Too Close to the Sun (22 page)

There was no time to write more; for soon she would have to leave for her appointment in Corster.

To Grace’s relief it was Johnson the groom who was given the task of driving her to Berron Wick station that afternoon. Alighting from the train in Corster, Grace took a fly to the address she had been given. The driver pulled up his horse before a house which was situated on the western side of the town between the river and the railway station. The house was Georgian and rather nondescript in appearance, with red brick walls and a plain façade. As the coachman drove off, Grace rang the bell. It was answered by a maid who when Grace enquired for Mr Fairman, said, ‘I’ll show you up, miss,’ and led her up the stairs to the first floor. There she rapped on the door of a room off the landing. The door was opened by Mr Fairman who thanked the girl and invited Grace inside. Turning back to the maid, he said, ‘Julia, d’you think you could provide some tea and cakes for my visitor and me?’ He smiled. ‘And not forgetting Sophie, of course. She’ll be returning any moment. I think perhaps a glass of milk for her.’

‘Of course, sir.’ The maid smiled at him and bobbed, then turned and headed back for the stairs.

The man closed the door and then turned to Grace. He
was dressed casually, wearing a woollen smoking jacket and a soft-collared shirt and tie, and held an open book in his right hand. He set down the book on a bureau and took Grace’s cape and laid it over the back of a chair. He thanked her for coming, then added with a smiling sigh, ‘We have a nurse and a maid, but I’m afraid both of them are out right now. Still, we shall manage all right.’ They were standing in a small vestibule and he gestured towards the room in front of them. ‘Please, come this way.’

Grace stepped into a wide room, with windows overlooking the narrow street where the carriages trundled by. Briefly, passing a looking glass, she caught a glimpse of her reflection and saw herself, a tall girl wearing a dress of russet brown with a velvet bodice and draperies of lace. Her hand moved for a moment as if she would touch her chignon, but she did not, and took the seat that the man was gesturing to.

She sat down on the sofa. He stood for a second looking down at her – he seemed enormously tall from this vantage point – then took a seat in a chair at right angles to her. ‘Mrs Simkin’s maid will bring our tea soon,’ he said.

Grace nodded and gave a half-smile. She could think of nothing to say.

‘Did you have a good journey over?’ he asked.

‘Oh, yes, thank you.’

‘And you had no difficulty finding the place?’

‘No, none at all.’

She avoided his eyes when they fell upon her – though she could somehow sense that he himself was not totally at ease. She felt that he was making conversation just to fill the silence. She felt increasingly disconcerted, and wished fervently that she had not been placed in such a situation. There was no changing it, however, at least not for the moment.

After staying silent for a few seconds, Mr Fairman said,
‘You don’t have to go through with this, Miss Harper. Really you don’t.’

She did not look at him as he spoke, but even so she could feel that his eyes were not directed at her, but were looking elsewhere in the room. His words, so bluntly delivered, took her by surprise.

‘Do you mean,’ she said, ‘my being asked to –’

‘Precisely. I mean your being asked to come here – to be sent as governess to my daughter. I’m quite sure it’s the last thing you want. And I can’t say I blame you. I have no doubt that Mr and Mrs Spencer meant well, but I’m not sure that I myself would exactly welcome being thrust into such an unwelcome situation.’

And now Grace spoke, lifting her face to him as he was looking at her. ‘Mr Fairman,’ she said, ‘I know we got off on the wrong foot – and I know also that it was as much due to me as it was to you, and I –’

He frowned at this. ‘As much due to
you
?’ he said. ‘Miss Harper, it was
all
due to you. I did nothing to you. I merely saved your purse from a casual thief – a young gypsy who had charmed you into thinking that he was merely an innocent young lad, and as such could do no wrong.’ He pulled back the sleeve of his jacket and the cuff of his shirt and lifted his arm, exposing the discoloured bruise on his wrist. ‘And if you want evidence of his goodwill, you have only to look here,’ he said.

‘Mr Fairman, I don’t know why you have bring all that up,’ Grace said. ‘If I caused you embarrassment then I –’

‘No more than you brought upon yourself,’ he broke in.

‘ – As I was saying,’ she said evenly, ‘if I caused you embarrassment, then I regret it. But having said that, I’d as soon leave the matter forgotten and in the past, if it’s all the same to you. Of course, if you wish to dwell upon it, then I’m sure I can’t stop you.’

