As the carriage turned into the long, tree-lined avenue which led up to Courtland Priory, Alexis Malvern opened her reticule and took out Claudia’s note again. She reread the most worrying line: I have a problem that totally overwhelms me. I need your help. Please come to Courtland earlier than planned. I beg you. Love, Claudia.
All the way here she had worried and wondered what had befallen her dearest friend, the woman who had introduced her to Sebastian in the first place. She had asked Yates, driver of Claudia’s carriage, if everything was all right at the house. He had said it was.
“We’re almost there, Miss Alexis,” Tilda said, interrupting her thoughts.
Alexis looked across the carriage at her maid. “Thank you, Tilda, for managing to get the rest of the packing done so quickly.”
“Since we were coming here for a week anyway, I had done most of it, Miss Alexis,” Tilda responded. “I like this place.”
“I know you do. It’s much more interesting than Kent. I realize how dull it is there for you.”
Tilda simply nodded, not wanting to upset her employer. But Miss Malvern was correct. There was much more going on at this great stately home which belonged to the Trevalian family. It was a huge house on a great estate, one of the grandest houses in England.
Servants galore and guests most weekends. Claudia—or, more correctly, Mrs. Cornelius Glendenning—owned it now. She had inherited it from her father in his will. She had been trained to become the chatelaine years ago, after her mother had died, one of the cooks had told Tilda.
The maid thought of it as a fun spot to be, with plenty of footmen and male servants to flirt with. She usually enjoyed her visits with Miss Malvern.
The tree-lined avenue led into the cobbled courtyard of this truly beautiful house, Palladian in style. It was on a slight rise above green lawns which rolled down to a large artificial pond. Reflected in this pond was an image of the house. Not far from the house were the ruins of a priory. Monks had lived there centuries before. It was from this priory that Courtland, which had been built in the 1700s by early Trevalians, took its name. Nearby the priory was the village of Courtland, built for those who worked at the house. It was a charming little village, with a schoolhouse, a church, and even a post office for the area. The villagers kept it pristine and pretty with flower-filled gardens.
Even before the carriage came to a standstill, Claudia was out on the front steps, waiting anxiously for Alexis. She ran forward to greet her friend, as Alexis alighted with the help of Yates. Tilda stepped out after her and followed the two women, who had linked arms affectionately, into the entrance hall.
Turning to Tilda, Claudia said, “Miss Malvern has her usual room, Tilda, and you have yours on the floor above. No changes.”
Tilda smiled, thanked her, did a small bob, and looked at Alexis. “Shall I go upstairs now, Miss Alexis, and wait for the luggage?”
Alexis nodded. “And I’m sure Cook will have a little something for you in the kitchen, if you are feeling hungry.”
“Yes, of course she does,” Claudia said. She then glanced at Alexis. “I’m certain you need to freshen up. I’ll wait for you in the conservatory.”
“I won’t be long,” Alexis reassured her, and hurried toward the wide staircase which led to the bedroom floors.
Claudia made her way to the conservatory which opened onto the gardens. It was a lovely sunny June day, and brilliant light flowed into the windowed room, where a collection of flowering plants brought a sense of the outside indoors.
It was a comfortable room, with cream-colored sofas and chairs and a flagged floor of terra-cotta tiles. On a table was a collection of the latest magazines and novels, and set against the one interior wall was a small mahogany desk which her father had put there years ago. He had liked to do paperwork in the conservatory in the summer, and so did she. Like father, like daughter, she thought.
Walking over to the sofa, Claudia sat down, smoothed the silk skirt of her long lime-green dress, thinking once again how relieved she was that crinolines were not so popular these days. They were rarely worn now except for a dance or a ball. Madame Valance, who was still her favorite couturiere, had led the way, pronouncing the crinoline outdated.
“Here I am,” Alexis exclaimed, hurrying into the room. She had shed her hat and her traveling coat and was wearing a light day dress, made from a muted mauve color that was often chosen for half-mourning, but which did little for her complexion.
Claudia stood up and went toward her best friend, pushing aside a thought about Alexis’s appearance. Her friend had put on weight, and was showing none of her usual elegance. The two women embraced for a few seconds, and then they stepped apart. They stared at each other intently.
It was Alexis who spoke first. “I’ve been so worried since Yates arrived yesterday afternoon. There was no way we could leave immediately. I’m sorry, but Tilda was still packing for the week I’ll be here.”
“I knew that you wouldn’t be able to join me until today. Anyway, Yates did need to stay the night. Two trips would have been too much for him in one day.”
“Tell me what’s happened, Claudia darling. Why are you so troubled … there’s nothing wrong between Connie and you, is there?”
“No, not at all. In fact, this is not about me, but someone else. Let’s go outside for a few minutes, and then we’ll have afternoon tea. You must be hungry after the long trip.”
“No, I’m fine at the moment,” Alexis assured her.
Claudia opened the French doors and they went outside, following the gravel path that led toward the main lawn. Taking hold of Claudia’s hand, Alexis asked, “Why did you want to come outside?”
