“How are you?” said Charlotte.
“I’m perfectly well, thank you.” She sounded surprised to be asked. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
“You went so pale and quiet last night, after that man broke in… “
“He didn’t break in. Karl let him in,” Madeleine said briskly.
Charlotte cautiously went nearer to her, feeling a strange mixture of protective tenderness and excoriating guilt. “You hadn’t seen Pierre before, had you… that evening you fell ill in the garden?”
Madeleine put down the hairbrush, exhaled. Her forced brightness could not mask the preoccupied gloom in her eyes. “I don’t know, Charli. I thought I had… but I had such awful dreams after that night. Everything’s muddled. David would go on about it, but I couldn’t tell him anything. Don’t you start.”
“You really should stay in bed,” said Charlotte. “Perhaps you should see the doctor again.”
“No.” Her manner shut Charlotte out; she would not be helped. In that, they were more alike than Charlotte had ever realised. “I only feel ill if people make a fuss. I’m quite all right and I don’t want Karl thinking otherwise.” She turned and clutched Charlotte’s right arm with both hands, seemingly oblivious to the rumours about Karl and Charlotte, oblivious to reality. “He’ll come back this morning.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
“He must.” Madeleine’s eyes were feverish. She looks obsessed, Charlotte thought with alarm. Like me? “And as soon as he does, I’m going to make him admit that he loves me. He’s been such a gentleman, hiding his feelings all this time, so as not to upset Father. I won’t stand for it any longer!”
Dismay weighted Charlotte’s heart. Whether he comes back or not—disaster. “Oh, Maddy, I don’t think you should.”
“What do you know about it, Charli?” Madeleine retorted. “You’ve never been in love.”
***
By the end of breakfast, Elizabeth was not in the best of moods. Her whole family were out of sorts for one reason or another, and it all came back to Karl; beautiful Karl, who caused trouble and walked away smiling as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. Not that she could be angry with him. On the contrary, an affair with him would not have gone amiss, if only he had been responsive. Since he was not, she thanked God she was too experienced to lose her head over him. But these young girls, how they suffered. At least she had scotched the embryonic attraction between him and Charlotte… if there had ever been anything to it in the first place, which she doubted. Just a brief, gauche infatuation on Charlotte’s part, she suspected, and Karl too polite to reject her. If he could be indifferent to me, Elizabeth thought, he must prefer his own sex. The problem now was to make poor Maddy accept that he had no interest in her, either.
Leaving the breakfast room and crossing the upper hall, Elizabeth was startled to see Karl walking up the long red staircase from the front door. She had never doubted that he would come back, yet the sight of him arrested her. Just the graceful way he ascended the steps, peeling off his driving gloves as he did so; the way his dark expressive gaze met hers as he came towards her.
He said, “Good morning, Lady Reynolds. Please accept my apologies for last night. I shall explain later but I am in a hurry and I need to speak to Charlotte.”
She stiffened. Why ever would he want to see her? “Surely I could be of more help to you, my dear?”
“Not in this instance.”
She fished for an acceptable explanation, “Ah, scientific business?”
He didn’t answer. His manner was courteous, but there was a barely perceptible hardening of his eyes. “Please tell me where I can find her.”
She meant to challenge him further, instead found herself saying, “I think she’s in the orangery.” He thanked her and walked away before she could gather her wits to wonder what had compelled her to tell him.
She waited a few moments, then followed him. Voices from the Blue drawing room; she paused outside, recognising Madeleine’s voice but unable to hear what was being said. A minute or two later, Maddy came running out into the corridor, white-faced and blinded with tears.
Elizabeth caught hold of her. “Maddy, what is it?”
“Oh, Auntie, Karl—Karl—I tried to talk to him but he said—”
“Hush, dear.” Elizabeth gently pulled her niece back into the Blue room. “Tell me in a minute. There may be something we should see… “
Through the glass doors in the Blue room they could see down into the orangery. Charlotte was sitting there alone, gazing abstractedly ahead, a newspaper lying unread on her knee. Karl was on his way towards her. As he crossed the tiled floor she looked up and instantly came to life. Her face transformed, she leapt out of the chair and all but threw herself at him. Karl received her in his arms and held her tight.
