The Glittering Lights (Bantam Series No. 12) (12 page)

And because she felt it was all too wonderful to put into words or even to contemplate, it was dangerous.

Dangerous because she might forget that it was only a performance, that their relationship had no substance, no foundation in reality.

She was an actress he found pretty and attractive, and he was a Duke who was about to become engaged to a rich heiress.

Cassandra felt as if she had embarked on a journey the end of which she could not foresee.

Her plan of meeting the Duke, of finding out the truth about his interests, and most of all whom he was in love with, appeared to be going well.

Yet there were so many new depths to it, so many hazards and difficulties which she had not anticipated.

The whole idea had been, she thought, a fairy story that she had told herself.

She had imagined it for so many years that to put it into operation had been easy.

Yet now she was afraid, uncertain of what might happen next.

She only knew there was in her an uneasiness, a kind of growing fear that lay beneath the excitement and the sheer delight of being with the Duke, of knowing that she loved him more every minute they were together.

Cassandra was ready a quarter of an hour before the Duke called for her at Bury Street.

Because she could not bear him to see her again in the garish Sitting-Room which belonged to Hetty Henlow, she watched from a window until she saw the carriage arrive.

Then she ran downstairs.

She met him in the Hall and he raised her hand to his lips.

“I have not kept you waiting?” he asked in surprise.

“No, but I thought I would save you climbing two flights,” Cassandra answered.

“You are very considerate.”

She was wearing tonight a white gown which, like the one she had worn the previous night, sparkled with sequins and was ornamented with bunches of artificial flowers.

It was elaborate, beautiful and theatrical.

Hannah had set two white roses in her hair and tonight Cassandra discarded her ear-rings and wore instead a two-string pearl necklace which belonged to her mother.

It was very valuable and she hoped the Duke would think the pearls were artificial, but when she saw him notice them while they were having dinner, she realised he was not deceived.

He took her to dine at Rule’s, a much quieter place than Romanos. It was small and intimate and the other diners were mostly, like themselves, couples who were intensely interested in each other and who wanted to talk in low voices.

“If it seems dull, there will be many more people here after the theatres close,” the Duke apologised.

“I am very content with it as it is,” Cassandra answered.

“That is what I hoped you would say.”

They sat talking over their meal, and afterwards Cassandra found it difficult to remember what they had discussed.

She only knew that the Duke not only made her quiver when his hand touched hers, but he stimulated her mind so that her brain responded to his and everything they said seemed to have a special meaning.

“I have never known a Sandra before,” he said to her one moment during dinner. “I suppose it is a diminutive of Alexandra?”

Cassandra parried the question by saying:

“I hope Your Grace lives up to your name?”

“What do you know about it?” die Duke asked with a smile.

“I know that Marcus Terentius Varro was the greatest scholar of the Roman Republic. He is said to have written more than six hundred books on a wide range of subjects.”

“Where did you look that up?” the Duke enquired. “The British Museum?”

“You know as well as I do that I have had no time to visit Museums since I arrived in London,” Cassandra answered, “but I find the name rather fascinating.”

“And what about its owner?” the Duke enquired.

His eyes looked down into hers and once again she knew he was searching for something. Because his scrutiny made her feel shy, she looked away from him.

“What are you thinking?” he asked in a low voice.

“I am thinking about you.”

“And what conclusions have you reached?”

“Perhaps I was ... trying to read your ... thoughts.”

“Can you do that?”

“Sometimes.”

“Then tell me what I am thinking.”

‘“You are worrying,” Cassandra answered. “I think that you are standing, one might say, at a cross-roads in your life. You have made a decision and you are not certain if it is the right one.”

The Duke stared at her in astonishment.

“How could you know that?”

“Is it true?”

“Yes, it is true. But what you have not seen, is the reason why I am worried.”

“Will you tell me what it is?”

“That is not difficult—it is you!”

She turned to look at him and again his eyes held hers so that she felt something quiver within her and come to life. For a moment they were both spell-bound.

Then, as they looked at each other quite oblivious of their surroundings, a voice said:

“What a pleasant surprise to find you both here!”

Cassandra looked up to see Lord Carwen standing by their table.

“Good-evening, Sandra,” he said and held out his hand.

She did not wish to touch him but she could not help but put her hand in his.

He kissed her fingers lightly, then he put his other hand on the Duke’s shoulder as he would have risen.

“Do not get up, dear boy,” he said. “I have just written to you as it happens, and sent my letter round to White’s.”

“Is it anything of importance?” the Duke enquired.

Cassandra thought there was a worried note in his voice.

“No, it is only an invitation to ask you to stay tomorrow until Monday. Lily will be coming after the theatre tomorrow evening, and there will be various other mutual friends whom you should find amusing.”

“It is very kind of you,” the Duke began, ‘“but...”

“Of course,” Lord Carwen interrupted, “the invitation includes the beautiful Miss Sandra Standish.”

He smiled at Cassandra in a manner which was somehow distasteful.

“I would, pretty little lady, have written to you direct,” he went on, “but you omitted to say good-night to me last night, and so unfortunately I was unable to ask for your address.”

“I am sorry if we seemed ... rude,” Cassandra murmured.

“I missed you “ Lord Carwen said, “and so to assuage my disappointment at not being able to dance with you again, will you come with Varro and stay at my house in the country?”

