A Strange Affair (3 page)

Making my way to the morning room I was quite proud of myself, for once in my life I felt as if I was in control of the situation. I acknowledged that I needed finer clothes, in some small way to enhance my appearance. I suddenly had a spring in my step and entered the morning room with renewed determination.

I located the workbox which stood on the floor by the writing desk, it was a wooden box, quite small in size with a handle. On lifting the lid I could see an array of coloured threads, red, green, blue and yellow to name but a few, with needles and pin cushions plus a delightful silver thimble. Placing it on my finger I was delighted to see it fitted perfectly.

About to close the lid of the workbox I stopped for I could see a name inscribed in the wood, looking closer I could see the name, Annabel. My heart sank. So Justine had lied to me and if this was the case, what else had she lied about if anything?

Nevertheless, I closed the lid and catching hold of the handle proceeded back to the hallway. As I reached the doorway I stopped in my tracks as I could hear voices, one of them was certainly Kerensa, standing to the side of the doorway I carefully peered into the candlelit hall. It was Kieran she was with and their voices drifted across to me.

‘But why did you marry her, darling when you could have married me?’ said Kerensa’s pleading voice.

‘Because Kerensa, I have told you so many times I cannot marry you,’ said my husband in a gentle voice.

At these words Kerensa entwined her arms around his neck and he bent his head as if to kiss her lips. My heart thudded for I felt like an intruder, but to my astonishment he gently pushed her away from him, as they drew apart the lovely Miss Templeton said softly, so softly I could only just hear her words, ‘But darling, she is a mouse.’

‘Don’t be unkind, Kerensa,’ were my husband’s words.

I fled back to the morning room, my heart racing. I would show my husband and Miss Kerensa Templeton that I could indeed be anything but a mouse.

3

Sunday morning arrived and so did Justine just as Megan was arranging my hair. I knew we were to attend chapel today in the grounds of the castle, for Justine had told me only yesterday.

‘Good morning, Barbara,’ my sister-in-law said cheerily as she looked at Megan.

It’s all right, Miss,’ said Megan to Justine, ‘I’ll just finish securing this pin and I’ll be gone.’ My maid obviously sensed that Justine wished to speak with me alone.

‘How are you today?’ Justine asked of me. ‘And is there an improvement in your relationship with my brother?’

‘Sadly no,’ I answered, ‘if it weren’t for Kerensa I feel there may be a chance.’

‘Why do you say that?’ asked Kieran’s sister.

‘Because Justine, I saw them together in the hall last evening,’ I told her honestly, recalling last night’s incident.

What I failed to comprehend were Kieran’s words, ‘Because I cannot marry you.’ it was a very strange thing to say; little did I know that in the weeks ahead I would come to understand it.

‘No matter now,’ said Justine dismissing the problem, ‘I’ve come to ask you if you would like to choose one of my gowns to wear to chapel today?’ she asked looking at my dull brown dress.

‘I couldn’t,’ I uttered, the proud part of me coming to the surface.

‘I understand how you feel, but whatever you choose you are welcome to keep. I have gowns aplenty and it would tide you over until we are able to visit Mrs Harding, the dressmaker,’ Justine said kindly.

‘Very well,’ I agreed, for I knew that to go to the chapel in my present gown meant I would feel akin to one of the servants, who I knew from Megan would attend the morning service.

‘Splendid, come along to my room where we can assess the situation.’ Doing as I was bid I followed Justine further along the corridor and around a corner where we entered a smaller bedroom than mine, which was in truth a very feminine one, everything was pink, the heavy damask curtains, the bed hangings, the carpet and wallpaper boasting large pink roses, and the figurines dotted here and there on the mantel and small table were pink also.

The only thing not pink was the white marble fireplace from which a fire burned lazily in the hearth. I stepped over to where Justine was opening her large wardrobe door, I gasped at the sight of its contents. Gowns of all hues and colours and various materials hung closely together.

‘This side of the wardrobe is where my winter gowns are hung,’ Justine told me, and I could see some were darker in colour. My eyes rested on a wine-coloured velvet gown with a white sable collar. ‘You have chosen I can tell,’ said my sister-in-law. Now tell me which one your eyes have alighted on for at last I can see a sparkle in their depths.’

I laughed as I lifted out the gown, it was sumptuous and heavy and would no doubt keep me warm. The skirts were full and the back of the jacket fell over the skirts to a point, the buttoned bodice nipping in at the waist and the white sable sitting snugly at the neckline.

‘Can I really have this one?’ I asked.

