‘I wonder where Freddie is now?’ Laura surmised as they sat huddled around the library fireplace one evening.
‘Perhaps he stowed away on a ship,’ Diana said.
Beattie frowned, thinking. After a moment she declared triumphantly, ‘I’ve just remembered something. I read in a newspaper about a new ship owned by the Nourse Line called Clyde. It was launched from the Clyde Side near Glasgow earlier in the year. I think it was in July. He could have got away on that! He ran away at the beginning of July, didn’t he? I bet he used a bit of jewellery as a bribe to get on board. A member of the crew might have agreed to let Freddie be a stowaway, and if the jewellery was sold in a foreign country who would know?’
‘Isn’t that a bit too convenient?’ Georgie asked critically. ‘It’s more likely Freddie disappeared down to London, sold the jewellery there and then caught a ship from Southampton, perhaps to America?’
‘I have a feeling they’ll never catch up with him no matter where he is,’ Lizzie spoke seriously, ‘and I don’t think any of us want him caught, including Mama and Papa. He can never come back now. Not after killing Hamish.’
‘If he did return, would he really be hung at the gallows?’ Diana asked in a horrified voice.
Beattie shuddered. ‘Of course he would.’ She gave a loud sigh. ‘How could he have done it? Why did he want to hurt Hamish in the first place?’
Laura looked at her sister and her eyes had a haunted expression. ‘Knowing Freddie, if he didn’t get his own way there was always trouble. We’ll never know what happened between them but whatever it was, Hamish paid with his life and I can never forgive Freddie for that.’
Diana said hopefully, ‘Perhaps Freddie was acting in self-defence?’
‘I doubt it.’ Lizzie’s voice was as brittle as an autumn leaf. ‘I heard Papa say the same as what you told us, Di – that Hamish had died from an unmitigated beating with a horse whip and several heavy kicks to the head.’
‘Don’t!’ Diana begged.
‘It’s a tragic waste,’ Georgie agreed. ‘Freddie had everything he could ever have wanted and he’s thrown it all away.’
‘Maybe if they do catch him,’ Lizzie suggested, ‘he’ll say it was a case of mistaken identity, but he panicked and fled the country because he was scared of being accused.’
‘I doubt if even the best barrister would try and take that line,’ Laura protested. ‘I believe they had a fight and Freddie lost his temper. I also think he’d secretly watched Mama take the key to her jewellery chest from behind the sliding panel in her room. Otherwise how did he know where it was hidden? I’m afraid he’s as guilty as hell and I don’t think a jury would find otherwise.’
‘What went so wrong?’ Lizzie asked. ‘I remember when he was born. I was four at the time but I distinctly recall Papa thanking God he’d had a son at last. I was quite put out at the time. I thought, what’s so special about having a boy? But he was such a sweet baby I wouldn’t have imagined in a hundred years that he’d turn out like this.’
‘I remember feeling the same when Henry was born,’ Georgie admitted. ‘Now Papa has only got one son.’
‘Freddie’s still Papa’s heir, though, isn’t he?’
The others nodded. ‘If Freddie doesn’t reappear in the next seven years he’ll be legally declared dead. Then Henry can inherit everything.’
‘Except the family jewels.’ Lizzie sounded bitter. She’d always hoped to wear one of the diamond tiaras when she got married.
‘I’d like Henry to inherit,’ Laura admitted.
‘I think we all would, including Mama and Papa,’ Lizzie agreed quietly. The others said nothing. The enormity of what had happened had cast a blight over the whole family.
Seven
Lasswade Hall, 1909
It had started again, but this time the nightmare was worse. It had escalated so quickly and unpleasantly that Laura had not had the time to give the staff a few days off as she usually did when the rampaging began. More importantly, Caroline was still up in the nursery with Nanny and the last thing she wanted was for her child to witness the horror . . .
Still in her peignoir because the disturbance had started at dawn, Laura rushed down to the hall where they’d recently installed a new and marvellous invention – the telephone. Unaccustomed to using it, she gingerly took the earpiece off its hook before leaning towards the mouthpiece, which was screwed to the wall.
