Reluctant Relation (5 page)

“Are you suggesting that I would ever have dashed impulsively to your side?” She tossed her beautiful golden head.

“No, my sweet, I don’t think you’d ever have run into danger for anyone. But that’s not the point. I just want you to know that the whole thing was an accident, that no amount of extra care could have prevented it, and that Miss Greenway, who has had a pretty bad shock, could do with some sympathy rather than censure.”

“I’m sorry.” Felicity turned to Meg with endearing contrition. “I just was frightened and—”

“Miss Manners, please, I more than understand, and, in spite of everything, I do blame myself. As Mr. Sontigan says, I know I couldn’t have prevented the accident really, but I still feel that it shouldn’t have happened. At least she hasn’t any serious injury. But she has a broken arm, poor little thing, and some bruises, and that’s quite enough for a small child to put up with. I’d have done anything for this not to have happened.”

“Well, don’t blame yourself too much,” Felicity was charming and gracious again. “Children will do these crazy things, I suppose. Is she very much upset? Do you think—” she sighed “—that I should go to her?”

“It isn’t really necessary. She’s quite comfortably settled in bed now. They seemed to think that
I ... you ...
that someone could probably fetch her home tomorrow.”

“Oh, well, that’s all right, then.” Felicity was relieved that no action was called for on her part. “I’m afraid I couldn’t get her tomorrow. We have a very important scene. If you could, Miss Greenway—”

“Why, of course!”

“And perhaps, Leigh, you could pick them both up in you
r
car?” Already she was rearranging everyone else’s plans to suit herself. But Leigh seemed not to mind being used in this way.

“If you want,” he said. “But I thought I wasn’t accepted in this house and that, in particular, I wasn’t supposed to see Pearl.”

“Oh ... well—” Felicity gave a ghost of her famous smile “—if you’ve played knight errant to my daughter, what am I to do? You can come, of course. Only don’t think that alters things, Leigh.”

“What things?” he asked bluntly.

“You know perfectly well.” Her glance slid past Meg, as though to say she could hardly be candid in front of a third party. Taking the hint, Meg withdrew.

He could not have stayed with Felicity very long, however. Because, after she had gone to the kitchen to explain to the anxious and curious Cecile what had happened, she met him again on her way back through the hall.

He seemed in good humor, and he gave her that gay, flashing smile, as he said, “All uncomfortable explanations over. You’d better go rest a bit.”

She supposed that was another way of saying she looked washed out again. So her tone was a trifle cool although she felt genuinely grateful, as she said, “Thank you very much for your support.”

“You’re welcome,” he told her. “And it looks as though I was right about our meeting again, doesn’t it?”

“Meeting again?”

“Yes. Don’t you remember? You told me only yesterday in the coolest tone possible that we were unlikely to meet again. And I don’t think you were very pleased with me when I assured you that you hadn’t seen the last of me.”

He stood smiling down at her, good-humored but altogether too sure of himself, she thought.

“You’re mistaken,” she said, in much the same tone she must have used yesterday. “I was quite indifferent about it.”

“Oh, that’s an unkind cut,” he declared, though he still looked amused. “You’re quite determined not to like me, my severe little cousin ... or whatever you are ... aren’t you?”

“I’m certainly not your cousin,” she assured him with emphasis.

“No? Well, the relationship is there, even if it’s difficult to work out,” he asserted.

“If you insist upon it, it’s not all that difficult to work out,” she assured him coolly. “You’re a sort of uncle by marriage.”

She turned and went upstairs, leaving him looking after her a little as though she had slapped his face. All the same, as she turned the bend in the stairs and, irresistibly, glanced downwards, he grinned up at her, apparently more amused than chagrined and called, “I’ll see you at the hospital about three ... niece.”

Then he left and Meg dragged herself to her room, suddenly exhausted. By her own reckoning she was tough enough to cope with most things, but the trip to Newcastle had taken toll of her nervous energy in a way that left her feeling limp.

However, after a hot bath and an hour of relaxation in her pleasant room, she felt all right again, and went downstairs to have dinner with Felicity.

To her pleasure, she discovered that Dick Manners had called in on his way back from Edinburgh. She was still rather vague about his position in the scheme of things, but from the way he and his sister were talking when she came in she gathered that he had something to do with the publicity side of Felicity’s career.

He got up immediately on seeing Meg and came forward to express the most genuine sympathy and anxiety about his niece’s accident. With characteristic good nature, he extended the sympathy to include Meg herself, with no suggestion whatever that she might have failed in her duties.

“I’m afraid it must have been a great shock to you,” he said kindly. “And in a way—” his glance traveled reflectively over his sister “—it was a good thing that Leigh was there.”

“It was a very good thing, from my point of view,” Meg conceded. “He handled everything with great authority and—”

“Yes, he would!” Dick’s handsome eyes sparkled amusedly. “He’s a great one at handling things with authority. But I still don’t see how Pearl came to do anything as silly as rush across the road against oncoming traffic.”

“I told you. Leigh was on the other side of the road,” said his sister impatiently.

“Even so—”

“I think—” Meg looked diffidently from one to the other, but she spoke with firmness “—you mustn’t underestimate Pearl’s affection for ... for Mr. Sontigan. Children do have these violent likes or dislikes for people and she is very fond of him. I don’t know why, but—”

“Oh, don’t you?” Felicity smiled in that lovely reflective way which was a joy to cameramen. “Don’t you find him at all attractive, Miss Greenway?”

Meg looked startled. “I hadn’t thought about him from a personal point of view, but—”

“Hadn’t you? Most women do, I believe.”

“I meant—” Meg firmly brought the conversation back to the issue “—that I don’t know enough about Pearl’s background to say just why she regards Mr. Sontigan as such an important part of her life. But she was extremely upset when she was told she was not to see any more of him.”

