Roses and Champagne

‘Well, several men have offered…’

‘But you’ve not accepted?’

‘No.’

‘Then you’ll come with me. You were coming to the dinner party first anyway, weren’t you?’

‘Yes, but what about Virginia? I mean, won’t you feel—well, awkward?’

He gave her a cool stare. ‘Why should I? There’ll be a dozen of us there anyway, and she and I are bound to meet again, you know.’

‘Yes, but after the things she said…’

‘Silly, childish nonsense. Shall I send the car for you or will you drive over?’

‘I’ll drive.’

He nodded. ‘You can leave the car at my place and pick it up later.’

They walked back presently and got into the car and began the drive home. ‘Doing anything this evening?’ asked Lucius idly.

‘No—I don’t expect Virginia until tomorrow. I’ll sketch some ideas for the book jacket.’

‘We can call in at your place and you can make sure she hasn’t come home and then have dinner with me.’ He added wickedly: ‘We have to get to know each other, you know.’

‘What rubbish—we’ve known each other all our lives. Besides, I’d rather like a quiet evening.’

‘When have you ever found me noisy?’ he wanted to know, ‘and I promise I’ll drive you home the moment you want to go.’

There was no message from Virginia when they reached her home. Mrs Beecham received Katrina’s news that she would be dining with Lucius with a straight face but a decided twinkle in her shrewd eyes. All she said was: ‘I know where you are if you’re wanted, Miss Katrina. Will you be late back? Lovelace can take Bouncer for his walk.’

‘I’ll not be late, Mrs Beecham. Will you get someone to take these boxes up to my room?’ She bent to scratch Bouncer’s head and Lucius, standing by the door, said: ‘Bring him with you, you know how he likes a romp with my two.’

So Bouncer scrambled into the back of the car and stuck his head between them as they drove back into the lane and, after a moment or so, turned in at the gates of Stockley House. Katrina was as familiar with the house as her own home, but it never ceased to give her a thrill as she got out before its massive entrance. The front of the house was Queen Anne, only at the back were there the remains of the Tudor house which had been the first Massey home. The porch was a magnificent one, leading to a vast door opening on to a small vestibule which in turn gave on to the front hall, a circular apartment with a great many doors and a double staircase taking up the whole of the far wall. The ceiling was painted and gilded and the white panelled walls were hung with paintings. Katrina said a cheerful ‘Good evening’ to Cobb, the middle-aged and spidery man who had opened the door, and walked past him Bouncer beside her. But not for long; one of the doors was open and two dogs came bounding out, a Great Dane puppy and a Dalmatian. They fell upon their master with every sign of delight and then joined Bouncer. Lucius walked past her, through the open door, and opened the doors leading on to the terrace beyond the room, and the three of them streamed out, barking with pleasure.

‘They can let off steam for a bit,’ he commented, coming back into the hall. ‘You’d like a drink? Want to do your face? You know which room, I’ll be in the drawing room.’

Katrina nodded and crossed the hall to the staircase. On the way she paused to look at one of the portraits. ‘I see Buxom Bessy’s still here—she ought to be hidden away in a guestroom.’

Lucius had strolled across to join her and they stood looking up at the painting of an extremely plump lady in a remarkably low-cut gown and a fearsome wig. ‘She has a certain air…’ he began and Katrina giggled.

‘The Lucius Massey who married her thought she was enchanting; she was probably very pretty when he first met her. He must have continued to think so, because he loved her until she died.’

‘Poor Bessy—ten children too!’

‘Not as bad as it sounds, though. There would have been nursemaids enough, and tutors and governesses.’

Katrina started up the stairs. ‘Well, I suppose with all those children one would need plenty of help. Ten is an awful lot.’

‘Too many? You dislike large families? I know they’re not fashionable.’

Katrina turned round to face him. ‘Not so much unfashionable as anti-social! But of course I’d like two or three of my own, and in a house like this, or ours, for that matter, there’s room enough. Besides, there’s money enough too—I’ve even got an old nanny pretending she’s retired—so have you, Lucius.’

‘We can count ourselves among the lucky ones, then, can’t we?’

Something in his voice made her turn back and run up the staircase. As she walked along the gallery above the hall she had a vague fleeting picture of children running round the big house, sliding down the banisters, shouting and laughing. One day, she supposed, Lucius would marry—she had begun to think of him as married to Virginia, but that had come to an end; he’d fall in love again. Had he ever been in love with Virginia? She opened a door at the end of the gallery and entered a small, very pretty bedroom and sat down before a white-painted dressing table to do her face and hair. Once or twice she had slept in this room; when she had been a little girl and gone to stay with the Masseys on some special occasion, and ever since, even after Lucius’s parents died, it had been known as her room. She went downstairs presently and found Lucius before a great log fire in the drawing room. He got up as she went in, sat her down in a small armchair opposite his and gave her a drink.

