It Began in Vauxhall Gardens - Plaidy Jean - Страница 43

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Caroline came into the room. She was wearing a blue silk dress, a charming dress she had thought it and one of her most becoming, but as soon as she looked at Melisande she felt it to be dowdy. How could Melisande afford such a dress? And why should a simple gown look so'much more becoming than all the blue silk frills and tucks which had taken so many of Miss Pennifield's hours to create?

Caroline felt that if Fermor had been in the house she would have hated Melisande.

"What a lovely dress!" said she. "It's quite plain . . . apart from the flower. Oh, it is a lovely flower!"

"You have it," said Melisande.

"No, no. It is for your dress. I can see that." Caroline forced herself to smile. "Mr. Danesborough has a special reason for asking you."

"A special reason?"

"Wait and see. A surprise. A rather nice one, I think."

Melisande looked very excited and Caroline thought: She is so young, so fresh and charming. No wonder she attracts him. But for him I should have enjoyed keeping her as my companion.

Melisande was thinking: What a pity! It is Fermor who makes the trouble. She is pleased because there is to be a nice surprise for me. And what is it ? What can it be ? What a nice quiet happiness there is without him!

Later, riding in the carriage with Sir Charles and Caroline, she felt that she belonged to them, and that was what she could only call a great pleasantness.

Sir Charles talked to them both. He was eager to know how Caroline was progressing with her French lessons.

"She progresses well," said Melisande.

"And you are enjoying your riding?"

"That has been a great enjoyment," she told him.

Melisande waited eagerly. Perhaps now he would tell her that soon she must go. Surely they must tell her soon and, now that they were here talking so intimately, that would be a good time?

But neither he nor Caroline said anything about her leaving them.

"I daresay Caroline keeps you and Miss Pennifield busy with the sewing for her wedding."

"Yes, Papa. Mademoiselle St. Martin has very good taste."

"Undoubtedly she has."

He closed his eyes to indicate that he did not wish for more conversation. He was disturbed to be travelling with them both like this. They brought back such memories to him of Maud and Millie, for each was sufficiently like her mother to remind him. He was greatly disturbed by this beautiful young girl. He was wondering what he was going to do with her when Caroline went away. He had a daring scheme. He was thinking of installing her as housekeeper. What would the servants have to say to that! She was popular with them, but to set a young girl in such a position, so that she was the equal of Mrs. Soady and Mr. Meaker! It might cause trouble. It might even do worse. It might cause conjecture. He was terrified of that.

He had hoped in the first place that Caroline would take her away with her when she married. That would have been the best solution. Eventually he might have found a suitable husband for her. But, of course, she could not go with Caroline. He had reckoned without Fermor.

It was a very daring proposition this—to keep her in the house, to create a position for her. He would have to proceed very warily, for there was one thing he could not endure: scandal which might result in exposure.

He was glad that Wenna would leave with Caroline. He would certainly be glad to see the back of that woman.

Caroline had told him of Melisande's encounter with the Frenchman. Danesborough had, in his usual manner, quickly made the acquaintance of the young man and his precious charge. It was Sir Charles who had suggested that Caroline's companion should be invited to meet the young Frenchman; and Danesborough, who had asked de la Roche for dinner extended the invitation to Melisande without hesitation.

Danesborough was a broad-minded man; and Sir Charles had pointed out that, although she was in poor circumstances, Melisande was a girl of education.

They had arrived at the Danesboroughs' and in the drawing-room,

Mr. Danesborough with his sister, who was the chatelaine of the household since the death of Mrs. Danesborough, greeted them warmly.

There were other guests and among them Melisande saw, with surprise and pleasure, Leon de la Roche.

"Ah, Mademoiselle St. Martin!" cried the jovial Mr. Danesborough, "I am so glad you have come. Monsieur de la Roche has been telling me how you and he were introduced by young RaouL ,,

"It is so," said Melisande. "He rescued me and introduced me. It was a double kindness."

Mr. Danesborough was clearly enchanted with her. Sir Charles, he said, had told him of her learning but had not prepared him for her beauty. He had promised Monsieur de la Roche that he should take her in to dinner; Mr. Danesborough implied that he envied Monsieur de la Roche.

And here was Leon de la Roche himself. To Melisande he looked different in this new setting—remote, less friendly, a pale stranger; but there was no doubt of his pleasure in seeing her.

"I am delighted," he said in his own tongue.

She answered in French: "I had no idea that you would be here. You must be the surprise. Caroline told me there was a surprise. A rather nice one, she said." She laughed. She felt young and carefree. This house held no memories of Fermor, and chatting with Leon she could forget all about him. She began to chatter of how excited she was to come out to dinner. "I have never before been out to dinner. It is my first dinner party. Of course, I have had supper with the servants in the servants' hall. Such things there are to eat! And that is great fun. But this is grand . . . and how different you look! And I too, I daresay."

"You look charming. You always look charming. But to-night you are very beautiful."

"It is the dress. It is beautiful. I longed to wear it, but this is the only suitable occasion there has been. I hope there will be other suitable occasions . . . many, many of them."

"So do I. It is a delightful dress."

"It is French. That is why you like it. The flower is English though. Made with these hands from cuttings given by Miss Pennifield. So perhaps it is half French ? She gave the material; I made the flower. I have been wondering if I can earn my living making flowers."

"You go too fast. Why should you earn your living making flowers?"

"If it should be necessary," she said. "Who knows? It would be a little accomplishment."

"But you have many accomplishments."

"I do not know them. You are to take me in to dinner. Mr. Danesborough told me."

"I am delighted."

"Isn't it fun . . . meeting properly like this . . . not just a chance encounter on the seashore, and I promise to be there if we can arrange it and it does not rain!"

"It is. But it was also fun on the seashore . . . the greatest fun."

"And fun to be talking French as loudly as we like. Few, if any of them, know what we are saying."

"It makes us seem apart. I can't tell you how glad I am to find you here. Mr. Danesborough is an interesting man. He called on us and told me a good deal about the neighbourhood . . . past and present. Raoul has taken a fancy to his son Frith who came with him."

"His son?"

"He's not here to-night. He's home for the holidays, I think. Too young for dinner parties. Although I doubt whether he is much younger than you are."

"It is an advantage to be out in the world. Then you come to dinner parties and renew acquaintance with interesting people whom you meet on the beach."

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