Women have Hearts Read online

  ‘I must save them both,’ she thought.

  She felt a violent fiery anger rise within her at the thought of what Lord Orsett was trying to do.

  “Tell me what you are thinking?” Yvette asked in a frightened voice.

  “I was thinking,” Kelda replied after a moment, “that if you are to marry Rémy, he will have to take you away from here. And quickly.”

  “Do you think he can do that?”

  “He will have to otherwise your uncle will force you into marriage with the Governor-General.”

  Yvette gave a little cry of sheer horror.

  “To marry anyone other than Rémy would make me want to kill myself,” she said. “Even to speak of marriage with an old man makes my flesh creep and I feel ‒ as if I might be sick.”

  “I can understand that,” Kelda said gently. “At the same time we have to realise that you are under the jurisdiction of your Guardian and Rémy is under the Governor-General.”

  “It is only a temporary appointment.”

  “I do know that,” Kelda answered, “but we are in Dakar and the Governor-General, who is all-powerful, could have him put in prison or sent summarily to France and there would be nothing we could do about it.”

  She saw the stricken look in Yvette’s eyes and added swiftly,

  “That is why the first thing we have to do is, I am quite sure, to deceive your uncle into believing that you will do what he wants.”

  “Do what ‒ he wants?”

  Yvette’s voice almost rose to a scream.

  “You must pretend to agree to his plans,” Kelda said. “If he thinks you are fighting him and opposing him, he will watch everything you do and there will be no chance whatsoever of escaping his surveillance.”

  Yvette realised that what she was saying was sensible and her eyes were fixed on Kelda as she urged her almost beneath her breath,

  “Go on.”

  “We must make plans rapidly and I think the first thing must be for you to apologise to your uncle for your outburst and say that you were taken by surprise, but you are prepared to consider what he suggests. The next step will be to receive the Governor-General when he calls tomorrow.”

  “Do you think that Uncle Maximus will be hoodwinked into thinking that I will obey him?”

  “It depends on how well you act the part,” Kelda said. “What we must not do is to make the Governor-General antagonistic towards Rémy.”

  “No, no of course not.”

  “I may be wrong,” Kelda went on, “but I have a feeling that when he reaches The Palace he will learn, if not from the Governor-General himself, then from the other Equerries and aides-de-camp what is being planned for you. I cannot believe that they are not aware of what the Governor-General and your uncle have in mind for the Colony.”

  “What will Rémy think when he knows it is intended that I shall marry someone else?”

  The question was pathetic and Kelda answered her firmly,

  “I do believe that he will be as shocked as you are and he also will be determined to do something about it.”

  “He loves me! I know he loves me,” Yvette cried.

  “I too am sure of that,” Kelda said, “and somehow he will get in touch with us, however difficult it may be.”

  “Uncle Maximus will ‒ prevent it.”

  “Rémy will be aware that he will try to do so.”

  Yvette wiped away the last remaining tears from her eyes.

  “Tell me what I am to do,” she pleaded. “Tell me exactly so that I shall not make any mistakes.”

  *

  It was a pale and subdued Yvette who walked demurely down the stairs beside Kelda the following morning.

  They had learned from the servants that breakfast would be served on the terrace and, as they went to where the meal was laid out under a red striped awning, Lord Orsett rose at their approach.

  He was wearing smart riding breeches with a well-tied stock around his neck and the white linen coat he had obviously been wearing was thrown over an adjacent chair.

  He looked strong and masculine and, as Kelda had expected, very overpowering.

  His eyes were on Yvette as she advanced towards him and, when she reached him, he began,

  “Good morning, Yvette. I trust you slept well.”

  “Quite well, thank you, Uncle Maximus, and I would like to apologise for being so rude last night. You took me by surprise and I was frightened. I hope you will forgive me.”

  Her words and her conciliatory tone, Kelda could see, took Lord Orsett by surprise.

  For a moment he raised his eyebrows.

  Then he said,

  “Perhaps I was somewhat precipitate on your first evening and, as you have made me an apology, I hope you will accept mine.”

  “Of course, Uncle Maximus, and it is far too lovely a day to quarrel with anyone.”

  “That was what we both should think and tomorrow I shall be delighted if you and Miss Lawrence will come riding with me. It is always most pleasant early in the morning before it grows too hot.”

  “That would be delightful,” Kelda interposed. “I so want to see the wild land outside the town, which I am told is very beautiful.”

  “It is indeed,” Lord Orsett nodded.

  As they seated themselves at the table, he said as if he suddenly remembered he should enquire after Kelda’s wellbeing,

  “I hope you too, Miss Lawrence, spent a good night.”

  “I slept well, my Lord, because, like Yvette, I was tired after being at sea for so long and may I say that I find the waves more attractive when they are murmuring in the distance than when they are rolling beneath me.”

  Lord Orsett smiled.

  “Are you telling me that you were seasick?”

  “Surprisingly neither of us suffered from that unfortunate complaint,” Kelda replied, “but it was very uncomfortable in the Bay of Biscay.”

