03 - Murder at Sedgwick Court (5 page)

Rose
studied Emmeline closely. On the surface she appeared to be giving her full
attention to Count Fernand, listening with enthusiasm to whatever it was that
he was telling her, smiling, laughing, and saying the odd word of encouragement
in the appropriate place. But her eyes were not on the count, at least not
exclusively so, for every now and then her gaze wandered, darting back and
forth between Count Fernand and Theo Harrison. To Rose she seemed very aware of
the doctor’s presence. The expression on her face remained unchanged, but Rose
noticed that her skin glowed a becoming shade and she imagined that the girl’s
heart was beating faster, as if her attention had been caught by something of
far more importance than the general chatter in the room. It was as if a sudden
connection had sprung up between the heiress and the doctor that had them both bewitched.
Time might indeed have stood still for all the attention they gave it, and they
might as well have been the only two people in the room for all the notice they
took of the others.

They only
have eyes for each other. As soon as Rose was struck by this thought she looked
instinctively towards Vera to see if she had noticed anything untoward. But
Vera was still engrossed in her magazine. She had been upset, Rose recollected,
when first told of Emmeline’s imminent arrival at Sedgwick, yet now here she
sat calmly, turning the pages of her magazine as if she had not a care in the
world.  Rose gasped inwardly. Whatever Vera had been afraid of, she was sure that
it had not been this. She stared at Vera, willing the woman to look up and yet
at the same time praying that she did not. But Vera continued to read, her head
bent over the page, blissfully unaware that her world was about to fall apart.

‘So
you see,’ Vera was saying, ‘poor Theo just can’t help himself, trying to ingratiate
himself with someone like Emmeline Montacute.’

Vera gave
a little laugh which even to Rose sounded false, as if she were trying to make
light of something that was upsetting her a great deal. It was the day after
the arrival of the party from the Continent and they were sitting in the
drawing room having afternoon tea, their eyes drawn to the lively discussion
going on between the doctor and the heiress.

Emmeline,
who it must be said had a general tendency to giggle at any opportunity, was
laughing happily at whatever Theo was telling her. Theo in turn appeared to be basking
in her attentions, his face quite animated. Rose, although she had made a
conscious effort to try not to, had been unable to tear herself away from
watching the relationship developing between Theo and Emmeline. Both parties
had been tentative at first, each almost going out of their way to avoid eye
contact, but following dinner that first night, it appeared that they had both
lost a little of their reserve and had seemed to gravitate towards each other
in the drawing room over coffee almost unwittingly. They were like moths drawn to
a light, as if an invisible thread were pulling them unwillingly together, or
at the very least, something beyond their control.   

‘He
thinks that he should like so very much to be a fashionable doctor, whereas I just
know that he would simply hate it,’ continued Vera, drawing her chair closer to
Rose’s so that they might not be overheard.

‘Is that
so?’

‘He’s
much better suited to being a country doctor, you know, but he just can’t see
it. I daresay it would be very grand to have consulting rooms in Harley Street
and name the aristocracy among one’s patients, but really it isn’t Theo. He
would never be happy just scolding mothers and daughters who overdo it in the London
season, or patting the hand of Lady So-and-So who fancies she has a temperature
or is feeling unwell when there is absolutely nothing wrong with her at all. Theo
is not the sort of doctor who would be content to prescribe some harmless tonic
at some outrageous sum.’ Vera paused to sigh and give a smug little smile. ‘No,
he wouldn’t be satisfied at all.  Because you see, medicine really is his
thing. He wants to treat real illnesses that affect ordinary people.’

This was
at such variance to what Vera had said to her two days before that Rose was
quite at a loss as to how best to answer. She opened her mouth to speak and
thought better of it. For, although it had occurred to her to point out that Vera
was contradicting what she had said previously, she was reminded of the condition
in which she had found Vera awaiting her in the hall that day. The woman had
been clearly distressed and distracted and she did not wish to say anything
that would induce a relapse. But this time Vera was wanting some encouragement
before proceeding with her tale, and was looking at Rose expectantly for just
such a response. Rose dragged her mind back from contemplating Vera’s previous
agitated state to the present conversation, which in all honesty she had only
been listening to with half an ear.    

‘And a
country practice offers that?’ Rose said at last. ‘Real illnesses?’

