Temptation of a Teacher Read online

  She then found her way with some difficulty to the Armoury.

  It was on the other side of the Château and, while some of the rooms were lit by gas, the oldest part had either oil lamps or candles.

  When she came to the end of a long passage, where the candles were in sconces, there was only darkness and she realised that she would have to carry one with her.

  It was the only light available to guide her the rest of the way to the Armoury.

  To her relief the door was not locked and she walked in, feeling the cold from the unplastered walls and aware that it was what the children would have called ‘creepy’ because the ceiling was so high and everything was dark and still.

  She remembered where the cabinet was situated and walked across the stone floor to it.

  It was not locked. She raised the lid and looked down at the miscellaneous collection of swords, daggers and duelling pistols.

  It was quite easy to see what she was looking for because the amethysts that the handle of the revolver was studded with and the small diamonds surrounding them flashed in the candlelight.

  Arletta put down the candle and lifted the revolver.

  She had often fired not only her father’s shotgun but also his revolver, which was not very up to date.

  He had also been amused when she had tried firing the duelling pistols that had belonged to her great-grandfather. He was reputed to have been such a dashing buck that he had fought innumerable duels when King George IV was the Prince of Wales.

  The revolver might be elaborately decorated, but it appeared to Arletta to be quite a serviceable weapon.

  She also saw to her relief that there was a little pile of bullets, which had been dipped in gold, lying beside it.

  She picked them all up and, carrying them and the revolver in one hand and the candle in the other, started back on the somewhat tortuous journey to the tower occupied by her and the children.

  When she reached the lit part of the long corridor, she put the candle back in the sconce that she had taken it from.

  Then, as she walked on, she heard voices and stopped.

  Someone was coming and quickly she hid herself in the shadows of a large doorway.

  She then realised that what she had heard were the voices of some of the guests. They were leaving the salon that they had gone into after dinner and she wondered why.

  Then, as they drew nearer, she realised that the two people approaching her down the passage were the Duc and the Marquise.

  She pressed herself even further into the darkness of the doorway where she had hidden and then, afraid that she might be seen, she swiftly turned the handle of the door behind her and slipped into the room.

  She left the door slightly ajar and through the crack she saw the Duc and the Marquise pass down the corridor, her arm linked in his.

  “I have missed you, Etienne,” Arletta heard the Marquise say. “How can you make me live without seeing you? It is cruel, unbelievably cruel!”

  “People are talking about us, Justine,” the Duc replied, “and you know that is a mistake from your point of view.”

  “It may be a mistake, but I love you,” the Marquise replied and Arletta heard the pain in her voice.

  They moved on and she could no longer hear what they said.

  Then she guessed that they were going to look at the small aviary, which was a little further along the passage and which she had passed without realising it. There were quite a number of small unusual birds in it and Pauline loved them all.

  Arletta supposed that the Marquise had made her desire to view the aviary an excuse to take the Duc away from his other guests.

  For some reason that she could not understand, she felt it painful to realise that the Duc was listening to the lovely woman on his arm.

  When she knew that they were no longer in the corridor, she sped as quickly as she could to her bedroom without seeing anyone else.

  She put the revolver down on the dressing table and recognised, now that she had the protection of it, that she was no longer helpless.

  It seemed to her that, when she held it in her hands, she could think more clearly and there was no reason to be in a panic.

  As she loaded the revolver, she realised that the bullets were so small that they could not kill a man unless he was struck in a very vulnerable place.

  But it would most certainly be extremely painful if a bullet pierced someone’s arm or leg.

  ‘Now I feel safe,’ she told herself and, putting the revolver down, started to move the furniture in the room in front of the door.

  She found a chair that was high enough to insert under the handle, but which alone, she was aware, might be pushed aside if any great force was exerted against it.

  Then she moved a chest of drawers with some difficulty, because it was heavy, against the rest of the door.

  ‘That will certainly keep out the Comte,’ she thought with satisfaction.

  In the meantime, having undressed and climbed into bed, she put the small revolver under her pillow, feeling quite proud of herself for being so self-sufficient.

  “The witch was right,” she said aloud, “I shall win this battle.”

  Then she remembered with a little feeling of horror that the old woman had seen blood.

  ‘Once he knows I have a revolver,’ she reasoned to herself, ‘he will not be such a fool as to risk my shooting him.’

  It was a frightening thought, but, because she was very tired and it had been a hot day, she fell asleep at once.

  *

  When Arletta awoke, it was to find that the sun was streaming through the curtains of the windows and it was morning.

  She sat up in bed and, looking across at the furniture she had piled in front of the door, she wondered if the Comte had tried to come to her as she had feared that he might.

  She had the feeling that he had done so, but, on finding the door barred, had not risked making a noise by trying to force it open.

  She could not be sure, she only knew that she had slept without being disturbed and that was more important than anything else.

  She put the furniture back in its usual places before the maid came to call her.

