A New Dawn Over Devon (34 page)

Catharine said nothing.

“But that has nothing to do with the fact that there is no denying that Geoffrey is the true heir to Heathersleigh in the next generation, not you or me.”

“I don't believe this,” exclaimed Catharine, suddenly jumping up from her chair. “Who do you think you are? You are always wrecking everything. You made Mum and Daddy sad all the time. And now you come back and try to turn our lives all upside down!”

She stopped and stood in horror at what she had said.

“Oh, Amanda . . . Mother—I am so sorry!”

She turned and ran from the cottage.

Maggie and Jocelyn were quietly weeping, not for the possible loss of their beloved home, but for what Amanda had become, and for her willingness to relinquish what would have eventually become hers.

 57 
Argument

The expensive dinner laid out across the white linen tablecloth in a secluded corner of an exclusive Paris restaurant had been sitting untouched ever since the appearance of the piece of paper Ramsay Halifax still held in one hand.

“Look, Adriane, I have no choice,” Ramsay was saying, glancing toward the message he had received that afternoon. “These people are serious.”

“I'm tired of it,” replied his irritated mistress, Adriane Grünsfeld, alias actress Sadie Greenfield. “You're always leaving, and I never know when or where I'll see you again . . . or
if
I will see you at all.”

“There is a war on. Certain sacrifices have to be made.”

“Not by me. I'm not interested in this war.”

“I'm being well paid, darling. Surely it is worth it so that we can have a good life after the war. And it won't be much longer. I'll carry out this one last assignment and then tell them I'm through.”

She laughed, making no attempt to hide her sarcasm.

“And your mother and that man Barclay—I cannot stand the sight of him when he gives me the evil eye. Are you going to tell
them
you're through?”

“I can handle them.”

“Like you've handled them till now?” she rejoined, laughing again with disdain.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“That you always do their bidding. You're twice the man Barclay is, but you always cower around him like he's got some power over you. I hate him.”

“I'm doing all right for myself,” snapped Ramsay, all the more annoyed with her comment in that he knew there was a certain degree of truth in it.

“All I know is that if you don't get that mess with the English girl resolved so that you can marry me,
I'm
through.”

“Soon, I promise . . . just let me take care of this one last assignment, then you and I will settle down together.”

“Settle down . . . where! That hardly sounds like you, Ramsay. All of Europe is at war. I have the feeling you like it. Where is someone like you ever going to settle down?—Vienna, here in Paris, the States, perhaps . . . or back in England with—”

She paused abruptly. The comment hadn't been planned. But now that it had nearly escaped her mouth, after a second's hesitation she let it come.

“—with your wife.”

“Leave her out of it!” snapped Ramsay testily.

“How can I?” she snapped back. “What am I supposed to think?”

“She means nothing to me.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that? You married her.”

“I had to. She's probably dead by now anyway.”

“And maybe not. Before we go any further, I want her taken care of. I refuse to marry a married man.”

“You haven't objected to being with me before now.”

“That's different,” said Adriane in a huff.

“Relax, darling,” said Ramsay, trying to calm her down. “I'll look into it.”

Adriane glanced around and made a halfhearted attempt to stab a piece of cold veal with her fork. She was beginning to wonder what she'd gotten herself into.

 58 
Two Visitors

The three Rutherford women walked slowly and thoughtfully back toward Heathersleigh Hall. As she thought about it, Catharine found the discussion at Maggie's no more agreeable now than when she had first realized where her sister's thoughts were leading. It was the closest she had come to actually being angry with Amanda since she had returned home. She had let out some steam and was sorry, but it still wasn't resolved. She walked a little way apart from the others, silently nursing her stunned disbelief.

As they went they saw a tall figure walking across the meadow toward them.

“I do believe that looks like—” began Jocelyn.

“Terrill—I mean . . . it's Lieutenant Langham!” exclaimed Catharine, breaking into a half run. In an instant the cloud over her countenance disappeared.

As she hurried toward their visitor, she saw Betsy now running out from the Hall to join the party.

“Hello, Lieutenant,” said Catharine, slowing the same instant Betsy scampered by.

“Hello, Miss Rutherford,” he replied, glancing to his right as a blur dashed past them. “Who was that!” he laughed.

“Where did you all go?” cried Betsy, reaching Amanda and Jocelyn. “I've been looking everywhere for you.”

“We had to go see Grandma Maggie, dear,” laughed Jocelyn. “Hello, Lieutenant Langham,” she added, glancing behind Betsy where Catharine and the lieutenant now approached.

“Lady Rutherford . . . Miss Amanda,” said Langham, nodding first to Jocelyn, then Amanda. “It seems my timing is always a bit off. You are out every time I call. At least on this occasion there are no streams to leap over and geese to tackle!”

They all laughed, glad for the lighthearted memory to replace, even if temporarily, the heaviness of the matters concerning their future which had been occupying them before the lieutenant's unexpected appearance.

“We are glad you are here, Lieutenant,” said Jocelyn. “I would say your timing could not be better. It is nearly teatime.”

“Thank you, Lady Rutherford,” he went on, “but we do not have a great deal of time.”

“We?”

“Lieutenant Forbes is with me. He hopes to speak with you for a moment too. But we are on naval business.”

“Then we shall hurry right in and get tea on the table,” insisted Jocelyn. “—Betsy, how would you like to go visit Grandma Maggie for a little while? I was planning to return to the cottage, but if you would like to, it would be a big help to me, and I know she would like to see you.”

