The Secrets of Armstrong House

by A. O'Connor

  “Margaret, you’re being ridiculous.”

  “Am I indeed? Well, you’re welcome to it all, Lady Armstrong. I’ll be quite happy down in Hunter’s Farm away from you. We’ll see how long you last running a house like this, a responsibility which you’re completely lacking in ability for.”

  Arabella stood up angrily. “Do you know something? I had nothing to do with this plan of yours to move to Hunter’s Farm – but I think it’s an excellent idea!”

  Arabella walked past her out of the room and got a start when she came out as she found Victoria standing there. Arabella walked past her and up the stairs.

  Arabella waited for Charles to come home and then confronted him in the drawing room.

  “Your mother is under the impression I asked for her to move out!”

  “I wonder where she got that impression from?”

  “From you, of course, you idiot!”

  “Well, I said nothing – you know how she likes to blame you for everything.”

  “I put her straight – not that she believed me.”

  “Oh it’s all for the best! You don’t want her here checking on us all the time, undermining us. We’re Lord and Lady Armstrong now, and everyone had better get used to it.”

  “If they don’t I’m sure you’ll make them so!”

  Charles walked into the library and found Victoria there looking through books.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she excused herself, standing up.

  “Can I help you with anything?” he asked, smiling at her.

  “No, I was trying to find out about the history of the house and the Armstrong family. I love family history and you have such an interesting one.” She closed the books and put them back on the shelves. “I know this is your place of work, so I’ll get out of your way.”

  “No, please, don’t leave on my account. Take as much time as you want,” Charles urged.

  “Have you seen Harrison anywhere?”

  “I passed him on the stairs earlier – he didn’t stop to chat.” Charles looked disappointed.

  She studied his face. “You know I’ve only ever heard Harrison’s side of the story of what happened all those years ago, but I think it wasn’t as cut and dried as people make out.”

  “Is anything ever?”

  “Not in my experience, no. I think you loved Arabella very much, didn’t you?”

  Charles nodded appropriately.

  “I know Harrison used to adore you before all that happened. He held you in such high esteem, perhaps that’s why it hit so hard.”

  “And I adored Harrison. He was my best friend as well as my brother. I’d do anything to get that friendship back.”

  “Give him time, Charles.”

  “How much time does he want? It’s over ten years.”

  “But he’s been away all that time, nurturing and analysing the hurt caused. If he stayed here he would have had to have dealt with it.”

  “I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me.”

  “I think he will, I think in his heart he already has, but is afraid to show it. He’s afraid to trust you again . . . I for one, Charles, am very glad you did what you did back then.”

  “You are?” he said, shocked.

  “Of course! If you hadn’t done what you did you wouldn’t have your wonderful children Prudence and Pierce . . . and I wouldn’t have Harrison.”

  Charles smiled at her.

  “Anyway, we should be gone soon and out of your hair, you’ll be glad to know.”

  “Oh no, I very much enjoy you being here,” he said earnestly. “Please stay for however long you want. Could I ask a favour though?”

  “Of course.”

  “I want to buy a motor car, having seen yours. Could you give me the name of the place you got it from?”

  “Yes, my grandfather arranged it for us to collect it in Cork. I’ll contact them and arrange it for you. They are very pricey though.”

  “No matter – the price doesn’t matter.”

  Harrison and Victoria were walking along the shingled beach at the lake, their arms around each other’s waists.

  Harrison was recounting tales of his childhood. “Christmas was always so special at Armstrong House. We were one big happy family.”

  “It sound idyllic. It’s all exactly as you described it.”

  “I don’t think so. The closeness we all had seems to be going quickly, if not gone.”

  “Harrison, I was thinking, we don’t have to return to the States, you know.”

  “Well, what else would we do?”

  “We could stay here.”

  “In Armstrong House?” he said incredulously.

  “Of course not, but we could get our own house here. Rent a place for now.”

  “Have you lost your mind? What about our life in America?”

  “What about it? It’ll be there waiting for us if we decide to go back. We’re wealthy – we can do anything we want, live anywhere we care to.”

  Harrison stopped and looked at her. “I don’t think you’re thinking straight.”

  “I always think straight. And what I see here is a family in crisis. I heard James and Charles argue terribly last week. I heard Arabella and your mother argue the other day. Emily is obviously miserably unhappy with whatever is going on in her life. And the feud between you and Charles is so destructive.”

  “We’ve actually managed to be very civil to each other under the circumstances,” Harrison pointed out.

  “‘Being civil’ doesn’t constitute a good relationship, Harrison.”

  “It’s the best we can have under the circumstances.”

  “Circumstances that happened years ago. From what I see he’s trying to hold out the hand of friendship to you desperately and you’re ignoring it.”

  “That’s because I don’t want it!”

  “Harrison!” She lost patience. “Has Lawrence’s death shown you nothing? Life is too short not to be friends with your family. Because of this feud with Charles you’ve missed all these years with your father and you’ll never get them back now. Do you want to have regrets in the future that you didn’t spend time now with your mother and family, when they so desperately need you?”

