There was Amaryllis sitting close to Peter. She was happy. There were Jonathan and Tamarisk; she was looking at him with something like adoration. I hoped she was not going to care too much for him, for something told me that when Tamarisk loved, it would be most passionately. And Jonathan … he was lightly bantering, mocking her, calling her Gypsy. I felt that nothing would ever touch him deeply. Yet a few moments before he had rushed in to save her. And there was I, bound to a man who, loving as he was, could never give me that which I was beginning to feel would become an ever-increasing need in my life.
Refreshed we went home. My parents were not yet in. They came later. They had had an excellent view of the carriage being drawn by the people. Did not the Duke look magnificent? asked my mother. And hadn’t it been a day to remember?
I retired early. It had become a habit with me. We entertained scarcely at all at Grasslands and Edward should not be up late, said James.
I could not sleep though. I kept thinking of that fearful moment in the crowd when I had thought Tamarisk was going to be trampled underfoot and how Jonathan had snatched her up just in time and brought her back to us.
I went to the window and looked out. I could see the firework displays over the Park and the light of bonfires. And as I stood there, two figures emerged from the house—Peter and Jonathan. I watched them walk down the street together.
It was ten o’clock. I wondered where they were going. But I was tired and soon forgot them. Their nightly outings were no concern of mine.
I went to bed and was soon fast asleep.
I thought Jonathan looked a little disturbed the next morning. This was so unlike his usual nonchalant self that I noticed it immediately.
I asked if he had had a pleasant evening, remembering that I had seen him leave the house in Peter’s company.
He said: “Yes, thanks, Jessica.” But without a great deal of conviction.
I wondered vaguely where he and Peter had been.
I was to discover a few days later.
We were still in Albemarle Street for, although immediately after his ride from Westminster to Hamilton Place the Duke had gone to join the Prince Regent at Portsmouth, he would shortly return to London to take his place in the House of Lords and the celebrations were still going on.
My mother always found a great deal to do in London and she was ready to stay a little longer than we had planned. I was the same, though Amaryllis found it very hard to tear herself away from her baby, but she was happy to be with Peter, whose business detained him here.
I was in the house when a man called asking to see Mr. Jonathan Frenshaw. I saw him arrive. He was a rather seedy looking individual with a somewhat truculent manner, and I wondered what his business could be with Jonathan. They were closetted together for about half an hour before he left, and as he was taking his leave I heard him say: “It must be settled by the fourth of July, Mr. Frenshaw. Not a day later.”
Then I knew that Jonathan was in trouble.
Although I was only two years his senior, I was a married woman and I felt that gave me some authority. I was very fond of Jonathan—it was difficult not to be—but I had always realized that he was the type of young man who could easily slip into trouble. There had already been the affair of the farmer’s daughter. He had skipped out of that by good luck. The girl had merely lost her reputation and he had enhanced his as a rake. That was the only outcome.
It looked to me as though he might be in financial difficulty. Since I had married and had come into a certain inheritance I was by no means poor and might possibly help him.
I called him into the room and said: “Jonathan, are you in difficulties?”
He looked at me in surprise.
“I saw your caller,” I admitted. “I heard what he said about the fourth of July.”
“Oh that,” he said. “A little debt.”
“Are you in difficulties?”
“Not really. It is just a matter of laying my hands on the ready cash.”
“Can I help?”
“You’re a dear girl, Jessica,” he said, “and I love you. But it won’t be necessary. I can raise it in time.”
“How much?”
“Five hundred pounds.”
“Five hundred!”
“Yes … rather a lot. That’s why I can’t get it at once. I can’t understand why there is this rush. Usually people know one has to have time.”
“Was it… ?” I began.
He looked at me shamefacedly. “Gambling,” he said. “I don’t know what my grandfather would say.”
“He’d be horrified.”
“Cut me right out, I reckon. Send me packing … right back to Pettigrew Hall.”
“Sometimes I don’t think you would care.”
“It’s odd. I’ve got fond of the old place. I know you think I’m a waster and all the rest of it… but I believe I should be a tolerably good squire.”
“I think you would, too.”
“But I won’t be if Grandpapa hears of this.”
“How could you lose so much money?”
“How indeed? The stakes get higher. One is carried away. A sense of bravado… and one believes one’s luck will turn.”
“You’re a gambler.”
“Do you know, I haven’t touched it before. Just the odd bet or two. Nothing really.”
“I guess you were tempted because your grandfather is so set against it.”
“Is that it, do you think?”
“I know how your mind works.”
“Then you are cleverer than I.”
“Oh Jonathan,” I said, “he mustn’t hear of this. You’ve got to find that money and that has to be the end of it.”
“It will be. I have suddenly realized how I should feel if I had to leave Eversleigh. And the chances are that I shall be sent packing if the news of my misconduct reached the old man’s ears.”
“He can be very firm,” I said.
“Don’t I know it.”
“Did you go … with Peter?”
“Yes. Peter knows London. He took me to this place. He left me there.”
“Didn’t he gamble?”
“I don’t think he’s the gambling sort.”
“Yet he took you there!”
“Oh, he knows about the London haunts. He’s a club man. We got talking about it and he said if I wanted to look in at any time he’d show me. He’s too wise to gamble himself, I suppose. Of course I thought I was going to make a pile. Peter … he’s the businessman. Finger in all pies and when he draws it out, profits are clinging to that probing finger. I bet if he sat down at the tables Lady Luck would come to him.”
“We’ve got to think what you’re going to do,” I said. “Five hundred is rather a lot. It was a pity you didn’t stop before you lost so much.”
“How often have those wise words been used?”
“Well, we have to find that money, pay the debt and prevent this reaching my father’s ears.”
“First find the money.”
“If only it wasn’t quite so much.”
The door burst open and Tamarisk stood there, her cheeks scarlet, her eyes blazing.
“I’ll sell Enderby,” she said. “I can. It’s mine.”
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
“The money,” she said.
“You’ve been listening at the door.”
“Of course.”
“Tamarisk, that’s a very unpleasant habit.”
“It’s the way to get to know.”
“You should never do it.”
“I always do it.” She ran to Jonathan and seized the lapels of his coat. “Don’t worry. You shall have the money. Enderby’s worth more than five hundred pounds and there is all the furniture in it. That’s worth a lot.”