Obsession

by Claire Lorrimer

  Albeit slowly, she was beginning to forget her ordeal. Although she did not see as much of Harriet as before when she had been her maid, Harriet was a frequent visitor to the nursery and they would sit watching Charlie playing quietly by himself, chatting as if they had not lived apart for over two years.

  Hastings was both hurt and demoralized by Bessie’s unexplained rejection and kept his distance. His very obvious avoidance of her was a matter for gossip amongst the maids as to the possible cause of so serious a quarrel between the two of them.

  Easy-going and good-natured as Bessie was, she had no difficulty renewing friendships with the rest of the staff with one exception, Ellen. It was not that she resented the woman who had replaced her as Harriet’s lady’s maid. She, too, would have felt it unfair to be dismissed simply because the previous maid had suddenly reappeared. No, it was the way Ellen remained apart from all the staff, never rude or impolite, meticulous where her duties were concerned, but never willing to relinquish the wall of reserve she kept tightly around her.

  From the way Harriet spoke, Bessie was in no doubt that she still held first place in Harriet’s affection. Moreover, she loved her somewhat unconventional position as nanny to Charlie. The little boy had quickly taken to her despite the loss of his much-loved Irish nanny.

  Bessie was not alone in her dislike of Ellen. Felicity was becoming more and more irritated with her, accusing her of failing to report quarrels or tiffs between husband and wife and threatening that she would withdraw the money she paid her if she did not come up with some results soon. She refused to believe that any married couple, albeit as devoted as were Brook and Harriet, did not on occasions have misunderstandings.

  Felicity’s wish to see a rift in the marriage had now become part of her obsession. Her attempt to assuage her desire for Brook by taking a lover only served to do the opposite. Now a regular visitor to her brother in London, she sometimes accompanied him to social gatherings. At one of these, she had met a Frenchman who promptly set about trying to seduce her. Her flamboyant behaviour, and her somewhat masculine liking for alcohol, had led him to believe there was no need to prolong his seduction, which he set about with daily bouquets of flowers and invitations to the theatre, the opera, and dinner. He was encouraged by the fact that Felicity made only half-hearted attempts to keep him at bay.

  The resulting affair lasted for two weeks, during which time Felicity strove to assuage the physical desire which tormented her whenever she was in Brook’s vicinity. She failed to do so, and when the Frenchman informed her that he must return to Paris, they parted quite amicably. Her short-lived lover left behind him the present of a beautiful and costly pair of drop earrings, studded with emeralds and pearls. The following day, Felicity returned to Melton Court and renewed her tormented visits to Harriet and Brook.

  Felicity’s jealousy of Harriet was becoming harder and harder to conceal. She even pondered during long, wakeful nights, whether there might be some way she could get rid of Harriet since any hope of instigating a rift between husband and wife was looking even less likely. If anything, she thought bitterly, they had become even more united in their shared devotion to their child. The boy was growing older, and with every day was becoming a greater source of pride to Brook.

  Felicity now found her need to be physically close to Brook increasingly hard to control. Even though in one way it distressed her to have such desires thwarted, she could not bring herself to stay away, and Harriet provided her with the excuse she needed to be such a constant visitor to Hunters Hall. She had thus succeeded in maintaining a firm, seemingly harmless friendship with the very person who stood between her and the man she wanted for herself.

  However unlikely it began to seem, Felicity never doubted that one day Brook would turn to her and desire her the same way she desired him. She had long ago decided that if she could only entice him to one act of unfaithfulness, she would make it so special he would want her again and again …

  With this vain hope always in the front of her mind, Felicity dressed for the Harrogates’ ball with the greatest care. Her new white-and-blue-striped satin dress was off the shoulder, the tightly fitting bodice revealing the curves of her ample breasts. The hem of the full skirt was embroidered with beautiful blue and black birds, the little black bows covering the folds fastened with tiny sparkling diamonds.

