Celeste and I were behind the scenes most of the time, helping to fix up the tableaux. Belinda was running round in a state of excitement. Lucie was equally thrilled. Their dresses were identical. They wore white satin trimmed with lace and round their heads were mauve anemones. They looked very attractive.
The first scene, with the Queen in her dressing gown receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain to be told she was Queen, was a great success. It was really quite effective with the Lord Chamberlain kissing her hand and the Archbishop standing by preparing to do the same. The coronation was even more grand but the scene which won the most applause was the royal wedding—the Queen, her husband beside her and her attendants … among them Belinda and Lucie, who, because of their connection with the Member, were placed in prominent positions.
The applause rang out. The curtain was lowered and the tableau came to life with the participants coming forward to take their bows.
Belinda’s eyes sparkled. I knew how hard she found it to stand still and I thought she was going to leap in the air at any moment.
She smiled and bowed and waved to the audience which delighted them.
All that evening she could talk of nothing but the part she had played on the stage. She made us all laugh when she said: “I was afraid my enemies were going to fall off my head. Lucie’s nearly did, too.”
“They are anemones,” Lucie corrected her.
Belinda could never accept that she was wrong. “Mine were enemies,” she said.
They were starry-eyed when I said goodnight to them.
“Actresses are on the stage,” said Belinda. “When I grow up I am going to be one of them.”
Belinda’s desire to be an actress lasted for some weeks. It was dressing up which appealed to her. One day I found her in my room trying on a hat of mine and a short coat. I couldn’t help being amused. She wanted to go down to the kitchen and show them and I allowed her to do this.
“I am Miss Rebecca Mandeville,” she announced in haughty tones which were unlike any I was likely to use. “I have just had my London season.”
They were all highly amused.
Mrs. Emery, seated at the head of the table, for they were all having tea, said she was a real caution. Jane, the parlormaid, clapped her hands and soon they were all doing the same. Belinda stood in the middle of the kitchen bowing and kissing her hands to them. Then she flounced off.
“A regular little Madam, that one,” said Mrs. Emery. “You have to watch her though. She’s up to tricks … and she drags that Miss Lucie with her.”
Leah, who had watched the little show, tried to suppress the pride she felt in her charge. I had long ago guessed that Belinda was her favorite. I supposed her exuberant personality was certain to make her outstanding; and then there was the fact that Belinda was the daughter of the house whereas Lucie was a foundling whom, in a rather eccentric manner, I had been allowed to adopt by my rather unconventional grandparents.
I suppose Lucie was aware of this too. I must make her understand that she was as important to me at any rate as my half-sister Belinda.
Her successful impersonation of me must have aroused the desire in Belinda to attempt further success and she announced that she and Lucie were going to do a tableau for us but there would be talking in this one. We must all go to the kitchen and wait there.
I was very glad afterwards that Celeste was unable to come. She was visiting the agent’s wife which was a duty she had rather reluctantly to perform.
However it worked out for the best on this occasion.
The servants were all laughing together as we arranged ourselves in the chairs, Mrs. Emery, hands folded in bombazine lap next to me with Leah and Miss Stringer on the other side.
I felt a twinge of alarm when the children burst in, for Belinda was wearing a top hat and a morning coat which had obviously been taken from Benedict’s wardrobe. She really did look incongruous. I was wondering what was coming next and whether we should have to put a stop to this intrusion into people’s rooms.
And there was Lucie, her hair pinned up on top of her head, strangely unlike herself in one of Celeste’s elegant gowns which trailed along the floor and hung on her like a sack.
There was silence.
“I am your Member of Parliament,” announced Belinda. “And you have to do what I say … I have a big house in London which would be too good for any of you, because I have grand servants there … and we have important people coming. The Prime Minister and the Queen sometimes … when I ask her.” Lucie came forward. “Go away,” went on Belinda. “I don’t want you. I don’t like you very much. I like Belinda’s mother. I go to see her in the locked room. That’s why I don’t want you.”
Miss Stringer half rose in her seat. Leah had turned pale. Mrs. Emery was staring open-mouthed and I heard Jane mutter something under her breath.
I was terrified of what Belinda would say next.
I stood up and went to her.
“Take those things off at once,” I said. “Both of you. Go and put them back where you took them from. You are never … never to take clothes from other people’s wardrobes. You have some things which you have had given you for dressing up. You may use those … and those only.”
Belinda looked at me defiantly.
“It was a good play,” she cried. “It was a true play … like the Queen at her wedding.”
“It was not true,” I said. “It was very silly. Now take them off at once. Leah …”
Leah hurried forward. So did Miss Stringer Leah took Belinda by the hand. Miss Stringer took Lucie’s and they were gone.
There was silence in the kitchen. I turned and followed them upstairs.
I went to see Mrs. Emery in her private sitting room.
“It’s that Miss Belinda,” she said. “There’s no knowing what she’ll do next. She’s got to be watched. She’s got her nose into everything.”
“How does she know about that room?”
“Well, how do they know anything? Little pitchers have long ears and that Miss Belinda’s are ten times as long as normal. Eyes on everything. What’s this? What’s that? And she talked to the maids. I can’t stop the gossiping. They don’t dare do it in front of me but I reckon it’s chitter chatter all the time behind my back.”
“I’m only thankful that Mrs. Lansdon was not here.”
“Yes. That would not have been very nice.”
“Mrs. Emery, how could she have known?”
Mrs. Emery shook her head. “There’s not much that goes on in a house that the maids don’t know about. They see little things … we know how different it is with the French lady than it was with your mother. He worshipped her. They was like one … the two of them. The whole house knew it and when she went it broke him. Then he kept that room.”
“I don’t like it, Mrs. Emery.”
“You’re not the only one, Miss Rebecca. There’s bound to be talk. They’re already saying her ghost is in that room. Orders is that I’m the only one that’s to go in. That’s all very well, but to tell you frank like, I’d never be able to get any of the others to go in … not alone by any road. I reckon if we had that door open and things moved out and changed round a bit … it would be a lot better. It’s like a shrine, Miss Rebecca … and people gets ideas when there’s that sort of thing in a house.”
“You’re right, Mrs. Emery, but what can we do about it?”
“Well, it’s up to him. If only he’d try to forget her … make a normal life for the present Mrs. Lansdon … you see what I mean.”
“I do see what you mean.”