The Silk Vendetta

The Salon

Katie was a year old when I decided I could no longer go on living at The Silk House. I had always felt that I was there on sufferance. Lady Sallonger could not forget that I was the granddaughter of a woman who worked for the family—as Grand’mere still did. Her machine worked doubly as hard now for she was constantly making little garments for Katie. I was expected to perform certain duties for her ladyship. I was still reading to her, fetching and carrying and making sure that she had her comforts. It was true Cassie was treated in the same manner, but although I was now her daughter-in-law, I was still made to feel like the poor relation.

She resented the time I spent with my daughter. If Katie needed me during one of the reading sessions, Cassie would come and take over from me—which did not please Lady Sal-longer at all. I was really feeling very restive even before the fracas with Charles.

I had always known that he had some special feeling for me. There had been that occasion long ago when he had tried to make love to me and, of course, the affair of the mausoleum which had ended in his humiliation. I had an idea that Charles was the type of man who bore grudges. In which case he would remember the immersion into the lake and blame me for it. I had often found him watching me and that made me very uneasy.

In spite of being preoccupied with Katie’s needs, I still thought a great deal about Philip’s death, and the more I thought of it the more I remembered of Lorenzo; and I was becoming absolutely convinced that the assassin’s knife had been meant for Philip.

I had made a habit of walking in the forest to that spot where his body had been found. The trees grew thickly there. I wondered whether that was the actual spot where he had died or whether his assailant had dragged his body there.

Everything had pointed to suicide. The position of the gun … the fact that it was one of the guns from the house … But even in the face of all that evidence, I still refused to believe that he had killed himself.

I knew that my theories would not stand up to the light of reason. Even Grand’mere believed there had been some dark secret in his life which he could not bear to have exposed; and she dismissed the death of Lorenzo as coincidental.

“You have to look straight at life,” she said, “to see it as it is, not as you would have it. That is the only way to pick oneself up and go on.”

So I kept my thoughts to myself. One day I would find some means of discovering. How? When? asked my common sense. But I refused to listen to reason. One day I would know the answer.

I did not know why I thought I might find it in that spot where his body had been discovered. He was now lying in the mausoleum with his ancestors. If he could come back and tell me, it would be more likely that I could get into communication with him in this spot.

It was like visiting a grave. I thought: If these trees could speak they could tell me the truth. I used to look up into their leafy heights. “How did it happen?” I whispered. “You must have seen.”

It was there that Charles came upon me.

“Hello, Lenore,” he said. “You come here often, don’t you?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“Why? Is it a sort of pilgrimage?”

I shook my head and turned away, uneasy as I always was in his presence.

He caught my arm. “Don’t go,” he said. “I want to talk to you.”

“Yes?”

“You must be feeling very lonely.”

“I have my daughter … my grandmother.”

“But missing Philip?”

“Of course.”

“I always envied him.”

“Envied him? Why?”

“I envied him you.”

”I think I should go in.”

“Not yet. Lenore, why are you so stubborn?” He pulled me towards him and held me firmly.

“I want to go back to the house,” I said.

“Not yet.” He smiled and kissed me. “Still a bit of a spitfire, eh?”

I struggled free. “Charles, I will not tolerate …”

“You must be lonely. I could change that.”

“I told you long ago. You know what happened then.”

His brow darkened. He was remembering Drake Aldringham, the magnificent friend whom he had been so proud to bring home and the manner in which Drake had left the house.

“You give yourself airs,” he said. “Who are you, anyway?”

“I am Lenore Sallonger, your brother’s widow.”

“You managed to catch him. He was easy prey, wasn’t he?”

“How dare you say such things!”

“Oh?” he said looking about him. “Do you think I’m afraid of ghosts? This is where they found him. Why did he do it, Lenore? What did he find out about you? Why? You must know if anyone does.”

I turned to go but he caught me again. “I have always had a fancy for you,” he said. “There’s something deep in you. I want to find it. I want to know what caught Philip and what made him take his life. I know it was because of you,”

“It was not. It was not,” I cried.

There was a struggle. He was pulling at my blouse. Suddenly my rage gave way to terror. He had a distorted mind. I knew what was in it. He wanted to make love to me here … where Philip’s body had been found. There was something macabre about it; something which appealed to his warped notions. I fought wildly. He was stronger than I. I prayed to myself: Oh God, save me. Help me escape from this evil man.

“You’re not getting away now,” he said. “Why should you? You come to our house … you live in luxury… . You have to earn it, Madam Lenore. Don’t be a little fool. You and I were made for each other. We are two of a kind.”

My strength was failing. He had thrown me to the ground and was ready to leap upon me.

“Lenore!” The voice broke in on my terror like a sign from heaven.

It was Cassie. She had come to look for me. Oh God bless Cassie, I thought.

