The Black Swan

“You like Bobby, don’t you, Lucie?”

“Yes, I do. I have one fear though.”

“What’s that?” ?

“That he is too good for you.”

She laughed at me and then went on to talk of her plans. “We shall be married with the minimum of delay. I expect it will be in London. Celeste can arrange it. It could hardly be here. So many people don’t know mon pere has a daughter, whereas Celeste is my aunt. Bobby is coming back as soon as he can and then we’ll make the arrangements. One thing we are both determined on. It is going to be soon.”

After she had gone I lay in bed, feeling, I must admit, a little bitter. Here was Belinda with life flowing so smoothly for her; and I had lost not only my beloved father, but the man I had believed I was going to marry.

Poor sad Lucie... and lucky Belinda.

It was ironical that the next morning the blow should fall. It came with a letter from Celeste.

“My dear Lucie,” she wrote,

Gerald Greenham has returned home. I am afraid the news is bad. There seems to be no doubt that Joel is dead. Gerald has found proof. Apparently Joel and James Hunter were set upon when they left the meeting and the hotel. They were robbed and must have put up a fight for they were killed by the robbers. They were traced by a ring James Hunter was wearing at the time. It is rather an unusual one and the authorities have a description of it. Apparently it is a family heirloom-plain gold with an inscription inside. In the family it was considered a sort of talisman. James was pressed to take it by his mother before he went on the mission. I am afraid, dear Lucie, there cannot be any doubt.

Gerald is home. The family is very sad. Don’t write to them. It will only distress them more. They have asked me to tell you what has happened. It is very sad. The robbers have been caught and were sentenced to death. They confessed ... so you see it is true.

I don’t know how you feel. Perhaps it would be better for you to stay in France for a while. It might be easier for you there. There would be so much to remind you here.

It is for you to decide. Rest assured I want you to do everything that is easier for you. You are young and will grow away from the tragedy ... in time. God bless you.

With my love and thoughts,

Celeste

I did not want to speak to anyone. I took an opportunity of escaping. I went out and sat some little distance from the lake, watching the swans as they sailed majestically across the lake. I fancied Diable was keeping a watchful eye on me. They looked beautiful, so graceful, so much a part of the idyllic scene. Who would believe that the beautiful creature could suddenly be a symbol of hatred? Yet it was so.

But then who would have believed that a comparatively short time ago my life was happy and contented and I saw before me a continuation of that contentment, and that it had changed drastically.

I sat for a long time looking over the lake.

I did not mention Celeste’s letter. I could not bring myself to talk of Joel. Belinda continued in her euphoric state and naturally did not notice my sadness. I would sit listening to her talking incessantly about plans for the wedding, of the ancestral home which she had yet to see, of the honeymoon which would be of her choosing. Venice, she thought. A romantic city. Or perhaps Florence. Italy certainly. “Mon pere is very helpful,” she told me. “He has made discreet inquiries about Bobby’s standing and background... financial status and all that, and apparently everything is impeccable and suitable, even to his French mind.”

“How conveniently wonderful,” I murmured, but I was thinking all the time of Joel... leaving the others... and going off with James Hunter ... to death.