Lies for Love, page 4
Martha, who had been with Felicity for years and knew Carmela well, was the only person to be let into the secret of what the two girls were about to do.
“It’s not that I approves of what her Ladyship’s up to,” Martha said to Carmela, “but once she’s set her heart on something, it’s no use arguing with her.”
“That is true,” Carmela said, “but do you think, Martha, that anybody will believe for one moment that I am really her Ladyship?”
“You wait until I’ve finished with you, Miss,” Martha replied, and Carmela had to admit now that she looked very unlike herself.
‘Be very careful what you say downstairs, Martha,” Felicity warned, “except that we are all leaving tomorrow.”
“They knows that already,” Martha said, “but they didn’t ask me any questions.”
“That is a blessing.”
Martha went from the room to fetch something and Carmela asked:
“How can you be sure of anything until Jimmy agrees?”
“He will agree,” Felicity said confidently, “and he should be arriving any time now.”
“Will you want to see him alone?” Carmela asked.
“Yes, of course,” Felicity answered. “I am going to show him Cousin Selwyn’s letter. I know then he will agree to all my plans.”
Carmela hesitated a moment. Then she said:
“Do you not think, Felicity dearest, that it would be more honest if you told him the truth? When after you have married him he finds out that you have been deceitful about your money, will it not make him angry and feel that he cannot trust you in the future?”
She knew by the way Felicity’s lips tightened that she had thought about this already and knew the answer.
“That is a risk I have to take,” she said, “but I cannot help feeling that when Jimmy is married to me nothing will be of any importance beside the fact that we are together.”
That, Carmela was to think later, was the truth.
She had only to see Lord Salwick looking at Felicity to know that he loved her with all his heart, and that his idea of perfect happiness was for her to be his wife.
He arrived just before luncheon, and Felicity had no time to tell him what was happening. So they ate first, a small but delicious meal cooked by a chef who had been at the Castle for ten years with the Countess.
Because Lord Salwick was obviously so pleased to see Felicity again he could not take his eyes off her, and while they tried to talk sensibly of what they had each been doing while they were apart, there were moments when their words died away and they could only look at each other with love in their eyes.
Carmela had been amused when she first went down to the drawing room before luncheon to find that for a moment Lord Salwick did not recognise her.
Then he had exclaimed:
“You have changed, Carmela! I thought you were one of Felicity’s smart friends she had brought here from London.”
“No, I am just myself,” Carmela answered, “but ‘fine feathers make fine birds’!”
“Oh, you have some new clothes,” Lord Salwick said vaguely, “and you are doing your hair in a new way.”
“It is like mine,” Felicity said, “and I will tell you all about it, darling, after luncheon.”
As soon as Felicity spoke Carmela realised that Lord Salwick had forgotten her and had turned his attention to Felicity as if she filled his whole world.
As soon as the meal was over Carmela went upstairs. “I will send for you when I have made Jimmy agree to everything,” Felicity had said before he arrived.
“Be careful not to tell too many lies!”
“Yes, of course,” Felicity agreed.
Once Carmela was alone upstairs in Felicity’s bedroom she looked at the trunk which she knew contained more clothes than she had ever worn in her whole life, and the doubts as to whether she was doing the right thing, or something that was utterly and completely mad, carne crowding back into her mind.
Then she told herself the only thing that really mattered was that she should help Felicity because she loved her and not think of herself.
At the same time, to go to a strange house and live with strange people, especially the Gales who sounded terrifying, was almost as bad as returning to the Vicarage and being confronted by the obstreperous children again.
“I must be brave and adventurous,” Carmela told herself, though she felt neither of those things, but just helpless, as she had felt when her father had died.
Supposing she let Felicity down? Supposing the moment she arrived one of the family whom Felicity had forgotten about denounced her as an imposter?
There were dozens of disasters that might happen, and because she had lived such a quiet, uneventful life she thought she would never be able to carry off an impersonation of Felicity, who was used to parties, dinners, balls and receptions, and had often travelled abroad.
“Perhaps the Gales will not know that,” Carmela tried to console herself, but she had the uncomfortable feeling that there were always prying eyes and gossiping tongues!
Some kind friend would be only too willing to tittle-tattle about the Countess who had cut herself off from the rest of the family and brought up a very beautiful granddaughter without their help.
Because she felt perturbed and anxious Carmela walked to the window and as she did so caught a glimpse of herself in the long mirror.
For a moment she could hardly believe she was seeing her own reflection. Then she told herself that whatever her inner fears might be, outwardly she really did look the part she was to play.
She would not have been human if she had not felt it a joy to wear a gown that was more beautiful and more elegant than anything she had ever worn before.
‘I am sure if Papa could see me he would want to paint me,’ she thought.
Then she knew that her father would be more likely to paint her as a nymph wearing something diaphanous that looked like the mist on the water or perhaps a sky sprinkled with stars if he was painting her at night.
