Page 128 of The Christmas Retreat
‘As I said, I’ll track down those paintings and reassign themto their rightful creator, but I’ll suggest in the book that it was a mistake on the gallery’s part and imply that they collected them with Cosmo’s paintings for the exhibition by accident and added his monogram signature later.’
‘That would work,’ said Nerys, looking relieved. ‘But it’s more than I expected.’
‘Well, normally I’d happily expose the purloining male artist,’ agree Evie. ‘I’m prepared to fudge the truth a little this time for Ginny’s sake.’
‘Thank you anyway,’ said Nerys.
‘I’m hoping in time to track down enough of Arwen’s paintings to have an exhibition of them,’ said Evie.
‘That would be lovely,’ I said. ‘Maybe even a joint one with Milly Vane’s work?’
‘Good idea, Ginny. That would also help promote the joint biography, if the timing was right!’
‘That’s all well and good, but are you going to mention Cosmo’s behaviour towards Arwen and the final assault in the biography?’ asked Timon.
‘I’ll reveal that she was determined to get away from Triskelion in order to live with her friends in Cornwall, and that his controlling behaviour contributed to her running away,’ Evie said. ‘But I won’t mention his unwelcome advances and assault.Notfor the family’s sake, but because I’m certain Arwen wouldn’t have wanted it, since she was so determined not to let what had happened define the rest of her life.’
‘I think you’re right, Evie,’ said Noel.
‘I have some very good material in Milly’s journal about their life together in Lamorna that I’ll write about at length,’ said Evie. ‘Including their friendship with the painter Laura Knight and that Arwen modelled for her. I hope to be able toinclude some examples of those works in the biography, as well as many of Arwen’s.’
‘And Hugh’s revelations?’ asked Rhys. ‘What about those?’
‘They don’t add much to Arwen’s story that I didn’t already know, and much of it is irrelevant for my purposes,’ she said dismissively.
Nerys sat back, looking much more her usual tranquil self than she had all day. ‘I think you’re being very generous, Evie!’
‘As I told you, I’m just fudging things a little for Ginny’s sake – and for Arwen’s … and perhaps because I’ve grown fond of you all while I’ve been here. But I certainly thinkallthe material – Hugh’s letter and deposition, copies of Arwen’s letters and, eventually, Milly’s journal – should form a family archive. Charlotte Vane has kindly given me the contents of the Memory Box – she isn’t one to hoard memorabilia – and eventually it will come to Ginny. But at some point, I might write a secret family memoir including all of it!’
The others smiled at this, but I was pretty sure she wasn’t joking!
She rose to her feet with an air of finality. ‘Come on, then, Ginny – I’m sure the family need some time together. They’ve had a lot to take in.’
So too had I, I thought, following her from the room, and now I craved a bit of time alone.
As we went upstairs, Evie seemed to divine this, for at her door she turned to me and said, severely, ‘There’s no point in dwelling on the past, Ginny. Don’t let one man’s actions taint this place and your future. Arwen and Milly didn’t, and they were very happy together.’
‘I know, but there’s so much to think about and I haven’t evenhad time to take in Milly’s journal since I read it first thing,’ I explained, before escaping to the sanctuary of my room.
*
I sat down and, opening my laptop, began to read through Milly’s journal again, odd paragraphs jumping out at me, a voice from the past – Milly’s, strong and clear.
11 August 1919
Today I drove over alone to see Arwen, for rumours had reached us that Cosmo Caradoc had died in an accident on the very evening she had run away, which explained the lack of hue and cry.
There was also a letter forwarded by my aunt in London, which proved to be from Hugh Jones, informing Arwen of the tragedy and wishing her well in her new life.
When she had read this she turned very pale, but turned to me and said, with an expression of great resolution, that she had something she wished to confide in me.
I had a sudden premonition of what this might be, and I was right. To my horror, she told me that Cosmo, after witnessing her last passionate embrace at parting with Edwin on the cliff top that Friday morning, had been so consumed by a white-hot, jealous rage that he had dragged her from the path and forced himself on her.
It was just as well that the man was now dead, or I think I would have headed straight back there to kill him!
I hugged her and called Caradoc all the vile names I could think of, besides saying I hoped he would spit-roast in hell,along with all other vile, predatory and manipulative men, and pretended to be turning the handle of the spit, which shocked her into a near-laugh.
‘Oh, Milly, I feel so much better for telling you! It is as if I have lanced something festering and let the poison out.’