  “I don’t think they need me.”

  “They do. It seems to me, this family started falling apart when you left for America. You’re such a balanced person, Harrison, and this family needs a balanced person. If you walk away from them now, I don’t know where this family will end up in the future.”

  “You know your problem, Victoria? You think you can heal everything and everyone.”

  “I healed you, didn’t I?” she smiled at him.

  “But my family is not your problem to heal.”

  “Harrison – what’s my name?”

  He looked at her confused and answered, “Victoria Van Hoevan.”

  “No! My name is Victoria Armstrong, and this family is my family, and I want to know them and love them.”

  “But – but – could you really live here?”

  “Of course I could. I love the people, the scenery, the food. And it would be a wonderful base for us to travel around Europe which we always wanted to do.”

  “I don’t know . . .”

  “Maybe there’s another reason you don’t want to stay here?”

  “Like what?”

  “Arabella? Maybe you still have feelings for her. I can see how you fell in love with her in the first place.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, she means nothing to me!”

  “Good – glad to hear it! Then there’s nothing stopping us from living here,” she said, smiling at him.

  chapter 54

  Arabella was sitting in the drawing room reading to Pierce and Prudence as Charles read the newspaper when they heard the sound of a motor car.

  “Are Harrison and Victoria back so soon?” asked Arabella.

  “No, it’s Papa’s new motor car!” shrieked Prudence excitedly as both children went rushing out the d
oor.

  “What new motor car?” asked Arabella.

  Charles put down the paper and went to the window. “Oh yes, they’ve delivered it up from Cork.”

  “You didn’t say anything about getting a motor car,” said Arabella, alarmed, as her husband’s expensive tastes seemed to have returned in full force since he had come into his estate.

  “Didn’t I?”

  “Where did you get it from?”

  “Victoria organised it all for me, and she managed to get me a discount into the bargain.”

  “Did she indeed?” asked Arabella, as she joined her husband and viewed the vehicle which the children were now climbing all over.

  “It’s a fine job.”

  “But you don’t even know how to drive the thing!”

  “Victoria said she’d teach me.”

  “Does the girl have no limitations?”

  “Are you coming out to inspect it?” he said, heading to the door.

  “No, I’ll give it a miss,” said Arabella irritably.

  Charles got into the driving seat of the motor car and Victoria sat beside him. Harrison sat into the back, stoney-faced.

  “Now what do I do?” asked Charles, smiling.

  Victoria gave him instructions and he followed them. Harrison went to wind up the handle in front of the car and then quickly got into the back again.

  “That pedal is the accelerator for going forward and that one is for going back, and that’s the brake,” instructed Victoria.

  “Easy-peasy,” said Charles confidently as the motor car took off in a series of jerks. Suddenly the vehicle rushed forward at high speed.

  “Take your foot off the accelerator!” screamed Victoria as the car sped across the forecourt.

  “Which one is the accelerator?” shouted Charles.

  “The left!” shouted Harrison.

  “The right!” corrected Victoria.

  The car continued at high speed as Charles desperately tried to gain control. The car suddenly shot through the opening in the wall and started bouncing down the steps to the first terraced garden.

  “The brake! Pull the bloody brake!” screamed Harrison.

  The car continued through the next opening at the end of the terrace and bounced down the steps there as well.

  “We’ll end up in the bloody lake!” screamed Harrison as the car made its way to the next opening.

  Charles suddenly swerved the car into a large flower bed and it came to an abrupt halt on top of it.

  The three of them sat in dazed silence for a while.

  “Not as easy as it looks!” said Charles eventually.

  Victoria looked at him and then burst out laughing. The two men looked at her and then they started laughing loudly as well.

  That night the family sat around the dining table having dinner.

  “Honestly, Charles, you need to be more careful,” warned Margaret. “We don’t want to lose two Lord Armstrongs in a matter of months.”

  “I think Charles has the making of being an excellent driver,” Victoria reassured him.

  “The motor car lodged on top of the flower bed indicates otherwise,” said Arabella, drinking her wine.

  “All he needs is a bit of experience. He’s an excellent horseman and that shows he’ll be an excellent driver,” said Victoria.

  “Hope springs eternal,” said Arabella.

  Victoria looked over at Harrison and he nodded to her.

  “We’ve got a bit of news ourselves,” smiled Harrison. “We’re not going back to the States, not yet anyway.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Margaret.

  “We’ve decided to stay here. We’re going to rent a house and live here, see how we like it,” said Victoria.

  “I can’t believe it!” said Margaret, thrilled, tears coming to her eyes. “I’m getting my son back!” She jumped up and hugged Harrison tightly before hugging Victoria.

  “Well, that is excellent news!” said Charles, getting up and kissing Victoria. “Isn’t it, Arabella?”

  “Wonderful!” said Arabella, unsmiling.

