CHAPTER 20
LONDON
JULY 1939
The perfect weather for Sophia and David’s weekend wedding in Surrey appeared to have been ordered along with the crisp linen invitations and champagne. Sophia had left for the country the week before, and Graham was in France until late Friday; he would barely make it in time for supper. Even Precious had been delayed in London by a late showing and wouldn’t be arriving until the following morning, leaving Eva to take the train to Surrey alone. Thankfully, a car was waiting for her to take her to Hovenden Hall when she arrived.
Sophia greeted her on the front steps, and Eva did her best to express nonchalance at the opulent surroundings of the manor house. She’d seen the bored expression on Sophia’s friends’ faces and had no problem imitating it and playing the part of a woman to the manner born. But to herself, she was gape-mouthed and wide-eyed, struggling to imagine growing up in such a place and calling it home.
“You’re positively glowing,” Eva told her friend. “Shall I call the vicar and tell him no candles or electric lights will be needed in tomorrow’s ceremony?”
Sophia laughed. “You are too kind, Eva. I’ve given you and Precious the best guest room, and your frocks have been pressed and hung inside the wardrobe. Mother said you wouldn’t need a maid, since there are two of you and each can help the other, but I will lend you my Lucy if you do.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Eva said, her nerves jumping at the mere mention of Mrs. St. John. She wished desperately that Precious was with her.
A footman carried Eva’s valise upstairs—the respectable leather monogrammed valise that Madame Lushtak gave to all of her models after three months’ service—while Sophia tucked her hand into Eva’s elbow, leading her toward the grand staircase. “Mother is receiving guests in the drawing room. Why don’t I bring you to your room, where you can freshen up, and then I’ll introduce you?”
“Of course,” Eva said, nodding as if she were looking forward to meeting Graham’s mother. They began to ascend the stairs. “Does she remember me from Lushtak’s?”
“She didn’t recognize the name, but she might recognize your face. It’s not forgettable, is it? Although I daresay Mother might not have noticed. She was more focused on the clothes.”
“So who does she think I am?”
They paused on the landing, and Sophia turned to face her friend. “I didn’t want anything to upset her, not with Father still being so very ill and all her responsibilities for her only daughter’s wedding.” She paused. “I hope you don’t mind too terribly, but she believes you and Precious are school friends of David’s sister, Violet—my third bridesmaid. Happily, Violet is always up for a laugh and thinks the subterfuge is all in good fun. She’s already told Mother that we’ve all been friends for ages.”
Rather than feel insulted, Eva felt a tinge of relief. “I understand. I do.”
Sophia squeezed her hand, then resumed climbing the stairs. “I hoped you would. Mother is terribly old-fashioned about things. I’m sure once she gets to know you, she will love and accept you as much as Graham and I do. It will just take some time.”
Eva felt reassured by Sophia’s words but didn’t miss her friend’s grim smile as she turned away.
A half hour later, she and Sophia stood outside the drawing room door. Sophia squeezed Eva’s hand. “It can’t be any worse than Daniel facing the lions, right? And he survived.”
Before she could tell Sophia that her words weren’t helping, a footman opened the door, and they walked in. Three matrons sat chatting over teacups and looked up as they entered.
“Mother,” Sophia said, moving to Mrs. St. John’s side, “may I introduce you to one of my bridesmaids, Eva Harlow?”
Eva smiled as she approached, feeling as if she were being presented to the queen. “So nice to meet you, Mrs. St. John.”
Pale blue eyes flickered over Eva but showed no sign of recognition. Eva kept her knees locked so they wouldn’t collapse with relief.
After Sophia had made the rest of the introductions, she indicated that they both would sit on the small settee by Mrs. St. John.
“I am so glad you are here,” Sophia’s mother said after tea was brought in by a uniformed maid and plates of little cakes were offered. “Perhaps you can talk Sophia into adjusting the neckline of her gown. I have tried to convince her that it is too low for a young lady from a good family, but my words seem to be falling on deaf ears. The dressmaker was absolutely worthless, considering what we spent. I asked for the neckline to be raised, and she did not do as I instructed.”
“She most likely didn’t understand proper English,” said one of the other women, whose name Eva had already forgotten. “You should be glad she didn’t leave her dirty fingerprints all over the white satin. Who knows where their hands have been?”
A bite of cake stuck in Eva’s throat. She forced it down with a sip of tea. Her hand shook so badly that she almost dropped her cup, the sound alarmingly loud as it tapped the saucer. She felt three sets of eyes on her, but Eva managed to continue to smile and pretend that she belonged there. “I would be happy to take a look,” she said, sliding a glance to Sophia for help. “It might be easily remedied.”
“Oh, Mother, don’t be ridiculous,” Sophia interjected. “The neckline is quite modest. I daresay David won’t be shocked, and he’s the only person whose opinion matters to me.”