Charles stood back abashed, furious. I scrambled to my feet trying to adjust my torn clothes.

Cassie came into view.

“I guessed you’d be here. Why, Lenore … Charles …”

“Cassie,” I said, “thank God you came. I’m going back to the house now. Come with me.”

Together we walked back through the forest, Charles standing there, staring after us.

Cassie was horrified.

“He … he was attacking you?”

“Cassie, I shall never cease to be grateful to you for coming when you did.”

“I’m …so glad. It was horrible. Charles …”

”I think Charles has always hated me in a strange way. I can’t talk about it.”

We reached the house.

“I have to see Grand’mere right away,” I said. “You come with me.”

Grand’mere was in the workroom. When she saw me she gave a little cry of horror. I fell into her arms. I was near hysteria. I stammered: “It was Charles. Cassie came in time or I think he would have … He was vicious. It was at that spot … where Philip was found. I think he found some satanic satisfaction because it was there.”

“He did this to you? He tore your clothes?”

I nodded.

“You must tell me all about it.”

“Cassie saved me,” I said.

“I went to look for Lenore,” said Cassie. “I know she goes there often. So I went and I saw …”

Grand’mere poured one of her concoctions into three glasses.

She said: “We have all had a great shock and what we have to do is think of what our next action will be.”

Cassie looked from one to the other of us.

”I cannot stay in this house,” I said. ”It is his house. I would never feel safe again.”

Grand’mere was nodding. “I have been thinking of this for some time,” she said. “I have always known that we could not stay. Katie is now a year old and we are ready. We must be ready now.”

I looked at her expectantly and I wanted to weep. She had always been there to solve my problems for me. Silently I thanked God for her as I had a short time before thanked Him for Cassie.

“You have your settlement,” went on Grand’mere, “the money Philip settled on you. It is a tidy sum and I have saved a little. Perhaps it is enough.”

“What is your plan, Grand’mere?”

”That we start our own establishment. We will have our dress salon. We will go to London and find the premises. We can work together. It is what I have always wanted … Independence. None could say I have not the experience.”

“Oh, Grand’mere,” I cried. “Could we?”

“We will, man amour. We will.”

Cassie was watching us intently. She said suddenly: “I want to come with you.”

“My dear child,” said Grand’mere, “it will be a venture. There are hazards.”

“I believe in it,” cried Cassie. “I have my little income. I can sew very well. You said so, Madame Cleremont. You won’t have to pay me. I just want to be part of it.”

“We shall have to see,” said Grand’mere.

Cassie stood up and ran to the dummies. She embraced Emmeline. “I am sure they know,” she said. “And they are very happy about it.”

We found that we could laugh. And I thought: It is what I want. I cannot stay here any longer than need be. I must get right away … soon.

Life which had gone on in the same pattern since the birth of Katie was filled with events.

In the first place we had to see the lawyers about the settlement and to our satisfaction learned that it would be quite in order for me to invest it in a business. That was the first step. Charles conveniently and characteristically left the very day of our encounter in the forest. I think he might have been ashamed. I was glad of it. I did not know how I could have confronted him; and the thought that I was living in his house was irksome.

First we had to find premises. We had decided that we would say nothing to Lady Sallonger until this was done, for we should certainly have opposition from that quarter.

Grand’mere and I went up to London leaving Cassie in charge of Katie. She was quite capable and was given instructions to get into touch with me at Cherry’s Hotel, where we were staying for two nights, if I should be needed.

We found the shop, just off Bond Street. It was smaller than we had visualized, but there was a sizeable room which would be suitable as a workroom, and a showroom. Moreover there was small but adequate living accommodation. The rent to us seemed exhorbitant, but after looking around we realized that we should have to pay highly for accommodation if we wanted it in fashionable London, which according to Grand’mere—and I agreed with her—was of vital importance.

So we had our premises. We bought some materials but Grand’mere had numerous remnants, left over from the bales which had always been regarded as her perquisites. She had been hoarding them for years with such a venture in mind. So we had some stock to start with.

We returned to The Silk House where Cassie was eagerly waiting to hear the result of our visit. Katie had behaved impeccably and there were no problems there. So we seemed set fair.

The next afternoon I decided to tell Lady Sallonger. Cassie was with me.

I said: “Lady Sallonger, I have some news. Grand’mere and I are going to set up in a shop.”

“What?” she screamed.

I explained.

“How ridiculous!” she snapped. “Ladies don’t set up in shops.”

“But I always fancied you doubted my claim to that title,” I said.

”You had better put such a notion out of your mind at once.”

“We already have our premises.”

She was really disturbed. It was somewhat gratifying to realize how very much she hated losing me. But, of course, there was nothing personal about that. It was only because of my usefulness.

