Death at the Wedding Feast Part 8

*That's all you know.'

*Ladies, please,' said Elizabeth. *I do not think the dinner table a suitable place for such a conversation. Let us reserve it for when we are in private.'

Miranda shot a look in John's direction and said, *Of course. How remiss of me. Gentlemen present and all that.'

*Yes,' John answered. *I am very much present and intend to remain so for some while. When are you getting married, Miss Tremayne?'

*In six weeks' time. The invitations are about to be sent out.'

*I shall look forward to receiving mine.' This from Elizabeth.

*Before then we are giving a betrothal party. Everyone will be there. You must come, Marchesa. And you too, Mr Rawlings.'

For the first time since the Apothecary had arrived, Miranda said something without a sarcastic undertone. Indeed she momentarily looked like an excited child as she glanced from one to the other, her eyes on fire with excitement.

*I must go to the manteau makers in Exeter,' Elizabeth said promptly. *I have nothing to wear at all.'

John glanced at her, noting her figure, which was rapidly restoring itself to its pre-pregnancy suppleness. *Well I have brought a great trunk packed with clothes for both day and night,' he said. *I am sure something will be suitable.'

Elizabeth looked at him, smiling. *So you've come in your own coach? In other words, Rose has accompanied you.'

*Yes,' he said, *and also Sir Gabriel Kent, who is very old now and was so anxious to know the twins.'

*How lovely,' she answered. *It will be a pleasure to see him again.' She smiled round at the others. *You really must meet Rose, John's little girl. She is quite adorable.'

*Just like her father,' said Miranda, and once more her eyes were full of sarcasm.

After the two visitors had left, John and Elizabeth withdrew to the Blue Drawing Room for a few moments, then crept up to the nursery. The Apothecary felt as if his heart would shatter as he looked at the two small faces, fast asleep, so innocent, yet to learn the wicked ways of the weary world. *Oh, how I am going to miss them as they grow older,' he said with a deep sigh. *Elizabeth, could you not change your mind about coming to live in London?'

She laughed humourlessly. *And give up this house and this glorious countryside? Never. But surely it would be easier for you to move to Devon?'

*In a way it would. But my life is in London. My shop is there and now my new business is taking off I would be loath to leave.'

*And there we have our situation in a nutsh.e.l.l. Both of us have our feet firmly planted in the place in which we feel comfortable. But why are you worried, John? You can come here regularly. You shall not miss the boys growing up.'

*I would rather be dead than do so. And what of you, sweetheart? Has the arrival of the twins filled the emptiness in your heart?'

She turned to him and he held her close, both arms round her, smelling the glorious scent which she carried with her everywhere, unique to her and her alone.

*Yes, it has. They are the gift of my middle years. They shall have everything that it is in my power to give them.'

*But you're not to spoil them.'

*That I will never do.'

And he knew it was true. She had too much fire, too much strength to let her boys turn into idle wastrels. John's thoughts went briefly to the sc.r.a.pping pair in The Blackamore's Head a George Beauvoir and Freddy Warwick a and thought what a couple of useless fellows they were, particularly George, whom the Apothecary considered to be extremely obnoxious.

Elizabeth misread his silence. *You don't believe me, do you? I can a.s.sure you that I will keep them under control.'

Thinking of her first child, Frederico, and his terrible end, John decided that it was his duty to do all he could to a.s.sist in the bringing up of his twin sons. But the perfume of Elizabeth was in his nostrils and the delight of her was in his arms. So he did what any red-blooded man would do and kissed her warmly and lengthily, and temporarily forgot about everything else.

The next day Sir Gabriel and Rose moved into Withycombe House. The first thing Rose did was rush to the nursery where she discovered James and Jasper awake, looking at her with their blue eyes which were already turning to a somewhat darker shade.

*Oh, you two imps,' she said, as she leant over their cribs, *how I love you and how I shall always love you, even if you go far away from me.'

*Why? Are they thinking of leaving the country?' asked Sir Gabriel, who had mounted the great staircase grandly with much use of his cane, which he had tied with two blue ribbons as a token of his esteem.

She turned to her grandfather and winked. *Who knows?' she said, giving him her special smile.

Sir Gabriel did not believe in any such nonsense as second sight, but for all that he could not resist his granddaughter, whom he loved with all his heart. Now he put his hand in hers and let her lead him to the two cribs in which lay two identical babies. Sir Gabriel bent over them and one a he never knew which a stretched up a minute hand and pulled at his immense wig.

