Silver (31 page)

       
The old woman paused and closed her eyes and I felt she was herself transported back several decades to when her heart beat fast with the yearning.

             
“You can’t imagine the blow I was dealt when I arrived back from a walk in the country air one day and found Avery seated beside my aunt, taking tea upon the terrace wearing a dress. It was…..,” she searched for a word, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “……..absurd.”

             
“He was lucky I could remain so composed and frankly, the shock must have played a hand. There was no doubt though that it was entirely absurd. The last time I had seen him, he had been dressed in a well cut suit, he had been charming, he had made me tremble and then there he was sitting in a dress with, and this was somehow worse, a demure and lifeless demeanour.

              “I was furious with him, of course, but more than that, I felt cheated. Yes, cheated. He had stolen himself from me and the woman that had replaced him made my skin crawl. She was insincere and awkward and yet possessed him so utterly. I am not sure that this makes any sense but that is how it felt. It is entirely down to my upbringing that I managed to remain in role but the moment I was in my room, I am not ashamed to admit that I screamed into my mattress, I thrashed and kicked about with a pure rage. At first I felt foolish, that his dressing as a man were some elaborate game to keep himself amused or could it be the other way around and at that very minute, Avery was dressed as a woman to entertain himself. I will admit that this thought fuelled my anger and in my anger at him, I was surprised to feel desire. It was my desire for him which confused me the most. Was it him I desired or was it her? I have to admit that part of me was disgusted at the idea but another part of me was intrigued and I had to find him to put my disordered mind at rest. I went to see him and I knew as soon as I saw him that I desired him and the incongruous costume only made me feel sick. Don’t look at me like that Imogen. You would feel the same, I am sure. I am a woman of the world and I have known many a woman fallen foul of Sapphic pleasures; from the tidiest of housemaids to the haughtiest of dignitary’s wives. I also know that I am not in the least bit interested in taking my pleasure with a woman.”

       
I had to interrupt her. There was a boundary that was dangerously close to being crossed.

             
“Please, Mrs. Evesham…Elizabeth. You said that you knew my mother.”

       
She looked at me awkwardly, the remainder of her speech drying up on her lips and she appraised me as if only just seeing me in the room. It was an odd moment and I understood that this was probably the first time she had retold any of the story and I felt sorry for having interrupted her train of thought.

             
“Forgive me, please continue,” I said.

       
It was too late and, though I was sorry for interrupting her, I was relieved when she started her recollection from a new narrative.

             
“It’s taken me many years to admit but your mother was much the prettier of the two of us which, at the time, piqued me. I wasn’t jealous of course but it irritated me how she could look so resplendent wearing only her drab uniform. Her hair was always tied away under a cap but an innocent curl here and there would work loose during the chores of the day and it would frame her perfectly clear complexion like a work of art. On its own, her natural beauty would not have bothered me but she also had this perfectly adorable little figure and, whether she knew it or not and I suspect she didn’t, she knew how to make it work to her advantage. Forgive me, Imogen, but some women have a natural understanding of how their body moves and others can work for many years on achieving the same thing and never come close. Your mother was petite, beautiful and confident. I saw immediately the effect this had on your father even though, at the time, she could not.’

       
As Mrs. Evesham spoke, I think I was so confused about what she was saying that I initially passed over some of the detail. My mother in a uniform? I listened as she continued with her story.

The following day, Elizabeth could not forget the shiver that ran down her spine when Avery’ lips had pressed to her neck. As she watched him across the breakfast table passing over a salt cellar to Georgina, she could not decide whether she had been relieved or disappointed when he leapt away from her as the sound of the door handle being unlatched indicated the arrival of Kate. The sudden movement had not gone unnoticed from the young maid and Elizabeth had noticed the flush of blood upon the girl’s clear cheeks and the rushed manner with which she hustled around the room. Avery had been almost apologetic towards her and Elizabeth’s curiosity had been stoked so that now at the table she ventured a sly enquiry.

“
Avery. I noticed that young Miss Ward was looking very drawn yesterday. It seems the country air does not suit her. I would be happy to have Helen wait upon you if you would think you could do without her?”

       
Georgina raised an eyebrow at this out of character concern for domestic staff. Avery’s reaction was not so calm.

“
There is nothing wrong with Kate. She is to stay here with me.”

       
His tone was curt and he immediately saw the reason for her concern as Elizabeth received his flapped admission with a secretive smile. She flashed him a gracious smile and sat back in her chair. Elizabeth did not have to wait long to see how far she could push her advantage. After breakfast, Georgina announced that there would be a visitor to the house.

