Pride of the Courtneys

by Margaret Dickinson

‘I—I think they’re sending someone down.’

  But in that hesitation, I wondered if she were speaking the truth when she said Charles was away for so long. Was she planning to keep him away from Courtney Hall until I was safely married? It was obvious that she feared I would lure Charles away, and no doubt knowing I disliked Bassett, she thought I would try to persuade Charles to marry me instead.

  I left Evelyn Corby watching me from the doorway as I walked down the short drive and along the village street.

  It was not often I came to the village, and I could feel the curious glances of the villages upon me. Their smiles of greeting were friendly and respectful befitting those extended to their new mistress, which I was, after all, soon to be.

  How could I find whether or not Charles had really gone to London? Whom amongst the villagers could I ask?

  Then I knew.

  Old Tom, the shepherd in his little hut high on the hillside, would know. Charles visited him every week without fail to attend to Tom’s wounded leg which would never heal.

  The August sun was hot on my back and the air still and silent as I climbed the hill. High above the village, I could see the farmers moving about their work on the sloping fields, and below in the tiny houses, their wives sang about their chores and children shrieked and played in the sun.

  I remembered, suddenly, Bassett’s words to me on the day we had gone riding, about the fear of flooding next winter. It was impossible to imagine, here in a sunny, peaceful world, that disaster could ruin all these people spread out below me. I hoped with all my heart that Bassett was wrong.

  I reached the shepherd’s hut and knocked on the door.

  ‘Come in, come in,’ a quavering voice answered and I pushed at the rickety door.

  Inside, the hut was dark and dingy, but as my eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, I saw that old Tom kept his shack clean and neat, though it was sparsely and poorly furnished. The old man was stooping over the fire stirring something in a cooking pot.

  My eyes took in the table and chair, and single bed tucked away in one corner with two blankets on it. A rush mat covered the wooden floor near the fire, and apart from one armchair, tattered but comfortable, that was the furniture, save a shelf of pots and pans which purported to be his kitchen.

  ‘What be you a-wanting?’ he asked, then straightened up and turned to see who had entered his home.

  ‘Why, it be the young mistress,’ and his weather-beaten, crinkled face broke into a welcoming grin.

  ‘Sit yer down, ’ere, missy. It be nice of yer to come and see the likes ’o me.’

  I smiled and sat in the old armchair.

  ‘I am wondering if you can tell me whether Dr Corby has gone to London for some time.’

  The old man’s shaggy white brows met in a frown.

  ‘Why no, missy. But ’ow should I be a-knowing?’

  ‘I know Dr Corby visits you every week and I felt sure he would not leave without letting you know that someone else would be coming.’

  His eyes brightened.

  ‘Why, that’s so. But maybe the young gentleman had to go off sudden-like and hadna the time to tell any’un.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ I sighed for I was afraid old Tom was right.

  I rose.

  ‘I’m sorry to have troubled you.’

  ‘No trouble, missy. ’Tis a pleasure to see you.’

  And the gentle old man, with all the wisdom of life in his gnarled old face and hands, tender hands which had cared for sheep all their days almost, nodded and smiled at me.

  ‘I’m sorry I canna put your mind at rest about yon man, but if I should see him, I’ll say you wish to see him, missy, should I?’

  ‘Yes—yes, please do.’

  And after a further short exchange of conversation, I left old Tom.

  As I returned to Courtney Hall over the sparkling meadows, even the beautiful countryside could not dispel my depression today. I was annoyed with myself for having left matters so long between Charles and Georgiana. Now it looked as if I had lost the chance.

  When I returned to the house, matters were even worse than I had feared for Georgiana met me, once again her face wet with tears.

  ‘Georgiana, my love, what is it?’ I asked. ‘Come to the summer house where we may talk undisturbed.’

  Once more settled in the small place where we seemed to sort out our troubles, Georgiana told me that she had overheard Millicent teling Lady Courtney that if Bassett seemed set on marrying ‘ that Lloyd girl’ then she should transfer her affection somewhere else, and she mentioned Charles Corby as a possible suitor.

