Page 74 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle

It showed two banks of seats facing each other across a marble floor, those on one side populated by men in various poses of listening or whispering to each other, and on the other side only by one man, chin in hand, staring at the floor looking dejected.

Standing in the middle was a man with his arms flung out in oratorical mode.

All the men were wearing white togas; the only colour came from the faces, the wooden benches and the mild variations in hue of the marble floor and walls.

Usually a Wentworth was full of rich blues and crimsons and lashings of gold.

‘It’s clever, though,’ Alice said, as she studied it.

‘Every face is different, and there must be fifty of them. And their poses and expressions are very natural-looking – it must have taken a very long time to paint.’

‘Are you going to copy it?’

‘It would take weeks! Besides, I’ve got my heart set on Henry.

’ Alice glanced around, and saw a footman at the far end of the room – there had been several dotted about, perhaps to help the young ladies in their endeavours – or perhaps, less liberally, to stop them touching anything.

‘I’ll ask that man if he knows where it is. ’

But before she could act on the thought, someone came in through the door just beside her, made a sound of surprise, or perhaps annoyance, at the sight of her and Bron.

He was immediately withdrawing when, seeing Alice’s face as she turned to look, he stopped, smiled, and came forward with his hand out.

‘Miss Tallant? Well, goodness! I was told there were some young ladies wandering about, and was warned to avoid them. To think of its being you!’

‘Mr Farocean,’ Alice said. ‘To think of its being you!’ Bron gave a very small cough, and she introduced them. ‘We are two of the wandering young ladies. Why were you told to avoid us? Are we likely to annoy you, or was it vice versa?’

Bentham Farocean grinned. ‘I imagine the idea was that the young ladies are of such unworldly delicacy I might fatally shock them, being myself entirely terrestrial. Of the earth: earthy.’

‘We are students of fine art, Mr Farocean. Nudity, lust and murder are all around us, every day.’

‘By Jove, yes. Those Old Masters didn’t hold back, did they?’

‘But you haven’t said what you are doing here,’ Alice said, enjoying herself. It was nice to talk to a man again, after a diet of girls and female teachers. He reminded her a little of Richard, which was comfortable.

‘I’ve been visiting Oliver – Oliver Leven. Grandson.’ He waved a hand to indicate the entirety of the Leven house as a shorthand way of indicating whose grandson Oliver was. ‘He’s laid up in bed with a busted bone so I was relieving the boredom. We were up at Balliol together.’

‘That explains everything perfectly,’ Alice said. ‘I’m sure if in five years’ time Bron was laid up in bed I would feel duty bound to go and visit her.’

Bron laughed and excused herself, walking away briskly to give them privacy.

Bentham didn’t seem to notice she had gone. ‘So, what are you doing here?’ he asked. ‘Yes, looking at the paintings, no need to be literal. Any in particular?’

‘I’m looking for Henry the Eighth,’ Alice said.

‘Oh, he’s on the stairs. Enormous great thing, no space for it in a room. Shall I show you?’

‘Thank you – if you don’t mind.’

He ushered her through the anteroom door onto a staircase. ‘Not this one – t’other side of the house. I know a short-cut. So, you weren’t in Scotland, like your sister?’

‘You saw her there, did you? She went with my aunt Vicky, who’d taken her on holiday to the South of France, and then went on to Glamis. I had to be here for the start of term. Were you staying at Glamis?’

‘No, but we were invited once or twice. We were staying with the Eassies – do you know them?’

‘Yes. They’re my uncle’s neighbours, and friends of our cousins, the Tullamores.’

‘Ah, yes. We saw them, too. Everyone knows everyone else down there: Scotland’s a small place. Your sister seemed to be having a tremendous time,’ he went on, giving her a curious look.

‘She loves dancing and parties,’ Alice said.

‘You disapprove?’ Alice shook her head without answering, not wishing to expose family secrets. ‘She’s a very beautiful girl, your sister,’ he went on thoughtfully. ‘My brother certainly thought so, at any rate.’

‘Your brother?’

‘Jervis. They danced together in several houses – whenever we happened to meet at a ball.’

‘She was flirting?’

‘Oh, now – well – I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. Such a harsh word. It’s natural for a beautiful young woman to want to enjoy herself. Quite harmless, really.’

‘You know that she’s engaged.’ It wasn’t a question. He bowed slightly in acknowledgement. ‘Does your brother know?’

