she meant by that, but a curious expression filled her eyes and then was gone. “It was kind of you to call,” she added quietly. “I imagine you have much to learn since the last time you met. We are naturally not entertaining at present, but if you would care to take luncheon with us, you would be most welcome.”
Dominic shot her a glance of appreciation, and she smiled in answer.
“Thank you,” Charlotte accepted before she might change her mind.
Vita nodded to her, then turned to Dominic. “You will not forget to collect the black ribbon for us this afternoon, will you?” She touched his arm briefly with her fingers.
“No, of course not,” he said quickly, meeting her eyes.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “Now, if you will excuse me.”
When she had gone Dominic gestured to Charlotte to sit down, and he sat opposite her.
“Poor Vita,” he said with feeling, his face reflecting both his sympathy and the warmth of his admiration. “This is temble for her. But I expect you know that as well as I do.” He bit his lip, his eyes full of regret. “We have both experienced the same horror and the fear that grows worse every day. The thing about this is that we all know it must have been someone in the house, and it seems to have been Reverend Parmenter himself. I expect Thomas told you?”
“A little,” she conceded. She wanted to offer some kind of comfort, but they both knew there was none. She also wanted to warn him, but again, they had both already lived through all the dangers, the obvious ones of saying and doing something ill-judged, of telling less than the truth to cover the small acts of stupidity or meanness which one would so much rather others did not know of. And there were always some. And the less-obvious traps, the desire to be honest and to tell something one believed to be true, to find when it was too late that one had known only half the truth, and the rest of it altered everything. It was too easy to judge and too hard to teach oneself to forget. One saw far more than one wished to see of the weaknesses and the vulnerabilities of other people’s lives.
She leaned a little forward. “Dominic, be terribly careful,” she said impulsively. “Don’t do—” She stopped, smiling at herself. “I was going to say ‘Don’t do anything quickly,’ but that’s nonsense. Then I was going to say ‘Don’t try to solve it yourself,’ and ‘Don’t try to rescue anyone.’ I think I had better not say anything at all. Just do what you think right.”
He smiled back at her, for the first time since she had seen him again allowing himself to relax.
But luncheon was agonizingly tense. The food was excellent. Course after course was served, beginning with soup, followed by perfectly cooked fish, then meat and vegetables, and no one did justice to any of it. Ramsay Parmenter had decided to eat with his family and their guest. He presided at the table, offering a stiffly worded grace before they began. Charlotte could not help thinking he sounded as if he were addressing a public meeting of town councillors, not a loving God who must know him infinitely better even than he knew himself.
Everyone echoed the “Amen” and began to eat.
“Had we better get some thick veiling as well as ribbons?” Clarice asked with her soup spoon halfway to her mouth. “I am sure Dominic wouldn’t mind fetching it from the haberdasher, would you?” She looked across at him.
“Not at all,” he agreed quickly.
“Don’t bother for me,” Tryphena said grimly. “I shall not be going anywhere that requires a hat.”
“You’ll require a hat for the garden if it rains,” Clarice pointed out. “And knowing England in spring, that is even more certain than death or taxes.”
“You are not dead, and you have no money, so you don’t pay taxes!” Tryphena snapped.
“Precisely,” Clarice agreed. “And I am rained on regularly.” She looked at Dominic. “Do you know what to get?”
“No. But I thought I would ask Mrs. Pitt to come with me, and I am sure she will know.”
“Please don’t trouble yourself.” Vita looked across at Charlotte with a smile. “We did not mean to impose upon you like that.”
Charlotte smiled back at her. “It would be a pleasure to help. And I should be delighted to have the opportunity to talk to Dominic and hear his news.”