"Who ... ?" I began.
"You go and see," said Polly.
I went in. He was standing there, smiling, making the parlour look smaller and less prim than it usually did.
"Drusilla!" He came to me and took my hands. He looked at me for a second or so and then he held me to him tightly. After a moment he released me, holding me slightly away from him, looking at me intently.
"Why did you go?" he demanded. "Just when I was coming home."
"I ... I thought you would want to be with your family."
He laughed, a happy, derisive sort of laughter.
"You knew I wanted to be with you more than anyone."
I thought then: It is wonderful. I don't care what happens afterwards ... this is wonderful now.
I began, "I was not sure ..."
"I did not know you could be so foolish, Drusilla. You knew I was coming and you went away."
I tried to calm myself. "You've come here because of ... Fleur. You've come to try to take her away."
"What on Earth is the matter with you? Have you forgotten? Remember the last time we were together ... all those people around, when we wanted to be alone. The first thing I said when I came home was, 'Where is Drusilla? Why isn't she here with the children?' And my mother told me you had come here. I said, 'But I said she was to be here.' I expected to find you at Framling as soon as I got back."
"I didn't know you would want to see me."
He looked at me incredulously.
"Drusilla, what's happened to you?" he demanded.
I said slowly, "I've come home. Everything is different here. It seems to me now that in India I was living in a different world, where anything could happen. Here it is ... as it always was."
"What difference does it make where we are? We are us, aren't we? We know what we want. At least I do. And I want you."
"Have you thought ... ?"
"I don't have to think. Why are you being so aloof? It wasn't like this when we were last together."
"I tell you it is different now. How was it in India?"
"Chaotic."
"Alice and Tom?"
"In a state of bliss ... a most wonderful example of the joys of married life."
I smiled. "Ah," he said. "Now you are more like yourself. What is the matter? We're talking like strangers. Here am I come home to marry you and you behave as though we have just been introduced."
"To marry me! But ..."
"You are not going to raise objections, are you? You know my nature. I just ignore them."
"What of Lady Geraldine?"
"She is well, I believe."
"But your mother was arranging ..."
"Arranging what?"
"The wedding."
"Our wedding."
"Your marriage to Lady Geraldine. Your mother has been arranging it."
"I arrange my own wedding."
"But Lady Geraldine ..."
"What has my mother said to you?"
"That you were coming home to marry her."
He laughed. "Oh, she has had that in mind for some time. She forgot to consult me, that's all."
"But she will be ... furious."
"My mother will agree with me. She always does. Though I believe I am the only one whose opinion she considers. Stop thinking about my mother and think of me. You're not marrying her."
"I can't believe all this."
"You're not going to say, 'This is so sudden, sir,' as so many well-brought-up ladies are supposed to."
"But, Fabian, it is sudden ..."
"I should have thought it was obvious. The way we were in India ... have you forgotten?"
"I forget nothing of what happened there."
"We went through all that together, didn't we? I blamed myself for bringing you out there. But now we're here ... together ... I think those times taught us a great deal about each other. It taught us that there was a special bond between us and it grows stronger every day. It's never going to break, Drusilla. We're together ... forever."
"Fabian, I think you go too fast."
"I think I have gone unforgivably slowly. You are not going to refuse me, are you? You should know by now that I never take refusals. I would immediately abduct you and drag you to the altar."
"Do you really mean that you want to marry me?"
"Good Heavens! Haven't I made that clear?"
"You do realize it is most unsuitable."
"If it suits me it has to suit everyone else."
"Lady Harriet would never allow it."
"Lady Harriet will accept what I want. She already knows. I was enraged when I came back and found you weren't there. I said, 'I am going to marry Drusilla and there will be no delay about it.' "
"She must have been outraged."
"Only mildly surprised."
I shook my head.
He said, "I am disappointed in you, Drusilla. Have you forgotten everything? That night you came to the house ..." I shook my head and he went on, "That dreadful moment when I feared I might miss ... that I might be too late. You've no idea what I went through. I lived a lifetime in those few seconds. Have you forgotten that trek to Bombay? I was desolate when you sailed away and I promised myself that the moment I was free of all that, we would be together ... and never part again. Drusilla, have you forgotten? Didn't I choose you when you were a baby? 'That's mine,' I said, and it has been like that ever since."
I felt numb with happiness, which I could not accept as real. He was holding me tightly. I felt protected against the fury of Lady Harriet, the disappointment of Lady Geraldine and the terrible fear that I would wake up and find I had been dreaming. Don't think of what's to come, I admonished myself. Live in the moment. This is the greatest happiness you could ever know.
He felt no such qualms. I knew, of course, that he would never have any doubts that he could have what he wanted.
"So," he said, "we'll go back. No delays. It will be the quickest wedding in Framling history. No more protests ... please."
"If it is true. If you mean it ... if you really mean it, then ..."
"Then what?"
"Then life is wonderful."
We called in Polly and Eff and told them the news.
"So you are getting married," said Polly. She was a trifle bellicose, I must admit. I saw the glint in her eyes. She was still a little uncertain whether her little ewe lamb was going to be devoured by the big, bad wolf.
He knew how she regarded him and I saw the glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Soon," he told her, "you shall dance at our wedding."
"My dancing days are over," said Polly tersely.
"But on such an occasion they might be revived, perhaps," he suggested.
Eff's eyes glistened. I could see her choosing her dress. "It's for a wedding, a rather special one. Sir Fabian Framling. He's marrying a special friend of ours." I could hear her explaining to the tenants. "Well, I suppose you'd call it one of them grand weddings. Polly and me, we've had our invitations. Such an old friend."
Polly was less euphoric. She didn't trust any man except her Tom, and her suspicion of Fabian was too deeply rooted to be dispersed by an offer of marriage.
I could smile at her fears and be happy.
Fabian wanted to stay on in London for a few days, and then we would go back together. He had booked a room in a hotel. Eff was relieved. She had had an idea that she might have to 'put him up,' but she did not really think there was a vacant room in any of the houses that would be worthy of a titled gentleman, although the prestige that would come from being able to say, "When Sir Fabian was in one of my rooms ..." would be great.
Later that day Fabian and I went to a jewellers to buy a ring. It was beautiful—an emerald set in diamonds. When it was on my finger I felt happier than I ever had been in my life ... for the ring seemed to seal the bond and to proclaim to the world that I was to marry Fabian.