Daughter of Deceit (47 page)

“The one who fell down in front of your mother’s carriage?”

“Yes.”

“She stands in the way. Well, what is he going to do? I can see there are plans.”

“He is going to ask her to give him his freedom.”

“You mean divorce him? Oh, Noelle, how exciting!”

“I think it will be rather distressing.”

“What a pity he did not wait until we had found the letters. Did he say he loved you and will forever? She will say yes, I suppose, and then it will all come right.”

“I don’t know, Marie-Christine. I don’t think it will be as easy as that.”

I thought about it over the days which followed. In fact, I thought of little else.

It was then that Roderick returned. I could not guess in those first moments what he had to tell, but I was all impatience to hear.

“She was deeply shocked when I explained everything to her,” he said. “She was lying on her bed, as she often does, in a certain amount of discomfort. I told her how sorry I was. I explained about us and how it had always been and always would be. She knew of course, and that at the time when I had asked her to marry me, I had thought marriage was impossible between us two. I told her about the discovery and who your father was, and how you had proof of this.

“She said: ‘So now you could marry Noelle if you were not already married to me.’ I told her that if she would release me, she would never have to worry about the future again. She should be well looked after. She could have the best possible nursing. She should have complete comfort and lack nothing. She smiled very sadly then and said: ‘Except you.’ I said perhaps we could all be friends. It could all be easily managed. The formalities could be taken care of. There would be nothing for her to worry about. She listened, and closed her eyes, as though she were in pain.

“After a while she said: ‘You have taken me by surprise. I have to think. I need time. Please give me time. You are going to Scotland. Go there … and when you come back I will give you an answer. I shall know then whether I can go through with what you suggest.”

“So she has not refused.”

“No. I realize this was a shock to her. It is natural, I suppose, that she cannot bring herself to decide at once. So it is a matter of waiting. We have to have Lisa’s agreement. If we do, it can be done without too much difficulty. I feel sure she will see it is the best way for us all.”

“Roderick, you seem so sure.”

“I am. Lisa is fond of you. She used to talk of you, always with affection. Many times she has said she will never forget what your mother did for her. She knows she is never going to walk properly again. She knows that she can only get worse. Our marriage has never been a real one. I am sure she will see that there is only one thing for her to do. She won’t stand in. our way. She is not the evil woman my mother makes her out to be.”

“And your parents … do they know of this?”

“I have told them. My father thinks it is a solution. All we need is for Lisa to agree.”

“And your mother?”

“She is very pleased. You know, when you and I thought we were going to marry, we had her approval … in spite of her original attitude towards you. I was amazed, and so was my father. But she had such respect for you. She was eager to welcome you into the family.”

“You seem full of hope.”

“I must be. Anything else would be unendurable … particularly now that we know it need never have happened.”

“Then all we can do is wait.”

He took my hand and kissed it.

“It is going to be all right, Noelle. I know it. It has to be,” he said.

I could think of nothing but what was happening at Leverson Manor. Roderick would have left for Scotland. Lisa would be grappling with herself, wondering whether she could do what Roderick asked of her. Lady Constance would be hoping to be rid of her son’s wife, whom she hated for a number of reasons. She would perhaps be thinking of me and the time when we were together in Neptune’s temple. If Lisa agreed to what Roderick asked, if the divorce could be discreetly arranged, we could settle down to a new life.

To my amazement, I received a letter from Lisa.

My dear Noelle
[she wrote],

/
do want to see you. I want to talk to you. Roderick has told me everything. It came as a shock to learn that you are not Charlie’s daughter and have proof of this, and that there was no impediment to your marriage with Roderick.

I am in a poor state of health. There is perpetual discomfort. I can’t stay in one position for long. Roderick has done everything to make me comfortable here, but it is not easy. It is a wonderful place to be. I have found great interest in the
Roman remains and Fiona and her husband have been good friends to me. One of them often comes to see me. I should have to give up all that if I went away.

Well, there is so much I want to say to you. I want you to understand. Could you come, not just for a brief weekend, but to stay a little while? I want to talk … and talk. I remember so much of the old days and everything that led up to this. I am in difficulties, Noelle. Do please come.

I was deeply moved when I read the letter. I wondered what she could have to say to me. She had to make her decision. I could understand how she had formed an attachment to Leverson Manor. It was a fine old place, and she had the friendship of Fiona. I knew she would have compassion for her and, as she had acquired an interest in Fiona’s own passion for archaeology, there would have been a bond between them. Lisa must be considering going away, to some remote place … away from Roderick, whom I believed she had always loved. It was asking a great deal of her.

But to go to Leverson Manor! The idea both excited and alarmed me.

I wrote back to her:

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for your letter. I am sorry to hear of your suffering. I know what Roderick is asking you, and I do realize you find it hard to make a quick decision.

I should like to talk to you, but hesitate to come to Leverson Manor without an invitation from Lady Constance. Moreover, I have a young girl living with me, Marie-Christine du Carron. I was with her in France. She is Robert’s great-niece and she lost her family in the siege of Paris. I could not leave her.

My love and sympathy,

Noelle

The response was another letter. This was from Lady Constance.

