Will You Love Me in September

"Yes, and that makes it very valuable. It has her initial engraved inside.”

"Well, in that case you can wear it.”

"Thank you, Jeanne.”

I was almost ready now. Very soon I would go to the church and be married to Lance.

I was both excited and apprehensive. I wished that I could forget going into Lance's bedroom and seeing Elvira sitting at the mirror. They had seemed so unconcerned, so natural. There was so much I had to learn. I could not resist slipping away from Jeanne and taking a look at the bridal chamber which that night I should occupy with Lance. It would be that room which had once been in red velvet and which Damaris had changed when she came to Enderby. Now it was white-and-gold damask and had been decorated for the wedding with blue and green ribbons. Two serving girls were tying sprigs of rosemary to the posts.

They were giggling together and were suddenly silent as they saw me.

"It looks very pretty," I said, trying to speak without emotion. Somehow I had never really liked this room. Perhaps it was because, as a child, when Damaris and I had been very close to each other, I had sensed her dislike of it. She hardly ever came to it, but it was, of course, the most elaborate and biggest of the bedchambers, and it was natural that it should be turned into the bridal suite for this occasion.

"It's a great day, Miss Clarissa," said one of the maids.

I agreed that it was.

When I went back to my room Jeanne was searching everywhere for one of my shoes.

"I've looked 'igh and low," she declared. "I am certain they were both here. Where can it have got to? You can't be married in one shoe!”

I joined in the search without success, and Damaris came in while we were still hunting.

"You look beautiful, darling," she said. "Oh, Clarissa, I am so happy for you.”

Dear Damaris. I knew she was thinking of the day she had found me in the cellar.

She embraced me and then Jeanne.

"Oh, madame," said Jeanne, "no tears today, please. It spoil the eyes.”

We laughed. Jeanne had prevented an emotional scene.

"And," she went on, "where is this shoe? We do not know where it 'ave gone.”

"Well, it must be found," I said. "Sabrina came into my bedroom this morning. She looked at the gown. The shoes were there then.”

"Ah," cried Jeanne. "I have the idea. One moment, please.”

She went away, and soon came back holding Sabrina by one hand and the shoe was in the other.

"This wicked one had 'id it," announced Jeanne.

"Oh, Sabrina!" said Damaris.

"It was so she wouldn't be able to get married," explained Sabrina.

"You have cause great trouble and you should be spank," said Jeanne.

Sabrina's face crinkled in dismay. "I only did it so that Clarissa wouldn't go away and leave me," she explained.

Damaris knelt down and put her arms around the child. "Darling," she said, "Clarissa is going to be very happy. You want that, don't you?”

Sabrina nodded. "But me too," she said.

Damaris was touched, but I was not sure whether the spirit of mischief in Sabrina had been responsible for her act as much as her desire to prevent my marrying. However, the shoe was found and my toilet was complete now and I was ready for marriage.

Lance was waiting in the church with the family from Eversleigh Court. Great-grandfather Carleton looked on with a certain pride, although he tried to hide it. Leigh was there with Benjie and Anita. I guessed they would all be thinking of Harriet, as we must at a time like this. Arabella and Priscilla were alternating between their delight and that emotion which women feel at weddings.

So we were married, and as I came out of the church with Lance I tried to suppress my uneasy feelings and assure myself that I had done right in accepting him. It would have been foolish to go on dreaming of a boy who had been transported to the colony of Virginia and whom I could not see until we were so much older. So much happened over the years, and it was hardly likely that, even if we did meet again in the far distant future, we should still be the same people who had met so romantically and parted so tragically.

At Enderby the celebrations were taking place. Everyone who had gone to church had carried a sprig of rosemary, in accordance with the old custom, and when we were all seated at the table a great punch bowl was passed round so that everyone could drink the health of the bride and groom. As the bowl came to them each of the guests dipped into it the rosemary they had carried to church, and so they wished us married joy.

Lance held my hand firmly and I was reassured. I had done what was right. In my heart I whispered wistfully, "Goodbye, Dickon. Goodbye forever.”

Healths continued to be drunk, people made speeches, and there was a great deal of chatter and laughter. Then we went to the hall, which was decorated as a ballroom, and in the minstrels' gallery the musicians played for our dancing.

There were no ghosts there that night.