A Strange Affair (6 page)

‘What has happened to you, Kieran?’ she said in a rage, stamping her foot and looking at me with hatred in her eyes. ‘You’ve surely not fallen for the mouse!’ she screamed, total contempt in her voice.

‘These games have got to stop, for games they are,’ Kieran told her sharply. ‘You are old enough now to have respect for people and thankfully I have just come to realise it. Now, go and find something to do.’

I was amazed at Kieran’s words, had their closeness just been some game he indulged in to please her? Even if this was the case, he had failed to see that the young woman was besotted by him.

‘I have a new sampler you can stitch,’ I offered her kindly.

‘Sampler! You can keep your sampler. I have no time for ladies’ mundane pursuits, far better to be out riding a horse with the wind in your hair,’ she said to me with some disdain. Then she looked back at Kieran, ‘And you, sir, will tire of this woman for she has no fire in her blood.’ With which words she flounced off in the direction of the drawing-room where a moment later we heard the sound of the piano being played with gusto.

‘I apologise for Kerensa’s rudeness. I will not let her be rude to you again, she may have the fire in her blood but you are a gentlewoman and deserve better,’ he assured me.

As Kieran left me to keep an appointment in Llanberis, which I assumed to be pertaining to Annabel, I made my way to the ballroom for I wished to see the picture of Rowan Falls once more. As I entered the vast room I looked around me, imagining people in vibrant-coloured clothes whirling around the floor in celebration and me in my beautiful shimmering turquoise gown and my husband captivated by it.

But these were daydreams and would no doubt never take place now. I had a strong feeling that my marriage was indeed a sham and yet I had today once more seen the better side of the man I had married.

As I lay in bed that night thinking of our visit to the waterfall, I felt that a warm glow surrounded me. I could hear the crackle of the fire as it burned low in the hearth and hear my heart beating at the thought of my husband, who indeed may not be my husband, and I resolved to set the wheels in motion tomorrow to find out for certain for I needed to know.

As these thoughts warmed me and I was about to fall asleep I imagined I heard the sound of someone sobbing. I listened again and realised I had not imagined it, somewhere close by a woman was sobbing. Swiftly I got out of bed, it seemed to be coming from the chimney breast. Was it Kerensa?

I wondered as I listened to the painful sound, but it could not be her for her room I had learned was at the other end of the corridor. Then who was it? The sound subsided and I got back into bed listening for some time, but the sound didn’t come again and I drifted into a peaceful slumber resolving to ask Mrs Burnet who slept on the other side of the chimney.

6

Next morning after Megan had helped me prepare for breakfast in my grey day dress she went in search of Mrs Burnet for me. Half-an-hour later the housekeeper appeared in my room, the keys jangling at her waist.

‘Megan said you wished to see me, mistress,’ she said.

‘Can you tell me, Mrs Burnet, who sleeps in the room the other side of my chimney breast?’ I asked her.

This morning after thinking it over I was more perplexed than ever as I’d been to Justine’s room so I knew it wasn’t her, so if it wasn’t Justine or Kerensa, who else could it be? Apart from myself they were the only females in the castle excluding the servants, and surely it couldn’t possibly be one of them, I waited with some anticipation for the housekeeper’s reply.

‘It’s the uninhabited wing of the castle, mistress,’ she told me looking somewhat perplexed herself. No-one sleeps there to my knowledge, why do you ask?’

At Peggy Burnet’s question I hesitated as to whether to tell her but decided I could trust her. ‘I heard the sound of weeping and it appeared to be coming from behind the chimney.’

‘That’s strange, mistress.’ And at her words I was waiting for her to ask me if I’d imagined it, but she didn’t.

‘Have you any idea whose room it is the other side of the chimney?’ I asked.

‘Well I think it was the mistress’ room,’ offered Peggy Burnet.

‘You mean my husband’s first wife?’ I said feeling more perplexed than ever.

‘Bless me, no,’ was her reply, ‘It was the old master’s wife who slept in that room, the first mistress Annabel.’

‘And have you the key to this room?’ I then asked.

‘I have, mistress, but no-one is to go there,’ the housekeeper said with some alarm.

‘You agree that I am the mistress here?’ I asked gently.

‘I do indeed,’ she replied adamantly.

‘Then please give me the key. If anyone challenges you then it is my fault,’ I instructed her.

‘Very well,’ she agreed, ‘but I must accompany you, you will never find it with all these corridors being like a maze,’ the housekeeper said kindly.

‘I’ll meet you back here after breakfast if you are agreeable, shall we say ten o’clock?’ I suggested.

‘That suits me fine, mistress. I can get on with my other tasks in the meantime,’ Peggy agreed.

‘And please Peggy, tell no-one,’ I told her as she left the room.