“
Mrs. Rutherford is an old friend of mine. She is interested to find how you girls are taking to the country. It should only take her a few hours from Enfield so we should expect her sometime after three o’clock.”

       
Avery barely heard. He was as uninterested in Georgina’s world as she was in his. He was already ruminating on how to resolve the issue of his double life. The run in with Giles a few weeks ago had made him uncomfortable and although a return to the town had not repeated the incident, he was not keen to return home without a plan. He and Kate had been discussing a few variations of the same scenario and his choices were growing narrower. He was therefore only half listening as Georgina continued.

“
She has had an unlucky couple of months by all accounts. Her household has diminished since her husband’s death and she has now lost two maids in quick succession.  Poor thing. We will probably spend much of the afternoon alone. You girls will wish to occupy yourselves in the music room no doubt?”

“
How dreadful Aunt Georgina? Is she staying long with us?”

“
It hasn’t been agreed Elizabeth but I expect she will stay a few days at least. I had promised to look over her finances. She has not the capacity that I have for running such an estate and I hope to educate her.”

       
Elizabeth smiled at the look of contentment with which this was delivered. If there was one thing which Georgina loved more than sheer meddling, it was being able to patronise and to boast. This offered her both such opportunities.

“
Well, if she is in need of a maid for the next few days I am sure that Miss Silver’s girl could stand in. Cribbs has pretty much been ministering to us both this past week anyway.”

       
Both Avery’s and Georgina’s heads snapped upwards in unison but for different purpose. Avery flashed Elizabeth a warning glance unaware of quite what she was intending. For Georgina, it had not gone unnoticed that Avery’s maid had not been performing her own duties but had had someone else doing it for her. The questions this alone begged would be stored in the old woman’s mind for future reference.

“Well, that is a very practical solution. I had just been thinking how I could manage without Helen.”

Avery was about to argue but a crash of glass in the corridor
signaled an abrupt departure for Georgina and Avery was left gawping at Elizabeth.

             
“Why did you just do that?” he demanded suspiciously.

             
“Come now Avery. Don’t be so uncharitable. You heard how the poor woman has no help upon which she can rely. After all, its only for a few days.” She smiled at him and passed out of the doorway through which Georgina had just bustled. Avery was about to drop his guard when Elizabeth’s face reappeared, a coy smile upon her face.

“
Unless, that is, young Kate prefers Mrs. Rutherford’s employ…”

       
She had slipped away before Avery had managed to expel his annoyance at her and when he found Kate ten minutes later in Elizabeth’s room, she had already been briefed of her change in role for the next few days. Away from the context of this having been Elizabeth’s idea, Kate was perfectly quiescent.

       
That afternoon, Elizabeth had indeed ensured that the two of them were to be found in the music room despite the weather being glorious. As the door latched closed behind them, the reason for her insistence became clear. Avery was about to complain and suggest that they take a walk to the summer house when Elizabeth brought out a key and locked the door. An internal room, there would be no way anyone could interrupt them without their knowing.

             
“Whilst Kate has an opportunity to get to know Mrs. Rutherford a little better, I thought you and I could do the same.”

       
Though he felt manipulated and his annoyance had not abated, a wide grin spread over his face. Elizabeth, unsettled by the sight of him once more in his dress, had her doubts but sat down at the piano and began to play a simple tune.

             
“Will you accompany me, Avery?” she asked. “Something sombre perhaps, to suit your humour?”

       
Avery walked up behind her and placed his hands upon her shoulders. Elizabeth jumped a little nervously but continued to play softly on the keys. She closed her eyes and tilted her head to rest upon one of his hands, aware of how her heart beat wildly in her chest.

             
“I prefer something a little more lively,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her bared neck.

~o~

             
The following days were marked by the same chain of events. The morning brought a mutual stand off where Elizabeth would tease, cajole and push him. Avery would grow annoyed and sullen. By the afternoon, the air between them had become charged with frustration. Avery wanted to find an open field and stand and shout. Elizabeth was desperate to get to that final point that made him snap; that moment where he touched her. Inevitably it came, one way or another. They would pass in a corridor and he would finally break and pull her to him in an embrace. It was a mutually unfulfilling way to get to a fulfilling moment. She would not simply ask him and as soon as the moment was over, she grew confused and thus would start the evening where she would push him away entirely. By the time Mrs. Rutherford had left, four days later, the two were causing enough friction to start a fire. Georgina had witnessed this from a distance and, as soon as her friend’s carriage had rumbled off in a cloud of dust, she summoned both Avery and Elizabeth to follow her.

“
Ladies. Walk with me.”

