Obsession (20 page)

Getting swiftly to his feet, Brook chuckled as, ignoring the footman, he crossed the room and said, ‘Only one kiss, my love, and then regrettably I shall have to leave you. Hollingsworth has asked me to look at the new coups and runs he has made for the pheasant chicks he is rearing for the shoot. He says we shall have an excellent year’s sport. What with the ducks on the lake being so prolific this early in the year, and the ducklings likely to survive now he has got rid of the pike which took most of them last year.’

As they walked arm in arm from the room, Harriet said, ‘I do hate the thought that the birds have to be killed, Brook. I know there would be insufficient sport for you all were you not to raise the chicks but …’

Brook sighed before he interrupted her, saying, ‘Can’t change our national sporting heritage, Harriet, and when Charlie is older I’ll be teaching him how to shoot. Won’t do to have him soft-hearted. I think his grandfather has already bought him a 410; I had to remind him Charlie was still only two-and-a-half years old!’

‘Your father spoils him quite dreadfully,’ Harriet replied, laughing.

Brook nodded. ‘Bound to happen, the boy being the only one. It will rectify itself when younger ones come along.’

Seeing the expression on Harriet’s face, he added quickly, ‘I shouldn’t be impatient, I know. Doctor Tremlett assured me that although you haven’t managed it again yet, there is no reason why you cannot have more babies now you’ve produced this one. Meanwhile, I for one am more than content with that rascal of ours.’ He crossed the room to ring the bell for his valet.

A terrible stab of guilt, almost unbearable, pierced Harriet’s heart, and she longed desperately to be able to confess her deception whilst knowing it was far too late to do so. Instead, she forced a smile to her face as she followed Brook into the hall.

Hastings was waiting to give Brook his linen coat and felt hat. Brook dropped another kiss on Harriet’s head and disappeared through the front door with his valet.

Upstairs, Ellen was laying out a chip hat trimmed with a posy of violets for Harriet to wear with the new paletot mantle trimmed with lace that she would be wearing that morning.

When Harriet was dressing with Ellen’s help ten minutes later she was delighted to hear the sound of carriage wheels in the driveway below her window and see Felicity alight.

It had now become habitual for Felicity to visit Hunters Hall no less than three times a week. Very occasionally, Harriet wished she and Brook were able to enjoy those afternoons alone together if he was at home, but at other times she thoroughly enjoyed the older woman’s company. Brook, too, enjoyed her slightly risqué conversation, and remarked very favourably on the attention she devoted to young Charlie if the little boy was in their company. Children in other households spent most of their time with their nannies in the nursery, but now that Charlie had progressed from babyhood to that of a child with whom he, Brook, could converse, and who wanted nothing more than to be with his papa, Brook loved to have his company.

Whilst such occasions gave Harriet great pleasure, there were others when she was reminded painfully of the little boy’s real parentage. He had discovered the pianoforte in the drawing room, and whenever he was permitted, would kneel on the piano stool and try to find the right keys to produce the sound of one of Maire’s songs. Fortunately, Brook’s mother had been very accomplished at the pianoforte and had always been asked to play or sing at soirées, so Brook never queried the child’s unusual talent.

As for Bessie, she was radiant with happiness at being once again a member of Harriet’s household. She had resolutely decided to put all thoughts of eventual marriage to Hastings out of her mind. He had been overjoyed to see her, as she was to see him, but she cared too much for him to let him think she was the innocent girl she’d been before her abduction. She was also too proud to confess the real reason why she had changed her mind about renewing their courtship.

Albeit slowly, she was beginning to forget her ordeal. Although she did not see as much of Harriet as before when she had been her maid, Harriet was a frequent visitor to the nursery and they would sit watching Charlie playing quietly by himself, chatting as if they had not lived apart for over two years.

Hastings was both hurt and demoralized by Bessie’s unexplained rejection and kept his distance. His very obvious avoidance of her was a matter for gossip amongst the maids as to the possible cause of so serious a quarrel between the two of them.

