Sister of the Bride (9 page)

‘Nonsense, anyone named Esther Carson must take an interest in artistic matters.’ Suddenly and without warning he reached down and, catching my hands, pulled me to my feet and before I could protest, he was marching me down the terrace steps.

‘You make me sound frumpish and blue-stocking
-
ish,’ I said resentfully.

‘But that’s exac
tl
y what I intend to do,’ he admitted cruelly
.

I stared at him in amazement. ‘But why?’

‘Because, I was interested to see how you react. You were sitting there carefully hiding your reactions to our displays of Ashmore temperament. Very cautious and reserved. I thought it might be interesting to see if I could make the spa
r
ks fly.’ So by my outburst I had fallen straight into a trap!

Tight-lipped, I walked by his side until we reached a formal garden enclosed by ilex trees. Severe paved walks bordered a rectangle of mirror-smooth water that caught and reflected in a gleaming pool the statue of translucent green marble. It depicted the crouched figure of a young girl, holding an ornately carved pitcher of the same clear marble and as though on the point of pouring its contents into the pond.

‘It’s not permanently in position, but when it is the water will po
ur
from the pot in a sort of cascade.’

Yes; the sun sparkling on the gushing water and
making the marble figure iridescent certainly would be very beautiful, I decided.

‘Well, do you like it?” he asked.

I nodded, then, without thinking, ‘I only wish I could see it when it’s in operation.’

He looked puzzled. ‘But why shouldn’t you?’

‘You forget I’m only here on a temporary basis. When Averil returns I’ll have to go back.’

‘To the job in the stockbrokers’ office that you speak of with such enthusiasm?’

Had I been so obvious, then, that he had guessed how glad I had been to leave Wentworth and Judd? But I didn’t trust him enough to make an admission. ‘Well,’ I replied cautiously, ‘if I must work, I suppose Wentworth and Judd are as good as any.’ But even the very mention of the name made my heart sink.

I had a quick vision of Miss Palmer’s face pinched with anxiety at some minor office crisis. The atmosphere in the old-fashioned room on a wet afternoon. The smell of damp coats and the whole grinding monotony of my life. It was a far cry from this beautiful garden with its classic beauty and the tall chimneys of Ashmore House against the soft blue sky. However,
I had no intention of letting Vance see how I loathed
the idea of leaving Cherry Cottage. And with a dry smile he listened to me make small talk about the beauty of the grounds.

It was as we were returning to the terrace that he said abrup
tl
y, ‘By the way, if it’s convenient,
I’ll
call on you one of these days to discuss details of the annex I’ve promised Averil to build on to the cottage.
’

‘An annex on to the cottage!’ I repeated. ‘But Averil didn’t mention it to me!’

‘No doubt her mind was already on the cruise,’ he remarked dryly.

Somehow the idea of the perfection of Cherry Cottage being marred by an annex dismayed me. But of course I was in no position to object.

‘You don’t approve of the idea, then, Miss Carson?’

‘I didn’t say that I disapproved,’ I said hastily.

‘Perhaps not, but you certainly gave
that
impression.’

‘I can’t imagine what difference my attitude makes,’ I said stiffly. ‘After all, it’s your property to do as you like with.’

‘My dear good girl, I’ve no wish to destroy the Cottage. However, Averil is keen on one of those large rooms with picture windows and lots of light,
modern
furniture. She finds it too pokey when it comes to entertaining her friends.’

‘But it will completely spoil the cottage,’ I exclaimed. It was typical of Averil that she was prepared to destroy serenity by the addition of a hideous gleaming glass structure. Suddenly I felt faintly protective towards the little jewel of a cottage, with its warm nut-coloured woodwork, its dreamy old-world charm and its high stepped roof. ‘Oh, but you mustn’t do it!’ I exclaimed impulsively.

He looked amused. ‘I’m afraid it’s already been arranged.’

‘But it’s not,’ I said heatedly. ‘After all, the final decision rests with you. And if you put your foot down she can do nothing about it.’

‘You sound very vehement. I didn’t realize that the cottage had such a loyal champion.’