‘Miss Harper, I’m sorry.’ He leaned forward slightly in
his chair, his voice rising a little in its pitch. ‘Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that. I suppose neither one of us came out of that incident with any credit,’ and here, seeing her inhale, seeing her expression of displeasure, he quickly raised a hand, ‘ – and if I’m presuming too much in saying that, then forgive that too. I mean no offence, believe me.’

Grace held her breath for a moment, let it out in a sigh, then said, ‘Sir – I would be so glad if we might simply – well – call a halt to this. Do you think we could?’

‘A truce?’ he said, his mouth moving in a smile. ‘I would be glad.’

‘Oh, yes,’ she said with relief. ‘And I think, I must admit, that perhaps I came out of it better. After all, I came out of it with my purse, whereas you had a painful bite.’

‘True.’ He nodded, and looked ruefully again at his wrist. ‘But it’s mending.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’

They smiled, relaxing a little, then he got up and moved to the window. Looking down onto the street, he said, ‘Sophie should be back any minute now.’ He turned to Grace. ‘I think she’s quite looking forward to meeting you.’

‘Well,’ Grace smiled, ‘and I’m looking forward to meeting
her
. Is she enjoying being in Corster?’

‘Oh, I believe so. Though I think she misses her little friends. Still, she’ll make new ones before too long. Of course everything is so new to her here. And being so close to all the fields and woodland and rolling downs – well, it’s quite wonderful. We’ve driven out to look at the surrounding countryside on two occasions and I think to her it’s like finding a different world. She’s only known London, of course. And then only one part of it.’

‘I’ve never been to London, though I can imagine that everything is so very different.’

‘Indeed, yes. We didn’t live in the centre, the West End, mind you – which is the part that all visitors see, of course.
We lived in a residential area, in the borough of Kensington – which is less built up and much more attractive. It’s very pleasant with all its parks and squares and beautiful trees. And we were particularly fortunate in that our house backed on to private gardens where Sophie and her friends could play.’

‘You make it sound very attractive. I’d love to visit there. See some of the fine buildings, the great stores and the theatres and museums. There’s so much to see there, so much to do. I should think you and Sophie must find Corster a very unadventurous spot in comparison.’

He gave a smile, slightly rueful. ‘Sometimes unadventurous is what is required.’

‘Well,’ she said, ‘let’s hope you and Sophie don’t get bored with the scene here.’

‘We shan’t do that, never fear.’ He turned his head, gazing off along the street below again. ‘We’re going to build a new life, Sophie and I. I owe her that. Of course at the moment we only have these rented rooms, but I think I’ve found a more permanent place for us. A very nice house I’ve been looking at in Upper Callow. I think it’ll be just fine – will suit us very well. You know the village, do you?’

‘It’s a most attractive place.’

‘The house I’ve looked at is close to the river. It’s really very nice. And if it doesn’t work out there will be other pleasant places. I’ve been looking at properties since we arrived. It hasn’t been easy to find something.’

‘What made you come to Corster when you left London? You could have gone anywhere you chose.’

‘Yes, we could. It’s because I visited here when I was young. It was the first place I ever saw outside of London. I came with my father when he travelled down on business one year.’ He gave a little shrug. ‘I suppose it made an impression on me. I mean, there’s nothing exceptional
about it, but that’s what people do – they tend to go to the places they have some familiarity with – no matter how slight.’

‘Is this where you and Mr Spencer met and became friends?’

‘No, we met on the way to Italy. I and my wife and daughter were going out to Naples. He was travelling on business also. Oh, that was years ago. It was just a chance meeting but we became friends – the way it happens. The common factor was his coming from this area, and my having visited it. So, as I say, we became friends.’ He smiled at the thought. ‘Later we lost touch with one another – as happens. But then, coming down to Corster, I ran into him here in the town and found that he’s living nearby, not that far from where he was born.’ He gave a little nod. ‘It’s a small world indeed.’

‘What about your work? Mrs Spencer tells me you’re an architect.’

‘Yes, I am. And I love my work.’

‘Of course you’ll be able to do your work here just as well as in London, won’t you?’

‘Yes. As soon as I get a place where I can start work I can get organized.’

As he finished speaking there came a sound from the outer door beyond the vestibule.

‘Ah,’ he said, turning towards the sound, ‘it’s Sophie and Nancy.’

