Emily got up and patted her shoulder. ‘You just rest now, Ellen,’ she said, ‘try and relax. It’s a sad story, and we both admire the way you carried on, and cared for that poor waif. Now we know everything it’s easy for us to understand certain little slynesses in Cassie’s nature. I blame myself for not having watched her more closely on that last day, but on the other hand you’ve said yourself she had “alone” times, and she seemed all right when she set off that day. I don’t believe for a moment her death was anything but what the inquest said – accidental. It could just as well have happened in a town, that’s what I tell myself when I think about it, she could’ve run under a bus, or been knocked down by a car. So we must try and cheer up and think about other things. I’ll ring for a cup of tea now, for all three of us. Yes, Walter, you for once will have tea with us instead of your usual whisky.’
Walter grunted, had one look at his wife’s face and did as he was told. Generally he held the reins, but when Emily grabbed them occasionally there was something forthright and determined about her that made others sit up and take notice.
7
When Rick suggested that Kate should accompany him to the Larchborough Annual Flower Show she was reluctant to go.
‘The weather’s so stuffy,’ she said, ‘and there’d be so much hanging about. And the petrol fumes upset me – as I am—’ She gave an expressive little sigh. ‘Please, Rick – you’ll feel more free on your own.’
‘For what?’
‘Well, talking to people. Men friends.’
He gave a short laugh. ‘You are funny, Kate. I can see my male friends when I like at any time. Another thing – Sir William, as chairman will expect us both, and I happen to be on the committee with a lovely wife to show off. As for petrol fumes, there won’t be any. We’ll have the carriage. Now don’t argue, love, and don’t pretend you’re in such a delicate state you can’t stand a few hours in the open air.’ There was a pause and when she said nothing, he added, ‘Can it be that you’re a little shy of the Hon. Jon’s discerning gaze upon you? If so, don’t worry. You needn’t be. Believe me, in that new frilly dress you’ve stung me for, no one will have the slightest suspicion of your budding condition.’
‘Oh, don’t be silly,’ Kate snapped. ‘What Jon thinks or doesn’t think has nothing to do with it. He may not be there anyway.’
‘He’s sure to be,’ Rick said. ‘The whole family are determined to carry on with any official duties as normally as possible. Jon’s taking a definite interest in his father’s affairs since the tragedy; and the sooner the situation’s accepted without embarrassment by his friends and relations the better for everyone concerned. Now don’t sulk, darling. Determine to enjoy yourself, and you will. I want you with me.’
‘And what you want you get; it’s always the same,’ she sighed.
‘Not always, sweetheart. There’ve been countless occasions when you’ve cunningly contrived to get your own way without me having a clue at the time. So drop this senseless argument for Pete’s sake. Come on now; smile.’
She didn’t smile, but her face and body relaxed as he drew her to him and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.
*
The weather remained fine for the flower show, and at eleven o’clock in the morning the field on the Wentworth estate, put aside annually as the site, was a blaze of colour with blooms of every variety and the summer dresses of feminine visitors.
Kate discovered that after all Rick had been correct in his estimate of her reaction once she was there. It was pleasant to be admired and a focus of male attention. Under her small lace-edged sunshade her face becomingly shadowed to a soft light, beamed entrancingly at Sir William’s compliments although his wife’s disapproval was obvious under the mask of a chill smile.
It was unfortunate that shortly before the time set for luncheon in the private tent reserved for VIPs that a rim of cloud emerged over the hills with the distant rumble of thunder.
There was movement in the crowd, and Rick, who was standing at a corner by the entrance, took Kate’s arm, saying, ‘May as well go in before the storm breaks.’
He pushed her ahead, and stopped short as a figure suddenly emerged from the opposite direction and only just avoided colliding with the Ferrises. Kate drew back sharply and gave a startled exclamation.
Jon.