  When she was dressed, she went downstairs with the children to the breakfast room.

  She wondered if when she saw the Comte she would be able to tell if he had come to her bedroom or not.

  To her surprise, however, there was no sign of him or the Duc and the servants explained that the Comte had left early to spend the day with friends and the Duc as usual had gone riding.

  The morning passed in a quiet normal fashion with David having his lessons until to Arletta’s joy they went riding.

  She thought as she rode one of the most magnificent horses she had ever known that she was so happy that it was worth any difficulties, even those occasioned by the Comte, to be at the Château and have so many privileges.

  They had ridden through the Park and Arletta was thinking that it was time they returned home for luncheon when she saw a magnificent figure on a horse coming towards them and saw that it was the Duc.

  “Oh, here comes Uncle Etienne,” David said in a disagreeable tone of voice, “We don’t want him finding fault with us.”

  “Perhaps he will praise us,” Arletta suggested. “You know, David, he has been very kind and good-tempered about you having an English Governess.”

  “That is true,” David agreed. “I thought he would make far more fuss about it.”

  “Be nice to him,” Arletta suggested quickly as the Duc reached them.

  “Good morning, Uncle Etienne,” David said as the Duc raised his hat to Arletta. “Can I show you how fast I can go now on Le Roi? It’s the biggest horse I have ever ridden.”

  “I shall be interested to see your progress,” the Duc answered.

  David rode towards the long flat piece of land where the Duc had just been riding.

  Then he touched his horse with his whip and set off at a tremendous pace.<
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  The Duc watched him with a faint smile before he turned to Arletta,

  “I suppose we had better follow him, Miss Turner. Have you enjoyed your ride?”

  “This is the most wonderful horse I could ever imagine!” Arletta enthused.

  “By that I assume you ride in your dreams.”

  “Only when I can be on a horse as marvellous as this.”

  She thought that he was amused by her reply, but he did not speak as they were now riding a little more swiftly towards the end of the field where David was waiting for them.

  As they trotted side by side, the Duc remarked,

  “I see you have been well taught.”

  “My father was very insistent that I should ride correctly.”

  “I am sure that he was not disappointed in you.”

  It was almost a compliment and Arletta looked at him with laughter in her eyes as she said,

  “I was thinking just before you joined us that to have horses like this to ride would make up for all the other disappointments and problems in life.”

  “Have you many problems?” the Duc enquired and Arletta, remembering the Comte, looked away from him.

  “A – few.”

  “Perhaps I could solve them for you.”

  Arletta was so surprised at the suggestion that she stared at him in astonishment.

  Then she said quickly,

  “No, no! Of course not. I have to learn to look after myself and that is what the witch told me – I must do.”

  “The witch?” the Duc questioned her at once. “Do you mean to tell me that you have been to see that old charlatan?”

  He spoke angrily and Arletta felt that she had been indiscreet.

  But by that time they had reached David and there was no need for her to say anything more.

  “That was good, was it not, Uncle Etienne?” the small boy asked.

  “Very good!” the Duc exclaimed. “I know if your mother had been here, she would have been very proud of you.”

  Then, without saying anymore, he rode off and left them.

  For a moment Arletta and David just sat on their horses watching him go.

  Then David said,

  “Did you hear what he said, mademoiselle? He praised me and that is something he has never done before!”

  Chapter Six

  There was only the Duc at luncheon and it was a great relief to Arletta that the Comte was not present.

  To her surprise the Duc seemed to be in a very good temper and told interesting stories about the Château and she thought for the moment at any rate that he had ceased hating her.

  He was pleasant too to the children and did not sneer at them or speak disparagingly about their learning English.

  “What are you going to do this afternoon?” he asked as luncheon finished.

  There was a little pause before Arletta replied,

  “I had hoped, monsieur, that David and I might go riding again as it is such a lovely day, but, of course, if you think it is too much, we could easily do something else.”

  “I think it is an excellent idea if you keep under the trees where it is cool,” the Duc advised, “and, as I don’t think that you have visited one of the more interesting of my woods, I will show you the way.”

  Arletta was surprised by the offer but accepted gratefully.

  He led her and David in a different direction from the one they had taken before and they entered a wood where the trees were much more mature.

  She found it fascinating, especially as the Duc pointed out and named the different birds that they saw.

  He also seemed to be in such a good temper that David chattered away to him without any sign of the fear and dislike that he had shown previously.

  In the very centre of the wood there was a very old Chapel that had been built almost at the same time as the original Château.

  It was hardly ever used, the Duc informed her, but when they dismounted and went inside Arletta felt as if the same sanctity she had felt in the village Church was present.

  All the furnishings had been taken away, leaving only the bare stones of its walls. Birds had nested in the rafters and there were lizards running over the walls.

  Yet she thought for the animals of the forest at any rate it was still a place where they could find sanctuary from hunters or predators.

