Winter at Cray (20 page)

‘
Go on,
’
the old lady encouraged impatiently when he paused.

‘
The boy he spoke of exists all right,
’
Jonathan said.
‘
Simon Dupont married the girl who was the mother only weeks before the boy was bo
rn
and she died when she was only seventeen. He used to go off for months at a time, apparently, leaving the boy with his mother.
’
He hesitated again, looking at Louise
’
s set face.
‘
I
’
m sorry about this,
’
he apologised, with what seemed like genuine regret.
‘
Shall I go on?
’

Louise half-smiled.
‘
Yes, yes, please do, let me hear the worst.
’

‘
There
’
s not so much more,
’
he went on, as if relieved on his own account as well as hers.
‘
For years the boy had his grandmother as his legal guardian, ever since his father died, then two months ago the old woman died and Henri, the boy
’
s uncle, became his legal guardian in her place. Henri plans to marry next month and it
’
s well known locally that the old woman left far less money than was expected. Now you know why he waited four and a half years before he made any claim on you.
’

‘
But why should he t
h
ink that
—
’

‘
The boy
’
s family,
’
Jonathan interrupted,
‘
that
’
s his point, don
’
t you see? Now that Henri is boss of the family he intends to get what he considers should have been his brother
’
s when
he
was alive.
’

‘
He felt Simon had been cheated, that they
’
d all been cheated, I suppose, so now he comes to me for money.
’
She wrinkled her nose fastidiously.
‘
It
’
s monstrous!
’

‘
It
’
s human nature,
’
Emma Kincaid retorted, and Louise looked at her startled.
‘
The Scots have nothing on the French when it comes to good old-fashioned thrift, and this feller sees you as a good source of supply. He
’
s only acting according to type.
’

‘
Great-gran!
’
Louise stared at her for a moment and the old lady smiled, unabashed.

‘
Oh, don
’
t act so shocked, girl,
’
the old lady told her.
‘
You should know what sort of a family you married into by now.
’
She leaned forward and patted her hand gently, her eyes belying the brusqueness of her words.
‘
Don
’
t take it too much to heart, Louise. At least you have Robert, and he
’
s credit enough to any family, isn
’
t he
?’

‘
Yes,
’
Louise agreed thoughtfully,
‘
he is.
’
She looked up suddenly and met the full force of that slow attractive smile and for a moment shared some of her son
’
s liking for the man behind it.

CHAPTER
NINE

‘
THERE
’
LL be a boat tomorrow,
’
Louise announced during dinner that night.
‘
I rang Mac just before dinner and he said he
’
s coming out tomorrow if it
’
s no worse than it
’
s been today.
’

Stephen glanced down the table at Jonathan, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
‘
You
’
ll be able to leave now, Darrell. That should please you.
’

‘
Mr. Darrell isn
’
t leaving, Stephen,
’
Louise told him
h
astily, and he stared at her for a moment.

‘
That
’
s right,
’
Jonathan confirmed before he could find words.
‘
Mrs. Kincaid asked me to stay on for the party.
’

Stephen stared as if he found it too much to believe.
‘
And you
’
ve agreed?
’

‘
I accepted the invitation with thanks,
’
Jonathan told him gravely.

Stephen seemed to be already considering another possibility.
‘
Are you staying on too, Miss Nostrum?
’
he asked Essie, and she shook her head regretfully. °
‘
Unfortunately I can
’
t, although Mrs. Kincaid did ask me to.
’

‘
It
’
s so near the party,
’
Louise told her with genuine regret,
‘
it
’
s a pity you couldn
’
t have stayed, Essie.
’

Essie smiled wryly.
‘
It
’
s out of the question, I
’
m afraid. I
’
m a working girl and my boss expects me back on the first available boat. Jon
’
s a freelance, he can do as he likes.
’
It was one of the rare times,
Louise thought, detecting a note of reproach, when Essie grudged Jonathan
’
s freedom of choice.

‘
Not quite as I like, love,
’
Jonathan told her quietly,
‘
but I can take the holidays due to me over the last two years, without having a conscience about it.
’

‘
Yes, yes, of course you can,
’
Essie agreed hastily.
‘
Do you mean you have no conscience about letting Essie—Miss Nostrum travel back alone?
’
Stephen asked, apparently appalled at the idea, and Louise saw the half smile that recognised the criticism in the question, and relished yet another argument.

‘
Oh, Essie
’
s a big girl now,
’
he said quietly.
‘
She
’
s been knocking about the world long enough to be able to cope with the journey from here to London without having the vapours, I think.
’

Stephen flushed angrily, as much annoyed, Louise realised, by the fact that Jonathan was staying on as by his apparent indifference to Essie
’
s fate.
‘
Very gallant
!’
he jeered, then looked at Essie with embarrassed politeness.
‘
If I may, Miss Nostrum, I
’
ll see you on to your train at least.
’

Essie looked gratified with the offer and smiled acceptance.
‘
That
’
s very sweet of you,
’
she told him,
‘
thank you, Mr. Kincaid.
’
She wrinkled her nose at Jonathan and sent a look down the table at Louise that could have been triumph, setting Louise wondering again just how jealous Essie was regarding her colleague. It seemed she could be taking Stephen
’
s offer to escort her as a chance to score off both Jonathan mid Louise.

Conversation between Louise and Essie in their bedroom that night was more restrained than usual, and Louise regretted it more than she could say, especially since the other girl
’
s suspicions were groundless.