‘You know how it is,’ I said lamely. ‘One suddenly falls in love with a house—’

‘No, I do not, Miss Carson. I’m a business man. And I am not the least emotional about quaint old cottages. Averil needs more room. We shall take in part of the orchard and that’s all there is to it. As I mentioned, I shall call down one of these days with the architect.’

He was summarily dismissing both me and the subject: my insistence had begun to irritate him. Besides, to a man in love, Averil’s wishes would naturally come first. My opinions were of no interest to him: I was being brushed aside as he might any other troublesome and importunate stranger, and I was rather relieved to have Mrs. Ashmore claim my attention as we reached the terrace once more.

‘I must show you the frock Averil was to wear at a pageant of famous women we’re holding in aid of the Ashmore Youth Centre,’ Mrs. Ashmore said animatedly as she led me into the house and we began to ascend the wide oak stairway. ‘I was so disappointed when Averil decided to go on the cruise, for it means of course that she’ll miss wearing the wonderful gown Monsieur Lacroix designed especially for her.’

As she spoke she ushered me into a large room lined with cupboards and sliding back the doors displayed rows of elegant gowns complete with wigs and accessories. She fingered a stiff brocade, heavily encrusted with seed pearls and crystals. ‘This is for the girl who is to model Elizabeth the First. You’ve heard of Andre Lacroix, I’m sure?’ she added casually.

I smiled. ‘I think most people have. Isn’t he considered one of the leading designers for the stage?’ It would have been hard not to have heard of him, for his eccentricities had kept him well in the forefront of the news!

‘The man is a perfect genius,’ Mrs. Ashmore said effusively. ‘As soon as he set eyes on Averil, he immediately suggested she model his Josephine gown.’ She took down a gown of diaphanous ice-blue chiffon over an underdress of a deeper blue silk, satin-bordered: the high-waisted bodice and tiny puffed sleeves of the period were outlined by braid encrusted by silver and gold beadwork. ‘Such a pity she won’t be able to wear it! However, I suppose I’ll simply have to get someone else.’

She laughed deprecatingly as she slid the cupboard doors closed. ‘Not of course that there is any dearth of candidates! There was great competition amongst our Warefield girls when the idea was mooted. The occasion will of course be one of our social highlights,’ she said complacent
l
y. ‘And Ashmore House will make an excellent background. I may say I have made a few changes for the better since I came here as a young bride. It was
s
o terribly dismal then and my husband simply wouldn’t agree that we get rid of the furniture. However, I insisted that everything be re-upholstered
.
You have no idea how ghastly things looked then; pea-green velvet and hideous long maroon velvet curtains
.’

As we went downstairs again and entered the drawing-room I could see that she was making polite small talk: her mind was obviously on something else. She stood in front of the chimneypiece, her
thin
figure outlined by the white marble, twisting the gold and jade bracelet restlessly on her wrist. ‘And now, my dear,’ she began with an air of casualness that was belied by the wariness about her eyes, ‘I do hope that you did not let Eric upset you. He can be extremely trying and say the wildest things when he is in one of his moods. He has been most indiscreet and spread the most outrageous stories concerning Vance. Poor Eric, I’m terribly fond of him, of course, but when the accident put an end to his prospects of inheriting, he became
dreadfully bitter and unjust towards Vance. It’s all so unfair, too, for his father left him well provided for, but the responsibility of running our affairs rests with Vance. Of course, it was a dreadful tragedy for poor Eric, especially when he was so confident of stepping into his father’s shoes, but then life doesn’t always turn out as one expects, does it?’ In spite of her efforts to appear sympathetic to Eric’s tragedy she could not help the note of satisfaction that crept into her voice.

‘It was a shooting accident, wasn’t it?’ I ventured.

She nodded and her lips tightened warily. ‘We won’t go into it,’ she said shortly. ‘It happened some time ago and it’s all too painful. Vance and Eric had gone out together and Eric stumbled while going through a gap and somehow or other the gun went off. I can assure you it was an accident. But people talk. In a small town like this I suppose it was inevitable. They resented Vance, and Eric, of course, kept the whole wretched business on the boil by his horrible insinuations.’

