Darkwood (5 page)

‘Home now, Miss?’ Matt asked as he helped me back into the trap next to Pru.

‘No Matt, I wish to call at the vicarage please, wherever that may be.’

No sooner had I said it, Matt was in his seat skilfully steering the pony and us towards the vicar’s abode, which I was to learn was just across from the church.

‘Whatever do you want to go there for, Miss Silvia?’ Pru was beginning to sound like my mother.

‘You will see Pru, I have an idea,’ I said as we stopped outside a double-fronted building similar to Lizzie’s stitching of the house in her sampler, only instead of being red, this one was grey like the church. The whole place on the outside at least was shabby, paint was peeling from the window sills and the black front door.

I waited for an answer to my knock, and after a little time the door was opened by a pleasant looking elderly woman dressed in a royal blue dress covered by a clean crisp white apron. She looked startled to see me and said, ‘Oh Miss, begging your pardon, I expected it to be that young tyke, Jake again, knocking the door and running away, we weren’t expecting visitors, the vicar is out, Miss, I’m afraid.’

‘It’s Isabel I’ve come to see if she’s in, please.’ As I spoke I could hear a piano being played rather skilfully from somewhere in the house.

‘Come in.’ She pulled the door wider to allow me to enter into the shabby looking hall with brown threadbare carpet. ‘I take it you’re Miss Silvia, I remember you as a child I do. As pretty then as you are now, if you don’t mind me saying.

‘Why thank you.’ I enthused. ‘And you are?’ I smiled trying to put her at ease, the piano still playing.

‘Sorry Miss, I’m Mrs Ledbetter, been the vicar’s housekeeper and cook for over forty years. Not the same vicar I hastened to add, I’ve seen quite a few come through that door in my time.’

As Mrs Ledbetter spoke she led me to a door on the right at the back of the hall. ‘Please go in, Miss.’ As I entered the room I could see Isabel sitting at the piano at one corner playing avidly. As soon as she heard me she stopped and stood up, smoothing her hands nervously over the skirts of her dull grey woollen dress. She looked taken aback at seeing me and quite rightly too I thought.

‘You play the piano beautifully, Isabel.’ I spoke truthfully. A glimmer of a smile hovered on her lips and her eyes showed some animation.

‘Thank you,’ she replied demurely.

‘I’m sorry, but George is out.’

‘It’s you I’ve come to see, Isabel. I would like you to be my bridesmaid.’ These words provoked a response, one hand flew to her mouth and her eyes opened wide with pleasure. I could now see they were a startling blue, cornflower blue I thought, as I left the house with instructions that I would call for her at ten o’clock next morning. My intention was to turn this moth into a lovely butterfly.

6

While Pru helped me choose a dress for dinner that evening, my mother walked in and without ceremony sat down in the armchair. She looked tired I thought, and was obviously not joining us for dinner as she was not suitably attired.

‘How are you feeling?’ I enquired solicitously.

‘No matter how many powders I take my head still pounds, but it will pass,’ she replied with some optimism. Pru tells me you called at the vicarage today. May I ask why?’

‘Not to cancel the wedding, Mother, if that’s what you are thinking.’ I laughed, and continued to select a suitable gown.

‘Well, thank the Lord for that at least. So why did you visit?’ she asked.

‘To ask Isabel if she’d be my bridesmaid, and she very graciously agreed.’ As I spoke I picked out my most daring dress, a creation of lemon coloured silk with a scooped off the shoulder neckline. Small cream coloured flowers decorated the hem and the short puffed sleeves and pointed bodice. My dilemma was should I wear it or not. As I thought of Estelle my mind was made up.

‘Silvia, I’m talking to you,’ my mother’s voice interrupted my thoughts as I handed the dress to Pru. ‘Why ask Isabel when you have the lovely Grace?’

‘Grace cannot come,’ and I handed Mother the letter which she perused while Pru helped me dress. Sitting at the dressing table I clasped cream pearls at my neck and Pru fashioned my dark hair, bunching it up at the back and covering it with a pale lemon snood to match my gown.

As I stood up my mother looked me up and down and then got up with Pru’s help. Before leaving the room she asked, ‘Why Isabel? Why not Estelle?’

There were many reasons I wasn’t about to ask Estelle, but didn’t wish to go into that with Mother. ‘Because I wish to help Isabel see the beauty in herself. Under that plain silent exterior there is a lovely young woman fighting to get out. She just needs some feminine advice, and tomorrow when I take her to Caroline Peacock in Tavistock we shall see what beauty lies beneath.’ I said all this with the hope that this would be an end to it, but my mother had to have the final word.

‘The real reason Silvia, I know it and you know it, is that you feel that you cannot compete with the lovely Estelle. I shall come with you on the morrow, enjoy your evening.’ As mother left I looked at Pru, exasperation on my face.

‘Don’t take any notice Miss, it’s her head. I know your reasons are as you say, you have a kind heart. Now you’d best get down to dinner.’

