The Best of Daughters (23 page)

She could not argue with the passion he put into his words, or the beseeching look in his eyes that was for her alone. She could not go back on her promise to marry him now, especially with the threat of war
looming over them like a great black cloud. She met his intense gaze with a tremulous smile. ‘All right, Rupert, but only if you allow me to continue with the FANYs. It's even more important should there be a war, which I pray to God there won't. But I can't sit back and do nothing.'

‘You may do anything you want if it makes you happy.' He took her in his arms, confirming his answer with a kiss that ought to have swept her off her feet and taken her to heaven, but left her feeling sadly disappointed. She could only hope that passion on her part would come later. With time and familiarity she would learn to give him her whole heart and body, if not her soul. He released her with a triumphant whoop of joy. ‘We'll go and tell them now.' He waved his arms to the stragglers some way behind them. ‘Come here. We've got something wonderful to tell you.'

‘Don't,' Daisy said urgently, tugging at his sleeve. ‘We ought to speak to our parents first.'

‘We'll do that next. I want the whole world to know that we'll be married as soon as humanly possible, and I'm not giving you the chance to back out, Daisy. This is real and it's going to happen. You'll be a June bride, or sooner if it can be arranged. I want you now and always, my love.'

Despite Daisy's protests Rupert called everyone together and announced their intention to name the day. The news was received enthusiastically and with much merriment and good-natured banter.

It was a noisy party that invaded the sanctity of the great hall, to Warrington's obvious displeasure, which
he conveyed with the twitch of a shaggy grey eyebrow and a thin-lipped stare. Rupert grasped Daisy by the hand, meeting his butler's rigid stance with a happy smile. ‘Warrington, you've known me since I was born, and you got me out of many a scrape when I was a naughty little boy. I want you to be one of the first to know that Miss Lennox and I are about to set the date for our marriage.'

Warrington's lined face crumpled into a semblance of a smile. ‘Congratulations, sir.' He bowed stiffly to Daisy. ‘May I offer you my very best wishes, miss?'

‘Thank you, Warrington.' Daisy felt a sudden surge of relief. She was slightly more in awe of Warrington than she was of Lord Pendleton, and she was certain that the entire staff of Pendleton Park felt the same.

Rupert gave her hand a gentle squeeze of approval. ‘I think this announcement calls for champagne, Warrington. I hope that everyone in the servants' hall will join in the toast to our future happiness.'

‘Indeed, sir.' Warrington stood aside as Rupert led Daisy inexorably towards the grand staircase and the inevitable meeting with both sets of parents. Behind them Bea and the noisy Pendleton younger generation were chattering like a flock of parakeets, but as Daisy glanced over her shoulder there was no sign of Teddy. Her heart sank. She had sensed his edginess throughout the day, which was unlike her normally easy-going brother. She could only guess that the cause of his anxiety was the lovely Iris, with her willowy figure and lustrous hazel eyes set in an almost perfect oval face. It was little wonder that Jed
Smith was besotted with her and that she had Teddy in her thrall.

‘Come along, darling,' Rupert said as they stood outside the crimson and gold saloon. ‘Let's tell the mothers first, as they're the ones most likely to take over the whole event.'

Daisy nodded mutely, but her heart was pounding as they entered the magnificent room to interrupt the game of whist.

Gwendoline was hysterically happy and Lady Pendleton serenely overjoyed. The two fathers were summoned and Daisy realised that the matter had been taken out of her hands. June, Gwendoline suggested tentatively, was always a good time for weddings, but Lord Pendleton said he preferred to wait until July or August when the House was in recess. There could be no gainsaying him and it was then a matter of choosing the exact date. Lord Pendleton and Victor wandered off in the direction of the billiard room, and the female family members gathered together to exchange views and reminisce about past weddings, christenings and even funerals.

Daisy and Rupert found themselves redundant and they crept away to join the young people who had assembled in the great hall. Champagne corks were popping like cannon fire, but there was still no sign of Teddy. It was only when the sound of voices raised in anger drowned out the general hum of conversation that anyone in the hall realised there was a fracas in progress. Rupert hurried into the corridor which led to the servants' wing, and the younger men followed
close on his heels, hallooing as though they were joining the hunt. The girls crowded after them, chattering excitedly. Daisy had just managed to push her way to Rupert's side when the baize door flew open and Teddy was pitched onto the flagstone floor with an irate Jed Smith at his throat.