‘Don’t worry, mistress. I can keep my mouth closed,’ the housekeeper assured me and I did indeed trust her.

Entering the dining room I could see that Kerensa was there in earnest conversation with Derrick, they both stopped talking when they saw me.

‘Please don’t let me interrupt your conversation,’ I told them as I served myself some breakfast and then seating myself opposite Derrick I helped myself to coffee. Kerensa wore the colour green today once more, which suited her admirably, matching her startling green eyes.

‘And where is your husband?’ she asked almost civilly, but I detected the hint of sarcasm in her petulant voice.

‘I have no idea,’ I answered, wishing that I had so that I could surprise her with my answer.

‘He could be anywhere on the estate,’ offered Derrick smiling at me. It’s a sad business about Annabel,’ he observed, not looking at me as he spoke, but down at his plate.

‘Yes it is,’ I said quietly, ‘but it was to be expected.’

‘What would you know about what is to be expected in this household?’

Kerensa turned on me. ‘You are an intruder just as Annabel was.’ At her words I noticed that today, Derrick did not jump to my defence.

‘I am not an intruder and nor was poor Annabel,’ I retorted, ‘I am Kieran’s wife whether you like it or not.’

‘But Kieran loves me,’ she simpered.

‘To be honest Kerensa, I don’t think that Kieran has ever loved anyone,’ and as I made my way back to my room after this unfortunate encounter I realised that I was probably right. My husband had never loved and found it difficult to do so. Yes, I thought, I am right and I fervently hoped that my husband was starting to fall in love with me.

Mrs Burnet was waiting for me as promised and she led me through a couple of unfamiliar corridors until we stopped outside an oak door in what was obviously a neglected part of the castle.

As we entered the room both the housekeeper and I stood on the threshold and looked at each other with amazement.

The pretty room was for all intents and purposes still occupied, a fire even burned in a small white marble fireplace. We both stepped farther into the room.

‘Well!’ exclaimed Mrs Burnet. ‘This I cannot explain, for believe me when I say that I knew nothing about it, and I’m certain that the servant girls don’t either. It’s a real mystery to be sure.’

The room was cosy and warm with peach-coloured finishings. There was no four-poster bed here, but a charming brass bed head and bed end with a colourful hand-stitched quilt which covered what appeared to be a feather mattress, a snowy white bolster peeping out from beneath.

A beautiful porcelain clock decorated with peach roses stood on the mantel and showed the time as 10.30 which was correct I thought as I looked at the fob watch pinned to my dress. A scent of roses hung in the air and going over to the dressing table I picked up a crystal glass perfume bottle which did indeed contain the perfume, someone had obviously sprayed it recently. Under the window was a towel rail on which were folded towels of peach and white.

‘They are from the laundry room and still smell fresh,’ Mrs Burnet exclaimed picking one up and placing it under her nose. ‘I cannot explain this, it is almost as if someone was living here. Wait ‘til I tell my David.’

‘No, Mrs Burnet,’ I cautioned her. ‘Please tell no-one, not even your husband.’

‘Very well, mistress,’ she agreed, ‘but how are we to solve the mystery? And you heard sobbing you say?’

‘Yes I did and it will be interesting to see if it happens again tonight,’ I said going over to the window. Although we had come down different corridors to this room, the view was the same as mine, only nearer to the rose garden. If this were the first Annabel’s room then I had the distinct feeling she loved roses.

I was loathe to leave this room for the atmosphere was calm and serene but I knew that I must in case the occupant returned unexpectedly, if indeed there was an occupant or was someone keeping Annabel’s memory alive.

That night as I lay in bed mulling over this mystery the sobbing started once more, I looked at the small clock on the table by my bed and I could see it was the hour of midnight.

Putting on my robe I quietly opened my bedroom door and looked down the corridor, I could see there was no one about, and no sign of life at all so I made my way to Annabel’s room, praying I was going in the right direction as one corridor looked very much like another with the carpeting underfoot the same.

Just as I was nearing the neglected corridor Derrick stepped out of a room and it was impossible for me to hide, in any case he had already seen me, he looked somewhat shocked to see me but smiled nonetheless coming towards me.

‘Well, well Barbara,’ he exclaimed, ‘I had not expected you to be wandering around the castle at this time of night in your night attire and with bare feet,’ he said looking down at my feet which were indeed bare, causing me to blush and not knowing what reason I was going to give for me wandering the castle after midnight.

‘I appear to have lost my way,’ I said quickly.

‘Then it is fortunate I was stepping out of my room,’ Derrick said. ‘I will escort you back.’ At these words I said a silent oath for now I would not be able to ascertain if the sobbing were indeed coming from Annabel’s lovely room. As Derrick escorted me back the way I had come, his hand on my elbow, I prayed we would not meet a soul for it would appear to anyone that I was in a compromising position with my husband’s brother. Thankfully we met no-one and as I stood with Derrick outside my bedroom door bidding him goodnight he took me in his arms.