  She did not say so aloud, but, as if the Duc could read her thoughts, he said,

  “I used to think when I was a boy that the animals that were wounded by sportsmen or perhaps by some other animal came here and the spirits of the monks who once officiated looked after them. Now you are thinking the same as me.”

  “How did you know what – I was thinking?” Arletta questioned.

  He smiled enigmatically and then added,

  “Your eyes are very revealing, mademoiselle!”

  She felt shy and, when they rode on again, she left David to talk to his uncle while she at first listened and then joined in the conversation.

  At the same time she was sure with a feeling of relief that the Duc’s hatred for her as an Englishwoman was not as intense as it had been when she had first arrived.

  She hoped now for the children’s sake that there would be a happier atmosphere at the Château than she had sensed at first.

  ‘He has such a strong personality,’ she reflected. ‘He must use it to inspire the people around him.’

  And, as she heard the Duc’s deep voice answering one of David’s questions, she added to herself,

  ‘He should be the leader – ’

  There was a little pause and a voice inside her mind that she could not control added – with love.

  When they returned and entered the hall, a footman informed Arletta that the Duchesse wished to see her.

  She had known for the last two days that the Duchesse had been unwell and had not wanted to see anybody.

  When she had changed her riding habit for one of her simple gowns, a footman escorted her to the Duchesse’s apartments.

  Today she was looking even more fantastic, Arletta thought, wearing a ruby necklace round her throat, huge rubies in her ears and the same stones round her wrists and on her fingers.

  As Arletta came nearer to the bed, the Duchesse gazed at her with the shrewd searching expression in her eyes that she had noticed before.

  “Come and tell me what you are up to, young woman,” she demanded. “I hear that Jacques is pursuing you and that you have been out riding with my grandson.”

  Because Arletta could not help it, she gave a little laugh.

  “Why are you laughing?” the Duchesse asked.

  “Because, madame,” Arletta replied, “you know everything that happens in the Château – even though you are confined to your bedroom.”

  “What else do I have to interest me except for the vagaries and peculiarities of other people,” the Duchesse asked.

  Arletta did not answer and the Duchesse went on,

  “What has Jacques been saying to you? I am told he is pursuing you, but it is unusual for him to interest himself in Governesses. Are you encouraging him?”

  “I assure you, madame,”Arletta answered her coldly, “that I have told Comte Jacques quite positively to leave me alone and I only hope he does so.”

  “Setting your sights a little higher?” the Duchesse enquired.

  “I am setting my sights on making certain that David speaks perfect English by the time he goes to Eton,” Arletta replied. “He has made tremendous progress as he is very eager to learn and therefore it is coming easily to him.”

  “So you think you are a very efficient teacher, do you?” the Duchesse asked.

  “I hope so, madame.”

  The Duchesse looked at her as if she was trying to penetrate deeper to below what appeared on the surface.

  Then she suggested,

  “Tell me more about yourself, mademoiselle. I am extremely curious.”

  “You would find me a very dull subject, madame,” Arletta answered
, “and, if you will excuse me, I need to be with Pauline, who will be feeling neglected as I have been so busy with David all day.”

  “Any excuse to get away, I suppose,” the Duchesse murmured almost to herself. “Never mind, nothing can be hidden forever and sooner or later the truth will out!”

  “So I have always been told, madame, but if one is not afraid of the truth, why should one worry?”

  She curtseyed to the old woman and then, without waiting for her to say anything more, she walked across the room.

  She half-expected by the time she reached the door to be called back, but the Duchesse did not speak and with a sense of relief Arletta found herself outside in the corridor.

  The old maid was waiting outside for her and she said almost apologetically,

  “You mustn’t mind anythin’ Madame la Duchesse says to you, mademoiselle, even though it may seem rude. She’s very old and is ill most of the time, but still dislikes being left out of everythin’.”

  “I can understand,” Arletta remarked gently.

  “She’s worried too,” the maid went on, “about the things Comte Jacques tells her about the Duc.”

  Arletta guessed what these were and she said,

  “Perhaps you could persuade Madame that Comte Jacques is not always to be relied upon. If you ask me, I think he is a troublemaker.”

  She thought as she spoke that she was being indiscreet. But she was quite certain that Comte Jacques was telling the Duchesse stories about the Duc and herself and trying to whitewash his own behaviour, which she considered disgraceful.

  ‘I wish he would go away,’ she murmured to herself as she walked back to the tower. ‘The place is much happier without him.’

  She gave Pauline a short lesson from the books that they had brought from the library while David translated two pages of a history book into English.

  When they had finished, he said,

  “There is still one place in the Château that you have not yet visited, mademoiselle, and that is the dungeons.”

  “After all the horrid stories I have heard about them, I am not really interested,” Arletta answered.

  “Why not come with me now?” David suggested. “I am surprised that you have not heard the groans and cries of the prisoners.”