  ‘Mother wasn’t taken with the idea at all,’ sniffed Georgiana, ‘she said she thought Charles, a mere doctor, rather beneath anyone of the Bassett family. And why didn’t Millicent leave her marriage plans to her mother and father now. For who was more experienced than the older generation in the choosing of a life partner for their children?’

  Georgiana’s voice hardened as she added, ‘I cannot understand mother’s blindness in such matters, having once suffered herself so at the hands of managing parents.’

  I put my arm round her shoulders and held her close.

  ‘I tried to speak to Charles today, Georgiana, to ask him outright of his feelings for you, but it seems he has gone to London and won’t be back until after the wedding. At least that is what Miss Corby said.’

  Fresh tears welled in the girl’s eyes, but I was helpless.

  ‘That was good of you, Louella, but I fear he cannot care for me, or else he would have taken matters upon himself to prevent my marriage to Cedric Rothbone,’ she said the latter’s name with such dislike in her usually gentle voice that I shuddered to think what her life would mean married to a man she detested.

  But did I not know myself? For wasn’t I to marry a man I hated?

  During the last hours I had forgotten about myself in my endeavours to help Georgiana and possibly Charles. As I remembered, a fresh wave of misery enveloped me and if I had not been so firmly averse to shedding tears I would no doubt have cried with Georgiana at our shared unhappiness.

  As it was the misery remained inside me, hard and unyielding as I was.

  But when all seemed lost and beyond our power, we were surprised that night by a visit from Charles Corby himself.

  He came to Courtney Hall after we had dined and evidently asked specifically for me, for when the butler called me from the drawing-room to the hall, Charles came forward and clasped my hands in his.

  ‘Louella, old Tom told me you wished to see me. Is anything wrong? Is someone ill?’

  ‘Charles,’ I cried at the same time as he spoke. ‘How glad I am to see you, when did you get back?’

  He must have caught my conversation for he asked.

  ‘Back, where from?’

  ‘London!’

  ‘But I haven’t been to London.’

  ‘Evelyn said,’ I faltered not wishing to distress him if his sister had deliberately lied to me.

  ‘Evelyn?’ he said sharply. ‘What did she tell you, Louella?’

  ‘Charles, I do not wish to bring trouble between you and your sister. Please forget it. You are here and that is all that matters.’

  ‘No, Louella, I must know.’

  I sighed.

  ‘Very well. I called to see you at your home this morning but Evelyn said you had been called to London on business and would not be back before the weddings.’

  I saw Charles’ gentle mouth set in a hard line and he looked more angry than I had seen him before.

  ‘It seems my dear sister is trying to keep the Courtneys and me apart. She told me that we had better stay away during all the marriage preparations. But come, Louella, what is it you wish to say to me?’

  I glanced round the hall, fearful that we should be overheard by a member of the Courtney family.

  ‘We’ll take a walk. It is a warm night, and what I have to say must not be overheard.’

  I collected my wrap hurriedly and we l
eft the great house and walked through the orchard in the moonlight to the river, where we sat down on the bank, to talk.

  ‘Charles, what I have to ask you is not at all easy, and I beg you to listen with patience and—and kindness.’

  I felt rather than saw Charles smile gently in the darkness, and he took my hand in his and pressed it warmly.

  ‘Dear Louella, how could I do anything else?’

  ‘It is best to come straight to the point, I think. What are your feelings for Georgiana?’

  I heard Charles’ startled gasp in the darkness and his voice when he answered was unsteady.

  ‘I hardly expected to be asked that when Georgiana is betrothed to be married in less than a month. But since you ask, Louella, and it is you who ask, I will tell you truthfully. I love Georgiana with all my heart, but I know that I love in vain, for the Courtney family, however good they are to me, would never consider me as a suitor for their daughter. Besides, I am sure Georgiana could never love me in return.’

  I smiled to myself, gaining pleasure from the knowledge that now I could bring the two people in the world I cared about most, together and to happiness.