Her heart quickened, not from pleasure, but from the impact of his expression, the cold look of fury – almost hate – on the bleak well-modelled features. Rick was about to speak, when Jon’s voice cut through the air. ‘How very opportune we should meet here. Haven’t seen you for some time, Ferris. Or your wife.’ He took a hasty glance round before resuming, ‘And now, here we are, face to face, with no busybodies near to poke their noses into what should be quite a revealing little interview.’ His mouth twisted. ‘It will be short, I can assure you, and not very palatable – to you.’
Rick frowned and glanced at Kate: her face had whitened under the gauzy sunshade.
‘Well?’ he demanded shortly, turning to Jon again, with his colour rising. ‘Come on now, Wentworth. Out with it. If you’ve some little grudge about us better we should know and get the air cleared.’
‘Exactly. Though I’d hardly call the matter of a human life “little”.’
‘Human life? What are you talking about?’
‘Ask her. Ask the seductive Kate. She knows. Look at her. Ask her to explain. Or maybe I’d do it better – short and sharp – a man’s way. Interested? Well, just picture the scene – you safely away in America, and Cass finding your devoted wife and myself making love in the Tree Studio. Oh, it had its charms in its own adulterous sexy way. But not to Cass. She’d been ill, remember? Nerves. And it killed her. That’s what sent her to her death in that blasted pool. Get that into your mind once and for all, Ferris. It was Kate’s spite and my own loneliness that killed the only woman I’ve ever wanted or truly loved—’ He broke off, glassy-eyed with condemnation, hard lips set bitterly.
Rick’s fist rose but Jon, quick as lightning, smartly avoided the threatened blow and, in a brief second, had disappeared into the tent. Kate clutched her husband’s sleeve as he moved to follow. ‘No. Don’t – leave him,’ she said, shocked by Wentworth’s expression. ‘It isn’t true. He was lying – you know that, don’t you? Rick, Rick, you must believe me. You must, you must. Don’t you see? He’s gone mad, because of Cass. And because – because—’
‘Because what?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. Only that—’
‘Keep your voice down,’ Rick interrupted. ‘Obviously there’s something I don’t know about which should be discussed in private. I’ll circulate the news you have a headache or the vapours, and regrettably have to return to Woodgate. So get out your smelling salts and put on a good show. Do you hear?’ His grip tightened on her arm for an instant before releasing her and going to see about the carriage.
A few spots of rain fell as the carriage made its way through the maze of wet lanes towards Woodgate, then the sky unpredictably lifted and the sound of thunder retreated eastwards. Kate made one attempt to ease the atmosphere by referring to Jon’s ‘wild mood’, but Rick’s cold response chilled her to silence for the rest of the way.
‘This is not the time or place for discussing such matters,’ he said, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the back of Jed, their coachman’s, back in its mustard-coloured coat and shining stove hat. ‘Remember who you are.’
A furious retort was on Kate’s lips, but she restrained any show of humiliation. In a way he was right, she thought, one shouldn’t argue or divulge family differences before servants. All the same, her blood boiled, and her heart pumped wildly, not merely from anger but distress because Rick was so obviously going to be difficult and unnecessary over her unexpected meeting with Jon at the Tree Studio on that far off day when she’d tried to comfort him.
And she had tried, she told herself through a wave of self-pity. Of course perhaps she’d been unwise, under t
he circumstances. But Rick surely had sufficient faith in her to accept she’d felt nothing more than pity and friendship – a compassionate almost motherly wish to give help to another human being.
Or had he? Was his jealousy of her so abnormal it could warp things out of all proportion?
Doubt suddenly rose in her. He’d never really liked Jon. From their first meeting she knew he’d been secretly suspicious of her former romantic feeling for the Wentworth heir. But since then so much had happened. Everything had changed. She hadn’t thought it possible that any shadow from the past could taint their own present passionate relationship.
It didn’t occur to her to take the easiest and probably most successful course of denying there had been any meeting at all. There had been no interview. No one was aware of it but herself and Jon. If she stuck to that it would simply be her word against his, and Rick in the end would have to accept hers.
But Kate found it hard to lie. The truth to her was important especially in this case. Unless Rick accepted her explanation of the incident wiping out any doubts he had, their life together might never be the same again.
