Act of Will (25 page)

Mrs Bell had just returned from a two-day business trip to London and she stood for a moment longer, taking in the details of the seasonal décor.

She saw that Audra had eschewed tinsel and glitter, instead had turned to nature for her decorative theme. Garlands and branches of evergreens and mistletoe and the traditional hawthorn were much in evidence, tied and swagged with burgundy velvet or gold lamé ribbons. Crystal compotes held miniature pyramids of fruit and fir cones and nuts, and had been trimmed with brightly-coloured bows; there were masses of white candles everywhere and two small fir trees stood guard on either side of the fireplace. These were covered with bows and ribbon streamers in rainbow hues, and the tubs were wrapped with gold lamé fabric in the Victorian manner.

In fact, the entire theme had an old-fashioned, Victorian air about it, and it was one which Irène found
charming. As always she was impressed and admiring of Audra’s artistic talents.

I wonder how best to compensate her for this marvellous work? Irène asked herself, giving the room a final glance before turning away. I cannot offer her money, she’ll be insulted. She’s such a proud young woman. I must find her a very special gift tomorrow, quite aside from her Christmas present from us.

Crossing the hall in her usual energetic way, Irène Bell mounted the stairs, knowing that her child’s former nanny would be in the day nursery with him, unless she had already gone home to Pot Lane.

They were sitting at the table near the fire, with a paintbox and sketching pad spread out in front of them, and they both looked up as Irène walked in saying, ‘
Hello, hello
,’ to them.

Theophilus cried, ‘Mummy! Mummy! You’re home!’

He ran across the floor and flung himself at her joyously. Irène bent down and kissed the top of his head and hugged him to her, then she raised her face and smiled across at Audra.

‘Good afternoon, Mrs Bell,’ Audra said, smiling back.

‘I’m so glad you’re still here, Audra. I just saw the dining room and I must thank you for the wonderful decorations. The room looks beautiful, just
beautiful
. You’re to be congratulated.’

A look of gratification flitted across Audra’s pale face. ‘Thank you, but I did have a few willing helpers, you know.’

Irène’s brow puckered. ‘You did?’

‘Oh yes, Mrs Bell. Theo and Dodie, not to mention Cora.’

‘
Cora
. Gracious me, you are brave.’ Irène shook her bright auburn head. ‘I don’t mean to be unkind, but oh
dear, that poor girl does seem to get clumsier every day. And how kind of you to include her, yes, so
very
kind of you, Audra.’

Irène walked over to the table with Theo, where they both sat down.

Audra explained, ‘Cora’s enthusiasm is worth a lot, Mrs Bell, and she would have been heartbroken if I hadn’t asked her to do something. She helped Theo to make the garlands, actually.’

‘That was a safe job, Mummy,’ Theo volunteered, earnestly gazing up at his mother. ‘Audra said there was no risk involved, since all Cora could break was a twig or a bit of wire. Anyway, I kept an eye on her.’

‘I’m sure you did, darling,’ Irène murmured, biting back a smile of amusement. She turned to Audra, remarked, ‘I just can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your efforts. What with Cook under the weather, Mr Agiter coming down with influenza, and the unexpected trip to London, I was quite at my wits end earlier this week. I don’t know what I would have done, if you hadn’t been able to help me out with the dining room décor, Audra. We have so many dinners planned, and I must admit I can’t help wondering how on earth we’ll manage without a butler at Christmas.
Oh dear
.’ Irène’s gay, freckled face clouded. Instantly, it cleared. ‘Well, never mind,
never mind
. One can’t worry about such things. I shall cope somehow.’ Irène peered at Audra in the firelight. ‘How inconsiderate of me, I haven’t even asked you about your health, my dear. Are you feeling better?’

‘Oh yes, thank you, Mrs Bell.’

‘But you look as peaked as you did on Monday, when I came down to the cottage to see you.’

‘I’m perfectly fine, honestly I am, Mrs Bell.’

Theo said, ‘Look, Mummy, Audra’s been showing me
how to paint a scene.’ He pushed the sketching pad towards her.

Glancing down at it, Irène nodded. ‘Very good, darling, very good indeed.’ Her eyes strayed to the left-hand page where Audra had painted a simple landscape for him to copy. But in its very simplicity it was absolute perfection. Irène looked at it for the longest moment, struck by its delicate beauty, the reflection of light she had captured on paper. Finally lifting her eyes to Audra’s, Irène said, ‘This is
lovely
… haven’t I seen something similar before?’