Her first thought when she realized that we were in earnest was: “But what am I going to do?”

Grand’mere had had to give notice to the Sallongers since she would no longer be working for them. This caused a great deal of consternation. She received a letter from one of the directors asking her if she had really considered what this meant. They had taken her for granted for so long. The very fact that her home was at The Silk House had made them absolutely sure of her services. She had clearly been of great use to them; and they tried to persuade her to think again.

But we were determined. Charles had made it impossible for us to stay; and we both knew that this was what we wanted. There was so much to remind me of Philip in The Silk House and the best thing possible was for rne to make a clean break.

Exciting times followed. There was settling into the new quarters with the rather small living rooms and the big workroom and salon. Cassie had wept and pleaded with her mother, but Lady Sallonger was adamant. Cassie must stay. If Grand’mere and I were going to be so ungrateful as to walk out after all she had done for us, at least her own daughter should not be permitted to do so.

So we had to say goodbye to a woebegone Cassie and to promise her mat whenever she wanted to come to us she would be welcome.

Grand’mere was like a young woman. “This was always a dream of mine,” she said. “I never thought I should be able to realize it.”

Looking back I see how naive we were. Grand’mere had made dresses in the past which had sold in Court circles; but they had had the Sallonger label attached to them. It was different without that name. She had wanted to call the shop Lenore’s. “It is yours,” she said. “It is for your future.” But Lenore’s was not Sallonger’s.

We had the dresses but business was slow in coming.

We had one servant—a thin little Cockney girl called Maisie. She was eager and helpful and very fond of Katie; she was willing to work hard, but we needed more help.

I think that within six months we had begun to realize that we had taken on something which we were too inexperienced to handle. Grand’mere tried to be bright and optimistic but I could see she was worried.

One day she said to me: “Lenore, I think we ought to look into our finances.”

I knew what she meant and I agreed.

We faced each other seriously. We had spent a great deal of the capital; and we were paying out more than we were taking in. “Perhaps,” I said, “we are pricing our dresses too low.”

“If we priced higher, should we sell?” asked Grand’mere. “We have to face it. Here we are in a fashionable part of London but we are not getting the high class clientele who used to buy the dresses I made. Perhaps we should try something simpler. …”

I could see that we had rushed into this without enough thought. Grand’mere could make the dresses but we needed an assistant. I had to look after Katie with Maisie’s help. We had taken on more than we were able to manage. There were so many aspects which we had not considered and most devastating of all was the contemplation of our fast-dwindling capital.

“We can’t go on until everything has been frittered away,” said Grand’mere.

“What do you think we should do?”

“We will not go back to The Silk House.”

“Never,” I said vehemently.

“Perhaps I could ask Sallongers if I could work here for them as I used to at The Silk House.”

”In these expensive premises.”

“Perhaps we could find a little house somewhere … perhaps with a small workroom.”

It was depressing and grew more so until one day we had a visitor … I went forward hoping for a customer and to my amazement saw the Countess of Ballader.

She embraced me warmly.

“It is good to see you,” I said.

She waved her hands. “All this …” she said. “I saw the name Lenore’s … and I’d heard through Julia that you’d gone off to work on your own. So this is it, eh?”

“Do come in. Grand’mere will be pleased to see you.”

They greeted each other effusively and I asked what the Countess was doing now.

“I have a beauty this time,” she explained. “Daughter of a multi-millionaire. She has everything … face, figure … money … but alas no blue blood. It’s my job to see that she gets it. I have an earl in mind but actually I’m looking for a duke.”

She talked for a while and told us how weary she was of the social round and this profession of hers.

Then she looked at us sharply. “Not going well, is it?” she said.

Grand’mere and I exchanged glances. “No,” I told her. “It is not.”

“I’m not surprised,” she said.

“But the clothes … they are just the same … just as good …”

“It’s not the quality, my dear, that sells them. It’s the aura. That’s what you lack. You’ll never make good this way, you know.”

I think we must have looked as frightened as we felt for she went on: “Oh, cheer up. It’s not the end of the world. All you have to do is go about it in the right way.”

“We feel just hopeless at selling.”

She looked round the place with something akin to distaste.

Then she said: “Listen. If you’re going to get on in the business world, you have to know people. They can’t make up their minds themselves. They have to be told. This is good. This is special. Tell them enough and in the right way and they’ll believe it. Your dresses were a success at Sallonger’s, weren’t they? Every girl going to Court had to have her Sallon Silk dress.”

“We have Sallon Silk here but nobody wants it. Grand’mere has made some beautiful dresses. They are still hanging here.”

The Countess looked at us benignly. “I think,” she said slowly, “that I can help you out of your troubles. Let me see what you have here.”