Madeleine made a faint, disbelieving noise in her throat.
“Not a sound,” whispered Elizabeth. Her lips thinning, she moved through the doorway to the top of the stone steps, keeping Madeleine firmly at her side. They watched from above, concealed by a veil of foliage. If Karl and Charlotte knew they were being overheard, they were beyond caring.
“I waited for you all night,” said Charlotte. “I thought you weren’t coming back.”
“I’m so sorry, beloved, but there was no way I could let you know. I had to take Pierre away from here.”
“Everyone was saying such awful things last night. I didn’t know what to think.”
“It’s very easy for people to misinterpret things they don’t understand,” Karl said gently. “I regret causing you such anxiety. And unfortunately I have upset Madeleine as well.”
“How?”
“I will tell you later, my love. I can’t explain now, I’ve promised to go to the manor house with David and he’s waiting for me.”
“It’s an excuse to ask you about last night,” she said.
“I know. So the sooner I set his mind at rest, the better.”
“Could I come with you?”
“It’s best if you don’t.”
“But Father and I are going back to Cambridge this morning! What if we’ve gone before you come back? He’s so angry about Henry, I’m afraid he won’t want you to work with us any more.”
“Charlotte, you mustn’t worry.” Karl stroked her cheek with a tenderness that gave Elizabeth an unexpected pang. “I hate to see you so distressed. Believe me, I am coming back. Here, and to Cambridge.”
Then he bent and kissed her mouth. Charlotte responded, not with surprise, but with sensual eagerness. His hand cradled her head and she pressed herself against him, no stranger to his touch. A long, deep kiss between two people who knew each other far more intimately than anyone had guessed; two people who had recently become lovers.
It took a lot to shock Elizabeth. If this had been Fleur or Madeleine she would not have been greatly surprised; she would simply have taken them on one side and given then some quiet advice. But to see Charlotte in Karl’s arms roused her to disproportionate wrath. Charlotte was a creature she had never been able to control. She despised the girl’s timid bookishness, almost feared the strange, stubborn soul that lay beneath. Closed away by shyness yet wayward, unmalleable. The only consolation was that she lacked the spirit—so Elizabeth had thought—to break out of her narrow life. Now to see her stepping so wildly out of line filled Elizabeth with resentment, the desire to crush her completely.
Elizabeth felt Madeleine’s whole body stiffen and tremble. Karl drew away reluctantly from Charlotte, kissing her hand as he left her. As he came back up the steps, he showed no surprise at seeing Elizabeth there, only glanced at her as he passed; an insouciant look, almost cold. He walked by them without a word.
“Karl—” Madeleine started after him, but Elizabeth held firmly on to her.
“Hush, dear.” As soon as Karl had gone, she guided Maddy back into the Blue room. “It’s a shock to me too, but let’s be calm about it. I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but you mig
ht not have believed it unless you’d see them with your own eyes. I certainly didn’t.”
“He can’t love Charlotte!” Madeleine was fierce with grief. “I—I tried to talk to him, but he said he didn’t love me, he couldn’t love me because he was in no position to get married. Not to anyone.”
“Did he, indeed?” Elizabeth said grimly, hugging her.
“Who was he lying to, me or her?”
Charlotte was on her way up the orangery steps. Coming through the doorway she saw Elizabeth and stopped, turning rose-red with guilt. Before Elizabeth could say anything, Madeleine marched up to her sister and slapped her hard across the face. “You viper!”
Charlotte reeled away, her eyes filling with water. “What was that for?” she gasped.
“Karl is mine, not yours! How dare you try to take him from me! You traitor!”
Charlotte looked so devastated that Elizabeth almost felt sorry for her. Yet she didn’t attempt to defend herself, and that made Elizabeth want to slide the knife in. With an arm around Madeleine to quieten her, Elizabeth said coolly, “Maddy, you’ve behaved with great dignity so far; don’t spoil it. Remember you’re blameless in this. Well, Charlotte, should we congratulate you?”