She watched Essie pack her suitcases, helping when she could, and they both turned rather sharply when a light tap heralded Robert
’
s appearance in the door of the dressing-room.
‘
Mummy—
’
he hesitated, seeing Essie, and Louise went across to him, brushing the dark hair back from his forehead gently.

‘
What it is, darling?
’
she asked.
‘
Can
’
t you sleep?
’

‘
I
’
m thirsty,
’
he told her, his eyes on the suitcases. Then he turned his gaze on Essie curiously.
‘
You goin
’
away?
’
he asked bluntly, and Essie nodded.

‘
Yes, I
’
m afraid so, love,
’
she said.
‘
I
’
m wanted back in London.
’
She smiled at the frown formed between his brows as he turned his huge dark eyes back to Louise.

‘
She came with Jon,
’
he declared, almost accusingly, Louise felt.
‘
I don
’
t want Jon to go too, Mummy, I don
’
t
want
Jon to go!
’

Louise crouched beside him, bringing herself level with the dark, reproachful eyes and the lip that trembled wa
rn
ingly.
‘
Darling, sooner or later Mr. Darrell will
have
to go. He has a job down in London like Essie has, he can
’
t stay here for ever, now can he?
’

‘
Why?
’
Robert demanded, and Louise felt her heart sink at the prospect before her. She had not looked forward to telling him that his hero would be going away, but the moment had been precipitated by his seeing Essie
’
s suitcases and his reaction had been as she feared.

‘
Because he can
’
t, Robert,
’
she insisted gently,
‘
any more than we can.
’

This was obviously food for thought and he was
silent for a second. Now, thought Louise, I
’
ve taken the first irrevocable step, I
’
ve admitted that we have to go.

‘
Where we goin
’
?
’
Robert asked, having given it some thought.
‘
Are we goin
’
with Jon
?’

She thought she heard Essie
’
s hastily drawn breath and wished there had been no witness to the sudden flush of colour to her cheeks.
‘
No, darling,
’
she told her son,
‘
we shall go when you start school next year.
’

‘
Mmm?
’
Louise did not feel up to explaining that prospect as well, not at that time of night and she hastily straightened up, smiling at his sober face.

‘
I think you
’
d better sleep now,
’
she told him.
‘
I
’
ll get you a drink and then you must go back to bed. We
’
ll talk about it again, some other time.
’

‘
Mmm,
’
Robert agreed sleepily, and trotted after her into his little room with Essie
’
s thoughtful gaze following them.

Louise found herself doubly sorry to see Essie going, next morning, not least because she disliked the other girl harbouring misplaced suspicions about her own standing with Jonathan Darrell. She had developed a very genuine liking for Essie and she hated to think of her making such a mistake and perhaps disliking her for it, but there really seemed very little she could say to her without appearing very gauche and embarrassed, and perhaps making matters worse.

She walked down to the pier with Robert and Jonathan to see Essie and her escort off and, as they turned away after watching the little boat out of sight behind the tall hills of the next island, she felt a strange sense of loneliness. It was the first time she had experienced such a sensation since she came to Berren and she frowned as the boat drew away, tossing and yawing in the still heavy seas, wondering which of the departing guests had caused the feeling.

‘
You
’
ll miss Essie,
’
she suggested as they walked off the pier and Robert ran on ahead.

‘
For a while anyway,
’
Jonathan admitted, crooking an eyebrow as he judged her reaction.
‘
Nostalgia is an emotion I don
’
t allow myself to indulge in.
’

‘
The tough, untouchable newsman,
’
she retorted, suspecting he had deliberately baited her.
‘
Aren
’
t you ever affected by
anyone
?’

There was the inevitable laughter in the gaze he turned on her, but she refused to more than glance at him, disliking the way her pulse was pounding in her temple.

They had come
’
as far as the beginning of the incline up to Gray, and Robert was already running up the steep climb, when someone called from further along, where the pier joined the rough road to the cottages.

‘
Madame!
’
Louise stiffened and felt the strong curl of Jonathan
’
s fingers over her arm as they both turned and looked at Henri Dupont.

The stark reflected whiteness of the snow made him look much older and gave the dark face a sallow look under the rather rakish brown fur cap he wore.
‘
I thought you would have left this morning on the first available boat,
’
Jonathan told him before Louise .could recover sufficiently to speak, and she saw the dark eyes flicker resentment.

‘
I would like to speak to Madame Dupont alone,
’
he said surlily, and Louise felt again the strangeness of unfamiliarity at being addressed by the title she had scarcely used.

‘
I don
’
t think Miss Kincaid has anything to say to you
,’
Jonathan informed him brusquely.
‘
Have you, Louise
?’

‘
No, no, nothing.
’
She was only too willing to let him speak for her and bear the brunt of whatever the outcome of the meeting would be. It was a coward
’
s way out, she supposed, but she had a genuine fear of Henri Dupont, perhaps because he was so much like Simon and yet so unlike she had always imagined Simon being.

The man
’
s dark face flushed angrily and his eyes glinted in a way that Louise remembered Simon
’
s the last time she had seen him.
‘
M
’
sieur
, this is a family matter that does not concern others. I should like to speak to my brother
’
s wife alone, if you please.
’

Even now Jonathan managed to keep the initiative, standing as he was on slightly higher ground and having the added advantage of his own extra inches, he looked down at the other man with a hint of arrogance for his lower stature.
‘
I agree it
’
s a family matter, Dupont, and as far as you
’
re concerned
I’
m
Miss Kincaid
’
s family. You
’
re not seeing her alone unless she specifically requests it.
’