We took her round and she examined our stock with care. “I see,” she said. “Tomorrow I am bringing Debbie to see you.”

“Debbie?”

“My protegee. She is a charming creature. You will love her. She is one of my best ever. A little aristocratic blood and she would have been perfect. But you can’t have everything.”

“Do you think she would buy one of our dresses?”

She smiled at us. “I think that is very likely. Leave this to me. I think things are going to change. You have one or two here which would fit her. We will see what can be done.”

The next day, true to her promise, the Countess arrived with her protegee.

She was right. Debbie was beautiful. She had large greenish eyes with heavy dark lashes and dark brown curly hair; but it was her expression which was most appealing; there was a delightful innocence about her.

They arrived in a carriage with a resplendent coachman and a little page at the back to leap down and open doors.

The Countess could be very regal on occasions and this was one of them.

“This is Miss Deborah Mellor,” she said; “Deborah, Madame Lenore and Madame Cleremont.”

Deborah bowed her head charmingly.

“I have persuaded Madame Lenore to make your ball gown if she can fit it in.”

“That is very kind of you,” said Deborah.

”But first we are going to look round and see if there is some little thing we fancy.”

“I should love that.”

“As you know, Madame Lenore, Madame Cleremont, and I are old friends. That is why they have agreed to give you special attention.”

I wanted to laugh but the Countess was very serious.

”I wonder if you would be kind enough to show us one or two of your models,” went on the Countess.

“With pleasure,” I said. “Do come along, Miss Mellor.”

“Oh, look at this!” cried the Countess. “I have not seen ruching done in this way before, have you, Deborah?”

“No, Countess, never.”

“It would be most effective. We must try that one on. And the rose pink one, too.”

What a morning that was! I shall never forget it. It was the beginning of a change in our fortunes; and we owed it all to the Countess. Deborah Mellor bought the two dresses and we had a commission to make her dress for a very special Court ball.

Of course, this was child’s play for Grand’mere who had done similar things before and she was in her element.

Later that day the Countess called on us. She had brought with her a bottle of champagne.

“Fetch glasses,” she commanded. “We’re celebrating. This is the start. Oh, you innocents! I am going to turn you into wily business women. Debbie is delighted. She is so grateful to me for bringing her to you. She says your clothes are ravishing. I explained the smallness of your premises as being due to your insistence on exclusiveness. You only make for the very best … the top people. You would not look at anyone else. She will see that the word is spread. Now, my dears, you will have to be ready. You need assistance. You must find an expert seamstress—two I think—There are thousands of them in London looking for work. Debbie will talk about you. So shall I. And I shall bring people to you as a special favour to them.”

“I can’t believe it is as easy as that,” said Grand’mere.

“Everything is easy when you know the way. Look round you. Things are good mainly because people believe them to be good. Mind you, you have to have something to build on. You can’t do it on rubbish. But if you have two articles of equal value side by side, and ask for an opinion you will find the one which has the right aura—though in all other ways it is exactly the same as the other—will be acclaimed, and that without, ignored. It is the world all over. People have to be told that something is good … and if it is good, they will agree. But don’t tell them and they will think nothing of it. Lenore’s models are good … so we are off to an excellent start. We are going to make Lenore’s the most sought-after dressmaker in London.”

We could not help laughing and our spirits rose when we considered the sales she had brought us, though we did not, at this stage, entirely believe her.

But how right she was proved to be.

The ball gown was a startling success; the duke proposed. “It was a lucky dress,” said Deborah.

“She looked ravishing,” said the Countess afterwards. “Everyone wanted to know who her dressmaker was. I said, T am not telling … we don’t want to share her.’ But, of course, I let it slip. People are asking me for introductions.”

“It seems incongruous,” I said. “There we were begging for business and now they are begging us.”

“It’s the way of the world,” said the Countess.

And from that time we began to prosper. We were able to engage new seamstresses. We took the premises next door which gave us better living accommodation. The label Lenore on a garment meant high fashion.

We made Deborah’s wedding dress. She looked very beautiful and fervently we wished her happiness with her duke. She had been our saviour. No. That was the Countess; and during that year she continued to bring clients to us.

One day she called and said: “I had a nice present from Mellor pere for getting his daughter satisfactorily settled and I have never been very attracted by my way of earning a living. I rather fancy myself selling … in a place like this.”

“Do you want to come in with us?” I cried.

“Well, what do you think?”

“We can never be grateful enough to you, can we, Grand’mere?” I said; and Grand’mere agreed with me.

“I’d put the Mellor present into the business. Then I can be a partner. It will give you more time with Katie.”

So the Countess joined us.

Soon after that Lady Sallonger died. She passed quietly away in her sleep. I felt saddened, for in spite of her demands I had been quite fond of her. Grand’mere and I went to The Silk House for the funeral.