‘Can I help you?’ she heard an operator enquire.
Laura rapidly told them in a low voice so she wouldn’t be overheard the telephone number of Diana’s house, which was some thirty miles away. All the while she was watching the door to the study where thumps and bumps and blaspheming growls could be heard. Fearful that the door would suddenly burst open she gripped the earpiece tightly and prayed the operator would connect her quickly.
Then she heard the butler’s voice. ‘Lord Kelso’s residence.’
‘I’d like to speak to Lady Diana Kelso, please. It’s rather urgent. This is Lady Laura Leighton-Harvey speaking.’
A few minutes later she heard Diana’s still-girlish tones. ‘Is that you, Laura, darling?’
‘Di, I’ve got to be quick. I’ll tell you later but I can’t talk now. Listen, if Nanny brings Caroline over to your place could you put them up for a few days?’ Laura’s voice shook and she kept looking nervously at the closed study door across the hall where the noise was increasing.
‘Are you ill?’ Diana queried in alarm.
‘No, but things are rather difficult here at the moment. I don’t want Caroline to be in the midst of it.’
Diana sighed. ‘Oh, Laura! Is Neil at it again? I thought he’d been all right since you got that nice tutor for him?’
‘Neil’s fine. This is something different.’
‘Poor you! Staff can be a real problem, can’t they? Of course she can come and stay. It’s no problem and Nicolas and Louise would love to have her as a playmate. Tell Nanny to bring play clothes for the garden. We’ve just had a climbing frame made for the children and they adore it.’
‘Thank you, Di. I’m really grateful.’
‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ Diana asked in concern. ‘You sound really rather desperate.’
‘I’ll tell you later. I’ve got to go now.’ Laura hurriedly hung the receiver back on its brass hook and then fled as she heard the handle of the study door being opened. There was not a moment to be lost. Running up the two flights of stairs to the night nursery, she spoke to Nanny who was giving Caroline her breakfast.
‘Muzzie!’ the child said in delight, clapping her hands together.
‘Hello, my darling.’ Laura planted a kiss on her child’s head then turned to Nanny, who was already familiar with the ‘problem’, as Lady Laura so euphemistically called it. She’d begun to hope there would be no more ‘problems’ in the household, for everything had been fine for over two years now, but obviously the devil had struck again. The only thing she didn’t understand was Lady Laura’s refusal to admit to her family what she had to endure from time to time. It was no secret among the servants, although they were sworn to secrecy. Was it pride that prevented Lady Laura telling her family that something was seriously wrong?
Laura now spoke quickly without making eye contact. ‘My sister, Lady Diana, has invited you and Caroline to stay with them for a few days at Cranley Court, so I’m getting Gordon to drive you both over right away. She said to pack play clothes for Caroline. Is that all right, Nanny?’
‘Yes, M’Lady. That will be very nice.’ Nanny had never been in a motor and, although it was a chunky-looking thing called a Stanley, she rather fancied the new chauffeur so perked up at the thought of the journey.
Laura then went down the back stairs where she found Hobbs in the silver pantry. She took a deep breath and spoke bluntly. ‘The problem has started again. Lock up all the drink, please.’
‘I’ll see to it right away, M’Lady.’ He took pains to avoid making eye contact.
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‘I’d also like you to tell Gordon to bring the motor round to take Nanny and Caroline to stay with Lady Kelso,’ she added.
‘Very well, M’Lady.’
At that moment they heard the study door burst open and a voice shrieked, ‘Hobbs? Where the devil are you?’
Laura swiftly climbed the back stairs again to return to her bedroom, knowing Hobbs wouldn’t respond. He knew better. All the staff knew better. They’d all slip away from the house in an hour or so and not return until the crisis was over. Only Hobbs would remain to fulfil his duties and stand guard if necessary.
This was the moment when she felt the most alone. Her sisters had begged her not to marry Walter, saying she knew nothing about him, and they accused her of rushing into marriage because she was twenty-nine and this might be her last chance.
