The Love Child

“I’m sorry,” cried Carlotta instantly, “I didn’t mean it was fun that you hurt yourself.”

“I understand,” I told her and she gave me her lovely, dazzling smile.

We had reached the house and Beaumont Granville had leaped down to help us out.

“You must come in and drink a glass of wine with us,” said Harriet.

He hesitated and looked at me. I said nothing.

“Yes, please,” cried Carlotta. “You must come.”

He turned his gaze on her. “Are you sure I am not encroaching?”

“Encroaching! After all you have done. We are very much in your debt.”

And so Beaumont Granville came back into my life and the nightmare began.

I said to Harriet, “You know who this man is. He is Beaumont Granville.”

“Yes, that is his name.”

“Have you forgotten Venice?”

She wrinkled her brows.

“Don’t you remember? He tried to take me away from the ball and Leigh went to his apartments the next day and nearly killed him.”

Remembrance came back to her. She burst out laughing.

“It was nothing to laugh at, Harriet. It was a very serious matter.”

“It must be fifteen years since it happened.”

“It is something that will never be forgotten.”

“My dear Priscilla, you are behind the times. Men fight duels one day and forget it in a week or so. It was a bit of high spirits on his part.”

“He almost succeeded in taking me away. If he had…”

“But Leigh was there. That was so romantic. Leigh saved you and then went round and there was trouble. Yes, I do remember it well. All Venice was talking about it.”

“I don’t want to know him.”

“So that’s why you were so cold … and really quite discourteous, I thought. After all, he was offering to help.”

“Harriet, I don’t like the man. I don’t want him in this house.”

“We had to ask him in after what he did.”

“Well, let’s hope that this is the end of it and we don’t have to see him again.”

“He seemed so eager to please, and you must admit he did help with the apothecary.”

“We could have managed without him.”

“Oh, Priscilla, you really are holding this prank against him, are you not?”

I wanted to shout at her: If you knew everything you would understand.

I almost told her, yet I could not bring myself to speak of it. If she knew she would readily understand why I never wanted to see him again.

Carlotta burst in on us. She was carrying the fan she had seen on the Exchange stall and waving it before our eyes.

“You have been out to get it,” I cried. “Oh, Carlotta, you must not go out alone.”

She shook her head. “Three guesses. Now how did I come by this beautiful fan?”

“Gregory went out and bought it for you,” said Harriet. “That man spoils you.”

“Wrong,” she retorted. “Try again. Not Gregory but…”

She was flourishing a note in her hand. Harriet snatched it from her.

She read:

I did not like to think of your losing the fan, so I crept back and bought it. Do please accept it. E.G.

I wanted to shout at them both. I wanted to say: It must be sent back. We want nothing from this man, not even a trifle such as this.

“A charming gesture,” said Harriet.

“It was so thoughtful of him,” added Carlotta.

“I think he is a very charming man,” added Harriet, almost defiantly.

I was filled with foreboding.

The Elopement

For the next few days I could not go out. On the morning following our visit to the Exchange my ankle was very swollen and Gregory said I should see a doctor. He called one in and the verdict was the same as that of the apothecary. I must rest it and in a few days I should be able to walk on it.

I felt frustrated. Fervently I wished that we had not come to London. Gregory and Harriet took Carlotta to Mulberry Gardens one afternoon so that she should not be disappointed. They took her to Spring Gardens one evening where they supped. Carlotta came in to tell me all about it, her eyes sparkling with the wonder of it all. They had walked through the gardens where they had eaten a collation of fish and venison pie followed by tarts and syllabub; and with it they had drunk a fine muscatel wine.

They had watched the masked ladies parading through the paths and the gallants who had pursued them. Harriet had declared that it was nothing compared with what it had been hi the days of Charles when people knew better how to enjoy life. But they had seen some of the players from the theatre walking there, and Carlotta had enjoyed it greatly.

I would wait breathlessly for some mention of Beaumont Granville, for I had a notion that he would not allow the acquaintance to peter out. I was sure that he was bent on some mischief, and those days when I lay on my bed resting my foot, or sat at the window watching people pass by, were for me filled with frustration and fear.

As the days went on I began to think that I had perhaps attached too much importance to the matter. After all, what had happened was no credit to him. Perhaps he wanted to forget it too.

Yet he had looked at me with that sly mockery which had set the fear rising in my heart. I must hope that he had forgotten, and I would suggest that we return to Eversleigh sooner than we had planned.