There was nothing now to keep Cassie from us, and she made haste to join us. She settled in with ease and both Grand’mere and I were happy to have her support as well as that of the Countess.

Within five years of our coming to London we were firmly established. Often I thought of Philip and those happy days we had had together. Katie was very like him—a constant reminder. But I was growing away from unhappiness. I had my daughter, Grand’mere and good friends; moreover I was discovering that I was quite a good business woman. I had a flair for design; I could choose material; I could see ahead and plan what should be done.

The Countess had shown us the way and Lenore’s was becoming one of the leading court dressmakers.

As we became more and more successful Julia was a frequent visitor to our showrooms. She had changed a great deal. Her tendency to put on weight had stayed with her and she was what is called ‘ ‘buxom.” Her colour had heightened and Grand’mere thought she had fallen into her husband’s habit of drinking heavily. She was very amused by our progress.

“I could not believe it,” she said. “Everyone was talking about Lenore’s … wonderful models … wonderful hats. …” (We had started hats at the Countess’s suggestion— not many, just a few to match the costumes.) “And all the time it was you!”

She spent a good deal of money with us, for her husband was wealthy. I often thought of the old days when she had been so dismayed at her inability to make a capture during her season.

The Countess thought she had done very well. As she said: “After all, John Grantley has the money and he does not stint her.”

I could believe that Julia was very pleased with life… .

Then her husband died and she became a wealthy widow. She evidently savoured her freedom with relish.

“Certainly she came very well out of the marriage market,” commented the Countess.

She gave what she called “soirees” at her elegant house near Piccadilly. Her guests were mostly politicians with a sprinkling of what she called “the bohemians,” artists, musicians, writers and such like. Occasionally I was invited. She would engage a violinist or a pianist—always a fashionable one—to perform for us; those were her musical evenings; then there were card evenings and some dinner parties. Julia was fast becoming a leading hostess and entertaining far more frequently than she had done during her husband’s lifetime.

Cassie was enjoying being in London. She worked very hard and Grand’mere said she was a great asset. For a brief period Julia tried to find a husband for her—a project which horrified Cassie, and as Julia quickly tired of her projects when they did not find immediate success, she soon stopped trying very hard.

I did not play cards and I did not care for a great many of Julia’s friends; many of them were gamblers and heavy drinkers; but I did enjoy the musical evenings. Julia realized this and those were the ones to which I was invited.

Katie was now seven years old. She was a beautiful child with a sunny nature—not exactly pretty but her charm was great. She loved the whole world and thought the whole world loved her. I was very proud of her. Every night I would read to her before she slept; and then I would sing a hymn to her, for she loved hymns; and I would lie beside her, her hand clasped in mine. And I think that then I was really happy again.

I thought: If we can go on like this I shall be content.

Julia had sent an invitation to one of her musical evenings. I was wondering whether to go or not but Grand’mere said: “You know you do enjoy them. I should go if I were you. Cassie would like to go with you.”

So Cassie and I went.

I shall always remember it—that elegant room with the palms in the corner, and the grand piano on the dais and Julia, the gracious hostess in a violet coloured velvet gown trimmed with ecru lace which Grand’mere had made for her.

Julia had commanded a middle-aged gentleman to look after Cassie, who would have preferred to be without his care. The pianist played Chopin and this was followed by polite applause. I sat through the playing and thoroughly enjoyed it and as the applause died down, I saw a man coming towards me. He was tall, extremely good-looking and vaguely familiar. He was smiling at me quizzically.

“We have met before,” he said.

Then I knew.

“Yes,” he went on.’ ‘Drake Aldringham and you are Lenore. I would have known you anywhere. Mind you, you have changed. I’m delighted to meet you again.”

He took my hand and held it firmly.

“I left in rather a hurry. Do you remember?” he went on. “There was no time to say goodbye.”

“I remember it well.”

He laughed. “It’s a long time ago.” Then he was serious. “I know about you … and Philip. Julia told me. I’m sorry.”

“And what of you?” I asked.

“I’ve been abroad. That is … until just about a year ago. My father has interests on the Gold Coast. Well, now I’m back … to settle. At a by-election I recently became Member of Parliament for Swaddingham.”

“How interesting.”

“I think so. I’m enjoying it. It is what I always wanted, but my people thought I ought to travel a bit first… see the world. Perhaps they were right. Well, here I am.”

“Do you live in Swaddingham?”

“I have a house near … fortunately it is conveniently in reach of my constituency. I also have a place in Town … not far from here. It behooves a member of Parliament to be stationed in two places—near those who have elected him and the House. I hear you have become a successful dress designer.”

“With my grandmother and Cassie … you remember Cas-sie? … and the Countess of Ballader.”

“So you are really an important business woman now.”