  She had had the dress made in London deliberately for this occasion. Because she was certain that it would appeal to Brook, she disregarded the exceptionally huge sum it had cost her. It came with a spray of blue-black bird-of-paradise feathers to adorn her hair. Her maid had now drawn it back from her forehead and pinned it into elaborate curls. The spray of feathers had then been fastened to her head with a diamond clip. Regarding her reflection with satisfaction, Felicity selected from her jewel case a diamond and jet double-stranded necklace which she fastened round her throat. This done, the maid helped her to pull on her elbow-length, white silk gloves. To complete this ornate ensemble, Felicity clipped a silver and pearl bracelet around one wrist.

  The maid regarded her mistress with approval. ‘You look quite magnificent, madam,’ she said. ‘If I may say so, I think you will outshine all the other ladies at the ball.’

  Felicity felt a momentary thrill of pleasure at the comment. She certainly intended to be the most noticeable female; for Brook to take note of her voluptuous attributes, so cleverly exhibited by her contours, and which had been so much admired by her French lover.

  Harriet, she knew, would be adequately but not outstandingly attired. She had stood beside her at the little dressmaker in Leicester and helped her select a pleasing, if commonplace yellow silk moiré for her gown. It was to have looped sides to the billowing skirt and be decorated with rosebuds and rosettes, these to be draped over her underskirt crinoline.

  As Felicity had intended, the effect was quite charming but in no respect as striking as her own attire. Her only concern was that Brook might prefer Harriet’s less conspicuous appearance to her own slightly daring one.

  She now waited impatiently for the hour to leave for the ball. There had been many other lesser gatherings in the county but none were of such illustrious note as that of Lord Harrogate and his wife. Felicity had feared that she and Paul might not be invited, but had been thrilled when the invitation for her and her brother had arrived. Paul, more cynical than she was, had not been surprised.

  ‘All very well for the High and Mighty to look down their noses before Father’s money opened all the doors for us. I found it quite amusing,’ he added, ‘when last month one of the viscount’s grandchildren approached me in my London office enquiring if by chance I had suitable employment for him now he had come down from Oxford. Her Ladyship could hardly have left us off her guest list, could she?’

  Felicity had been agreeably surprised. Although the growth of the railways could not be termed ‘trade’, neither was it a gentlemanly profession. To have been excluded would not have particularly bothered her, except that she knew Brook and Harriet had received invitations.

  Now she could not wait for the evening to commence, knowing that Brook would have at least one dance with her. She planned to ask the orchestra leader to play the popular new waltz once she knew what number Brook would put his name to on her dance card. She wanted to be close in his arms, not in a quadrille or whirling round the floor in a polka.

  It was her intention to slip away during an interval and bribe the orchestra leader to do as she wished, and she was reasonably certain this would not be difficult, having long since learned that there were very few people in employment who were not prepared to fulfil a request if the reward was a generous one.

  Harriet, too, was looking forward to the ball, although she had not long since suffered an early miscarriage which had left her with less energy than usual. She’d said nothing of it to Brook, and refused to notify the family doctor. Now, dressing for the occasion, she felt obliged to use rouge on her cheeks, fearing that in her pale yellow ball gow
n she would look like a faded primrose.

  Paul Denning had suggested that as their house passed Hunters Hall on the route to the viscount’s mansion, they should stop by and conduct Brook and Harriet to the ball in their coach. Brook had happily agreed to the suggestion, saying that their accompanying servants could also travel together, in their family Brougham.

  It was, therefore, a jolly foursome who presented themselves to their host and hostess on the warm, balmy night of the ball, and although Felicity was tense with anticipation, her plan for the evening had been carefully worked out. It held only one element of risk, which depended upon others rather than herself. First and foremost, she had to ensure that Brook marked her dance card after rather than before the supper dance. For her plan to succeed, their dance must be the popular new waltz which would require her to be in Brook’s arms. She needed to know exactly when it would be played in order to give her time beforehand to ensure this happened when she wished.

