The changeling

“Before you make too many arrangements, Belinda, I must tell you that I am not going to marry him.”

“He will ask you to.”

“Two people have to want to marry before they do.”

“He’ll ask. I thought he was asking you in the summerhouse when we came in.

We should have waited and then you could have announced it.”

“Listen, Belinda. I know you like him very much and would relish him as a brother-in-law but life doesn’t work out as smoothly as that. We can’t always have what we want, especially if it involves other people. I am not going to marry him.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to marry him.”

“Everyone wants to marry when they get old.”

“How can you know?”

“Well, they talk about it. It’s what you have to do when you get old.”

“You don’t have to. And I am not going to marry Mr. Gerson.”

“But he wants to marry you.”

“How do you know?”

“I can tell.”

“Then you are very wise.”

“You are not planning to marry someone else, are you?”

I hesitated a moment too long and she was very perceptive.

“I believe you want to,” she said accusingly.

“Look, Belinda, you don’t know anything about these things. I am not going to marry Mr. Gerson.”

“But why not? It would be wonderful. If you don’t, it will spoil everything. We could all be together. It would be such fun.”

She looked as though she were going to burst into tears. I put my arms round her. “Things don’t always work out as people want them to. People marry because they believe they have found the one and only person with whom they can live happily. You’ll understand one day. Now, go and have your milk. It will be getting cold.” Her face hardened and she flounced out of the room.

I asked myself: Why did I think she had changed? She wants everything her own way ... even my marriage!

Nightmare

It was late May before we went to Cornwall. I had been receiving Pedrek’s letters regularly, but they were not enough, so it was with great delight that I set out. Belinda and Lucie were delighted at the prospect-Miss Stringer slightly less so. As for Leah, it was difficult to know what she felt. I was sure she would be glad to see her native town, but she would have to pay frequent visits to her mother and I supposed that was a less attractive proposition.

Life had run smoothly since Christmas. Belinda seemed more contented than ever before. Mrs. Emery said: “It’s good to see her more settled like. She’s lost that moody broody way she used to have ... picking quarrels ... and wanting to be better than anyone else.” It was true.

Oliver Gerson was a frequent visitor. He came when Benedict was there and they spent a good deal of time together but he usually managed to ride with us. He was as friendly as ever and although I would sometimes find him regarding me ruefully, he did not refer to his proposal. He seemed to be biding his time.

He always showed his affection for Belinda and she blossomed when he was around. Moreover the pleasure inspired by his visits seemed to linger after he had gone and I was sure she lived in a state of pleasant anticipation wondering when he would come again.

I had thought, when I first told her we were going to Cornwall, she would raise objections for it was hardly likely that Oliver would visit us there and for a time it really seemed as though that was on her mind. But after a while she was as excited as Lucie about going back there.

I was glad of that, for although recently she had changed so much for the better, I remembered how sullen she could be and I did not want the pleasure in the visit to be spoilt in any way.

It was wonderful to arrive at the station and to find my grandparents with Pedrek waiting to greet us.

I was caught up in loving embraces and everyone seemed to be talking at once. “Wonderful to have you here at last.”

“How well you look!”

“We’ve been counting the days ... and Lucie ... and Belinda ... how they’ve grown!”

“Everyone in the Poldoreys knows you are coming.”

And there we were, getting into the carriage, Pedrek beside me, clinging to my hand as though he feared I was going to run away, Belinda and Lucie talking excitedly ... memories coming back to them. Was Petal still in the stables? Was Snowdrop? Yes, they were, and waiting to be ridden.

“Oh, there’s the sea,” cried Lucie. “It looks just the same.”

“Did you expect it to turn black or red or violet?” demanded Belinda.

“No, but it’s lovely to see it.”

“Oh, look, there’s Cador.”

And there it was indeed, looking as majestic as ever, having that thrilling effect on me, as it always did after absence, making me feel warm and happy. My grandparents were smiling contentedly.

“The Pencarrons wanted to come over but thought it might be too many for the first day. They’ll come tomorrow.”

“That’s lovely,” I said. “Oh, it is wonderful to be back.”

“You’ve had an exciting time in London and Manorleigh, I daresay,” said my grandmother.

“It’s still exciting to be here.”

“We had a treasure hunt at Christmas,” Belinda announced.

“That must have been fun. We could do something like that at Cador.”