Pru’s words cheered me and I walked along the corridor with a spring in my step. As I started to walk down the stairs I heard voices to my right. Looking over the banister I could see Gareth and Estelle looking as lovely as ever in a pale pink gown.

Her words drifted up to me, ‘Don’t marry her, marry me dear Gareth,’ she pleaded.

‘I cannot Estelle, I have told you so many times,’ Gareth replied.

‘May I ask why? No, I will give you the answer, it’s because of this house, isn’t it. You aren’t marrying Silvia, you are marrying Darkwood.’ Her voice rose with each word. I waited with baited breath, what would be my cousin’s reply?

‘Keep your voice down please, Estelle. It’s true I love this house, it is part of me and my desire to own it is strong, but it isn’t the reason I can’t marry you.’ Gareth’s voice was firm.

‘Then kiss me at least, Gareth, for I have so much longing for you.’ So saying, she reached up to his face with her hands, but Gareth held her at arms’ length, gently pushing her away.

‘I cannot do that either, Estelle. Forget me, think of me only as a friend.’ His voice was soothing like a father to a child.

Miss Benedict stamped her foot and pulled away from him. ‘You won’t marry her. I promise!’ She almost screamed at him.

This is where I must continue my progress down the stairs, I thought. The conversation I’d just heard was most interesting and proved Aunt Rachel to be correct this morning. Gareth looked up as I reached the bottom of the staircase.

‘Silvia,’ he exclaimed. ‘Estelle and I were just about to go into the drawing-room. I hear from mother that you have had some bad news today.

As he spoke, my thought was that he was most courteous this evening, and for the first time had called me by my Christian name. The questions burning in my mind were, was my future husband feeling guilty or was he softening towards me? I fervently hoped it was the latter.

* * *

The evening did not go well. At the dinner table each time I glanced at Estelle she was watching me and then returned to flirting outrageously with Jared, who was obviously enjoying the attention and was flirtatious in return.

It was obvious to me that they were both trying to upset Gareth and myself, for my part at least it didn’t work. I had no interest in my ruthless cousin. Aunt Rachel watched the pair throughout the meal and Gareth sat opposite me glancing in my direction while we talked with Uncle William. We were all like pawns in a game of chess and I idly wondered who would make the first move. I was to find out the next day that it would be Aunt Rachel.

Next morning after an early breakfast my intention was to seek out my aunt. Walking across the hall smoothing the skirts of the green dress I wore, I encountered Mrs Trigg who told me I would find her in the morning room. I made my way to the corridor which ran to the left at the back of the hall, opening the first door I realised it was a small library, books were stacked neatly around the shelves, four comfortable red armchairs had been placed around a table in the centre of the room.

Thankfully the walls in here had not been painted blue but a deep red to match the furniture, the whole room looking inviting. Closing the door I walked farther down the corridor. The sound of voices slowed me and as I reached the next door I could hear Aunt Rachel’s voice. ‘I’ve told you many times before, Estelle is out of bounds to you.’ For the second time in as many days I realised I was eavesdropping as my aunt continued, ‘You are to stay away from her and that is an order.’

‘I’m a man now, not a boy,’ came Jared’s reply. ‘And I shall do as I please. I notice that you do not admonish Gareth.’

‘Gareth adheres to my wishes, and I should be most pleased if you would do likewise.’ Aunt Rachel’s voice was firmer than I’d ever known it.

‘We shall see,’ Jared said. ‘I don’t care for these confusing demands you are making.’ As he spoke I realised that he was approaching the door, so gathering myself together I tapped at the door.

On pushing it open I came face to face with my cousin who looked at me and his mother with some disdain, and without so much as a good morning left us. I wondered what kept the lovely Miss Benedict apart from my two cousins.

‘Good morning, Silvia.’ My aunt’s voice sounded softer again. ‘You are early today.’

‘Yes, Aunt,’ I replied looking around this delightful room which was decorated in a soft green, the sun already streaming through the window, a ray of which cast a light on the highly-polished writing bureau at which Aunt Rachel sat.

‘Have you any idea where the key is to Grandmother’s writing desk?’ I continued.

‘No, dear, we’ve never found it. And your grandfather said that nothing was to be touched in that room except for my mother’s clothes.’ This I had already discovered I thought. ‘So why do you ask?’ my aunt queried.

‘I need to write to Grace,’ I replied and knew exactly what Aunt Rachel would say.

‘You can use my desk with pleasure, Silvia,’ she said rising from her chair and gathering up the papers she was writing on.

‘I’d prefer to use my grandmother’s, although I thank you for your offer,’ I said with a sense of discontent. ‘Surely Aunt, now Grandfather is no longer with us the rule no longer applies.’

My aunt looked at me for some seconds before she spoke. ‘You are quite right, Silvia. Who am I to prevent you using your grandmother’s desk. As we can’t find a key, I will send Douglas to your room to lever it open.’

‘Oh, thank you,’ I said with some joy, running over to my aunt and kissing her cheek.

She smiled. ‘And while you are here, Silvia, I have to say we have to organise the invitations for your wedding.’

‘Invitations?’ I queried. ‘Why surely there is no-one to send any to.’