“Who told her that?” inquired Felicity interestedly.

“I understand, Miss Manners, that you did,” said Meg patiently. “When I first met her yesterday—” it seemed impossible that all these maddening but fascinating people had come into her life only yesterday! “—she spoke wistfully about him, and said you had told her he had gone away.”

“Oh well, yes. I suppose I did. But that was how it seemed to me then. Things have changed,” Felicity explained airily.

“Things don’t change quite so easily for a child, Miss Manners.” Meg said dryly.

“I wouldn’t say that things changed easily for me,” said Felicity, and lapsed into a mental review of her own reactions.

“I’m sure they didn’t.” Determinedly, Meg kept her temper and her polite air. “And please don’t think I’m so impertinent as to concern myself with your personal affairs. But if I’m to look after Pearl in any worthwhile sense I must have a clear ruling on this matter which means so much to her. Do you want me to play down her friendship with Mr. Sontigan or can they both go on enjoying each other’s company, in the uninhibited way they seem to do?”

“You know, that’s the word for Leigh!” Felicity turned admiringly to her brother. “Miss Greenway’s hit it exactly. He’s uninhibited. That’s what makes him both attractive and infuriating at the same time. Don’t you think so?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Dick shifted himself comfortably in his chair and smiled lazily. “I’m neither attracted nor infuriated by Leigh. But then I’m not a woman. In any case, you haven’t answered Miss Greenway’s question.”

“What was that?” Felicity turned to Meg and smiled in a friendly way.

“Is Pearl to be allowed to continue an unrestricted friendship with Leigh or not?” Dick repeated patiently.

“Oh, I think so.” Felicity was obviously a little tired of the subject by now. “After all, he is going to fetch her from hospital tomorrow. And really he’s rather exciting to have about. Particularly if one isn’t going to marry him. Such a relief! Shall we have dinner now?”

Later, when Felicity had gone up to bed and Dick was leaving, he spoke to Meg alone, in a more reassuring and responsible way than she expected.

“Don’t worry too much about Pearl and Leigh,” he said kindly. “The situation will probably solve itself. Felicity has now got over the crisis of breaking her engagement, and more or less regards Leigh as part of the general landscape. Whether or not Leigh will accept this passive role, of course, remains to be seen,” he added, rubbing his chin reflectively.

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?” Meg simply could not imagine Leigh Sontigan as part of anyone’s background.

Dick Manner laughed.

“You’re not used to living with Felicity yet,” he told her cheerfully. “If one can see a couple of weeks ahead, one feels one is on a rest cure. But I’m glad Pearl has you to cushion existence for her. You’re probably the best thing that’s happened to the child for a long time.”

With this final reassurance he left, leaving Meg to go to bed cheered by the thought that Pearl’s uncle could still say this to her after all that had happened that day.

He must be a sensitive and understanding person, after all,
she thought.
Not many people would have made a
point of putting that into words at just this moment. I like Dick Manners. But then I like the whole family. Even Felicity. When I’m not feeling ready to wring her neck.

The following morning seemed empty without Pearl chattering at her side. As usual, Felicity left early, attended by the devoted Cecile, and Meg was left to her own devices.

Presently Mrs. Parker put in an appearance, ready to engage on what she called “a good clean-down,” to make up for the fact that her daughter’s illness had kept her away for a day or two.

Since there was nothing for her to do in the house, Meg took a basket and went out to do some general household shopping. For although Felicity had said that Cecile would attend to such matters, Cecile had been grateful earlier that morning when Meg had offered to buy anything necessary.

It was a pleasant morning, cool, but with the sun shining brightly and only a few fleecy clouds chasing each other across a pale blue sky. As Meg walked along the country road which led from the house to the village, she hummed happily to herself.

When she arrived at the straggling line of shops which made up the main street of the village, she was astonished to find that a number of people seemed to know about Pearl’s accident.

One or two stopped her and inquired kindly about the little girl. Although few had the details right—Pearl’s injuries varying from a sprained ankle to more or less fatal head injuries—Meg found their interest sympathetic.

She responded gratefully, endeavored to correct any errors in information, and undertook to convey to Pearl all the kind messages she was given.

“One doesn’t know what attitude to take toward the children of well-known people,” said Mrs. Cooper. “I thought the little girl looked lonely and aimless sometimes, and I’m sure my four would be very glad to have her play with them. But one doesn’t want to be pushy.”

“I think it would be lovely for Pearl to see other children,” Meg replied warmly. “And I’ll certainly try to arrange it. Thank you very much.”

As she turned homeward she had the comfortable feeling that life could once more encompass what she called “nice, normal people,” as well as the fascinating, but somewhat wearing figures who seemed to people her existence at the moment.

A pleasant path brought her to the back of the house, and as
s
he came into the kitchen Mrs. Parker stopped her energetic scrubbing to observe, “Lady and gentleman to see you.”

“To see me?” Meg looked mystified. “But I don’t know any ... to see Miss Manners, surely?”

“No, to see you. Miss Greenway they asked for. That’s you, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Meg. And suddenly, at the thought that they might bring bad news of Pearl, her heart gave a lurch. “Oh, I hope—”

She dropped her basket on the kitchen table and ran to the front of the house.

The sound of voices came from the drawing room, and she pushed open the door quickly and walked in.

Then she stopped dead. Of the two people in the room, one was dearly familiar and the other much less so. It was her father who got up and came forward to embrace her, amused and delighted by her astonishment. And beyon
d
him, Meg saw Claire—smiling, it was true, but coldly, and with an air of sharpened interest which suggested that she saw Meg in a different, but still less endearing light.