Free The House at Bell Orchard by Sylvia Thorpe Page B

to this artless recital, found that it did not pain her as it would have done only a short time before, though it puzzled her a good deal. If there was this coolness between the two families, why were the Wychwoods exerting themselves to offer friendship to her? Was Sir Piers’ absence today an indication that, in doing so, his mother and sister were going against his wishes? The thought caused her to feel a totally illogical pang of dismay.
    “I trust,” she said carefully after a moment, “that your brother does not, for that reason, look with disfavour upon this visit to his house by Mrs. Fenshawe and myself. I would not wish to be the cause of any further differences between you.”
    Dorothy gave her irrepressible chuckle. “My dear, there is not the least likelihood of that! It was Piers himself who suggested that Mama and I should call upon you the other day. He hopes, I think, that you and I may soon become friends, and, for my part, I should like to believe that he is right.”
    “I hope so, indeed!” Charmian replied earnestly. She did not pause to question Sir Piers’ motive for desiring such a friendship. It could not be the same as Colonel Fenshawe’s, since he could know nothing whatsoever of her circumstances. “The truth is, Miss Wychwood, that my friends are very few.”
    She tried to speak lightly, but the effort was not altogether successful, and on a sudden impulse Dorothy caught the other girl’s hand in her own.
    “I am sorry,” she exclaimed, “but you must not feel that now, you know! I am sure that we are all going to be the best of friends.”
    “Are we?” Charmian halted and turned to face her, speaking with an intensity which startled her companion. “You do not know what it would mean to me to believe that!”
    “Of course you may believe it,” Dorothy replied reassuringly. She could see that Charmian was deeply agitated, and felt somewhat at a loss, for the conversation had taken a turn she had not expected. So it was with a relief that she saw her brother coming down the steps from the upper terrace, and beckoned imperiously to him to join them.
    He came up, doffing his hat and bowing in response to Charmian’s somewhat flustered curtsy, and expressed his regret that he had not been at home to greet the visitors when they arrived. Dorothy, ignoring this, said with forced gaiety:
    “I have been trying to convince Miss Tarrant, Piers, that we are all going to become very good friends, but I am not sure that she believes me. Come, add your assurances to mine!”
    Charmian flushed scarlet with embarrassment, and Piers directed a quelling glance at Dorothy which did not appear to leave her unduly chastened.
    “That, surely, is for Miss Tarrant to decide,” he said calmly, and turned to Charmian, adding with a smile: “My sister, ma’am, expresses a hope which I share, but she does so, it seems, with more goodwill than delicacy. You must not feel that you are under any obligation to regard us as your friends.”
    “The obligation, sir, is wholly mine,” she replied in a low voice. “I am already indebted to you for your kindness at our first meeting, for which I fear I did not properly thank you.”
    She looked up. at him as she spoke, and he was struck once again by the sadness in her face. This time, however, he thought to read something else in her eyes—a shadow of fear, a tentative appeal for help? He could not be sure, for their glances met for a moment only, and then her eyes were demurely lowered once more and he could no longer see their expression.
    “There is no need to thank me, Miss Tarrant,” he said quietly. “It was a privilege to be of service to you, and pray believe that you may command my help at any time, should the need arise.”
    The words were commonplace enough, yet Charmian felt instinctively that this man said nothing unless he sincerely meant it, and the conviction brought with it a tiny shred of comfort. Dorothy, looking from one to the other,