Mr. Darcy Forever (22 page)

‘
Oh, my goodness,’ Shelley said. ‘It’s that dreadful Mrs Soames.’

‘
Who?’ Mia asked, leaning forward in her seat.

‘
She comes to the festival every year and makes an absolute nuisance of herself.’

‘
Come on – let’s sneak out,’ Mia said, and the two of them got up and left the room as quietly as possible.

They hadn't quite made it out of the building when Mia stopped.

‘
What is it?’ Shelley asked.

‘
Can you smell that?’

‘
Smell what?’

‘
Lavender!’

Shelley started sniffing the air like Bingley might. ‘I’m not sure.’

‘
Sarah’s been here.’

‘
Your sister, Sarah?’

Mia nodded. ‘I’m sure of it. I’d recognise that smell anywhere.’

‘
The lavender? But that could be anyone. Any number of old ladies might be wearing lavender.’

Mia shook her head. ‘It’s Sarah and her spray. She never leaves home without it.’

Shelley sniffed the air again. ‘Are you sure you're not imagining it?’

But Mia wasn't listening. Her gaze roamed the foyer, anxious that they might see Sarah at any moment and what would she do then?

‘
Do you think she was in that talk?’ Shelley asked. ‘Surely you would have seen her.’

‘
Not if she was wearing a bonnet.’

‘
Would she be likely to? I mean, after the promenade?’

‘
I’m not sure. She used to be far too self-conscious about her costume but who knows?’

Walking out into Queen Square, Mia wondered if she’d really just spent an hour in the same room as Sarah and not seen her. How peculiar that felt and yet, despite the long years apart, she still wasn’t sure she was ready to see her.

Sarah had, indeed, been in the talk about food in Regency times. She’d been sitting towards the back of the room and had suddenly felt very hot and in need of some fresh air and had got up to leave before the questions had begun. She’d not seen Mia or Shelley and hadn’t thought to look for them either. Besides, she was too busy thinking about something else.

Lloyd.

She was due to meet him outside the abbey and was anxious not to be late. He’d told her he was going to photograph the River Avon in the morning and Sarah was so pleased that he was staying in Bath. It took her mind off how lonely it was being on her own there despite the many different festival events that were keeping her busy.

Now, walking through the city, she couldn't help thinking how nice it was to have a man's company again. It felt as if she hadn't had that for some time and life was always a little bit duller without a companion.

As she approached the abbey, she began looking out for him and soon spotted him amongst the crowds in front of the great door. He was bent down at ground level, his broad shoulders taut as he found some new angle from which to photograph. Sarah sneaked up on him, wondering how close she could get before he saw her.

‘
Hello,’ he said, without raising his eye from the viewfinder.

‘
How did you know it was me?’ Sarah said perplexed.

‘
I saw you as soon as you came into the square.’

‘
Did you?’

He got up and showed her a photograph he’d taken of her a few seconds before. Sure enough, there she was, wearing a soft, otherworldly expression on her face.

‘
What were you thinking of?’ Lloyd asked her.

Sarah looked up at him. ‘I was thinking of you.’

He smiled and she smiled back. It was the right answer.

‘
Did you get the photos you wanted of the river?’

‘
I got a few,’ he said.

Sarah liked his modesty. They were sure to be brilliant photographs but she knew he wouldn’t boast about them.

‘
So,’ he said, ‘are you going to tell me the secret history of Sarah now?’ His voice was full of warmth but it made Sarah feel quite cold and she sat down on a nearby bench feeling depleted.

When Lloyd had told Sarah that he wanted to know everything about her, she hadn’t quite taken him at his word but he seemed intent on finding out about her.

This is your comeuppance
, a little voice said.
You’re going to be found out. You can’t escape.

‘
Sarah – what is it?’ he asked. ‘You’ve turned white! Are you okay?’

She nodded but then shook her head.

‘
I’m a bad person,’ she whispered.

‘
What?’

‘
I’m a bad person. You don’t want to know about me. You really don’t want to get involved with me.’

‘
What are you talking about? How could you
possibly
be a bad person?’

‘
You don’t know what I’ve done.’

Lloyd’s forehead furrowed. ‘I admit I don’t know much about you,’ he said, sitting down next to her, ‘but I know enough to say that you’re one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.’

‘
I’m not,’ Sarah said, shaking her head. ‘I’m the very worst kind of person you could ever imagine.’

Lloyd laughed at this but then apologised when he saw the hurt expression on Sarah’s face.

‘
Sarah,’ he said, ‘it seems to me like you’re carrying some terrible weight around and – say no if you want – I won’t be offended if you do – but I might be able to help you.’

‘
How?’ she asked. ‘How can you help me?’

