Barbara Cartland - A Magical Moment

Lencia knew quite well what her stepmother was talking about.

There had already been some controversy about the ball that her father would give for her that had been postponed from the previous year.

The discussion, when her mother was still alive, was whether they should have the ball in London or in the country.

It had finally been decided that it would be nice for Lencia to meet girls of her own age.

They would give a large ball in London and later several smaller dances in the country.

Now Lencia guessed that those plans were to be put on one side.

Of course her stepmother was bored with debutantes.

She could easily understand that.

Equally she felt that she and Alice were being pushed aside by a strong and determined hand.

Soon they would find themselves moving out of their father’s life altogether.

‘I am exaggerating everything, of course, I am,’ Lencia told herself severely.

At the same time she was honest enough to know that her stepmother disliked her and found both her and Alice an encumbrance.

She was continually talking of the things that they would do in London when her father opened the house, as he intended to do at the end of the month.

It was most unfortunate, Lencia thought now, that two or three days ago the Swedish Ambassador had called at Armeron.

A neighbour he was staying with had brought him to see The Castle because it was an outstanding architectural feature of the County and a notable beauty spot.

The new Countess had made a great fuss over the Ambassador.

In fact, when they were walking in the garden, Lencia could now remember that she took him on one side.

Ostensibly it was to show him the fountain, but they were talking earnestly in French and she had wondered then what it could be about.

She knew now that her stepmother had managed to get the Earl and herself invited to the Festivities that were to take place in Sweden on the Prince’s birthday.

‘She is so clever with men,’ Lencia thought. ‘She twists Papa round her little finger and now she has done the same with the Ambassador. She always gets her own way. It is Alice and I who are going to suffer.’

They were certainly ignored for the next few days.

The Countess was in a flutter as to what she should wear in Sweden and which of the magnificent collection of Armeron jewels she should take with her.

She had them all brought up from the safes to her bedroom and sat trying on the tiaras one after another.

There was the diamond set, the emerald set and then the sapphire set and there was the pretty turquoise and pearl set too that Lencia remembered her mother wearing and looking just like a Fairy Queen.

It was a relief when her stepmother put it to one side and sniffed,

“I don’t like myself in blue.”

She did, however, hesitate over the sapphires.

They were a quite amazing collection that had originally been brought to England from Brazil.

When she put them on, the Countess decided that they made her look old.

“ Non, non ,” she said, waving them away. “I want to sparkle and those purple eyes would haunt me!”

Finally everything was decided.

The Earl was rather surprised at the number of trunks that they were taking with them and the vast supply of hat boxes.

But he agreed with his new wife that they must do England proud.

There were not many English going to Sweden because it was so near to the beginning of the London Season.

“That, dearest, is just why they want you,” the Countess told the Earl. “And who could represent the Crown and the Union Jack better than someone who is undoubtedly the most handsome man in England today?”

Lencia glanced at her father to see if this compliment was too creamy even for him.

He accepted it with a slight smile and she told herself that her stepmother was being very clever.

“Now, look after everything while I am gone,” the Earl said the night before they left. “And, of course, keep the horses well exercised.”

“Of course, Papa,” Lencia agreed at once.

“It will not be the same as having you with us or going to France with you,” Alice said in a low little voice.

Her stepmother was not then in the room, but the Earl looked rather nervously towards the door before he admitted,

“To be honest with you, my dearest, I would much rather be going to France. But I could not disappoint your stepmother, so we all three have to make the best of it.”

“Yes, of course,” Lencia replied, “and don’t worry about us, Papa, we will be all right.”

She knew as she spoke that she was speaking for herself, as Alice was looking depressed and dismal.

Then a sudden idea came into her mind.

It was so sensational that she thought that she should just laugh it off.

But when she went to bed, she was still thinking about it.

‘I am crazy! Of course we cannot do such a thing,’ she told herself.

But the idea did not go away.

She found herself going over it step by step in her mind.

It was just as her father had taught her to do when they had planned something together.

*

The next morning was all excitement and noise.

Her stepmother, because she was obviously feeling nervous, was speaking sharply to the servants.

Finally they did set off with the Earl and the Countess in one carriage, the brake coming behind, carrying the mountain of luggage, the French lady’s maid, and the Earl’s valet.

The two girls kissed them goodbye on the steps.

As the carriage went off, they waved and their father was almost leaning right out of the window to wave to them in return.

Then, as the horses disappeared down the drive, Alice turned round and walked through the hall and into the sitting room at the far end of it.

It was where she and Lencia usually sat when they were alone.

“Well, they have gone,” she said as her sister came in, “and I do hope that they enjoy themselves. What are we going to do, I would like to know.”

“I can tell you. You and I are going to see Château Chaumont.”

Alice stared at Lencia.

“What are you – saying?” she asked.

“We are going to Chaumont to see it for ourselves,” Lencia repeated. “You know as well as I do that we shall never get there if we wait for Stepmama’s approval. So we have just got to be daring and go on our own. And, if you think about it, why not?”

“Why not?” Alice repeated.

There was a lilt in her voice, but she added,

“But how can we do it alone?”

“I will tell you exactly,” Lencia said again, looking over her shoulder to make sure that the door was shut. “We have to be very clever about it, because no one must know where we are going and we must be back before Papa and Stepmama return from Sweden.”

“That gives us all of ten days,” Alice said.

“I know,” Lencia replied. “I worked it out last night. Of course we cannot go alone, just two young girls together.”

“Then who can we ask to go with us?” Alice enquired.

“You will be accompanied,” Lencia said slowly, “by a widowed lady of about twenty-five and her name is ‘Lady Winterton’.”

Alice stared at her.

“But who – ?” Then she gasped, “You cannot mean – you?”

“Yes, me,” Lencia said. “I have thought it all out. I can wear Mama’s clothes because, as you know, we kept them all. They will make me look much older and you will just have to be yourself.”

“But surely it is impossible. How can we ‒ ?” Alice began.

“We have to be brave and we have to be very careful not to make any mistakes,” Lencia replied, “but, if I am much older than you and married, I see no reason why I should not take you to France. After all, if things become difficult or we get into trouble, we can always come home.”