Page 88 of The Christmas Retreat
Milly, I swear I have never given him the least hint that advances of that kind would be welcome to me. How on earth could he think so? Can he truly love me or does he simply mean to secure me as an assistant to his work, who can never leave or speak out about what is happening?
When I was calmer I went back to the house and to my room, but was not left in peace for long. To my surprise, Bea soon followed me there.
Bright spots of colour burned in her cheeks and her dark blueeyes, so like Cosmo’s, were fixed on me with positive venom. She told me she had come to the studio with a message in time to witness the kiss and drawn back behind the heavy leather screen that stood in front of the studio door, blocking the view to the model’s dais.
Of course, she thought I had encouraged her papa and was a designing hussy who wanted nothing more than to marry him. It took me quite some time to disabuse her mind of this idea and convince her that I had been totally shocked and revolted by the kiss and his misreading of my emotions towards him, a man so much older than myself and in a position of authority over me.
Eventually, I convinced her that my one desire was to get away from Triskelion and her papa, once I had thought up a plan that would free me from the threat of being dragged back – or of my friends being prosecuted for helping me.
In the end I had to tell her I was madly in love with Edwin, and we wished to marry, before she was entirely convinced! Could you explain this to Edwin, with my apologies, and warn him that if he should meet her when you are visiting, he must pretend we are madly in love! But only in front of Bea, of course. Anything else would be disastrous.
Bea says she will help me all she can to escape and I told her about your projected visit at the end of the month and how much I would like to leave with you when you go.
She very frankly confessed that she had no more hope of marrying Mark and that since he seemed happy to settle at Castle Newydd for the rest of his life, she no longer wished to do so. So she, too, must escape – once she had removed the threat of my marriage to her papa and losing her status as his sole heiress. When I was out of the way, she would renew her entreaties to be allowed to go to London, where she was sure she could catch herself a husband,which seems to be her sole ambition, and since she is as much trapped here as I am, I hope she succeeds. In return for her help, I have promised to do all I could for her, if I have any opportunity.
I felt somewhat comforted by having an ally, even one like Bea, which fortified me a little when I went down to dinner. I had been dreading seeing Cosmo again, but he behaved in so usual a fashion that I might almost have imagined the whole of that dreadful scene. I made my escape early, pleading a headache so I could write this letter to you.
I long even more to see you – and to find some way of escape, for I am feeling even more desperate to do so!
Your loving friend,
Arwen
27
Lodged
Evie was there for breakfast, so perhaps my suspicions last night were unfounded. On the other hand, she did have a rather smug expression on her face.
Kate left right after breakfast to visit her mysterious friend, the teddy bear collector who lived near Barmouth, while the rest of us scattered in pursuit of our own muses.
I found it very hard to settle down to work. While I was sure everyone was right and Will didn’t have any claim on my property, that mention of his having consulted a solicitor still worried me.
What if he did manage somehow to make a claim on the money I’d got for the cottage? It would be so unfairandmake it difficult to buy somewhere new.
But at lunchtime Rhys told me he’d arranged an appointment with the family solicitor in St Melangell that afternoon and would drive me there. Then we could pick Cariad up from the castle on the way back.
‘And youwillstay with me when I talk to the solicitor, won’t you?’ I asked, and he said he would if that was what I wanted.
The cleaners had been in since early morning and were now engaged in turning out the guest bedrooms while we lunched, so the retreat guests had minimal disturbance if they wanted to work on in their rooms afterwards.
‘They’ll have to work around Opal, although she’s recovering and sitting in a chair in her room,’ Nerys said. ‘But Verity is still in bed and is complaining that Opal has the TV in her room when she must be so much better now, andsheshould have it instead. I’m starting to feel as if I’m running a nursing home full of querulous patients!’
‘We don’t even have a TV at home,’ said Pearl, who had come back from the pottery with Timon.
‘I think she’s become an addict, Pearl, but I’m sure it would do her good now to come downstairs and watch it in the TV room instead,’ said Nerys firmly.
‘She said she felt very weak and wobbly when I looked in first thing,’ Pearl said doubtfully. ‘And she seems very down.’
‘That’s the flu for you,’ said Evie. ‘I expect she was run down. She looks anaemic to me.’
‘The trouble with a vegan diet is you have to be sure you get all the right nutrients, and neither of us is much of a cook,’ confessed Pearl. ‘I must admit I feel a little better now I’m eating vegetarian and a bit of fish … although I have got the fish on my conscience.’
Toby smiled at her and said she was very soft-hearted, but he understood her feelings.
Evie, who would eat anything put in front of her and hadn’t been paying attention, now said, ‘I’ve been reading Gwendolyn Sutler’s diary all morning. She’s no Pepys. It’s mostly gossip about the other artists in the community. But then, that’s what I want, really.’
‘Does she mention Arwen Madoc?’ I asked.
