Barbara Taylor Bradford - Cavendon Hall

Alice said quietly, ‘Although she didn’t confide in me, I know it’s true, because of her clothes. Her jacket and blouse were torn, and there were stains on the jacket and skirt.’ Alice paused, gave Charlotte a meaningful look, then added, ‘Her underskirt was stained as well.’

‘Where are those clothes?’ Charlotte asked, concerned.

‘I brought them home, washed and cleaned them earlier this evening. I will repair them, they’ll be as good as new.’

‘Wise move,’ Charlotte answered, and sat back in the chair, her mind racing. She was thinking of Felicity and Charles Ingham, and of all their plans for Daphne, and the anguish they would suffer if they ever got to know about this.

A sudden thought struck Charlotte and she took a deep breath. ‘She’s not necessarily ruined, not as long as nobody knows about the rape but us. Because there are ways of concealing the loss of virginity … we’ll have to go to the old medical books, Alice.’

‘You have them all, don’t you?’ Alice asked, sitting up alertly.

‘Yes. They are locked up with the record books covering generations of our history … the history of the Inghams and the Swanns and their intertwined lives.’

Walter turned to his wife. ‘Are you positive she won’t tell anyone, Alice? Sometimes a young woman has a need to unburden herself.’

‘Who can be sure of what anyone will do?’ Alice replied. ‘On the other hand, I’ve known Lady Daphne all of her life, and she’s a loner, not one given to confessions about anything. And who would she confide in? Not Diedre, there’s a certain distance between them. And, frankly, she would think DeLacy is too young. She won’t talk, I just know this. Don’t ask me how, but I do.’

‘We Swanns must close ranks, and do all we can to keep her safe in every way,’ Charlotte announced in a strong voice. ‘Walter, talk to our other Swanns, those who work outside, and let’s throw a ring of protection around her.’

‘It’s done,’ Walter said at once. ‘I’ll see our lads tomorrow, and the woodsmen. I’ll tell them to be on the lookout for trespassers. I’ll talk about poachers, suggest we’ve spotted one, and I’ll tell the Earl the same thing.’

Charlotte leaned forward. ‘We can’t have anyone wondering why Lady Daphne has to be protected, therefore rumours of poachers on our land is the best reason to give. Use it.’

Alice said, ‘Lady Daphne was distraught, still in shock when I helped her this afternoon. She was … dazed and fearful, the poor girl. I tried to do everything I could to comfort her, Charlotte.’

‘Keep on doing that, Alice. Stay close to her.’ Charlotte stood up, went and brought the bottle of cognac to the fireside, poured the golden liquid into their glasses. ‘We’re going to make everything right. Expunge that rape … make her whole again. As best we can. And she will marry the son of a duke if we have anything to do with it.’

‘That’s the right way to think,’ Walter asserted. ‘And don’t forget, the Swanns always win.’

Alice said a silent prayer, hoping that this would be the result, that they would save Daphne’s future. The problem was, she wasn’t sure they could.

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