*Oh Jasper, how naughty,' said Rose. *You must be more respectful to Grandfather.'

*How did you know that was Jasper?' Sir Gabriel asked, astonished.

*I didn't. But it worked, did it not?'

And they both watched as the tiny fingers disentangled themselves from the horsehair and returned to lie peacefully on the blanket.

Sir Gabriel shook his head. *What fine, fine boys. I never imagined such a thing possible.'

*Why was that, Grandpapa?'

He looked a trifle embarra.s.sed. *These matters should not be discussed in front of little girls.'

*I see,' she said, and the very tone of her voice told him that she knew as much as he did about the whole affair.

John spoke from the doorway. *For the first time the four most important people in my life are all together.'

Rose raised her finger to her lips. *Hush, Father. Mrs Elizabeth would be most upset if she heard you.'

John glanced guiltily over his shoulder. *Well, she's not in earshot. And you know perfectly well what I mean, Rose. It is a wonderful moment for me to see all my family in one room. So what do you think of them, Father?'

*I think they are strong, healthy lads and one day will do you great credit, John.'

*Shall we go downstairs and drink their health?'

*What a splendid idea. Lead the way.'

But after they had gone Rose sat on a nursery chair and started to croon a strange little lullaby and, unbelievably, the twins began to join in. Not crying but making small sounds to echo their sister's. Eventually, all three of them fell asleep, and that was how the nursery maid found them. The boys quite peaceful in their cots; Rose, red hair spiralling round her head, curled up in the chair, a smile on her face as she dreamed.

Eleven.

A wonderful fortnight ensued, during which the Apothecary spent as much time as was possible with his daughter Rose. It was now high April and the weather typical of the season. Bright, cheerful but boisterous breezes blew amongst the trees, followed by vivid showers. The great house, which stood tall above the River Exe, had rain beating against the windows one minute and the next was full of brilliant suns.h.i.+ne, while rainbows arched high over the river.

John, very much aware that shortly after her birthday at the end of the month Rose would be going to boarding school, determined to make her his favourite companion for these last few weeks that they had together. So while Elizabeth was busy with the twins and Sir Gabriel snoozed in the afternoon suns.h.i.+ne he took her out walking or riding on her pony, while he struggled along beside her on one of Elizabeth's fiercesome mounts. Thus they many times came to the sea and it was then that John taught his daughter how to swim, she battling hard against the persuasive current, the Apothecary holding her securely round the waist but loosening his grip slightly on each occasion. One day when she was concentrating fiercely he let go altogether and she swam for about a yard before she realized that he was no longer holding her and began to flail. But from that time on it was a question of practice, and Rose soon mastered the technique and swam along beside him quite happily. She somehow seemed to ignore the cold, which John found quite piercing, though she emerged on to the beach chatter-toothed and s.h.i.+vering, her thin little body pale, her hair flaming in the sun.

Sir Gabriel meanwhile spent most of the day when awake playing with the twins a that is, when he was allowed into the nursery by the two fierce women who had control of the place. In this way he was rewarded by their first smile a James's a day before Jasper's a and rushed off to fetch Elizabeth to see, whirling through the house, leaning heavily on his great stick. She came back with him and James smiled again, a sight which reduced her to tears before she picked him up and made much of him, handing Sir Gabriel the other twin to hold on his lap, a fact which made the old man weep as well. So everyone was crying when John and Rose walked in, a situation which soon changed to general laughter and happiness for the entire family.

It was a slight surprise to the Apothecary, therefore, when Sir Gabriel said one evening, *It is time I was getting back to Kensington, my boy.'

*Is it, Sir?' asked John, his svelte eyebrow rising. *Why?'

*Fact is, I am being missed. I am frequently a card partner to Lady Bournemouth and she has written to me in quite anxious terms demanding to know when I am returning. Apparently she is playing with Lord Whatlington, a terrible old bore, and she is most persistent to have me back.'

John smiled, picturing this elderly card school and feeling terribly grateful that his father was still applying his mind to it and, moreover, was treasured by its other members. He found himself praying that Sir Gabriel would die in his sleep and not have to wait for death as he grew iller and iller, gaunt white face staring at him from between the sheets.

*So I thought I would ask Irish Tom to drive me back in two days' time.'

John stared at him. *But who will go with you?'

*I shall travel alone, dear boy. What's wrong with that?'

*I don't like the thought of it. In fact I shall accompany you, Sir, if that is agreeable to you.'

