“I wonder she cares to stay on in that house.”
“She was planning to buy a house in the country, but she can’t touch the capital my father left her. Presumably she holds it in trust for me.”
“So that’s the way it is.”
“I don’t understand fully. All I know is that Greville, Baker and Greville told her she could not have the money for the house.”
“Then you, my dear Harriet, will be a considerable heiress, in certain circumstances.”
“I hope I shall never inherit, for that means she would have to die first I should hate that Do you know, I’ve grown quite fond of her.”
“Those sentiments do you credit, Harriet.”
“They do credit to my good sense. If I had inherited all my father’s fortune I should be a prey to those gentlemen who are looking for a marriage of convenience. I prefer my own modest fortune and comparative safety from attack.”
“Dear Harriet, your fortune, modest or otherwise, is not your only asset”
“You surprise me.”
“Do I? Then it is tit-for-tat. You surprise me with your conversation.”
“I suppose you previously thought I had none?”
“It is only recently that you have given me the opportunity to enjoy it.”
“It is only recently that you have sought that opportunity.” He laughed and, taking my hand, pressed it “Harriet,” he said, “promise that you will give me many more such opportunities, here and in London,”
He leaned towards me and kissed my cheek. Not passionately, as I imagined he kissed others, but gently, wonderingly. I thought: He is regarding me in a different light He is getting to know me, to like me. Or was he getting to know about my fortune and liking that?
But it was no great fortune, because Jenny was only a few years older than I, and I should not be likely to inherit for years, if ever.
The thought made me happy. It was not the fortune. It was myself.
Such happiness for one unaccustomed to it was almost too intoxicating.
When we mounted our horses, he said: “So your stepmother didn’t know how she stood?”
“She heard the will read; she saw the solicitor, but didn't take in the legal facts.”
“I should have thought something so vital to herself would have made some” impression-“
“I was present when the will was read, but I didn’t grasp it Actually my mind was wandering and I was thinking ...”
“What?”
“Oh, what a waste it was that my father and I had never been friends, and then never could be.”
“One of these days, Harriet, someone ought to make up to you for all you’ve missed.”
“That would be justice, but life isn’t always just, is it?”
“Perhaps we should see that it works out that way.”
What did he mean? Was it tantamount to a proposal?
“I’ll tell you what,” he said, after we had left the moors. “You are rather vague about your inheritance aren’t you? You could find out, you know.”
“I could go to Greville, Baker and Greville.”
“You needn’t do that. You could see a copy of the will in Somerset House. Would you like me to look into it for you when I’m in town?”
I felt a sudden quiver of alarm, but I said: “Yes, please, Bevil, do.”
“I will,” he said. “You leave it to me. Quite a cool wind blowing up.”
Was it that cool wind, I thought, which was making me feel a little cold?
Looking back after a tragedy, the preceding days seem to have taken on an unreality. One has been living with the obvious and yet failed to see what is under one’s nose.
Those were days of sunshine and preparations, and the wedding was coming nearer. Nine days … eight days … When I had been in Plymouth a few days before, Gwennan and I had gone to the theater and I had seen the company’s bills posted outside the building, with “Last Week” stamped across them.
Thank goodness, I thought. When they’re gone, Gwennan will settle down and forget all about them. In a short time when she had returned from her honeymoon and asked me down to stay with her as she had promised, we would laugh and christen it the Greasepaint Period.
She surprised me on the last day of the company’s stay in Plymouth by not going to say goodbye to them. I thought with relief: She has finished with them already.
My dress was ready and hanging hi my wardrobe. It was very pretty—in clinging lilac chiffon—and I was to wear a headdress of green leaves. The bridesmaids were to be in green with touches of mauve. The color was certainly going to be effective.
“Green’s unlucky, though,” said Fanny grimly. “I’m surprised at Miss Gwennan choosing green.”
“I’m not,” I said.
That day was like many another. I rode with Bevil, Harry and Gwennan in the morning. Gwennan was a little absent-minded, and I guessed her thoughts were with the departing company. I had no chance of being alone with Bevil, for the four of us were together all that morning.
During the rest of the day Gwennan seemed to avoid me, and I guessed she wanted to be alone to think seriously of her future.
There was a card party at the Leverets that evening. We played whist rather solemnly and left at ten o’clock. I thought Gwennan looked remote; I spoke to her once or twice, and she did not answer me. I guessed she was picturing the company packing their belongings and moving on to the next town. Another little episode over. Thank goodness, I thought, that there is no time for any more before the wedding.
I slept well, and hi the morning Fanny came in as usual to draw my curtains and bring my hot water.
“Another lovely day,” she said, “a bit misty, though. Pengelly says it’s a heat haze. It was really thick first thing this morning!”
I went to the window and looked out at the sea.
Another week or so and I should be back in London, and Aunt Clarissa would descend upon me for the purpose of bringing me out.
I did not want the time to pass. I wanted to catch each moment and imprison it.
We would ride that morning—Bevil, Gwennan and I— leaving the stables together and riding over to Chough Towers, where Harry would be waiting impatiently for us.
I went down to breakfast. Sir Endelion and Lady Menfrey were at the table and greeted me affectionately.
Lady Menfrey said that Bevil had already breakfasted, but Gwennan had not been down yet We talked about the weather and the wedding and afterwards I strolled out to the stables.
It was an hour or so later when I saw Bevil. He said, “Are we riding this morning?”
“I hope so.”
“Well, where’s.Gwennan?”
“I haven’t seen her,”
“I don’t think she’s up yet Go up to her room and tell her to hurry.”
I went into the house and seeing Dinah said: “Miss Gwennan is late this morning.”
“She said she would ring when she wanted me.”
“When did she say that?”
“Last night”
“So you haven’t been up yet?” My voice had risen to a high pitch as it did when I was apprehensive.
“No, Miss, seeing as she told me not”
As I took the stairs two at a time, I kept seeing her face as it had been yesterday … resigned. She had run away. I knew it before I opened the door and saw the unslept-in bed, the envelopes propped on the dressing table. Trust Gwennan to do it in the melodramatic way.
I went to the dressing table. There were three letters. One for her parents, one for Harry, and one for me.
My fingers were shaking as I slit the envelope addressed to me and read:
“Dear Harriet, I’ve done it It was the only way. I just could not stay. I’ve gone with Benedict. We’re going to be married and I might go on the stage with him. Do try to make them understand. Particularly Harry. I couldn’t help it It was one of those things that had to be. This is different from anything else that ever happened to me. Harriet, we shall always be friends, no matter what happens. Don’t forget and try to make them understand. Gwennan.”