Pride of the Courtneys (6 page)

‘How terrible,' I cried, ‘that someone with such beauty should live an unhappy life.'

‘It is the way of the world, Victoria,' a voice spoke sadly behind us. Georgiana and I spun round to see Sir Hugh Courtney in the doorway.

‘Why, father,' welcomed Georgiana. ‘Bassett and I have just been showing Louella the dagger and telling her about it.'

I noticed that she stressed my name. I could not understand why Sir Hugh had called me Victoria, my mother's name.

Sir Hugh came up to us and stood thoughtfully gazing at the portrait of his mother.

‘She was very beautiful. Sir Hugh,' I said shyly.

‘Yes, but she was very cruel, my dear.'

He turned to Georgiana and put his hand on her shoulder. She moved closer to him, for I knew she was very fond of her absent-minded father.

‘Georgiana, my dearest child, you are the living image of your grandmother. But as you go through life, be sure you don't cause the same unhappiness to your family as she did. Beauty is not everything, happiness should come first.' And his voice broke painfully. As if he could trust himself to say no more he left us swiftly.

What a strange afternoon.

As I went to my room, the events flooded through my mind. Georgiana's obvious attraction for Dr Corby would surely lead to a rift in the family if it became stronger and if Charles were to reciprocate. Bassett was obviously angry with me for my thoughtless remark in the ‘treasure room' as I called it. And now Sir Hugh, firstly calling me Victoria and then displaying such emotion before his mother's portrait.

I sighed. Dear me, this was a household of mystery and emotion, I thought. Gone were the peaceful, uncomplicated days I had known with Uncle James and Aunt Virginia.

My fears regarding Georgiana's growing affection for Charles were soon justified. At any rate, to me.

Whenever his name was mentioned, her eyes sparkled and an attractive blush suffused her cheeks. And in his presence, she became more alive than ever, if that was possible for she was such an energetic person all the time.

But unfortunately Charles did not seem to return her affection to such a degree. Admittedly he was most attentive to her and whenever she was present, he could not prevent his eyes from straying to her lovely face continually. But then, what young man could resist her beauty?

But it was to me that he paid the greatest attention. He began to ask me to go for walks with him, and though this might have been considered improper, Lady Courtney readily agreed to me being allowed to go with him unchaperoned, for she was already beginning to look upon him as a possible husband for me.

But there were others who did not look upon this friendship with such glee. I was amused to see that I had at last pleased Lady Courtney on one point, but those who were displeased distressed me.

One, naturally, was Georgiana, and day by day she seemed to grow more reserved and distant with me. This, of course, upset me considerably for she was the greatest friend I had, and had I been in love with Charles, I should have been in two minds whether to reject his attentions because of Georgiana, so great was my affection for her.

But I knew I was not, and never would be, in love with Charles. If anything, he was the brother I had always wanted, and indeed a dear friend, but I could never entertain the idea of him being my husband.

I wondered how I could tell Georgiana this, but she had never confided her feelings for Charles to me, and it was all surmise on my part that this was the cause of her unhappiness. But it was obvious that each day she grew more miserable.

My friendship continued to grow with Charles and was frowned upon by his sister, Evelyn. She, I concluded, had given her life in service, firstly to her parents, and now to her young brother. I learnt, from Charles, that she had been the cause of him becoming a doctor in the first place. Though he was loyal to his sister, and I believed he was very fond of her, Charles felt somewhat restricted in the same way I did with the Courtneys, because he owed her a debt of gratitude.

‘At the time our parents died,' Charles told me one day as we strolled companionably over the moors, ‘Evelyn was twenty and I seventeen, and studying hard at school. Evelyn was sufficiently educated to be a governess, and rather than let me work to keep us both, she took a post so that I could continue my studies.'

We sat down beneath a tree.

‘Our parents left us poor, and needless to say, by the time the funerals were paid for, they died within three days of each other, there was no money left.'

‘How dreadful for you to lose them so close together,' I murmured.

Charles shrugged.

