The Judas Kiss (11 page)

"I knew he would find nothing. I felt it in my soul. They were not married. Ought we to keep the money?"

He spoke in a queer, toneless way, unlike his usual voice.

"What money?" Pearl asked.

"The price of our mother's prostitution."

Pearl flushed. "Jasper is not certain. It is the duty of parents to provide for their children, whether a priest joins their hands or not. You are ill, Garnie. You ought to see Dr. Skelton."

"There is nothing he can cure." He strode away.

Pearl had had one talk with Adelaide. She met her in the garden the day before she got Jasper's letter. She spoke on impulse.

"Was what you told us about our father and mother really true?"

Adelaide did not seem vexed as to the doubt of her veracity. "Sit here with me," she said, pointing to a seat in the shade. "I will tell you all I can."

Pearl sat down and soon had her answer.

"I told you exactly what your father told me, but not all of it. Perhaps you do not know that when he was young he had a sister who married and was very unhappy. The husband drank and ill-treated her. After three years he left her for another woman. George urged his sister to get a divorce, but she said she could not; she was his wife until death. Then she was ill and took a fatal overdose of sleeping pills. It was called an accident but George was not convinced. That started his objection to the marriage vows. I thought you would like to know."

"Thank you for telling me," Pearl said quietly. "It does make it easier to understand."

"I think that too," Adelaide went on. "I suppose to you I am a wicked woman; I should never have agreed to what he wanted." She too was speaking quietly and without any of the heat she had shown when they had accused her. "You have never known what it means to be moneyless and alone. Even to be a Beauty Queen may not help you. It sounds rather wonderful, but what happens to all of them? Some marry, but the rest? You are far prettier than many. It did not do me much good. It brought me offers of many kinds I will not describe, but Gaston Bidaut was the only man to offer marriage. I did not love him, but I accepted. I meant to do my duty until I found his idea of a wife was a sort of unpaid slave. I do not think I could have stayed with him and when your father came along, that settled it. I did love George and I did all I could to make him happy."

At that moment Teague the gardener passed them. He touched his hat to Pearl but gave one of his malignant glances to his mistress. She waited until he was out of earshot.

"Your father could not marry me and he could not bring me to his home unless we pretended we were married. You understand that?"

"Yes," Pearl murmured a little unwillingly.

"When he told me of his grown-up family I said you would hate me. He did not think you would, but he would make things so that you should not. I had not seen or heard his will until Mr. Watson read it. It was intended to protect me and in a way it did; yet in another way it made things worse. I wanted you all to like me, but it was difficult."

She paused, but Pearl said nothing. Her mind was too full of conflicting emotions.

"I am not saying your father was right or that I was right. Marriage is necessary or life could not go on as it should. But I do not want you to think ill of him, or worse of me than you must. I was sorry afterwards that I lost my temper at what the others said of me. It would have been better if I had not told you about your mother. But no one else need know. I am going away and I will never mention it again."

She looked at Pearl as though hoping for some friendly response. None came.

"I am going away," she repeated. "Will you come with me? It will cost you nothing. You are the only one who was ever really friendly and I would try to make you happy. We could visit all the places we have never seen. Venice, Rome, Florence, Vienna or anywhere you liked better, Africa, America, Australia, Ceylon, where we can forget. Will you come?"

"I, I don't know," Pearl stammered pitifully. "It is, it is very kind of you, but, I don't know. I must think." With something of a sob she got up and ran away.

To travel had always been one of Pearl's ambitions, but could she go like this? Which was the real Adelaide, the friendly one who had just been talking to her, loved by her father? Or the greedy, grasping one as seen by her brothers and sister, who had gloated in telling of their mother's unhappy story, who flaunted her diamond star? To go with her would mean breaking with the family.

Taking Sandy, her Cairn, with her, she wandered across the fields behind the house. She wanted to think, but it was difficult. She no longer doubted the truth of Adelaide's story. She did not mind so much about her and her father. That was their affair. It was the revelation about her mother that hurt. The mother she had thought so perfect. Yet if her parents truly loved one another, as she knew they did, and if she loved them, did it really matter so much? Garnet she knew was deeply distressed, but Jasper and Emerald, apart from the question of money, were very little concerned. Who was right?

Then a voice came.

"Pearl, darling, I have been hoping to find you."

She had not heard the sound of hooves on the grass. Arthur Dixon had seen her and followed her. More than once in the past he had told her he loved her and had hinted that she should go away with him. She had been conscious of his fascination but had not taken his suggestion very seriously. They had not met since her father's funeral, although he had sent messages of condolence and devotion.

He jumped from his horse and held out his hand. Pearl took it. He drew her to him and kissed her. She did not resist. Perhaps at that moment any show of affection would have been welcome. Was this the answer to her problem?

"I have heard that Mrs. Michelmore is leaving you to go to the hotel. A family quarrel, they say. You have lost your father; you are almost alone. You are unhappy. I can see it in your dear eyes. Come with me, darling, as I asked you before. I can make you happy and I swear I will. I have never loved anyone as I love you."

'But Esme, "

"That is just it! Esme has written that she is coming back. We must go before she does!"

"She still loves you."

"No! She never did or she could not have left me for so long. She is tired of London and wants a change. She has found a woman who will work for her for a time. But if she returns and I receive her, it wipes out two years' desertion. It would have to start all over again. We should never be happy together. Come with me, precious Pearl. Trust me. We will soon make everything all right."

He dropped the bridle he was holding and put both his hands on her shoulders.

"I love you, darling. Can you look in my eyes and say you do not love me?"

