Виктория Холт - The Silk Vendetta

“Oh, Julia, I wish you’d drink less and be like you used to be.”

“It’s so comforting. You’re miserable and then you feel you don’t care … and after you feel quite merry and that nothing matters. But sometimes you feel so wretched you could end it all… not only for yourself but for everyone else.”

“Julia, it’s not too late… .”

“Isn’t it?” she asked eagerly. “Isn’t it?”

“Really, Julia, it isn’t.”

”I’ll talk to Charles tonight. I’ll tell him I’m going to try. I’ll be a good wife to Drake. I’ll help him. That’s what I always wanted to do. Yes, I’ll tell Charles tonight. I’ll tell him I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to be different. I’m not going to drink … so much. I’ll wean myself from it. You can’t do it quickly … not when you’re as involved as I am with it. Yes, I shall talk to him tonight.”

“Always remember, Julia, I want to be your friend.”

“Oh, I know. I know, Lenore.” She was near to tears. “I’m going to be different. I’m going to tell Charles tonight that I won’t do what he suggests. I’m going to try and be a better wife to Drake. I’m going to make him love me. …”

I rose to go. I went to her and kissed her. I said: “Don’t get up. I’ll let myself out.”

As I came into the street I told myself that the meeting had not been in vain.

But by the next morning Julia was dead.

The days which followed are like a grotesque nightmare in my memory. I kept telling myself that I must wake up and find that I was dreaming.

The cause of Julia’s death was established. She was found in Charles’s sitting room. He had had his own little suite of rooms in the house since the fire; they comprised a bedroom, a dressing room and a sitting room, and although they were part of the main house and were situated at the end of the first floor corridor, there was a back staircase which led only to them. Because of this they were especially private. Julia had given them to Charles so that he could feel a little apart until he was able to make arrangements as to where he would live.

The valet—who had saved him at the time of the fire—had told Julia that Charles had said he would be home round about seven o’clock.

Julia had gone to his sitting room as she wished to talk to him without delay. There she intended to wait for him. She must have seen the decanter and found it irresistible. Julia’s passion for drink had killed her. Her death had been instantaneous. When Charles had come in, he had found her dead. It seemed that she had drunk poisoned sherry which must have been meant for Charles.

When I heard the news I was overcome with shock. I had to get away from everyone to think clearly what this could mean. Someone had tried to poison Charles and Julia had died instead.

Grand’mere came to talk to me alone.

“My dear child,” she said, “what does all this mean?”

“They meant to kill Charles,” I whispered. “They did not mean to kill Julia.”

“Why should anyone want to kill Charles?”

“He must have had many enemies. He is not a good man. He is wicked…mischievous… . He likes to make trouble.”

Grand’mere was looking at me intently. “Tell me everything, Lenore,” she begged. “Don’t keep me in the dark.”

So I told her how he had pursued me, how he had had me followed to Parsons Road, how he had tried to persuade Julia to divorce Drake and cite me as the reason.

“Mon Dieu,” she murmured. “Oh … mon Dieu.”

“Grand’mere, you don’t think… I wouldn’t know how … even if…I have never been in his rooms.”

“There will be an inquest,” she said. “Questions will be asked. You saw her the day she died. You must have been one of the last to see her alive.”

“I talked to her, told her how unwise she would be to divorce Drake. She said she was going to talk to Charles. That must have been why she was in his rooms.”

“When this sort of thing happens there are many questions, there is much probing.”

“Grand’mere,” I said. “I am frightened. I am thinking of Katie.”

“Katie must go to Paris.”

“I can’t go, Grand’mere. It would look like running away. I suppose I might not be allowed to go. Perhaps you could take her.”

Grand’mere shook her head. “My place is here with you. Cassie could take her … and the two governesses with her. That’s the best way. It is wise with something like this to take one step at a time … and make sure that it is the right one. Our first plan then is to get Katie away.”

I knew she was right.

Cassie was greatly upset. She had been fond of Julia and was completely stunned by what had happened.

“I keep thinking of her when we were little,” she said. “All the little things she did. That this should happen! I’m glad Mama is not alive to see it.”

I wondered how Lady Sallonger would have taken the news. Calmly, I should imagine. She had never allowed herself to be much affected by others and Julia would have ceased to play a part in her ladyship’s life.

“Cassie,” I said, “we have to do something quickly.”

I had to explain certain things to her. She was horrified to learn of the part Charles had played but she was not greatly surprised. She knew her brother. In their childhood he had taken a delight in teasing his sisters and had often reduced them to tears. There was—and always had been—a sadistic streak in Charles.

Cassie had grown quite worldly wise when she had left The Silk House. She saw at once the need to get Katie out of London and would make her preparations to leave at once.

Katie was full of questions. “Why can’t you come with us, Mama?”

“I have things to do here. I can come later.”

”Why don’t we wait for you?”

“It’s better for you to go now. You’ll have Aunt Cassie and Mademoiselle and Miss …”

“I’d rather you came, Mama.”

“I know, but it isn’t quite convenient yet.”

“Then …”

But I silenced her with a kiss and said: “You know how you love Paris … and it won’t be long.”

“Shall we go to Grandpapa’s vineyard?”

“I expect so … one day.”

“Will he be in Paris?”

