The Black Swan (30 page)

“It’s not only that. If you saw Henry Farrell you would know why I want to be with Bobby.”

“Didn’t you realize … oh, but it’s no use going over all that. The point is, what are you going to do? And how do you think I can help?”

“Henry is in London. If someone could talk to him …”

“You, for instance?” I suggested.

She shook her head. “No. When I’m there he’s just mad. I think he hates me at the same time as he loves me. He knows what I’m like. He wouldn’t trust me … and in a way I think he hates himself for wanting me. You’ve always been so calm and logical. You wouldn’t understand that. …”

“Oh, but I do. I know how exasperating you can be and yet I quite like you myself. You’ve done some dreadful things in your life, Belinda. Think of Pedrek and Rebecca … and yet they forgive you. I don’t know why. But yes, I think I do understand how Henry Farrell feels.”

She came to me and hugged me in her impulsive way.

“You will help me, won’t you, Lucie? You can … I think.”

“How?”

“He might listen to you.”

“Why? Why should he? He doesn’t know me. We’ve never met.”

“He knows
of
you. I used to talk about you. He said, ‘Your Lucie sounds a very nice person. From your description I think I’d like her.’”

“I’m surprised that your description of me engendered such respect.”

“Stop talking like a governess. This is too serious for that. I thought if you could see him and talk calmly to him … explain to him that I will never go back to him … that I’m happy with Bobby now. I’ve found just what I want. If he’d only go back to Australia and forget about me …”

“You’d still be married to him.”

“No one need ever know.”

“What of the child? It would be illegitimate.”

“I said, nobody need know.”

“It would be better to get it settled clearly and cleanly. Suppose Henry Farrell agreed to go away and withdrew his claim to you, you’d have this hanging over you for the rest of your life. You would never know when it might be discovered. And you have the child to think of.”

“What else can I do?”

“Well, you could confess to Bobby what you have done. I think you owe that to him. He is good and kind and he loves you dearly. He isn’t going to let you go.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes,” she said, “and then?”

“You might persuade Henry Farrell to agree to this annulment. It could be arranged discreetly perhaps. Then you and Bobby could be married quietly. And you’d go on from there.”

She clasped her hands and looked at me with admiration.

“That’s it, Lucie. You’ve got it.” Her eyes were shining and it amazed me how quickly she could change.

“You’ll have to get Henry Farrell’s agreement,” I went on. “That might not be easy. You’ve always thought everyone ought to do what you want.”

“He could be persuaded, I’m sure.”

It was typical of Belinda. I wanted to tell her that others had their lives to lead and they were just as important to them as hers was to her. She seemed to think that, now we had found a possible solution, all we had to do was manipulate the actors in the drama, as a playwright might—writing their lines for them so that they could meekly act out the play according to direction.

She was excited now. She sparkled. Her beautiful face was alight with purpose. I found myself smiling with her. I could understand her power to attract. She could be irresistible.

“I know what we have to do now,” she said.

I looked at her questioningly, and she went on, “You will go and see Henry Farrell. You will tell him exactly what he must do.”

“Belinda! He isn’t going to listen to me.”

“You can tell him how happy I am … that I am going to have Bobby’s baby … how necessary it is for him to agree to a divorce … quietly … so that I can marry Bobby … because there is to be a child … and children must always be considered.”

“I think
you
should see him and explain all this.”

She shook her head dolefully. “He wouldn’t listen to me, Lucie. He gets mad with rage at me. Lucie, please, do this for me. Please go to see him. Explain in your lovely calm way … make him see it. You can. You explain so well … and you’re so logical. You would make him see reason, I’m sure.”

“It sounds ridiculous to me. I don’t know the man.”

“You know what I’ve told you.” She pleaded, “Will you do it … for me, Lucie? Please … please … so much depends on it.”

“I … I’d have to think about it.”

A slow smile crossed her face. “All right then … think about it … but please … oh, please … think quickly.”

She was almost complacent, having a firm belief in her powers to persuade.

During the rest of that day I thought about Belinda and her problem. I could picture it all so clearly: the mining town, the dullness of the days, the failing mine, the desire for excitement.