*But you are needed here.'

*And I am needed in London as well. I just can't leave Jacquetta Fortune alone to cope with an ever-increasing business. Besides, I need to check on Gideon that he has got the formula correctly. I can't have second-rate water being sold under my name.'

*But what about the babies?'

*They will hardly miss me with all the care and attention they are getting. Anyway I shall only be away a fortnight or so. I have to come back here for various social events.'

*I suppose there is no chance of the Lady Elizabeth . . .'

*Marrying me? Not a hope in h.e.l.l. That is the situation and I have long ago come to terms with it.'

*Poor John.'

*Poor me nothing, Father. The woman has borne my children, lets me use this grand house as if it were my own, lets me share her bed and her life. The one thing she does not want is to be tied down.'

*I somehow thought that being tied would have happened following the birth of twins,' Sir Gabriel answered drily.

*I don't think even that event could tame her spirit. She has already resumed riding and is becoming as beautiful as she was before. Or hadn't you noticed?'

*My dear boy, a woman is as old as she looks, a man is old when he doesn't look any more.'

John chuckled and accepted the mild rebuke with good grace.

The problem was what to do with Rose. John was all for leaving her behind in Devon, where she was always happy to be with Mrs Elizabeth a as she insisted on calling the Marchesa a and now she had the added excitement of twin brothers into the bargain. But when he questioned her, Rose had a strange answer for him.

*Father, I don't want you in any danger by yourself in London.'

*Rose, what possible danger could I get into?'

*Remember what I told you. There's a horrible old woman in a brown bonnet and you must lie flat when you see her. She is coming for you. I swear it.'

And one look at the child's eyes, distressed and wide with fear, told the Apothecary that she was having one of her strange moments of second sight. He took her in his arms to comfort her.

*Sweetheart, I promise you that I will lie flat, even if I have to prostrate myself in the street at the old woman's feet.'

The child giggled, unable to control herself because her father was pulling such terrible faces at her, contorting his features and making monkey grimaces. *Oh stop it,' she said, pus.h.i.+ng him away. *I am serious. You will see.'

Rose was in that terrible state between laughter and tears, and eventually she wept as the only way of proving she was in earnest. John immediately stopped pulling faces and held her close, rea.s.suring her that whatever evil was after him he would take adequate precautions to keep it at bay. Eventually she quietened down and asked how long he would be away.

*Two weeks at the most, darling. But I really rather need you to look after the boys for me.'

She nodded very seriously. *They talk to me, you know.'

*How do they do that?'

*We have our own language. And we sing together too.'

The Apothecary asked no more, but within his heart he felt a warm glow at the thought of his twin boys in chorus with his strange, witchy little girl.

Going at a leisurely pace that he found rather irksome, John arrived in London three days later. First he took Sir Gabriel to Kensington, only to be met on the doorstep by a large woman, made larger by the huge hoops of her costume which flared out at least three feet on either side of her skirt. These were worn far less by the younger fas.h.i.+onable set, who regarded them as *full dress', and had cast them aside in favour of side hoops. But this formidable dame clung to the fas.h.i.+ons of yesteryear, and she also clung to Sir Gabriel's arm.

*Oh my dear, you are returned,' she gasped. *Now at last we can have a decent card school.'

John's father was at his most elegant. He bowed low then kissed the lady's hand. *My dear Lady Bournemouth,' he answered. *How very nice to see you again. Did you not get my letter telling you I was returning?'

Her heavily rouged cheeks turned even pinker as she said, *No, Sir Gabriel, I received none such.'

John shuffled his feet slightly and his father said, *Madam, may I present my son to you?'

She fluttered, *Oh certainly, Sir Gabriel. Please do.'

*Lady Bournemouth, it gives me extreme pleasure to introduce my heir, John Rawlings.'

The Apothecary bowed low, the epitome of politeness. *Madam, I am most honoured to make your acquaintance.'

*The pleasure is entirely mine. Tell me, young Sir, do you play a fair hand at cards?'

*Reasonable, I suppose. Though nothing like as well as my father.'

*Well, I invite you round to my house this evening. It is one of my little soirees. I had posted an invitation to Sir Gabriel but, of course, he won't have seen that. But now I am here in person to ask you both to attend. Oh do say you'll come.'

As ever John felt a certain sympathy in the presence of the elderly, though he was sure that Lady Bournemouth would have been mortally wounded if she knew John thought of her as such.

*I really ought to get back to my house in London,' he answered somewhat lamely.