. . . ’ she said.
‘Well!’ exclaimed Alice, when Cicely had finished her account of recent events. She shook her head. ‘Well, I never. And so Martin Goss was the thief all along. Gladys will be delighted. And so will everyone else. It was an upsetting incident, but everyone will soon know the truth. You have only to tell Mrs Sealyham, and it will be all round Little Oakleigh, Oakleigh and Greater Oakleigh by this time tomorrow! And Mr Evington was in on it, too, you say? Only think, we all believed he had gone to London. Oh, Cicely, it’s so good to have you back - both of you. Although we won’t have Mr Evington for long. He’s going back to London for good. I know you will be pleased. You never liked having him here.’
‘Going back to London for good?’ asked Cicely, dismayed.
‘Yes, I was talking to Roddy and he said that Mr Evington is returning this afternoon. I wondered why at the time, but now you’ve told me all about the theft, I can understand it. He doesn’t need the Manor any more now that he has caught the thief and so he is going to sell it. And just when I was getting used to having him here,’ said Alice.
Cicely turned away. She did not want Alice to see her face, for she was afraid her feelings of desolation were written there for all to see.
‘Oh, well, never mind,’ said Alice. ‘Perhaps he will sell it to a family. People who will love it as a home. That is what you always wanted.’
‘Yes,’ said Cicely, her voice wan.
Alice, mistaking the reason for this, said, ‘You must be tired after your long journey. I will leave you to unpack.’ She got up and went over to the door. ‘Oh. I almost forgot. Mother says you are invited to dinner tomorrow. Do say you’ll come.’
Cicely was once more in command of herself. ‘I’d love to. Thank you.’
Alice departed.
Cicely, walking over to the window, looked out over her small garden to the sweeping lawns beyond, and, in the distance, the Manor. Alex was there at the moment, but not for much longer, and so she knew what she must do.
She went resolutely out of the Lodge, knowing she must clear things up between them whilst she had the chance. She had to find out why he thought she was going to marry Chuff Chuff and she had to tell him that he was wrong. She had to find out about Eugenie, and after that . . . well, after that, anything could happen.
She walked briskly up the drive and as she approached the Manor, the front door opened and Roddy came out. On seeing Cicely he made straight for her.
‘You did a wonderful job over in Marienbad,’ he said enthusiastically, gripping her by the hand and shaking it.
If Alex had shaken her hand, her body would have been on fire, thought Cicely, but with Roddy the gesture had no effect and was nothing more than a friendly salute.
‘It is a relief we finally caught him,’ Cicely replied.
‘He will be behind bars for a very long time. I suppose you wanted to see Alex. He has just gone in to the village.’
Cicely tried to hide her frustration.
‘Oh, Lord! Is that the time? I have to be going,’ said Roddy, glancing at the watch that was slung across the front of his waistcoat. ‘I’m going to see a man about a motor. I’m getting one of my own at last.’
He gave her a happy smile, and Cicely did her best to return it, but she knew that the next few hours would seal her fate and she was full of apprehension. What if Alex was no longer interested in her life? What if his feelings had been transitory? What if it no longer mattered to him that she was going to marry someone else, as he believed?
She felt a touch of panic at her heart. She could not bear it. To lose him now . . .
And what would become of the Manor? Who would come to live there? Would it be a family? Or another cit? And what would become of it? Would the trees be cut down, or the library turned into a billiard room? She could not stand to think of it. And her father’s collection. Would the new owner allow the velocipedes to remain in the stables, or would he clear them out, regarding them as nothing