Halting the flow, I said: “Katie, we are leaving at the end of the week.”
“Oh no, Mama … just when I am having such a good time.”
“All good times come to an end, Katie.”
“They don’t have to … if you don’t let them.”
“We have to go, Katie.”
“The end of the week,” she said blankly; and was downcast for about five minutes.
The next day the carriage came to take her to the chateau again.
That day I went out riding myself. I thought: Two more days and I shall be away from here. I had expected it to be a memorable experience. I had thought so often of my birthplace where my mother had lived and died giving birth to me. But it had been complicated by the Comte. He had cut across my expectations and added something to the adventure.
I was not surprised that day to meet him. I had a fancy that he had lain in wait for me, certain that he would catch me some time.
He rode up to me on his big horse which he had been riding in the woods on the first day we met.
“Good day, Madame Sallonger,” he said. “What a pleasure to find you.”
“Thank you.”
“I heard you are leaving soon.”
“My daughter must have mentioned it.”
“Raoul is desolate.”
“Oh, he will find another playmate.”
“How could he find another Katie? I, too, am desolate.”
“You will soon forget we ever came here.”
“That statement is completely false and you are aware of it.”
“I think you flatter us both.”
“I speak from the heart.” I smiled lightly and he went on earnestly. “I feel we could be good friends … if you would allow that. I have thought a great deal about you since we have met.”
“I am honoured but it seems strange that I should have given you such food for thought.”
“It is quite natural when you consider that you are different from anyone I have ever met.”
“Well, no one person is absolutely like another.”
“Most of them arouse little interest in me.”
“That is because you are self-absorbed.”
“Do you really think that?”
“Perhaps I speak rashly. I know so little of you.”
“I think you would find it interesting to discover more.”
“What a pity I shall not be here to make those discoveries.”
“You could stay, I suppose.”
“I do have my business to attend to.”
“Are there not others who can do that?”
“Naturally I could not stay away indefinitely.”
“I believe you have been eluding me.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Perhaps because you are a little afraid.”
”Are you so formidable?”
“Very, I expect.”
”Perhaps to those who depend on your bounty, but, Monsieur le Comte, I am not in that category.”
“You are afraid of me in a different way. My reputation has been whispered to you. I am the notorious enemy of your fam-fly.”
“I know you are my grandfather’s enemy, but why should his enemies be mine?”
“So … I am your friend?”
“A pleasant acquaintance, shall we say?”
“Is that how you rate me?”
“This is, I believe, our fourth meeting. How could I rate you in any other way?”
“But each has been no ordinary encounter.”
“No. The first time you set your dogs on me, the second you were the gracious host and now we have met by chance… . Oh and there was another when you came uninvited to my father’s house.”
“I shall be sad when you depart.”
“How kind of you to say so,” I said lightly.
“I mean it. Please persuade your father that he must stay another week … and we will meet each day.”
“I fear that it would be a great encroachment on your time … and mine.”
“Stop this banter. You know how affected I am by you. You intrigue me. You are so cool… so sure of yourself… yet I suspect hidden fires within you.”
“You talk of me as though I am a smouldering bonfire.”
“I think I am falling in love with you.”
“Monsieur le Comte is pleased to jest.”
“I never jest about matters which are serious to me. Do you intend to mourn your husband for ever?”
I was silent. I was so much enjoying this encounter with him. It stimulated me. It made me feel young as I had not felt since the days of my marriage with Philip. I wanted to go on with this battle of words. There was an element of danger in it which only added to the excitement. I knew he was an expert in such encounters. He attracted me. I supposed any woman would have been attracted by him. He was so essentially worldly, but perhaps chief of all he emanated power and that, I believe, is an irresistible element of sexual attraction. He was so obviously a man who had been accustomed to having his own way and was adept at getting it. I thought about the frail Evette and all the women to whom he must have made easy and competent love. That he intended to add me to their list had been obvious for some time. That should certainly not be. And yet… I could not resist this flippant interchange. I felt this was a kind of mental seduction—exciting to indulge in, and wise, because there would be no after effects.
Certainly I had very much enjoyed all our encounters.
Then suddenly I thought of Heloise lying in the shallow river. Had it been like this with her in the beginning?
He was saying: “I could show you the way to a new life. Bring you out of the past. I could give you a chance to put all that behind you.”
Was he right? I wondered. Had I lived too long in the past? I might have been Drake’s wife now. I think I might have been happy with Drake. Drake was gallant and kindly, a man one could trust. He would have been a tender husband and a good father to Katie.
Of course the Comte had charmed Katie, but that was superficial charm. He was using Katie as a means of approaching me. How different Drake had been!
“What are you thinking now?” he asked.
“Of returning,” I replied.
“Do you think you will escape me so easily?”
”Escape? Why do you use the term? I am not your prisoner.”
“No,” he said. “It is I who am yours.”
I laughed.
“You are a cruel woman,” he said.
”You did ask that I should be frank. I understand you. I know your motives. I am not one of your village maidens to be carried away by your family crest … nor am I one of those ladies of your acquaintance who make a bid for a title and an ancient chateau. Neither of these things would mean anything to me.”
“And what about their owner?”
“As I said, I hardly know him. He is … an amusing acquaintance.”
“So I do amuse you?”
“You know you do.”
“And you enchant me. You know you do.”
“You are of the world, Monsieur, and so am I. I am not in the first flush of youth. Nor are you. I just want you to know that you are wasting your time in looking for an easy conquest in this direction. There must be plenty of other easier prospects.”
“You misunderstand me.”
“I understand you very well. I will tell you the truth. I have enjoyed our meetings, but I do not attach any significance to them.”
He sighed. “I see how difficult it is to convince you of my feelings.”
“Not difficult at all. I understand perfectly. I shall really have to go back now. I have preparations to make.”
“Suppose I were to ask you and your father to a musical entertainment at the chateau. I could get some well-known musicians to play for us. Do you like music?”