She could not look in his eyes. She knew how compelling they were, how handsome his clear-cut features. Would this end her troubles? Were all the ideals shattered? Did nothing matter?

The answer came in an unexpected manner. Sandy did not like Mr. Dixon and he objected to anyone he disliked taking hold of his beloved mistress. He growled and then barked furiously. The sudden noise at his heels startled the free horse. He moved off and being unchecked began to bolt.

"Your horse!" Pearl cried.

Dixon swore and dashed after it. Pearl watched for a moment.

"Come on, Sandy," she said. She hastened to the gap in the hedge and was lost to sight.

She got home and lunched alone, though Sandy had some choice pieces that gave him great satisfaction. Emerald had gone somewhere with Gore-Black and Garnet did not appear. She had little appetite for what old Nan put before her.

"Eat it up, dearie. Do you good. You're looking peaky. It'll be all right. She will soon be gone now."

"I'm all right, Nan. Thank you."

But her mind was in turmoil. Did she love Arthur Dixon? Did she love him well enough to do what her father and mother had done? Yet they had been free; neither was pledged to another. And they had been faithful. Could it make for happiness to ruin a home, even if the home was already broken? Should she go with Arthur, or with Adelaide? It would be wonderful to see the world. How she wished she had a mother to whom she could go for comfort and advice. Yet her mother, After lunch she tried to read. Her head ached. She tried to sleep, but it was useless. At four o'clock she went to old Nan and had a cup of tea. Then she thought another walk with Sandy would be good for them both. As she left the house a car entered the drive and a strange man looked out.

"Pardon me," he said, raising his hat, "does Mrs. Michelmore, Mrs. Adelaide Michelmore, live here?" He was foreign-looking, with a pale face, dark hair and a short pointed beard.

"She lives here," Pearl replied, "but I do not know if she can see you. I will ask her maid to enquire. What name shall I say?"

"Gaston Bidaut. She knows me."

Adelaide's husband! She had already half guessed it. What did it mean? How and why had he come?

Actually Jasper had not been so clever as he thought. He had imagined he could slip away and Gaston would be left high and dry until he was wanted. He forgot he had mentioned, the art dealer. Gaston had called on M. Lanier and had learned that "Monsieur Jasper" was in fact Jasper Michelmore. The address had also been forthcoming and the hairdresser had decided to trace his erring wife himself.

Pearl summoned Nan and gave her the name. Gaston got out of the car, a short man, stout, rather restless. He did not speak; neither did Pearl. She waited to know what Adelaide's reply would be. Nan soon returned. She said Mrs. Michelmore would see him. He followed her into the house.

What now? Would their tangled affairs have a fresh complication? Or would this simplify them? Pearl went back to her little flat and stood in the window that faced the drive to see what would happen. Would Adelaide go with him? Did he want her to? Would he try force? She waited. She did not know how long; it seemed the best part of an hour.

Then she saw him. He emerged from the house, alone. He looked angry. He caught sight of her at her window as he approached his car. He again raised his hat, took his seat and drove away.

She followed him swiftly to the road, perhaps to resume her walk, perhaps to see which way he went. Possibly with the vague hope that he would see her and speak. But he was out of sight when she reached the gates. What had happened? She could not ask Adelaide. It would be prying into her affairs. She must leave it to her to mention it if she wished to do so. Ought she to write and tell Jasper?

She stood at the gates for a few moments, Sandy jumping impatiently at her feet. Then the young doctor, Peter Skelton, came up, bareheaded and smiling.

"I was hoping to see you, Pearl," he said. "Big news! I had to come to tell you. The Dad has decided to have a second surgery in Torbury. He has taken a nice little house and I am to live there. You know what I am hoping? It's not much to start with, but it will grow. I will make it grow! I know it is sudden and I don't expect you to say anything immediately, but, "

"Oh, Peter, please not now!"

She burst into tears and ran back to the house. Had any girl ever had such a day!

"ADELAIDE is dead!"

Ruth Bennion came to Roger with the startling news. They had finished breakfast and he was writing a letter. He put down his pen and looked at her with astonishment.

"Adelaide dead? Who told you? Another accident? I thought I saw her in her car yesterday afternoon in the village."

"Teague has just told Nannie. There seems to have been some family upset. She took a room in the Crompton Arms and went there yesterday. Perhaps that was when you saw her. She did not come down for dinner and after a time they went to her room. She was lying on the floor and died a few minutes later. What ought we to do?"

Roger frowned. "It sounds incredible. Is that all he said? What was the cause of death?"

"Teague did not know. It seems they had some difficulty in getting into the room, as it was locked on the inside. She was fully dressed; ready to go down to dinner. They telephoned to the house and also to Dr. Skelton. Emerald and Pearl went round at once and Dr. Skelton a minute or two later. He said nothing could be done and sent them home. Teague thinks he telephoned the police and the body was removed after dark. Isn't it terrible? And so soon after her husband's death! I liked her; she was so beautiful."

There was no doubt Ruth was much upset. Roger's frown deepened.

"I do not like the sound of it," he said. "A young woman, perfectly healthy. I suppose Teague cannot have made a mistake?"

"It hardly seems possible. What can I do? Shall I go to the girls?"

"It might be better if we 'phoned the doctor first. We do not want to rush in until we are sure of the facts."

He knew Dr. Skelton slightly and had played tennis with Peter, his son. He rang through and it was Peter who answered the call. His father was out. Roger told him what they had heard and asked if it was true.

"I am afraid it is," Peter said. "My father is very worried about it. So far as we know Mrs. Michelmore had never been attended by a doctor since she came here. A post mortem will be necessary."