She paused for a moment and I wondered what exac
tl
y Mrs. Ashmore was so carefully leading up to.

‘What I mean, dear, is that I feel sure that should you hear gossip of that kind you will firmly discourage it. After all, in loyalty to Averil it should be your duty to do that. I suppose you know that your sister and my son will probably marry fairly soon. Of course Vance has always been fairly reticent about his affairs, however, it’s easy to see that they’re very much in love. And I must admit that there is no one I’d like better than dear Averil as a daughter-in-law. However, there is a little matter that I think we should set
tl
e up. I feel sure you will agree it would be much more suitable if your sister was not married from your family home. I feel sure that if you spoke to your mother she would understand our point of view. I mean, under the circumstances it would be quite a big wedding.’ She laughed disarmingly. ‘What we call in these parts an important social event. From what I’ve gathered I really do feel that your background might not be quite suitable for such an occasion. Don’t misunderstand me, my dear,’ she added quickly. ‘I mean nothing offensive, of course, but one must be sensible about such matters. We have so many friends, Ashmore would be a much more suitable venue—’ she tapered off as though reluctant to be more explicit. But at the same time there was no mistaking her meaning. Our background, she had concluded, would not be sufficiently splendid to entertain the Ashmores and their friends.

‘I feel sure you will agree it would be by far the best plan,’ she ended decisively.

It was obvious that she expected no opposition from me, and her face stiffened in shocked surprise when I said, ‘I’m afraid I don’t agree with you, Mrs. Ashmore, but of course Averil is e
ntitled
to make whatever arrangements she wants to. But personally I feel that a bride should be married from her own home even if it isn’t particularly opulent.’

‘Really,’ she said with a short, amused laugh, ‘don’t you think you’re being rather sentimental? Not, of course, that your views will make the slightest difference, for Averil and I have discussed things generally and we see eye to eye on this matter. I can’t imagine what objection you could have,’ she added, her voice loud and hectoring. ‘But then you’re older than your sister, aren’t you, and your life has been rather circumscribed, hasn’t it?’ she added acidly.

I could see that although my opinion would not make the slightest difference to Mrs. Ashmore’s plans, yet she resented opposition from one whom she so obviously considered negligible.

‘My dear, I’m going to say something personal and I do hope you will be sensible enough to take it in the manner in which it is intended. But are you really in a position to judge what is suitable in such circumstances?’

In spite of the fact that I was determined not to lose my temper, I felt anger grow at the open contempt in her voice. ‘Perhaps not, but at least it has never taught me to despise my background.’

Mrs. Ashmore put her skinny hands in a gesture of disclaimer. ‘Whoever suggested such a thing? Really, my dear, aren’t you inclined to be rather hotheaded and take offence too readily?’

‘Miss Carson hotheaded? What on earth gave you that impression? On the contrary, Mother, she strikes me as extremely self-possessed.’

I glanced around to see Vance standing in the window, the light from the terrace outlining his broad shoulders.

‘Vance, you’re being naughty and listening in,’ his mother said rather uncomfortably. ‘And do stop calling her Miss Carson
:
it’s so ridiculously formal.’

Vance laughed. ‘I don’t need to listen in: you were making the welkin ring. What is it about, anyway?’ He regarded me critically. ‘I was wrong. You do seem to have lost some of your ladylike calm. In fact I actually detect an angry glitter in those hazel eyes of yours. By the way, shall I take Mother’s advice and call you Esther?’ He was obviously mocking me and suddenly I felt an overwhelming wish to be out of this house with its atmosphere of dislike and suspicion.

I walked swiftly towards the window and as I reached it his hand grasped my arm. ‘And where are you going, without as much as a word of farewell?’ he said sof
tl
y.

I glanced up at him, hoping that he would not notice the tears that, in spite of my efforts, had begun to prick my eyes. ‘I’m going back to the cottage,’ I said haltingly. ‘I should never have come.’