‘Neither Evelyn nor I felt much love for them. My mother was a weak, bad-tempered creature. I hate to speak ill of the dead, Louella, but believe me it is the truth. And my father was a blustering drunkard most of the time. Not the most congenial surroundings for two sensitive children.'

I thought about Evelyn Corby. No doubt she inherited her mother's sulkiness, but she was by no means weak. I was beginning to see that she doted on her brother and had him exactly where she wanted him—in her power because he was grateful for the sacrifice she had made for him.

Charles continued.

‘Evelyn worked so that I might study. Because my parents had suffered considerably in their last months, Evelyn decided that I should become a doctor. The idea appealed to me, though I was a little doubtful of my capabilities. However, I progressed well and my tutors were pleased, and here I am now in my first practice, a fully-fledged doctor.' And he added with sincerity, ‘I hope I succeed as a doctor, Louella.'

I knew he needed reassurance.

‘Of course you will. Why people in the village already speak highly of you, and you have only been here a short time. Mrs Walters is an ardent follower of yours since you eased her little boy's bronchitis so quickly. And, believe me, she holds considerable sway in the village amongst the ladies, so Mary tells me.'

‘You're very kind, Louella, to encourage me so. I have met with opposition since I arrived here, but mostly from the older folk who don't trust my youth. I must admit, though, there's not been as much distrust as I expected.'

‘Kindness, no, Charles, I'm being truthful.'

‘I think probably the Courtneys' friendliness is an undoubted asset.'

We fell silent. I was thinking of Georgiana and I wondered if Charles was too.

Strangely enough, when we returned to the house, it was Georgiana who met us. A very distressed Georgiana. In her unhappiness she had forgiven her anger with me over Charles for she flung herself into my arms, her eyes red with weeping.

‘Louella, the most dreadful thing, you must help me. I won't do it, I can't.'

I glanced at Charles and was heartened to see his face was contorted with distress at Georgiana's misery. Perhaps he does care for her, I thought. But these thoughts were cut short, for I had to attend to Georgiana's immediate problem.

‘My dearest, what is it? Tell us.'

‘Not here. I can't tell you here,' she whispered, and glanced over her shoulder fearfully.

‘Come quickly to the summer house, then.'

And together, the three of us hurried down to the summer house near the lake.

When we had settled down with Georgiana between us, I made her tell us the whole story from the beginning, promising we would do all we could, whatever it was.

Although her eyes filled with tears, she began bravely.

‘The first I knew about it was this afternoon, just after you had gone out. Mother called me down to the drawing-room. Father was with her, and Millicent. Mother said she had something to tell me of the utmost importance and that I must tell no one for the moment, until further plans had been made, but she thought it only fair to tell me now,' Georgiana gulped painfully.

‘She said that arrangements were under way for a marriage between—between Cedric Rothbone—and—and—me.'

From her tone of voice, the idea was repulsive to her, without the fact that she loved Charles, as I believed she did.

‘What?' Charles exclaimed. ‘An arranged marriage with someone you hardly know. Do you know him, Georgiana?'

‘No, I've never heard of him before today. Evidently, he is the son of Lord Rothbone, who lives on a grand estate, almost the size of ours about fifty miles away. Mother's brother, Major Phillip Bassett, you know, Louella, Millicent's father, is well acquainted with Lord Rothbone. He was evidently interested in an alliance between his son, Cedric, and Millicent. But—but, Uncle Phillip and mother have always been set on Millicent and Bassett marrying, so that Uncle Phillip suggested me, to Lord Rothbone, instead of Millicent.'

And here she burst into fresh tears.

I patted her hand comfortingly, though I could not think what to say. She was too young to disobey her parents' wishes.

‘Your only hope is Bassett. Surely he would not make you marry someone whom you did not love?'

‘Bassett wasn't there, but mother says he is in full agreement, and to his marriage to Millicent. We are to have a double wedding in September,' she wailed.

‘Did she say anything else?'

Georgiana hesitated and glanced at me.

‘Well—yes—but I don't think …'

‘Come, you must tell us everything,' Charles prompted gently.

‘But it's about you,' she replied. ‘And Louella.'

