Love Is My Reason (17 page)

“
Hello. That looks as though you
’
re glad to see me back.
”

“
Terribly glad!
”
She stood there laughing and flushing because of the unexpected warmth of their greeting.
“
But you said you wouldn
’
t be home for some days.
”

“
I found I could manage it, after all, and I wanted to see how you got on during your first day in England. How have things been? All right?
”

“
Oh, yes!
”
Everything was all right, now that David was home.

“
Nothing much happened?
”

“
Well—yes.
”
She suddenly recalled the day
’
s events.
“
Rather a lot of things have happened. For one thing, Martin Deane is alive, after all. He has been found—in America.
”

So she repeated the news and, briefly, described what they knew so far.

“
Mrs. Preston and Celia are here now,
”
she added, with that curious feeling of regret which so often visited her when it became obvious that she and David could not remain happily isolated from the day-to-day affairs of other people.

“
Are they? I must go and see them.
”
He immediately made a move towards the drawing-room. Then he paused and put him arm round her.

“
This makes a great difference to you, Anya.
”

“
In a way, yes. But it doesn
’
t matter, really,
”
she assured him.

“
Doesn
’
t it?
”
He looked at her, half puzzled, half amused.
“
How is that?
”

“
Well, it
’
s a long story, and I think I
’
ll have to tell you later. But it
’
s something lovely—wonderful!
”
And her eyes shone as she recalled Bertram
’
s glowing prophecies about her and she thought how relieved and delighted David would be to find he no longer had to regard her as a pressing and heavy responsibility.

He still looked amused, and rather curious.

“
Can
’
t you tell me now? You excite my curiosity.
”

“
No. Besides Bertram will explain it better.
”

“
Bertram?
”
Something quite indefinable very faintly chilled the atmosphere.
“
What has he got to do with it?
”

“
You
’
ll hear presently. But come into the drawing-room now. I
’
m sure Mrs. Preston will want to tell you her news
herself. And Celia—I mean the others—won
’
t like it if I keep you waiting out here so long.
”

He made no query about the accidental inclusion of Celia
’
s name. But he came with her then, without further comment, into the drawing-room.

Everyone exclaimed, in varying degrees of surprise and pleasure, at the sight of him, and Celia made room for him on the settee beside her. It was a perfectly natural gesture, completely in keeping with their relationship, but Anya felt a frightening little stab of jealousy as he
took the seat offered.

Then, as soon as he had explained his unexpected return, Celia began to tell him the news about Martin, and, although Mrs. Preston joined in at various points, somehow the story now became a touching version of a reunion between brother and sister.

Anya was astonished to hear what genuine feeling Celia put into her attractive, flexible voice, and for a moment one could almost see the tears trembling on her long lashes.

“
Oh, David! It
’
s such a wonderful day for us!
”
she exclaimed, smiling up at him as though her happiness were all the greater for her being able to share it with him.

David was touched, Anya saw.

“
I
’
m sure it is, my dear,
”
he said, with feeling.
“
And we all share in it.
”

“
Except poor Anya.
”
That was Mrs. Preston, unnecessarily regretful.
“
I
’
m afraid it must be difficult for her to rejoice.
”

“
I don
’
t think so,
”
David said quickly.
“
Besides—
”
he smiled across at Anya
—“
she tells me she has had good news too, though she is a bit mysterious about it.
”

Everyone looked surprisedly at Anya, who flushed and explained quickly,

“
It isn
’
t exactly good news. It
’
s just that—that
—
”

She turned appealing to Bertram.
“
You explain, Bertram.
”

Bertram smiled indulgently.

“
I suppose you
’
re all worrying yourselves about the problem of Anya
’
s future, now it has been established that she
’
s not Mrs. Preston
’
s granddaughter. Well, the problem has more or less solved itself. She happens to have a rare form of stage talent which cries out for development. I propose to develop it. That
’
s all.
”

“
You
propose to?
”
There was no disguising the annoyance in David
’
s tone. While Mrs. Preston clasped her hands like a pleased child and cried,

“
Why, how splendid!
Everything
seems to be working out perfectly today.
”

“
But is she
so
talented?
”
That was Celia, frankly sceptical and not at all pleased to have the limelight turned on Anya again.
“
How can you be sure?
”

“
By trusting to my own judgment, which is excellent,
”
replied Bertram drily.
“
And before you begin raising objections, Mama, let me tell you that my mind is quite made
up.”

