Page 17 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle

Kitty gathered herself. ‘We live here most of the time,’ she said.

‘I like very much to make stay in the country,’ he persevered politely.

‘It is of all things most agreeable. But ladies, I think, like to be in the town.’ He smiled around the company.

‘Ladies, I think, like the shopping and the theatre und so weiter . Is it not so, dear wife? In the Nevsky Prospekt in St Petersburg there were many fine shops. We look forward to return when the present Schwierigkeiten are ended.’

Giles met Kitty’s eyes down the table. He doesn’t know , he thought. Surely he wouldn’t talk like that if he knew?

‘Did you see much of the disorder in St Petersburg, sir?’ Uncle Sebastian asked.

‘No, we had left the day before the march on the Winter Palace.’

‘That was lucky,’ said Uncle Sebastian.

‘The strikes were making life uncomfortable,’ Maud said. ‘When the electricity failed we accepted an invitation to stay with the Menshikovs in Crimea. The Crown Prince and Princess of Romania were there also, and they invited everyone to Bucharest.’

‘The Cotroceni Palace is most comfortable,’ the prince said.

‘Much of improvement lately by King Karel has been made. Sinaia is more pretty, but a summer palace. The mountains are too cold in snow-time for my lady. But the crown prince has promised to invite us when summer comes,’ he concluded blithely.

It was all very puzzling.

The princess, it was noted, ate very little at dinner, and when the cloth was drawn announced she was retiring. The prince rose as she did, and seemed almost to want to escort her, but after a rapid exchange in German he bowed her out of the room and sat again, leaving them to entertain him.

Rachel and Alice exchanged a look of relief: there would be no facing the music for them this evening, at least. But while they were still at dessert, a footman came in, approached Rachel’s chair and murmured a message that made her turn immediately white.

‘What is it?’ Giles said, annoyed. Surely young Tullamore had not invaded the house again, uninvited, and at this hour.

Rachel was already rising. ‘Mama has sent for me.’

She actually swayed on her feet. The other men had of course risen, and Richard steadied her and said quietly, ‘Best get it over with. She can’t kill you, you know.’

Rachel stared at him a moment with beseeching eyes, unable to articulate the many layers of foreboding in her mind. To withstand her mother’s will was difficult at any time, but how could you defy a mother who was dying ?

* * *

‘Stop crying, Rachel,’ Maud said irritably.

‘I c-can’t help it,’ she sobbed. ‘You’re my m-mother. I don’t want you to die!’

‘It is a natural process. All life ends in death. You will die. There is nothing to make a fuss about.’ Seeing that Rachel had used up the capacity of the dainty handkerchief, which was all a young lady expected to need at dinner, she rose from the settle and fetched another of her own, and gave it to her.

‘Compose yourself. Control, Rachel! Control is everything. The Usingen motto is vincit qui se vincit . Do you know what that means? He succeeds who conquers himself. You would do well to adopt it. Dry your eyes, blow your nose and sit up straight.’

Rachel was a tender-hearted creature easily brought to tears.

Even though she had always feared her mother, they had spent a great deal of time together the previous year, and being rarely scolded during that time had made her fonder of her stern parent – the only one she had left, after all.

But obediently she mopped up, sat up, and tried to control the last hitching sobs.

‘Now, as to your future,’ Maud said. ‘I do not know how long I have left – no, I forbid you to cry again! – so we must work quickly. Negotiations with Prince Suripov are well in hand, and fortunately he is very fond of England and is willing to come here for a binding betrothal ceremony. The wedding itself will have to take place in Russia and you will have to convert to the Russian Orthodox religion. If I should die before the wedding can take place, your stepfather will complete the arrangements, escort you to St Petersburg and attend you to the wedding. He will be your legal guardian until you marry.’

Rachel felt as though all the blood had drained out of her. Her lips felt numb. She could only stammer, ‘But – but I don’t want—’

Maud interrupted her, eyebrows shooting upwards. ‘Do you understand what a brilliant match I have made for you? Prince Suripov has connections all through the Russian Imperial court. His first wife was unable to give him a child, so—’

‘His first wife?’ Rachel gasped.

‘He is a widower. What now? He is a little older than you, in his forties, but your youth is a great attraction. Give him a son, and he will be a kind and generous husband. You will like St Petersburg – a very civilised city.’ She stopped, with a slight frown, remembering the recent troubles.

But they would soon be dealt with. Russia went through these convulsions from time to time, the Suripovs had told her, but then everything settled down and the old order was restored.

Rachel gripped her hands together, summoned the dregs of her courage, and said, ‘I won’t do it.’

Frost settled on the air. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘I won’t go to Russia. I won’t convert. I won’t marry an old Russian prince I’ve never met.’

‘Don’t be foolish. You’ll meet him at the betrothal.’

‘I won’t marry him,’ Rachel cried desperately.

Maud regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. ‘You’ll deny your mother her dying wish?’

That ought to have clinched it, but, oddly, it strengthened Rachel’s resolve. ‘That’s not fair! You know I—’

‘Disobedience to your parent is a sin, are you aware of that?’ Rachel’s lips were trembling too much for her to answer. ‘Is this about that foolish Tullamore boy?’ Maud said, eyes narrowing.

‘I love him!’ Rachel cried. ‘I’m going to marry him.’

‘And how precisely is he to support a wife? I have it on good authority that his father has disinherited him.’ Rachel was weeping again.

‘You propose to choose a life of hardship and penury with that obscure boy rather than a life of ease and wealth with a man of rank and position? Are you insane, or merely an abject fool?’

‘Mama, don’t!’

‘Kindly cease that disgusting exhibition. No, Rachel, I will not let you ruin your life. You are my daughter and you will marry as I see fit.’

‘You can’t make me! You can’t make me!’

‘Don’t talk nonsense. Usingen will take you to Russia and you will forget all about your silly childish fancy – for that’s all it is. I can’t look at you in that state any longer. Go away now. You have wearied me beyond endurance. We’ll speak again tomorrow.’