‘What are you doing tonight?’ Caroline was asked over and over again. They were filled with curiosity about this girl from Scotland who referred to her mother as Lady Laura and said she’d been born in a grand castle. She’d got this far, they concluded, because she’d obviously spent a fortune being trained by Madame Espinosa, and now Lady Laura had obviously ‘pulled strings’ to get her daughter a starring role. In short, she was viewed as an outsider whom they didn’t much like.
‘I’m just going out to dinner,’ she replied casually. In twenty minutes Richard would be waiting for her outside the stage door and she wasn’t sure where he was taking her, nor did she care. One thing was certain: she wasn’t going to Irene’s birthday party because Irene didn’t exist. If her mother wanted to meet ‘Irene’ one day she’d say she’d left the company.
‘You do look lovely,’ Richard said as soon as she emerged from the theatre.
‘Do I?’ Her tone was arch.
He held open the waiting taxi door for her to step in.
‘Dover Street,’ he said briefly to the cab driver as he got in and took his place beside Caroline.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, crossing her legs and admiring her beautifully shod feet.
‘My flat. I’ve been in Dover Street for the last five years. It’s in walking distance to my club, which is very convenient.’
Caroline decided that she would never let her mother know she’d gone alone to a man’s flat. Echoes of Laura’s warning words spun through her mind. ‘It looks bad even if nothing happens,’ and, ‘If someone saw you coming out your reputation could be ruined.’
Then there was the other warning. ‘Men talk. If you sleep with one man and he tells his friends …’
All this was going through her head as the taxi shuddered along as other thoughts, her own this time, were thinking, I want to encourage this man to fall in love with me and even marry me … how can I make a fuss about going to his flat? I bet Margaret’s been to it dozens of times …
‘Here we are,’ Richard announced as they stopped outside an apartment block.
Am I doing something really stupid? Caroline asked herself as she looked up at the building. But what else am I to do?
‘What would you like to drink?’ Richard asked as she sat in one of his armchairs.
The voices in her head started again. Don’t accept alcohol. There’s nothing worse than a drunk woman. Men will take advantage of you if you’re drunk.
‘A cup of tea would be lovely,’ she replied meekly. He looked surprised but went to his small kitchenette and finally brought her tea and a little plate of sweet biscuits.
‘I think it’s time we had a serious talk, Caroline,’ he said, drawing up another chair for himself. She waited silently but her heart was hammering and she felt certain he was about to say Margaret’s parents were expecting him to marry her and that’s what he felt he should do.
‘You sound very serious,’ she said crisply, and her eyes glinted angrily. She had never hated any one as much as she hated Margaret at that moment.
Richard continued, ‘I am serious, I can assure you. I’ve known Margaret for the past eighteen months and I believe she’s in love with me and expects me to propose.’ He paused and looked troubled.
Caroline got to her feet. ‘Fine. Why don’t I just go now? You’re obviously regretting leading me up the garden path so I’ll spare you any more embarrassment by going,’ she snapped pettishly.
Richard looked horrified. ‘What are you talking about? It’s you I’m in love with.’
‘But you’ve just said …’ She tossed her head as she started to walk out of the room. Grabbing her by the wrist, he looked into her eyes and saw not arrogance but fear.
‘Listen to me, Caroline,’ he said commandingly. ‘What I said was that Margaret seems to expect me to propose to her, but it’s you I’m in love with. From the moment I saw you dancing in her parents’ house I’ve only thought about you. If I marry anyone it’s got to be you, my darling.’
Caroline’s expression changed to one of elation as she impulsively threw her arms around his neck. ‘I love you, too.’
Richard led her to one of his big armchairs and she sat on his knee like a little girl while they talked about the future.
‘Tomorrow I’ll go to see Margaret and tell her that our romance is over,’ he said.
‘Will you tell her that you’re in love with me?’ she asked.
Richard’s eyebrows rose. ‘I don’t think that would be very diplomatic,’ he replied. ‘In the course of time it will be obvious to her and everyone else that I love you but in the meantime let’s not make it worse for her. She’s a very sweet girl and I don’t want to hurt her if I can help it.’