       
The two of them cast uneasy glances at each other. It was obvious that Avery’s first thought was for his secret stash of clothes. He had told Elizabeth that he had hidden them from Cribbs but in doing so they may been discovered by one of the other maids?  Elizabeth’s first thought was for the afternoons they had spent in the locked music room, the sneaked embraces in the darkened corridors or the previous afternoon in the summerhouse. They reached the terrace, where Georgina stood, surveying the formal lawns; two gardeners bent at work

“
I am grateful to you both for keeping yourselves to yourselves whilst I have been otherwise engaged but I think that you have both been kept within these four walls long enough.  I think the time is right for a small sojourn into town.”

       
She looked at each of them before continuing.

“
‘I am going shopping this afternoon in town and I think you might both welcome the opportunity to join me?”

“
Aunt Georgina! That would be lovely. Isn’t that kind, Alice?”

       
But the look with which Avery received this news indicated it was nothing of the sort.

~o~

“‘Miss Silver? Is there something wrong with your head? Your back?”

       
It was the third time Georgina had snapped at Avery since they had arrived in Amersham and Elizabeth had started to regret teasing him about this trip. He was clearly unnerved about running into someone who recognised them from their last visit. As a result, he was walking with a stoop and had been covering his face at every turn. Georgina had a pet hatred of poor posture and was being driven to distraction by this very public show of slouching.

“
Then perhaps you would be so kind as to stand up straight. I don’t wish the town to think I have brought you along from some crippled home.” She tossed her head and stalked off, indicating that they should both follow. It was obvious that she was annoyed at having thought that the outing could have been a treat for them both when clearly there was much work still to do on Avery. Perhaps she had hoped that she could use this shopping trip as an excuse for getting Avery to wear something more feminine. She had commented to Elizabeth only the previous morning that the drab colours Avery wore were, at best, neat but made him look more like a missionaries wife than a potential wife (if Georgina had anything to do with it). Elizabeth was of course demonstrating better social graces, Georgina had remarked, and whilst she would never be a timorous girl, she was certainly behaving less impudently. As if on cue, Elizabeth followed her aunt, swiftly without a further word. Avery sighed and followed his father’s fiancée inside the small department store trying to turn his head towards the busy street whilst holding himself upright. The three of them were met by a salesman primed for the very eventuality of three such obviously moneyed characters chancing upon his store.

       
Within five minutes, Elizabeth was leaving by the same door having skillfully extracted herself from the chore of persuading Avery into different clothes. Though she would normally have enjoyed some of the sport in deriding him so publicly, she had also spotted another opportunity she could not let pass.

“
Aunt Georgina! Will you please excuse me? I need to find a WC. Ladies business.” She added under her breath as Georgina raised her eyebrows. “I will meet you at the carriage when you are done.”

       
As she slipped out of the doorway, she hurried down the broad main street towards the green strip of grass where the figure of Bateman stood chatting with two other men.

“
Miss Greenwood!” His surprise was genuine. Though he had only seen her disappear into the department store a few moments ago, he had been caught off guard by two other familiar faces who now stood appraising Elizabeth.

“
Forgive me. Miss Greenwood, this is Mr. Havers and Mr. Tremain. Gentlemen, this is Miss Elizabeth Greenwood.”

       
She smiled at each of them as they raised her extended hand to their lips.

“
A great pleasure it is too Miss Greenwood,” said the older of the two. A sallow looking man with ruddy cheeks, she did not know whether he was Havers or Tremain nor did she seem interested to know. “You look very well since last we met, the country air must agree with you.”

       
Elizabeth looked directly at Bateman.

“
Mr. Havers is a regular at Cleveland Street,” he explained.

“
Yes, it is not only yourself who quits London in the heat Miss Greenwood. So few of our number remain in the capital that we have decided to take the remaining stalwarts on a tour.”

“
Yes, it seems there are a great number of us who choose the cooler country air. Why, even Silver has not been seen in a number of weeks. I was just telling Tremain that he had been spotted roaming these parts only a few weeks ago.” Bateman did not break his gaze from Elizabeth’s and she could not glean from his tone whether he had spotted Avery earlier when she had herelf noticed Bateman.

“
Where Mr. Silver does or does not roam is of no consequence to me,” she ventured but Bateman remained impassive. The ruddy faced Havers continued, unaware of the growing unease which crept over Elizabeth

“
We were just telling Bateman here about a small shindig we are having tomorrow evening. It’s not too far from here if you are interested.”

       
Despite herself and the misgivings she felt, Elizabeth leapt at the chance.

“
‘Gentlemen, though it would be my absolute pleasure, I am not inclined to be wandering around the countryside on my own in the evening. There are any number of ways I could meet my end but falling in a ditch or being trampled by a cow is not one of those I entertain.”