Free Nicola Cornick by True Colours Page A

Ottery Manor, and the low, rambling building came into view.
    If Mrs Henley was taken aback to receive a visitor when her guests were still at breakfast, she hid it well. Shutting the breakfast parlour door in the frankly curious faces of Mrs Eddington-Buck and her daughter, she drew Alicia into a charming, sunlit drawing-room and settled her in a chair by the fire. Her shrewd brown eyes appraised Alicia’s face with concern.
    ‘You look a trifle out of curl this morning, Lady Carberry, if I dare say so,’ she ventured at last. ‘I am so very sorry we were not able to return for you in the carriage; indeed, John did try, but the Lilley had burst its banks, and the road was under several feet of water. We were at a loss as to what to do, and Miss Frensham was nearly beside herself with distraction!’ She did not add that Miss Frensham’s usual discretion had deserted her and that her wailed lamentations had added immeasurably to a scandal which her guests had been quick to seize upon.
    Alicia looked up, her tired green eyes meeting Mrs Henley’s observant brown ones and seeing nothing but kindness there. The urge to confide in someone was overpowering. Alicia swallowed a lump in her throat.
    ‘Oh, my dear ma’am, do not apologise! The fault was all mine for thinking it best to send Miss Frensham on ahead, although—’ she shuddered ‘—I would hardly have wished to condemn her to a night in that appalling inn! But now Miss Frensham has probably taken a chill anyway, and I have lost my reputation—which is, I suspect, a longer-lasting handicap!’
    It seemed that her granddaughter resembled old Lady Stansfield in plain speaking, Mrs Henley reflected. Certainly Lady Carberry was very likeable, and one could not but sympathise with her predicament. Even so, Mrs Henley hesitated to offer advice and chose to address the easier part of Alicia’s comments first.
    ‘Well, I fear Miss Frensham is rather poorly this morning, my dear. She did not feel able to take any breakfast and has stayed in bed to rest. I expect the news of your arrival will cheer her, though. As foryour own dilemma…’ she took a look at Alicia’s expression and decided to risk it ‘…well, it is rather difficult, is it not?’
    Alicia managed a smile at this masterly piece of understatement whilst still looking despondent. Watching her unconscious grace even whilst she was drooping with tiredness, Mrs Henley felt grateful that her impressionable younger son was not at home. At nineteen he was ripe to fall in love, and Alicia was the perfect romantic heroine.
    ‘You are very welcome to stay here as we had originally planned,’ Mrs Henley ventured, with complete truth, ‘but I fear that it might be rather uncomfortable for you. Mrs Eddington-Buck is an unkind creature, and as for Mrs Evelyn—well…’ She did not need to complete the sentence, for that lady’s lack of discretion was legendary. ‘I imagine,’ Anne Henley said carefully, ‘that they may be capable of inventing all kinds of fascinating tales for public discussion. Not that I do not believe you able to cope with such tabbies, Lady Carberry, but—’
    ‘But it would be poor repayment for your kindness, ma’am, to cause you such trouble,’ Alicia finished. ‘No, I will not stay. If I may trespass on your hospitality further and beg to borrow a carriage, I will continue the journey which was interrupted yesterday. My own vehicle may be ready on the morrow, but I have no wish to delay my business. Miss Frensham may have told you, ma’am, that we were on our way to my father’s house.’
    ‘Indeed, my dear,’ Mrs Henley murmured. Now she was very surprised. To her knowledge, Alicia and her father had not met for seven years.
    ‘Nothing could be simpler than you borrowing a carriage,’ she added, ‘if that is what you wish. And perhaps you are right in thinking that the scandal will die down in your absence. Certainly I will do all I can to squash it. Does the Marquis