Roses and Champagne

‘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!’

‘Don’t hide behind your sister,’ advised Lucius pleasantly. ‘You’re quite able to stand up for yourself.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Katrina, if we’re going out to dinner we must go now—I’ve booked the table for half past seven.’

Katrina stared at him. He was smiling a little, but the look he gave her was sufficient for her to say hastily: ‘I’m ready—I must just get my bag, and I suppose I’d better bring a coat.’

She saw Virginia’s puzzled look as she went past her and up to her room. It was a pity that Lucius had come when he had, because they had merely postponed the unpleasant half hour she and Virginia were going to have. And where in heaven’s name were they going? She flung a few things into a clutch bag, got a coat from the cupboard and went downstairs again.

Lucius was standing exactly where she had left him, Virginia sitting on the arm of a chair. Katrina heard her voice very clearly as she went across the hall. ‘And don’t think I’m coming to your stuffy dinner party for the Hunt Ball! James is taking me out first, and we’ll come on to the ball later.’

‘Afraid to face them?’ asked Lucius softly, and went to meet Katrina, who paused in the doorway to say: ‘I told Mrs Beecham dinner at half past seven, I shan’t be late back.’

She didn’t wait to hear Virginia’s muttered reply, but went out to where the Jaguar was parked and got in beside Lucius. As he drove off she said: ‘Now you can explain, Lucius.’

‘I thought we might have a meal at La Sorbonne—we haven’t been there for quite a time. Virginia didn’t care for Oxford, we nearly always went up to town or to Bath.’

Katrina said, ‘Oh,’ and searched for a suitable reply, but she couldn’t think of one, so instead she said: ‘Why?’

They were on the main road, the Jaguar making light of the twenty odd miles they had to drive. ‘I thought it might be nice to give that new suit an airing.’

‘You didn’t know that Virginia was coming home this evening?’ she persisted.

‘My dear girl, how suspicious you are! How should I know that, and how could I have booked a table on the spur of the moment without you knowing?’

Which made sense. She wasn’t going to know that he had seen the lights of Virginia’s car going up the lane, shouted to Cobb to phone La Sorbonne and followed her as quickly as he could, Virginia had a nasty temper and Katrina was no match for her, even in the new outfit.

They didn’t talk much, but since over the years they had attained an easy relationship which didn’t need constant conversation to keep it alive, Katrina accepted Lucius’s silence and sat quietly, lulled into a peaceful state where she didn’t even bother to think. They reached Oxford presently and Lucius turned off the High Street, parked the car and walked her down the little alley close by. The restaurant was on the first floor of a seventeenth-century house and was noted for its excellent food. Katrina wrinkled her small nose at the scent of the flowers on the table and said: ‘This is nice!’

Lucius smiled at her. ‘Good. That brown thing is very becoming, Katie.’ His glance was as careless as a brother’s. ‘What would you like to drink?’

They dined at leisure; wild duck, cooked as only it could be cooked at La Sorbonne, preceded by globe artichokes and followed by a lemon sorbet. They sat over their coffee, talking like the old friends they were, but not mentioning Virginia. It wasn’t until they were back again and Katrina was saying goodbye that Lucius asked: ‘Aren’t you going to ask me in for a drink?’

Katrina said forthrightly: ‘Heavens, whatever for? Though if you really want one, I could make coffee or tea…’

‘Tea would be nice,’ said Lucius so meekly that she looked at him suspiciously, but since she couldn’t see him very clearly she said reluctantly: ‘All right, come in then.’

Lucius smiled a little and followed her into the quiet house, across the hall and through the baize door to the kitchen. It was comfortably warm, the Aga glowing gently and Cromwell, Mrs Beecham’s cat, curled up before it. Lucius filled a kettle and set it to boil while Katrina fetched two mugs and found the milk and sugar, then sat down at the big scrubbed table. The tea was strong and hot. ‘We shan’t sleep a wink,’ declared Katrina, and poured second cups.

They had almost finished when the door opened and Virginia came in, a vision in pink velvet and chiffon frills. ‘I heard the car,’ she observed, ‘and the racket Lucius made crossing the hall. I think it’s very selfish of you to make so much noise—I need my sleep.’

Katrina was on the point of saying she was sorry, but Lucius forestalled her. ‘Did you come all the way down here to tell us that?’ he asked. ‘I very much doubt it.’

Virginia shot him a cross look. ‘How did you guess? As a matter of fact, I forgot to tell you something when I came home this evening.’