“Well… a business woman.”

“A rare species.”

“Oh, it is always difficult for women. They have to work twice as hard as men to be equal with them.”

“Very unfair, but I believe true. I have often thought of you.”

“Have you?”

“Yes. You were at the source of the trouble really. I behaved abominably marching off like that. I ought to have been bold and stayed.”

“How could you? You were Charles’s guest.”

”It was a foul thing he did. It makes my blood boil even now.”

“It was good of you to take up the cudgels on my behalf.”

“Not much good … after the deed was done.”

“Thank you, anyway.”

“I should like to come along and see your place. Is that permissible?”

“Certainly. Gentlemen do call—though usually in the company of ladies.”

“Perhaps I should get Julia to bring me along.”

“That would be an excellent idea.”

“Julia says you have a little girl.”

“She is seven years old now. She is enchanting.” I felt myself glowing as I always did when I talked of Katie.

“I should expect that of her,” he said, smiling at me.

Julia had come up.

“Oh Drake … so you found Lenore.”

“Yes, we have been reminiscing.”

”That’s ancient history.”

“Not all that ancient.”

“Why, Drake, we were all children then. Do come and talk to Roskoff. He plays divinely but he is hard going conversationally. I’ll see you later, Lenore.”

He smiled at me and went off with Julia.

I felt rather excited.

I did not have a chance to talk to him again. Cassie wanted to leave and as we never stayed long after the music was over, I went with her.

I said: “Did you see Drake Aldringham?”

“Drake Aldringham?” she repeated. “Wasn’t he … ?”

“Yes, the one who came home with Charles that time. There was trouble and he threw him in the lake.”

“I remember. It was because Charles shut you in the mausoleum. So he was here tonight?”

“Yes. He’s apparently a friend of Julia’s.”

“How strange! But I suppose it is not really. Julia knows so many people. She’s bound to meet everyone sooner or later.”

When we reached home I told Grand’mere of the encounter. She always liked to hear how the evening had gone.

“I was so surprised to see him,” I said.

“You recognized him then?”

“Oh yes. He is the sort of person one would. There was something about him. Do you remember how proud Charles was because he had deigned to spend the holiday at The Silk House? That was what made what happened so awful.”

“I wonder if you will see him again,” said Grand’mere, looking at me intently.

“He said he would call,” I told her. “With Julia.”

He did call—and with Julia. Grand’mere and Cassie came out to meet him and I introduced him to the Countess.

“Isn’t it odd to see Lenore here like this?” said Julia. “Who would have believed it all those years ago?”

“We have all changed since those days,” I reminded her. ”Would you like some coffee? We very often have it at this time of the morning.”

“Yes please—and I should like to see everything.”

”Oh Drake,” cried Julia. “You’re not interested in fashion.”

“I’m interested in Lenore,” he said.

“It is rather marvellous,” commented Julia, “to think they have done all this.”

“Very clever,” said Drake, smiling at me.

Grand’mere was welcoming.

“The Countess of Ballader brought me out,” said Julia.

“I’ve given up those activities now,” the Countess told him. “This is more to my taste.”

Cassie said she would go and make the coffee.

We sat in the reception room with the red carpets and white furniture—chosen by the Countess who said we must have an aura of luxury about the place.

I found Drake’s eyes on me. I guessed he was comparing me with the frightened little girl who had been locked in the mausoleum.

“And how is business?” asked Julia.

“Flourishing,” said the Countess.

“Well, your gowns are absolutely the latest thing,” replied Julia. “I was talking to Lady Bronson only yesterday and she said she had misguidedly bought a new dress … not a Lenore … and, my goodness, she realized her mistake.”

“Let us hope,” put in the Countess, “that she has the good sense not to repeat her folly.”

“I want a new morning gown,” said Julia. “I’ll look round while I’m here.”

We talked lightly. Drake told us about his place in the country. “It’s quite a small manor house. It’s been in the family for years. My aunt lived in it, but she died a little while back and it seems ideal for me because of its geographical situation.”

“Very fortunate that it should be so near your constituency,” I said.

“Couldn’t be better. My place in Town is very small. I get down to the country when I can.”

“It must be fascinating to be at the heart of affairs,” I said. “We just read about them in the papers whereas you are on the spot.”

“It is what has always fascinated me. I was amazed when I got in first time. That was a bit of luck. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

”That’s the secret of success in life,” added Grand’mere, ”to be in the right place at the right time.”

“It happens so rarely,” I added.

“And when it does we should be grateful. I seized the opportunity with both hands.”

“When would you like to select your gown?” the Countess asked Julia.

“Why not now?” asked Julia.

“Come. I will take you round.”

