The Lady and the Lake (25 page)

‘I
wish
to
see
Miss
Anderson,’
I
told
Clara,
steering
her
back
through
the
door
and
instructing
her
to
sit
in
a
pew
and
wait
for
me.
I
climbed
the
stairs
to
the
schoolroom,
but
the
greeting
died
on
my
lips,
for
Ann
Anderson
and
Antony
Kershaw
were
in
a
close
embrace.
I
retraced
my
steps
down
the
stairs
and
taking
Clara’s
hand
we
walked
back
out
into
the
sunlight.

On
reaching
Kerslake
Hall,
I
made
my
way
with
Clara
to
my
room.
First
of
all
I
would
get
Clara
dressed
and
arrange
her
hair.
As
I
slipped
the
dress
over
her
head
I
thought
how
pretty
she
was.
I
sat
her
at
the
dressing
table
and
brushed
her
hair
until
it
shone
and
then
placed
the
white
flower
in
her
hair.
The finished
result
was
wonderful.
Maggie
brought
my
dress
to
me
and
stayed
to
assist
me.

‘Can
I
do
your
hair
please,
Miss?’
she
asked
of
me.

‘Of
course,’
I
agreed
and
sat
at
the
dressing
table
while
Maggie
brushed
my
long
blonde
locks
and
then
twisted
them
at
the
back,
securing
it
at
the
nape
of
my
neck
with
pins,
a
tendril
of
hair
each
side
of
my
face.
All
that
remained
was
to
position
the
pink
flower.
Maggie
had
done
an
admirable
job.

‘Stand
up,
Miss,
and
let’s
have
a
look
at
you,’
she
urged,
excitedly.
I
did
as
I
was
bid.
‘You
look
fit
for
a
king,
doesn’t
she,
Clara?’
Clara
was
sat
quietly
on
the
bed
waiting
patiently
for
me
to
prepare
myself.

Suddenly
there
was
a
knock
on
the
door,
perhaps
it
was
Alice,
but
on
opening
the
door
I
was
surprised
to
see
Thomas
standing
in
the
doorway.
‘I
need
to
talk
to
you,’
he
said,
heedless
of
Maggie
and
Clara.

‘Tomorrow,
Mr
Craddock,’
I
promised,
‘for
you
can
surely
see
I
have
other
things
to
do.’

‘Tomorrow
then,’
he
agreed,
‘my
mother
is
here
by
the
way,
and
I
have
spoken
to
her.
I’ll
see
you
in
the
dining-room.’
So
saying
he
left
us,
with
me
curious
at
to
what
he’d
spoken
to
his
mother
about.

‘Handsome
gentleman,
Miss,’
Maggie
cut
into
my
thoughts.

‘Yes,
indeed
he
is.
Thank
you
for
helping
me,
if
you
could
just
show
me
to
the
dining-room
now,
please.’

I
entered
the
dining-room
with
Clara
clutching
my
hand.
It
was
Emily
dressed
in
a
lemon
dress
who
saw
us
first
and
came
running
over
to
us.
‘Come
and
see
the
table,’
she
said
to
Clara,
taking
her
hand.

I
could
see
Henrietta
Kershaw
dressed
in
a
pretty
emerald
green
gown
with
lace
at
her
throat.
It
was
the
first
time
I
had
seen
her
out
of
her
sitting-room.
Mary
Craddock
was
talking
to
her
sister,
they
both
looked
up,

Mrs
Craddock
smiling
and
indicating
for
me
to
join
them.

It
was
then
I
spied
Anthony
Kershaw
in
deep
conversation
with
the
lovely
Alice,
who
looked
a
picture
in
a
violet-coloured
silk
gown.
Neither
of
them
noticed
my
arrival,
but
Thomas
did
and
he
came
over
to
me.

‘Sit
here
Miss
Sinclair
while
I
get
you
a
sherry.’
As
he
spoke,
out
of
the
corner
of
my
eye
I
could
see
Henrietta
Kershaw
watching
us.
While
Thomas
went
to
get
me
a
drink
I
sat
at
a
table
that
was
laden
with
small
triangular
sandwiches,
jellies
and
iced
sponge
cakes,
there
was
also
a
pink
cake
with
candles
on.

‘Emily,’
I
called
her
over
and
she
came
running,
Clara
at
her
side,
‘here
is
a
small
gift
for
your
birthday
from
Clara
and
I.’

She
took
the
small
package
from
me
and
opened
it.

‘A
lace
handkerchief
with
my
initial
on
it.
Thank
you,
Miss
Sinclair.’
And
she
skipped
over
to
her
father,
Clara following
behind.
At
that
moment
Thomas
returned
with
my
drink
which
I
sipped
delicately
not
being
used
to
partaking
of
sherry.

‘Please
meet
me
tomorrow
morning
in
the
rose
garden
at
nine
o’clock.
Promise
me,
Abbey,’
he
whispered.

‘I
give
you
my
promise,’
I
said,
equally
as
quietly
for
Antony
Kershaw
and
Alice
were
walking
across
to
us.