“Why?”
“Well, obviously the only correct thing for Karl to do is marry you, so is he going to?”
Charlotte was wild-eyed, impaled by her aunt’s cruel perceptiveness. Her mouth opened but no answer emerged.
Heavens above, she hasn’t even the guile to bluff it out. “No,” Elizabeth went on. “Apparently—so he has just informed Madeleine—he cannot. Did he lie to you, make false promises?”
“No!” A touch of spirit; defensiveness, at least. “He told me he couldn’t marry me. He wouldn’t say why—but he never lied to me.”
“Well, how noble of him,” Elizabeth said, witheringly sarcastic. “He probably already has a wife, you little fool! No decent girl allows herself to be made love to until she has a ring on her finger; certainly not to discard all her morals like some kitchen slut too idiotic to know better. Haven’t you ever listened to a thing I’ve told you? It’s great fun skating on thin ice but you never, ever let yourself fall into the depths.”
In a tone of absolute horror, Madeleine said, “Auntie, they can’t have… not that… “
“Sadly, I’ve been around too long not to recognise the signs. She’s not denying it, is she? Oh, you idiot! Did you stop for one second to consider the possible consequences?”
Charlotte stared at her, one hand pressed to the red mark on her cheek. “You’ve no right to speak to me like this. You don’t know anything about it.”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “I think I know enough and I shall have to consider how much to tell your father—if we’re to salvage what’s left of your life.”
She went sickly white at this threat. “I don’t know why you hate me so much, Auntie. What have I ever done to you? Why aren’t I allowed to be in love?” She looked at her sister. “I wouldn’t have hurt Maddy for the world but it just—”
“I’ll never forgive you for this,” said Madeleine, her eyes glittering. “Never.”
Charlotte’s face went rigid and she walked past them out of the room. “That’s it, run away,” Elizabeth called after her. “Your answer to everything.” But she thought, This time I’ve broken her. At last! This gave her the means to crush Charlotte to the absolute depths of torment and shame. Once she was at her most wretched, that would be the time for Elizabeth to become the loving, forgiving aunt… to begin to recreate her niece in a more conventional shape.
***
Charlotte walked along the corridor into the upper hall, too stricken to weep. The gilded mirrors, the paintings, the gleaming furniture, all looked sharp and unreal. She had only ever wanted to love, and be loved by, her family; instead they hated her. She had hurt Madeleine and now she knew, knew, that neither of them would be allowed to see Karl again. All my fault. Talons of fear and misery tore into her heart but she couldn’t fight the pain, could only submit numbly.
“Charlotte?” Anne put out a hand and stopped her; Charlotte hadn’t even noticed she was there. “Karl’s back, did you know?”
She responded, her voice toneless. “Yes, I’ve seen him.”
“Has he said something to upset you? You look awful.”
“No, but Elizabeth saw us together and she guessed… what I told you last night.”
“Oh, God,” Anne breathed in dismay. “It might have been prudent to deny it.”
“I’m no use at lying, she would have known. The worst thing is that Maddy was there too—the things Elizabeth said in front of her… ” No words to explain, but Anne understood. “I can’t bear this.”
“What did Karl say?”
“Just that he would explain everything later, and that he intends to stay in Cambridge.”
Anne sighed. “It’s not very likely, after what David’s going to say to him. He’ll have to ask him to leave.”
“He has no right!”
“But if Elizabeth tells the men what she knows, it will be ten times worse!” Anne was never dishonest in order to be comforting. Charlotte appreciated that, but now Anne’s friendship was like a piece of driftwood in the ocean. She clung to it, but it would not save her. “You can’t see Karl clearly. He’s untrustworthy, he attacked his own friend. Either that, or he was kissing him; take your pick of which is worse. He seduced you, for heaven’s sake! Whatever you say, it was wrong of him. I know it’s difficult, but you must be realistic. What if you found you were pregnant?”