If only she’d heeded their caution. If only she’d waited a bit longer as they’d advised. Instead she’d seen the other side of his Jekyll and Hyde character as it lurched from a charming, loving and compassionate man into a raging alcoholic who ended up in hospital every time. Laura had even learned that in the past he’d been detained more than once in an asylum whilst suffering from delirium tremens.
Looking back, Laura remembered how Priscilla Leighton-Harvey had looked very strained at times when she’d come to have a dress fitted and had remarked that her husband was ‘away on business again’ so had been unable to escort her to some social functions. Only later, after they were married, did Laura realize that Walter had never been in business in his life. Yet she still couldn’t let her sisters know the private hell she suffered from time to time. They had all made such happy marriages to such successful men, and being the second eldest she felt she and Lizzie had to be good examples to the younger sisters of what a loyal and loving wife should be.
Yet at moments like this she wondered how much more suffering she could endure without their knowing and without their support. When Walter didn’t drink he was a perfect husband and she treasured the times, always hoping they’d last for ever, but then he’d have a drink – one small drink – and be unable to stop as he crashed around the house, knocking things over and causing fearful destruction. Most damaged of all was Neil, who was spending more and more time at his Aunt Rowena’s, who could ensure the child had a peaceful routine.
It was a long day and Laura spent it in her bedroom listening to the yells of fury and the screams of rage as Walter searched for alcohol and tried to break down the wine cellar door.
Then there were long silences which she found almost worse as they gave vent to her vivid imaginations. At one point she left her room and went on to the landing to listen but all was still. After a bit she returned to her room and lay down on the bed, exhausted. Then she heard a dog barking and howling as if in distress and she sprang to her feet, shaking all over. They didn’t have a dog. She’d sworn never to keep dogs after a lifetime of being surrounded by them. The hideous noise was coming nearer. Then she heard scratching on her bedroom door and the handle shook. Too late, she realized she’d forgotten to lock it. Picking up the little mahogany chair by her dressing table, she held it with its legs, pointing to the door which had now sprung open.
Laura barely recognized the blind-looking man who was on his hands and knees growling like an animal. Dishevelled and bloated, his filthy clothes were stinking of methylated spirits while from his swollen mouth a trickle of black ink dripped down his chin on to the carpet.
‘Walter!’ Her voice was filled with despair as he slumped unconscious at her feet.
‘I always knew something was not quite right,’ Georgie claimed robustly as soon as she arrived at Lasswade Hall, where she and her siblings had turned up on hearing that Walter was desperately ill in hospital and might not survive.
‘Well, I didn’t,’ Lizzie said comfortingly, placing her hand on Laura’s arm. ‘I know I was against you marrying him at the time but whenever I saw you together I thought you looked very happy.’
‘We were . . . we are happy. Except when he starts drinking,’ Laura protested, determined not to cry but thankful she didn’t have to pretend in front of her family any more that everything was perfect.
‘How long has this been going on?’ Beattie enquired. ‘Had you no idea at all that he was a drunkard when you got married?’
‘Of course I didn’t know,’ she retorted. ‘Something triggers his need for alcohol and he can’t help himself.’
‘Then he must be weak,’ Georgie said disparagingly.
‘No, it’s not like that.’ Laura spoke angrily now. ‘The doctor explained the difference between people who like the occasional drink and people who have a compulsion to drink until . . .’ Her voice faltered.
‘You must be so worried about him and I know how much you really love him,’ Diana said sympathetically. ‘Will he be in hospital for long?’
‘I don’t know. He’s very ill.’ For once she sounded defeated. Walter had been unconscious when the ambulance had taken him to the nearest hospital. They’d told her to go home and said that they would let her know when he regained consciousness. This was the worst ‘attack’, as she called it, that he’d ever had and she worried desperately about the future. He was no longer a young man with the stamina to cope with vast quantities of alcohol, not to mention poison like methylated spirits and bottles of ink.
‘Oh, Laura, darling.’ Diana stroked her arm. ‘I’m so sorry and I think you’ve been wonderful the way you’ve coped for the past few years. I don’t know how you’ve done it. Why didn’t you tell us before? You know we’d have helped if you needed anything.’
Beattie, pregnant with her first baby, echoed Diana’s sentiments. ‘It must have been agonizing for you. No wonder you always had to send Caroline away when it happened.’
