The next morning Rupert rode over to Marwick House to call on Kitty Blake and her parents. He was greeted in the hall by Campbell, who took his hat and gloves and, as a retainer who had known the Chalfont twins since they were babies, offered his condolences in a muted tone before saying he would ascertain whether Sir James and Lady Blake were at home and receiving visitors.
He was back almost at once and Rupert was shown up to the drawing room, where Lady Blake sat stitching at some tapestry. Immediately she set it aside and, as Rupert crossed the room to her, held out her hand in greeting.
‘My dear Rupert,’ she said. ‘You’re home again, but on such a sad occasion. When did you arrive?’
‘Yesterday afternoon, Lady Blake.’
‘And you’ve come at once to call on Katharine. It is very good of you to do so. The poor girl is distraught, losing Justin so unexpectedly and so close to their wedding day. Sir James is from home, I’m afraid, but I’m certain Kitty will want to receive you. She’s not receiving callers at present, of course, but I’ve no doubt she’ll make an exception for you.’ So saying, she reached for the bell pull, and when a footman came in answer to her summons she said, ‘Ah, John. Please will you inform Miss Kitty that Mr Rupert has called and ask her to join us.’
The footman went off on his errand and while they awaited Kitty’s appearance, Lady Blake asked, ‘And how is your dear mother? I believe she has been extremely unwell since your brother’s accident.’ There was something in her tone of voice that seemed to imply that she should not have been so stricken, and Rupert, who had never really liked Lady Blake, found himself rising to his mother’s defence.
‘Of course she is most upset,’ he replied, keeping his voice even, ‘which is only to be expected. However, she is a little better each day, which is a comfort to my father.’
‘Will she attend the funeral, I wonder?’ mused Lady Blake. ‘In our family it is not the custom for the ladies to attend funerals, it is left to the gentlemen to show that respect, so I shall not be there; however, I know that Katharine, despite our wishes on the matter, intends to be present.’
At that moment the door opened and Kitty came in. She was dressed in deep mourning, which a detached part of Rupert noticed suited her well. Her face was very pale, but she greeted him with an attempt at a smile, which didn’t quite reach her eyes.
‘Rupert!’ she said as she crossed the room to greet him. ‘How very kind of you to come. I’m so glad you managed to get here in time for the funeral.’
‘I was just telling Rupert, my dear, that you are intending to go to Justin’s funeral on Friday, despite your father and I feeling it is not quite proper for you to appear in public so soon.’
‘As I’ve told you, Mama,’ responded Kitty, ‘I shall only go to the church. I shall wear a heavy veil and no one shall see my face. I have no intention of meeting with other people after the service, but shall return here immediately.’ It was clear from the resignation in her voice that she and her mother had already had this conversation more than once and that she was not going to change her mind.
Lady Blake sighed and said, ‘Well, I suppose you will do as you please, but I don’t know what Sir Philip and Lady Chalfont will think – nor you, Rupert, for that matter.’
‘Kitty must do as she thinks best,’ replied Rupert. ‘But I’m sure you know, Kitty, that you will be more than welcome at the church.’
Lady Blake said no more on that subject, but getting to her feet, she said, ‘Kitty, my dear, please ring the bell and ask Campbell to bring us some refreshment. I have to speak to Mrs Carson, but will be back with you directly.’ Campbell came in answer to the bell, and Lady Blake gave him her orders and then left the room, leaving Rupert and Kitty alone together.
Kitty took a seat by the window and invited Rupert to do the same.
‘I’m sorry I’ve only just got home,’ Rupert said. ‘It must be a very difficult time for you.’
‘And for you,’ returned Kitty. ‘He was your brother, after all.’ She gave him another smile and said, ‘And everything seems to have fallen on poor Fran’s shoulders. She must be extremely glad to have you home again.’
Rupert smiled back as he said, ‘Yes, I think she is, with all the arrangements that have had to be made. Still, I’m here to take some of the load now and to comfort my parents in their grief.’
‘I believe you were in France,’ Kitty said. ‘Justin told me that you’d been invited to a wedding.’
‘Indeed I was, but the countryside there was so beautiful I stayed on a while to explore.’
‘He did wonder why you didn’t come home when he wrote and told you about our engagement. He hoped you would.’
‘I know, and of course I wish now with all my heart that I had, that I hadn’t left it too late, but such regrets are of no use. Now I must do all in my power to ease my parents’ sadness. I shall stay at home and try to learn what Justin was brought up to know.’
It was on the tip of his tongue to confide the secret of his understanding with Hélène St Clair, but as he hesitated the moment was lost as Lady Blake came back into the room, followed by Campbell with a tea tray and a dish of cakes and biscuits.
They drank their tea and ate the sweetmeats, and as soon as he decently could, Rupert left Marwick House with a promise to return to call on Sir James in the next few days. As he rode home, Rupert thought about Kitty and her reaction to Justin’s death. Her mother had described her as ‘distraught’, but Rupert had seen no sign of that. Kitty had been dignified in her determination to attend the funeral in two days’ time, and she had spoken of Justin in a tone of affection, but without the depth of love he would have expected from a fiancée. Perhaps, he thought, it is the only way she can get through the days, the only way she can hold herself together until the ritual of the funeral is over and Justin is committed to the ground.
When he got home again, he and Fran went over all the arrangements she had made.
‘How did you find Kitty?’ Fran asked.
‘Calm, dignified, determined.’
‘Determined?’ Fran looked at him sharply. ‘Determined about what?’
‘Determined to come to the funeral. Well, to the church, anyway. Her parents don’t approve.’
‘She usually gets what she wants,’ remarked Fran. ‘So I’m sure she’ll be there.’
The following day Lord and Lady Devenish arrived and the house was in a flurry of welcome. Lady Chalfont, encouraged by Rupert and Fran, made the effort at last to get dressed and come downstairs. It was the first time she had left her chamber and she walked unsteadily down to the drawing room, leaning on her son’s arm.
‘Amabel!’ cried Lady Devenish. ‘How do you do? You look very pale, my dear sister.’
‘I’m very tired, Grace. I haven’t slept in days. There’s been so much coming and going in the house and poor Justin lying in his coffin in the morning room.’ She let go of Rupert’s arm and sank into an armchair as if her legs would no longer hold her.
Dinner was a quiet affair, with little conversation from either side of the table. Sir Philip had always found his sister-in-law difficult and tonight was no exception. The men did not linger in the dining room and the ladies retired to bed soon after the tea tray was brought in.
Rupert went to his room and, having dismissed Parker, closed the door behind him and sat down at the table to write a letter to Hélène. It was the first chance he had had to put pen to paper since he’d left France. How he missed her. He summoned a picture of her face, remembered the feel of her warmth in his arms with an almost physical ache. He longed to talk to her, to hear her voice, to explain the loss he felt at Justin’s death and be comforted by her presence. He couldn’t speak to her, so writing to her was the next best thing, and hoping she would reply at once, he picked up his pen.