  The first dance, a polka, was claimed by her brother, Paul, and Brook partnered Harriet. They had agreed to exchange partners for the next dance, but as the music started Felicity told Brook that she had trouble with one of her shoe straps and would have to leave the room. Before doing so, she invited him to put his name down for a later dance after the interval for supper. Unsuspecting of her motives, Brook readily obliged.

  As soon as Brook was safely on the floor with another partner, Felicity went in search of a footman. There was no shortage of attendants and wrapping a piece of paper round a half sovereign, she instructed the servant to give it to the orchestra leader, asking that he play a waltz at the time she now knew she would be dancing with Brook.

  Returning to the ballroom, Felicity, although not as youthful as some of the girls, did not lack for partners. She glimpsed Brook from time to time and later, as she had expected, he was joined by Harriet for the supper dance. From where Felicity stood at one end of the long buffet table, she could see him talking to his wife who like himself was holding a glass of champagne. Catching Felicity’s eye, he raised his glass to her in a friendly gesture which was enough to start her heart leaping in anticipation.

  Dancing was resumed at the end of the lavish banquet, and the floor was once more crowded. The room became very hot and some of the men dabbed at their foreheads with their white silk handkerchiefs as they escorted their partners back to their chairs at the end of the dance. Several couples who had exerted themselves on the dance floor went out through the open French windows on to the terrace.

  Felicity declined her partner’s suggestion that they should do likewise and quickly returned to her chair, where she waited, her heart beating furiously, for the orchestra to strike up the opening bars of the waltz. After what felt like eternity, Brook approached her from across the room and led her on to the dance floor.

  As he put his arms around her, Felicity realized that in all the eight years she had known him she had never been as close to him as she was now, her hand clasped in his, her body moving in unison with his. She could feel his breath on her cheeks, even the warmth of his arm where it rested on her waist. Through the open French windows, she could see a harvest moon lighting up the statues on the stone terrace surrounding the house.

  Before the dance ended, her heart leapt at the sight of two couples, clearly overcome by the heat, walk out on to the terrace and she knew her opportunity had come. The dance was nearing an end, and in as casual a tone as she could manage she remarked to Brook that she was feeling a little faint: perhaps they could go out on to the terrace for a few minutes, where the night air would be cooler.

  Brook was at once solicitous and, taking her arm, guided her through the throng of other dancers out into the night. For a minute or two Felicity stood breathing quickly and fanning her cheeks with her dance card.

  ‘Can I get you a glass of water, Felicity?’ Brook asked anxiously. ‘Are you certain you are all right? It was very hot indoors.’

  Felicity shook her head. ‘I think I am a little less giddy now,’ she said in a faint tone of voice. ‘Could we walk a little way? I need to test my balance before I return to the dance floor.’

  ‘Why, of course!’ Brook replied, linking his arm in hers. ‘I, too, am finding the cooler air very welcome.’ He led her slowly away from the house and asked, ‘Have you ever seen so many stars? I do declare there is nothing more beautiful anywhere in the world than a summer night in England.’

  He turned his head to hear Felicity’s reply. Her eyes closed and she swayed towards him. He heard her whisper that she was afraid that she was about to faint. Instantly solicitous, he put his arm around her. Keeping her eyes closed, Felicity arched her body backwards so that her white voluptuous breasts spread up from beneath her corsage. Her arms lifted to the back of Brook’s neck as if to support herself from falling.

  ‘I am so giddy!’ she whispered. ‘Please hold me, Brook, I think I am going to fall …’

  She now fell forward against his chest. Tightening his arms around her, Brook said urgently, ‘Let me help you indoors, Felicity. There will be a rest room where you can lie down and recover, and there is certain to be a maid on hand to wipe your forehead with cologne. Do you think you can walk?’

  Felicity shook her head, surreptitiously moving her body closer to his as she did so. The sound of the music from the terrace, of laughter, made Brook realize suddenly what a compromising position the two of them must appear to be in. He should take her back to the house without delay, he thought uneasily, conscious as he was of the fact that she was a very alluring, seductive woman. He was reminded suddenly that several of his friends had remarked somewhat crudely on her desirability. Brook always told them to cease their banter: that Felicity was a very close friend of his wife’s, and should be shown suitable respect.