Caroline felt a pang of disappointment. She’d have given anything, anything to have let Margaret know immediately.
‘So where are we going to celebrate tonight?’
He kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘I’ve booked a table at the Ritz, sweetheart.’
‘What an amazing menu,’ Diana remarked as they sat making up their minds what to order. They’d been given a table by the window overlooking Green Park and she’d murmured, ‘How romantic.’
‘I think we should start by ordering champagne, don’t you?’ Robert pointed out.
‘That would be heavenly.’ Diana sighed, gazing up at the painted ceiling where golden cherubs held up garlands of flowers.
‘I’d forgotten …’ she began, then giving a gasp she exclaimed, ‘Oh, no!’
Robert turned round to see what had caused her dismay but she whispered, ‘Don’t look round, Robert.’
‘Why? What is it?’
Diana’s mouth tightened. ‘That little minx! She asked Laura’s permission to go to a friend’s birthday party, and here she is wineing and dining with a young man. Laura will be furious.’
‘Only if we tell her,’ Robert pointed out. ‘Has she spotted us?’
‘No, she’s far too full of herself. Anyway, we said we’d be in Paris; remember?’
He nodded. ‘Let’s keep it that way. Laura won’t thank us for letting the cat out of the bag and Caroline will hate you for ever.’
Their champagne had arrived and he raised his glass. ‘Here’s to us, my darling! We’re far more interesting than a young girl who’s managed to get a rich young man to take her to the Ritz.’
Diana raised her glass. ‘Thank you for twenty-six years of married bliss, my love,’ she whispered.
‘Let’s forget them,’ Robert said. ‘They apparently haven’t seen us.’
‘That’s because she has her back to us. He’s facing this way but of course he doesn’t know I’m her aunt,’ Diana pointed out.
As they made their way through Whitstable oysters, roasted goose, Isinglass blancmange and lobster croque, Diana seemed to have forgotten Caroline and her young man until Robert suggested they go to bed in order to get up early to go to Paris. As they were leaving the restaurant, Diana darted over to where Caroline was sitting with Richard.
‘Hello, Caroline. Fancy seeing you here? I thought you were going to Irene’s birthday party.’
Caroline looked as if she was going to faint for a moment, then she blushed a deep red.
‘Change of plan,’ she muttered, totally unprepared for this intrusion.
Richard had got quickly to his feet, smiling but looking confused. There was a moment of deathly silence before Caroline remembered her manners. ‘This is Richard Montgomery. My aunt, Lady Diana Kelso and my uncle, Lord Kelso.’
‘How do you do,’ Richard said politely as they shook hands. Diana’s face had hardened when she heard his name. ‘Then you know my sister, Lizzie Garding and her family, don’t you?’
‘I do, indeed. You’re very alike.’ It was obvious Richard was embarrassed and Robert was murmuring something about wanting an early night before they set off for Paris. Diana stared coldly at her niece. ‘Goodnight,’ she said formally as she followed her husband out of the restaurant.
‘I’ve a good mind to telephone Laura,’ she fumed as they entered their suite. ‘I should also warn Lizzie that her wretched niece is trying to nab Margaret’s boyfriend.’
‘You’ll do nothing of the kind, Di. Let them sort it out themselves,’ Robert said firmly.
Diana turned to look at him as they entered their bedroom where the soft pink lighting had been left on, the enormous bed with its pink satin eiderdown had been turned down and the air was heavily scented with the perfume of great arrangements of roses.
‘But Caroline is obviously after Margaret’s boyfriend and she’s lied to Laura about what she’s doing tonight. Lizzie told me that Humphrey is expecting Richard to go to him and ask for Margaret’s hand in marriage,’ she protested.
‘Darling, it’s not about our daughter, thank God. I don’t care who Caroline run’s off with and you shouldn’t care either. I promise you, if you interfere both Lizzie and Laura will turn on you. For goodness’ sake, don’t meddle.’
‘I know you’re right but I feel I’m letting them down by not warning them about what’s going on.’