  ‘But you are wrong, Charles. Georgiana loves you as much, I am sure, as you love her.’

  Again he gave a startled gasp, and this time his voice trembled with emotion.

  ‘Louella, do not trifle with me. Are you serious?’

  ‘Charles,’ I spoke with mock severity, ‘how could you think I would jest about the happiness of you both? You misjudge me.’

  ‘I am sorry, Louella, but what you say is hardly credible. But,’ his voice fell with disappointment, ‘what are we to do, she is promised to Cedric Rothbone.’

  ‘That you must work out for yourselves. I cannot arrange for you to meet tonight for poor Georgiana is having to entertain Cedric. But I will tell her of our talk and you must meet tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow,’ he sighed softly. ‘It may never come.’

  ‘Of course it will, you love-lorn softie.’ Then rising I added, ‘I must go back to the house or I shall have some uncomfortable questioning to answer.’

  Charles and I made our way back to the house and in the driveway before the great doorway, he clasped my hands impulsively and kissed me on both cheeks.

  ‘Louella, you have made me the happiest man alive, till tomorrow, then.’

  ‘Till tomorrow,’ I echoed laughing. How love changes a man, I thought.

  Charles turned and left me and disappeared down the driveway into the darkness.

  I turned towards the house, climbed the steps and stepped into the porch. As I reached for the door handle, I felt myself grasped roughly by the shoulders.

  How I did not scream I do not know, perhaps it was too quick, but as I looked up into Bassett’s face, the scream died on my lips.

  ‘So, Louella, you go for moonlight strolls with another man less than a month before your wedding? What is the meaning of it, may I ask, or am I to form my own conclusions from the sweet words I heard just now?’

  I had never heard such bitterness in a man’s voice, nor seen such emotional anger. I feared he would strike me.

  I opened my mouth to defend myself, to tell him the truth and then, just in time, I realised I could not.

  Bassett would undoubtedly be against Georgiana’s marriage to Charles. How could I now betray her and Charles, whatever it cost me? I faced Bassett, my future husband, the man I disliked, and remained silent.

  His fingers dug into my shoulders with brutal strength as if he wished to force me to speak. I bit my lip with the pain of his grip, but held my peace. He could beat me for all I cared, I would not give way.

  Then suddenly he released me, flinging me from him so that I lost my balance and fell against the wall bruising my arm.

  ‘Go,’ he hissed between his teeth. ‘Go before I do something I shall regret.’

  And he turned and strode away into the darkness.

  I watched him out of sight as I had watched Charles.

  One man had left me in happiness and one in anger and humiliation. For I had humiliated the arrogant Bassett. Even if he did not love me, he was not the man to take kindly to his fiancée taking moonlight walks with another man. And I blushed with shame that the exchange of conversation he had heard would lead him to believe that Charles and were in love.

  I went to bed that night an unhappy creature, for though I disliked Bassett, I did not like making him angry and more unhappy than he obviously already was.

  Chapter Seven

  The next day was full of excitement and joy for Georgiana and Charles. When I had gone to her bedroom late that night and told her of my conversation with Charles, it had been all I could do to keep the dear girl from shouting out her happiness aloud and waking the whole household.

  The beauty and brightness returned to her eyes and I knew that Charles Corby was the only man for her, and whatever her family said, he was the one who would bring her happiness, never Cedric Rothbone.

  She lay down a happy woman in love and when I returned to my room to lay and watch the moonlit ceiling for the rest of the night, thinking of them, I was sure I was not alone in my sleeplessness, for I knew Georgiana, and probably Charles too, would be lying awake thinking of each other and the happiness they would share.

  I went with Georgiana the following morning to wait for Charles.

  We did not know how or when he would come, but come we knew he would.

  We had only an hour or so to wait in the summer house before we saw a boat round the curve in the river and knew by the impatient strokes of the oarsman that it was Charles. Georgiana jumped to her feet and would have rushed to the water’s edge to meet him, but I held her back. ‘No, wait here. You must not be seen from the house.’

