The Black Swan

“I looked out of the window. The man was sitting there. As I looked he rose and bowed to me. I saw his hair... clearly. I saw the scar on his cheek.”

“No!”

“I swear I did.”

“You must have imagined it. Did anyone else see it?”

“No.”

“You were alone then?”

“Roland was with me. He came to the window... and there was no one there.”

“It’s very odd.”

“I know what you are going to say. It is what everyone says, I imagined it.”

“How could it have been otherwise? Just suppose it was Fergus O’Neill and he had a twin brother who looked exactly like him. Either the wrong brother had been hanged or, if there was no brother, Fergus himself had come back from the grave to haunt you. That’s the only logical explanation. I could understand something like this if it were in London. But how would he come down to Manorleigh... change into his opera cloak and hat... walk from the station? It just doesn’t make sense.”

“No. I think it was that which finally decided Roland that we must get away.”

“And you propose to go to Yorkshire?”

“They are looking for a house. I was going with them, but when I heard that you were back I had to come here.”

He took my hand and held it fast. “Lucie,” he said, “what are we going to do?”

“What can we do?”

“We could drop everything... and go away.”

I shook my head.

“You mean you are going to stay with him?”

“I married him.”

“Is that absolutely irrevocable?”

“I think so, Joel.”

“Then what is there for us?”

“For you a great career in politics. This affair of the kidnapping could turn out to be good for you in the long run. My father would have said so.”

“How can it be called good for me if it has lost me you?”

“You will recover from that. You will have a great career in Parliament.”

“I came back for you. I am not going to stand by and accept what has been dealt out to me.”

“We have to. I married Roland-because it seemed the best thing for me at the time. It was selfish perhaps. I didn’t think I was using him, because I thought I had lost the one I really cared for. But I suppose I was. I took that step and there isn’t any turning back. Joel, you will have to forget me. I think we should not see each other again. You must go on with your career. It will be a brilliant one. My father always thought highly of you and he knew. We wanted so much to be together ... we planned to be together... but fate decided otherwise. We have to accept what is, Joel.”

“I don’t,” he said. “I can never forget what we planned together... what should have been. You should have waited for me, Lucie.”

“If only I had known! How wonderful it would have been. I loved my father dearly, you know. I was staggering from that blow when I was dealt the other. I had lost you both... the two I cared most for ... the two who cared the most about me. I was bereft. I had to make a new start. Everyone said so. I had to grow away from so much tragedy... and when Roland came along he seemed to offer a way out.”

“Now that you tell me, I understand. And Roland... you are fond of him, are you?”

“I like him very much. He is a good man. He has always been kind and tender to me.”

He winced. “I want to know more about him,” he said.

“He is devoted to his sister Phillida. She, too, has been a good friend to me. Yes, I am fond of them both. Roland has an office in London. He doesn’t seem to work very much. Now and then he has to go to Yorkshire... but he has been mainly in London.”

“And you were in France together?”

“Yes, for just over a month.”

“Where is his office?”

“I have never been to it. I think he mentioned Marcus Court... somewhere in the City.”

“I see... and does he have a place in Yorkshire?”

“No. They call the London house a pied-à-terre, but there isn’t a house in Yorkshire now. That’s why he and Phillida are there. They are looking for a suitable place to buy and then we were all going to live there.”

“I see. So you intend to abandon Manor Grange?”

“Oh, no. I shall keep it. Roland did suggest selling it after the fire.”

“Fire?”

I told him what had happened and he looked very concerned.

“You might have been burned to death!”

“That’s what they said at the time. But it woke me immediately. I was in no real danger.”

He was staring straight ahead.

I said, “I suppose we should go. They’ll be wondering where I am.”

“Not yet,” he said.

We were silent for a few moments. Then he said, “We could leave everything. We could go away together.”

“I couldn’t do it, Joel. I couldn’t do that to Roland.”

“So you really do care for him.”

“It wouldn’t be right. He has done so much for me. When I needed help he was there. I’ve got to accept what happened, Joel, and so have you. What you are suggesting is wrong. I have the temptation... just as you have. It’s what I want ... to be with you always... but it can’t be. You’ve got to go on and become a prominent politician... and I have to go on being Roland’s wife.”