When at last they reached the house her whole body ached with tension. A housemaid entered the hall and Kate was about to offer an explanation when Rick, still wearing the set immobile expression, forestalled her. ‘Your mistress is not feeling well,’ he told the girl. ‘See we are not disturbed.’
‘Yes, sir. Is there anything I can get her?’
‘No thank you, Annie,’ Kate replied quickly, trying to conjure a smile to her dry lips. ‘I found the heat trying.’
Rick kept his eyes steadily ahead, but the girl was not deceived.
‘Something wrong between those two,’ she said when she got back to the kitchen. ‘The master and mistress. You should just have seen the look on his face! And she was all sort of trembling and hot and cold. My! I wouldn’t like to be in her place, not for all the tea in China I wouldn’t.’
At that same moment Kate was making a casual show of tidying her hair, and adjusting the frill of tulle at her neck. Rick had walked to the window overlooking the gardens and was standing with his hands behind his back, rigid except for an agitated movement of his fingers.
Suddenly he turned round and faced her. ‘Well?’ he said. ‘When you’ve finished your unnecessary titivating perhaps we could start.’
She gave an almost imperceptible nervous jerk of her head. ‘What? Oh, yes – of course. Jon.’
‘Not only Jon, is it, Kate? According to him you played quite a part in that intimate little woodland scene.’
‘Oh, but – it wasn’t like he said,’ she cried impulsively, going towards him. ‘Really! Truly! There was nothing between us, Rick; he was in a dreadful state – about Cass. We hadn’t arranged to meet there – not Jon and me. I expected her, but it was him. I had to talk to him, to try—’
‘But you didn’t only talk, did you?’ His voice had hardened. ‘Did you?’ Both hands enclosed on her forearms, his eyes held nothing but bitter condemnation.
She swallowed nervously. ‘I – what do you suppose? I did just what any woman would. I tried to make him calm down, and that’s the truth. Comfort him. He was hysterical, Rick—’
‘And you consider it your destiny to go round comforting hysterical men while your husband was conveniently out of the way, or should I say just one man – your blond ex-lover?’
She flushed. ‘That’s a horrid thing to say, and very, very unfair.’
He let her go, took a deep breath and remarked, ‘I’m afraid I don’t believe you, and I’m a fool even to be discussing the matter with you. Jon had no reason to fabricate such an incident. And knowing what I know of you, my dear, the interlude wouldn’t end with a mere kiss.’ He paused, then continued, ‘I should like to appear the compliant understanding husband, but the fact is I understand too well. You’ve always lusted after Wentworth, and took the first chance when I was off the map of grabbing what you could of him.’ His temper was quickly rising. ‘I’ve never struck a woman in my life, but at this moment, if it wasn’t for your condition, I could gladly forget any shred of gentlemanly manners I possess and beat you – if it would help, but it wouldn’t. When we married I knew how you felt about Wentworth, it must have been obvious to anyone who was interested, but I believed I could wipe him out of your heart with perseverance and time. Obviously I was wrong. So this is it. I’ve no use for a faithless wife. It’s best we should both accept it with the minimum of fuss–’
‘But Rick – Rick—’
He turned his back on her and went to the door. ‘I shall be back later. There need be no scandal. We’ll discuss plans when I can bear the sight of you again.’
The door closed.
He was gone.
The echo of his footsteps fading down the stairs was like a knell sounding in her head.
She flung herself on the bed face down and after a few moments the tears were wet on the pillow.
How could he be so mean and cruel? She wondered desperately clutching her handkerchief into a tight damp ball against her cheek. Not even to have listened to her, just taken Jon’s accusation as the truth?
Jon had obviously been acting in revenge against her, to ease his own feelings concerning Cass.
Cassandra had been mentally sick for months – all the family knew that, but even if she’d put the very worst construction on what she’d seen, that fateful afternoon, it wouldn’t have driven her to suicide – that’s what Jon’s wild outburst had implied.
