The White Witch Read online

  “I wanted to catch you before you went riding,” she said, “and to be able to speak to you alone.”

  The Marquis smiled.

  “Is that usually so difficult?”

  “Only sometimes,” she answered, “but what I have brought you is rather special.”

  The Marquis looked at the parcel on the desk beside her.

  “It is a mandrake plant. I thought we did not have one, but then I remembered that some years ago Mama was given one.”

  “It sounds a strange present for your mother to be given,” the Marquis remarked.

  “Mama did not like it and she would not tolerate it in the herb garden. She planted it outside the walls and I have dug it up for you.”

  As she was speaking Flora started to undo the parcel.

  When she had finished, the Marquis saw that it was a small mandrake which was not quite two feet high but was sprouting quite a number of leaves.

  “It looks healthy enough,” he said, “I thought you said it had to be planted under a gallows.”

  “That is what Papa has written in his book,” Flora answered, “but this one has flourished in the field just beyond the herb garden.”

  She paused before she added a little shyly, “I did actually dig it – up in – the middle of the night.”

  “All I can say is that it is very kind of you, and I am extremely grateful. Now please tell me where I should put it.”

  “I think the best place, if you are not afraid of it, would be in your bedroom.”

  As the Marquis looked at her, she blushed and he guessed what she must be thinking.

  “You are quite right,” he said quietly, “that is where it should be.”

  “What I suggest is that by day you carry two leaves in your pockets. One on the right hand side and one on the left.”

  The Marquis thought that a month ago he would have laughed at such an idea, but now he took her seriously.

  If the mandrake could really protect him from Locadi, he was only too anxious to make full use of its powers.

  He thought it was a strange looking plant. Then he remembered that he had seen illustrations of it in a book. He was not certain whether it was one of Mr. Romilly’s or by some other author.

  What he was absolutely sure about at the moment was that, if Flora believed in its powers, then he was prepared to do so too and he could only be grateful to her for having thought of him in his hour of need.

  After a moment he said to Flora,

  “I suppose you have come here on your horse.”

  “It was the easiest way to reach you so early.”

  “Then why do we not go for a ride together?” the Marquis enquired. “And if you would prefer to mount one of my horses for a change, you can come with me now to the stables.”

  Flora’s eyes lit up.

  “I would love to,” she accepted gladly, “but we must not be long. The workmen are already arriving and if we are not here, they are certain to put the tents and everything else in the wrong place.”

  The Marquis laughed.

  “Very well,” he agreed, “let us hurry to the stables and enjoy our freedom until breakfast time.”

  Both the Marquis and Flora chose horses they had not ridden previously and because they found them hard to handle, they forgot all about the mandrake plant and Locadi.

  After an exhilarating ride they returned to the castle just before eight o’clock.

  The Marquis looking up at the windows as they crossed the bridge over the lake, spied someone watching them. Too late he remembered that Locadi’s room overlooked the front of the house.

  If he had possessed an ounce of sense, he thought, they would have ridden into the stables where they would not have been seen.

  He instantly understood without being told that Locadi would be furious that he was riding out with Flora and it made it even worse that they had met so early in the morning.

  However he did not say anything.

  Once again he started wondering how he could persuade Locadi to depart for London.

  He was uncomfortably aware that nothing would make her leave the castle unless accompanied by himself and this was definitely something he had no intention of doing.

  The Marquis asked Flora to stay for breakfast, but she said she must go home and look after her father.

  “I will come back as quickly as I can,” she said. “Do watch what is happening beside the lake. You know how clumsy those people can be, and we want everything to be perfect for tomorrow.”

  “You have taken so much trouble over the party,” the Marquis replied, “I shall be extremely annoyed if it is not all perfection.”

  Flora laughed.

  “Hope for the best,” she said, “and be prepared for the worst!”

  As she finished speaking, she slipped down from the horse she had been riding and one of the grooms was waiting with her own horse for her ride home.

  The Marquis lifted her again into the saddle.

  This time she felt a quiver run through her which she had not felt earlier.

  She was not certain what it was but it was strange.

  She thought how strong he was.

  The Marquis was thinking that she was so slim that it was like lifting a piece of thistledown onto the saddle.

  She also looked, he noticed, exceedingly lovely.

  As she rode away he knew that he had enjoyed his morning ride much more than if he had been alone.

  Then with a sigh he walked into the castle.

  He was thinking as he did so that Locadi was doubtless still watching him from behind the curtains at her window.

  ‘I shall insist on her leaving on Monday,’ he said to himself.

  It was difficult however to think of an excuse as to why she should do so. He could hardly say there was not room for her when the castle was so big.

  He was quite certain that she was determined to stay and she would therefore fight like a wild animal to prevent herself from being separated from him.

  He ate his breakfast alone with these thoughts and they were not very happy ones.

  Then he heard a noise outside as the first carriages came rumbling up the drive and he rushed out to supervise the workmen as Flora had asked him to do.