And there was Henry Farrell. I imagined him, tall, masterful, and completely fascinated by the wayward Belinda. Then the suggestion of marriage, a secret marriage. She had been only sixteen; but Belinda had matured early. She would have been physically a young woman, though sadly lacking in a woman’s judgment. I could imagine her dashing into marriage without a thought beyond the excitement of the moment. The passionate Henry Farrell, the meetings which had to be held in secret, would appeal to her sense of adventure; and then the death of Tom Marner, the illness of Leah; the talk then of what Leah wanted for her cherished daughter; the rich life in the wealthy Old Country which she remembered from her childhood; the dinner parties in the London house, the charm of Manor Grange, the grandeur of Cador … and then, the sudden realization of what she had done—in fact, ruined her chances of a cozy life in rich surroundings. She had married a man who had acquired a mine which was no longer prosperous.

I could imagine her dismay and her plans to extricate herself from what had become distasteful and an impediment to those plans.

She and her husband had quarreled violently. She might well have provoked those quarrels; they had no doubt declared their regrets and vowed they never wanted to see each other again.

So … she had come to England and—Belinda-fashion—had dismissed the past as though it had never happened. Bobby came along … admiring her and so suitable, with his wealth, adoration and title. So, without a qualm—or perhaps just a few—Belinda saw no reason why she could not write off the disagreeable past and start afresh.

It was all typical Belinda.

And here I was, half-promising to help her out of her trouble which she had created by her own actions.

During the day Belinda endeavored to be alone with me and was impatient when others were present.

Phillida whispered to me, “I can see she wants to talk to you. I’ll leave you to yourselves.”

Dinner seemed to go on endlessly and I was glad when it was over. I was deeply disturbed. I had half-promised to see Henry Farrell and I wondered whether I had been wise. I could not believe that I could bring about the miracle, but Belinda was sure I could.

I was rather relieved when we said good night and I could escape and be alone.

But I had undressed and was about to get into bed when there was a knock on my door.

I thought it was Phillida with her nightcap, but it was not. It was Kitty.

“Oh, thank you, Kitty,” I said. “Put it on the table.”

She did so in silence.

“Good night, Kitty.”

“Good night, ma’am.” The door shut.

I got into bed, still thinking of Belinda. Could I do it? Was it possible that I could persuade the man? I guessed I would have to try. Hadn’t I always allowed Belinda to lead me?

I was very sorry for her … for Bobby, too. Perhaps more so for him. He was such a nice young man and I should hate to see him hurt. I could picture his joy over the coming child. And, oddly enough, I thought Belinda had a fair chance of happiness with him. He was the sort of man who would be faithful and only see the beautiful, fascinating Belinda. I did wonder, though, what his reaction would be when he knew she had deceived him about her marriage to Henry Farrell.

There was a knock on the door. I guessed rightly this time. It was Belinda.

“I had to come and talk,” she said, sitting on the bed. “I couldn’t sleep. You will see Henry, won’t you?”

I hesitated.

“Oh yes … please say yes. I’ll be so wretched if you don’t.”

“I really don’t think it would do any good.”

“Yes, it will. Everyone listens to you. You’re clever and you’re nice. Look at your father.”

“What has he got to do with it?”

“Look how he was with you. Wasn’t he glad that you turned out to be his daughter and not me?”

“That’s not the point.”

“It is. It means you’re sensible and reasonable. People listen to you. Oh, I’m so worried. I didn’t sleep at all last night … and I shan’t tonight.”

“Oh yes, you will.”

“If you’ll promise you’ll go and see Henry …”

“Well … I will. But … I don’t think it will do any good.”

“You will do it! Oh, you are an angel. Let’s go up tomorrow. He’s at a little hotel in Bayswater. Oh, thank you, Lucie. I feel so much better already. I have such faith in you.”

“It’s misplaced.”

She shook her head slowly and then suddenly saw the glass by my bed.

“What’s that?” she said.

“It’s Phillida’s nightcap. She makes us take it … Roland and me. She says it’s good for us. It gives us a good peaceful night’s sleep, she says.”

