The Lady and the Lake (22 page)

‘Miss
Sinclair,’
the
master
began,
‘please
think
carefully
about
leaving
for
I
would
like
you
to
stay.
I
know
Emily
has
taken
to
you
and
please
at
least
remain
for
her
birthday
party,
for
she
has
told
me
of
her
invitation
to
you.’

‘Mr
Kershaw,
I
have
something
to
discuss
with
you
concerning
Emily’s
party.’
I
spoke
realising
that
this
was
my
chance
to
mention
Clara.
‘I
did
a
very
foolish
thing
the
other
day
and
invited
Clara
White
to
the
party.
It
was
something
I
did
on
impulse
and
I
know
it
was
wrong,
but
I
feel
it
would
be
good
for
Emily
to
have
another
child
to
talk
to.’

I
said
the
words
without
taking
a
breath
and
waited
for
his
reply.
There
was
a
long
pause
before
he
spoke.

‘Then
let
her
come,
Miss
Sinclair.
That
is
if
Clara’s
parents
will
agree
to it.’

‘Thank
you,
Mr
Kershaw,
I
shall
call
and
see
Mr
and
Mrs
White
on
Monday,’
I
said,
relieved
that
the
subject
had
been
received
so
well.

‘You
do
know,
don’t
you,
that
Clara’s
sister
was
found
in
our
lake?’
he
asked
me.

‘I
do
indeed.
Are
the
police
any
nearer
to
solving
the
mystery?’
I
bravely
said
for
really
it
was
none
of
my
business.

‘Unfortunately
not,
but
they
do
think
someone
held
her
underwater
as
bruises
have
been
discovered
on
her
neck,’
he
told
me
quite
candidly,
placing
his
cup
and
saucer
back
on
the
tray.

This
piece
of
news
alarmed
me
but
I
wouldn’t
let
it
show.

‘Would
you
like
to
be
moved
to
another
room?’
he
said
suddenly
changing
the
conversation.

I
was
tempted
to
agree
to
this
in
view
of
the
nocturnal
occurrences,
but
quite surprised
myself
when
I
replied,
‘No
thank
you,
it
is
very
kind
of
you,
but
I
have
settled
in
and
am
quite
happy.’

‘As
long
as
you
are
sure,’
he
replied,
‘for
I
wish
you
to
be
happy
here,
Miss
Sinclair.
I
value
your
presence
in
the
house
and
as
for
my
cousin
Thomas,
he
won’t
be
here
much
longer
to
cause
you
distraction.’

‘I
feel
very
foolish
regarding
my
association
with
your
cousin,’
I
admitted.

‘Let
it
not
trouble
you,
Miss
Sinclair,
for
he
has
many
strings
to
his
bow
and
is
indeed
charming
to
all
the
women
folk
he
meets.
I’m
only
sorry
that
he
cast
his
spell
on
you,
but
please
think
no
more
of
it.
Look
upon
it
as
another
lesson
learned
in
the
pursuit
of
love.’

His
words
were
kind
and
understanding,
but
he
had
more
to
say.
‘You
no
doubt
know
what
happened
to
my
wife,
Phoebe,
for
it
is
difficult
to
keep
anything
secret
in
this
household.’

‘Yes,
I
did
hear
of
her
tragic
accident in
the
lake
for
which
I
am
truly
sorry.’
I
assured
him.

‘And
it
was
an
accident,
although
the
residents
of
Beckmoor
would
have
it
that
I
killed
her.
To
what
gain
I
cannot
imagine
for
all
I
have
is
a
motherless
child,
a
sad
heart
and
this
huge
lonely
house.
Plus
my
mother
who
is
not
the
easiest
of
people
to
please.’

He
rambled
on
and
I
had
half
a
mind
to
tell
him
of
the
incidents
I’d
experienced
in
the
tower
but
no,
I’d
leave
it
until
I
got
to
know
him
better
for
it
may
only
add
to
his
distress.
He
continued,
‘And
there
again
I
think
the
villagers
confuse
me
for
my
cousin
who
cannot
keep
away
from
any
pretty
lass,
young,
old,
rich
or
poor
but
I
am
not
a
philanderer,
Miss
Sinclair,
no
matter
what
accusations
you
may
hear
about
me
they
are
most
probably
untrue,
I
trust
you
believe
me?’

‘I
do
indeed,’
I
said
honestly
for
I
truly
believed
he
was
a
good
man.

‘Then
away
to
your
bed
young
woman,
you
must
be
tired
and
accept my
assurance
that
the
unfortunate
incident
of
this
evening
will
not
be
repeated,’
he
said
with
sincerity.

‘Thank
you,
Mr
Kershaw,’
I
said
rising
from
the
comfortable
chair,
‘I’ll
bid
you
goodnight.’