The Love Child

“I agree that we shall have to be careful with her.”

Harriet laughed. “The more careful she sees us to be, the more reckless she will become. I know her kind… none better.”

“Well, if we are going to be careful, what are we going to do?”

“We’ll guide her… with invisible hands.”

“Harriet, what do you mean?”

“I have a bridegroom for her. One I have always wanted her to have.”

“Harriet!”

“Yes, my son Benjie. He adores her … but he doesn’t really know how much yet.

Besides, he thinks she is his sister. He’ll have to discover that she is not, that she is no relation. It reminded me of you and Leigh … although he knew all along that he was not related to you. But he was brought up with you like a brother. You see, it makes a complicated situation. Suppose Leigh had not been looking on you as his dear little sister all those years, you would have been together from the start. It is Leigh you really loved. I always knew it. That idyll on the Eyot was the awakening … if you see what I mean.”

“I see, of course, but it is not necessarily true.”

“It is true. You and Leigh would have been lovers when you were fourteen … after all he was a man then. Then all those complications would not have occurred. Well, that’s all finished. Carlotta is in the picture now. I want Benjie to know that she is not his sister. It was wise of you to have told Leigh.”

“You know I couldn’t marry him without telling.”

“Of course you couldn’t, and he understood. After all he is my son. I am very happy that you and Leigh are together, Priscilla. It makes you my daughter hi a way. I could be very sentimental about that… if I were a sentimental woman. But what I am really thinking about is Carlotta’s future.”

“Somehow I could not bring myself to tell my parents.”

“Why not? Your father has not exactly lived the life of a holy monk.”

“I know it, but he has always been rather contemptuous of me. No, that’s too strong a word. He has been indifferent to me.”

“That has hurt you. There are times when I should like to give your father a talking to. He really is the most obstinate of men.”

“I shall never forget what you did for me, Harriet … you and Gregory.”

“He is a dear man and played his part well. He would do anything for me. But it is Carlotta whom we are discussing. You are not anxious to disclose the truth to your parents. Perhaps not, but  there is someone else who should know.”

“You mean Benjie?”

“Yes, later. But I was thinking of Robert Frinton.”

“Robert Frinton!” I cried. “But why should he know?”

“Because the child’s father was his nephew.”

“But…”

“You are depriving the man of his family. He loves Carlotta. He is a lonely old man.

That was a terrible tragedy hi his family. Just imagine what it would mean to him to find he had a family in this enchanting child.”

“I don’t think it would be wise.”

“Why not?”

“We have guarded this secret so long. You, Leigh, Gregory, Christabel and I are the only ones…”

I stopped suddenly in horror. There was one other who knew. I saw again vividly those lascivious mocking eyes. “Posing as a virgin when all the time you were there to have your little bastard!”

Harriet had risen and put an arm about my shoulders.

“The secret will still be safe,” she said. “The only difference is that Frinton will know. Think how happy it will make him. You owe it to him, Priscilla.”

“No,” I cried, “the fewer who know the better.”

Harriet shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I have to tell you. He knows.”

I stared at her. “You told him!”

“Yes, I told him.”

“Harriet, how could you!”

“It was my secret as well as yours. I thought it best to tell him.” She went on quickly: “What I have done is the best for everybody. He will be here shortly. I asked him to come. He wants to see you. He wants to talk to you.”

I was dumbfounded. It was no use reproaching Harriet. It was so like her to do something she wanted to and then tell about it afterwards. I wanted to shout at her: This is my affair. But that was not entirely true. She had made it hers.

It must have been an hour later when we heard the sounds of arrival. Harriet and I went down alone to greet Robert Frinton.

When he saw me he put out his arms and we were both so overcome by emotion that I went straight into them and we clung together for a few moments.

He released me and looked into my face. “You have made me so happy,” he said. “So very happy. For me this is like a miracle. Something I never dreamed could possibly be. I loved the child from the first. I cannot tell you what this means to me.”

When I realized his happiness I felt reconciled to what Harriet had done.

We were together a great deal during that visit and he talked continuously about Carlotta. He had brought a gold chain with a diamond pendant for her. She delighted in it. Carlotta loved gifts and she had a passion for jewels.

Robert Frinton and I traveled back to Eversleigh together. He talked all the time of the joy it gave him to know that Carlotta was Jocelyn’s daughter.