It was a very pleasant room and comfortable despite its size and grandeur, and presently he got up and let the three dogs in. They jostled for places before the fire, sinking into a contented heap, piled on top of each other, the puppy with his head on Lucius’s shoes.

Katrina, curled up in her chair, gave a small sigh of contentment. There was no need to make conversation, she and Lucius knew each other too well for that. She was half asleep when Cobb came to say that dinner was served, and although she was wide awake once they were at table, their talk was of mundane things—the new village hall, plans for the Christmas party at the church school, who could be roped in for the carol singing, could old Mrs Todd, who’d lived in a tiny cottage in the village for untold years, be left to live alone much longer or should something be done about getting her some help—tactfully, of course, she was an old woman with a sharp tongue and a mind of her own even at ninety odd years.

They went back to the drawing room for their coffee and presently Katrina said reluctantly: ‘I must go—it’s getting late, and Lovelace will stay up for me even though I’ve a key.’

Lucius made no effort to stop her. She put on her jacket and got into the car beside him and he drove her the short distance back home. He got out when she did and she asked: ‘Do you want to come in?’ with a lack of enthusiasm which made him chuckle. ‘No,’ he told her, ‘only to see you safely indoors.’

He waited after he had opened the door for her until Lovelace came into the hall and until he heard Katrina ask if Virginia was back. Only when Lovelace shook his head did he say goodnight, adding as he went through the door: ‘Remember to wear the new outfit tomorrow, Katie.’

She hadn’t thought anything about that until just before tea on the next day; there had been several things to do, indoors and out, and she felt untidy. Once in her room, showered and peering into her cupboard for something to wear, she saw the brown velvet hanging. Lucius had suggested that she should put it on—a silly idea, since she wasn’t expecting anyone. Virginia hadn’t phoned; she would be staying another night, probably. All the same, it would give her rather dull day a bit of life.

She put it on and studied herself in the pier glass. There was no denying the fact that it did something for her; the blouse was exactly right and the straight little jacket with its braid trimming was elegant, as was the pencil-slim skirt. She put on a pair of brown shoes she hardly ever wore because she had decided that they were too frivolous. Now they looked exactly right too. She went downstairs feeling rather pleased with herself, had her tea before the fire in the sitting room and sat down at her desk to do her accounts. She had spent far too much money yesterday and she still owed Lucius for the two dresses, and heaven knew how much they would be. There was her cheque to come, of course, and the new commission, and the dividends from various shares. All the same, she would have to be careful; the lodge roof needed repairs, and there was a broken fence to be mended. The winter months were always expensive too with the house to keep warm, and people in for drinks around Christmas. Katrina chewed the top of her pen and did her careful sums, and didn’t hear the car coming up the drive.

The sudden brilliance of light as the wall lights were switched on from the door made her turn round. Virginia was home.

Katrina got up unhurriedly. ‘Hullo,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t sure when you’d be back.’

Her sister was staring at her and didn’t answer, but after a moment she said: ‘That’s new, and it must have cost a bomb—you look positively elegant!’

Lucius had been quite right. The suit had wrapped Katrina in a pleasant aura of knowing that she looked her best, and consequently sure of herself. She said lightly: ‘I thought it was high time that I lived up to the image you’ve given me.’

Virginia looked guilty and at the same time defiant. ‘Well, I didn’t see why everyone should go around saying Poor Virginia.’ She added sharply: ‘I said I’d get even with Lucius.’

‘So you did,’ agreed Katrina calmly, ‘but did you have to get even with me too?—I can’t remember trespassing on your preserves.’

Virginia tossed her head. ‘You’re not exactly what I’d call a serious rival. Were you thinking of having a go?’

‘At what?’

‘Why, Lucius, of course. After all, he’ll have to marry some time, though I should think you’d be bored stiff with each other—after all you’ve known each other for years and years.’

‘I can’t say the idea had crossed my mind,’ said Katrina in a cold little voice, ‘and I’m sure Lucius…’

She stopped herself just in time; it had crossed his mind, hadn’t it? but only because it suited his own ends.

‘What’s all this about me?’ Lucius’s voice was casually placid. Katrina wondered how long he’d been standing by the open door listening to them. He strolled into the room and went to stand by the fire.

‘So you’re back, you silly girl,’ he observed to Virginia. ‘You’ve made a fine fool of yourself, haven’t you? I hope it teaches you a lesson—that not every man who dates you wants to be saddled with you for the rest of his life.’

Virginia’s pretty face flushed scarlet. ‘You beast! Katrina, listen to him—say something!’