Julia left with the Countess, and I felt more at ease when she had gone. There was something about her attitude to Drake Aldringham which disturbed me. I fancied she was watchful of him and of me when we talked together.

“You are a Liberal,” I said when she had gone, “so at the moment out of power.”

“We shall remedy that at the next election.”

“And then Mr. Gladstone will return to office. Will it be for the third time?”

“For the fourth.”

“He is getting rather old, is he not?”

“He is the greatest politician of the century.”

“The view of the faithful follower! I believe there is one in a very high place who would not agree with you.”

“You refer to Her Majesty, the Queen.”

“I am right to do so, am I not?”

“She is a lady with firm fancies and prejudices. Unfortunately she had one of the latter against Mr. Gladstone.”

“Wouldn’t that affect his position as Prime Minister?”

“Of course. I cannot understand why she is so much against him.”

“I suppose we are all drawn to some people and feel an antipathy towards others.”

“Do you?”

“I like most people, but there are some whom I could never like.”

I was thinking of Charles. Even before the mausoleum incident I had felt uneasy about him.

“Mr. Gladstone is not exactly a courtier in the sense that Lord Melbourne was. The Queen, as a girl, was absolutely devoted to him.”

“And later to Disraeli,” I added.

“I could never understand that. But he had a way with words.”

“Hasn’t Mr. Gladstone?”

“As an orator… not as a flatterer. Gladstone is a great man … and one who will put his political future in jeopardy for the sake of what he believes to be right. Such men are rare.”

His eyes shone with enthusiasm. I liked his zest. I was finding it a very interesting morning.

Grand’mere said we must excuse her as she had something important to do. She said to Cassie: “I shall need you.” And that left me alone with Drake.

We talked naturally and easily. I told him about the shop and how I had no wish to remain at The Silk House—a widow with a child to care for. I had longed for independence and the time had come when it seemed advisable to move. “So I sank my capital in the enterprise.”

He listened intently. He asked no questions about Philip’s death, for which I was grateful. I told him how difficult our start had been and how alarmed we had become at one stage until the Countess came to our rescue.

He said: “This business means a great deal to you, doesn’t it?”

“It’s our livelihood.”

“But it is more than that, I fancy. It represents freedom and something you have always wanted to prove.”

“What is that?”

“That a woman can do as well as a man.”

“I hadn’t thought of it, but I suppose you are right.”

“I know. You hate injustice. You seek the truth. You want hard logic to prevail.”

“I suppose that is so.”

“I share your view. That is why I am in Parliament. I want justice … for everyone. I won’t subscribe to a point of view because it is the accepted one. I will stand out for what I believe to be right. That is what Mr. Gladstone is doing. He has become very unpopular over his Home Rule for Ireland bill. That was what let Salisbury in with the Conservatives at the last election.”

“I find it all fascinating,” I said.

“We must meet sometimes, so that we can talk. I’m in London frequently. What do you say?”

”I should like that.”

“Then we will.”

Julia came back and joined us.

“It really is divine,” she said. “Pale lilac with ribbons of a deeper shade … not quite heliotrope … lavender, would you say?”

“It suits you to perfection,” said the Countess. “I’ll have it sent.”

“You look very earnest,” said Julia, glancing from Drake to me. She seemed surprised to find us alone and I felt I had to explain.

“My grandmother had some urgent work and Cassie had to help her.”

“We have been having an interesting discussion,” Drake told her. “About politics,” he added.

Julia grimaced. “You’ve no need to tell me that. I would have guessed. It’s your pet topic, Drake. You hardly ever talk of anything else.”

“I suppose you’re right.” He looked at me. “I hope I didn’t bore you.”

“Far from it.”

“Lenore is always polite,” said Julia.

“I’m not being polite, only truthful,” I protested.

“Drake is devoted to his leader, aren’t you, Drake?” said Julia.

“For very good reasons,” added Drake.

“It’s a pity some people don’t share your devotion,” said Julia laughingly.

“Many do,” Drake retorted.

“I think a lot of people wonder about those nightly adventures of his,” said Julia slyly.

Drake turned to me. “Julia is referring to Mr. Gladstone’s crusade for the rescue of fallen women.”

“Yes,” said Julia. “He used to prowl about at night looking for ladies of easy virtue.”

“In order to save them,” said Drake quickly. “He is a very good man. Of course he is getting old now, but for forty years he used to go once a week through Piccadilly to Soho and the Thames Embankment which was where such women could be found. He would offer to take them home with him and give them supper and a bed and in the morning he and Mrs. Gladstone would talk to them about their way of life and try to persuade them—and help them—to renounce it.”

“It was a very dangerous sort of philanthropy,” said Julia. “There were bound to be those who suspected his motives.”

“Which makes it all the more noble of him.” Drake turned to me. “Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, I do. People are too ready to suspect others and put the worst construction on events.”

