Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt Page B

sounds a harsh word to apply to poor old Geoff. He had charm … all the charm of the family, some say.” He smiled at me. ” Others may think he did not get it all. He was not a bad sort. I was fond of old Geoff. His great weakness was women. He loved women; he found them irresistible. And women love men who love them. How can they help it?
    I mean, it is such a compliment, is it not? One by one they fell victim to his charm. “
    “He did not hesitate to in dude other men’s wives among his victims
    ” Spoken like a true governess! Alas, my dear Miss Leigh, it appeared he did not … since Alice was among them. It is true that all was not well at Mount Mellyn. Do you think Connan would be an easy man to live with?”
    ” It is surely not becoming for a governess to discuss her employer in such a manner.”
    ” What a contrary young lady you are, Miss Leigh. You make the most of your situation. You use the governess when you wish to, and then expect others to ignore her when you do not wish her to be recognised.
    I believe that anyone who is obliged to live in a house should know something of its secrets. “
    “What secrets?”
    He bent a little closer to me. ” Alice was afraid of Connan. Before she married him she had known my brother. She and Geoffry were on the train … running away together.”
    ” I see.” I drew myself away from him because I felt it was undignified to be talking of past scandals in this way, particularly as these scandals had nothing whatever to do with me.
    ” They identified Geoffry although he was badly smashed up. There was a woman dose to him. She was so badly burned that it was impossible to recognise her as Alice. But a locket she was wearing was recognised as one she was known to possess. That was how she was identified … and of course there was the fact that Alice had disappeared.”
    ” How dreadful to die in such a way!”
    ” The prim governess is shocked because poor Alice died in the act of forming a guilty partnership with my charming but erring brother.”
    ” Was she so unhappy at Mount Mellyn?”
    ” You have met Connan. Remember he knew that she had once been in love with Geoffry, and Geoffry was still in the offing. I can imagine life was hell for Alice.”
    ” Well, it was very tragic,” I said briskly. ” But it is over Why did you say, Beware of Alice,” as though she were still there? “
    ” Are you fey. Miss Leigh? No, of course you are not. You are a governess with more than your fair share of commonsense. You would not be influenced by fantastic tales.”
    “What fantastic tales?”
    He grinned at me, coming even closer, and I realised that in a very short time it would be dark. I was anxious to get back to the house, and my expression became a little impatient.
    ” They recognised her locket, not her. There are some who think that it was not Alice who was killed on the train with Geoffry.”
    ” Then if it was not, where is she?”
    ” That is what some people ask themselves. That is why there are long shadows at Mount Mellyn.”
    I stood up. ” I must get back. It will soon be dark.”
    He was standing beside me a little taller than I and our eyes met.
    ” I thought you should know these things,” he said almost gently. ” It seems only fair that you should know.”
    I began walking back in the direction from which I had come.
    ” My duties are with the child,” I answered somewhat brusquely. ” I am not here for any other purpose.”
    ‘ But how can even a governess, overburdened with common sense though she may be, know to what purposes fate will put . her? “
    ” I think I know what is expected of me.” I was alarmed because he walked beside me; I wanted to escape from him that I might be alone with my thoughts. I felt this man impaired my precious dignity to which I was clinging with that determination only possible to those who are in constant fear of losing what little they possess. He had mocked me in the train. I felt he was