Cassandra was about to refuse. Then the thought came to her how wonderful it would be to drive into the country with the Duke. They would be together and be able to see more of each other than was possible just by meeting for meals.

As she hesitated, Lord Carwen said to the Duke, with an insistent note in his voice:

“You must come, Varro. I will not take ‘No’ for an answer!”

“Then we have no choice,” the Duke said. “That is, if Sandra will agree.”

“I cannot believe that Sandra would be so hard-hearted as to cast me into the depths of despair by refusing my hospitality,” Lord Carwen said.

He picked up Cassandra’s hand as he spoke and kissed her fingers again.

“I must go back to my party, but I shall expect you both about tea-time tomorrow. Varro will doubtless explain what clothes you will find necessary. I promise you a very entertaining time!”

“Thank you,” Cassandra said in a small voice.

As Lord Carwen walked away, she felt he had cast a shadow over their evening.

Although they stayed for another hour or so, Cassandra was aware of him all the time. He was on the other side of the room surrounded by his friends, yet she felt as if he was eavesdropping at their table.

As if he felt the same, the Duke asked for the bill.

“Do you want to go and stay with him?” he asked.

They both knew to whom he was referring without his mentioning a name.

“No,” Cassandra answered, “but I would like to be in the country with you.”

“Then we will go,” the Duke said decisively, as if there had been a question in his mind about refusing the invitation.

Cassandra had the strange feeling that he was in some way compelled to do what Lord Carwen wished.

Because she wanted to make things easier for him she said:
“It will be nice to see Mrs. Langtry again. Do you think Mr. Gebhard will come with her?”

“But of course,” the Duke replied, “you do not imagine that she would go anywhere without him?”

Cassandra had not thought that it would be possible for a married woman to take another man with her to stay in a country house as if he were her husband.

Then she told herself there were special rules for actresses.

Nevertheless Mrs. Langtry was a lady, and she wondered what her mother would have thought of such behaviour.

The Duke having paid the bill rose and Cassandra preceded him across the room.

So many people had arrived since they had come in that she thought they might have difficulty in finding the velvet wrap that matched her white dress.

Rather than sending a waiter for it, she herself went to the cloakroom.

There were dozens of wraps, cloaks and coats in the charge of a woman wearing a black dress and a white, frilled apron.

“I’m not quite certain which is yours, Madam,” she said apologetically.

Cassandra was helping her find it when there was a little sound behind her. She turned to see a young woman who had just entered the cloak-room collapse slowly onto the floor.

She hurried to her and recognised that she was one of the guests in Lord Carwen’s party.

With the help of the cloak-room attendant Cassandra assisted her to a couch.

“I think the lady has fainted,” she said.

“I’ll get some brandy, Ma’am,” the attendant murmured and hurried away.

Cassandra rubbed the woman’s hands which were very cold and after a moment her eyes fluttered open.

She was pretty in a rather obvious manner, with very fair hair and gold-specked, hazel eyes which held a frightened look.

But Cassandra thought that, unlike Connie Gilchrist, she was obviously well-bred and a lady.

“It is all right,” she said. ‘“You have only fainted. Lie still.”

At that moment the cloak-room attendant came back with a small glass of brandy and Cassandra persuaded the girl to take a few sips.

The spirit brought the colour back into her cheeks, and after a moment she took the glass from Cassandra’s hand and drank a little more.

“It was ... stupid of me,” she said, “but I have been feeling ... ill all the evening.”

“Perhaps you had better go home,” Cassandra suggested. “Is there anyone of your party who will escort you?”

“No, no-one. Lord Carwen invited me to supper last night when I was at his party, and his carriage was waiting for me after the theatre.”

“Shall I send him a message?” Cassandra asked.

“No! No! I do not want to worry him. I do not know him well. He was just filling up the party which he was giving for Sylvia Grey, who is in the cast.”

Cassandra realised she had not recognised the Gaiety star in Lord Carwen’s party, but then she had not looked at them very closely.

“Well, perhaps my friend and I could take you home,” Cassandra said doubtfully. “Do you live far away?”

“No. It is quite a short distance behind Drury Lane.”

“Then that would be the best solution,” Cassandra said. “Are you sure we should not inform Lord Carwen that you are ill?”

“No! All I want to do is go home to bed and lie down. I should not have come. I found it difficult enough to get through the performance.”

“It must have been very hard, feeling as you do,” Cassandra said sympathetically.

Still very pale, her hands shaking a little, the young woman rose to her feet.

“Are you quite sure,” she asked as the cloak-room attendant brought her wrap, “that you do not mind taking me home? I can easily go alone.”

“You are not well enough,” Cassandra answered, “you might faint again.”

“I think—I am all right.”

“Then come along,” Cassandra smiled. “The sooner you are in bed the better. What is your name, by the way?”

“My name is Nancy—Nancy Wood.”

“Then if you are certain you do not wish to say good-bye to Lord Carwen, we will leave a message with the Head-Waiter.”

Cassandra was sure it was best to take the young actress away. She looked so ill that she would be a damper on the gaiety of any party. Putting an arm around her to support her, she helped her outside to where the Duke was waiting. He looked surprised as they appeared.

“This is Miss Nancy Wood,” Cassandra said. “She is performing at the Gaiety and you may have seen her. She is feeling very ill and I said we would take her home.”