‘Yes indeed, you have good taste, Barbara. Now let us get you into it,’ ordered my sister-in-law, already helping me out of my brown merino day dress. As I slipped into the velvet jacket, the material of the sleeves felt luxurious on my bare skin, the white sable at the wrists feeling soft and warm. Justine walked me over to a full-length mirror set in the wardrobe door.’

‘It’s beautiful!’ I enthused, ‘And the colours so rich and warm looking. Thank you,’ I said and gave Justine a well deserved hug. Never had I been dressed in something so sumptuous and expensive, indeed gazing at the reflection of myself in the mirror, the image looking back at me didn’t seem like me at all.

‘Here,’ said Justine as she passed me a white beaded reticule, ‘this will finish the whole thing off admirably.’

‘As indeed it does,’ I agreed, looking briefly once more at my reflection.

‘It is 10.45,’ said Justine with some alarm, ‘we must assemble in the hall, but not before I give you this,’ she said reaching in a hatbox and then coming across to me. I looked with some delight at the beautiful bonnet which she then placed on my head. The wine velvet matched my gown, the wide brim edged with white sable looked perfection as Justine tied the white ribbons around my neck.

As we walked back along the corridor my sister-in-law in a rose-pink gown and cloak with a matching bonnet on her fair curls, I felt like a queen. As we stepped down the staircase into the hall I felt a different person from the plain, simple, uneasy young woman who had arrived at Rowan Castle only three days ago.

The other three members of the household were already waiting in the hall, my husband looking as handsome and immaculate as ever in a black frock coat, as was his brother Derrick, who as I watched them talking I could see was a little taller than Kieran. Kerensa was dressed like a bride I thought, in a cream-coloured gown and cloak of shimmering satin, her glorious red wavy hair tied back with a matching ribbon, she looked a picture of perfection I realised, and knew that no matter what I dressed in I could never match her beauty.

Her green eyes flashed with a look of surprise as she saw me, just at the moment Kieran took notice I was there and a spark of the man I had married showed in his blue eyes, but was as quickly gone to be replaced by a look of indifference towards me.

‘Take my arm, wife,’ he said unexpectedly, and I did as I was bid without any conscious thought, and glancing at Kerensa I could see the scowl of her face which for an instant marred her beauty, and I felt pleased with myself, pleased that I was Kieran’s wife and that it was I who held his arm.

The small building where we were to worship was built of the same large sandy red stone as the castle, set back at the side of it. When we stepped into the interior I had a sudden intake of breath for the chapel wasn’t as austere as I had expected it to be. It was charming in its simplicity, carved wood panelling covered the bottom half of the whitewashed walls, ahead of us over the altar was an exquisite stained-glass window, which held my attention as Kieran and I took our places in the front pew.

The congregation complete, which included Megan, the housekeeper and her husband, David, the service commenced. Kerensa who sat on a pew on the other side of the aisle kept glancing across to look at Kieran with a distracted expression on her lovely face.

I felt elated that I was with my husband as we stepped out into the fresh air once Kieran took my arm, and I could see that the lovely Miss Templeton was irate at this. We left her standing there like an abandoned child.

‘Walk with me,’ came Derrick’s voice as he took Kerensa’s arm. And as I turned back to look, I could see an unattractive scowl on the young woman’s face; whereas my heart was singing and as I clasped my husband’s arm tighter he looked down at me and smiled.

Later on in my room, removing the exquisite bonnet and placing it on the bed, something caused me to go over and try the connecting door, some instinct made me do it and as I tried the handle the door flew open to reveal Kieran’s very masculine bedroom, which was decorated in colours of brown and beige.

Swiftly I closed the door, I was incensed and set off along the corridor and down the staircase in search of Mrs Burnet. I was directed to the housekeeper’s quarters by Ginny, who looked somewhat startled at my sudden overbearing manner, but I gave little thought to this as I walked down a clean but shabby narrow corridor to the room the head maid had directed me to

I knocked on the door and David’s voice called for me to enter, both he and his wife seemed startled to see me.

‘Why mistress!’ said Mrs Burnet in a shocked manner, ‘Whatever ails you? Do come and sit down, you look as white as a sheet,’ she said, urging me to sit on a small red chair.

‘I’m sorry to intrude, Mrs Burnet,’ I apologised, watching David as he sat on a chair by the small dining table lighting his pipe, this fascinated me and I must have watched him too intently for the housekeeper walked over to him and took the pipe from his mouth saying, ‘Don’t smoke in front of the young mistress, David. Now go and make her a nice cup of tea,’ she instructed her husband. David left the room through a doorway into what must have led to a scullery for I could hear the kettle being filled with water.