Mrs. St. John raised an eyebrow as she sipped her tea, her gaze lingering on Eva before returning to her daughter. “I disagree. You have two eligible brothers. It is important there is no stain on your reputation, as it will reflect badly on them. As a matter of fact, Lady Duncan’s daughter, Aurelia, is coming to supper tonight. I was hoping Graham would be here in time. I have instructed that her place card be set next to his.”
Lady Duncan, the woman whose name Eva had forgotten, smiled, showing slightly protruding teeth. “It would be lovely if our families were united in marriage, wouldn’t it?”
“Indeed it would,” Mrs. St. John agreed, her gaze drifting back to Eva.
As if anticipating more questions, Sophia stood abruptly. “If you ladies will excuse us, we have so much to do.” Eva stood, too, while they said their good-byes, then followed Sophia out of the room. They didn’t stop walking until they’d passed down enough corridors to find an empty room.
“Are you all right?” Sophia asked, her eyes solicitous.
“I think so. Thank you for rescuing me.”
“Actually, I should be thanking you for rescuing Graham from the likes of Aurelia Duncan. She has teeth like her mother’s and not a brain in her skull. Graham has been avoiding her ever since her debut two years ago, when our mothers started throwing them together. I think that’s half the reason he went to Burma.”
Eva remembered what Graham had told her about his reason for going so far away. Something he said they shared. A hunger to be something more than what others expect from us.
“Perhaps,” Eva said instead.
“That wasn’t so beastly, was it?” Sophia asked.
“It was, but I survived. And it’s over.”
“That it is. Now, I suggest we go upstairs and rest before the other guests arrive for tonight’s supper. It’s only a small group because of Father still being so ill, but I will need to look my best. David’s parents and sister will be here, and they will adore you. I’ll make sure you’re sitting near them. I can’t switch place cards for you and Aurelia, or Mother will get suspicious. You do know that Graham has eyes for no one but you?”
Eva nodded. “And David, you.”
A pretty flush dusted Sophia’s cheeks. “Then we’re in good company.”
They linked arms as they returned to the corridor, walking past a housemaid on her hands and knees next to a broken vase, blotting up water and picking up stray pieces. Eva started to smile at her but stopped when she noticed Sophia walking by as if the maid weren’t there at all. Averting her gaze, Eva followed Sophia down the hallway, the sound of the scrub brush seeming to chase her until Sophia closed a door behind them.
Mr. St. John was conspicuously absent at the Friday night supper. Graham took his father’s place at the head of the table, as William was training with the RAF and would miss the entire wedding weekend. Graham and Eva hadn’t had a moment to talk before supper, and Aurelia had monopolized him during the meal, but as soon as the orchestra began, Graham claimed Eva for the first dance, earning a disapproving look from his mother.
Eva hoped Mrs. St. John would be quickly distracted by her guests and wouldn’t notice the way Graham looked at her. Not that it mattered. As soon as she was in Graham’s arms, nothing else mattered.
The terrace doors had been opened, allowing dancers to waltz in and out of the ballroom. Graham led them outside, dancing to the strains of “Begin the Beguine,” and they remained, the sounds of the orchestra and the warm night air caressing her bare shoulders as they swayed.
Eva smiled up at him. “I missed you. Am I allowed to ask what you were doing in France?”
“Isn’t it enough to know I missed you?”
“For now. I just hate being without you, knowing you’re far away. The nights are the hardest.”
The moonlight made his eyes gleam. “Even if you dream we’re together in your house by the sea?”
“Even then,” she whispered. She moved her hands to his shoulders to bring him closer. He winced, and she pulled away.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m all right. Just a minor accident. You know the French—never paying attention to where they’re going.” He smiled, but his eyes were hidden in the darkness. “I have a bit of a bruise, but that’s all.”
“Thank goodness,” Eva said, breathing in the scent of him. “I couldn’t bear knowing you were hurt.”
“I know. I promise to be extra careful in future.”
The notes of the orchestra died, but they continued swaying to their own music. They were dancing on a precipice, and Eva was ready to fall.
When he came to her room that night, she was waiting for him in the dark, the full moon outside pouring into the open window, painting her skin with opalescent light. She rushed to him, and he took her in his arms.
“I couldn’t go to sleep without wishing you a proper good night,” he said, his lips placing small kisses on her neck and jaw.
“I wish you could stay.”
“Me, too.” He held her so they could be face-to-face. “But I would never dishonor you, darling. You mean too much to me.”
He kissed her, and the room disintegrated beyond her closed eyelids as she allowed her world to become only the two of them.
After he left, Eva lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling for a long while, watching the shadows move across the room, imagining she and Graham were together, listening to the crash of waves far below their house by the sea.