Matthew’s eyes were glowing. He could see himself triumphantly reforming the laws of the country. Aunt Amaryllis was looking on with pride. She still grieved for my mother but she had a new son-in-law who had found great favour with Uncle Peter and was already a respected member of the family. Moreover there was Jonnie. Aunt Amaryllis was fast recovering her contentment.
Uncle Peter said: “We have never given Matthew and Helena a present, Amaryllis, have we? I have a suggestion to make. We’re going to give them a house. I have seen a charming one, not a stone’s throw from here. It’s vacant. I passed it today. It’s handy for the House of Commons and a small amount of entertaining. Small dinner parties … nothing very big … we’ll get the right people there. And I am sure your book and your contacts will lessen the difficulties of being selected as a candidate.”
There was a feeling of excitement round the table. I was thinking how clever Uncle Peter was. He was manipulating Matthew. He had already made him his slave. Matthew was a simple young man who really cared about the sufferings of others; he was fundamentally good. He was a perfect tool for Uncle Peter. No one could doubt Matthew’s sincerity and that was going to be very useful to Uncle Peter.
I was wondering what his eventual motives were for there would be motives. He was doing something more than merely helping along the career of his son-in-law. I suspected he was going to use him as his mouthpiece. He himself was barred from Parliament; perhaps he intended Matthew to speak for him.
Uncle Peter was smiling at me. I had a notion that he guessed my thoughts and that they amused him.
About two days later I came face to face with Uncle Peter on the stairs.
He said: “My dear Annora, I want us to have a little talk soon.”
I looked startled.
He went on: “I feel like a sort of guardian. I am your uncle and you are a young woman of property and that means responsibilities … heavy I fear for those young shoulders. It will be a private talk. I tell you what we’ll do. You and I will have luncheon together at my club. Shall we say tomorrow?”
“Thank you, Uncle,” I said. “I should like that.”
It was true. I should. I found him very interesting. I wondered so much about him and I was fascinated by the manner in which he was directing Matthew. Perhaps I could ask him about it if we were alone. I had a feeling that he might be very frank for he knew I understood certain things about him.
At dinner that night he told Aunt Amaryllis he was going to take me to luncheon at his club.
Aunt Amaryllis beamed. “That will be lovely for you, Annora,” she said and she sent one of those adoring looks in her husband’s direction. I knew she was thinking what a wonderful man he was. He was making Matthew and Helena so happy. He was such a good father as well as a perfect husband.
His dignified carriage took us to the club. There he introduced me to several members as his niece who was on a visit to London from Cornwall.
A secluded table was found for us and he ordered what he thought I should like.
He smiled at me across the table and said: “This is pleasant. I feel there are certain things we have to say to each other. My dear child, I know you are very sad at this moment. You have lost those who were very dear to you and you thought you would rush into marriage … and then you decided against it. You are rather bewildered, are you not? You don’t know quite what comes next. Moreover, you have inherited a big estate which will have to be administered. You have a good man there, I believe?”
I nodded.
“But, of course, you will have to return in due course. I was very fond of your mother, very fond indeed. At one point, I might have married her.”
“She was always in love with my father.”
“This was before your father’s return. He was in Australia serving his sentence. He had been sent away for seven years and your mother was only a child when he went. Moreover she had married …”
“I know the story. Her first husband was an invalid and he died.”
“And your father came back.”
I looked at him steadily. “She did tell me about the blackmail.”
“An interesting situation. There have been many cases of blackmail. I don’t know how many there have been of double blackmail.”
“Not so many, I suppose.”
“And I suppose you think me something of a villain. That’s what I want to talk to you about. I want to explain a good many things. You see, I admired your mother more than any woman I know. She was strong and passionate about life. She knew how to live.” He must have guessed my thoughts again for he went on quickly: “Oh, don’t think I am disparaging your Aunt Amaryllis in any way. I knew at once that she was the one for me. She has been the perfect wife. I love her dearly. Yes, Amaryllis was the one for me. I chose her because she was the sort of wife I needed. I saw that immediately.”
“You seem to see everything. There was one thing though. You didn’t see that Joe Cresswell would expose you.”
“No. I did not see that.”
“You should have … after what you had done to his father. People don’t just allow others to treat them like that.”
“I misjudged Joe. I thought he was spineless like his father. But he had something. Not enough though. Did you know they have moved to the North … the whole family? They have some business up there. Well, they chose the way they have gone … as we all do.”
“They were ruined.”
“They ruined themselves. It would have blown over. They lacked the good sense and courage to stay and fight it out.”
“As you did.”
“Yes, as I did. That is what I want to talk to you about, Annora. I want to help you get out of this slough of despondency into which you have fallen. You are so young, dear girl. Your whole life is before you. I do fully understand your feelings. To lose them all at one blow … It was shattering. And then all that it entailed. You found the estate was yours and you thought you would marry. He would have been a good husband, I think. What little I have seen of him would indicate that. But right at the eleventh hour you decided against it. Well, you know your own mind. But I think you hanker after him. Do you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think, in your circumstances, a strong man to stand beside you would not come amiss. I think perhaps you will change your mind and marry Rolf Hanson after all.”
I was silent.
“My dearest Annora, you cannot go on mourning forever. That is not the way to live. You must look for happiness. That is the real success in life … to be happy.”
“It is strange to hear you say that. I should have thought for you it was money and power.”
“You’re right. But power and money … that is my happiness. Some people look in other directions. To get what you want. That is success, and you won’t achieve it by giving way.”
“I know you like to manipulate people. Are you thinking of doing that with me?”
He shook his head. “What I want to do for you is put you on the right road. I have seen you looking at me in a questioning manner. You are wondering about me, aren’t you? You think I am a wicked man, worldly, cynical, power-seeking, ruthless. Perhaps you are right, but I do fancy that you have a sneaking liking for me which will not be suppressed.”
I could not help smiling. He had described exactly what I felt.
“True?” he asked.
“Well … perhaps.”
He nodded. “I knew. And you are nearly right. I don’t like to see you drooping, fading away, suppressing your personality, drowning in your sorrows. Stand up and face them, Annora. You see how I’ve done it. I want you to take a lesson from me. You would have thought, wouldn’t you, that when the news broke about my business, I should have been finished. A great many men would have been. Look at Joseph Cresswell slinking away with his tail between his legs. No. I saw I had to stand my ground and I did … and I got by.”