I thought: If we can go on like this I shall be content.
Julia had sent an invitation to one of her musical evenings. I was wondering whether to go or not but Grand’mere said: “You know you do enjoy them. I should go if I were you. Cassie would like to go with you.”
So Cassie and I went.
I shall always remember it—that elegant room with the palms in the corner, and the grand piano on the dais and Julia, the gracious hostess in a violet coloured velvet gown trimmed with ecru lace which Grand’mere had made for her.
Julia had commanded a middle-aged gentleman to look after Cassie, who would have preferred to be without his care. The pianist played Chopin and this was followed by polite applause. I sat through the playing and thoroughly enjoyed it and as the applause died down, I saw a man coming towards me. He was tall, extremely good-looking and vaguely familiar. He was smiling at me quizzically.
“We have met before,” he said.
Then I knew.
“Yes,” he went on.’ ‘Drake Aldringham and you are Lenore. I would have known you anywhere. Mind you, you have changed. I’m delighted to meet you again.”
He took my hand and held it firmly.
“I left in rather a hurry. Do you remember?” he went on. “There was no time to say goodbye.”
“I remember it well.”
He laughed. “It’s a long time ago.” Then he was serious. “I know about you … and Philip. Julia told me. I’m sorry.”
“And what of you?” I asked.
“I’ve been abroad. That is … until just about a year ago. My father has interests on the Gold Coast. Well, now I’m back … to settle. At a by-election I recently became Member of Parliament for Swaddingham.”
“How interesting.”
“I think so. I’m enjoying it. It is what I always wanted, but my people thought I ought to travel a bit first… see the world. Perhaps they were right. Well, here I am.”
“Do you live in Swaddingham?”
“I have a house near … fortunately it is conveniently in reach of my constituency. I also have a place in Town … not far from here. It behooves a member of Parliament to be stationed in two places—near those who have elected him and the House. I hear you have become a successful dress designer.”
“With my grandmother and Cassie … you remember Cas-sie? … and the Countess of Ballader.”
“So you are really an important business woman now.”
“Well… a business woman.”
“A rare species.”
“Oh, it is always difficult for women. They have to work twice as hard as men to be equal with them.”
“Very unfair, but I believe true. I have often thought of you.”
“Have you?”
“Yes. You were at the source of the trouble really. I behaved abominably marching off like that. I ought to have been bold and stayed.”
“How could you? You were Charles’s guest.”
”It was a foul thing he did. It makes my blood boil even now.”
“It was good of you to take up the cudgels on my behalf.”
“Not much good … after the deed was done.”
“Thank you, anyway.”
“I should like to come along and see your place. Is that permissible?”
“Certainly. Gentlemen do call—though usually in the company of ladies.”
“Perhaps I should get Julia to bring me along.”
“That would be an excellent idea.”
“Julia says you have a little girl.”
“She is seven years old now. She is enchanting.” I felt myself glowing as I always did when I talked of Katie.
“I should expect that of her,” he said, smiling at me.
Julia had come up.
“Oh Drake … so you found Lenore.”
“Yes, we have been reminiscing.”
”That’s ancient history.”
“Not all that ancient.”
“Why, Drake, we were all children then. Do come and talk to Roskoff. He plays divinely but he is hard going conversationally. I’ll see you later, Lenore.”
He smiled at me and went off with Julia.
I felt rather excited.
I did not have a chance to talk to him again. Cassie wanted to leave and as we never stayed long after the music was over, I went with her.
I said: “Did you see Drake Aldringham?”
“Drake Aldringham?” she repeated. “Wasn’t he … ?”
“Yes, the one who came home with Charles that time. There was trouble and he threw him in the lake.”
“I remember. It was because Charles shut you in the mausoleum. So he was here tonight?”
“Yes. He’s apparently a friend of Julia’s.”
“How strange! But I suppose it is not really. Julia knows so many people. She’s bound to meet everyone sooner or later.”
When we reached home I told Grand’mere of the encounter. She always liked to hear how the evening had gone.
“I was so surprised to see him,” I said.
“You recognized him then?”
“Oh yes. He is the sort of person one would. There was something about him. Do you remember how proud Charles was because he had deigned to spend the holiday at The Silk House? That was what made what happened so awful.”
“I wonder if you will see him again,” said Grand’mere, looking at me intently.
“He said he would call,” I told her. “With Julia.”
He did call—and with Julia. Grand’mere and Cassie came out to meet him and I introduced him to the Countess.
“Isn’t it odd to see Lenore here like this?” said Julia. “Who would have believed it all those years ago?”
“We have all changed since those days,” I reminded her. ”Would you like some coffee? We very often have it at this time of the morning.”
“Yes please—and I should like to see everything.”
”Oh Drake,” cried Julia. “You’re not interested in fashion.”
“I’m interested in Lenore,” he said.
“It is rather marvellous,” commented Julia, “to think they have done all this.”
“Very clever,” said Drake, smiling at me.
Grand’mere was welcoming.
“The Countess of Ballader brought me out,” said Julia.
“I’ve given up those activities now,” the Countess told him. “This is more to my taste.”
Cassie said she would go and make the coffee.
We sat in the reception room with the red carpets and white furniture—chosen by the Countess who said we must have an aura of luxury about the place.
I found Drake’s eyes on me. I guessed he was comparing me with the frightened little girl who had been locked in the mausoleum.
“And how is business?” asked Julia.
“Flourishing,” said the Countess.
“Well, your gowns are absolutely the latest thing,” replied Julia. “I was talking to Lady Bronson only yesterday and she said she had misguidedly bought a new dress … not a Lenore … and, my goodness, she realized her mistake.”
“Let us hope,” put in the Countess, “that she has the good sense not to repeat her folly.”
“I want a new morning gown,” said Julia. “I’ll look round while I’m here.”
We talked lightly. Drake told us about his place in the country. “It’s quite a small manor house. It’s been in the family for years. My aunt lived in it, but she died a little while back and it seems ideal for me because of its geographical situation.”
“Very fortunate that it should be so near your constituency,” I said.
“Couldn’t be better. My place in Town is very small. I get down to the country when I can.”
“It must be fascinating to be at the heart of affairs,” I said. “We just read about them in the papers whereas you are on the spot.”
“It is what has always fascinated me. I was amazed when I got in first time. That was a bit of luck. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”