My dear Noelle,

We have thought of you a good deal since you left us. I was very sad to see you go in such circumstances.

Lisa has told me that she wants to talk to you, and that it is important to her that she does so. I think it might be helpful if she did. She says that you need an invitation from me.

My dear, I should be delighted to see you. Neither my husband nor I can see that any harm could come to the position at the moment by your coming here.

It may well be that you can persuade Lisa as to what she should do for all our sakes.

So please come, and bring Marie-Christine with you. You will both be welcome.

Affectionately,

Constance Claverham

The carriage was waiting for us at the station.

I had never thought to see Leverson again, and how strange it was to be riding through those Kentish lanes.

We had turned into the drive, and went under the gatehouse into the courtyard.

Marie-Christine’s eyes were round with amazement.

“What a splendid place!” she cried. “It is like a castle.”

I was pleased that she liked it. I felt as though I were part of it. Such had been Roderick’s optimism that I could convince myself that it might well be my home one day.

As we passed through the hall, with its pistols and blunderbusses, I remembered the apprehension I had felt when Charlie had first brought me here.

“Lady Constance says that you are to be taken to the drawing room as soon as you arrive,” I was told.

We followed the maid, though I knew the way.

In the drawing room she was waiting. Charlie was with her.

“My dear Noelle,” he murmured and, taking my hand, kissed my cheek.

Lady Constance came forward. She kissed me, too.

“My dear,” she said. “I am glad to see you. And this is Marie-Christine?”

Marie-Christine was a little overawed, which was rare with her, but such was the personality of Lady Constance.

“You will have your old room,” said Lady Constance to me. “And Marie-Christine will be next to you. I thought you would like to be close.” She turned to Marie-Christine. “This is rather a large house, and people are apt to get lost just at first.”

“It is beautiful!” cried Marie-Christine. “And very grand.”

Lady Constance smiled graciously.

“I am looking forward to hearing all your news,” she said to me. “But now I am sure you are tired after your journey. It is a pity the train arrives so late. But you can change before dinner. Would you like to go to your rooms now?”

I said I thought that would be best.

“I hope you will be comfortable,” said Lady Constance.

She rang a bell and a maid appeared.

“Take our guests to their rooms, please, and make sure they have everything they need,” said Lady Constance. “And, Noelle, my dear … say half an hour? That will give us a little time before dinner is served.”

“Thank you very much.”

It was all very conventional and normal. No one would have guessed of the drama behind my visit. This was typical of Lady Constance. I felt my spirits rising. Her welcome had been warm in the extreme … for her. I was reminded of the reception I had received when I first came to this house.

Marie-Christine was in a state of high excitement. She loved what she called adventure and this was certainly in that category … as exciting to her as our trip to Cornwall.

The room looked just as it was when I was last in it. I went to see Marie-Christine in hers. She was delighted with it and all eager anticipation, waiting for what would happen next.

I washed and changed and, with Marie-Christine, went downstairs. Lady Constance was waiting for us. Marie-Christine’s presence prevented any intimate conversation, and it was not until after dinner, when Charlie took Marie-Christine off to see the house, that I was alone with Lady Constance.

She said: “I am very happy to have you here. I was sad when you went away. It was a great pity Roderick married. I was very much against it.”

“And what about Lisa?” I asked. “Is her trouble incurable? Is there no hope for her?”

“None. She has permanently injured her spine. Roderick has brought in all the leading men in the country. The verdict is always the same. She will remain an invalid, and it is very likely that the condition will grow worse.”

“What a terrible prospect for her!”

“And for Roderick. But let us hope there may be a way out.”

“It is so tragic for her,” I said. “She was so ambitious, and she was getting on well in her profession.”

“I do not know about that, but she is here … as Roderick’s wife. I had hoped … you and I could have got along very well together, Noelle.”

“I am sure we should.”

“I hope I may say I am sure we shall. We’ve got to make her see reason, Noelle.”

“But what is reason for us might not be for her. She is being asked for a great deal.”

“She
must
agree. We are going to use all our efforts to persuade her.”

“When can I see her?”

“Tomorrow. She has had a bad day today. She does have them. The pain is great then. The doctor has prescribed pills for her. They are quite effective. They are always at hand, but she can’t take too many at a time, of course. I think six is the maximum for the whole day. She has to be careful to use them only when she really needs them. When the pain is very bad, she will take two. She had four yesterday, they tell me.”

“It sounds dreadful.”

“One can be sorry for her.”

Charlie returned with Marie-Christine. Her eyes were round with wonder. “It is the most exciting house!” she cried. “It’s very ancient, isn’t it, Mr. Claverham?”

“There are older ones in England,” said Charlie.

“I don’t believe there is one as exciting as this.”

Lady Constance’s lips twitched with amusement and pleasure. She was always pleased, I remembered, when people appreciated the house. I was glad Marie-Christine was making a good impression.

When it was time for us to retire, I went to Marie-Christine’s room to see that she was all right.

“It’s nice to be next door to you,” she said. “I reckon there are ghosts in this old place.”

“Well, if one visits you, all you have to do is knock on the wall and I’ll come in to share the company.”