Cousin Kate Read online

  Kate had sunk her head in her hands, and she did not raise it. She said, in a voice of suppressed anguish: ‘But what of him? What of him, ma’am? Haven’t you one thought to spare for him?’

  Lady Broome frowned down at her in utter incomprehension. ‘I don’t understand you,’ she said coldly. ‘I must, surely, have told you enough to make you realize that he is never out of my thoughts? I have watched over him, nursed him through all his illnesses, supplied his every want, cosseted him, borne with his odd humours – and you can ask me that! Do you think it has been an easy task? Let me tell you that it is so long since I enjoyed peace of mind that I have forgotten what it was like to go carefree to bed, and to wake in the morning without feeling that there was a heavy cloud hanging over me! My greatest anxiety now is that I may not be able for much longer to hide the truth about him. It was easy enough when he was a child, but he has grown too strong for Badger to overpower. Delabole can do it, but Torquil has become very cunning, and has several times given them both the slip. Neither of them can control him as I can, with no more than a word! When I set out to master him it was with the future in mind: it was imperative that he should stand in awe of me, acquire the habit of obeying me. Childhood’s habits are not easy to shake off, you know. If I could have induced Delabole to be sterner – but he has always been too easy-going, and Badger, of course, merely dotes on Torquil. He’s not afraid of either of them: indeed, he holds them in contempt!’

  Kate said faintly: ‘Does Sir Timothy know the truth?’

  ‘Good God, no!’ Lady Broome exclaimed. ‘I’ve kept them apart as much as I could, so that he shouldn’t guess. I think the shock would kill him! No one knows, except Sidlaw. It was a fortunate circumstance that until about three years ago Torquil was hardly ever out of flannel. He caused me many anxious moments, but Sir Timothy got into the way of thinking of him as invalidish. So did everyone else, and so they might well! What I went through with him – ! I can’t remember any epidemic that passed him by – he even had typhus, and but for me would have died of it! As for the number of times he was laid up with a putrid sore throat, or a heavy cold in the head, to say nothing of his sick headaches, they are past counting! I think only one person is suspicious, and that, I need hardly say, is Sir Timothy’s dear nephew. But he can’t know that Torquil isn’t sane, and although I don’t doubt he would be happy to make mischief I do him the justice to believe that he wouldn’t run the risk of causing his uncle to suffer what might well be a fatal heart-attack unless there was an end to be served. But there is none! While Torquil lives, sane or mad, Philip cannot become Broome of Staplewood. And if Torquil were to father a son Philip would never succeed Sir Timothy!’

  It was several moments before Kate could trust herself to speak. Hot words rose in her throat, but she choked them back. Digging her nails into the palms of her hands, she at last said, with no more than a tremor of indignation shaking her voice: ‘So it was to entrap me into marrying Torquil, whom you knew to be insane, that you invited me to come to Staplewood! And I thought it was so kind of you, ma’am!’

  Lady Broome lifted her eyebrows quizzically. ‘Well, and have I not been kind to you, Kate? Over and over again you’ve said that you wished there was something you could do to repay me, but when I tell you the only thing I want from you, you give back. I hadn’t thought that you would offer me nothing but lip-service. As for entrapping you – what moonshine! Pray, how did I do so? I had no power to force you to come to Staplewood, and I have no power to keep you here. You are free to go whenever you wish.’

  Kate got up. ‘I will go tomorrow, ma’am,’ she said quietly.

  Lady Broome smiled. ‘Certainly – if you have the money to pay the coach-fare! Or do you expect me to frank you?’

  ‘No, ma’am.’

  ‘No? I hope you don’t mean to sell the pearls I gave you!’

  Kate instantly unclasped the necklet, and held it out. ‘Please to take it, ma’am!’

  Lady Broome laughed indulgently, and went to sit down again on the day-bed. She patted it invitingly, and said: ‘Come, dear child! I was only making game of you! If you still wish to go back to London when you’ve heard what I have to say to you, I’ll send you in my own chaise – only not, I think, tomorrow. Such a sudden departure would present a very odd appearance, and give rise to the sort of gossip neither you nor I should like. What, can’t you bring yourself to sit down beside me?’

  ‘I think it is time I left you, ma’am. Pray don’t say any more! It is quite useless to try to persuade me to do what you wish. Indeed, it is worse than useless, for I might be led into saying what would be grossly uncivil, and that I am determined not to do.’

  ‘Well, if you choose to stand – !’ said Lady Broome, shrugging her shoulders. ‘I am not going to try to persuade you; I am merely going to ask you to look at two pictures. The first is what your life will be if you go back to London. You may find another situation – though you weren’t being very successful when I came to offer you a home, were you? What can you earn, as a governess fit only to teach young children the alphabet? Twenty pounds a year? You won’t be able to save much out of that paltry wage to provide for your old age. And when the children grow old enough to be taught accomplishments you will be dismissed, and it will be all to do again – with the little money in your purse dwindling until you are ready to scrub doorsteps only to earn a few shillings to pay your landlady. Do you hope for marriage? Believe me, my dear, men may make up to you, while you keep your looks, but even a tradesman thinks twice before he offers for a penniless woman no longer in the first blush of youth. Yes, it’s an ugly picture, isn’t it?’

  ‘Very ugly, ma’am.’

  ‘Now contrast it with my second picture!’ invited her aunt. ‘It is what life would be like if you married Torquil. You would be rich enough to be able to indulge your whims; you would become, in due course, Lady Broome –’

  ‘Unless Torquil murdered me in one of his rages!’

  ‘I have no fear of that. I should not permit him to be alone with you during the periods when he is liable to take leave of his senses. At all other times he is perfectly tractable. It may well be that if you make him happy he will grow calmer. If not, and he has to be confined, you will be free to amuse yourself as you please. You won’t find me a strict mother-in-law! I shall present you at the outset, of course –’

  ‘And will you present Torquil too, ma’am? Wouldn’t it be rather too exciting for him?’ Kate interrupted sweetly.

  ‘Much too exciting,’ replied Lady Broome. ‘Torquil will be kept at home by a sudden indisposition. In any event, it would not be for me to present him, but for his father to take him to a levée. While it is safe for him to remain at large, you would have to content yourself with no more than brief visits to London, with a female companion: that can easily be arranged. If he gets beyond control, either the West Wing can be made secure, or – and this is something I have had in mind for some time – it might be preferable to acquire a house in one of the quieter watering-places, and to send him there, in Delabole’s charge. Delabole will know how to set about hiring suitable attendants: men who have had experience of looking after mad persons.’

  ‘Oh, stop, ma’am! for God’s sake, stop!’ begged Kate, pressing her hands over her ears. ‘You are talking about your son!’

  ‘My dear child, do you imagine that I mean to send him to Bedlam? He will be perfectly kindly treated, and no money will be spared to make him comfortable. As for you, once you have given Staplewood an heir – why, provided you are discreet, which I don’t doubt you would be, I shall turn a blind eye on any little affaires which you may have!’

  Feeling that if she did not escape she would become hysterical, Kate went hurriedly to the door. Her aunt’s voice followed her. ‘Think carefully before you give me an answer!’ she said.

  Nineteen

  Kate left the room feeling stunn