Pride of the Courtneys (11 page)

The days wore themselves into weeks, and no one could change Bassett's mind. After pleading with him once to release me from his intention of marrying me to be met with a sardonic smile which quickly changed to anger. I left him severely alone and avoided his company. His only answer to my impassioned plea was to place a diamond ring on my finger.

I was not unaware of the great honour he was bestowing upon me, for I knew that once he married me, for a man like Bassett Courtney, it would be until death.

But why he wanted to tie himself to a woman he did not love, and who almost hated him, I could not imagine. I realised that he had reached thirty without having any serious romantic attachments. But still that did not rule out the possibility that one day he may meet a woman and fall in love with her, a woman who would reciprocate and be far more acceptable to his family.

Sir Hugh and Georgiana were delighted. And this, to some extent, lessened my misery, for in Georgiana's distress at her own forthcoming marriage, if she found happiness in that I was to be her sister, then naturally I took comfort in that, for I found my affection for her growing every day.

I was rapidly becoming fonder of Sir Hugh, also. Occasionally now, since the announcement that I was to be part of the family, he would take me into his study and talk to me about his books. When we were dining or sitting in the drawing-room, I would often find him looking at me long and hard and smiling softly to himself as if dreaming pleasant dreams.

At these times, I had only to turn to see Lady Courtney's furious glances from her husband and back to me, to wonder again what lay behind my ancestry and the Courtneys. Never once, though, did Sir Hugh indulge in reminiscences whilst we were in his study. It seemed that the occasional references he had made to my mother were purely accidental, and he would still absent-mindedly call me Victoria, which did not improve matters.

But no one would enlighten me, and so I continued to wonder.

Because I was so appalled at the thought of marrying Bassett, my mind turned to whys, wherefores, and how I could escape. I thought of running away, but where should I run? Uncle James was now happily established in Canada, so his one letter to me had reported. I certainly had insufficient money to buy my passage out to Canada to find him. And besides, he obviously did not want me, or else I should never have come to Courtney Hall.

I had the ability and education to become a governess, but how was one supposed to start? One still had to live and eat and sleep whilst finding employment. I realised that if I were to apply for a post, any post, the Courtneys, if they wished, could follow me and ruin me wherever I went, because they believed me to be a thief.

I like to think that it was not because I was cowardly that I did not take matters into my own hands and fly from a disastrous marriage. I believe I dealt rationally with the problem in the only way I could.

All around me, girls were forced into arranged marriages with men they did not love, and they led reasonably happy lives. Bassett Courtney, in marrying me, was giving me a home, wealth and position. I should be foolish, I told myself, to run away and probably starve through my own rashness. Besides, they had me in their power over the incident of the dagger. Were I to arouse their enmity further, I should possibly find myself hounded throughout the country as a thief and punishment for such a crime I dare not contemplate.

I remembered Bassett's words over the young boy who had pilfered eggs.

The atmosphere of tenseness did not lessen during the weeks which preceded my marriage. Bassett seemed more morose than ever towards me. Now he turned his attention to Evelyn Corby, and some of her surliness disappeared under the charm which Bassett could exert when he felt so inclined. Millicent still remained at Courtney Hall, still hopeful, no doubt, that Bassett would change his mind. Indeed, the only reason I could think of for his intention of marrying me, was because he wished to escape from Millicent's clutches.

This made me more unhappy for I felt that I was merely being used to get him out of a situation he did not want. I felt that he did not want to marry me at all, but he felt less inclined to be ordered about by his mother so contrarywise, he would marry someone, anyone, of whom his mother disapproved.

And the nearest person was me.

Feelings between my future husband and myself were not improved when he called me to his study one day and told me that he had ordered a dressmaker from London to attend upon me.

‘I wish my wife to be dressed as befitting her station. Choose whatever you like, Louella, expense is immaterial. I wish to see you grandly and tastefully dressed. I have no fear but that your taste will be excellent.'

My head rose in proud defiance.