‘Oh, yes
indeed. You get all sorts of illness in a village such as Sedgwick, because you
get people from all walks of life. And you don’t know how good it makes Theo
feel, to make a real difference. He was able to save Mr Collins’s arm. It has
healed quite nicely, with no more lasting damage to it than a ghastly scar,
which is just as well as Collins has nine mouths to feed. He’s a stone mason by
way of trade and needs two arms to carry out that job.’

‘Yes, I
suppose he does. Tell me, Vera, have you always lived in Sedgwick?’

‘Yes, and
so has Theo, even if he has the air about him of someone who has grown up in
town. But we’ve both lived here all our lives. Theo’s father was the village
doctor and his father before him. Daddy came to Sedgwick a year or two before I
was born, and has been ministering to his flock here ever since.’

Further
discussion on the subject was prevented by the arrival of Lavinia, who insisted
that they should all go for a walk in the grounds while there was still some light.
Rose in truth was relieved to have an excuse to escape Vera’s company. It was
not so much that she disliked the woman, more that she felt ill at ease in her
presence. Was Vera really blind to the true nature of the relationship
developing between Emmeline and Theo? She certainly acted as if she were, not
seeing what was being played out blatantly before her very eyes and indeed,
unfortunately, was becoming increasingly apparent to everyone else. Perhaps she
was intentionally deluding herself, Rose thought, desperately clinging to the
notion that Theo’s only interest in Emmeline was that of a potential patient of
standing who might be useful in furthering his career. Or was Vera well aware
of what was going on, and had consciously chosen to ignore the situation and pretend
to be ignorant?  

They set
forth as a group, Cedric in front pointing out the ha-has, the various lakes
which appeared as one, and the follies dotted around the estate, much as he had
done when he had shown them to Rose. She felt a sudden stab of regret that it
was not just the two of them walking through the grounds, with perhaps Vera and
Theo trailing slowly behind. To be alone here at Sedgwick with Cedric she
realised suddenly was what she wanted more than anything in the world. She
didn’t want to share him with the others, to stand back while he played the
jovial host. Why, oh why, had Lavinia seen the need to bring these friends back
with her, to expect Cedric to fall in with her wishes and entertain them?  

As if in
answer to her question, she caught sight of the count walking at Lavinia’s
side, his dark head bowed towards her so that they could carry on some private conversation
which had Lavinia in fits of giggles. If the light had been better, Rose had no
doubt, she would have seen a rosy blush upon the girl’s cheek. The count and
Lavinia … yes. Rose could see that the notion might hold some attraction to her
friend. He was tall and dark and mysterious. Lavinia had hinted at wars in his
homeland which had caused him to flee, and the noble cause for which he was
fighting to restore order to his land. It all sounded very romantic. Just
Lavinia’s sort of thing, Rose thought not particularly kindly, as she was momentarily
feeling some resentment towards Lavinia and her guests.

Vera was doggedly
following Theo, who looked minded to put some distance between them and catch
up with Cedric. Vera appeared to be talking to him quite seriously, with never
a glance at the various things of interest being pointed out to them by Cedric.
Rose supposed that she had seen these all many times before in the light and
saw no need to give them a second glance in the dusk. But Theo, Rose could tell,
was annoyed, as if he found her conversation irritating. Rose wondered idly
whether she was giving forth on the virtues of being a country doctor. Whatever
she was saying was not being received at all well, for the doctor stopped and
turned suddenly and looked directly at Emmeline who was walking with Jemima.
Rose fancied that he tried to catch the girl’s eye, but she was unaware of this
being herself engaged in deep conversation with Jemima, which necessitated them
walking closely together, almost huddled. They appeared to be talking in
whispers and Rose was surprised to find that their conversation did not appear
to be littered with Emmeline’s usual laughter. She wondered what they could be
talking about so seriously. Meanwhile, she noticed that Vera was glaring at
Theo, and looked undecided as to whether to give him a piece of her mind or
pointedly forsake his side. Really, Rose was far from sure which one of the two
she felt most sorry for.

‘Well,
Miss Simpson,’ said Felix Thistlewaite suddenly, making her start, ‘and how do
you find Sedgwick Court? Quite a stately pile, don’t you think? How the other
half live and all that.’  

There was
something quite innocuous and endearing about his manner which resulted in Rose
not taking offence at his words or assumed familiarity, for she did not think
that his intention was to be rude. Rather he seemed only to want to speak the
truth as he saw it, and there was something rather naïve about him that she
found appealing. He seemed to her very young, although at five or six and
twenty he was a few years her senior.