‘Let me guess,’ said Lucius smoothly. ‘You’re engaged—James Lovell, of course, I can’t think of anyone else who would have you.’

‘You knew—how did you find out?’ Virginia was so furiously angry that she began to cry, and Katrina started forward to comfort her, to be firmly checked by Lucius.

‘I didn’t know, but there is such a thing as logical reasoning. Are you going to wait for a decent interval before you announce it? I mean, it’s only days since I—er—threw you over, and you must give people time to recover from that you know.’

‘If James were here, he’d knock you down,’ sobbed Virginia.

‘I very much doubt that, but he’s welcome to try next time we meet. Now go to bed, you silly girl.’

‘Virginia…’ began Katrina.

‘Oh, shut up!’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘It’ll serve you right if you stay a starchy spinster for the rest of your days!’ She rounded on Lucius. ‘And as for you…’

‘Burning oil or slow poison—Goodnight, Virginia, and congratulations.’

When she had gone Katrina said slowly: ‘You needn’t have been so unkind.’ She added: ‘All the same, I’m glad you were here.’

Lucius collected the mugs and put them tidily in the sink. All he said was: ‘May I come to lunch tomorrow?’ And when she said ‘Yes’ in a surprised voice: ‘I fancy Virginia will have more to say by then, and Katie, don’t, I beg of you, get embroiled in an argument with her until I get here.’

‘That’s all very well! She’s my sister, I’ve always taken care of her…’

‘Just so. I wonder when you’ll realise that you’re the one who needs taking care of?’

He crossed the space between them and threw an arm round her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry about it, and there’s one thing I can promise you; you’re not a starchy spinster and never will be.’ He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. ‘Go to bed.’

‘You were joking, weren’t you?’ she asked in a small voice.

He understood her at once. ‘No. We’ll announce our engagement at the Hunt Ball…no, better still, at Virginia’s wedding. If I know her, she’ll make James get a special licence and expect a slap-up wedding in about ten days’ time.’

He took her arm and went into the hall. ‘Lock up after me,’ he warned her, and went out of the door to the car.

Katrina shut the bolts and turned the key, her head a muddle of weddings, engagements and Lucius’s arrogance in taking it for granted that she wanted to marry him. She tumbled into bed presently, all these problems swept away by the enormous one of how to arrange a big wedding in a matter of days. Ten days, Lucius had said, and from experience she knew that he was almost always right.

CHAPTER THREE

WHEN KATRINA went down to breakfast the next morning, Lovelace met her in the hall with the information that Miss Virginia was having her breakfast in bed as she had had a bad night so Katrina shared hers with the ever faithful Bouncer, then went back upstairs and tapped on her sister’s door.

Virginia was sitting up in bed, her breakfast tray beside her, reading a magazine. She looked up as Katrina went in, then bent her head over its glossy pages again.

Katrina took the magazine from her and sat down on the edge of the bed. She asked: ‘When were you planning to get married, Virginia?’

‘Soon—before Christmas, though I can’t see what business it is of yours.’ She snatched the magazine back, looking sulky.

‘Well, I supposed you’d want a pretty wedding, and that will take some organising. Invitations and bridesmaids and so on…’

‘Don’t you mind if I get married and you don’t?’

‘Well, no, I don’t think so—why should I? I don’t want to marry James.’ Katrina paused. ‘You’re sure, Virginia?—it’s only a few days ago since you thought you wanted to marry Lucius.’

She didn’t give her sister time to answer. Virginia’s hands had curled round the magazine, her eyes blazing, and Katrina remembered that Lucius had told her to wait until he was there, and she suddenly wished he was. She got up and went out of the room, and the magazine thudded on the door as she was closing it behind her.

She’d been a fool to try and talk to Virginia. She was shaking a little as she went downstairs and set about her normal chores, first to Mrs Beecham to let her know that Lucius would be there for lunch, then out into the garden with Bouncer to find old John and coax him to let her have some of the Doyenne du Comice pears he had been picking with such care. They were a crop that he tended with pleasure and pride and each autumn he tended to hand them out in a miserly fashion. But this morning he was in a generous mood, and when Katrina explained that Mr Massey was coming to lunch and might enjoy one, he presented her with a small basket of the fruit.

‘That old Pritchard down at Stockley House, ‘e don’t know a good pear when he sees ‘un, though ‘e’s got a good eye for a grape.’

Katrina perched on a pile of wooden boxes, took an apple from one of the trays and prepared for half an hour’s conversation with the old man. It was only the appearance of the gardener’s boy with a jug of tea for old John that sent her on her way, this time to the stables.

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