73. A Tangled Web

by Barbara Cartland

  “That is excellent news!” a tall man replied.

  He walked towards Carola and held out his hand and the Marquis said,

  “This, my dear, is the Duke of Cumbria who is, as you know, an old friend of mine.”

  “Yes, of course,” Carola said, “and it is delightful to meet you, Duke! Alexander has told me so much about you.”

  “And I have been longing to meet you,” the Duke replied gallantly.

  The Marquis turned and looked at the next man proceeding down the room and before he spoke Carola knew that it was Alton Westwood.

  He, again, was not half as American-looking as she had expected.

  He was tall and in fact very good-looking with a square chin and she felt sure that he was from Texas.

  “Now this,” the Marquis was saying, “is the man I wrote to you about – Alton Westwood – one of the most brilliant men in America. We are all delighted to be associated with him.”

  Carola put out her hand and he gripped it with a strength she had not expected.

  As she looked at him, she saw that his eyes were very blue.

  “Let me welcome you, Mr. Westwood to Brox Hall,” she said. “My husband has told me how kind you were to him in America.”

  “And now your husband’s being kind to me,” Alton Westwood replied, “in bringing me here to this very fine mansion and letting me meet with you.”

  Carola smiled.

  Alton Westwood had only a slight American accent and she thought that he certainly had a charm she had not expected.

  “Now I am looking forward to introducing you to my L’il Gal!” Alton Westwood said.

  He looked around him then exclaimed,

  “Where is she?”

  One of the other men replied,

  “Need you ask? She is patting the horses and appreciating them, as we all were on our way from the station.”

  Alton Westwood laughed.

  “I might have guessed that’s what Mary-Lou would be doing! There’s only one thing that holds my daughter’s interest and it’s not automobiles but horses!”

  The other men laughed.

  The Marquis introduced Carola to the Earl of Heverham and Lord Durrel.

  Peter had disappeared and Carola guessed that he had gone back to fetch Miss Westwood.

  Then Stevens and two footmen came hurrying in.

  One was carrying a tray on which there were two open bottles of champagne in a gold ice-cooler and a number of glasses.

  “This is what we all need after the train journey,” the Marquis said, “and, of course, we are also celebrating, Westwood, your first visit to Brox Hall.”

  “Which I truly hope will not be my last!” Alton Westwood responded.

  Carola accepted a glass of champagne hoping that her hand was not trembling as she held it.

  The other guests were, she was aware, looking round the room and appreciating what they saw and they were obviously hoping it would impress Alton Westwood.

  It was the Duke who came up to her to say quietly so that no one else could hear,

  “I had no idea that you would be so lovely! I am drinking a special toast to your eyes.”

  Carola hoped that she was not blushing.

  She tried to reply calmly as if it was the sort of compliment she heard every day,

  “How kind of you, Duke, but I have been worrying more about making the house look beautiful for my husband’s guests rather than myself.”

  She smiled as if she knew that he was really appreciating her efforts to appear at ease.

  The Duke is rather sweet she thought.

  He was obviously older than the Marquis and the other men and she guessed that he was in fact getting on for forty.

  She knew it must be a feather in the Marquis’s cap to have persuaded him to patronise Alton Westwood’s venture and she thought that, when she had an opportunity, she would thank him.

  Peter came back into the room, escorting a young girl whom Carola saw at a glance was very pretty.

  She had somehow expected her to be muscular-looking, but instead she was delicately made with very large eyes. She looked American because like her father she too had a square chin.

  She had exquisitely small feet, which Carola had always been told was characteristic of American women. Also she had a smile that illuminated her face.

  “How d’you do, ma’am!” she said to Carola. “Sorry I got held up coming to meet you, but I was so thrilled with the horses that brought us from the station!”

  “I am delighted you should appreciate them,” Carola said, “and if you want to ride while you are staying here, there are some horses in our stable which I know would be very proud to carry you.”

  “That’s what I hoped,” Mary-Lou exclaimed, clapping her hands.

  She turned to her father.

  “Did you hear that, Poppa? I can ride while I am here and you know I am feeling stiff after doing nothing on board ship except play skittles!”

  The men laughed at this and the Earl chipped in,

  “I cannot believe that there were not some handsome young gentlemen for you to dance with in the evenings!”

  “Oh, that!” Mary-Lou exclaimed. “Of course we danced, but it’s not the same as riding!”

  “I can show you where the best jumps are,” Peter offered, “and I cannot believe that you will not fly over them on wings.”

  Mary-Lou laughed at this and then all the men were teasing her about her passion for riding.

  “I would rather ride than anything else in the world!” she stipulated firmly, “and I am prepared to challenge any English girl you care to produce!”

  Peter looked at Carola.

  “I am afraid that this is a somewhat masculine party,” he said, “but my cousin, the Marchioness, is an outstanding rider, so there is a challenge for both of you and naturally our host is expected to provide the prize!”

  For one moment Carola thought that her riding habit would not be smart enough and then she told herself that at least she would be able to enjoy riding.