  “That is what I always find,” he replied.

  The servants brought breakfast and Yvette made a brave attempt to eat.

  When they were alone again, Lord Orsett informed them,

  “I have received a message from The Palace to say that the Governor-General will call on us at noon. I hope you will assist me to greet him.”

  “Of course, Uncle Maximus.”

  Yvette spoke quite naturally and then she said,

  “Uncle Maximus, it will make me feel shy if when we meet and before we are even acquainted, you speak of more intimate matters.”

  As if he was relieved that she was being so pliable, Lord Orsett said swiftly,

  “Naturally, I understand, and this will just be a friendly call for you and His Excellency to meet each other. He is an interesting and extremely intelligent man and I feel sure that you will have many tastes in common.”

  “Does he come from Paris?” Yvette asked.

  “He was not born there, but I believe he has lived there for some years of his life. He has also held important posts in other French Provinces besides that of Senegal.”

  “I shall look forward to hearing about them,” Yvette said.

  She was acting so well that Kelda had to resist an impulse to clap what was an extremely convincing performance.

  It had taken a long time, in fact half the night, for her and Yvette to work out exactly what she should do and what she should say.

  It was not only because Yvette was intelligent but also because she loved Rémy so passionately that she was prepared to make every possible effort to do what Kelda suggested.

  Kelda was aware now as they went on talking, that Lord Orsett was agreeably surprised at the way Yvette was behaving and was undoubtedly beginning to believe that the scene last night was just the result of shock that he should not have caused in the first place.

  As Kelda had said to Yvette last night,

  “We know one thing that will be helpful and that is that your uncle has had very little to do with women since your aunt died.”

  “What about the one my cou
sin saw when she was here?”

  “I don’t think that she could have been of any great importance.”

  “Do you think she was one of the women he talked about last night?”

  “I have no idea,” Kelda replied, “but anyway it is obvious that she is not here now and I cannot believe that, if you are prepared to be contrite and ready to please him, that he will not be completely deceived.”

  This, she was quite certain, was what was now happening and while she recognised that there were little discrepancies in what Yvette said that might indeed have made a man more knowledgeable in the ways of women suspicious, she was indeed very sure that Lord Orsett was absolutely deceived.

  “What would you like to do now?” he asked when breakfast was over.

  Yvette looked at Kelda who already had another idea that she thought was significant.

  “If it would not be any trouble,” she said, “Yvette and I would love to drive around the town. Actually there are one or two things we would like to buy sometime, not particularly today, but when it is convenient.”

  She thought for a moment that Lord Orsett gave her a sharp look and then he said,

  “Perhaps you would care to drive with me in my new curricle, which has recently been delivered from France. It is, I am told, what dashing young Frenchmen who fancy themselves with the reins, use when they drive in the Bois de Boulogne.”

  Kelda saw Yvette stiffen as he spoke of Paris and, as she was afraid she might betray her longing for the City that meant so much to her, Kelda said quickly,

  “That would be lovely. There is so much I want to see of this beautiful country.”

  She thought for a moment that Lord Orsett looked at her with approval.

  Then, as if Yvette felt that it was expected of her, she observed,

  “I would enjoy it too, Uncle Maximus, and I am sure that you will have fine horses. I think I remember Mama saying how fond you were of riding.”

  “You are quite right, Yvette,” Lord Orsett said. “I have managed to find myself some excellent horseflesh, as you will see when you both ride with me tomorrow. You have riding habits with you, of course?”

  “Of course,” Kelda replied, hoping as she spoke that Yvette had two in her trunk.

  As they went up the stairs, to make themselves ready, Kelda put her arm around Yvette’s waist and whispered in her ear,

  “You were absolutely splendid!”

  “I felt like throwing a plate at his head,” Yvette answered her bitterly.

  “Yes, I know. So did I,” Kelda agreed. “But you realise that at least we shall be outside the house and there may be an opportunity for Rémy to get in touch with you.”

  Yvette gave a deep sigh and then asked,

  “Supposing he thinks it is hopeless and does not try to communicate with me?”

  “He will, if it is at all possible. I am much more afraid that he will do something stupid like challenging your uncle to a duel!”

  Yvett’s eyes sparkled for a moment at the idea and then she answered,

  “You forget that Rémy is a Diplomat and is well aware that he must not do anything that would cause an international incident.”

  They put on the hats that matched their gowns and Yvette lent Kelda a sunshade and then they went downstairs to find Lord Orsett waiting for them in the hall.

  The new curricle drawn by two horses was large enough to accommodate three people in comfort and a groom sat up behind.

  They then drove out of the wrought-iron gates with Lord Orsett handling his horses with an expertise that Kelda was sure was exceptional,

  She knew that Yvette was looking about her curiously and was aware it was in the hope that by some miracle she might have a chance of seeing Rémy.

  As they descended from the high ground and had a glimpse of white sandy beaches and a profusion of flowering shrubs and coconut trees growing down to the sea, Kelda exclaimed effusively at the beauty of what she saw.