Robert put his arms around her and held her close. ‘You’re not letting them down, sweetheart,’ he murmured softly. ‘If we’d gone straight to Paris we’d never have seen them. Remember we lied, too, by saying we were going straight to Paris. We weren’t supposed to be in this hotel. Caroline got the shock of her life.’
Diana gave a little chuckle. ‘Good,’ she exclaimed. ‘I hope she was frightened out of her wits.’
‘How about another drop of champagne before we go to bed?’
‘That would be perfect,’ she whispered.
Laura heard Caroline’s key in the lock of the front door shortly after eleven o’clock.
‘Hello, darling,’ she called out. ‘I’m about to make a cup of hot chocolate. Would you like one too?’ Delighted that her daughter had come home at a reasonable hour, she was surprised when Caroline came rushing into the room, looking distraught.
‘Oh, Muzzie, I’m in terrible trouble and I don’t know what to do.’
‘What sort of trouble? Were there young men at Irene’s party?’
Caroline flung herself on to the sofa and she looked scared. ‘Irene’s party? No, I didn’t go to that. I went to the Ritz for dinner …’
‘Who took you there?’ Laura was immediately worried. Caroline was very gullible and her mother had visions of her going up to a man’s room and being assaulted.
‘Richard took me,’ she retorted, angry that her mother always jumped to the worst conclusions. ‘He’s going to end his romance with Margaret and he’s in love with me. Aunt Diana was very nasty to me when she realized …’
‘What’s it got to do with Diana?’
‘Will you listen, Muzzie. Aunt Diana and Uncle Robert were also having dinner at the Ritz …’
‘Stop talking nonsense. They left for Paris earlier today,’ Laura retorted.
‘Will you listen to me? They were at the Ritz and I just know Aunt Diana is going to get in touch with Aunt Lizzie and she’s going to kill me!’
Laura sat down again, looking perturbed. ‘How long has this being going on?’
‘What does that matter? Richard is always hanging around waiting for me to come out of the rehearsal rooms. It’s not my fault,’ she added belligerently.
‘You could have reminded him that he was Margaret’s boyfriend and has been for over a year.’
Caroline took off her high-heeled shoes and tossed them carelessly away. ‘He’s planning to tell her it’s over between them. We went to his flat to talk it over before going to the Ritz …’ Too late, Caroline realized she had let her mouth run away with her.
‘You what?’ Laura exclaimed. ‘How many times have I told you …’
‘Yes, yes,’ Caroline said impatiently. ‘I’ve heard it all a thousand times. “Your virginity is your greatest asset”. Richard and I just talked and then we went to the Ritz for dinner. How was I supposed to know we’d bump into Aunt Di and Uncle Robert there? I don’t want another lecture about making sure I have a spotless reputation. I need you to stop all the bloody aunts from having a go at me for going to a restaurant with a very nice and eligible young man,’ she shouted furiously.
Laura turned pale with anxiety and her head was beginning to ache. ‘Does Aunt Lizzie know that Richard is interested in you?’
‘Not yet, but she soon will.’ Caroline looked smug. ‘He’s going to tell Margaret tomorrow. Oh! I’d love to be a fly on the wall. She’s going to be absolutely furious with me.’
‘I knew he admired your dancing but I thought he’d have the decency not to pursue you. Why on earth did you encourage him?’
Caroline sat upright with an expression of astonishment. ‘Don’t tell me that when you were young and an eligible, good-looking young man took an interest in you, you didn’t respond?’
Laura paused, thinking back to when she’d been seventeen and Rory Drummond, who was handsome, had come to a ball given by her parents at Lochlee Castle and they’d fallen in love on that magical night. Rory had made it clear there and then that he was unattached. Three months later they were engaged.
‘Well?’ Caroline broke into her thoughts.
Laura spoke without hesitation ‘No decent man would take up with a girl while still being on the verge of getting engaged to another girl. Margaret is your cousin and both you and Richard are guilty of deceiving her. If he’s genuinely in love with you he should have kept away from you while he ended it gently with Margaret, so it wouldn’t look like he dumped her for you.’
Caroline laughed. ‘This isn’t eighteen twenty-two!’ she retorted. ‘And I’m delighted he’s dumping her for me.’