  She joined him at ten o’clock and they were hard at work all morning.

  The Marquis had engaged the local band to play and there had to be a stand for them. The men who were erecting the tents wanted to place them too near to each other.

  The man who was delivering the chairs and tables wanted to leave before they were arranged in the tents, saying he had another job to do elsewhere.

  It was at the last moment that the Marquis remembered he had not ordered any flowers for the tables.

  When the gardener hurriedly brought them to the tents, there was no one to arrange them except Flora.

  “If you had told me you were needing flowers,” she said a little reproachfully, “there are two women in the village who can arrange them beautifully and who would have been delighted to help.”

  “Let me send for them,” the Marquis suggested.

  “Why not?” Flora replied, “I know there are a great many plants in the greenhouse which are just coming into bloom and which can be arranged around the bandstand.”

  “I had not thought of that,” the Marquis said. “But let me first send for the women who will cope with the flowers.”

  He obtained their names from Flora and then walked to the stables to find Gower.

  “I want you to send a groom to the village immediately,” he ordered, “to ask Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Cosset to come up at once and help arrange the flowers on the tables where everyone will be eating tomorrow night.”

  “I can send young Ben,” Gower said after a moment’s pause. “But he ain’t as good on a horse as I’d like him to be.”

  “What is wrong with Jimmy?” the Marquis enquired.

  Jimmy had been a stable boy who had been employed at the castle before the Marquis had
left to travel abroad. Potter had sacked him, but Gower had managed to attract him back.

  “Now Jimmy’s a different matter altogether,” Gower said, “but he’s gone to London.”

  “To London!” the Marquis exclaimed, “why has he gone there?”

  “I thought it were on your orders, my Lord.”

  “I have not given any orders to one of our lads to go to London,” the Marquis responded sharply.

  “The lady came herself,” Gower said. “Her told me it were very important that the letter her gives me should be in London as quickly as possible.”

  There was no need for the Marquis to ask who the lady was.

  There was only one lady in the castle, only one person, the Marquis surmised, who would have the cheek to send one of his staff to London without first seeking his permission.

  *

  There was no sign of Locadi until luncheon time.

  The Marquis and Flora came in rather late to eat quickly in order to return to their work as soon as possible.

  They found the Dowager had come downstairs and was talking to Locadi in the drawing room.

  “How are you getting on, Ivor?” she asked. “I can see that you are both working very hard.”

  “There is so much to do.” the Marquis replied, “and you have no idea how stupid these people can be unless they are properly supervised. Miss Flora and I have not dared to take our eyes off them for fear they should make a mess of things.”

  The Dowager laughed.

  “It is always the same in the country. I can remember being exasperated in the old days when the band for my garden party was placed so that no one could hear them, and the tent where we were having tea nearly collapsed because the ropes were not fastened tightly enough.”

  Flora was amused.

  “That is what I have been frightened of all morning, but I think that with the Marquis’s help it will now be plain sailing.”

  While they were talking, the Marquis was aware that Locadi was gazing at him and there was an expression in her eyes which disturbed him.

  He knew she was harbouring a hundred questions to ask him.

  The first being why he had not come to her room last night.

  As they finished luncheon he was wondering desperately how he could avoid being alone with her, as she was so obviously determined that he should be.

  Finally when they left the dining room, he appealed to Flora,

  “I suppose you could not have us to dinner with you tonight?

  Flora looked at him in surprise.

  “Are you really asking yourself to dine with Papa and me?”

  “I am asking if I could bring my grandmother and Lady Marshall with me,” he replied.

  “Of course we will be delighted, but it is rather short notice so I must rush home and tell the cook to provide something very delicious for you.”

  “I would be content with bread and cheese,” the Marquis said. “Anything rather than dine here.”

  As he spoke he considered that he was being somewhat indiscreet, but he was desperate.

  “Do not worry,” Flora said quickly. “I promise you it will be all right.”

  Later that evening he drove with his grandmother and Locadi to the Four Gables.

  He could feel Locadi’s anger and frustration flowing towards him like a tidal wave.

  When he had told her at teatime that they were dining out, she said sharply,

  “That is a ridiculous idea. What could be more pleasant than to dine here in this lovely castle?”

  “I am afraid that I have already promised the Romillys that we would dine with them,” he replied, “and I felt that both you and Grandmama would find it amusing.”

  “Amusing!” Locadi riposted scornfully. There was no need for her to say any more.

  They enjoyed a pleasant and delicious dinner at which Mr. Romilly talked interestingly about his book and they drove back to the castle at about ten o’clock.

  *

  The Marquis was conscious of Locadi’s determination to hold on to him tonight before he could disappear.

  He managed to frustrate her first of all by escorting his grandmother upstairs to her bedroom.

  Then he walked to his own room.

  He undressed quickly and told his valet to go downstairs to where Locadi was waiting for him in the drawing room.