I was thinking of those looks which had come my way after Philip’s mysterious death. Why had he killed himself? people wondered. When a man who was recently married did such a thing surely his wife must somehow be concerned.

“Lenore is determined to support you,” said Julia.

“I say what I feel.”

“Well, Drake, I feel we must be going. These are business hours, are they not?”

He stood up and held out his hand to me.

“It has been an interesting morning.” He held my hand firmly. ‘ ‘Au revoir.”

“Where are the others?” demanded Julia. “We must say goodbye to them.”

I called them and they came. We went out to the door with them where Julia’s carriage was waiting.

As we watched them drive away it occurred to me that Julia had displayed an almost proprietorial manner towards him. And they seemed to know each other very well.

I remembered how she had felt about him all those years ago, and how angry she had been with me for being the cause of his departure.

I thought: I believe she is in love with him. She seems softer, different. She was a little in love with him long ago.

“What a charming man!” said the Countess.

“He was very attractive as a boy,” added Cassie.

“I like him,” said Grand’mere. “There is something good about him.” She smiled at me fondly. ”I hope he comes again.”

We had a meeting every Friday evening to discuss the week’s business and talk over any new idea one of us might have. The Countess used to pay periodic visits to Paris. “Paris is the centre of fashion,” she used to say. “We must go there and see what they are up to.”

On one or two occasions Grand’mere had gone with her. The Countess was adept at choosing styles which she wished to incorporate with changes—improvements, she called them; Grand’mere was concerned with the practical side; and she would say if what was suggested was possible.

I was unable to go because I did not want to leave Katie. After these trips Grand’mere always seemed to have been rejuvenated. I suppose a visit to her native land did that for her; moreover, she was passionately interested in fashion.

On this occasion the Countess astounded us with an announcement. “We should open a place in Paris,” she said.

We stared at her. Open in Paris! We were doing very well in London, expanding every year, growing generally, becoming well known in Court circles.

“Well,” went on the Countess, “most of the best houses have something over there. I’d be there most of the time till we’d built it up. I know how to manage that. We’d have the French touch for our clothes over here. ‘This, Madam, has just been brought over from our Paris establishment’ … and so on.”

“And the cost of setting up a place over there?”

“It’s not going to be cheap.”

“And where would we get the money?” asked Grand’mere.

“We’d borrow.”

I flinched and Grand’mere turned pale. “Never!” we said simultaneously.

“Why not?”

“Who’d lend the money?”

“Any bank. We have the security of this place … a prosperous concern.”

“And the interest on the loan?”

”We’d have to work hard to pay it.”

“I was always against borrowing,” said Grand’mere; and I nodded in agreement.

“Do you want to stay as we are forever?”

“It is a very pleasant niche we have found for ourselves,” I reminded her.

“But expansion is the very breath of successful business.”

“I believe there have been occasions when it has been their ruin.”

“Life is a matter of taking risks.”

“I want none of that,” said Grand’mere.

I backed her up in this. The thought of borrowing terrified me.

“How long would it take before a Paris place was profitable?” I asked.

“Three years … four …”

“And all that time we should have the interest on the loan to pay off.”

“We’d manage,” said the Countess.

“What if we didn’t?”

“You are prophesying defeat before we begin.”

“We have to look facts in the face. I could see us ruined and I have a child to think of.”

“When the time comes I want to launch her into society.”

“In the meantime I have to feed and clothe her, educate her too—and that is of the utmost importance to me.”

“You are really rather unadventurous,” said the Countess.

“I call it cautious,” I replied.

“So you are both against me?”

We nodded.

“Well, we shall have to shelve the matter.”

“We’ll do that,” I said.

“Meanwhile,” went on the Countess, “when I am in Paris I will scout round and see what’s to be had.”

“Whatever it is we can’t afford it.”

“You never know,” insisted the Countess.

We went on to discuss other matters.

Grand’mere and I talked about her scheme together when we were alone.

“She’s right, of course,” said Grand’mere. “The important houses do have branches in Paris. It is the centre of fashion and therefore carries a certain prestige. It would be wonderful if we could sell our clothes over there. That would be triumph indeed … and so good for business here. We could do so much better. …”

I said: “Grand’mere, are you getting caught up in this idea?”

“I realize its merits, but I am against borrowing as I always have been. I’d rather remain as we are than have to worry about loans. Remember how it was when we started and how we thought we were not coming through? “

“I shall never forget.”

“We are cosy. We are comfortable. Let’s leave it at that.”

But we both continued to think of the matter and every now and then it would crop up. It was clearly on our minds. The Countess was silent, brooding. I began to think that in time we might come round to her way of thinking.

A week or so later the Countess and Grand’mere went on one of their periodic trips to Paris.