Why? Why? Why? Pondering the pillow Kate told herself with a renewed burst of emotion that somehow she’d make Rick see sense and believe her. He was unbalanced at the moment, shocked beyond all reason by a calculated evil lie. But tonight perhaps he’d have things more in perspective.
He’d said he’d be back later to talk – make plans or something. Plans for what? An icy wave of fear shivered down her spine. Did he mean to leave her? But he wouldn’t. There were the children and the one to come, and he had no legitimate cause for a separation. If he suggested it she’d throw that horrible Mrs Linda Wade in his face -publicize how they still met in London sometimes – she knew that was true, he hadn’t denied it – and all the district would be on her side. Anyway, harming each other wouldn’t help either, she decided miserably. Her only real weapon was herself – to make herself so beautiful and desirable he couldn’t resist her and would believe intuitively in her innocence.
Her mind darted here and there. What time would he be back? And what would she wear? After a short period of pondering she swung herself out of bed, went to the wardrobe and pulled out a number of hangers displaying a variety of housecoats and negligees. Her tears had temporarily dried now, and she looked absurdly young with her hair loose and curling over her wet forehead. She held the first one up before her surveying her reflection through the mirror, then another, and another, followed by a fourth. She chose the last – pale lilac see-through chiffon that she’d worn on her honeymoon. It was very full, sufficiently so to disguise her developing waistline, yet still enhance the blossoming curves of her lovely body. A tentative little smile touched her lips. Everything would be all right, she told herself optimistically. She’d have a lovely scented bath in the meantime, using the favourite very expensive perfume he’d last given her. And when he came through the bedroom door she’d be waiting for the sweet and heady reconciliation which had always followed their slightest misunderstanding.
Only it didn’t quite happen that way.
It was eight o’clock before Rick returned, and during the whole afternoon and evening Kate had eaten nothing but an apple, and nibbled a few biscuits. She had stayed upstairs, and refused lunch and dinner on the pretext of being unwell. Therefore when Ferris did appear, looking jaded and still grim, her nerves were taut beneath her glamorous exterior, and her practised ‘innocent’ smile of welcome didn’t quite register in the way she’d intended.
He sniffed the air and waved a hand. ‘Is this for my benefit?’
/>
She flushed. ‘It’s the perfume we chose together. That expensive one. Oh, Rick—’ She moved towards him tentatively, hands slightly raised. ‘I’ve been so miserable.’ He looked resolutely away from the limpid pleading of her lovely eyes. ‘Please let us be friends.’
‘For heaven’s sake, Kate, I’m tired and in no mood for dramatics.’ There was a pause. ‘I’ve thought everything out, and in my mind it’s settled.’
‘What is? What’s settled?’
‘Our mutual existence, my dear. Our – cohabitation, if you like; only it won’t exactly be that.’
‘What do you mean?’
All colour left her face. She rushed forward and caught the lapels of his coat, gripping and pulling them until he managed to free himself. Then, adjusting his tie and rubbing a hand wearily over his forehead, he said, ‘Sit down, Kate. Keep a little dignity whatever else you’ve lost.’
All energy suddenly drained from her. She perched rigidly on the side of the bed and asked again, ‘What do you mean? Lost? I’ve a right to know.’
‘A faithless wife has no right.’
In spite of her distress her temper rose. ‘No. That’s just it. Because you think or want to think that Jon and I had an affair in your absence, I’m in the wrong and the one to blame; just because I’m a woman. Because you’re a man you can do anything you like and get away with it. It’s not fair. But one day it will be different. You see! And what about the Wade woman—?’ She broke off breathlessly.
‘What about her?’ His voice was icy.
She started to sob again. ‘Oh, go away. Leave me alone.’
‘I’ll do that soon enough when I’ve told you what I’ve decided to do.’
The tears stopped. She stiffened and looked at him sharply, rigid-backed. ‘You! Always you.’
‘Yes. As you say. This is my home, my estate, and the two children are also mine–’
‘Ours.’
‘Naturally, as their mother.’
‘And of the one to come,’ she couldn’t help adding.