‘About me?' he exclaimed.

‘Me and—Louella?' he repeated stupidly. ‘I fail to see where we fit in, do you, Louella?'

I did, but I shook my head.

‘She says that there may be three weddings,' whispered Georgiana, and looked more dejected than ever.

‘What?' Charles looked incredulous, then he laughed. ‘ Your mother seems to be arranging everyone very nicely,' he said, but with a note of sarcasm. Georgiana failed to catch that note, and no doubt presumed that he agreed with her mother.

‘But the main problem is you,' said Charles briskly. ‘You must see Bassett. Louella is right, I am sure he would not hasten you into an unhappy marriage. And if you have no success, then Louella or I must see him.'

‘Would you? Perhaps it would do more good if you saw him, but—oh dear—I am not supposed to have told you. No, we'd better wait a while until it becomes public knowledge, then start objecting,' said Georgiana, now regaining her composure and her strength of mind.

‘One thing is certain, I will not marry the odious man.'

We stayed a little longer until Georgiana had calmed herself more and though there were still traces of her tears when we returned to the house, she had recovered from her weeping.

Charles left us to go home and Georgiana and I went to her room to talk about the problem more.

I sat down opposite her and took her cold hands in mine.

‘Now listen to me, Georgiana. We have been good friends and I hope we still are. You have been good to me since I first came here, and I am grateful. But recently, something has been wrong, you have grown colder towards me. Now why?'

She looked away out of the window and did not want to meet my eyes. But I was determined to hear it from her own lips that she loved Charles.

‘I'm sorry, Louella, it is not your fault. Mother has been talking about you and Charles being married, and now, my marriage, oh dear …'

I did not want her to suspect that I thought I knew what was wrong, so I feigned ignorance and said,

‘Perhaps you will fall in love with Cedric when you meet him. He may be a fine man.'

‘How could I?' she cried angrily, ‘when … when …'

‘When what?'

‘When I love someone else,' she ended in a rush.

‘Who?' I persisted.

‘I—I can't say.'

‘Do I know him?'

This seemed to strike her as funny.

‘I'll say you do, I mean …' But the damage was done.

‘Well,' I said slowly, ‘ the only eligible male I know outside the family is Charles.'

And Georgiana's cheeks flamed.

‘So it is Charles,' I said softly.

And she began to cry.

‘I'm so sorry, Louella. I didn't want to tell you, but you can be persistent when you want to be. I know you love him and he loves you, so please don't tell him, will you? Please.'

‘
I
love him, whatever are you talking about, Georgiana?'

I pretended shocked surprise, but this was the moment I had been waiting for, to tell her that I had no romantic love for Charles Corby.

‘You—you do love him, don't you?'

‘No, I don't and what is more, he doesn't love me. We are the best of friends, I admit, but that is not love and marriage. Now get that idea out of your silly head, do you hear?'

I hoped I spoke sternly for I meant to do so. To a girl in love the world seems distorted, and she could see no reason why I did not love the man she loved so dearly.

‘Louella,' her eyes were bright with happiness, ‘ you mean you are not going to marry Charles, but,' her face fell again, ‘he probably wants to marry you.'

‘Rubbish,' I said, ‘ why if he had any matrimonial intentions towards me, he has had plenty of opportunity to express them to me on our outings together.'

‘I know. Oh, Louella, I am so happy, so relieved. I tried not to be jealous of you, but I was. And I loved you so at the same time, and Charles, I was so torn.'

‘A beautiful creature like you being jealous of me,' I laughed. ‘Why there's flattery for you.'

‘You're beautiful yourself if you only think so, your auburn hair and green eyes. You are, Louella, else why do you think mother and Millicent fear you?'

‘Fear me?'

‘Yes, of course. Mother fears you because—because of the past, and Millicent because of Bassett.'

‘The past? What happened, Georgiana, you must tell me?'

‘No,' and her tone was firm, ‘that I cannot tell you for it is not my secret. And one thing I do not do is break confidences. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you because I think you ought to know. But there it is—I can't.'