The Black Swan

Roland said he did not mind what sort of wedding it was as long as it took place. When Belinda heard that I was to be married she and Bobby paid a flying visit to Manor Grange.

Her marriage appeared to have been very successful. She had grown even more attractive. She had acquired some very fashionable and beautiful clothes, was as vivacious as ever and had thoroughly enslaved Bobby.

“Marriage suits you,” I told her.

“I made up my mind that it should.”

“Bobby is charming.”

“He’s rather a pet and it is all such fun. He has the most fantastic house in the country... you’re coming to stay... you and Roland. Mind you, between ourselves, I found the country a trifle dull. I’m persuading Bobby to buy a house in London... and we shall be there most of the time.”

“Bobby has agreed, has he?”

“Bobby always agrees.”

“I can see why the marriage is so successful.”

“Now don’t be acerbic. Is that the right word? You would know, you old sober sides.

I never thought you’d get married.

But now there is this nice Roland. Celeste says he is very charming and suitable. He comes from Yorkshire, doesn’t he? Does that mean you’ll live in Yorkshire? I hope not. It’s much too far away.”

“Roland is mostly in London and he and his sister have a little pied-à-terre. He doesn’t have to go to Yorkshire so very often. So I expect we shall be round about here most of the time.”

“A house in London, I suppose, and Manor Grange as the country residence. Well, it’s yours anyway. Lucky old Roland, to marry an heiress.”

That remark upset me a little. I was sure Roland hadn’t thought of me as an heiress. He knew little of my affairs and had never asked. All the same... Belinda had planted an uneasy thought in my mind. Trust Belinda to introduce an unpleasant note! “Are you going to have a grand wedding?” she asked.

“No. A quiet one.”

Belinda grimaced.

“I should have thought that... with all your money... you would have wanted something really grand.”

“We are not all as ostentatious as you like to be,” I reminded her. She laughed. “I recommend Venice for the honeymoon. Ours was wonderful. But I expect you would prefer Florence. Dante and Beatrice and all that. It was all there, wasn’t it?”

“We have not decided yet.”

“Well, you should. It’s such fun planning. I am wondering what to wear for this wedding.”

“That should keep you occupied for a while.”

She laughed and gave me an affectionate push. “Honestly, Lucie. I never really thought you’d make it. You never set out to attract men and they do like to be chased, you know.”

“I thought they were supposed to do the chasing.”

“That shows how little you know of the world.”

It was amusing talking to her as always, and I was glad she would be there. It was unfortunate that Jean Pascal had come back with her.

Celeste told me that he had asked all sorts of questions about Roland.

“It is not his affair,” I protested.

“He says he feels a certain responsibility for you ... as he does for Belinda.”

“Well, there is no need.”

I hoped he would not approach me, but he did. He caught me when I was alone.

“So,” he said, “you are going to be married!”

“Yes.”

“I feel considerably jealous of my successful rival.”

“It was never a matter of rivalry.”

“You made that clear to me. I should be very hurt with you. But I do really care for you, Lucie, and I want to assure myself that all is well.”

“Then I can assure you that all is well.”

“This man... your fiancé ... he seems to have come out of the blue, as it were.

He was on the Channel ferry; he was in France. Is that all you know of his background?”

“I know what I wish to know,” I replied. “Really you must not concern yourself.”

“But I do. You see, you are Celeste’s stepdaughter and that makes some sort of relationship between us, doesn’t it? Who is going to look after you if I don’t? Rebecca’s husband? Well, he is far away in Cornwall.”

“Why do you think I need a masculine protector?”

“Most women have one. If your father were alive ...”

“But he is not, and I assure you that I do not need your protection.”

He bowed his head and then lifted his shoulders.

“In fact,” I went on, “I would prefer it if you did not attempt to ... as you say... protect me.”

“I must accept your decision, of course,” he said. “But you must remember that you are not exactly penniless. There might... with some people... be a certain temptation....”

I looked at him coldly, and said pointedly, “I feel sure there may well be some....”

He smiled at me, cynically, taking my meaning. He did not look in the least offended and I felt that my suspicions that my newly inherited wealth was the main reason for his offer of marriage were not without foundation. I felt disgusted with him. I compared him with Roland who was so different and who, I was sure, had no ideas of the size of my fortune. I felt very happy and secure then.

Every day I was thinking more and more of how good life would be when I was Roland’s wife.