The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox Read Free Book Online Page A

dearest, forgive me. If you wish to call my feelings for you “love”, then so
    be it. I am more than content for you to do so. For myself, I am devoted to you as the
    dearest, sweetest friend a man could have. If this is love, then I love you. And if it is love
    to feel safe and comfortable in your presence, then I love you. And if it is love to know
    that I am never happier than when you take my face in my hands and kiss me, then I love
    you. And if . . .’ And so I went on, until I could obfuscate no more.

    I smiled, in what I hoped was my most winning manner, and was rewarded by the
    sight of a faint animation of her lips.

    ‘Then I suppose, Mr Edward Glapthorn, that your many ingenious definitions of
    love must suffice – for now.’ She removed her hand from mine as she spoke. ‘But for the
    sake of all we have been together, and for all we may be, you must set my mind at rest –
    completely at rest. The note –– ’

    ‘Is false.’ I looked at her steadily. ‘False as hell – written by someone who wishes
    to do me – us – harm, for some reason we cannot yet know. But we shall defeat them,
    dearest Bella. I promise you shall know all about me, and then they shall have no hold
    over us. We shall be safe.’

    If only it could be so. But she deserved to know a little more about me, to set her
    mind at rest until such time as I could unmask the blackmailer, and put the danger from
    us permanently. And then? When I had vanquished my enemy at last, revenged myself
    for what he had done to me, and taken back what was rightfully mine, could she ever
    replace what I had lost?

    The Clarendon was a respectable hotel, and we had no luggage; but the manager
    was an old acquaintance of mine and discreetly secured us a room.

    We sat up late into the night. This, in summary, is what I told her.

    My mother’s family, the Mores of Church Langton, were West Country farmers
    of long standing. Her uncle, Mr Byam More, was land-agent for Sir Robert Fairmile, of
    Langton Court near Taunton, whose only daughter, Laura, was nearly of an age with my
    mother. The two little girls grew up together and became the closest of friends, their
    friendship continuing when Laura married and moved to a Midlands county.

    The following year my mother also married, though hers was a much less grand
    match than her friend’s. Laura became Lady Tansor, of Evenwood in Northamptonshire,
    one of the most enchanting houses in England, and the seat of an ancient and
    distinguished line; my mother became the wife of a wastrel half-pay officer in the
    Hussars.

    My father – always known as ‘the Captain’ – served inconspicuously in the 11th
    Regiment of Light Dragoons, the celebrated ‘Cherrypickers’, which later became famous,
    as the 11th Prince Albert’s Own Hussars, under the command of Lord Cardigan, though
    the Captain was long dead before the regiment’s immortal action in the Russian War. He
    left the regiment after sustaining injury in the Peninsula and was promoted to half-pay;
    but his leisure was productive of nothing except a renewed dedication to a long-held love
    of strong liquor, which he pursued vigorously, to the exclusion of all other occupations.
    He spent little time with his wife, could settle at nothing, and when he was not engaged
    with his local companions at the Bell and Book in Church Langton, he was away visiting
    old regimental comrades, and partaking of the usual lively debauchery such occasions
    afford. The birth of a daughter, it appears, did not encourage him to mend his ways, and
    on the evening of her untimely death, at only five days old, he was to be found in his
    usual corner at the Bell and Book. He compounded his iniquity by also being absent – I
    know not where, but I can guess why – on the day of the poor child’s funeral.

    My mother and the Captain, on the latter’s insistence, left Church Langton soon
    afterwards for Sandchurch, where remnants of the Captain’s family resided.