“She is certainly a practised hostess.”
“I think that is why he is marrying her.”
“Do you think he would be so calculating?”
She nodded slowly.
“We have been quite mistaken in him and this is a blessing in disguise. Julia went on about you. She said you should not remain a widow. ‘Do you know what I plan to do?’ she asked. ‘I am going to find a husband for her.’ “
I covered my face with my hands.
“I know, my dearest. There was something about her … something malicious. Oh, I do not trust her. She is what you say … a snake in the grass, that one. Never mind, ma cherie. They deserve each other. There will be little happiness there.”
“They will understand each other,” I said. “I obviously did not understand him.”
“He is marrying Julia for her money.”
“Somehow I can’t believe that, Grand’mere.”
“It is the general belief. Lady Travers was in here a few days ago. You know how she talks. She knows everything that is going on. Naturally she talked about Julia’s coming marriage. ‘Poor Julia,’ she said, ‘past the first flush of youth but still of an amorous nature. She was always angling for Drake Aldringham, and at last she has made him see what she can do for him.’ I said, innocently, ‘What can she do?’ ‘Drake has the seeds of something in him,’ she said. ‘He is ministerial material … might even aspire to the premiership … most of them do. Julia knows this. Wouldn’t she like to be the P.M.’s wife! She sees herself as a Mary Anne Disraeli or a Catherine Gladstone. I am sure she would not be in the least like either of them. ‘But at least she has money. And that is what Drake lacks. His family are rich enough but Drake has a special pride and wants to get on without parental assistance. ‘I said, ‘But he doesn’t mind marrying someone for it. “That, my dear Madame Cleremont, is quite another matter.’ I said I could not see that but she waved that aside. ‘She will be able to entertain all the right people. Although she hasn’t an inkling of what politics are about she will be an adept at pressing him onwards. We shall see. So this is the perfect timing—with an election in sight. The people love a wedding. Julia wants Drake and Drake wants Julia’s money— the right combination for a successful marriage. She will have to stop her drinking. She is going too far with that. But perhaps Drake will be able to stop her.’ “
“Grand’mere,” I said. “I can’t believe Drake is marrying her for her money.”
“I can think of no other reason for his doing so.”
“Oh, Grand’mere,” I said, “what am I to do?”
She stroked my hair. “There is only one thing you can do, ma cherie, and that is go on. Remember how it was when Philip died? You thought you had reached the lowest then. But time helped, did it not? And here there seemed a chance of happiness … but it was not to be. Now we have the Paris project. That is going to make us all very busy; and there is darling Katie who is so happy because you are back. The poor child has been moping and asking every day when you were coming home. He has failed you, Lenore, my love, but there are those who love you here.”
I wept a little. I felt I could not hide my feeling from Grand’mere. She brought me one of her soothing concoctions and insisted on sitting with me until I slept.
The Countess could talk of nothing but Paris. She was so busy making plans that she did not notice the change in me—or perhaps I was good at hiding my feelings.
Katie was, as ever, a solace to me. She wanted me to tell her more of Paris. “I shall be there, shall I not?”
I said she certainly would. I told her about the children playing with their hoops in the gardens.
My father had returned to Paris to continue with the negotiations. I should join him there with the Countess and Grand’mere. Cassie would stay behind and we had a good manageress who could look after everything for a few weeks.
Our invitations arrived for Julia’s wedding.
“I can’t go,” I said.
Grand’mere was silent; and I knew that meant that she thought I should. I tackled her with this.
She replied: “You cannot … how you say … wear the heart on the jacket for everyone to see. Cassie must go. She is the sister … and what of you? You were brought up with them. People will say, ‘And where is Lenore?’ And … ‘Was she not angling for the young man herself? Is it jealousy then … envy? It is certainly odd that she is not at the wedding.’ “
“It is monstrous that people should know so much of our private lives.”
“Not odd at all … they being so observant and we living as we do.”
“If I go…”
“I will make you a beautiful costume for the occasion. Velvet I think … trimmed with sable. I have a beautiful length of blue velvet … such a lovely shade … not too bright … subtle. It will suit you to perfection. A small hat with an ostrich feather … I know the thing.”
“I shall hate going.”
“I know. Just put in an appearance at the reception. You can come away quickly. The press will be there. After all he is a rising politician and she is well known for her parties in social circles.’The bride looked exquisite in her Lenore costume… . One notable absence was Lenore herself who is a close connection of the bride.’ That must not be. Lenore must be there for it will be noticed.”
“You are right, Grand’mere.”
She nodded, pleased.
I had felt since I had heard the news that I was living in a dream from which I was going to wake up. Drake was not going to marry Julia. … He couldn’t … not after all the signs he had given me. I thought often of our meetings in the park and how they had enlivened the days. And now … that was over. Those encounters which had meant so much to me had meant nothing to him.
On the wedding day I dressed in my blue velvet and set the little hat with the ostrich feather on my head.
Grand’mere and the Countess clapped their hands when they saw me.
“Perfect … perfect …” murmured the Countess.
She herself was elegantly arrayed, of course, for she would be at the reception. Julia was her protegee; she had seen her into her first marriage and was, I knew, dismayed, now that she was embarking on the second. Like Grand’mere she had designated Drake for me.
I did not go to the church. That was something I could not have endured. The reception was held in Julia’s drawing room which was large enough for the occasion.
I glimpsed Drake standing beside her helping her to cut the cake and while the speeches were made and the toasts drunk. It struck me that he did not look very happy although he was smiling.
I felt my heart leap in dismay when he caught my eyes from across the room. I lowered mine. I could not trust myself to look at him.
I thought: I must get away. I looked for Cassie. She was talking with a group of friends. I would make my way to her and ask her if she were ready to leave.
Then he was at my side.
“Lenore,” he said.
“Oh …” I steeled myself to look at him. “Drake. Congratulations.”
“Mine … to you.”
“To me?”
“On the Paris opening.”
“Oh, you have heard of that?”
“Oh yes. Everyone is talking about it. What a stroke of luck for you.”
“Yes … isn’t it?”
“So good to have rich friends.”
“My father will have a stake in the business.”
“Your father?”
“Surely you knew. Didn’t Cassie tell you when you called?”
“Cassie said you were in Paris … getting things going over there. I didn’t know about your father.”
“You saw him in the park.”
He looked bewildered,
“Don’t you remember? He watched me several times. We noticed him. Julia called him my admirer.”
He repeated: “Your father.”