“Let us not be rash, Drake. Perhaps something will happen.”

So we talked and talked round the subject and always we came back to the same point. My uncertainty … Drake’s determination that he could not go on and something was going to happen, for if it did not he would soon have to make it.

I was on the point of telling him all about Charles and stopped myself in time. I did not want to add to his anxieties and I did not know what action he would take. All those years ago he had thrown Charles in the lake and so had started festering this resentment against us both. I did not want more trouble so I remained silent.

In due course Miss Brownlee came in with the tea in a big brown tea pot with scones and fairy cakes.

“He always did like my scones,” she told me, “didn’t you, Drake? And fairy cakes were a special treat. Do you remember?”

He assured her that he did. And there in that little room with this woman whose love for him was so evident, I thought what a good man he was and what a tragedy it was that he should be caught up in such a situation. Perhaps if I had married him we should have been very happy together.

We left separately. That seemed wise. Drake had ordered a cab to come and take me home. I left him there. It would return for him later.

I said goodbye to Nanny Brownlee and she assured me that she would be pleased to see me at any time; and I went out to the cab.

A man was walking slowly past the house as I was driven off. I did not think there was anything unusual about that at the time.

I was in a perpetual state of anxiety and the attempt to appear normal was a strain. My main thought was for Katie. She was becoming very knowledgeable and was particularly observant. Sometimes I found her watching me intently. I guessed she knew something was afoot. She was very fond of Drake, but she was fond of many; she had had a great admiration for the Comte. Katie was ready to love anyone in the belief that their intentions were what hers would be. In spite of being fatherless she had been surrounded by love all her life and she could not imagine anything different. I could not bear to think of her being brought face to face with unpleasant realities—particularly those in which her mother could be involved.

We went to the park to feed the ducks—a regular occupation of hers and on this particular day, as we were by the water, Charles appeared. I think he must have followed us.

He swept off his hat. “Good morning, Lenore. Good morning, Katie.”

“Good morning, Uncle Charles,” cried Katie beaming at him. “We are going to feed the ducks.”

“Such angels of mercy,” said Charles casting his eyes up to the skies.

Katie thought that was very funny.

”Some of them are rather greedy,” she said.

“A common failing in most living creatures,” commented Charles.

”There is one who is especially greedy. He tries to get everything … everyone else’s share as well as his own. I try to stop him. It’s great fun.”

“I must stay to watch the fun,” said Charles.

“I am sure you will find it rather boring,” I said.

”By no means. I find such good deeds inspiring. Casting your bread upon the waters.”

“It’s only stale bread,” put in Katie, adding: “That’s in the Bible.”

“I was hoping you would think it was original.”

“Stale bread and crusts,” said Katie.

“But very acceptable to those greedy creatures obviously.”

“Would you like some, Uncle Charles? But don’t let that greedy one get it.”

“I am going to leave the feeding to you, dear Katie. I know that in this matter of feeding the ducks you have the wisdom of Solomon.”

Katie thought his conversation very funny.

“I have an idea,” he went on. “Your mother and I will sit on that seat and watch justice being meted out.”

He drew me back to the seat and I had no alternative but to sit down beside him.

“An enchanting child, your daughter,” he said.

I was silent.

“She is very bright,” he added. “I wonder what she will make of this horrid scandal when it breaks upon the world.”

With an almost uncanny precision he had interpreted exactly what was in my mind.

“But of course,” he went on soothingly, “she will never hear of it for you are going to be sensible.”

“Charles, I wish you would go.”

“But I am enjoying this so much. Katie is a charmer. I am proud of my little niece. It would really hurt me to have her thrust into a welter of unpleasantness.”

“But nevertheless you would take a delight in it if it came to pass.”

“But it need not—though you have to make up your mind quickly. I have spoken to Julia. She is wavering at the moment. She fluctuates according to her liquid intake. But now that I have the evidence, I think she will need little persuasion.”

“What evidence?”