“Yes, I'll make her tea,” replied Betsy. “She always asks me to read to her out of the Bible.”

“Splendid, dear. Be sure to run get me if she needs me. And if she becomes drowsy, let her sleep.”

“I will!” replied Betsy and ran off eagerly. Then she paused and turned. “Do you know when Sister Hope will be back?” she asked.

“No, Betsy dear. But I am sure it will not be many more days.”

They turned and continued toward the house as Betsy scampered off toward the wood.

Twenty minutes later the three women and two naval officers were gathered in the east sitting room, whose window looked out across the lawn toward the heather garden, enjoying tea and light conversation. It had become obvious to Jocelyn that Lieutenant Forbes was still somewhat shaken by the death of her husband, as well as her son's having saved his life. Though his head injuries appeared to have healed, it was clear that, for his part, the visit had been intended to
help put his mind at ease regarding the family of the man who had saved his life and lost his own.

“I am so glad to see that you are all doing well,” he had just said.

“Yes, Lieutenant,” agreed Jocelyn. “We miss Charles and George, and always will. But we know where they are, and therefore we are at peace.”

Forbes took the words in with a thoughtful nod. “It has been difficult for me to put the incident behind me,” he said, “but being here with you helps a great deal.”

As they continued to chat together, Lieutenant Langham now turned toward Amanda.

“When I saw your sister in London, Miss Rutherford,” he said, “she mentioned that you were in the city consulting with Rev. Diggorsfeld about your marriage—”

“You saw Catharine . . . when?” replied Amanda, glancing back and forth between the two.

“When the two of you were in London. Miss Rutherford and I had a visit in Hyde Park.”

“I see,” nodded Amanda, throwing Catharine a mischievous smile. “I hadn't realized that.”

“I wondered,” Langham went on, “whether you have had any further contact with Mr. Halifax.”

“No . . . none,” replied Amanda. “I had hoped you might have some news.”

“Unfortunately . . . no, I'm afraid,” replied Langham. “We have learned nothing either. So your . . . uh, marital status is unchanged?”

Amanda nodded.

Langham pulled his watch from his pocket and glanced down.

“We do need to be on our way,” he said. “We are due in Plymouth in two hours.”

“You're not being reassigned?” asked Jocelyn.

“No,” Langham replied. “Only a temporary duty which I hope will be brief.”

“What is it?” asked Catharine.

“I am sorry, Miss Rutherford,” he answered, “but I cannot say.”

“Oh, a secret mission!” she said with a smile.

“Something like that. Let me just say that we are on a special assignment.”

“It sounds dangerous.”

“Let's hope it won't come to that. We are just trying to keep track of someone for the army.”

“But you are in the Royal Navy.”

“The army and navy have found it necessary to join forces in this case. It may be nothing, but with a war on, we have to be certain.”

“You're following someone?”

“I think I have said enough,” he said with a light laugh. “Perhaps too much!”

Langham rose as if to leave.

“Before we go,” he said, glancing toward Jocelyn, “I wonder if I might have a word with you, Lady Rutherford . . . in private.”

The two girls glanced at one another.

“Of course, Lieutenant,” replied Jocelyn as she stood. “Come upstairs with me to the family sitting room.—Girls, I am sure you will be able to keep Lieutenant Forbes occupied.”

Catharine cast Amanda a look which said that she did not find the older Forbes nearly so interesting as the younger Langham.

“I will say my good-byes to you both now,” said Langham, turning toward each of the young women. Miss Rutherford . . .” he said to Catharine, “—Miss Amanda,” he added, now nodding toward Amanda.

“Good-bye, Lady Rutherford,” said Forbes, rising and shaking Jocelyn's hand. “It was wonderful to see you again. Thank you for your hospitality.”

Lieutenant Forbes took his leave and went to wait in the car.

“Amanda,” said Catharine when they were alone, “I apologize again for what I said back there. I am
so
sorry.”

“Think nothing of it,” replied Amanda. “I'm sure what you said was true enough.”

“But I don't want you to think I used to think that all the time. There were occasions when I would be confused or frustrated with things you would say and do. I admit it. But they were very rare; you've got to believe me. I have very fond memories of our childhood together.”

Amanda smiled, and the two sisters embraced.

About twenty minutes later they heard Lieutenant Langham's booted footsteps coming down the stairs. They waited until the car engine started outside, then bolted from the sitting room and up the
stairs in search of their mother. They met Jocelyn as she reached the first-floor landing.

“Mother, what was that all about!” exclaimed Catharine.

“Never mind,” said Jocelyn with a smile. “Just a private talk between me and the lieutenant.”

“Mother!”

“I'm sorry, but you will get nothing out of me. He made me promise.”

“Mother . . . please!”

“Let me turn the question back on you. What was all
that
about, Catharine—you and he meeting in London?”

“She won't tell me a thing, Mother,” Amanda added. “I've been pestering her about it ever since Lieutenant Forbes left. I wondered why she was so bubbly on the train ride back to Devon!”

“And now you know,” said Jocelyn. “So, Catharine . . . it comes out that you had arranged to visit Lieutenant Langham all along.”

“I didn't,” laughed Catharine. “It was a mere coincidence.”

“It still sounds suspicious to me,” rejoined her mother. “I don't know whether we can believe you or not.”