ALL HELL BROKE
loose. Warrington made an ineffectual attempt to separate the brawling men, but was pushed unceremoniously aside by Rupert and his cousin Giles. The rest of the young male guests joined in with whoops of glee. Jed was dragged off Teddy but he still struggled, and it took both Rupert and Giles to keep him from renewing the attack. ‘I'll get you, Lennox,' Jed shouted as they frog-marched him through the great hall. ‘Keep your hands off my girl or it'll be the worse for you, you bastard.' His voice died away and the resounding slam of the front door put an abrupt end to his threats.

Daisy helped her brother to his feet, taking his handkerchief from his pocket and staunching his bleeding nose. She turned her head away as the all too familiar reaction at the sight of blood threatened to overwhelm her. ‘What did I tell you,' she said in a low voice. ‘I was afraid that something like this would happen.'

He shrugged her off with an irritated twitch of his shoulders. ‘Don't lecture me, Daisy. I'm not in the mood. I'd have sorted the so-and-so out if they hadn't stopped me.'

‘Of course you would,' she whispered. ‘But this isn't the time or place, and she was his girl before you came
on the scene. You can see his point.' She glanced nervously over her shoulder but the others had drifted away now that the excitement was over, and sounds of merriment from the great hall suggested that the party was getting into full swing.

‘I'm going home,' Teddy said thickly. ‘I don't want Iris to see me like this.'

‘Where is she? And what were you doing when Jed found you?'

‘I wasn't doing anything as it happens. She collared me.'

‘But it must have been more than that to make Jed so angry.'

‘It's nothing. Don't trouble your head about it, Daisy.'

She looked up and was relieved to see Rupert coming towards them. ‘You speak to him,' she said urgently. ‘Can you make him see sense?'

Rupert put his arm around Teddy's shoulders. ‘What was that all about? He looked as if he wanted to kill you.'

‘He's been seeing Iris,' Daisy said when Teddy remained obstinately silent. ‘She was keeping company with Jed before we came to Rainbow's End.'

Frown lines puckered Rupert's brow. ‘I'd say there's more in it than that. I've known Jed Smith almost as long as I've known you, Teddy, and he's a stable sort of chap, not given to physical violence as a rule.'

Teddy shot an anxious glance at Daisy. ‘I can't say,' he muttered into the folds of the hanky. ‘Not in front of my sister.'

Horrified, Daisy stared at him. Not again, she thought
miserably. Surely it can't have happened to Iris as well as Ruby. ‘She's not – I mean, it's not yours, is it?'

‘Well, is she?' Rupert demanded angrily. ‘You can't have been such an idiot.'

Teddy nodded. ‘She says it's mine but she's lying. She thinks that we're rich and that I'll have to marry her or give her money that I simply haven't got.'

‘Oh, Teddy.' Daisy shook her head. ‘How could you?'

‘Don't rub it in, Daisy. My head's splitting and I think my nose is broken. I'm going home.' He blundered towards the doorway but Rupert stopped him.

‘Not that way, Teddy. I'll drive you, and we'll go out through the servants' quarters.'

Teddy shook his restraining hand off. ‘No. You stay here with Daisy. This is your night, and I've ruined it.' He gave Daisy a sheepish smile. ‘I'm sorry.'

She laid her hand on his arm. ‘Let Rupert drive and I'll come with you. I'll patch you up. It'll be good practice.'

Teddy bowed his head. ‘All right. I do feel a bit queasy. Thanks, Daisy.'

‘I'll bring the car round,' Rupert said, making for the baize door. ‘Wrap up warm, Daisy. We don't want you catching your death of cold just because of this silly ass. Wait for me by the front door. I won't be long.'

She watched him go with a feeling of gratitude mixed with guilt. She did not deserve a man like Rupert, and if he knew the truth he might revise his opinion of her. She felt tarnished by her brief relationship with Bowman. It was over, but she could not forget the way he made her feel and probably never would. She helped
Teddy to a chair. ‘I'll fetch our coats and I'll let Mother know that we're going home.'