  Impatiently we waited whilst Charles drew nearer. He moored his boat and bounded up the path to the summer house.

  He hesitated on the threshold as he saw Georgiana.

  There was a moment’s silence as the two met each other’s gaze, for the first time unashamedly filled with love. Georgiana’s face broke into a smile and Charles followed suit. With a delighted girlish laugh she ran into his arms and was folded in his loving embrace as if she would never leave it.

  With tears in my eyes, I left them together to work out their future. Now I was alone once more, for their world held no place for me. But their happiness left me with a warm glow. I had been instrumental in bringing them together and I must draw comfort from that. As I walked slowly back to Courtney Hall, I felt suddenly very sad that I could never experience such a love—never feel it for a man, nor enjoy the love of a man such as was Charles’ love for Georgiana.

  My marriage to Bassett Courtney would bind me for ever to a man I feared and disliked.

  I crossed the smooth lawn in front of the house and entered the shadow of Courtney Hall, the building which shadowed my life. Would I never be free of its clutches? It seemed not, now.

  Bassett was in the hall with Millicent when I entered. His hard glare reminded me of the previous night. And as I neared them, for I could do no other as I passed by to the stairs, Millicent’s feline smile preceded some scathing remark, I was sure.

  I was not disappointed.

  ‘Miss Lloyd has returned once more from her amorous stroll, I see.’

  My glance rested on Bassett. I was surprised that he had confided in Millicent. But it seemed that he was as surprised as I was that she seemed to be of the same opinion.

  ‘But what are those I see sparkling in those fine eyes?’ she continued, sarcasm lining her every word. ‘Surely not tears from you, Miss Lloyd, or has your lover spurned you, now that you are promised to Mr Courtney?’

  ‘You are misinformed. Miss Bassett. I have no lover, and it would seem unlikely, now, that I shall ever be so blessed.’

  And I hurried upstairs, for I could no longer bear their remarks and slurs.

  I was truly alone now with no one to turn to, for that night Georgiana left Courtney Hall
under the cloak of darkness to elope with Charles.

  Georgiana did not want me to help at all in her flight, for she said I would have enough disapproval to bear because I had helped them this far, without being involved in the actual elopement. But I might as well have been there to wish them ‘God Speed’ for I lay awake in my room listening for every creak in the silent house, imagining Georgiana creeping silently like a shadow down the wide stairs in her dark blue cloak, across the moon-streaked hall, gliding through the huge door out to join Charles and happiness.

  Once I thought I heard the soft click of a door and wondered if it were her, but I did not go to see. I might wake the household and spoil everything.

  It was not until the early hours of the morning, when I knew that the young lovers would be well away from Courtney Hall, that I fell into a dreamless sleep.

  I arose next morning, prepared for the onslaught of abuse which was bound to come my way. It was some time before Georgiana’s disappearance was discovered. The family thought she had overslept. But as we were finishing breakfast, we were interrupted by the hasty arrival of Miss Corby in great distress.

  She entered the dining-room and ran straight to Bassett. He stood up immediately and steadied her as she flung herself into his arms, weeping hysterically. She had given no one else in the room a glance at all.

  ‘Bassett, oh Bassett, you must help me, please. Charles has left home, gone away,’ she raised tearful eyes to look at him. ‘I am sure he has eloped—with—Louella.’

  I remained where I was, but I could hardly keep the smile from my face. There was the reason for her dislike of me, she had indeed thought her brother and I were in love. She had obviously never considered Georgiana as being the real object of his affection.

  Bassett looked at me in puzzlement, above her head.

  ‘Miss Corby, Evelyn,’ he said, ‘please calm yourself and sit down. As you can see, Louella is still here, she cannot have run away with Charles.’

  Evelyn spun round and the shock and disbelief were apparent on her face. She stared at me for a few seconds before sinking slowly into a chair.

  ‘Then—then—who is it? Who can it be?’ she whispered mystified.