Easy-going and good-natured as Bessie was, she had no difficulty renewing friendships with the rest of the staff with one exception, Ellen. It was not that she resented the woman who had replaced her as Harriet’s lady’s maid. She, too, would have felt it unfair to be dismissed simply because the previous maid had suddenly reappeared. No, it was the way Ellen remained apart from all the staff, never rude or impolite, meticulous where her duties were concerned, but never willing to relinquish the wall of reserve she kept tightly around her.

From the way Harriet spoke, Bessie was in no doubt that she still held first place in Harriet’s affection. Moreover, she loved her somewhat unconventional position as nanny to Charlie. The little boy had quickly taken to her despite the loss of his much-loved Irish nanny.

Bessie was not alone in her dislike of Ellen. Felicity was becoming more and more irritated with her, accusing her of failing to report quarrels or tiffs between husband and wife and threatening that she would withdraw the money she paid her if she did not come up with some results soon. She refused to believe that any married couple, albeit as devoted as were Brook and Harriet, did not on occasions have misunderstandings.

Felicity’s wish to see a rift in the marriage had now become part of her obsession. Her attempt to assuage her desire for Brook by taking a lover only served to do the opposite. Now a regular visitor to her brother in London, she sometimes accompanied him to social gatherings. At one of these, she had met a Frenchman who promptly set about trying to seduce her. Her flamboyant behaviour, and her somewhat masculine liking for alcohol, had led him to believe there was no need to prolong his seduction, which he set about with daily bouquets of flowers and invitations to the theatre, the opera, and dinner. He was encouraged by the fact that Felicity made only half-hearted attempts to keep him at bay.

The resulting affair lasted for two weeks, during which time Felicity strove to assuage the physical desire which tormented her whenever she was in Brook’s vicinity. She failed to do so, and when the Frenchman informed her that he must return to Paris, they parted quite amicably. Her short-lived lover left behind him the present of a beautiful and costly pair of drop earrings, studded with emeralds and pearls. The following day, Felicity returned to Melton Court and renewed her tormented visits to Harriet and Brook.

Felicity’s jealousy of Harriet was becoming harder and harder to conceal. She even pondered during long, wakeful nights, whether there might be some way she could get rid of Harriet since any hope of instigating a rift between husband and wife was looking even less likely. If anything, she thought bitterly, they had become even more united in their shared devotion to their child. The boy was growing older, and with every day was becoming a greater source of pride to Brook.

Felicity now found her need to be physically close to Brook increasingly hard to control. Even though in one way it distressed her to have such desires thwarted, she could not bring herself to stay away, and Harriet provided her with the excuse she needed to be such a constant visitor to Hunters Hall. She had thus succeeded in maintaining a firm, seemingly harmless friendship with the very person who stood between her and the man she wanted for herself.

However unlikely it began to seem, Felicity never doubted that one day Brook would turn to her and desire her the same way she desired him. She had long ago decided that if she could only entice him to one act of unfaithfulness, she would make it so special he would want her again and again …

With this vain hope always in the front of her mind, Felicity dressed for the Harrogates’ ball with the greatest care. Her new white-and-blue-striped satin dress was off the shoulder, the tightly fitting bodice revealing the curves of her ample breasts. The hem of the full skirt was embroidered with beautiful blue and black birds, the little black bows covering the folds fastened with tiny sparkling diamonds.

She had had the dress made in London deliberately for this occasion. Because she was certain that it would appeal to Brook, she disregarded the exceptionally huge sum it had cost her. It came with a spray of blue-black bird-of-paradise feathers to adorn her hair. Her maid had now drawn it back from her forehead and pinned it into elaborate curls. The spray of feathers had then been fastened to her head with a diamond clip. Regarding her reflection with satisfaction, Felicity selected from her jewel case a diamond and jet double-stranded necklace which she fastened round her throat. This done, the maid helped her to pull on her elbow-length, white silk gloves. To complete this ornate ensemble, Felicity clipped a silver and pearl bracelet around one wrist.

The maid regarded her mistress with approval. ‘You look quite magnificent, madam,’ she said. ‘If I may say so, I think you will outshine all the other ladies at the ball.’