‘Yes, I did a larger version several years ago and it was hanging in my room when I worked here.’

‘Of course. And you had given it an unusual name, as I recall.’

‘The Memory Place,’ Audra said very softly. ‘The painting is of the sycamore tree on the slope opposite High Cleugh… where my family and I used to picnic.’

‘Yes, I remember now.’ Leaning forward, Irène said in her emphatic voice, ‘You are a remarkably talented artist, Audra, and I can’t understand why you don’t pursue your painting.’

‘Oh, but I’m not very good, Mrs Bell, really I’m not,’ Audra replied with an odd laugh that was at once both dismissive and self-deprecating. ‘It’s just a hobby, after all.’

‘It could be your profession.’

‘Oh no, Mrs Bell,
nursing
is my forte. You know that Matron Lennox said I was truly gifted as a nurse, a real healer.’

‘Yes,’ Irène said, very slowly. Her eyes grew thoughtful and, after a short pause, one of her perfectly-pencilled brows lifted inquiringly. ‘I presume Vincent did not change his mind and that he is still against your going back to nursing?’

‘Yes, he’s adamant, I’m afraid.’ Audra lowered her eyes, then glanced away.

‘I see.’ Irène decided to let the subject drop immediately, understanding that she was treading on dangerous ground. She wondered if there was some sort of trouble between Audra and Vincent, other than their differences about her nursing career. The girl had seemed strangely quiet and withdrawn at the beginning of the week. But then perhaps that was due to her recent bout with ’flu. Perhaps she was merely a little run-down.

Audra was saying, ‘And speaking of my husband, I really ought to be going in a few minutes, if you’ll excuse me, Mrs Bell.’ She took a peek at the nursery clock. ‘Oh goodness, it’s already five-thirty. Vincent will be home from York at seven.’

‘
Why
has he been to York? What’s he been
doing
there?’ Theo demanded, as always insatiably curious about Vincent, who totally fascinated him.

‘Really, Theophilus,’ his mother chastised, ‘you know it’s rude to ask such personal questions.’

‘Oh that’s perfectly all right, Mrs Bell,’ Audra said, then explained to the child, ‘he went with Mr Varley, you know, the man who owns the building firm, and they were going to have a meeting with Mr Rowntree… something about building an extension onto one of the chocolate factories.’

‘Ooooh! How
scrumptious
! I wish I could go to a chocolate factory. Do you think Vincent will bring you back a box of Black Magic? They’re my favourite, Audra.’ Theo looked at her hopefully.

‘I know they are, but I don’t think Mr Rowntree gives his chocolates away, Theophilus,’ she responded with a small smile and stood up.

‘Oh Audra, please don’t go,’ Theo pleaded, ‘I hardly ever get to see you these days.’

Audra reached out, stroked his fair head with tenderness, filling with love for him. He was such a dear. ‘That’s not strictly true,’ she said gently, ‘and besides, now that you’re a big boy and going to preparatory school, you don’t need a nanny. After all, you are seven years old.’

‘I know—but you
promised
we’d be extra special chums.’

‘And so we are.’ Audra bent forward, kissed his cheek. Theo put his arms around her neck, clung to her for a moment.

Irène Bell said, ‘Don’t behave like a
baby
, Theophilus, you know very well Audra has other responsibilities now that she’s married.’

‘Yes,’ he mumbled and let go of Audra, although he did so somewhat reluctantly.

‘Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the pantomime at the Grand Theatre in Leeds?’ Irène now suggested, her eyes sparkling with merriment.

‘Oh Mummy!
That’
s my surprise! And I’ve been wracking my brains for days!’ the child shouted excitedly, jumping down off the chair. ‘I’ve been longing to see
Jack and the Beanstalk
.’

‘Then run along and wash your hands and face. And Theo, please change your shirt, the one you’re wearing is splattered with paint,’ his mother pointed out.

‘Goodbye, Theo,’ Audra said, blowing a kiss from the doorway.

‘’Bye, Audra. Don’t forget my party tomorrow and please,
please
make Vincent come with you. You will, won’t you?’

‘I’ll do my very best.’

As they went down the staircase together, Irène said to Audra, ‘Theo does have a soft spot for Vincent, doesn’t he?’

‘Yes, and the feeling is mutual, I believe.’

‘He seems to be doing awfully well at Varley’s, and that must please you.’