  Charles walked over to Harrison. “Welcome home, brother!” He stretched his hand out to Harrison. Harrison glanced over at Victoria who nodded encouragingly at him. He took Charles’ hand and shook it, smiling at him.

  “Won’t you miss New York and Rhode Island?” asked Arabella, concerned.

  “Not really. I love it here. And it gives me the chance to really get to know you all, which is what I really wish for.”

  “You know, I’m going to help you find a place to live. I know all the places around here that are available,” said Charles.

  “Would you, Charles?” said Victoria appreciatively.

  “I don’t think you’ll find anywhere that will match what you’re used to in Newport,” said Arabella.

  “Oh, we don’t want something palatial. Just something quaint. Maybe we should move into a little peasant’s cottage,” laughed Victoria.

  “I can’t see it somehow,” said Arabella.

  Charles drove along the road with Victoria beside him and Harrison in the back seat.

  “Where are we going, Charles?” asked Victoria. They had already travelled fifteen miles from Armstrong House.

  “Nearly there!” said Charles as he drove through a gateway of a large white house with tall windows.

  “What do you think?” he asked, getting out of the car and leading them to the front door which he opened with a key.

  Victoria walked quickly through the large airy bright house.

  “It’s wonderful!” she exclaimed as she walked to the back of the long drawing room which had French windows. “Harrison, look!”

  She opened the windows and walked out. There was a long garden that backed onto a beach.

  “That’s why the house got its name – Ocean’s End,” explained Charles. “It’s been for rent for a while, and I thought it would be perfect for you.”

  “Ocean’s End – it is perfect, Charles,” said Victoria happily.

  chapter 55

  The last Christmas of the century came and went and everyone was excited as the dawn of the new century approached. Charles decided to have a ball at the house to celebrate the new century, and on New Year’s Eve the house was a flurry of activity as everyone prepared for the ball that night.

  Arabella was being helped change into a glittering sequined violet ball gown by her dresser. She was sitting at her dressing table putting on her earrings when Charles came out of the dressing room, fixing his gold cufflinks on his shirt.

  “It’s started to snow,” he said, looking out the window.

  She stood up and turned around.

  “You look very beautiful tonight, darling,” he complimented her.

  “Thank you,” she smiled.

  He came over and kissed her. She sighed and kissed him back. If only it could be like this all the time, she thought.

  Charles was in his element. It was the first ball at the house since he became Lord Armstrong. He had instructed the staff that no expense was to be spared. Arabella nearly trembled when she heard Charles use that expression as she remembered how his past extravagance had left them penniless and destitute. He offered her his arm and they left the bedroom and walked down the corridor and down the staircase.

  Fennell was busy instructing the staff who were running here and there.

  They heard a motor car outside.

  “It looks like Harrison and Victoria are the first to arrive,” said Charles.

  “Punctual as ever,” said Arabella.

  Fennell opened the door and a few seconds later Victoria and Harrison rushed in, shaking snow off themselves.

  “Happy New Year, everybody!” said Victoria, taking off her cape and handing it to Fennell.

  “The snow is coming down in buckets out there,” said Harrison, shaking the snow off his hair.

  “Happy New Year, Arabella,” Victoria kissed her, “and Charles,” and she kissed him warmly.

>   “What you need is hot whiskey. Fennell!” said Charles.

  Fennell arrived carrying a tray full of tumblers of Jameson.

  “That’s twenty-year-old malt whiskey,” said Charles.

  “We’ll all be a century older in a few hours,” joked Harrison.

  Margaret came down the stairs. “Happy New Year, my darlings!” She kissed Harrison and Victoria.

  The sound of carriages came from outside.

  “Looks like they’re all arriving,” said Arabella.

  “Do you know Colonel Tommy Radford is coming tonight with his new bride?” said Margaret. “I can’t wait to see her.”

  “Who is Tommy Radford?” asked Victoria.

  “Well, my dear, he’s this older bachelor with a long illustrious career in the army, mainly overseas in the colonies. He lives the other side of Castlewest. Well, he went off to the Boer War in South Africa and has arrived back with, I believe, a bride!”

  “But he must be in his sixties!” said Charles.

  “If he’s a day! Took us all by surprise, I can tell you,” said Margaret.

  “Quick! Stand to attention at the doors!” Fennell ordered the footmen as he opened the doors to let the first of the guests in.

  It didn’t take long for the downstairs of the house to be filled, as champagne and wine was circulated by the staff to the elegantly dressed guests.

  “Lady Armstrong, Happy New Year!” said Tommy Radford, appearing at her side.

  “Colonel Radford, I’m so glad you could come. Did you bring your wife?” asked Margaret, looking anxiously at the array of women close by.

  “Yes, indeed. Marianne!” he called and a very pretty blonde woman who looked not yet thirty stepped forward.

  “I’m pleased to meet you all!” said Marianne in her South African accent as she smiled pleasantly at the whole gathering of the Armstrong family.

  “And you, my dear!” said Margaret, shocked at her youth.

  “I’ve heard so much about your family, I feel as if I know you already,” said Marianne.