  And while she was doing so, she would not have to wonder whether she was doing the right thing or not.

  She then turned to Mary-Lou,

  “We will certainly show these gentlemen what we can do and it will at least take their minds off business for a short while!”

  Mary-Lou laughed.

  “You are quite right, ma’am, but you have to be up early in the morning to prevent Poppa from talking of anything else. As I often say to him – anyone who prefers automobiles to horses must be loose in the head!”

  They all laughed and Alton Westwood retorted bitterly,

  “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings – but what can I do about it?”

  “She may ride her horses now,” the Duke remarked, “but, when your motor cars arrive, she must be kind enough to be photographed with them, which will mean that anyone who looks at your lovely daughter will buy a motor car!”

  “That’s a good idea, Poppa!” Mary-Lou approved, “I don’t mind being photographed with your motor car, as long as I don’t have to drive the darned thing!”

  She was obviously not in the least shy.

  At the same time, she looked so very pretty when she was talking, smiling and laughing all the time.

  Carola found herself wondering if the Marquis was not being short-sighted in not thinking of marrying her.

  She could understand that Mary-Lou was very young, but at the same time he could not marry the beautiful Lilac Lucas and it seemed a pity for him to miss having Alton Westwood with all his millions as a father-in-law.

  Then she told herself that, although it was unlikely, perhaps the Marquis was an idealist.

  He might want to marry for love.

  From all she had learned from Peter, it was something that seldom happened in the Social world.

  Her mother had told her that among the aristocrats just like Royalty, marriages were arranged as soon as a girl was grown up. Then the important factor, s
he had said, was to gain the best title possible.

  Carola had always felt it was very cold-blooded and it was the girl who suffered rather than the man.

  She knew that a Nobleman like the Marquis had to marry sooner or later to produce a son and heir and it would be to his advantage to marry into a family that in breeding was the equal of his own.

  She looked at the Marquis again. He was talking animatedly to Alton Westwood.

  She thought that, although Peter found him overwhelming and autocratic, he also had charm.

  Then she looked at his grey eyes and she knew then that he could be very determined and, if the occasion arose, forceful.

  ‘He is intent on bringing about this coup,’ she thought, ‘and, if he fails to do so, he will be very angry.’

  She felt a little shiver go through her.

  As if he realised that she was nervous, Peter came to her side.

  “I thought that you would like to show Miss Westwood and her father the house while the servants are unpacking,” he suggested.

  “Yes, of course,” Carola agreed, “what a good idea, Alexander.”

  She put down the glass from which she had taken only a small sip and walked to Alton Westwood’s side.

  “I was wondering,” she said, “if you and your daughter would like to see a little of the house. We shall have tea shortly, but I would love to show you the Picture Gallery if you are interested.”

  “I’m interested in anything that is real England!” Alton Westwood replied, “and I’d be very honoured if you would show us over this fine building yourself.”

  “Then that is what I will do,” Carola smiled.

  Alton Westwood called to his daughter.

  As they moved out of the drawing room, Carola saw with relief that Peter was coming too. She had not liked to ask him to do so in front of the others, but she felt it was essential for him to describe the treasures she had seen for the first time yesterday.

  They walked from the drawing room into the library.

  As Carola expected, Alton Westwood was not particularly interested in books and, because she felt she could not bear them to be disparaged, she went quickly on to the music room.

  There, to her surprise, Mary-Lou exclaimed with delight at the large Steinway piano and, sitting down at it, played a few chords.

  “You did not tell me you were a pianist!” Peter exclaimed.

  “Of course I can play,” Mary-Lou replied.

  She played the opening bars of a Strauss waltz and, looking up at Peter, said,

  “I hope I am going to have a chance to dance tonight. After all, I will have plenty of partners!”

  As she spoke, Carola knew this was something Peter had not thought about and she said quickly,

  “It’s very remiss of me, Miss Westwood, but I had not thought of that until now, but I am sure I can play the piano well enough for you to dance and that is exactly what we will do after dinner.”

  She looked at Peter as she spoke and saw that he understood.

  It would be a relief, she thought, from having to continue conversation with Alton Westwood which Peter had anticipated might present difficulties.

  Or, for that matter, with the other members of the party.

  “My cousin is right,” Peter said aloud, “We can dance in here and, if the others would rather talk to your father, then we will have the floor to ourselves.”

  “We will want to join in alright,” Alton Westwood declared, “and I, for one, will want to partner the Marchioness, so Mary-Lou must take her turn at the piano.”

  “Of course I will!” Mary-Lou agreed, “and the Marchioness and I will be completely fair about it!”

  They went from the music room to the Picture Gallery and again Carola thought that Alton Westwood was rather bored.

  Mary-Lou, however, enthused over a number of the pictures before asking if she could see some of the State rooms.

  Feeling a little embarrassed, Carola took them into her bedroom.

  “All the previous Marchionesses have slept here,” she informed them, “ever since the house was built.”

