Page 44 of The Sapphire Child
‘Yes.’ Minnie eyed her. ‘I hear he was upset last night.’
Lydia looked suspiciously at Stella. ‘What have you been saying to my mother?’
‘Don’t be hard on Stella,’ Minnie chided. ‘She’s said very little. She was just worried about Andrew—’
‘Well, there’s no need,’ Lydia said, putting on a smile. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Stella. I was wanting to have a quiet word. Come with me.’
Stella glanced anxiously at Minnie.
‘Lydia,’ Minnie said, baffled. ‘What is this all about?’
‘I’ll tell you later, Mummy.’
Stella followed Lydia out of the conservatory, through the hall and into the drawing room. As soon as they were out of earshot of Minnie, Lydia’s pretence at friendliness evaporated.
She rounded on Stella. ‘It’s your fault that Andrew’s gone away. To think how I’ve taken you into my home and treated you more like family than staff, but what thanks do I get? None! I get betrayal. Well, I’ve had enough of your interference. You’ve tried to set my son against me in favour of Esmie but it hasn’t worked. He’s ashamed of her now he knows the truth. He doesn’t even want to talk about her – or Tom.’
Stella dug her fingernails in her palms to try and stay calm. ‘I think it was MrLomax being called a coward that really upset—’
‘Shut up! I’m not asking for your opinion,’ Lydia hissed. ‘I think it’s best that you leave Templeton Hall. There’s nothing for you to do here while Andrew’s away and I don’t want you around when he’s not. You can go and stay with Tibby or I’ll pay for you to lodge in the town – but I don’t want you under my roof, not after the hurtful things you’ve said about me. You’ve made Andrew very upset and I’ll never forgive you for that.’
Stella flushed with anger. How dare she accuse her of upsetting Andrew! Her eyes stung with tears but she refused to cry in front of the hateful woman.
‘I’ll ring Tibby now and see if she’ll have you.’ Lydia said with an icy look. ‘Go and pack your case.’
Within the hour, Stella had packed, said hasty goodbyes to a dismayed Lily and a baffled Minnie and had been driven round to The Anchorage by Lydia.
Andrew’s mother dropped her at the gate. Gripping the steering wheel, Lydia said in a voice full of loathing, ‘You’ve been such a disappointment to me, Stella. I remember you as an amenable girl who was eager to please, but you’ve turned into someone who thinks they’re above their station. I blame Tom and Esmie for encouraging a half-half like you to think you could be the equal of my son. You’re not to contact him. If I had my way, you’d never see him again.’
Stella opened the back door and quickly climbed out, unable to bear any more.
‘And don’t try and come round to see my mother as she won’t be there,’ Lydia added. ‘I’m going to take her away for a holiday while Andrew’s gone. Is that clear?’
Stella ignored the question. ‘Thank you for the lift, MrsLomax.’ Heaving out her suitcase, she shut the car door firmly and walked away.
But she couldn’t keep up a brave face for long. Willie the gardener found her struggling with her case up the drive.
‘Let me take that, Miss Dubois,’ he said, quickly shouldering the case.
‘Thank you,’ Stella said, on the verge of tears.
Then she caught sight of Tibby striding down the overgrown track and waving.
Stella ran towards her. ‘I’m so sorry, Miss Lomax...’ She broke down crying.
Tibby pulled her into a hug. ‘Don’t be sorry. It’s wonderful to have you to stay. I’m surprised you’ve stuck it out so long with Lydia – she can be quite impossible.’
Stella buried her face in Tibby’s shoulder – she smelt of cigarette smoke and cooking – and was comforted by her words.
‘Last night was terrible,’ Stella sobbed. ‘I’ve let Andy down and now he’s gone away.’
Tibby steered her towards the castle. ‘Come on. We’ll have some of Dawan’s chai tea and you can tell me everything.’
Chapter 17
The Anchorage, mid-August 1933
The final two and a half weeks in Scotland dragged by. Stella did her best to keep busy at the castle, helping in the kitchen with meals using food grown in the garden, and ordering supplies from the village shops. Tibby, whose housekeeping was erratic, was lavish in her praise of Stella’s attention to detail.
