Page 38 of Scars of a Passionate Revenge
Clara nodded. “Indeed!” She paused and glanced behind her. “Let us walk a little further, to the blackberry bushes by the lake.”
They walked together across the lawn and soon they were in front of a large clump of blackberry bushes, groaning with fruit. Clara handed Alice a large napkin that she had taken from the picnic table, and they began to gather the fruit.
Alice broke the silence first. “You and Lord Grant…” she said slowly. “I sense that you have something to tell me?”
Clara giggled. “I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I know you will not judge me, Alice.”
“No, of course not!” Alice replied. Who, indeed, was she to judge anyone, after what had already taken place between herself and Benedict?
“He kissed me yesterday, when we were in the library alone. It was a little risky, as anyone could have come in at any moment, but I must confess, I enjoyed the thrill of it!”
Alice let out a squeak of excitement. “I knew that things were moving along between you! Has he spoken of his intentions?”
Clara shook her head. “Not yet,” she replied. “I must say I do feel a little anxious about it, but he does seem to like me, truly, so I must hope for the best, I suppose.”
Alice paused for a moment, reflecting once again on how powerless women were in these situations. It was all down to the man to speak out, to settle things officially; the woman could do nothing but wait. “I have seen the way he looks at you, though, Clara. I have no doubt that he is falling in love with you.”
Clara let out a sigh. “I do hope so. The kiss was… well, it was wonderful!”
Alice smiled. “I am sure it will all work out perfectly for you, and the banns will be being read in church before we know it!”
The girls were quiet for a while, focusing on the task of gathering berried, before Clara spoke again. “And Mr. Fletcher…?”
Alice had been debating in her mind ever since they left the rest of the party whether to tell Clara everything, and now, in the moment, she decided not to hold back. She had to confide in someone, and Clara was her best friend, who she trusted completely.
“Oh Clara, it is beyond complicated!” she groaned. “There is so much to tell you.”
“Well,” Clara said softly. “There is no one close by to overhear us. Why do you not tell me from the beginning?”
Chapter 17
Alice took a deep breath and began the story, leaving nothing out. She watched Clara’s eyes widen in surprise as she told her about the moment at the ball when she had realized who Benedict really was.
“So you knew him?” Clara breathed. “And yet you did not say a word!”
Alice shook her head. “I could not confide in anyone, because I was so worried about what would happen if his secret came out.”
Clara shook her head in amazement. “There is more? Yet another secret?”
Alice nodded. “It is all I have been able to think about for these past few days, alongside the feelings that I cannot deny are blossoming in my heart for him. There was a great scandal when he and his father left our estate, you see, all those years ago.
After the fire, which no one ever found out the cause of, some very valuable horses disappeared. He and his father fled, and I was told that it was because his father had stolen the horses, and he had run away to escape justice, taking Benedict with him.”
“Gosh!” Clara said. “No wonder you chose to keep this to yourself. Imagine if the people of thetonfound it out! His position in society would be ruined forever.”
“I know,” Alice said, feeling a wave of despair creeping over her. “And I do not know what to do about it. Perhaps his father was behind the fire too? Maybe he set the barn alight to enable his crime, and to cover it up? I do not know. There were so many rumors after it happened, and of course when he and Benedict disappeared, everyone assumed they were guilty. But what can I do?”
Clara sighed. “I am not sure, Alice. But I feel that something will happen, to help you make a decision. If you are in love, then surely you will find a solution?”
“But how can I speak to my father about him, even if he does propose?” Alice said. “I was surprised that my stepmother did not recognize him, in all honesty, but then she is not a woman who is likely to remember a servant and his child, even one who left the estate in such a flurry of scandal. But would my father allow me to marry someone whose father had stolen from him, even all those years ago?”
“I do not know, Alice, really. But I feel for you, most deeply. Anyone can see that you and Benedict are forming a most sincere attachment, and it would be such a shame for the sins of his father to come between you now, so many years later.”
“I wish I shared your optimism, Clara,” Alice said, turning back to the blackberry bush and plucking some more fruit from its branches. “But I cannot think of a way around it. Even if my dreams were to come true, and Benedict were to declare his love for me, then there would still be so many obstacles to overcome.”
Clara smiled. “You know what they say, Alice. The course of true love never did run smooth!”
Alice could not help but return her friend’s smile, thinking back to that moment in the garden when Benedict had completed her murmured quotation from Shakespeare. How fitting it was that her friend should give another quotation from the most famous playwright of all time, to sum up the present situation.