Felicity felt a momentary thrill of pleasure at the comment. She certainly intended to be the most noticeable female; for Brook to take note of her voluptuous attributes, so cleverly exhibited by her contours, and which had been so much admired by her French lover.

Harriet, she knew, would be adequately but not outstandingly attired. She had stood beside her at the little dressmaker in Leicester and helped her select a pleasing, if commonplace yellow silk moiré for her gown. It was to have looped sides to the billowing skirt and be decorated with rosebuds and rosettes, these to be draped over her underskirt crinoline.

As Felicity had intended, the effect was quite charming but in no respect as striking as her own attire. Her only concern was that Brook might prefer Harriet’s less conspicuous appearance to her own slightly daring one.

She now waited impatiently for the hour to leave for the ball. There had been many other lesser gatherings in the county but none were of such illustrious note as that of Lord Harrogate and his wife. Felicity had feared that she and Paul might not be invited, but had been thrilled when the invitation for her and her brother had arrived. Paul, more cynical than she was, had not been surprised.

‘All very well for the High and Mighty to look down their noses before Father’s money opened all the doors for us. I found it quite amusing,’ he added, ‘when last month one of the viscount’s grandchildren approached me in my London office enquiring if by chance I had suitable employment for him now he had come down from Oxford. Her Ladyship could hardly have left us off her guest list, could she?’

Felicity had been agreeably surprised. Although the growth of the railways could not be termed ‘trade’, neither was it a gentlemanly profession. To have been excluded would not have particularly bothered her, except that she knew Brook and Harriet had received invitations.

Now she could not wait for the evening to commence, knowing that Brook would have at least one dance with her. She planned to ask the orchestra leader to play the popular new waltz once she knew what number Brook would put his name to on her dance card. She wanted to be close in his arms, not in a quadrille or whirling round the floor in a polka.

It was her intention to slip away during an interval and bribe the orchestra leader to do as she wished, and she was reasonably certain this would not be difficult, having long since learned that there were very few people in employment who were not prepared to fulfil a request if the reward was a generous one.

Harriet, too, was looking forward to the ball, although she had not long since suffered an early miscarriage which had left her with less energy than usual. She’d said nothing of it to Brook, and refused to notify the family doctor. Now, dressing for the occasion, she felt obliged to use rouge on her cheeks, fearing that in her pale yellow ball gown she would look like a faded primrose.

Paul Denning had suggested that as their house passed Hunters Hall on the route to the viscount’s mansion, they should stop by and conduct Brook and Harriet to the ball in their coach. Brook had happily agreed to the suggestion, saying that their accompanying servants could also travel together, in their family Brougham.

It was, therefore, a jolly foursome who presented themselves to their host and hostess on the warm, balmy night of the ball, and although Felicity was tense with anticipation, her plan for the evening had been carefully worked out. It held only one element of risk, which depended upon others rather than herself. First and foremost, she had to ensure that Brook marked her dance card after rather than before the supper dance. For her plan to succeed, their dance must be the popular new waltz which would require her to be in Brook’s arms. She needed to know exactly when it would be played in order to give her time beforehand to ensure this happened when she wished.

The first dance, a polka, was claimed by her brother, Paul, and Brook partnered Harriet. They had agreed to exchange partners for the next dance, but as the music started Felicity told Brook that she had trouble with one of her shoe straps and would have to leave the room. Before doing so, she invited him to put his name down for a later dance after the interval for supper. Unsuspecting of her motives, Brook readily obliged.

As soon as Brook was safely on the floor with another partner, Felicity went in search of a footman. There was no shortage of attendants and wrapping a piece of paper round a half sovereign, she instructed the servant to give it to the orchestra leader, asking that he play a waltz at the time she now knew she would be dancing with Brook.

Returning to the ballroom, Felicity, although not as youthful as some of the girls, did not lack for partners. She glimpsed Brook from time to time and later, as she had expected, he was joined by Harriet for the supper dance. From where Felicity stood at one end of the long buffet table, she could see him talking to his wife who like himself was holding a glass of champagne. Catching Felicity’s eye, he raised his glass to her in a friendly gesture which was enough to start her heart leaping in anticipation.