He raised his head. ‘You won't tell her about Iris and me?'

‘Of course not. I just hope that Giles and the others don't mention what went on between you and Jed, but I'll see if I can find him and warn him not to say anything.' She left Teddy clutching his hanky to his sore nose.

She found Giles drinking champagne and flirting shamelessly with a distant cousin. He seemed to have forgotten the incident already, and promised not to breathe a word of it to the rest of the family. His companion, who appeared to be more than a little tipsy, showed no interest in the conversation. ‘Do stop being a bore and dance with me, Giles,' she said, tapping her foot in time to the music being played on a shiny new gramophone.

Daisy recognised Scott Joplin's catchy ‘Maple Leaf Rag', to which couples were performing an energetic rendition of the Bunny Hug. At any other time she would have loved to join in, but she had more important matters on her mind and she rang the bell to summon a servant.

Warrington appeared, looking like a grumpy genie of the lamp. ‘You rang, miss?'

‘Yes, Warrington. I wonder if you would be so kind as to tell my parents that I'm leaving early. I have rather a bad headache and my brother is going to see me safely home.'

He bowed solemnly. ‘I'll attend to it immediately,
and I'll send someone for your outer garments if you would like to wait in the vestibule.' He walked off with a measured gait, and only a slight twitch of his shoulders betrayed his disapproval of the goings-on in the ancient great hall.

When they reached Rainbow's End Rupert handed Daisy from the Prince Henry before turning his attention to Teddy. ‘Come on, old chap. Let's get you indoors.' He helped him down the path and Daisy went on ahead to unlock the front door. The house was in darkness and she set about lighting lamps, but as there was no fire in the drawing room they opted for the kitchen where the range emitted a welcoming glow and the kettle simmered on the hob.

‘Ruby must have kept the fire going,' Daisy said, setting the oil lamp down on the table and lighting a few candles. ‘I hope she's feeling better.'

‘It's lucky she was the only one to get sick,' Teddy murmured as he sank down on a chair. ‘If it was food poisoning we'd all have been clutching our bellies and groaning.'

‘How's the nose feeling?' Rupert regarded him with a worried frown. ‘Perhaps we ought to send for Dr Grimshaw. He's not a bad chap and very discreet.'

Teddy raised his hand to his face. ‘It's sore, but I don't think it's broken and the bleeding's stopped.'

‘It serves you right,' Daisy said unsympathetically. ‘Have a cup of tea and you'll feel better.'

Rupert grinned. ‘I think something stronger might be more to the point, Daisy Bell. Where does Mr Lennox keep the brandy?'

‘In the drawing room on the wine table by the window,' Teddy said eagerly. ‘Fetch a couple of glasses while you're about it, old man.'

Daisy folded her arms across her chest, waiting until Rupert was out of earshot before she spoke. ‘You're impossible, Teddy. Now it's all a big joke and you'll be boasting about this forever more, but aren't you forgetting something, or somebody?'

He gave her a puzzled look. ‘I don't think so.'

‘Iris,' she said pointedly. ‘Iris and her unborn child. Are you the father or are you not?'

‘I don't know, Daisy, and that's the honest truth. I suppose it's possible, but . . .' He broke off, flushing and looking away. ‘It's not the sort of thing one discusses with one's younger sister.'

‘Well then, could it be Jed's? Has she been intimate with him as well as you?'

‘Maybe. I didn't ask her.' He shot her an anguished look. ‘Please, Daisy, this is terribly embarrassing. You shouldn't talk about this sort of thing.'

‘So she can claim that you are the father and you can't or won't do anything about it.'

He shrugged his shoulders with a sigh of resignation. ‘What can I do? As I said, it's possible, but it's her word against mine. All I know is that Jed promised to have my liver and lights if I saw her again, and I don't fancy my chances if he caught me unawares.'

Rupert entered the room carrying a tray laden with a decanter and three glasses. ‘I agree. If this gets round the village you might end up at the bottom of the river and no one would point a finger at Jed Smith.'

‘You don't really think so, do you?' Daisy stared at him aghast. ‘Surely that can't happen in a civilised society?'