“Then Aunt Lizzie would take me on a quiet trip to Paris and Father would lock me up for the rest of my life!” Charlotte said bitterly. “Don’t talk to me about being realistic! The things that have been going through my mind, you wouldn’t believe.”
“I’m on your side, you know,” Anne said quietly. “Elizabeth’s being downright cruel to you. It’s unforgivable.”
The front doorbell rang as she spoke. There were faint sounds from the lower hall of doors opening, voices.
Charlotte touched her arm. “I’m sorry, Anne. If you weren’t here I don’t know what I’d do. I’ve turned them all against me and I shall never be able to hold my head up after this… and I’m losing Karl. I remember I once said I’d kill him if he broke Maddy’s heart. Now I think I should kill myself.”
“Don’t you dare talk like that,” Anne began, but a voice interrupted.
“I wish you would!” Madeleine, crossing the top end of the hall, stopped and marched towards them. “Oh yes, go and cry on Anne’s shoulder, as if you were the one who’s been wronged. If you’re miserable you deserve it—you little—whore!”
Charlotte was beyond reacting, but Anne looked outraged. “Maddy, for heaven’s sake. There’s no call for that sort of language. I think you ought to consider yourself lucky that Karl wasn’t interested in you. Don’t you?”
Maddy stared as if Anne had thrown cold water in her face. There were footsteps on the stairs, an uneven thudding muffled by the carpet. Newland was bringing someone to the upper hall. By instinct there was swift, mutual transformation. Madeleine dried her eyes and tucked her balled-up handkerchief into her sleeve. Charlotte, dry-eyed, painfully swallowed her misery. By the time Newland reached them, the three women presented a tenuous front of normality.
The visitor was a thin anxious-looking man in grey suit. He smiled as he saw them and stopped, leaning on his walking stick. “Mr Edward Lees to see Mr Neville,” Newland said solemnly. “I shall inform Lady Reynolds of your arrival.”
“It’s all right, we’ll look after him,” said Anne, and the butler nodded and walked away. “Edward! This is a surprise! Was David expecting you? He never said anything.”
She went to him; Charlotte and Madeleine hung back, not looking at each other. Why did someone have to arrive now? Charlotte thought. Yet in a way, the distraction was a relief.
“Hello, Anne.” Edward shook hands and greeted each of them in tur
n, his gaze lingering a few moments on Maddy. His smile could not erase the strain in his face. “No, David didn’t know I was coming and I’m most awfully sorry for turning up without notice.”
“Don’t be silly, you know you’re welcome here, day or night,” said Anne. “Besides, you virtually work here.”
“Well, that’s just it,” said Edward, smootüing down his mousy hair. “I’ve been lazing about at home quite long enough. This morning I woke up with an extraordinary feeling that David needed me and I thought right, that’s it, no more of this convalescent business. Time to pull myself together and start work.”
“Oh, that’s marvellous news, as long as you’re well enough. David will be thrilled.”
“Is he around?”
“I’m afraid he’d not here at the moment,” Anne replied. “He’s gone up to the manor house with Karl. I’m sure they won’t be long.”
At this his fragile smile wavered. “Is he on his own with Karl?”
“Well, I presume so, but they’ll be back soon. Do come and have some tea.” She glanced at Charlotte and added, “We all need it.”
Edward hesitated, his expression distracted and anxious. He stared down at the front door. “Actually, if it’s all the same to you, I would rather go straight up to the manor house and make sure David’s safe.”
“Why shouldn’t he be?” Charlotte exclaimed. His edginess was infectious, especially in her oversensitive state.
He cleared his throat. His head twitched nervously. “I know what you’re all doing, trying to be terribly polite and not mentioning it, and I know everyone thinks I’m crackers—but I can’t shake off this feeling about Karl. Maybe that’s why I had to come here today.” He was edging towards the top of the stairs as he spoke. “I hope I am wrong—but if anything happened to David I’d never forgive myself. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going up there.”
His stick slipped over the top tread and he almost lost his balance. Anne caught his elbow. “Edward, I’m sure everything’s all right. But we’ll come with you if it will set your mind at rest.”
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