The Portrait by Cassandra Austen

Author:Cassandra Austen [Austen, Cassandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781732515802
Publisher: Apollo Grannus Books
Published: 2018-12-31T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

When the footsteps came, she was standing beside the French doors leading down to the formal garden, idly contemplating a walk. She was terribly tired, but it had always been her habit to engage in a late afternoon walk when the weather permitted, and she was loath to change her habits. She was also indulging in secret joy. The baby was yawning, stretching, and occasionally jabbing her from within his comfortable warm cave, and she wanted to be somewhere private and out-of-doors where she could enjoy the performance. She wished she knew where Jocelyn was, so that she could share her news.

She raised her head and turned slightly. The sound of two pairs of feet echoed sharply off the floor. They stopped at the door, but no one entered.

She waited, frowning. At long last, a knock sounded.

“Yes?”

The door opened. It was Beaseley. Catherine relaxed. “Mr Beaseley, how lovely to see you. I trust you are well?” She began to walk toward him, then stopped. Beaseley was not alone.

“Lady St Clair.” Beaseley stepped into the room, then paused uncomfortably. He glanced at his companion. An officer. In naval dress.

“You have a friend with you?” Catherine looked from one man to the other. The Navy man was middle-aged, slightly paunchy. She could divine nothing about his rank or importance from the decorations on his uniform, but imagined from his refined appearance and the polite manner in which he bowed to her that he was no common sailor. Perhaps this was Beaseley’s naval contact; perhaps there was good news. Her heart began to beat a little faster. Perhaps Jocelyn was being sent to sea. Or perhaps he was being made an admiral and would be in London indefinitely – oh, please! She hoped desperately that this was the case.

“Lady St Clair, may I introduce Admiral Wolcott?”

“How do you do, Admiral Wolcott? Please come in,” Catherine said brightly. “Mr Beaseley, I have been wondering about you. It has been a while.” She reached out to support herself against a cabinet. Her legs felt wobbly, and she thought vaguely of how humiliating it would be to faint in front of her guests. She looked around and spotted a chair with sturdy armrests. Slowly, she began to make her way toward it.

The door shut behind the Navy man. Everyone turned. It was Jocelyn. He looked around the small gathering, and Catherine suddenly sensed his fear. It was fear – quite unmistakable. She paused, wondering if she should say something, but all his attention was on the Navy man.

What was he hiding from her? The thought pierced the thin cloud of achy wooziness in her mind. She felt her back throb uncomfortably, and leant on a marble-topped table for support before resuming her awkward walk over to the chair. Upon reaching it, she sank down in relief and turned her attention to Jocelyn. Yes, he was hiding something. Something of consequence.

“Good afternoon, Captain Avebury.” Beaseley spoke first. “This is Admiral Wolcott.”

“Sir.”

“Do not trouble yourself with formalities, Captain,” the admiral said easily.

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