The Silk Vendetta by Victoria Holt Page B

had gone back to the house. He packed his bag and presented himself to Mama and said he had to leave. He was called away suddenly. Mama was in a terrible state. But, of course, she had to say goodbye to Drake, and he came out and asked one of the stablemen to drive him to the station
    … and then he was gone.”
    “How … awful! What about Charles?”
    “He’s going tonight. He won’t say where … except that he is going to stay with a friend and he will go straight on from there to the University.”
    “So … they’ve both gone … and it was all because of me.”
    ”Drake couldn’t stay in a house where he had had such a fight with his host. As for Charles, perhaps he is ashamed of what happened. Philip is very worried about you.”
    “Philip has always been kind to me.”
    “I think he will be along soon. He wanted to see you last night but Madame Cleremont said it was best you were not disturbed.”
    “What a dreadful end to the holiday!”
    “I don’t suppose anything like this has ever happened before, do you?”
    “I should think it would be very rare.”
    When she left me I lay back thinking about Drake coming into the mausoleum, picking me up and bringing me back to the house. I should probably never see him again. He certainly would not come to The Silk House as Charles’s guest. They must hate each other. I felt a mingling of feelings. I was gratified that he had defended me; it was almost like fighting in the lists or in a duel. It made me feel important and after the humiliation Charles had inflicted on me, I needed that. But I was sorry that I should not see Drake again.
    Philip came to see me.
    “My dear Lenore,” he said, “this is most upsetting. What a terrible time you had!”
    “It is good of you to come to see me,” I answered. “You might have felt you didn’t want to after all the trouble this has caused.”
    ”You’ve heard then about Drake?”
    “Cassie told me. …”
    “I ‘m so ashamed of my brother, Lenore.”
    “I always knew he was not as kind as you are.”
    “I think he is rather arrogant… going through a phase just now. He wants to assert himself. I’m sure it will pass. He is not such a bad sort really.”
    I smiled at Philip. He was one of those people who mean well towards the whole world and think everyone else is like themselves.
    “How are you feeling now?”
    “I’m being cosseted by Grand’mere, and everyone seems to be very kind. Even Mrs. Dillon said I must eat porridge.”
    He laughed, then he was sober. “It must have been very frightening for you.”
    “It was. And I should be there now if it wasn’t for Willie and Pepper.”
    “Good for Willie. I suppose Drake felt he couldn’t stay after such a violent quarrel with Charles.”
    ”And Charles is going, too.”
    “He’s going this evening.”
    “I’m afraid I’ve broken up the party.”
    “Charles did that by behaving like a brute. I’m not surprised that Drake was angry with him and gave vent to his anger, too.”
    “You can imagine how I feel to be the centre of it all.”
    “The centre of it is Charles’s beastly vanity. He’s had a big lesson.”
    ”But Drake has been driven away.”
    “He wouldn’t stay after that. How could he … as Charles’s guest. He’s had a good thrashing and been thrown into the lake. Don’t be afraid of what Charles will do now.
    We shan’t see him here for a while, I reckon. All you have to do is get well.”
    “I’m not ill… just shaken.”
    “It was enough to shake anybody. You’ll be all right in a day or so. I’m going to look after you. Cassie and I have decided we must do that. My father is coming home soon. He wants to talk to us very seriously about the business. He’ll want to talk to Charles as well as to me, of course.”
    “But Charles is leaving.”
    “I don’t think Charles cares very much about the business, He happens to be the elder, but I am the one my father really wants to discuss things with. I’m going