"Aunt Tilney doesn't know?" I said to Alice, enquiring about whether or not my aunt knew my real identity and that I was her nephew.
"No, no one knows as I did not tell anyone about it, just like I promised to you, William," Alice responded.
"Thank you," I replied.
There was an awkward silence that filled the room and as I kept my attention on my sister, I noticed that her face began reddening and her eyes started to fill up with tears. She took both my hands and held them. She looked directly at me and then took a deep breath.
"William, I want you to make a further promise to me. I don't want you to harm James. We will mak
e him suffer together and I will make sure the gold retrieved from Edward and Charles is fairly distributed to you as it is only right and just. But, I want you to promise me now that you will not kill the father of my children. Please promise me, William. I beg you."
I didn't expect the plea that my sister gave me or the bargain she tried to strike for her husband's life. I was momentarily speechless. She looked at me and waited for my response and when there was no response forthcoming she continued to speak.
"We can be a family again. Stay here in London and watch your niece and nephew grow up. Remain the man you have created who has entered the circles of high society and made many friends, stay as Monsieur Levasseur. I beg you not to kill the man who blessed me with children."
Before further comments could be made by my sister or before I had time to respond, we were interrupted. Miss Jane and Aunt Tilney entered the room and after a quick pleasant exchange with Miss Jane, all four of us were informed that the Alexander's had arrived and that the Campbell's carriage was spotted approaching the house too. Aunt Tilney then suggested that we should quit the room we were in and move into a larger area that had been prepared for the occasion. The area was two adjoining rooms that had been opened up to create a larger space for a dance floor which would be used later in the evening. Aunt Tilney led us to that area and said that after all the expected guests arrived and after some conversation with everyone, we would go down to the dining room where we would have our dinner before the ball and festivities of the evening truly began.
Revenge of an Englishman Page 24