“Of the little love nest.”

”What are you talking about? “

“Number 12 Parsons Road.”

I was numb with shock.

”I see my revelations have upset you. I have had you watched, dear Lenore. For some time I have been doing this and now vigilance has borne fruit. You and Drake were seen to arrive separately at Number 12 Parsons Road and after a sojourn of about two and a half hours you were seen to depart separately and in a most discreet manner. It is all recorded.”

I felt sick with horror. I remembered now the man who had alighted from his cab just as I had from mine. He must have followed me to Parsons Road, and he had stood about waiting while I was there. He would have seen Drake arrive and have witnessed our departure. I could imagine the construction which Charles intended should be put on this.

He was watching me closely. “There is an easy way out,” he said.

“You are absolutely wrong.”

He raised his shoulders. “You are not going to deny that you were there together.”

“You who are so knowledgeable must be aware that it is the home of Drake Aldringham’s nurse.”

”Old nurses can be very accommodating and are well known for indulging their charges’ whims.”

“Are they?”

“Oh yes … particularly when the charges are such little angels as Drake must have been.”

Katie ran to me. “There’s no more bread,” she said.

”We must go home,” I told her.

“So soon, Mama?”

“Yes, we must. I have certain things to do.”

“I shall escort you,” said Charles.

Katie prattled all the way home and Charles responded in a lighthearted manner. But I sensed that was no reflection of his mood. He was deadly serious.

I was very quiet. In fact I was overcome by apprehension.

What could I do? I did not want to worry Grand’mere. Already she was very uneasy; even though she did not know how far this matter had gone.

It occurred to me that if I could see Julia I might make her understand that in harming Drake and me she was hurting herself. If she were in a reasonable mood, if she really loved Drake—as I thought she did—surely she would not want to lose him.

I chose an afternoon. Perhaps she would be resting, but it was a quiet time of the day and I wanted as few people to know of our meeting as possible. She might refuse to see me but if she did I might get a chance to talk to her and if she were in a mellow mood perhaps I could make some progress. I might hint at Charles’s motives. So much would depend on how I found her.

I felt great trepidation as I rang the bell and I was ushered in by a parlourmaid. Mrs. Aldringham, I was told, was in her room. The maid would see if she were sleeping or if she could receive me.

After a few moments I was taken to Julia’s bedroom. She was sitting on a chair by the window and she smiled when she saw me.

“Do come in, Lenore.”

“I hope you are not resting.”

She shook her head. “I was going to lie down … but it doesn’t matter.”

She was in a peignoir of her favourite violet which matched the colour in her cheeks. She may have been drinking but she was by no means drunk.

I saw the inevitable decanter and a used glass on the table near her bed.

“I’m glad you came,” she said. “I wanted to talk to you. I have been so worried about you … and Drake.”

“Julia, there is nothing to be worried about. Drake and I are good friends … that’s all.”

She shook her head. “He thinks a lot of you, I know.”

“He’s married to you, Julia. If only you …”

“Yes,” she said, “what?”

My eyes had strayed to the decanter.

“I know what you mean,” she cried. “Stop drinking. I try. I do … for a time and then I have to go back to it. I can’t help it. I just have to.”

“If only you could. …”

“Do you think that would make any difference?”

“I think it would make all the difference.”

“How can it when he is in love with you?”

“You’re his wife, Julia. That’s important.”

“No. It was always you … even when we were children it was you he liked.”

“But he married you. It was what you wanted. You ought to be happy. If you would only try … stop drinking … do all you could to help him in his career instead of. .

She began to cry. “I know. It was a terrible thing I did. He will never forgive me. You won’t either.”

“I do understand your distress, Julia, but if you would only be reasonable … try to understand him… . He’s ambitious. He could go far. Everyone seems to think so … and all this is spoiling his chances.”

“Charles says I should divorce him.”

”If you did that you would lose him.”

“I know.”

“Surely that’s the last thing you want.”