Page 106 of The Christmas Retreat
Pretending that you are leaving on Saturday and intending to call in to say goodbye that morning, while in reality we will leave on Friday evening, will allay any lingering suspicions Cosmo might have and also give us a whole night’s start – especially since you can drive too and so can share with Edwin. I’m sure Bea will help me creep out to meet you at the rear gates to Castle Newydd.
And the second part of the plan, leaving me in the remote cottage of a friend on Bodmin Moor, means that if Cosmopursues me to Lamorna, you can pretend complete surprise and concern.
I expect after a little while he will give up his search for me and I can join you, but if the hue and cry does go on longer, then I could take a job under an assumed name for a time. I am, if I say so myself, a good cook!
It was so sweet of Edwin, when he walked partway back with me along the cliff path this morning, to assure me that marrying me would be no hardship, but I knew it was just his kindness and I teased him about all those ideas he used to have about Free Love!
If you can meet me again early tomorrow, I will tell you what happened when I confronted Cosmo! I fear his anger, but he at least dare not lay hands on me in the house, with the servants and family about!
I will finish now before I go down to dinner, so Efa can bring this letter to the inn on her way home.
Your affectionate friend,
Arwen
Sunday 27 July 1919
Dearest Milly,
Since it was so wet this morning that we couldn’t talk for long without drowning, and there was no chance of private conversation after church, or during tea at the vicarage, with Bea there too, I thought I’d give you a full account of the scene I had with Cosmo last night.
If Cosmo thought I had followed him on to the terrace from a desire for his company, I soon disabused him of thatidea by angrily informing him I knew of his appropriation of my works in the exhibition as his own.
While you both completely understand my feelings about this, it was clear Cosmo could not. In fact, he was quite unabashed, merely laughing and saying it was nothing to get in a froth about, and the art dealer wouldn’t have taken the paintings had he not thought they were his.
When I replied hotly that I’d much rather he hadn’t taken them at all and that I couldn’t understand how he could have brought himself to sign my work as his own, he just said, what did it matter? He was allowing me to work on his paintings, which he was sure must have greatly improved my own style, and therefore I should be grateful he had thought them good enough to put his signature to!
‘That I most certainly am not!’ I cried, but he carried on as if I had not spoken, telling me not to be silly and then alluding to a future together that I had already told him I would never agree to.
‘It is time you grew out of that streak of childish rebellion and accepted that your future lies here with me at Triskelion, working together,’ he told me.
‘What, with you taking all the credit for work that is not your own!’ I threw at him, but he only laughed again and said I would come to see things his way in the end.
I said I wouldn’t, and that also his advances were repugnant to me, so that I’d be shaking the dust of Triskelion off my feet the moment I reached my majority.
To this he only replied that I protested too much and he knew me to be a tease – but in any case, I’d have ample time to change my mind.
‘Never!’ I cried – and just then the heavens opened and I ran back into the house and up to my room.
Can I have ever said or done anything to make him misread my character so completely?
From his demeanour today, you’d think nothing had happened and I’m sure none of my words made the slightest impression on him.
It does seem that one of our ploys to divert suspicion from our plans is working, however, thanks to Maudie’s prattle at the dinner table last night, when she recounted what you had told her at tea about Edwin only bringing you to St Melangell under sufferance and leaving you to your own devices every day, while he was spending time with his friends who lived near Harlech. Then she added that despite your short skirts and bobbed hair, you seemed a well-brought-up young woman.
Cosmo paid more attention to what she was saying than usual and, when I asked him if I would be allowed to accept your aunt’s invitation to spend Christmas in London with you, he merely smiled and said he would see.
I’m very sure he wouldn’t let me, in case I never came back, and, of course, I’ll be long gone by then, but I tried to look pleased and hopeful.
I think that is my budget of news up to date. So frustrating that we should twice see each other during the day, yet not have a moment to speak privately. Still, on the walk home with Bea from the vicarage, I was able to tell her our plan, or at least the parts she needed to know.
She surprised me by sensibly suggesting that I begin to employ Efa to secretly take some of my belongings to you at the inn, since I wouldn’t be able to carry much with mewhen I made my escape. I may also put some things in the attic over the east wing, where I’ve already stored one or two paintings of the dawn that I didn’t want Cosmo to see, but I didn’t tell Bea about this. Before I leave, I’ll hide as many of my paintings there as I can without Cosmo noticing, so he can’t claim those as his own work, too!
I’m about to go down to dinner, but Efa will bring you this note with the first instalment of those of my belongings I can’t bear to leave behind. I’ve already asked her to warn her young man not to talk to Wykes about any of our doings, when he goes to the bar to glean gossip for his master in the evenings.
I shall see you in the morning and hope the weather allows a longer meeting.
Sweet dreams.