He hesitated. Then he said, ‘There is something especially delightful about an engaged woman. Her anxieties are all behind her, she is able to relax in male company and be herself. So much more pleasing than the buttoned-up, fearful, daren’t-open-her-lips caution of the unattached female.’

‘Pleasing,’ Alice said.

‘Fun,’ he said.

They walked on in silence, and came out onto another, grander staircase where, immediately opposite and in full splendour, was the immense copy of the Holbein Henry VIII . ‘ Voilà, mademoiselle ,’ Bentham said, with a flourish. ‘ Le roi vous attend .’

Alice looked at it in silence for a moment. ‘It’s much bigger than I expected.’

‘Large as life and twice as ugly. How could a man with a face like that persuade six different women to marry him?’

‘He was the king,’ Alice pointed out.

‘Yes, well, as a younger son myself, I don’t enjoy the idea that it all hinges on position.’

‘And money,’ Alice said.

‘Indeed.’ He flicked a glance at her. ‘I hope it was only flirting,’ he said quietly, his bantering tone absent. ‘I know Jervis, and that’s all it was for him. He’s not serious.’

‘Did you think she was?’

He paused, thinking. ‘Sometimes it seemed as though she might be wanting something more from him. I hope I was wrong. My brother has a very clear notion of his own worth.’

Alice was offended. ‘My sister is an earl’s daughter,’ she said.

‘And beautiful but – forgive me – rumour says . . . Your father’s financial woes are known about. It’s said she has no dowry.’

‘And that’s all that matters,’ Alice said flatly, looking at him.

‘Not to me,’ he said gently. ‘Being a younger son has the virtues of its defects. Thrust out into the world like an unwanted pup to fend for myself, I can admire where I will.’ She was staring at the Holbein again, but not as if she was seeing it.

‘I mentioned it only so that you could put her on her guard, if you believe she has any expectations of the situation.’ He examined her expression. ‘I had no wish to offend you.’

‘You haven’t offended me,’ she said absently. She would have to try to talk to Rachel, but whether she was just enjoying the last burst of pre-marital freedom, or whether she really was hoping to exchange for a better husband, she would not heed anything Alice said.

She sighed and changed the subject firmly. ‘It’s a pity it’s hung over the stairs like that. I won’t be able to get up close to study it.’

‘I stand rebuked,’ he said meekly.

‘No, not at all,’ she said.

They turned back towards the door.

‘Is there any hope that I shall see you again, Miss Tallant?’ he said. ‘We are in Town for some weeks – a sister of mine being prepared to be brought out, no end of parties. Or you are from Buckinghamshire, I believe? Do you hunt?’

She smiled. ‘It’s strange you should ask that.

My family is giving house parties for the hunting all next month, and I was thinking of going home for them.

’ Aunt Caroline had urged her to go and have fun – it was only an hour away on the train, after all – and she was longing to go out on her darling Pharaoh.

‘Not such a very great coincidence,’ he admitted. ‘Ashridge Park is near you, I believe.’

‘You know Lord Shacklock?’

‘I know his son, Brandon. Younger son,’ he added, with a grin. ‘We’re all invited for a hunting weekend on the seventeenth. Apparently there’s going to be a splendid ball, most of the county invited. I do hope you’ll be there.’

‘If the county’s invited, I’m sure we will be,’ she said.

‘And dare I hope that you’ll spare a dance for a despicable younger son?’

‘If you have any desire to dance with a penniless younger daughter.’

He bowed. ‘The pleasure will be entirely mine.’

They chatted inconsequentially until he delivered her in front of Cicero again and, assured she knew her way from there, clattered off down the staircase.

Alice remained staring at the painting for some time, but she was not thinking about brush strokes or colour or Cicero or indeed Ivor Wentworth.

She was thinking that if she and Bentham Farocean were at the Shacklock ball, then Rachel and Jervis Farocean would be too.

And the face she saw in her mind’s eye was Angus’s.

‘I am not a very confident horsewoman,’ Lepida had written, ‘but I agree it is the best way to see the countryside. I’ll ride, if you promise not to go out of a walk.’

So Nina had borrowed a horse for her from Bobby, and they rode out every morning.

‘I don’t want to keep you from your hunting,’ Lepida said.

‘It doesn’t matter. I can always hunt – I won’t always have you.’

‘No, that’s true,’ Lepida said.

It was a cold, sunny day, and the slanting sunshine threw Lepida’s face into planes that made her look thinner than ever. ‘I’m so glad you’ve found time to come and stay,’ Nina said.

‘I’m having a delightful time,’ Lepida said serenely.