‘Flowers?’ he gasped. ‘To your house on the same evening?’
‘Yes Edmund. But my love, my dearest love, what is the matter? You are suddenly so pale. Tell me, are you ill? What ails you, my love? What is the matter?’
Looking at Edmund’s face, I knew exactly what was the matter. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t knock him out with my parasol after all. It looked as if he’d already been dealt a blow far deadlier than I could deliver - struck down by a bouquet of flowers.
‘Oh God, no,’ he whispered, and I could hear he understood what the flowers meant.
Ella was staring at the young man, deep concern and longing such as I had never seen before etched into every lovely line of my little sister’s face. It occurred to me that while to me this whole matter of the back garden romance seemed the most ridiculous thing ever, Ella didn’t share that opinion. This was life and death to her.
I suddenly knew what I had to do.
‘What is it that is wrong?’ My little sister repeated with rising desperation. ‘Why are you so deathly pale, my love?’
‘Because…’ Edmund’s voice broke, and he had to start again. ‘Because I think Sir Philip Wilkins might…’
He shook his head, unable to complete the sentence.
‘Oh, I may be over-interpreting things. But Ella, love, you must tell me immediately if he should send you any more flowers.’
An actress would have given her right arm for the perfect expression of puzzled innocence on Ella’s face at that moment. But the problem was: this expression wasn’t fake.
‘Flowers? Edmund, what can be so important about a few flowers?’
‘Just promise me, my love,’ he said with fervour. ‘If what I believe is correct - oh, I shudder to think of the possibility! If what I think is correct, then every single flower from Sir Philip Wilkins is an arrow straight to my heart.’
‘Then I shall throw them away directly,’ Ella exclaimed, tears in her eyes again. ‘What are a few flowers to me?’
‘No! You must not do so. You must not do anything that would arouse suspicion.’ Bowing his head against the iron poles and closing his eyes, he murmured: ‘You were right. I am beneath you. If any suspicions were to enter your aunt’s mind that you had given your heart to me, all would be over between us. Do not throw the flowers away. Do not do anything unusual. Act as though I didn’t exist and you were leading the easy, trouble-free life that you ought to have.’
I shook my head. Dear me, this was getting a bit thick. Did all people act like this when they were in love, or was it just Edmund?
‘Act as if you didn’t exist?’ cried Ella. ‘Edmund, without you my life would be nothing! The sun would not rise and all food would turn to ashes in my mouth!’
Yes. Apparently all people acted like this.
I didn’t pay much attention to what happened afterwards. Mostly they were talking about stuff that seemed pretty silly to me, like how much they loved each other, what would happen if they didn’t have each other (most of which seemed pretty unrealistic) and then some more about how much they loved each other.
Finally, when I had almost fallen asleep against the tree, the lovers’ talk was abruptly interrupted by my aunt’s calling from the house.
‘Ella! Ella, where are you girl?’
Anxiously, my little sister looked over her shoulder.
‘I must go. Farewell, my love,’ she whispered.
‘Farewell, oh sweet Ella, light of my life.’ Edmund hesitated, then plunged on: ‘May I ask, something of you, before we depart?’
Instantly I was wide awake! I knew it! I knew now he was going to… well, he was going to do whatever rakes do when they take advantage of innocent girls! I didn’t quite know what that was, though from the insinuations I had read in the papers, it couldn’t be anything good.
I stood up, preparing to defend my sister from that foul fiend!
‘May I…’ he hesitated again. ‘May I touch the tips of your sweet fingers to carry with me the feeling of your love? Please, my dearest, just extend a hand to me?’
What? That was all? I wasn’t too versed in rakishness, but I had at least expected something improper. He didn’t even demand a kiss? He had to be kidding! This fellow was too decent to be real.
‘Oh Edmund.’ Again my sister had tears in her eyes, and I was amazed to see her shake her head. ‘How could I? You know what my dear aunt would say? How could I so lay myself open to her disapproval and that of all my family?’
‘But she will not know.’
‘But my heart and conscience will.’
I tapped my foot against the ground impatiently. Well now, I was all for morals and stuff - after all, you couldn’t have people running around in the streets naked - but this was taking things a bit too far! Throw the fellow a bone, Ella!
Then I realized what I had been thinking and scowled. What was wrong with me? I didn’t want them to end up together. Did I? Didn’t I?
‘Please, my love,’ Edmund breathed, leaning closer to the poles separating him from my sister. ‘Just the tips of your fingers, just once. I need to know that you are real, not some apparition from the realms of angels or fairies that has come to beguile me with its loveliness.’
‘No, Edmund, I can’t…’
But apparently, Ella’s hand and her mouth weren’t quite in agreement about the matter: for while her lips denied him, her small ivory hand reached out, nearing the space between two of the iron poles. Edmund watched it, breathless, and I must admit I was pretty engrossed, too. This was better than the opera. Who knew romance could be this interesting?
Finally Ella’s fingers slipped between the iron poles, and Edmund’s hands flew forward, taking hold of them.
‘Ella,’ he breathed.
‘Just a swift touch, Edmund, you promised,’ she said, still with tears in her eyes.
‘And I shall keep my word. One touch.’ He led her fingers to his chest, to the left side where his heart was beating, and pressed them to the cloth of his tailcoat.[21] ‘Here. Feel it, Ella, for it is yours. Now and forever.’
She gave a shaky nod, not having the words to reply. He let go of her hand, and she withdrew it, turning towards the house and hurrying away like a frightened doe.
~~*~~*
I wandered back into the house some time later, deep in thought.
Well, well, well. My innocent little sister conducting a secret romance behind everybody’s back. In retrospect I felt like slapping myself for not noticing it earlier. I remembered very well that odd stare Edmund Conway had given me last evening as we had met in the street: yet he hadn’t really been looking at me, I realized now, but rather at Ella, who had been standing right behind me.
And I had asked Ella what that had been about, and she had lied.
Ella, lying! The little vixen! A grin spread over my face. I suppose I should have been upset about my own sister lying to me, but to be honest I was delighted to discover she had a share of deviousness. It meant we had something more in common than simply the same parents.
Now that I thought about it, I remembered, too, that morning when I had first gone to work, and Ella had immediately jumped to the conclusion that I was going off to see some young man. The joy in her face back then - it was the joy of somebody who had her own personal attachment, who knew what it was to love a man and find joy in it.
I shook my head. Some people really had strange tastes.
Luckily I wouldn’t have to deal with any men seeking my hand any time soon. The only man I would have to deal with again soon enough would be Mr Rikkard Ambrose, and for that particular relationship I would rather need my own pair of trousers and nerves like steel than flowery bouquets and compliments.
That night I went to bed with my head full of expectations and designs for the future, both mine and my sister's. I knew they would be very different futures, but as I looked over at the peacefully sleeping form of my little sister, I vowed that we would both be happy and successful even if I had to twist the arm of fate to achieve it!