“Yes, that is true, dearest,” Mrs Peverill conceded. “But you and I, Verena, cannot continue in this way forever, of that I am certain. Don’t you see? I must seriously consider this opportunity.”
Verena thought she was going mad. Opportunity! Had Mama taken leave of her senses? Desperately, she clutched her mother’s arms.
“Mama, you are out of your mind! Believe me, I willkillNathaniel before I allow you to return to him. Do you imagine I could enjoy an instant’s happiness with Denzell, knowing what you must be suffering?”
Mrs Peverill reached her hands up to her daughter’s shoulders, an odd look in her face. “Verena, do you realise what you have just said?”
Verena’s heart stilled. What had she said? She had talked of Denzell — and enjoying happiness with him. Oh, sweet heaven, she was going mad! This could not be. She wrenched herself away.
“You have confused me, Mama — all this talk of love and my father. Don’t you know you are more important to me than anything in the world?”
With that, she turned and rushed out of the parlour, almost running into Betsey as the maid came towards her.
“Now what’s amiss?” demanded Betsey, catching at her young mistress and holding her. “Steady now, Miss Verena. What’s to do?”
“Oh, Betsey, help me,” Verena cried. “We must leave here at once. Go far away — abroad. Yes, abroad! Anywhere — only so that we get away from here.”
She glanced back to the parlour door, but Mama was still within. Hustling Betsey, she pushed her into her own bedchamber and shut the door.
“Betsey, give me an answer!”
“I would, my dove, if you would but tell me the question,” said the maid, bewildered. “Now simmer down, do, and talk sense.”
Verena drew a steadying breath. “Betsey, how am I to persuade Mama that I have no interest in Denzell? You must help me to disabuse her mind. We must convince her I am not in love with him.”
“And what about you, Miss Verena?” demanded the maid shrewdly. “Are you convinced?”
“Oh, Betsey, don’t you begin. In any event, he has not asked me to marry him. He has promised, besides, that he will not speak of the matter again.”
“Has he now?” said Betsey.
“Betsey! Don’t tease me, pray. Whatever I felt, you cannot possibly conceive that I would allow Mama to sacrifice herself for me.”
“No,” agreed Betsey, adding, “but I’m certain sure she’ll try if she thinks there’s a fair chance of you being settled.”
“Exactly.”
If Betsey agreed with her, then the fear was very real. Verena was calmer now. She knew what she must do. Mama might believe what she liked of her daughter’s emotions, but she didnot know Denzell. Therein lay salvation. She drew a determined breath.
“There is nothing for it, then. She must be made to believe otherwise.”
The High Rocks revellers were in fine fettle, attending the Friday night dance at the Rooms with renewed energy. Even Sir John Frinton claimed to have enjoyed it.
Despite his abstraction, Denzell laughed. “Are you trying to convince me, Sir John, that you spent the day clambering among those huge boulders?”
Sir John twinkled. “In this heat? Come, come, my dear boy. Though I have done so in my day.”
“Yourday, sir, seems to have consisted of enough mayhem to tire out the hardiest spirit,” Denzell said tartly.
The old man laughed. “But you see, my dear young friend, with your attention elsewhere, I am able to flirt outrageously with all the other pretty women. That is why I enjoyed myself that day.”
“I can readily believe it.”
But his attention was not on the conversation, and Sir John, apparently recognising the fact, wandered away in search of other amusement. Denzell’s attention was indeed otherwhere. He had only one end in view in repairing to this local haunt.
Would she come? He had not felt he had earned the right to intrude upon the family gathering — albeit a gathering from which its members expected to derive little pleasure — by returning to the lodging to discover the outcome that was of such vital concern to Verena. But to hear nothing for two days! To see nothing of any member of the family, let alone Verena herself.
He could only possess his soul in what patience he might, passing the time at the Ruishtons’ in relating to Unice all the new evidences that had come to light, and hope that his love would put in a public appearance this Friday night.