Laura’s mouth tightened. ‘You have many faults but I didn’t think crass cruelty was one of them.’ Then she strode out of the drawing room and went to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her, feeling a mixture of anger laced with tears of disappointment.
Beattie was resting on the chaise longue in the drawing room now that she was entering the last few weeks of her pregnancy, when Lizzie’s arrival was announced.
‘My dear, I don’t want to disturb you,’ she began as she sat down on a nearby chair. ‘I’m so sorry to barge in like this but I thought it unwise to telephone you to tell you what’s happened.’
‘My dear Lizzie, it’s so nice to see you. I’m bored to death having to rest so much because the doctor says my blood pressure is rather high. What new excitement have you got to tell me?’
‘It’s not excitement; it’s a tragedy,’ Lizzie retorted.
‘Why? What’s happened?’
‘Richard came to see Margaret this morning to tell her he’s ending their romance.’ She reached for her handbag and pulled out a lace-edged handkerchief with which she dabbed the tip of her nose. ‘Margaret is heartbroken, as you can imagine. Oh! I’d so hoped he was going to marry her.’
‘My goodness, that’s very sudden, isn’t it? Hasn’t he been wineing and dining her as usual?’ Beattie asked.
Lizzie looked thoughtful. ‘I suppose he has but he’s been sort of different. Margaret said to me earlier in the week that he seemed distant and moody.’ Her eyes brimmed with tears. ‘My poor baby. She’s so upset.’
‘I’m sure she is. It’s a fearful blow. I wonder if he’s met anyone else? That’s what usually causes a relationship to break up, and I should know,’ she added meaningfully.
‘Is everything all right with Andrew now?’
‘He’s being an angel, kind and considerate and very happy about the baby. He’s hoping it will be a boy, of course, but he never says so.’ Beattie smiled. ‘I’m quite excited myself and so are the girls. Whatever it is, it’s going to be utterly spoilt by everyone.’ She sounded content and Lizzie envied her for a moment.
‘I must leave you, my love, but I wanted you to know what had happened.’
‘Are you going to see Laura?’
‘Yes. She met Richard when she and Carolin
e were guests in our house,’ she added bitterly. ‘It never crossed my mind that Caroline would steal him from Margaret.’
‘I was there. I remember Caroline danced beautifully,’ Beattie added. They looked at each other, then Lizzie spoke in hollow tones.
‘Do you think that was the moment when …? Richard was very taken by her dancing … Oh! Surely not?’
Lizzie rose briskly. ‘There’s only one way to find out. I’m going to see Laura and ask her outright if Caroline has been seeing him since that first night.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?’ Lizzie demanded, her grey eyes flashing with anger as Laura felt bound to confess that Richard had taken Caroline to dine at the Ritz, where she’d bumped into Diana and Robert.
‘I had no idea she’d met Richard until she came home last night.’ The two eldest Fairbairn sisters, born only fifteen months apart, had always been close, but now there was a chasm of distrust and ill-feeling between them.
‘I had no idea until last night that she was friends with Richard Montgomery,’ Laura repeated in protest. ‘From what I can gather he’s been turning up and waiting for her outside the rehearsal rooms. She could hardly be rude to him,’ Laura protested. It was the truth but, nevertheless, she felt guilty and Lizzie knew it.
‘So who told him where she was rehearsing? Margaret doesn’t know where it is so the information obviously comes from the horse’s mouth.’
‘Will you stop accusing Caroline and me in this way,’ Laura retorted indignantly. ‘I don’t believe the address of where they’re rehearsing is a state secret,’ she added sarcastically.
By now the sisters were sitting glaring at each other.
‘You’ve no idea what a state Margaret is in. She’s in love with Richard and she’d set her heart on marrying him,’ Lizzie said with bitterness. ‘It really is too bad that your minx of a daughter has stolen him away.’
‘She’s not a minx and one supposes that Richard is a grown man who can pick any girl he wants. If he is a rotter isn’t it better Margaret knows about it now instead of after they were married?’
The Fairbairn Fortunes Page 13