‘Oh yes, it does. Mr Varley likes him and, of course, Vincent does have a great eye and a marvellous sense of perspective when it comes to architecture. I’ve told him many times that he’s a born builder.’

‘I think it’s most commendable that he’s started going to night school,’ Irene said, turning to face Audra as they drew to a standstill in the hall. ‘Is he enjoying studying draughtsmanship?’

‘Yes,’ Audra murmured, not wishing to admit that Vincent had only
talked
about enrolling in the course, had never actually done so.

Studying her face closely, Irène Bell saw a flicker of something at the back of Audra’s startlingly blue eyes. It was a peculiar look and it alarmed her. She’s a very troubled young woman, Irène thought, with a flash of intuition. Reaching out, she touched Audra’s arm lightly. Her voice was low and warm as she asked, ‘Is everything all right with you, my dear?’

Audra hesitated.

For a fraction of a second she was on the verge of confiding in Irène Bell, and then she changed her mind. Apart from the fact that her pride and her strong sense of privacy got in the way, her intelligence told her that Mrs Bell could not help her. Nobody could help her now.

Audra forced a bright smile onto her face. ‘Oh no, nothing’s wrong, Mrs Bell. Thank you for asking, but everything is fine.’

‘And your health
really
is all right?’ Irène pressed, still not convinced.

There was a small silence before Audra nodded, and almost too emphatically.

‘You do look
awfully
pale suddenly,’ Irène insisted, frowning at her.

‘It’s just the aftermath of the ’flu, and I am also feeling a little tired now.’ Audra gently extricated her arm, hurried over to the coat stand. She took down her grey Melton coat and the plum-coloured cloche, put them on, glancing in the hall mirror at herself as she adjusted the hat.

A moment later, as she wrapped her woollen scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves, she asked, ‘Would you like me to come a little earlier on Christmas Eve? Perhaps there’s something I could do to help at Theo’s party, Mrs Bell.’

Irène chuckled softly, ‘Indeed there is, Audra, I’d be most grateful if you would keep an eye on Theophilus and nine other little terrors, at least until the Punch-and-Judy show starts.’

***

No sooner had the door closed behind Audra, than it sprang open again within the space of minutes.

Irène was half-way up the staircase.

She turned and her face lit up at the sight of her husband.

‘Thomas darling!’ she cried, ‘you’re home early, how lovely.’ She sped swiftly down the stairs, across the marble hall and into his welcoming arms.

After hugging her tightly, kissing her cheek, he looked down into her face. His own filled with pleasure. ‘Did you have a pleasant journey back?’

‘Oh yes, thank you, Thomas. All my news over a nice
cosy drink shortly, before we go to the Grand. But first, take off your coat, and then I’ll show you the decorations Audra has created in the dining room.’

‘I saw her leaving the house as we turned into the drive,’ Thomas remarked, removing his scarf. ‘I had Robertson stop the motorcar, and I told her he would run her home if she waited a moment, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She’s always been an independent little thing, though, hasn’t she?’

‘Yes,’ Irène agreed.

She linked her arm through her husband’s and led him across the floor in the direction of the dining room. ‘Audra doesn’t look terribly well to me, and I have a feeling she and Vincent are not as happy as she would like to have me believe.’

‘Mmmmm. Handsome chap, Vincent Crowther. Probably ruined too, by his mother and those doting sisters of his, not to mention women—women in the past tense, of course. No, Irène, I don’t imagine that that young whippersnapper is easy to live with. And then of course, he is from a different class.’

‘Thomas!’ Irène exclaimed, drawing away, looking up at him sharply. Her eyes were dismayed. ‘You know I detest that sort of thing—class prejudice absolutely
incenses
me.’

‘Yes, but you’re not going to change the nature of the English… it’s endemic. Besides, the lower classes are just as bad as the aristocracy when it comes to that sort of thing. Snobs too, in their own way.’ He smiled at her somewhat wryly. ‘And whatever you say, background
does
make a devil of a difference, darling. Audra is a lady, and breeding will out—why, it’s obvious in everything she does. And unfortunately Vincent will always hold her back, hold her down, you’ll see.’ Thomas Bell shrugged.
‘But they are married, and it isn’t actually any of our business.’

‘No, but I’m so fond of her, Thomas.’

‘Yes,’ he said.

The Bells paused on the threshold of the dining room. ‘
Voilà
!’ Irène exclaimed, waving her hand towards the room.