‘You have no need to spend money unnecessarily.'

Anger flashed in his eyes. Why is it, I thought, that whenever we meet, sparks fly?

‘I order you to have a trousseau of new clothes,' he said between his teeth. ‘ Do you hear me?'

‘Yes, Bassett,' I replied meekly and lowered my head.

I was a fool to rouse his anger so, but it seemed that we awoke in each other some violent emotion and harsh words flowed.

During these days, I found myself more in the company of Charles Corby. I was beginning to notice a subtle change in him. He had always been an interesting companion. But now, often as not, his thoughts turned inwardly and he would sit in silence and melancholy from which I could not rouse him.

I don't know when I first began to hope that these thoughts may be of Georgiana, but as the September weddings approached, his depression deepened and I was convinced that he loved her.

Well, I told myself, as I brushed my long, red hair one hundred times before retiring, If I could do nothing to alleviate my own misery, surely I could help one person in the world I loved, Georgiana, to say nothing of a dear friend, Charles.

As I fell asleep, I determined to tackle Charles the very next day.

But next day, I found I had left matters too long.

On walking to the village to the Corbys' house, I was met by Evelyn.

‘Good day, Miss Lloyd,' she greeted me sullenly.

‘Good day, Miss Corby. Is Dr Corby at home?'

‘No.' At once her eyes gave away the fact that she was jealous of my friendship with Charles. She feared, even yet, that he may marry me, and a wife would oust the sister-cum-housekeeper.

‘When will he be in?'

‘Charles has been called to London on an urgent conference. Some new discovery has been made, I believe, in the field of medicine, something in which he is directly concerned. I have no idea when he will be back.' She smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

‘Possibly not for a month or two.'

‘A month!' I gasped. ‘But that will be too late.'

Miss Corby bent forward.

‘What will be “ too late”, Miss Lloyd?'

‘Oh—nothing—nothing. I was thinking aloud.'

Again she smiled in that humourless way.

‘I doubt if he will be back before your wedding, if that is what you're thinking.'

‘No—I—of course not.'

I realised my thoughtless slip may complicate matters, but at least Evelyn did not suspect that it was on Georgiana's behalf and not my own that I sought Charles.

I turned away from the Corby house, then I thought.

‘But what of his practice?'

Miss Corby seemed lost for a moment.

‘I—I think they're sending someone down.'

But in that hesitation, I wondered if she were speaking the truth when she said Charles was away for so long. Was she planning to keep him away from Courtney Hall until I was safely married? It was obvious that she feared I would lure Charles away, and no doubt knowing I disliked Bassett, she thought I would try to persuade Charles to marry me instead.

I left Evelyn Corby watching me from the doorway as I walked down the short drive and along the village street.

It was not often I came to the village, and I could feel the curious glances of the villages upon me. Their smiles of greeting were friendly and respectful befitting those extended to their new mistress, which I was, after all, soon to be.

How could I find whether or not Charles had really gone to London? Whom amongst the villagers could I ask?

Then I knew.

Old Tom, the shepherd in his little hut high on the hillside, would know. Charles visited him every week without fail to attend to Tom's wounded leg which would never heal.

The August sun was hot on my back and the air still and silent as I climbed the hill. High above the village, I could see the farmers moving about their work on the sloping fields, and below in the tiny houses, their wives sang about their chores and children shrieked and played in the sun.

I remembered, suddenly, Bassett's words to me on the day we had gone riding, about the fear of flooding next winter. It was impossible to imagine, here in a sunny, peaceful world, that disaster could ruin all these people spread out below me. I hoped with all my heart that Bassett was wrong.

I reached the shepherd's hut and knocked on the door.

‘Come in, come in,' a quavering voice answered and I pushed at the rickety door.

Inside, the hut was dark and dingy, but as my eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, I saw that old Tom kept his shack clean and neat, though it was sparsely and poorly furnished. The old man was stooping over the fire stirring something in a cooking pot.

