8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“ I ’ve got lots of ideas, it’s just…well…I don’t think she’d approve. She takes over everything. I don’t have a say in it. She talks about shared responsibilities, but it’s always her…my ideas are never taken seriously. I’m tempted to do something entirely different. I won’t even ask her about it,” Alicia said, pacing up and down in Lily’s salon, whilst her friend poured their tea from a large silver teapot.

“Come and sit down, Alicia. You’ll get yourself quite worked up,” Lily said, looking up at Alicia and rolling her eyes.

Alicia did so, sighing, as she took the proffered teacup from her friend’s outstretched hand. Lily, by her own admission, was something of a prisoner in a gilded cage. The time for the baby’s arrival was drawing closer, and it was as much as Lily could do to heave herself from her bedroom to the salon, where she would sit for the day receiving visitors. The doors onto the balcony were open, and from her place at the tea table, Alicia could see out across the gardens, framed as they were by the red damask drapes hanging down on either side of the open doors. It was a warm and pleasant afternoon, and had Alicia not had so much to think about, she would certainly have enjoyed the pleasant scent of the garden and the pleasure of taking tea with her friend. But her thoughts were elsewhere, distracted by her most recent encounter with Caroline, and fearing for what the coming days would hold.

“I just can’t believe how she’s behaving. What sort of woman behaves like that? She treats the whole thing as though it’s hers and hers alone. She treats him, too, as though she owns him,” Alicia exclaimed, shaking her head and sighing.

Lily sipped her tea ponderously.

“She probably does think so – that’s why I’ve invited Isobel, for tea, too,” she said, and Alicia looked at her in surprise.

She had thought there was something odd about Lily’s summons to tea. They had taken tea only yesterday, but Alicia had assumed Lily was bored and wanted company. The clock on the mantelpiece had just struck three o’clock, and a knock now came at the salon door, followed by the appearance of the butler, who introduced Lady Isobel Crawshaw into the room. Alicia felt a slight embarrassment at the arrival of Ernest’s sister, and she wondered if Lily had told her something of their conversations…

“How kind of you to invite me, Lily, thank you,” Isobel said, greeting Lily with a kiss, before turning to Alicia with a smile.

“It’s a pleasure, Isobel,” Lily replied.

“And you, too, Alicia. How nice to see you! You’ve certainly been of great help to my brother these past few days. He’s quite beside himself, what with everything going on, and Caroline doesn’t make matters easy, either, does she?” Isobel said, sitting down at the tea table with a sigh.

It was clear there was no love lost between Isobel and Caroline, and Alicia was keen to know why Ernest’s sister was possessed of such animosity, even as she felt a glimmer of hope as to what it might mean. On her part, Alicia did not know how she should feel towards Ernest. Jealousy was not a pleasant feeling, even as she had to admit it was the one she felt. Alicia was jealous of Caroline. She was always at Ernest’s side or appeared at any opportune moment. It was rare for Alicia to snatch a word or two in private with Isobel’s brother, and when she did so, there was little opportunity for them to get to know one another. Caroline was always there, and swift to make her presence known, should Alicia appear to be gaining any sort of advantage over her.

“Is she at Leamington Grange now?” Alicia ventured, and Isobel nodded.

“She is, yes. That’s why I was glad to get away. She’s insufferable, Alicia. I don’t know why he puts up with her, well…I suppose I do…her father provides the funds for most of the project, doesn’t he. I’m sure you’ve realized that by now. But he’s only doing it to advance Caroline’s position. Ernest can’t get away from her. He’s trapped,” she said, shaking her head.

Alicia sighed. She felt terribly sorry for Ernest, even as she did not know why he did not simply rid himself of Caroline once and for all. A sudden idea occurred to her, and she smiled at the thought of it, setting down her cup and saucer, even as she wondered if she might be fooling herself with its apparent simplicity.

“What if the money could be raised in a different way? The guests at the garden party were generous, but if there was a way to make the schools pay for themselves, perhaps there’d be no need for the Viscount’s money. And if there was no need for his money, there’d be no need for Caroline, either,” Alicia said.

It all sounded so simple, but as for raising the money, that was a harder proposition.

“Well, yes…if the money could be raised, there’d be no need for his, would there? But I don’t know how such a large sum could be found,” Isobel replied.

Alicia thought for a moment. Unlike the aristocracy, Alicia was not used to money being handed to her on a silver spoon. Her father had begun from nothing and was now one of the wealthiest men in the country. His was an entrepreneurial spirit, and it was a spirit Alicia, too, had inherited. Money could be made, but creativity was essential for it to be so.

“A charitable event of some kind – like the garden party, but on a grander scale. A ball, perhaps, but for charity. The sale of the tickets would create a premium of profit, or an auction, perhaps? We could ask all manner of people to contribute – a painting here, a statue there. It would all add up. If we held several of these grand events, the money would soon be raised,” Alicia said, warming to the possibility.

Isobel nodded.

“I think it’s a very fine idea, Alicia. You should speak to Ernest about it. But don’t let Caroline know anything until the last moment. She’d only want to take over and make out as though it was her idea. But you’re right, if you can raise the money to replace that of the Viscount Pickering, we’d be rid of Caroline for good,” Isobel replied, glancing at Lily, who nodded.

“Absolutely, and then…well, you’d have no more problems, Alicia,” Lily said, smiling at Alicia and offering her another cup of tea from the large silver teapot.

Alicia could not help but think the two women were conspiring. They were conspiring, she told herself, though to what ends, she was uncertain. The removal of Caroline would be advantageous, and Alicia could only assume Isobel had her brother’s best interests at heart. But was the removal of Caroline a precursor to the furtherance of another plan? Alicia looked again at Lily, who smiled.