‘I must
apologise, Rose. May I call you Rose? You must think me very rude and
impertinent to speak so of our host and hostess’s hospitality. It’s jolly
decent of Lavinia to invite me here and on the basis of the merest of acquaintances
too. If you had told me a few weeks ago that I would find myself the guest of
an earl, why, I would never have believed you!’

Rose
looked up into his freckled face and smiled. She had had little opportunity to
have a proper conversation with Felix Thistlewaite up to now, but she found
herself warming to him as she had not to the other guests.

‘I’m
jolly glad Lavinia invited me,’ Felix was saying, ‘and I’m awfully glad you and
even Miss Brewster are here, although she does seem to be giving that doctor of
hers a time of it, doesn’t she? But what I mean is I was afraid that it was
just going to be a lot of toffs and it’s not at all. And Lord Belvedere seems a
very decent sort of chap, although of course you don’t need me to tell
you
that.’

Rose
blushed. ‘You met Lavinia on the Continent?’ she said, partly to change the
subject and also for something to say.

‘Yes, I
met them all in Florence and we visited all the galleries and gardens and
palaces together. We made quite a party, I can tell you. I was there courtesy
of my Great Aunt Maud, in case you think I am a gentleman of independent means.
Unfortunately I’m not. I’m due to start as an articled clerk in some awful
backstreet London office in a few weeks’ time. This is my last opportunity to
pretend that I am a young man of leisure.’

‘I see,’
said Rose smiling.

‘My Great
Aunt Maud is very much of the opinion that gentlemen, even those as poor as
church mice like myself, should do the European grand tour. Unfortunately, if
anything it has made me even more dissatisfied with my lot.’ He paused a moment
and looked over towards the huddled couple of Emmeline and Jemima, still
engrossed in whispered conversation. ‘I say, she is rather wonderful, isn’t she?’     
   

‘Emmeline?
Yes, I suppose she is.’

‘No, not
Emmeline. There is nothing very wonderful about
her
. She is exactly as
one would imagine an heiress to be, awfully spoilt, you know, used to getting
her own way and commanding everyone’s undivided attention and all that. No,
rather I was talking of Jemima. How that poor girl puts up with her, I can’t
imagine. She’s treated more like a servant than a relative. And yet she is a
distant relation of Emmeline’s, you know, but as poor as anything. She fulfils
the role of companion from what I can gather, and hates every minute of it I
shouldn’t wonder.’

‘Yet the
way that they call each other by their Christian names, surely that implies
they are more friends than employer and employee, doesn’t it?’ said Rose.
Indeed, the way the two girls were huddled so closely together suggested to her
that they were exchanging confidences.

‘That’s
just Emmeline’s way,’ Felix replied rather dismissively. ‘It means nothing. She
still treats Jemima like a lady’s maid, expects her to do her hair and put out
her clothes and all that. I’ve heard her speak to Jemima quite rudely and the
poor girl takes it in her stride with never a bad word said.  Why, if I had my
way I’d take her away from it all, I can tell you.’

Rose
looked up at him, somewhat taken aback by his frankness. Felix had the grace to
blush.

‘Sorry, I
shouldn’t have said that. Why, I haven’t even told the girl herself how I feel
about her. But I’m in no position to offer her marriage, at least not until
I’ve done a few years of this articled clerk lark.’ He groaned. ‘I daresay she
wouldn’t have me. A girl like that could do a damned sight better than a fellow
like me.’

Rose
looked up and caught Jemima looking at Felix. There was something in her look
which made Rose think that Felix’s feelings for the girl might not be unrequited
after all.  At the same time Rose wondered what there was about her that made
people feel that they could confide in her their innermost hopes and fears.
First there had been Vera and her fear that mixing with grand society would increase
Theo’s desire to become a fashionable doctor. And now here was Felix, a man
with whom she had hardly even passed the time of day, confessing his love for
Jemima. He hadn’t said it was a secret or that she should keep the knowledge to
herself, but she assumed that he would not want it broadcast. She thought too
that Emmeline was ignorant of Felix’s feelings for her companion. Even if his
feelings were reciprocated, she thought it unlikely that the reserved Jemima
would confide in Emmeline on such a matter. No, Emmeline might confide trivial
confidences to Jemima but, from what she had seen of Jemima, the girl kept
herself to herself, remained on the edge looking on, an observer of the party
rather than a participant. What a strange girl she is, thought Rose, I can
hardly make her out. She watches us all so intently, listens to our
conversations and yet does not offer up a view unless specifically asked for
one.