‘We need to invite your Great Aunt Annie and her daughter, Constance, and then there is Estelle,’ Aunt Rachel explained.

‘Oh well,’ I conceded. ‘Perhaps we should do it now.’

‘No, dear, tomorrow will be soon enough, I hear today you are to take Isabel to Tavistock.’ I sensed displeasure in my aunt’s voice.

‘Why yes, I wish to do something nice for her, for her life obviously holds little to interest her other than the piano.’ At my words, Aunt Rachel smiled. I knew she would understand for she also had a kind heart.

‘May I join you?’ she asked.

‘Why of course, I’d very much like you to,’ I said with enthusiasm. We made to leave and suddenly I turned back to my aunt, a thought occurring to me. ‘Aunt Rachel, why has Lizzie’s portrait been damaged?’

As I spoke she turned back to me. ‘I didn’t know it had been,’ she said with some concern. ‘Did you locate it in the attic?’

‘Yes, Aunt, but someone has slashed at your mother’s face with some sharp instrument. It quite upset me,’ I said, a tremor in my voice as I recalled the day I had found it.

‘I will look into it,’ my aunt said, squeezing my hand. ‘Let it not spoil our visit to the dressmaker. I will ask Douglas to come up to your room on our return. Now let us get ready.’

Duly we collected Isabel as promised. I noted that she had made some effort to look her best. She wore a pale blue worsted dress with a black lace collar, a blue cameo brooch pinned to the neck and a black shawl across her shoulders. The black bonnet decorated with blue flowers which she wore, suited her, and as she smiled at me on entering the carriage I realised that I was right, she had a pretty face and given the right circumstances would look quite enchanting.

‘How fortuitous, Miss Harvey,’ enthused Caroline Peacock as she let us into her establishment once more. ‘Your gown is ready for fitting.’

‘Fortuitous indeed,’ I replied. ‘But first I need to choose material for my bridesmaid,’ I said, leading Isabel forward. Caroline looked her up and down and went to lead us into a different room from our previous visit, but I stopped her.

‘No Miss Peacock, I wish to choose a silk for Isabel, a blue silk to match her eyes.’

‘Why yes, of course Miss Harvey, quite appropriate.’ And she led us into the room holding the bales of silk, while Mother and Aunt Rachel looked on, I chose a beautiful cornflower blue which I’d spotted before.

‘This will be admirable. Do you agree, Isabel?’ I said to her seeing her eyes light up with pleasure as she touched it.

‘Oh, thank you, Miss Silvia. I can hardly believe my good fortune,’ she said, and nor could Caroline Peacock I thought, as we were taken to the fitting room. While Isabel was measured, I instructed Caroline that I wished her to have a gown similar to mine which Miss Peacock agreed.

‘Now let us try your gown.’ So saying she led me behind a wooden screen. Aunt Rachel assisted me while my mother sat on a chair in the corner. Caroline returned with another young woman carrying my wedding gown.

As I saw the ivory silk laying across their arms, I felt a great sense of anticipation which I had not expected to feel. The skirt of the dress which must have held yards of material was placed over my head falling perfectly over my hooped petticoat, the back was secured with hooks and eyes then the fitted whale bone pointed bodice was put on by Caroline, after which the young woman did up the many hooks and hand stitched eyes at the front.

The silk felt soft on my arms and I suddenly seemed like a different person. As I looked in the full-length mirror I had the desire to twirl around as the effect was astounding. With my lace veil and flowers I would be fit to marry a king.

‘You look beautiful, Silvia,’ my mother and aunt both observed in unison, their hands covering their cheeks with obvious emotion. As I looked down at the shimmering skirt I could see the braid showing a little below the hem to preserve it and the long-sleeved bodice fitted my figure perfectly, my hair seeming even darker in contrast to the ivory of the gown. I was captured in the moment and felt a sudden longing to walk down the aisle to Gareth, but alas I had two more weeks to wait.

‘You are pleased with the result, Miss Harvey?’ Caroline’s voice cut into my thoughts and I was transported back to the present.

‘Absolutely delighted,’ I enthused. ‘I thank you and your seamstresses from the bottom of my heart.’

‘We should remove it now,’ Caroline said, ‘as we need to do the finishing touches.’

‘One moment,’ I said as I thought of Isabel and walked out from behind the screen, the skirts of the gown moving as in one with me. Isabel had been sitting on a chair wearing her bonnet ready for our departure.

At the sight of me she stood up, walked slowly towards me then around me. ‘You look so lovely, Miss Silvia. Am I really to wear a gown similar to this?’ she asked, a pleasing smile lit up her face and her eyes sparkled.

‘Indeed you are,’ I replied. ‘You will look lovely, and I’m so glad to witness such enthusiasm, you will make an admirable bridesmaid.’

‘I promise I shall do my best, Miss. You are most kind.’ As Isabel spoke I knew that the smile now would not vanish as she had something to look forward to. I could have hugged her, but decorum and Miss Peacock hovering around me obviously protective of her creation prevented me from doing so.