The Silk Vendetta (44 page)

”The harm is done now. What are people thinking? They are believing you, of course.”

“I will tell them all that I did not know what I was saying. Sometimes I think Drake hates me. It maddens me … makes me frantic.” I could see that she was beginning to get hysterical again and I had to calm her.

“All right, Julia,” I said. “Let’s try to forget it.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes, I do. Let me tell you that I am not and never have been Drake’s mistress.”

“But he was on the point of marrying you once.”

“He did not ask me to, Julia. Forget it. He has married you.”

“Yes,” she said. “He did that, didn’t he?” She was smiling a little slyly remembering I supposed how she had tricked him.

In spite of everything I was sorry for her. She was a poor hysterical woman. She might be rich but life had not gone very well for her. She had been obsessed with Drake from the moment she had seen him and would clearly use any means, however dishonest, to get him.

“Do let’s try to forget it,” she said with a smile.

I thought: With London society aware of it? What harm was this going to do to Drake’s career? A politician with an unstable wife could not hope for advancement. Perhaps even now the damage done was irrevocable.

I had not seen Drake since the outburst and I did not really want to. I feared what he might have to say for I believed he would be more eager to get away from Julia than ever. His career was in jeopardy. It might, even now, be impossible to save it.

But Julia was here before me. She was truly contrite. I was sure her remorse was genuine. It was true that she had been intoxicated and had not realized what she had said. What was the use of railing against her? I must try hard to remember that when she had drunk too much she did not know what she was saying. She was pitiful.

“I am going to try to give up drinking,” she said. “I am sure I can if I try hard enough. It helps me, you see, Lenore. It helps me to forget. I wanted so much to help Drake, and then I did what I did the other night. It was seeing you dancing with him … and he looked so happy. I said to myself: Why is he not like that with me, and before I knew what I was doing …”

“Please, Julia, do understand that he is just a good friend of mine. He married you. …”

“Yes, he married me. So we are friends again, aren’t we, Lenore?”

Cassie was looking at me pleadingly.

“Yes,” I said, “we are friends.”

Before the week was out a tragedy occurred which sent our little scandal to the back of people’s minds.

Charles’s house was burned down.

He had been alone in the upper part of the house. The servants were all in the basement. Charles had had a guest to dinner and had ordered that he was not to be disturbed. The guest must have departed for there was no sign of her. Charles had had a lucky escape. His valet, who had had the night off, had returned earlier than expected. Fortunately he had smelt the smoke coming from Charles’s room. When he opened the door the flames shot out. He called to Charles, and there was no answer but he was convinced that Charles was in that room. Wrapping a damp towel about his face he investigated. Charles was sprawled across the bed, presumably overcome by fumes. He was unconscious but the valet, a very resourceful man, dragged him to safety. He gave Charles artificial respiration and by doing so saved his life.

Charles had indeed been fortunate. He could so easily have died in the fire and would certainly have done so but for the prompt action of his valet.

Julia cast aside her depression and became quite energetic. Charles’s wife, Helen, was away in the north of England. There was no need for her to be disturbed, said Julia. Charles should come and live with her until something could be sorted out.

Katie was too observant not to have noticed that something was wrong.

“What did Aunt Julia do?” she asked. I pretended to look puzzled.

”It was something,” she went on. ”People’s mouths go straight when they talk about it as though they think it was wrong and are rather pleased about it.”

“Oh … she is not very well.”

“She seems well. She has such red cheeks. They are purple too.”

I said to her on impulse: ”How would you like to go to Paris?”

”When are we going?”

“I didn’t say that I would. I wondered if you would like to go and stay with the Countess.”

“And leave you here?” She was dismayed.

“I…I thought you might like it.”

“Why can’t you come?”

“Well, there are things to keep me here and I thought you might like to go.”

“I could see Raoul and the Comte. I’d like that but I’d want you to be there, too. Besides, the Comte wouldn’t come to see me, would he? He comes to see you.”

I was surprised at how much she knew. Children are far more aware than one sometimes realizes. I wondered how much she knew about the Comte’s pursuit of me and my involvement with Julia and Drake.