He moved towards the door and as he did so the far door opened and Grace saw coming towards her a small figure, a little girl in a burgundy coat and straw hat. Behind her came a young woman in her early twenties wearing a dark brown cape. The child came to a halt a few feet away, looked up at Grace and said, ‘Are you Miss Harper?’

‘I am indeed,’ Grace said. ‘And obviously you are Sophie.’

‘Yes, I’m Sophie,’ the girl said. She was slightly built, with her father’s dark hair and dark eyes, eyes that looked up at Grace with warmth and spirit. Then, turning to the girl beside her, she added, ‘And this is Nancy. We’ve been to the river, feeding the ducks.’

With Grace introduced to the nursemaid, the young woman took off Sophie’s coat and left the room. Seconds later there came a knock at the door and the maid entered bearing a tray.

‘Ah, good,’ said Mr Fairman, ‘here comes our tea.’

By the time tea was finished Grace had learned a great many things about her putative young pupil; not least among them that the child had a quick and alert mind and an obvious eagerness to learn. Over the tea and sandwiches and cakes they spoke of the different ways of London and the country market town that was Corster; and it was a conversation during which Grace felt she gained as much as she gave. It was also clear that notwithstanding the fact that the child had had no formal education, her father had not neglected her learning. When the subject of reading was brought up Sophie immediately – with permission from her father – got down from the table and fetched one of her books. Then, back in her seat she took pride in demonstrating her reading abilities. What was clear also was the affection between Sophie and her father. Grace lost count of the number of times the child made reference to him: ‘Papa says … Papa says …’ and also noted the father’s pride in his daughter’s achievements.

When tea was done Mr Fairman suggested that Sophie take her afternoon nap and allow him a little more time to talk to the visitor.

‘I hope you’ll teach me,’ Sophie said after wishing Grace good afternoon. ‘Do you think you will?’

Mr Fairman broke in here: ‘We mustn’t put Miss Harper
under pressure, Sophie. She has to make her decision when she’s on her own and away from charming influences like you.’

Sophie left them then to go to her room where the nurse awaited her, and Grace said she had better think about getting her train.

In the vestibule Mr Fairman helped her on with her cape. ‘Let me say how much I’ve enjoyed your visit,’ he said. ‘And I know that Sophie has also. She’s not had a happy time of late, and it’s good to see her take to someone so.’ As Grace stood before the glass he looked past her head at her reflection. ‘So – now that you’ve met her,’ he added, ‘perhaps you’d give some thought to helping her with her lessons. I know she would like it – and I would be so glad.’

Grace nodded, but did not meet his eyes in the glass.

‘But please bear in mind what I said earlier,’ he said. ‘I meant it, truly. If you don’t want to go through with it, then you must say so. I shall perfectly well understand, and I shan’t hold it against you. After all, I do realize that you’ve been somewhat – edged into the situation – without anyone meaning to do it, I hasten to add. But if you decide you don’t want to do it I shan’t mention it to Mrs Spencer. I’ll give her some other excuse. You won’t come off badly, I promise you.’

‘Oh, but Mr Fairman –’ she began, but before she could speak further he interrupted her.

‘Don’t give me your answer right now,’ he said. ‘Think about it first. That way I’ll be more certain it’s the true one.’ He smiled and stepped to the door. ‘Come – I’ll walk with you to the corner and we’ll find you a cab.’

Back at Asterleigh, upstairs in her room, she looked at the letter she had started to her aunt. She read its contents through and eventually came to the part where she had spoken of her possible employment as governess to Mr
Fairman’s daughter:
You can be sure that I shall do what I can to resist Mr Fairman’s offer
.

But she knew now that she would not.

Carefully she tore the page across and again, until she was left holding only fragments.

‘I’m so pleased you’re going to teach her.’

Mrs Spencer was in the library on the first floor, directing her words to Grace who stood by the window. The woman had suggested that Grace use the room as a schoolroom for the time being. ‘We’ll make sure there’s a fire lit,’ Mrs Spencer said. ‘But if the room’s not suitable, let me know and we’ll find something else. But as I said, I doubt the teaching’s going to last that long, anyway. For as soon as Mr Fairman has settled his house, Sophie will be studying at home with a permanent governess or going off to school.’ She looked around her. ‘D’you think this will be all right? Will you have everything you need?’