“I’m sure Caroline won’t be bothering Ernest forever. You’d be doing him a great service if you could find the necessary funds to replace those of the Viscount Pickering. Where money comes from doesn’t really matter, does it? As long as it comes. But I do hope you’ll forgive our little interference, Alicia,” she said, and Alicia narrowed her eyes.

This was the revelation – the admitting of that Alicia had already suspected.

“You and Ernest would make the perfect match, Alicia,” Isobel said, smiling at Alicia, who blushed.

“Well… I don’t know…it’s not as simple as that,” she stammered, but Isobel waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s nothing like that, Alicia – there’s no courtship between Ernest and Caroline. But there could be if we don’t act. I’d hate to think of him suffering in a loveless marriage. But the two of you…well, I saw you at the garden party, and I know he danced with you at the assembly rooms ball. He remembers it, too, and fondly. You’ve got so much in common, not least your obvious enthusiasm for the establishment of the schools. Won’t you think about it?” Isobel asked, smiling at Alicia, who was quite taken aback, not only by Isobel’s impassioned pleas, but her own feelings, too.

Alicia had experienced those same feelings, too, even as she had dismissed them as idle fancy. She had assumed Caroline’s grip to be unbreakable, and it had seemed clear Ernest was caught in it. But to know there was even the slightest chance of their friendship blossoming gave Alicia hope. Her own feelings for Ernest were growing stronger day by day. She thought about him a great deal, and she thought highly of him, too. He was a good and upstanding man, doing a good and upstanding thing. Alicia felt proud to be helping him, and if she could do something more in raising money, so be it.

“Well, I…yes, I will think about it,” Alicia said, and Isobel smiled at her.

“I’m glad to hear it. He’s lonely, you see. I know you might not think it, but he is. He needs companionship – and not that of Caroline. I worry about him, you see. But when I saw him with you…he was different. It was like seeing him as he once was,” Isobel replied.

Alicia was curious – had there been some reason for this change to come over him?

“Once? But I don’t understand, what was he like?” she asked, and Isobel blushed.

“Oh… I only meant…it’s different now. He has so many pressures on him. He’s taken on a great deal in the running of the estate, and there’s the schools, too. But seeing the two of you together brought back such happy memories of a more…carefree time,” Isobel said, and Alicia nodded, smiling as she felt glad to think she had done something to raise Ernest’s spirits.

“I enjoy his company, and I hope…well…I hope I can be of some benefit to him,” she said, and Isobel nodded.

“I’m sure you can be. Help him with the school. Make yourself invaluable to him, and prove to him he doesn’t need Caroline Pickering at his side. She’d be the ruin of him, Alicia,” Isobel replied.

Later, when Isobel had gone, and Alicia was preparing to take her leave, Lily struggled to her feet, beckoning Alicia into her embrace.

“My dearest friend, I hope you didn’t think it an impertinence for me to…make enquiries on your behalf,” she said, and Alicia laughed.

“You mean interfere, Lily?” she replied, and her friend blushed.

“Well…I’ve got to have something to keep me amused, haven’t I? I used to interfere in lots of people’s lives. Then I’d write about them. This is different. I just want you to be happy, Alicia, and you weren’t really…doing much about your own happiness, were you?” Lily said.

Alicia sighed. Lily was right, though her actions were somewhat unorthodox. Isobel was Ernest’s brother, and Alicia wondered what had been said by whom and to whom. Did Ernest know something of her growing feelings for him? She herself remained confused over them, uncertain how to act on them, and wondering if Ernest really did feel the same. There was no doubting Caroline’s hold over him. It was absolute, and should she demand marriage before Alicia could raise the necessary funds to prevent it, Ernest would have no choice but to agree.

“No, but…I’m not sure it’s going to help, Lily. He’s trapped, isn’t he? By Caroline, I mean. It’s all very well for me to suggest raising the money myself, but if I can’t – and it’s a considerable sum – he’ll be left with no other choice but to marry her,” Alicia said.

Lily sat back down with a sigh and shook her head.

“I’d have published a scandal paper on her in my previous life. Or on him – I might’ve found some terrible secret out about him and made sure Caroline Pickering wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole. Scandal can work to put people off whilst bringing the better party to the fore,” Lily said, as though the matter was a game.

But Alicia did not want to play games, and she doubted very much as to the possibility of a scandal in Ernest’s past. He was the son of a duke – though that did not necessarily mean anything – and had given his life over to the establishment of the schools and their continued success. He was the very model of what an aristocrat should be – a philanthropist, committed to the well being of his fellow man.

“There’s no scandal involving Ernest, and as for Caroline Pickering, well…I doubt it, though she’d be the first to point it out in others. No, I don’t think we’ll be discovering anything about either of them. Not that I’d want to. I never liked you writing those awful things anyway, Lily,” Alicia said.

She had been horrified to discover the truth about Lily’s hidden life, and she was only glad to think her friend no longer indulged in such dangerous pursuits. Ruining others brought with it the possibility of ruining oneself, and Lily had come close to doing just that.

“Oh, but if there was something – on her, I mean. Perhaps she’s had a lover in the past, or was jilted at the altar. Perhaps that’s why the viscount’s so keen on buying his daughter’s way into a marriage. Yes. That’s it, isn’t it?” Lily exclaimed.

Alicia rolled her eyes. Lily always saw scandal, even where there was none. An innocent observation or remark could be quickly construed into something far more sinister, even as it usually turned out to be wholly innocent.

“I don’t think so I can’t imagine Ernest being involved in anything like that. He’s such a good man. He puts me to shame,” Alicia replied, and Lily smiled.

“Ah, but I’m sure you wouldn’t mind finding out something about Caroline Pickering…” she said, raising her eyebrows, and despite her opposition to Lily’s former life, Alicia could see the advantage in discovering more about the woman who was fast becoming her rival…