“Does it?”

“I haven’t noticed. I usually sleep well. Roland and I take it to please her.”

She took the glass and drank the beverage.

“Sorry. I need that peaceful night’s sleep more than you do. It’s rather nice. Now I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We’ll go up tomorrow. We can stay with Celeste. I did last night. She’s always glad to see me. Perhaps you could be with Roland. Tell him that you couldn’t be without him any longer. Then you can go and see Henry and tell him what he has to do.”

“You’re incredible, Belinda. You think you can push us around like pieces on a chess board.”

“I do nothing of the sort. But I think that if. sometimes you try to make things go the way you want to, you can. And why shouldn’t you? I’ve got to make this right, Lucie … for Bobby and the child.”

“And for Belinda herself,” I murmured.

She kissed me.

“I love you, Lucie. I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made me. I know you’ll talk to him in just the right way. You’ll make him see what has to be done.”

“Don’t hope for too much.”

“I feel so much better since I’ve talked to you. I feel I can get a good night’s sleep because it’s all going to come right now.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

“Bless you, Lucie. See you in the morning. We’ll have an early start, eh?”

“Yes,” I agreed.

She turned at the door to blow a kiss.

“Sleep well,” she said.

And she was gone.

What had I promised? I asked myself. What good could I possibly do?

Well, it was no use worrying about it. Tomorrow or the next day I would see Henry Farrell. It would, I supposed, be interesting to meet him and find out what sort of man he was.

Belinda was exhausting and I felt tired.

I blew out the candle and settled down to sleep.

I must have done so almost immediately, but suddenly I was awake. Something was happening. I could hear a strange noise. I opened my eyes and stared about me. There was a strange glow in the room. I must be dreaming. I could see the shapes of the furniture. They looked different in the strange light.

Then suddenly I was aware of the heat. I was wide awake now. I sat up and saw at once that the curtains about my bed were on fire. The acrid smell filled my nostrils. This accounted for the glow in the room. I saw a flame run right to the top of the tester.

I leaped out of bed and looked back. The curtains on one side of the bed were a mass of flames.

I ran out into the corridor, shutting the door after me, and shouted: “Fire!”

What followed was like a nightmare.

Emery was magnificent. He was a quiet man whose sterling qualities came to the fore in a crisis; and it was his presence of mind which saved what was a small incident turning into a major conflagration.

It was fortunate that I had wakened in time before the fire had taken a real hold of the bed.

Emery had been the first to hear my call and was on the spot in a matter of seconds. He seized rugs and quickly beat out the worst of the flames, and by that time Mrs. Emery with Phillida and most of the servants had arrived.

Mr. Emery took charge of the situation and soon we were all bringing water to the smoldering bed; and within half an hour of the discovery of the fire it was out. Mr. Emery was the hero of the occasion. Phillida kept telling him how wonderfully he had done and at the same time embracing me fervently. “Thank God,” she kept muttering to herself. “Thank God.”

It was about one thirty when Mrs. Emery took charge.

“Now, Miss Lucie, you can’t go back there tonight.” She was ordering two of the servants to make my old room ready.

She said, “As for the rest of you, it’s time you were in bed. There’s nothing more to be done till morning. We could have had a bad fire but for Mr. Emery, and we should all be thankful to him that we are alive and kicking.”

Mr. Emery said, “It was nothing much. I’m only thankful Miss Lucie woke up when she did … before it got under way.”

“It was a blessing,” said Mrs. Emery. She looked at me. “I think a little something would be good for Mr. Emery,” she went on. “And you, Miss Fitzgerald and Miss Lucie, could do with a pick-me-up too.”

“Come to the library,” I said. “And we’ll have some brandy.”

We sat there together, the Emerys, Phillida and I.

“I can’t stop asking myself how it could have happened,” said Phillida. “What do you think it could have been, Lucie?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“Emery’s theory was that it had been the candle. It had been hot and could have tumbled over and set the velvet smoldering.”

“But I had been asleep,” I said. “It was some little while after I had blown it out.”

“It could have toppled at that time when you doused it. Sometimes things smolder for quite a while before bursting into flames.”