  She glanced at Peter as she spoke and he explained how important the Adam brothers had been in the 1750s and how the designs for each room had never been altered.

  He then took them through the communicating door into the Marquis’s bedroom and Carola knew that now Alton Westwood was really impressed.

  “Now that’s what I call a right Royal room!” he exclaimed.

  “Oh, Poppa, you have got to have one just like it!” Mary-Lou proposed.

  “And have all my friends pulling my leg?” Alton Westwood asked. “No, thanks, honey, no heavy curtains and carvings for me!”

  Mary-Lou pouted.

  “Well, I think they are very pretty and I want something just like this when I get married.”

  “You will have to find a husband with the right Coat of Arms to hang behind your head!” her father countered.

  Mary-Lou studied the Marquis’s elaborate one.

  “Now I see what you are after, Poppa,” she said, “and it is certainly an idea!”

  Carola knew that Peter’s eyes were twinkling and it was with difficulty that she did not laugh.

  Instead she took the Westwoods downstairs to where tea was waiting for them in the drawing room.

  It was a large, typically English, tea and she knew that both the Americans enjoyed it.

  When they had finished, having eaten quite a number of cakes and nearly all the sandwiches, Mary-Lou asked,

  “Now can I go look at the horses, please?”

  Carola was a little surprised.

  She would have thought that the horses, which were clearly the main attraction, could keep until tomorrow.

  Before she could speak, however, the Marquis replied,

  “Of course you may, but I would suggest that Sir Peter takes you as he knows them as well as I do and you must please forgive me as I have some letters to write before dinner.”

  “I would rather like a word with you, Marquis,” Alton Westwood said.

  “Of course!” the Marquis replied. “Let’s go into the study.”

  They walked away together and Carola thought that it would be rather tiring to go to the stables now.

  She had been on her feet since first thing this morning and the shoes she was wearing were her mother’s and a little tight.

  They were much smarter than her own and toned in well with her gown, which was why she had put them on.

  Mary-Lou, however, was determined not to miss the horses and Peter therefore went with her to the stables.

  Lord Durrel said that he wanted to read the newspapers and went to the library where Peter had them laid out on a stool.

  And so Carola was left alone with the Duke.

  She was about to say that she would like to go upstairs and rest when he moved to sit beside her on the sofa.

  “I want to tell you,” he said, “that I think you are marvellous and how splendidly you have carried off everything until now.”

  “Don’t speak too soon!” Carola warned, “I am terribly nervous of doing something wrong.”

  “I think that would be impossible!” the Duke replied.

  She realised that his words were a compliment, but also the way he looked at her made her feel shy.

  “I was just thinking,” she said, “that I should go upstairs now and lie down before dinner.”

  “And leave one of your guests unattended?” the Duke complained. “That would be a very unkind thing to do.”

  Carola smiled.

  “I think that Your Grace is quite capable of looking after yourself,” she said, “and I am just wondering what Alton Westwood is saying to the Marquis.”

  “Well, one thing is certain – he is not forcing his daughter onto him!” the Duke declared.

  “She is a very sweet girl,” Carola remarked.

  “And very much prettier than I expected. At the same time, Alexander, as I expect you know, is determine
d not to marry until he is very much older.”

  “I can understand that, Duke, and it must be very difficult for a man, if he wants to marry for love, not to be trapped when he is least expecting it!”

  “That is the position in a nutshell!” the Duke said, “and what I am suffering from myself at the moment.”

  Carola looked at him in surprise.

  She had not thought that as a widower he would be as vulnerable as the Marquis, but now she realised that as a Duke, he was, of course, an even better catch.

  As if the Duke read her thoughts, he said,

  “Exactly! And I have made it very clear to our American friend that I am still desolate after losing my wife and could never consider putting anyone else in her place.”

  Carola put her hand up to her forehead.

  “Oh, dear,” she sighed, “I can see you are having the same trouble as the Marquis which, I must admit, I never expected.”

  “I have, in fact, been a widower for many years,” the Duke said, “but if by any chance Westwood should ask you – I have shortened the time considerably!”

  “Don’t tell me – please, don’t tell me any more things I have to remember, I am praying I will not make any mistakes, but it is very difficult.”

  “As I have already told you, your performance is perfect!” the Duke said, “but I admit you took me by surprise!”

  Carola looked at him enquiringly.

  “I cannot imagine why I have never met you before,” the Duke explained. “You are very very beautiful – so beautiful in fact that you put most of the professional beauties in the shade!”

  Carola laughed.

  “Now you are teasing me and you know the truth – I am just a country girl who knows nothing of London. I have been forced into this absurd charade so that I can help my brother.”

  “You are helping us all!” the Duke said, “and I, for one, am most grateful to you!”

  There was a sincerity in his voice that was unmistakable.

  But because of the way he was looking at her Carola knew that she was blushing.

  Then she remembered this was the sort of conversation Peter had warned her about.

  “I think,” she said, “I should now go – upstairs.”

  She would have risen, but the Duke put out his hand to prevent her from doing so.