Now while my David is gone, you tell me what’s amiss,’ she said sitting opposite me and taking one of my hands in hers.

‘The door in my room,’ I began, ‘it’s unlocked once more.’ At my words, Mrs Burnet looked at me with sympathy in her eyes.

‘I’m sorry, mistress Barbara, truly I am,’ she said squeezing my hand, ‘but the master ordered me to unlock it.’

‘Well, I’m asking you now to lock it again,’ I instructed her. ‘Please lock it and give me the key, that’s the best idea,’ I said suddenly feeling much better at this wonderful notion of mine, for if I had the key no-one could unlock it again.

‘Well, you’re the mistress without a doubt,’ agreed Mrs Burnet releasing my hand and going over to her bunch of keys which I could see hung on a large hook by the fireplace. She brought them over to me and after a struggle released the said key and handed it to me just as David brought in a tray of tea and biscuits which he deposited on a small table by his wife’s chair.

‘There you are, Pegs,’ he said, ‘while you’re taking tea with the mistress, I’ll go and clear some snow before darkness falls.’

Left on our own, Mrs Burnet poured some tea.

‘It’s not really my place to say, mistress, but I can see you’re unhappy about something, and that grieves me to see that you are in this large castle with hardly a friend to your name,’ she said kindly.

‘I’m used to being alone, for hours at a time on occasions, Mrs Burnet,’ I told her.

‘I know it’s not the done thing, but when we are on our own I’d be so pleased if you’d call me Peggy, the last mistress did.’ Here she stopped and I interrupted her train of thought.

‘What exactly happened to Annabel?’ I asked her, snatching the chance. ‘Megan said you’d tell me.’

‘It was a rare accident that befell the master’s first wife,’ began Peggy Burnet. I smiled at her encouragingly as she continued, ‘The poor girl slipped and fell at the waterfall into the water below, her body has never been found.’

‘So how do you know what happened?’ I queried.

‘Because the master was there. He did all he could to save her by all accounts, but it was in vain. Right sorry I was as she was a lovely young woman, a bit like you, she even looked like you in some ways, but now she’s gone.’ And the housekeeper looked ahead of her with her own private thoughts.

‘And was she happy? Annabel I mean.’ For I needed to know the answer to this important question.

‘She was very happy, lit up the whole place with her smile, and yet there was something not quite right, now and then she would have a faraway look on her face.’

‘And did they marry here at the castle?’ Was my next question.

‘Bless me no, mistress. The master brought her back one day, just like he did you, but with a couple of hours warning.’ Here she stopped and I wondered if I could press her farther.

‘And how long were they together before this unfortunate accident?’ I asked.

‘About two months would be my reckoning,’ Mrs Burnet told me. ‘But don’t you go dwelling on all that I’ve told you, mistress. I just want you to be happy, a young woman like you deserves some joy in life. Look at me, I’ve been married to my David for nigh on thirty years.’

Walking back across the large hallway I encountered Derrick. ‘Barbara, we have been looking for you, everyone is waiting for you to join us in the drawing-room for our weekly evening of music,’ he told me.

‘I would prefer to go to my room,’ I said, the key to the communicating door burning in the pocket of my velvet skirt. I desperately wished to lock the door before Kieran went to his room for the night.

‘Please join us, Barbara, it would please me to have my beautiful young sister-in-law for company,’ Derrick cajoled me.

‘As you asked so sweetly I will join you for a short while,’ I agreed as Derrick put his hand beneath my elbow and steered me towards the drawing-room, somewhere I’d not been before.

On entering the room, the first person I saw was Kerensa sitting on a stool by an upright piano which was beautifully made of walnut.

My thoughts drifted back to Kerensa, she had removed her cloak, the creamy white of her skin almost matched her gown and her hair now flowed freely once more down her back. It was an uncharitable thought, but I knew that if Miss Templeton could play the piano, I could play it as well as her, since I was a young child I had played and I loved music.

‘Barbara!’ exclaimed Justine, who sat on a cream settle by the magnificent onyx fireplace. The whole of the large room was impressive, most of the room was in cream, including the curtains which gave a light airy feel to the room, the tables and sideboards were in contrast of dark wood which the cream colour complimented perfectly. ‘Where have you been?’ Justine asked for the second time.

‘I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve been getting to know our housekeeper better,’ I told her.

‘What you do here is entirely of your own making, dear, as after all you are the mistress of Rowan Castle.’ Did I detect some displeasure in Justine’s voice I thought just as we were interrupted by Kerensa.