  “Tell her I deeply regret it but I am suddenly feeling very unwell and cannot join her. It must be something I ate at dinner.”

  “I’ll do that right away, my Lord,” his valet said.

  “There is no need to come back. I also have a headache and want to get to sleep as quickly as possible.”

  “You must be well for the party tomorrow, my Lord.”

  “That is why it is so important that I should go to sleep now,” the Marquis said firmly.

  The valet hurried away to take the message to Locadi.

  As soon as he had gone the Marquis walked to the Chapel as he had done the night before.

  He had taken the mandrake from the estate office when he went upstairs before luncheon.

  He had placed it in his bedroom.

  As he left he felt that it would protect him against any evil spell that Locadi might wish to inflict on him.

  When he reached the Chapel he lay down on the same pew he had slept on last night.

  He felt the sanctity which seemed to come from the altar enveloping him.

  In fact he fell asleep almost at once.

  If he dreamed during the night, it was not of Locadi nor was he conscious of her the whole time he spent in the Chapel.

  The next morning the Marquis knew there was so much to organise that it was really impossible for him to go for his usual ride.

  He had told Flora that this was a pleasure that they would both have to forgo on Saturday morning and she had agreed with him.

  “We are bound to find that there is something important we have forgotten,” she said, “or that the tents have fallen down during the night! What I am really afraid of is that it might rain!”

  “I think that is unlikely,” the Marquis replied. “In fact I am rash enough to predict that we shall have a warm, pleasant day and a cloudless night with stars to add to the fireworks.”

  Flora laughed.

  “The stars at least will cost you nothing.”

  “Stop worrying about the money. If this party is the success you have promised, it will make me a hero to my people, and that is what I want.”

  Flora laughed again and said,

  “I am sure you will be successful, but I warn you that the small boys will be asking for fireworks every year after this, and you will find it very difficult to refuse them.”

  “Perhaps I shall enjoy them as much as they do,” the Marquis replied.

  “I know I shall,” Flora said. “Like Lady Carson I have only seen fireworks once or twice in my life and these you have ordered are very, very special.”

  “I shall be very irritated if they are not,” the Marquis asserted.

  Because he sounded so serious, she smiled at him.

  There was certainly a great deal still to do.

  They ran out of flowers for one thing long before all the tables had been decorated. Flora had to send some of the helpers hurrying to Four Gables to ask the gardeners to pick everything they could find.

  Fortunately the beds which her mother had planted were ablaze with flowers.

  The boat which the Marquis was so keen to display had been lowered onto the lake.

  It immediately nearly sank!

  It was only saved by special attention from the estate carpenter – another man who had been brought back after being dismissed by Potter.

  Neither Flora nor the Marquis could sit down for a moment. There was always someone asking for instructions or wanting some item which was invariably not obtainable.

  *

  At six-thirty the first guests began to arrive.

  The Marquis felt as if he had been climbing the Himalayas
and had crawled through the Pyramids as well.

  Flora had returned home to change.

  When she reappeared she was looking very pretty in a gown of blue muslin which matched her eyes. It had a full skirt which emphasized her tiny waist.

  She was not wearing a hat but had entwined a wreath of blue flowers through her golden hair.

  The Marquis thought that if she had appeared looking so exquisite at a ball in London, she would undoubtedly cause a sensation, especially amongst the young rakes who were extremely critical about their dancing partners.

  He told himself that it would be a pity if she became spoilt by too much admiration and acclaim.

  ‘That she is so unselfconscious and unaware of her own beauty,’ he added, ‘is her most attractive quality.’

  “Papa is coming over later,” Flora told him. “I think he really considers us all rather childish, because we are so excited about the fireworks and all the delicious things we expect to eat.”

  Mrs. Bowles had been cooking all day and Flora had been wise enough to find several women in the village who were good cooks. If they were given the necessary ingredients, they could prepare many of the cakes, sandwiches and other foods which were to be available for the hungry guests.

  There were barrels of cider and beer and the Marquis commented dryly,

  “If they wade through all this I shall expect them to sleep in the tents all night!”

  “I would not be surprised at anything, but I know that it is going to be a wonderful party.”

  “I do hope you are right,” the Marquis agreed. “If it is a failure after all the trouble we have taken, I shall be very angry.”

  “Do not worry,” Flora declared. “It is going to be talked about and remembered for years, if not centuries. ‘The great party at Wyn Castle.’ Can you not hear them chattering about it?”

  “That is exactly what I want and I hope that by now we have thought of everything.”

  “Of course we have,” Flora replied.

  Johnny was among the first guests to arrive. He ran up to Flora calling excitedly,

  “Miss Flora! Miss Flora! There’s a boat on the lake with lights all over it. Can I go on it, please?” Flora crouched down so that she could put her arms around him.

  “I am afraid you cannot,” she said, “because if you do it might sink. But you must keep watching the boat because later in the evening fireworks will come out of it!”