Chapter 5 #2
Clementine wasn’t sure how Elizabeth had the nerve, given what she’d overheard in the hall. She was leaning against her husband, laughing, looking like love’s young dream.
‘Why on earth would I?’ Michael asked, gazing down at her.
‘Wedded bliss,’ sighed Alexandra. ‘It’s a rare and beautiful thing.’
‘It’s never too late,’ Elizabeth told her friend.
Alexandra shook her head, her earrings jangling. ‘Oh, it is. I’m beyond hope. And I’m far too set in my ways. And there’s not much point in getting married, if you’re not going to have children. Which I’m obviously not.’
Diana had looked unimpressed all the way through this exchange. She stood up, ejecting the Jack Russell from her lap. ‘Well, it’s been lovely, but I think we’re going to push off.’
‘Are we?’ Rory looked startled.
‘Aren’t you staying for supper?’ Elizabeth frowned.
‘I’ve got to get the horses in.’
‘What a shame,’ said Alexandra.
Diana glared at her. ‘Heel, Bingo. Come on, Rory.’
She spoke to her husband and her dog in exactly the same tone.
Rory put his hands on the arms of his chair. ‘I was looking forward to lamb chops.’
‘There aren’t enough anyway. Even Daisy can’t magic lamb chops out of thin air.’
‘Have we got something at home?’
‘There’s some mince left over.’
Rory didn’t look thrilled at the prospect, but there was no point arguing with Diana. Everyone knew that. So he got up out of his chair and followed her dutifully, with Bingo bringing up the rear.
‘And then there were six,’ said Alexandra. ‘Although where on earth has Jasper got to?’
‘I’m here,’ said Jasper, appearing in the French windows. ‘Though I’m off too. Just a fleeting visit.’
‘Oh,’ said Alfie. ‘I fancied a birthday pint at the Trout.’
Jasper looked at his watch. ‘I’m due in Dartmouth for dinner. Why don’t we catch up in town next week? Cheerio, everyone. And it’s very nice to meet you, Clementine. Look after the birthday boy for me.’
He pointed a finger at Alfie and gave her a wink. She smiled at him.
‘Don’t worry, I will.’
Clementine felt relieved as she watched Jasper walk away.
She really couldn’t make head or tail of the relationships around the table.
Was it because of what she had heard that she felt some of the remarks had been loaded?
Did anyone else suspect Jasper and Elizabeth?
She wished she hadn’t heard anything. It made her feel very uncomfortable.
Alfie didn’t seem to think anything was amiss.
‘That was good of him, to drop by.’
‘You know how fond of you he is,’ said Elizabeth. ‘Clementine, why don’t I show you up to your room? You might want a lie-down before dinner, after that journey.’
Clementine had to admit she did feel rather exhausted by it all.
Clementine followed Elizabeth up the curved staircase above the hall where so much had already unfolded.
‘We’re not terribly formal here, so don’t worry about changing for dinner,’ said Elizabeth. ‘But if you’d like to borrow a cardigan, I have plenty.’
She opened the door of a small bedroom with a high brass bed and a crewel-work eiderdown.
It smelled of beeswax and the blossom from a jug of anemones on the chest of drawers.
There was just one painting, over the fireplace.
It was of Elizabeth, sitting in a wing-backed armchair, smiling up at someone, a coupe of champagne in her right hand.
She was wearing a long black silk dress with a shawl collar, and the fabric shimmered in the light from a candle on the side table.
‘Oh,’ said Clementine, delighted. ‘How wonderful.’
Elizabeth gazed at it. ‘It’s my favourite thing in all the world,’ she said eventually. ‘But I find it hard to look at, so I keep it in here.’ She swallowed. ‘Everything was all right then.’
Clementine felt a lump in her throat. There was a tenderness to the painting that demonstrated just how very much Edwin must have loved his mother.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘It must be terribly hard for you.’
‘It is. But we mustn’t complain. We’re not the only ones to have lost someone.’ She gave a bright smile. ‘Now, there’s everything you might need in the bathroom, and a towel. You’ll need a hot-water bottle – Daisy will do you one. It might be May, but it can still get cold …’
‘This is all lovely. Thank you so much. What a pretty bedroom. The whole house is beautiful.’ Clementine hoped she wasn’t gushing.
‘We’re very happy to have you here. Very happy.
’ Elizabeth put out a hand and squeezed Clementine’s arm.
There was a warmth in her eyes that lit her up from the inside.
Or was it just the late afternoon sun slanting in through the window?
Clementine thought she was being genuine.
She was a good judge of character, adept at observing what people did rather than what they said.
Elizabeth was complex, that was certain, but she wasn’t going to let what she knew about her colour her judgement just yet.
There was a lot to uncover at Foxwood. It was very apparent that the Arbutus family were still living in the shadow of Edwin, whilst doing their best to pretend everything was all right.
Clementine knew from her mother that you never really got over losing someone you loved.
Although you could make a new life for yourself, you never forgot them.
Even though she’d never met him, Clementine was very conscious of Edwin’s presence.
He was still here, on the walls of the house, in everyone’s memory, in everyone’s heart, his spirit drifting in and out of every room.
He would be there at the table tonight, hovering, taking charge of the conversation without even being there. It was a little unsettling.
But to offset that, there was the solidity of Alfie.
Amidst the glamour and the undercurrents and simmering rivalries that flashed under the surface, he’d been calm, unflustered and stalwart, making sure she felt comfortable and welcome.
Everyone loved him. You could see by the way they looked at him.
Even Diana, who didn’t seem to like anyone much.
She thought of Henrietta’s words, how Alfie would eventually take over the paint factory.
If things carried on the way they were, might she one day be mistress of Foxwood?
When she’d pictured her future, it had never been this grand.
She’d imagined a comfortable house not unlike her family home, with a large garden rather than grounds.
Maybe some daily help, but not live-in staff.
Certainly nothing on this scale. She wasn’t sure she could imagine herself in Elizabeth’s place.
Steady on, Clementine, she told herself. You’ve only known him five minutes. Hold your horses, girl.