“I
t
’
s all extremely sudden,
”
Lady Ranmere objected.

“
Discoveries are apt to be sudden,
”
Bertram assured her lightly.
“
And Anya is a discovery.
”

“
And what has Anya herself to say to all this?
”
enquired David quietly—even a little drily.

“
Why, it
’
s wonderful! It
’
s the most glorious discovery. I-isn
’
t it?
”
she added timidly, suddenly aware that his enthusiasm fell very far short of what she had expected.

“
I don
’
t know, Anya. If you say so, I suppose it is.
”

She longed to ask him what was the matter—if she had, in some way, displeased him. But Celia was sitting beside him, noticing every word, and chilling every opportunity of warm understanding between them.

“
It would make me independent, able to stand on my own feet. I shouldn
’
t have to go to—to anyone for—anything,
”
Anya pressed, wishing that David would see the practical advantages to himself, without her having to point them out.

“
And that is something you want very much?
”

“
Why, of course!
”
Surely he must know that she didn
’
t
like
being a burden to him.

“
Well, then, I do see there are advantages to the plan, if we can work it out in a practical way. How long would this
—
training take, do you suppose?
”
He turned to his cousin, and spoke with coolness rather than friendliness.

“
Hard to say. Three months—four months. It rather depends on what opening offers. One can always intensify that kind of training, or spread it out. And there is no need to hurry things I suppose—
”
Bertram turned carelessly to
his mother
—“
Anya would go on living here while she was training. She could travel up to town three or four times a week.
”

There was a curious moment of silence.

Lady Ranmere was an hospitable woman, and she owned a large and well-run house. But from the moment she had heard Bertram begin to express his inexplicable interest in this attractive mystery girl from nowhere, all wish to have Anya beneath her roof evaporated. The idea that she might be settled there for a matter of months suddenly appeared to Lady Ranmere in the light of a menace.

“
There is no need to settle details just yet,
”
she said
—
an evasion she would have despised in anyone else.
“
Of course Anya may stay here for the time being. But
—”

“
Darling,
I
have the solution!
”
cried Mrs. Preston, and for once her impulsive eagerness was music in Lady Ranmere
’
s ear.
“
Anya must come and stay with us. Yes, of course she must! I shan
’
t feel so badly then about raising her hopes of coming into our family. It
’
s the least I can do. And I
’
ll be happy to have her.
”

Indescribable dismay struck a chill to Anya
’
s heart. And, for the first time in all their acquaintances, she glanced at Celia with something like hope. For surely Celia would not allow such an arrangement.

But Celia, although she smiled, had a shuttered look upon her face, as she said agreeably,

“
I think it
’
s an excellent idea. We owe Anya some hospitality. And our having her will relieve Lady Ranmere of any—anxiety.
”

“
There is no anxiety connected with Anya,
”
David exclaimed, somewhat nettled.
“
And I don
’
t know that we want any hasty rearrangements of this sort. Do we?
”
He looked en
qui
ringly at his aunt, whose house, after all, this was.

“
We shouldn
’
t do anything hastily, as you put it.
”
Lady Ranmere, uncharacteristically, did not meet her nephew
’
s glance.
“
But the idea is excellent, as Celia says. I am out a great deal, which would make it quiet and lonely for Anya here. She would have much more company with Teresa. And now that no—complication is involved, I do think she would be happier there.
”

“
Then it
’
s settled!
”
Mrs. Preston looked delighted. While Anya bit her lip and with difficulty kept herself from crying,

“
I should
not
be happier there! I don
’
t want to go away from here! I don
’
t want to leave David! I don
’
t know what has happened. It
’
s all gone wrong suddenly. David isn
’
t pleased about my acting, as I thought he
’
d be. And I
’
m being banished—sent away—where I shall hardly ever see him. Oh, please let me stay!
”

But of course she could not say anything like that. She had to smile and look grateful for Mrs. Preston
’
s eagerly expressed hospitality. She even had to seem not to mind that everything was being arranged over her head.