My eyes took in the table and chair, and single bed tucked away in one corner with two blankets on it. A rush mat covered the wooden floor near the fire, and apart from one armchair, tattered but comfortable, that was the furniture, save a shelf of pots and pans which purported to be his kitchen.

‘What be you a-wanting?' he asked, then straightened up and turned to see who had entered his home.

‘Why, it be the young mistress,' and his weather-beaten, crinkled face broke into a welcoming grin.

‘Sit yer down, 'ere, missy. It be nice of yer to come and see the likes 'o me.'

I smiled and sat in the old armchair.

‘I am wondering if you can tell me whether Dr Corby has gone to London for some time.'

The old man's shaggy white brows met in a frown.

‘Why no, missy. But 'ow should I be a-knowing?'

‘I know Dr Corby visits you every week and I felt sure he would not leave without letting you know that someone else would be coming.'

His eyes brightened.

‘Why, that's so. But maybe the young gentleman had to go off sudden-like and hadna the time to tell any'un.'

‘Perhaps,' I sighed for I was afraid old Tom was right.

I rose.

‘I'm sorry to have troubled you.'

‘No trouble, missy. 'Tis a pleasure to see you.'

And the gentle old man, with all the wisdom of life in his gnarled old face and hands, tender hands which had cared for sheep all their days almost, nodded and smiled at me.

‘I'm sorry I canna put your mind at rest about yon man, but if I should see him, I'll say you wish to see him, missy, should I?'

‘Yes—yes, please do.'

And after a further short exchange of conversation, I left old Tom.

As I returned to Courtney Hall over the sparkling meadows, even the beautiful countryside could not dispel my depression today. I was annoyed with myself for having left matters so long between Charles and Georgiana. Now it looked as if I had lost the chance.

When I returned to the house, matters were even worse than I had feared for Georgiana met me, once again her face wet with tears.

‘Georgiana, my love, what is it?' I asked. ‘Come to the summer house where we may talk undisturbed.'

Once more settled in the small place where we seemed to sort out our troubles, Georgiana told me that she had overheard Millicent teling Lady Courtney that if Bassett seemed set on marrying ‘ that Lloyd girl' then she should transfer her affection somewhere else, and she mentioned Charles Corby as a possible suitor.

‘Mother wasn't taken with the idea at all,' sniffed Georgiana, ‘she said she thought Charles, a mere doctor, rather beneath anyone of the Bassett family. And why didn't Millicent leave her marriage plans to her mother and father now. For who was more experienced than the older generation in the choosing of a life partner for their children?'

Georgiana's voice hardened as she added, ‘I cannot understand mother's blindness in such matters, having once suffered herself so at the hands of managing parents.'

I put my arm round her shoulders and held her close.

‘I tried to speak to Charles today, Georgiana, to ask him outright of his feelings for you, but it seems he has gone to London and won't be back until after the wedding. At least that is what Miss Corby said.'

Fresh tears welled in the girl's eyes, but I was helpless.

‘That was good of you, Louella, but I fear he cannot care for me, or else he would have taken matters upon himself to prevent my marriage to Cedric Rothbone,' she said the latter's name with such dislike in her usually gentle voice that I shuddered to think what her life would mean married to a man she detested.

But did I not know myself? For wasn't I to marry a man I hated?

During the last hours I had forgotten about myself in my endeavours to help Georgiana and possibly Charles. As I remembered, a fresh wave of misery enveloped me and if I had not been so firmly averse to shedding tears I would no doubt have cried with Georgiana at our shared unhappiness.

As it was the misery remained inside me, hard and unyielding as I was.

But when all seemed lost and beyond our power, we were surprised that night by a visit from Charles Corby himself.

He came to Courtney Hall after we had dined and evidently asked specifically for me, for when the butler called me from the drawing-room to the hall, Charles came forward and clasped my hands in his.

‘Louella, old Tom told me you wished to see me. Is anything wrong? Is someone ill?'