“Privacy. There’s no one here … we can’t be overheard.”
Frowning, Alexis stared at her. “Whatever is it? You sound so very troubled.”
“I am.” Biting her lip, frowning, looking as if she was on the verge of tears, Claudia leaned into her friend. In a voice that was low, shaky, she said, “I am certain that … that … Marietta is … expecting a child.”
“Oh no! Oh my God! How can that be?” Alexis was dumbstruck, stood there shaking her head. “When has she been around any men? Why do you think she’s carrying a baby?”
“Lavinia told me last night that she has heard Marietta vomiting. Morning sickness, Lavinia suggested. And I have noticed a change in her body. My sister has put on a bit of weight, but it’s mostly her breasts. They look enlarged to me, and also to Lavinia.”
“Has Lavinia confronted her? Have you?”
“No, she hasn’t, and I haven’t either. I wanted to speak with you first. You’re so clever, in so many ways. I just need guidance on how to go about it. How can I make her tell me the truth? Or give me the name of the man?”
“I don’t know,” Alexis muttered, alarm reflected in her eyes, her worry escalating. “I don’t think she’ll admit to anything, not yet, at least. Not until she is forced to tell you because she’s really showing. Oh God, whatever are we going to do? Perhaps she has to be taken abroad, hidden away for the next nine months or so. I could help with that for you, Claudia. Oh, does Connie know?” As she asked this, Alexis felt her chest tighten.
“No, he doesn’t, because he’s not here yet, and Lavinia only told me two nights ago. Thank you for offering to take Marietta out of the country, but what do we do about the baby?” Claudia’s face clouded over with concern.
“I suppose we would have to get the child adopted.” Taking hold of Claudia’s arm, Alexis walked her back to the house. “Let’s go and have a cup of tea and think about this a bit more … this is a horrendous dilemma.” She added, “I have a headache. A cup of tea will help.”
Once they were back in the conservatory, Claudia pulled the bell rope for Kingsley, the butler, who appeared within a few seconds. “Miss Malvern and I would like to have afternoon tea a bit earlier than usual today, Kingsley. If you could bring it to us now, please,” Claudia said.
He inclined his head. “Immediately, Miss Claudia,” he answered, and disappeared.
Claudia sighed. “He’s known me since I was fifteen, and he can’t get out of the habit of referring to me as he did then. It’s always Miss Claudia, instead of Mrs. Glendenning.” She half smiled. “But Connie doesn’t mind.”
“Will you tell Connie?” Alexis asked, and sat down in an armchair.
“I’m not sure. In the meantime, I’d love to know who the man is, Alexis. I really would. We need to discover if he will marry her.”
“Who has she seen lately? Surely it must be someone she knows, not a stranger. Who’s been here? Wait a minute, what about Connie’s birthday party in February? Some of his friends were here, as well as his family and yours. And—” Alexis broke off, a strange expression crossing her face, a look of sudden comprehension in her eyes. “The twerp was at the party. I had a long conversation with him.”
“Of course he was present, he’s always here. They’re like brother and sister; they grew up together. They wouldn’t be interested in a … sexual relationship. I’m really quite certain about that.” Claudia’s voice was strong, very firm, her expression positive.
Alexis shook her head vehemently. “Don’t say that! Things can suddenly happen. Unexpectedly. A look exchanged, a revelation, a different attitude settling in…” Alexis nodded as if reassuring herself of something. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she gazed at her friend, and reminded her, “Don’t forget why we’ve called him ‘the twerp’ between ourselves.”
A frown furrowed Claudia’s smooth brow and instantly her dark brown eyes widened. “Because he is so eager to please, so kind and nice. Too good to be true, Lavinia and I thought. So we gave him a funny nickname, called him something he wasn’t.”
“That’s correct,” Alexis answered. “But Anthony Gordon is who he is, very natural, and a very nice young man. And in the three years I’ve known him, he hasn’t changed one iota. And that’s why I’m changing my mind. You’re right. He would never do anything to risk hurting Marietta. She is like his sister, and anyway, he’s a gentleman.”
“Gentleman or not, whoever the man is didn’t think to protect Marietta. He has taken her virtue and done nothing to prevent this scandal. He didn’t use any sort of protection,” Claudia murmured.
“Obviously. Let’s strike him out. The twerp, I mean,” Alexis said.
“Done. Now, how are we going to get her to tell us who she lost her virginity to? Please tell me that, Alexis.”
“I will think it through, think of the right way to do it, what to say and how to approach her. And I will speak to her, Claudia. Don’t forget, I spent six months being treated by Dr. Sigmund Freud.” Alexis smiled. “I learned quite a lot from him, how to talk through difficult issues. Just trust me.”
“Oh I do, I do,” Claudia replied, unexpected tears misting her eyes. “That’s why I sent Yates to bring you sooner. Thank you, thank you so much, Alexis. This will ruin her if it comes out.”