Page 21 of Mirrors of the Past

Chapter Eight

1911

Laurie watched Viola and Sam disappear into the whirling couples on the dance floor. Soon, they stood out, because they were dancing completely different steps to the other waltzers — standing on one foot, with the other being dragged into position or simply suspended in the air for a beat or two. The faster the music, the more they hesitated.

It was odd, yet strangely entrancing.

Laurie did enjoy dancing in his own, quiet way. But he followed the crowd and preferred not to stand out, so he wouldn’t even dream of making a dance up as this pair seemed to do.

But he simply could not stop looking at them — well, looking at Viola, which appalled him. She held her head elegantly, occasionally looking up at her brother and laughing. Her face was rounder and her cheeks fuller than Pearl’s as she smiled up at him — the fact that she was a few years younger than her sister was also evident by her lack of “London polish”, as Laurie privately called it.

A strange thought entered his mind at that point — he didn’t want her to be subsumed into this world of Society the way Pearl had been. And his next thought was: why should he even care that much about Viola’s subsummation? It was her choice, her life — but she reminded him of Elsie in some ways. Pearl was extremely happy with Ernie and the life she’d married into, but Viola just seemed different, somehow. Whereas Elsie used her art to express her free spirit, it was clear to him tonight that Viola did the same with dance.

Elsie had told Laurie about the turkey trot, the bunny hug and the grizzly bear dance, which Sam and Viola had performed at Pearl’s. And indeed, on one of Elsie’s visits to Pencradoc with Marigold, she had shown Marigold the steps and they’d all had fun taking the little girl on as their partner and dancing with her. Laurie had been quite possibly the most out of step of the lot of them, and had only redeemed himself in Marigold’s eyes by performing a perfect galop dance with Medora, as the little girl had laughed and clapped along in time with the music.

So to see Viola so free and uninhibited on the dance floor tonight was startling.

He realised the music was coming to an end and turned away. No need for her to see he was watching her out there — no need at all. But even as he turned away, his mind’s eye was filled with images of Viola Arthur laughing and dancing and smiling, and a very small part of him wished she was doing that with him, and not her brother.

* * *

Viola laughed as the dance ended and she curtsied at Sam. He bowed theatrically back at her and they were just about to check what the next dance was to see if they could adapt that one to their own ends as well, when Viola became aware of a young man approaching her.

‘I say,’ whispered Sam in a made-up English accent. ‘I think you have an admirer.’

Viola’s stomach turned over. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to think she was husband-hunting. But she was too slow to say anything and cursed herself, because instead of asking Sam to stay with her, or turning around and heading purposefully back to Elsie and Louis, she looked across at Laurie, and in that split second two things happened — the young man who was approaching her tapped her on the shoulder and bowed, and she saw that Laurie had already turned and walked away.

She felt ridiculously cross and also terribly disappointed. But she couldn’t dwell on why she felt like that; she could only switch on a fake smile and turn her attention to the young man.

‘I couldn’t help but notice your dancing,’ he said. ‘May I ask where you learned that? Oh—’ he turned his attention to Sam — ‘and also, my deepest apologies to your partner in advance for my intention to steal you away from him.’

‘She’s my sister,’ said Sam. ‘You’re very welcome to steal her. Adieu, sister, adieu.’

He saluted Viola and walked away, heading back to Elsie and Louis — and Laurie.

Dammit!

Oh, well. She had to ride this one out herself.

‘He’s correct,’ said Viola with a forced laugh. ‘That’s my brother, all right.’

‘Splendid. Then you won’t mind spending some time with me.’ The man smiled. His top lip was rather shiny and damp, fleshy-looking in a not particularly pleasant way, especially when he licked it. Ugh. ‘I’m Richard Bedford. One of the Sussex Bedfords?’ He said it as if she should know who the hell he was, or who his family were. He didn’t wait for an answer, but took her arm and manoeuvred her around the edge of the dance floor towards the refreshments. ‘I can’t help but notice you’re American.’

‘Yes. I am.’

‘And . . .’ He looked at her curiously. ‘Are you going to avail me of your name?’

‘Viola—’ she started to say, but wasn’t able to finish the sentence before he was off again.

‘Lady Pearl Elton is American. Married into the Bodmin Eltons. I believe she has done wonders for Elton Lacy. Well, her fortune has.’ He laughed, as if that was the most amusing thing in the world and Viola was treated to moist breath that smelled of alcohol washing over her face. She felt her stomach turn a little. ‘Lady Elton isone of the New York Arthurs — not sure if you’re familiar with them?’ He didn’t wait for answer but blithely continued. ‘I hear her father works on Wall Street, so they’re not short of a bob or two.’ Jeepers! How did he know that? ‘It really was the talk of Society when the Eltons married.’ Viola and Sam had not been at the wedding — Viola had been deemed “too young” to travel halfway across the world, and Sam had been travelling, so she was completely unaware of any of this. ‘Why,’ Richard continued, smirking, ‘a couple of us put bets on how much she’d brought as a dowry!’

Viola went hot and cold all over. She wasn’t going to tell Pearl that one, although Pearl probably knew herself what the gossips were saying. How awful. How utterly awful!

‘The rumour is . . .’ Does this man ever stop talking? ‘That Lady Elsie Pencradoc attended the wedding — but it seems that woman is allergic to the state of matrimony herself!’

‘We—’

‘I mean, their situation is highly unusual,’ he said before Viola could say she’d come with Elsie. ‘Living as they do, and all that.’