‘For the moment I am content with these real gowns,’ Carmela smiled.
She looked at those which Felicity had flung on the bed, thinking she had never imagined she would ever to able to wear anything that looked as if it had stepped straight out of a dream.
When there was a knock on the door and one of the servants asked her to go downstairs she felt as if the sound jerked her back to reality.
She swallowed apprehensively as she entered the drawing room where Felicity and Lord Salwick were waiting.
They were both looking very happy and Felicity who was holding his hand did not relinquish it as he rose to his feet.
“Come and talk to us, dearest Carmela,” she said. “I have told Jimmy how kind you have promised to be and he is very grateful.”
“I am indeed, Carmela!” Lord Salwick said. “But it seems we are asking a great deal of you.”
“I – I want to – help,” Carmela said quietly.
“And you will help us by just staying at Galeston until we are married,” Felicity said.
“I only hope that I can – act the part skilfully.”
“I can see now that you do look rather like Felicity,” Lord Salwick said, “only – ”
He stopped as if he realised that what he meant would sound rude, and Carmela finished the sentence for him.
“ – only she is much, much lovelier than I could ever be.”
“That is what I thought,” Lord Salwick smiled, “but of course, I am prejudiced.”
“That is what I hope you will always be,” Felicity said. “Otherwise, I warn you, Jimmy, I shall be very, very jealous!”
“Not half as jealous as I shall be about you,” he said. “If you even look at another man I will murder him!”
Felicity laughed in delight, and taking his hand held it against her cheek.
“We are going to be very happy,” she said, “and there will be no time for anybody else in our lives except ourselves.”
“You can be sure of that, my darling,” Lord Salwick said. “But I wish it was easier, and that we could be married right away.”
“I am sure it will not be long,” Felicity said confidently, “and I cannot risk losing you.”
“You will never do that,” he said, “and although I think it is something I should not do, I cannot risk your obeying your cousin’s summons, and finding he intends to marry you off to somebody else.”
“I am sure that is what he intends,” Felicity replied. “Otherwise, why should he have sent for me so suddenly when there have been no previous communications?”
“I agree, it is all very suspicious,” Lord Salwick said, “and therefore we will do what you, wish. I must go home now and make arrangements for the house and the horses to be looked after while I am away.”
“Yes, of course!” Felicity said, “and you will not forget that I want one of your men to drive Carmela to London?”
Carmela looked surprised and Felicity explained:
“It would be a great mistake for old Gibbons to take you. We could not be sure he would not gossip with the servants at Galeston House, and another thing - he would forget to call you ‘M’Lady’.”
“I can understand that,” Carmela said, “but – ”
“It is all arranged,” Felicity interrupted. “Jimmy has a new coachman who has never seen you and he is going to tell him to come here and drive a lady he will think is me to London in Grandmama’s carriage which, as you know, has the coat-of-arms on the door.”
“And when I get to – Galeston House in – London?” Carmela asked in a low voice.
“Cousin Selwyn had made arrangements for me to stay the night there and his horses will take you to Galeston the next day. He had it all ‘cut and dried’, obviously not expecting me to be able to think for myself.”
“Perhaps he is just being polite and considerate,” Lord Salwick suggested quietly.
“To suit his own ends!” Felicity replied. “Do not forget, darling Jimmy, he never wrote to me when Grandmama died.”
“I agree that was inexcusable.”
“Now I am just wondering,” Felicity said, “which of the impoverished, spendthrift Gales he is expecting me to marry.”
Carmela looked at her warningly, fearing that Lord Salwick might suspect how rich she really was.
Then she remembered that even without the very large fortune she now had inherited, it would have been expected that Felicity should have some money left to her by her grandmother as well as the Castle and its contents. As if Felicity realised what she was thinking she said:
“I am keeping the Castle open for the time being until Jimmy can arrange everything for me and decide what we will move from here into his own house.”
“Then would it not be better, when I know you are – married, for me to – come – here?” Carmela asked. Felicity shook her head.
“You may have to run away, and if Cousin Selwyn tries to pursue you or wishes to make himself unpleasant, it would be better for you to be somewhere where he would not find you.”
“Y – yes – of course,” Carmela said hesitatingly, “but I hope he will not be very – very – angry when he knows he has been – deceived.”
Felicity shrugged her shoulders.
“What does it matter if he is? I will be married by then, and we will look after you, will we not, darling Jimmy?”
“Of course,” Lord Salwick agreed. “We will see that you do not have to go back to work at the Vicarage or anywhere else for that matter, and I am very sorry about your father. I did not know until Felicity told me that he had died.”
Carmela felt the tears come into her eyes and for the moment she could not answer.
Felicity put her arms around her.
“It is all right, dearest,” she said. “You are not alone any longer. You are with us! We love you and you will never again have to suffer as you have had to do by working for people like the Coopers.”
“They – meant to be – kind,” Carmela said with a little choke in her voice.