Grand’mere came in. “Grand’mere,” said Katie, “Mama thinks I might go to Paris.”

Grand’mere looked at me and I said hastily: “I thought Katie might like to go there for a while and stay with the Countess.”

“Without you?” asked Grand’mere.

“Somehow I feel I ought to be here.”

Grand’mere nodded.

“I wouldn’t want to go without Mama,” said Katie.

“I think you should both stay here for a while,” added Grand’mere.

Afterwards she said: “You wouldn’t want the child to go without you.”

“It was just that I was thinking she might see more than we realize. She is aware that something is happening. She might have heard scraps of gossip. Children do. I thought it might be a good idea for her to get away for a while.”

Grand’mere shook her head slowly. “No … no, better that you should be together.”

I was disturbed when Charles came to see me. He looked very jaunty in spite of his recent experience.

It was afternoon. Cassie had gone to the park with Katie. Grand’mere was resting and I was alone, working on some accounts. Since the scandal I did not dare to meet people.

One of the maids came in to say that Mr. Sallonger had called to see me.

I was on the point of telling her to say that I was out when he appeared at the door. That was typical of Charles. Anticipating my desire not to see him, he was determined to flout it.

“Lenore, how marvellous to see you!”

He came forward. The maid shut the door and we were alone.

“Well,” he said, “congratulate me. Did you realize I have been snatched from the jaws of death?”

I said: “Congratulations.”

“Jedder is a good fellow. It would have been kingdom come for me but for him.”

“You must be very grateful.”

“Oh, I am. I have no desire to slip off this mortal coil just yet. And Lenore, as always, you look enchanting. I’ve brought something for you.”

He produced a picture.

“A memento of a memorable night,” he said.

It was the photograph which had been taken at Julia’s party. It was very clear and we were all recognizable: Charles, Cassie, Madalenna, two other men and myself.

“Very good, do you not think so?”

I wanted no memento of that night. It was one which I was trying hard to forget.

“It is very clear of us all,” I said.

I put it into a drawer. I could not bear to look at it.

“I thought you might like to have it,” he said mockingly.

“It is a night I prefer to forget.”

“Oh, you are thinking of Julia’s outburst.” He laughed. ”Poor Julia! Very far gone, I’m afraid. I was, too, on that night of the fire, you know. It must run in the family. I was entertaining a lady diner a deux… and I don’t remember a thing. Well, Julia certainly let herself go. She’s being a good sister to me now. Do you know, there is very little left. My Chippendale bureau is gone … burned to a cinder… also some of my Hepplewhite pieces. I really had some good stuff in that house.”

“I thought you might have gone down to The Silk House for a while.”

“Oh, there is too much to do in London.”

“And is Helen coming back?”

“There doesn’t seem to be any reason for her to hurry. We get along because we don’t see very much of one another. It’s a good recipe for marriage.”

“You are quite cynical.”

“Realism. That’s what I call it. Julia is playing the Good Samaritan and Drake has no objections so I might as well stay at their place till I find a new nest in London. But I haven’t come to talk about all that.”

I raised my eyebrows, and he smiled at me coming towards the table at which I was standing. I had not sat down nor had I invited him to do so since he had come in.

“What did I come to talk about? you are asking. Well, I will tell you. I came to talk about us.”

“Us?”

“Yes … you and myself.”

“What have you to say about us?”

“That we should be better friends. I’m a little jealous… of Drake. You seem to be so fond of him … and really you shouldn’t be. After all, he is Julia’s husband and it’s in the family … more or less. I get really angry when I think about you and Drake, and how you are leaving me out in the cold.”

“You are talking nonsense.”

“I don’t think that would be the general opinion after …”

“I don’t think there is anything to say.”

“There is a great deal to say. I am rather obsessed with you, Lenore. I can’t get you out of my mind. You flout me. You are so virtuous … on the surface. Such an innocent child, weren’t you when you captured Philip. But tell me, why did Philip kill himself?”

“I am not sure that he did.”