‘
I can listen to you,’ he said. ‘If you want to talk about this.’

Sarah sighed. It was the very thing she’d been dreading because she hadn’t ever talked about it to anyone.

‘
You probably won’t want to have anything to do with me if I tell you,’ she said.

Lloyd looked startled. ‘I can promise you right now that you don’t have to fear on that score.’

‘
But how can you say that?’

He smiled at her. ‘Because I like you and nothing you can say is going to change that.’

Sarah looked into his eyes which were filled with kindness and then she took a deep breath, hoping that he wouldn’t go back on his word once she’d told him the truth.

‘
I was thinking of driving into Tavistock. Are you sure you don’t want to come?’ Sarah asked Mia. They were sitting at the breakfast table and Mia was working her way steadily through three slices of toast and marmalade.

‘
I don’t understand why you want to go anywhere,’ Mia said, taking a slurp of tea.

‘
I just want a change of scene, that’s all.’

‘
A change of scene? But I thought you said this was the most beautiful place on earth.’

‘
But I want to explore,’ Sarah said.

Mia frowned. This didn’t sound like the Sarah she knew. ‘What’s the matter? Is something wrong?’

‘
Why should there be something wrong?’

‘
Because you sound strange. You don’t sound like you.’

‘
What an odd thing to say,’ Sarah said.

‘
No it isn’t,’ Mia said. ‘Not when you’re acting all weird.’

‘
I’m not acting all weird.’

‘
Yes you are – you’re all distanced.’

‘
What – just because I fancy a trip to Tavistock?’

‘
No. You’ve been … I don’t know – pensive.’

Sarah bit her lip. The trouble with having a sister was that they would always know when something was wrong even if you didn’t say anything and even when you were doing your very best to hide it.

‘
You’re imagining things,’ Sarah said, deciding to deny the whole thing. ‘Now, are you coming with me or not?’

‘
I want to stay here.’

Sarah sighed, getting up to clear away the breakfast things. She knew what Mia meant, of course. She wanted to hang around in case Alec dropped by and Sarah was in a terrible quandary about that. Should she stay too and try and make sure Mia didn’t make a fool of herself? But that would mean running the risk of seeing Alec herself and she really didn’t want that to happen.

Yes you do,
a little voice said as she entered the kitchen.
You want to see him more than anything else in the world.

Which is why you mustn’t, she told herself sternly, crashing the crockery into the sink. He’s dangerous. He’s flirting with both you and Mia and there’s only one way that will end unless you do something about it right now.

So, before either she or Mia could change her mind, Sarah finished washing-up, brushed her hair with one hundred strokes and grabbed her handbag and car keys.

‘
I’m off,’ she called through the house.

Mia appeared in the doorway of the living room. She was wearing a light summer dress that clung to her figure in the sort of way that left nothing to the imagination.

‘
I hope you’re going to put a cardigan on,’ Sarah couldn't help saying.

Mia laughed. ‘You’re joking, aren't you?’

‘
There’s a cool breeze around,’ Sarah said but she wasn't really thinking about breezes.

‘
When will you be back?’

‘
I’m not sure,’ Sarah said but she knew she didn't want to be back until it was dark. She wanted to stay away from Barton Cottage as long as possible.

‘
Okay,’ Mia said. ‘Well, drive safely. These country lanes can be dangerous.’

Sarah nodded. ‘And you be careful too.’

‘
What do you mean? I don't think there's anything dangerous here at Barton Cottage!’

‘
Just - be careful all the same.’ Sarah swallowed hard, hoping she was doing the right thing in leaving.

As she left the private estate and drove along the deep green lanes of Devon, she breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to get away if only for a short time. At least she knew Alec couldn't find her.

Mia was quite relieved to see Sarah driving away. She was in a funny mood and it was probably best if she was on her own now. Honestly, she could be worse than a mother sometimes. Fancy suggesting that she wore a cardigan! The whole point of her choosing the yellow dress was because it showed her figure off so why would she want to hide it under a saggy baggy cardigan?

Once she was quite sure that Sarah had gone and wasn't likely to return because she forgotten anything - not that Sarah ever forgot anything - Mia left the house and walked along the track beside the estuary before following it through the wood. Sarah would not approve of what she was going to do but the thought only seemed to spur Mia on. She was old enough to make her own decisions. Twenty-one was a very special age. She was a grown woman now and didn't need her older sister constantly telling her what to do.

When she reached the driveway that led to the cottage where Alec was staying, she paused, as if having second thoughts. But what was there to have second thoughts about? She really felt that they had made a connection. It was as if she was meant to meet him - that he'd been waiting for her and it was fate that Sarah had booked Barton Cottage.