“I don’t know.”

“I hope I go to the vineyard. I want to see Raoul.”

She prattled on and there was a certain speculation in her eyes. I could see that it would have been very difficult to keep the news from her.

I had to attend the inquest. It was an ordeal. Drake was looking pale and strained and the fact that Julia was the wife of a politician who was becoming known to the public meant that there was full press coverage.

Some searching questions were asked of Drake. He knew of no reason why anyone should wish to kill his brother-in-law. He knew very little of him really. His rooms in the house were tantamount to a separate apartment and as they were both busy men they saw little of each other. He was so calm and dignified that I could see he was making a good impression.

I was asked about my last meeting with Julia and why I had gone to see her on that day. I said we had been brought up together and saw each other frequently. Had we discussed her brother and why anyone should seek to kill him? I said he had been mentioned and she had told me that he was out and she looked forward to having a chat with him when he came home that evening.

I was relieved when it was over.

Charles was the main witness for he had been the one to find her. He explained quietly and with great sadness how he had been living in the house of his sister and brother-in-law since a fire had destroyed his home. He had been out all the afternoon and when he had returned it was to find her dead in his room.

In due course a verdict was reached. It was: Murder by a person or persons unknown.

Now the investigation would begin in earnest.

I did not see Drake. Grand’mere said it would be dangerous and that if he should be unwise enough to call she would not allow him to see me.

Charles came though. He was above suspicion for the attempt had been made on his life.

Grand’mere came to my room to tell me that he was below.

“I’ll have to see him,” I said.

“Is it necessary?”

“I think so. I have to know what is in his mind.”

So I saw him. We faced each other in the little room where we took clients for discussions. He was subdued, so even he was affected.

When we were alone, he said: “So you thought you could be rid of me. You are indeed a vixen under that calm exterior.”

“I have never been in your rooms.”

“You had the motive. There was nothing you wanted more than to be rid of me. You were with Julia that afternoon. Nobody saw you leave. You know the house. You could have gone into my rooms after leaving Julia. You could have slipped down by means of that back staircase. ”You must have known it was my custom to take a glass of sherry while dressing.”

”I know no such thing.”

“Servants talk. Or you would have guessed I should be at that decanter some time. My dear Lenore, no one had a greater motive than you. I was going to make trouble for you and your lover. It was a clumsy attempt, my dear. And what he wanted more than anything was to be rid of Julia. I believe he even wanted a divorce. It could have worked, you know. But Julia came there and saw the decanter… something she could never resist. You should have been more subtle, though. Fancy using a poison which could be detected immediately. How did you expect to get away with that?”

“You talk as if …”

“That is how they will talk to you, Lenore. You will be suspected, you know, once the real investigation begins. You wanted to be rid of me, didn’t you?”

“You are talking arrant nonsense.”

“It seems to fit the case. Who wanted me out of the way? You! Who wanted Julia out of the way? Drake and you. Looking forward, both of you, I suppose, to the days when there would be no need for secret meetings in Parsons Road. You can be together under the cloak of respectability, and perhaps no one will ever know what you had to do to reach that happy state.”

“How dare you say such things?”

“I merely state the obvious.”

“Charles, go away. I shall tell the truth when I am asked. I visited Julia. I went straight in and came straight out by way of the main staircase. I have never been to your rooms and I have no knowledge of poisons.”

“No? Perhaps that is why you were so clumsy. Where did you get it? A little arsenic … They say you get it from fly papers. I believe there is a weed killer which can be very effective.”

“Please go away.”

“In my own time. Was that what you were planning in Number 12 Parsons Road? Did Nanny give her darling a few hints? Perhaps she provided the fly papers … or the weed killer? Nannies are so full of unexpected wisdom.”

“Go away! Go away!” I cried.

”You are not being your usual clever self. Think what I know. I could put a rope round your neck, my sweet Lenore … and perhaps one day your lover’s too.”

”I will listen to no more of this wicked talk.”

“Well, I will say au revoir. I will thank you for your warm welcome and your lavish hospitality. 1 shall be back to see you, Lenore. Who knows, we may be able to work something out together.”

Trembling with apprehension, I shut the door after him and sank down, covering my face with my hands. I wanted to shut out all thought of him. I wanted to forget this shocking tragedy which threatened Drake and me … and everyone connected with us.

I did not trust Charles. There were secrets in his eyes. I knew that he would have no compunction in destroying me.

I awoke in the morning to a feeling of dread. I was so pleased Katie was now in Paris. At least I did not have to worry about her.

I knew that questions would be asked. I knew, too, that there was a great deal of gossip. The servants looked at me almost furtively, as though they were summing up the situation and finding me the centre of the storm.

There is little our servants do not know about us. They are like private detectives … aware of every movement we make, ears strained for revealing conversations; and there is communication between the houses of friends whose servants are acquainted with each other.

It was well known that Drake and Julia had not got on well together. Many an outburst must have been overheard; and since the musical evening everyone was aware of my friendship with Drake.

The most sensational inferences were always put on these matters. I could sense that between them all, they had come to the conclusion that Drake and I were lovers whose aim it was to get rid of Julia. So Julia had died. True, she had taken drink which was meant for her brother, but nevertheless she had died and that was exactly what they believed Drake and I wanted.