“No one could be kind who possessed a son like that monster Timothy!” Felicity answered.
Because it somehow sounded ridiculous Carmela gave a little choked laugh.
“I really ought to go,” Lord Salwick said. “Will you be ready if I fetch you in my travelling-carriage at nine o’clock?”
“Of course I will!” Felicity replied. “I shall have very little luggage because I am going to buy a whole trousseau in France in which you will think I look beautiful.”
“How could you be anything else?” he said.
“Nobody knows anything except for Carmela and Martha,” Felicity said. “I shall just tell the servants that I am going back to London.”
“Are you going to stay there the night?’ Carmela asked, knowing she also would be in London at Galeston House.
“Yes, but not in Grandmama’s house in case somebody should hear of it,” Felicity replied. “I shall stay at an hotel under an assumed name, and only when we get to France will Jimmy and I be known as Lord and Lady Salwick.”
“Which you will be, very, very soon,” Lord Salwick said in a low voice.
“That is all I want, now and for ever,” Felicity replied.
They looked into each other’s eyes and Carmela was forgotten.
Then because she knew they wanted to say goodbye to each other she slipped from the room and left them alone.
Because she had got her own way and everything appeared to be ‘plain sailing’, Felicity was in sparkling spirits all the evening.
They laughed as she and Carmela reminisced about when they were children, and only when they went up to bed early did Felicity say in a more serious tone:
“I am very, very grateful to you, dearest! I cannot live without Jimmy and this is the only way I can be sure of not losing him.”
“I do not think you would ever do that,” Carmela answered.
“I am giving you some money,” Felicity went on. “I know how humiliating it must have been at the Vicarage to be without it.”
They went into her bedroom and she took a sealed package from one of the drawers of the dressing-table saying:
“There is £100 here, some in notes, some in sovereigns.”
“£ 100?” Carmela exclaimed. “I do not need as much as that!”
“Of course you do,” Felicity said firmly, “and there is also a cheque for another £100 that you can cash at any time you want from Coutts Bank in London.”
“It is too much,” Carmela protested.
“Remember, you are supposed to be well off, if not a millionairess,” Felicity admonished. “You must tip generously, and keep enough money with which to run away when the time comes. You may have to come back in a post-chaise. Anyway, it is fatal not to be able to pay one’s way and I am making sure you can do that.”
“You are so – kind,” Carmela said.
“Not in the least! You are being kind to me,” Felicity answered, “and ‘I have every intention of giving you all the money you need in the future, so there is no need to pinch and starve.”
Carmela was about to say that her pride would not let her take it. Then the old joke about ‘pride and charity’ occurred to them both and they laughed.
“Do not dare say it!” Felicity admonished. “You are my responsibility from now on, and let me say because I am being married first I already feel as if you were my débutante daughter and I have to launch you on the world.”
They both laughed again because it sounded absurd but when she was alone Carmela could not help feeling that it was almost true.
Because Felicity was so much more worldly-wise and sophisticated compared to herself, Carmela felt she was like an unfledged school-girl stepping into a world of which she knew nothing and would therefore appear gauche and unsure of herself.
At the same time, she could feel a sense of adventure seeping through her because it was so exciting to have such beautiful clothes and to get away from the Vicarage.
“God will look after me,” she told herself before she fell asleep.
She felt quite sure too that her father and mother were near her and they would somehow protect her from any extreme consequences of the deception on which she was embarking to help Felicity.
“Whatever happens,” Carmela said, “I will try not to have any regrets.”
The Earl of Galeston was sitting in the library at Galeston Park with a map of the estate spread out in front of him.
“As I have not been here since I was a small boy,” he said to the manager standing beside him, “you must remind me of the names of the woods and the farms, and of course I shall want to know about the present tenants.”
“I think your Lordship will find I have set it all down in the memorandum I laid before you when you arrived.”
“I have read it,” the Earl replied, “but I did not find it as comprehensive as I would wish.”
He knew as he spoke that the man beside him was anxious, and he thought that his suspicions were fully justified. It was quite obvious that the manager was not only incompetent and lazy, but very probably dishonest also.
The Earl had come to Galeston with an open mind, knowing that it would be a great mistake to make changes too quickly. In the words in which he would have advised a young Subaltern just joining the Regiment, he must ‘play himself in’.
The Earl had never in his wildest dreams expected to inherit the title or any of the estates.
As his father was a younger son he had always known that in the usual English tradition the family money all belonged to the reigning Earl while his brother and certainly his nephew, could expect nothing.
He had therefore chosen the Army as his career, and expected to stay in the Regiment until he retired.
Because he was a good soldier, he rose through sheer merit rather than by buying promotion and was actually a Colonel before, like being hit by a bomb-shell, he learnt that his uncle had died unexpectedly and he was the 7th Earl of Galeston.
He had known of course that the direct heir, his cousin had been killed just before his 21st birthday.