“Oh, come now. Do you think I murdered him? Out of jealousy perhaps, because he had the prize I coveted. No, my dear, that is not so. I believe he discovered something about you. He had a rather austere outlook on life, did Philip. He was the knight in shining armour. Anything less than perfection would have shocked him deeply. What did he discover about you, Lenore?”

“You are being ridiculous.”

“Such a dark horse you can be. Just think of it. Illegitimate daughter of the house of St. Allengere. Papa turns up just in time to help with the business. The little waif who marries one of the Sallonger heirs. Very romantic—melodramatic, in fact, particularly when the husband commits suicide. You’d think that would be enough but oh no, not for Lenore. She has to fascinate poor Julia’s husband. Ambitious politician. Then there is the problem for the poor man. All the world well lost for love?”

“I do not want to listen to any more.”

”I am afraid you will have to. Did you know I am not a very nice man?”

“That is one thing on which we can agree.”

He caught my arm. “But people who are not so nice can be attractive, you know.”

“You, however, are not so to me.”

“Be careful. I should warn you that I can also be a vindictive fellow. Remember the mausoleum?”

”I shall never forget it.”

“And how kind and noble Drake rescued you, and not content with that he had to show his knightly qualities by throwing me in the lake. I don’t forget that either. There are old scores to settle there.”

“Charles, I wish you would go.”

I wrenched my arm free, but he came close to me so that his face was almost touching mine. His eyes were mocking, lustful. I felt very much afraid of him.

“But I wish to stay.”

I said: “Has the most beautiful Madalenna departed?”

“She is with us still.”

“I thought you were pursuing her.”

“My appetite is voracious. Madalenna is luscious, beautiful but oddly enough I still hanker after you.”

“Then stop it, for you are wasting your time.”

“No… . no. It is going to be time well spent.”

“Listen to me, Charles, after this I never want to see you again.”

“I shall make you change your mind.”

“I am able to make my own decisions.”

“Lenore, I’ve had enough of this banter. I am serious. If you continue to flout me, it will be the worse for you … and for Drake Aldringham. What if Julia decided to divorce him and cite you as the lady in the case?”

I went cold with fear. I knew that he was not talking idly.

I said quickly: “It would be obviously false.”

“Would it? Meetings in the park. Julia’s outburst before so many. This could mean the end of Drake as a politician, and would betray you as a somewhat wanton lady.”

“Julia has already done a lot of harm.”

“He could be saved … so could you … if you would be sensible.”

“How?”

He leered at me. “You know the answer to that question. By my friendship, of course.”

“By which you mean …”

“Suppose you became my very dear friend.”

I laughed. “You’re crazy, I think.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s a sort of blackmail,” I said.

“Often an effective weapon.”

“You are so melodramatic.”

“Rather intriguing, eh?”

“Far from it. Rather absurd and quite meaningless.”

“My very dear sister-in-law, with the rather disreputable origins, the clever girl who in spite of being brought into the Sallonger fold as an underling, her grandmother one of our workers, somehow managed to entrap one of the Sallonger heirs into marriage.”

“How dare you tell such lies!”

”Lies? Did you not marry my brother? Was he not one of the heirs to our father’s estate? Were you not raised from a menial position in the household to become one of us?”

“I did not trap Philip into marriage.”

“With your wiles and your pretty ways you did. He was always your slave. You saw he was a better proposition than I. Poor Charles was scorned. Then he dies and in mysterious circumstances. Suicide they say. But was it? Be careful, Lenore. You are not in a very secure position. I have great influence with Julia. I might decide to advise her on a divorce. She would listen to me. I am her adviser now.”

“She would not do it. She has already harmed Drake considerably and I believe she is contrite about that.”

“Contrite? Perhaps for a while. Then she will be ragingly jealous. It depends on the bottle. I have seen her in the many moods it inspires. Maudlin, sentimental, becoming jealous … venomously so. It would not be difficult for me. Pity, for they say that, given a chance, Drake could become a brilliant politician. A divorce would finish him. And you, too, my dear. Think of your position. Old scandals revived. The woman whose husband killed himself a few weeks after marriage. That would not sound very pleasant, would it, in a court of law?”