Page 55 of Rivals at Ashmore Castle

‘Does he, indeed?’ said Richard. ‘And what do you think?’

‘Don’t encourage her, Richard,’ said Aunt Caroline.

‘I don’t know enough to have an opinion,’ Alice said.

‘This Wentworth is a very thorough teacher, it seems,’ said Richard.

‘I’m very lucky to be taught by him,’ Alice said meekly.

Richard agreed. ‘It must be rather like being taught by Constable or Gainsborough in their time.’

‘But such a waste, really,’ Aunt Caroline said. ‘Once Alice marries it will all be forgotten.’

‘Of course it will, Aunt,’ Richard said, forestalling Alice with a look. ‘But il faut faire quelque chose, after all, until that happy day.’

‘You are a very wicked boy,’ Grandmère murmured, for his ears only.

* * *

The Worsley-Dennings were an old family. Denning House had once been their rural seat, before the relentless expansion of London in the previous century had overtaken the village of Hampstead. Now instead of being in the county of Middlesex it found itself in London postal district NW.

The house was Georgian with mid-Victorian additions, but that was hardly relevant to the fête champêtre, which took place entirely in the spacious pleasure grounds, all that was left of the original country estate, but still large enough to be designated a park. The Worsley-Dennings, through a series of shrewd marriages, were very wealthy, and had spent lavishly, not only to secure but to deserve the title ‘event of the season’. There were temporary pavilions and Greek temples dotted about among the trees, various ensembles creating continuous music, strolling jugglers, tumblers and other entertainers, displays of Greek dancing, an archery allée, and on the lake, a number of rowing boats.

There was a lavish provision of food and drink and, to Aunt Caroline’s relief, no necessity to sit on a rug on the ground: there were elegant wrought-iron tables and chairs set up in attractive groups, and an army of servants to wait on them. In the centre of the park a floor had been built where there would be dancing under coloured lanterns, and the evening would end with fireworks over the lake.

For the younger set, one of the delights of the occasion was the freedom the arrangements conferred. Tight chaperonage was impossible with people scattered over such a large area.

Rachel, in a rose pink, self-striped silk dress and jacket – not new, but cleverly altered – and a hat lavish with artificial roses, was quickly claimed, to her satisfaction, by Jervis Farocean. They walked about and sampled the delights and greeted friends, and then he suggested taking out a boat on the lake. They had been newly varnished, and were supplied with gold-tasselled green velvet cushions against which, Rachel was aware, her rose-pink would look most attractive. The only danger was of water-drops on the silk if Jervis should prove a clumsy oarsman.

But Jervis handled the oars expertly. There was an island in the centre of the lake, and when they got round to the other side of it he rested on his oars and they drifted almost motionless. Rachel had wondered if there might be a stolen kiss, but one or two other couples had done the same, so they were not entirely alone.

That he could row, she had added to his other qualities. She hadn’t seen him ride, but he had talked about hunting and she was sure someone who danced as well as he did would also ride well. As the eldest son, he would be going into his father’s business when he married and would eventually inherit it, so he would be wealthy. His father, she had learned, was only a knight, so he would not come into the title, but it was not out of the question that he might earn one for himself. And he was handsome and amusing. Sometimes she wondered if he wasn’t rather light, something of a rattle, but she pushed those thoughts aside. Nobody was perfect.

Eventually a desire for food and drink sent them back to the landing place. A servant held the boat against the jetty while Jervis jumped out and held out his hand to help her. Gathering her skirts in one hand, she took his hand with her other. As she stepped up onto dry land, he gave her a little tug, just enough to unbalance her slightly, giving him the excuse to catch hold of her waist with his other hand and pull her against him, as if steadying her. She might have been annoyed at being made to look awkward, had it not been so skilfully done and had not the intention been made clear when he used the little flurry of movement to kiss her on the lips. How audacious, to kiss her in public in such a way that no-one would notice!

Eyes sparkling, she turned her head to see Angus Tullamore staring at her from a few feet away. He must have been passing and had stopped; on his arm was the same female – Miss Canning, wasn’t it? – whom he had escorted at the Falmouths’ ball.

For a moment shock followed by hurt passed through his eyes, before his face shut down. ‘Lady Rachel,’ he said in a flat tone.

Had he seen the kiss? Oh, God, had he seen it? Miss Canning’s face was a polite blank, and he didn’t introduce her. He gave Jervis the merest nod, half lifted his hat to Rachel, and walked on.

‘I believe there are ices,’ Jervis said. ‘Shall we go and find one?’

‘Oh, there you are,’ Richard said, finding Alice sitting alone under a tree. ‘What are you up to?’

She showed him. With a small pencil – the sort that came with dance-cards, but minus the tassel – she was sketching on the back of a card of invitation. ‘I wanted to get the shape of a group down so that I can paint it later,’ she said. ‘This is the best I can do. Aunt Caroline wouldn’t let me bring a sketching-book.’

‘I should think not,’ Richard said.

‘Why shouldn’t I have pleasure like everyone else?’ she complained. ‘Just because my pleasure is different?’

‘If you have to wonder that, you have missed the whole point of civilisation,’ he said.

‘Someone has to record these things, or how shall we remember them?’

‘I have seen a photographer wandering about,’ Richard said. ‘The Worsley-Dennings are very modern. Now, put that away and come for a stroll with me, and enjoy the things you are supposed to enjoy.’

She sighed, but obeyed, and took his arm. She said, ‘Kitty seems to be having a lovely time.’