Page 124 of The Christmas Retreat
They spent many hours working together, either out sketching or in the studio, where, as well as painting in her own manner, she also, at Caradoc’s request, showed herselfcapable of producing work in his style, although she seemed increasingly reluctant to do so.
As I have said, she was of an independent and headstrong nature, but in her first weeks at Triskelion, her admiration for Caradoc as an artist made her glad of his advice and opinion on her own work, which was very lively and freely painted. She also appeared to enjoy his company, for he was a changed man when with her.
It soon became apparent to me that my friend had fallen in love with Miss Madoc and I noticed that he became increasingly jealous if she spoke to young men, most especially artists in the colony that had grown up in nearby St Melangell.
I tactfully tried to point out to him that Miss Madoc was a very modern young lady, used to mixing in artistic circles and probably missing friends of her own age, for she had little in common with Bea. He fired up at once and said it was no such thing.
He appeared convinced she reciprocated his feelings, even though she liked to tease him by flouting his orders and also by continuing to demand she be allowed to go and live in Cornwall with her friends.
I was doubtful about this, but since Caradoc was a handsome, well-set-up man who appeared much younger than his forty years I thought it might be so.
I could not say much about the disparity in their ages, either, for he knew very well that I had fallen hopelessly in love with Bea the moment I set eyes on her after she left school. She was so very pretty and I attributed all the virtues to her that I assumed went with such beauty, despite her occasional sulkiness and ill temper. I put this down to herfather’s refusing to let her come out in London under the aegis of a friend’s mother. Since no one other than myself knew this was due to the expense it would cost, it made her very bitter.
Nor did he take seriously a boy-and-girl attachment formed with the younger son of a nearby family when he was home on leave. In that, he was right, for the young man returned only to become engaged to someone else.
This gave me a little hope that Bea might look more kindly on me, especially since her father had begun to drop hints about a future marriage with Miss Madoc, which would have put her nose quite out of joint.
At about this time, Miss Madoc seemed to me increasingly unhappy and distant in her manner to Caradoc, as if trying to hold him at arm’s length, but he did not take this seriously, assuring me that although she played hot and cold with him, she would be happy enough to accept his proposal when the right time came to make it.
As Rhys paused, Evie said, ‘Typical male self-delusion in the face of all evidence!’
‘Well, don’t condemn us all, dear lady,’ said Noel.
‘No, that’s true, you aren’t all tarred with the same brush,’ she conceded. ‘Go on, Rhys, I can hardly wait for the rest!’
40
A Fall from Grace
‘OK, and I think we’re getting to the heart of the matter,’ said Rhys, who had been quickly scanning the rest of the document. He carried on.
So matters stood as we approached the end of July. Miss Madoc seemed cheered by seeing something of a friend who was staying in St Melangell for a few days, although her brother, who had brought her, was off on his own business and did not make an appearance. So Caradoc’s jealousy was not aroused – nor his suspicions.
But then, on the first day of August, while I was still at breakfast, Caradoc was shown in, in a very agitated and disturbed state.
He told me that early that morning he had been alerted by his chauffeur, Wykes, that Miss Madoc was keeping an assignation with a young man on the cliff path towards St Melangell.
He had set out immediately and, although not in time to come upon the lovers together, had met Miss Madoc makingher way back to the house in such a distressed and dishevelled state that it was clear to him the young man had been taking advantage of her.
After her first shock at seeing him, she admitted that she had been meeting the brother of her friend and, moreover, that they were in love!
She apparently became quite hysterical when Caradoc told her it was clear to him the man had no serious intentions, or he wouldn’t have met her clandestinely, and that she had brought what had happened on herself by her behaviour.
At this point, they had heard the servant girl Efa singing as she came along the path and he had consigned Arwen back to the house in her care, telling Efa briefly what had occurred but that she must keep quiet about it.
Arwen was to be locked in her room until the young man had left the district, and he would follow on a little later and inform Mrs Fry of the reasons for this.
Of course, I was very shocked by this revelation, but also surprised that Caradoc had not set out immediately for the inn to confront the young man who, however reprehensible his actions, might really mean to marry the girl who was, after all, his sister’s friend.
When I suggested this, he snapped that it was no such thing, and since he did not trust himself not to strike the young man, it was better that they did not meet. His only concern now was to protect Miss Madoc’s good name from any possible consequences of her rash actions.
To that end, he added, he had decided that he must marry the girl himself forthwith.
I ventured to point out that Miss Madoc might refuse him, if she thought herself in love with the young man, buthe simply stated that she would come to see that she had no alternative.
Having unburdened himself, Caradoc seemed much calmer and sat down to share my breakfast. I felt increasingly troubled, however, and had entirely lost my own appetite.
After this, he accompanied me to the pottery, behaving as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