  Nevertheless, he could now see very clearly why they thought as they did. Not only was Felicity’s figure entirely womanly, but her movements, her laughter, her readiness to banter with them – or indeed with him – made her an amusing companion. He, of course, had no wish to bed her. He was still very much in love with his wife and entirely satisfied with their love-making. Holding Felicity now in his arms, seeing her breasts full and enticing in the moonlight, he could not avoid the thought that were he not happily married, and she not a friend of his wife’s, he could well be tempted to take what she was offering, albeit, he was certain, unconsciously.

  The moment passed, and he gently pushed Felicity away from him. ‘I insist upon taking you back indoors where you can receive proper attention,’ he said firmly. ‘Come now, Felicity, I will put my arm around your waist and support you as we walk.’

  Allowing no argument, he did so and, despite the brilliance of the moonlight, he failed to see the look of fury and frustration on Felicity’s face.

  FOURTEEN

  1868

  Brook and Harriet rose quickly to their feet as Doctor Tremlett, the family physician, came into the morning room. He was smiling.

  ‘I am very pleased to be able to tell you that you have no need for further worries: young Charles has turned the corner. His temperature is back to normal, and when I left the room his nanny was giving him some chicken broth.’

  Tears of relief filled Harriet’s eyes and Brook’s voice was husky as he thanked the doctor, who had called religiously every day since he had diagnosed Charlie’s illness as measles. The childhood disease could quite often be fatal, he had warned Brook, and the utmost care must be taken of him.

  ‘I have instructed Nanny that now he is on the mend he is to be fed small quantities of nourishing foods in increasing amounts as he gets better,’ he continued. ‘He may also have small quantities of port wine, and I have here a prescription for the action on the skin and kidneys which the apothecary will make up for you, half a teaspoonful of which he is to have every two to three hours.’

  ‘How are the children in the village who were similarly afflicted?’ Harriet enquired after thanking him again. ‘I was informed that the epide
mic of measles amongst the village children was severe.’

  The doctor shook his head. ‘I’m afraid two of the babies and one little girl have died,’ he said. ‘The saddler’s wife’s twins and one of the carpenter’s little girls. The rest are recovering, some quicker than others. The speed of their recovery, I believe, has much to do with how well they have been fed in the past. As I dare say you know, Mrs Edgerton, one or two of the villagers cannot always afford the kind of nourishment growing children need.’

  When the physician had been duly thanked once more and had departed, Brook looked at the piece of paper in his hand. ‘“Acetate of Ammonia”, “Impecacuanha”, “Mucilage” … never heard of ’em,’ he said. ‘Still, if that is what the man recommends, Albert shall go straight down to the village to the apothecary to have it made up.’

  ‘I would like Albert to wait a few minutes,’ Harriet said, ‘whilst I write instructions for him to go to the baker, greengrocer and dairy. I wish them to make up baskets of food for Albert to give the families of every child who has been similarly afflicted as Charlie. Oh, Brook, how great is the relief of knowing he is on the way to recovery! I dare not think if …’

  Brook went over to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. ‘It is better to forget such dreadful fears as we have endured this past week, my darling. Now we must do what we can, as you have so kindly suggested, to help the village children recover as our Charlie is doing. Let it be known in your note to the shopkeepers that I expect them to make their deliveries generous ones as I shall not complain about their subsequent charges.’

  He dropped a kiss on top of Harriet’s head before adding: ‘I will pay a quick visit to the sickroom and then I must go down to the stables to see Jenkins. He sent word this morning that Snowball was lame and he thought he might have laminitis. The veterinarian may be needed … and will probably say he must not be ridden. Ah, well, Charlie won’t be riding on his precious Shetland pony for a while!’ He gave a sudden smile. ‘I shall tell him that the veterinarian says Snowball has had the measles too! That will make more sense to him than laminitis!’