‘What are you doing?’ I exclaimed.

‘I have really taken to you Barbara, and just wish to hold you. If your marriage to Kieran proves to be unlawful then please marry me. I promise I will treat you with the respect you deserve, unlike the way my brother treats you.’

I was shocked at his words for I had not seen it coming, except that the day I had visited the falls with Kieran I had thought Derrick to be jealous and it would now appear my instinct was right. Just as Derrick bent towards me to kiss me I managed to wriggle free.

‘How dare you, Sir! We will speak no more of this,’ I told him angrily, ‘I bid you goodnight.’

‘You will see that I am better for you than my brother ever will be,’ were his words as I closed the door on him wishing I could lock it. I leant against the door for some time hoping that he wouldn’t trouble me again and after a short while I heard his footsteps walking down the corridor.

I breathed a sigh of relief and got back into bed, but my sleep that night was a restless one and I wondered if Derrick’s proposal had been genuine, but I assured myself that I would not put myself in that situation again with my husband’s brother no matter what a charming person he was.

A week passed after the incident, I saw Derrick several times when he was his usual self and I began to imagine that the unfortunate incident had been a figment of my imagination. Kieran was charming and kept his distance from Kerensa much to her chagrin, but I saw little of my husband and we were no nearer to finding out if our marriage were indeed legal but that was all to change very soon, the sobbing had ceased also for a week.

It was today that Justine and I were to travel back to Mrs Harding. the dressmaker, We decided to take the carriage as although nearing the end of February the cloudy skies were laden with rain, but thankfully the snow had not returned to keep us indoors.

I was very excited about our outing and anxious to see what Mrs Harding had done with the materials I’d chosen.

‘Come in,’ she said as she met us at the door. She took us to a large room at the back of the house where there were three tailors’ dummies. On one hung my beautiful ball gown.

‘How enchanting!’ I enthused, going over to it and running the pale turquoise silk through my fingers. I’d never seen a dress as exquisite as this let alone having one belong to me. ‘Can I try it on first?’ I asked like an anxious child wishing to play with a new toy.

‘Let us see the other gowns first,’ suggested Justine. ‘It is far better to save the best until last.’

‘I’ve made you four day dresses and two evening gowns,’ Mrs Harding told me. ‘I’ll just get my seamstress, Polly, to help me bring them in.’

While Mrs Harding was gone I went back over once more to the gown, marvelling at how the three roses at the neckline looked so real.

‘You are really taken with that gown, aren’t you,’ said Justine indulgently just as Mrs Harding returned with Polly and a couple of my dresses. Trying them on I marvelled that the dressmaker had got everything right from the size to the length. I looked at my reflection in the mirror at the lilac dress I was wearing, the neckline and wrists edged with cream lace and just as I had felt wearing the wine-coloured velvet I could hardly believe it was me.

It was the same with the other gowns in pinks and blues, I was overwhelmed by it all and by the time I tried my ballgown on I was almost in tears, realising my good fortune and I knew that I had Kieran to thank for marrying me a few weeks ago. How I prayed that things would work out between us for we had certainly reached a tacit understanding during the past week.

Polly and Mrs Harding slipped the ball gown over my head and it fell into place with little arranging, the turquoise silk shimmered in the daylight and I bent down to pick up the hem allowing me to admire the small turquoise flowers which had been stitched perfectly to it.

‘You look beautiful, Barbara, my brother will not be able to resist you when he sees you, and I suggest a long pair of white gloves will finish the effect admirably. Don’t you agree, Mrs Harding?’ She looked to the dressmaker for advice.

‘I agree totally,’ she said.

‘Would you like to wear one of your new gowns for our return to the castle?’ Justine asked.

‘Could I?’ I asked, not having thought it.

‘Of course you can,’ laughed Justine.

Reluctantly I let them remove the ball gown, the soft silk feeling luxurious on my skin. I selected a cornflower blue gown to wear back to the castle, it had a high necked pointed bodice with full skirts and lace of perfect blue stitched at the neckline.

As we left Mrs Harding’s I felt a different woman, my experiences since I had arrived at Rowan Castle had transformed me from a quiet, shy, retiring young woman into a self-assured one.

‘Mistress!’ exclaimed Megan as I stepped into my room. ‘You look right beautiful and the colour suits you perfectly.’

‘Thank you,’ I replied enjoying the compliment. Megan was replenishing the fire and as she got to her feet she asked where the other gowns were. ‘They are following later,’ I told her.

‘I can’t wait to see them, truly I can’t,’ she said excitedly. ‘The master was looking for you earlier,’ she then told me. ‘I told him you’d be back mid-afternoon. I hope I did the right thing.’