  This was partly to prevent Lord Orsett from noticing that Yvette had nothing enthusiastic or complimentary to say and because she herself was genuinely entranced by the loveliness of Dakar.

  There were only a very few large civic buildings in the town, but there was a number that were nearly completed and it was obvious that the squares, like the roads leading to them, had been planned with the intention of their being decorative.

  There were trees in bloom and flowers that made patches of colour against the white buildings.

  Because Kelda was so attentive, Lord Orsett pointed out to her the Palais de Justice after which he explained to her the plans that were being made to extend the town considerably.

  They saw the flower vendors who held up their wares as they passed the market and had an original way of balancing a number of their bouquets in their turbans.

  “What a charming idea,” Kelda exclaimed.

  “It is something so unique to Dakar,” Lord Orsett explained, “and I often wonder who thought of it first.”

  “She should have a statue erected to her memory,” Kelda suggested and he replied,

  “There are plenty of men who feel that they should go down to posterity in such a way first.”

  “But even here in Africa you think women are important,” Kelda said challengingly.

  She thought for a moment that there was a faint smile at the corner of his firm lips as if he realised that she was being deliberately provocative.

  “I am sure that women are important everywhere in the world.”

  It was an evasion and at the same time Kelda felt that she had forced him to consider what he should reply and she felt that in some way she had scored a point over him.

  When they had later returned to the house, Kelda thanked him profusely for the drive and Yvette echoed it saying,

  “It was very interesting, Uncle Maximus, and I do hope that we can go driving with you again tomorrow.”

  “I hope you will not be too tired after we have been riding,” he replied.

  They walked up the long flight of steps into the hall and he drew his gold watch from his waist-coat pocket.

  Glancing at it, he suggested,

  “You will wish to tidy yourselves or perhaps change before His Excellency arrives.”

  “Yes, of course, Uncle Maximus. Where shall we find you when we come downstairs?”

  “A servant will tell you where I will be,” he replied and walked away in the direction of his special study.

  Yvette and Kelda went up the stairs in silence. Only when they reached their own rooms did Yvette say almost frantically,

  “What am I to say to the Governor-General? Supposing he tells Rémy that I have agreed to marry him?”

  “I don’t believe that he will ask you to do so in a point-blank manner the first time you meet,” Kelda replied. “I may be wrong, and you know far more about Frenchmen than I do, but to me it would seem rather gauche and definitely impolite.”

  “You are right. He will merely pay me compliments and insinuate a great many things which I can pretend not to understand.”

  Kelda thought for a moment.

  “Look young and innocent, even rather stupid if you like,” she said. “That is what he will expect anyway from somebody of your age and, even if he should suggest it, don’t be alone with him.”

  “No, of course not. You must not leave me. You promise you will not leave me.”

  “I promise,” Kelda answered. “But I am sure that His Excellency will behave in a very civilised manner so there is no need for you to feel intimidated.”

  “If only I could see ‒ Rémy,” Yvette murmured. “How can I learn what he is thinking or feeling at this moment? Suppose he thinks I shall give in to Uncle Maximus?”

  “You know he will not believe that whatever he is told,” Kelda said. “Stop being faint-hearted, Yvette. If you are to escape from this dreadful situation, we have to keep our wits about us every minute of the day.”

  “Oh, Kelda! Kelda. What would I ever do without you?
” Yvette cried. “Thank God you are with me.”

  Kelda, as she put her arms around Yvette, also thought that it was a good thing that they were together.

  She did not underestimate the task she had set herself in saving Yvette and she thought this morning when they were out driving that Lord Orsett was even more formidable than he had seemed when they had first met.

  There was something about him that made her feel that he was a conqueror, a man who would always get his own way and a man who would fight to the death rather than surrender.

  But it was something that she had no intention of saying to Yvette.

  Before going down the stairs they both changed into elegant gowns that could only have come from Paris.

  Yvette’s was pale oyster-coloured lace over chiffon with a coral sash around her tiny waist and a coral ribbon around her throat. A very attractive locket set with diamonds that had belonged to her mother hung from a chain around her neck.

  She looked very smart and very lovely and only because she had insisted on it Kelda was wearing an equally elegant gown of fine silk trimmed with lace that accentuated the blue of her eyes and made her skin seem almost dazzlingly white.

  “I would rather be inconspicuous and remain in the background,” Kelda had protested when Yvette took it out of her wardrobe.

  “You know you cannot do that and have Uncle Maximus concentrating on me with eyes like a hawk. You have to distract him and keep him interested so that I can think about Rémy and watch out for him.”

  “You must not do it too obviously,” Kelda advised her.

  “How can I help it?” Yvette asked with a little sob. “It just feels as if five centuries have passed since I last saw him.”

  A servant led them into an even more magnificent Reception room than the one they had used previously. It was, Kelda felt very sure, kept for the most formal occasions and special guests.

  It was not only the décor of the room that she admired but the beautiful arrangements of flowers everywhere that scented the air with their fragrance.

  They had no sooner joined Lord Orsett than a servant opened the door and his Lordship then hurriedly went from the room.