‘You were a friend of Walter’s first wife, weren’t you?’ Lizzie asked. ‘Did she never mention his drinking?’
‘Why should she? I expect she was as ashamed as I’ve been, although I now realize it’s an illness and not an indulgence on Walter’s part.’
‘Tell us what you’re going to do, Laura?’ Diana said peaceably.
‘What can I do? He’s Caroline’s father and I still love him. I wish someone had really warned me, though. His sister could so easily have said something but I suppose she wanted him to get married again so Neil would have a stepmother. John Osborne could have warned me, but I suppose as he’s Walter’s best friend and they were at Fettes College together, his loyalty to Walter came first.’
‘Are they still friends?’
‘Yes. John is an accountant, though not Walter’s accountant. He’s an unofficial advisor on stocks and shares and all that. Whenever Walter falls apart from drinking, John keeps an eye on his finances. Arranges the bills to be paid and makes sure I get the housekeeping allowance. I don’t know how I’d manage without him.’
‘He’s lucky to have a friend like that,’ Lizzie remarked.
Laura nodded. ‘John is wonderful and so nice.’
‘Walter ought to go around with a warning label hanging from his neck,’ Georgie complained. ‘Even you, Laura, weren’t desperate enough to marry a raging alcoholic.’
‘Unlike you, I wasn’t desperate at all,’ Laura retorted coldly. ‘I already had a life of my own and a successful career, which is more than you have.’
Eight
Lochlee Castle, 1895
Laura flung her arms around Lizzie. ‘I’m so happy for you,’ she exclaimed. ‘Humphrey is one of the nicest men in the world.’
‘I know.’ Lizzie beamed, looking once again at her ruby and diamond engagement ring. ‘I can’t believe how lucky I am. Who would have thought we’d meet lying on our stomachs in the middle of Dumfrieshire whilst deer stalking? I didn’t even want to go and stay with the Buccleuchs but Mama insisted and now thank goodness she did.’
‘You were obviously destined to meet.’ Diana sighed. ‘It’s just so romantic.’
‘Don’t tell me Lizzie didn’t k
now what she was doing,’ Georgie scoffed. ‘Mama and Lizzie have a natural born instinct, like bats in the dark, to head for men with titles. He’s only a Bart but you will be Lady Garding and aren’t you going to love it!’
Lizzie flushed with annoyance. ‘I didn’t know he was Sir Humphrey when we were introduced. I don’t suppose he knew I was Lady Elizabeth either. You’re the one in this family who is fixated on titles, Georgie. We’ve got our own. Why should we need to marry for someone else’s?’
Georgie shrugged and tossed her head angrily. She knew she’d inherited her father’s heavy jaw and she was also painfully aware of her plumpness compared to the slender elegance of her sisters. Beside the others she was clumsy and ungainly but she couldn’t help it. The only satisfaction she got in life was trying to pull her sisters down a peg or two but it rarely worked. She was the one who always ended up feeling inferior.
‘When are you planning to get married?’ Beattie asked Lizzie.
‘Humphrey suggested October. That gives us six months to get everything organized.’ Lizzie’s face glowed with happiness. ‘We’d better get Mrs Armitage to come earlier this year because she’ll have to make my wedding dress.’
Laura’s heart lurched painfully and she looked away. This was what she’d been saying nearly four years ago when she’d been about to marry Rory. By now they’d probably have had a couple of children and be having a lovely life dividing their time between his house in the south of England and London. They’d made so many lovely plans and her longing to be married to him had consumed her at the time.
She clenched her fists now and dug her nails into the palms of her hands to prevent the upsurge of tears that threatened to spoil the happy occasion for Lizzie. Oh, but how desperately she still missed Rory and the closeness she’d never experienced with anyone else. They’d had so many mutual interests and likes and dislikes, but most of all she missed the laughter that ran through their relationship like a sparkling stream. Gone. All gone. She was no longer the light-hearted and vivacious girl he’d proposed to four years ago and she missed that part of herself as much as she missed him.
The Fairbairn Girls Page 10
