The Temptation of Torilla by Barbara Cartland

asked in a shocked little voice.
    “For goodness sake, Torilla, grow up!” Beryl replied. “Of course Gallen will have his flirtations as I shall have mine, but I have to be very careful that no one supplants me. I know only too well what women are like where a man as rich and important as Gallen is concerned.”
    “Supplants you?” Torilla repeated. “Do you mean he would run away with another woman?”
    “No, of course not! People in our world do not cause scandals of that sort – not unless they are crazy.”
    She spoke rather sharply.
    Then, as she saw the expression on Torilla’s face, she said more gently,
    “You always were out of touch with reality, Torilla. What I am trying to say is that if a man is really bored with his wife he can make life very unpleasant for her.”
    Beryl’s voice was hard as she continued,
    “She can be left in the country for months on end with no one but the children to talk to – or he can keep her short of money like that odious Lord Boreham!”
    She paused as if remembering His Lordship’s parsimony, then finished,
    “In fact there are a thousand ways that a wife can be made to feel unwanted and miserable!”
    She rose to her feet, as she continued firmly,
    “I have every intention of keeping Gallen at my side, but I am not going to pretend it will be easy.”
    “If he – loved you,” Torilla said tentatively, “it might be very – different.”
    “He is fond enough of me,” Beryl answered, “and quite frankly I don’t think Gallen has ever been in love with anyone except himself and his horses.”
    Again she looked at Torilla’s expression and laughed.
    “Don’t look so worried, dearest! I shall have my fun too. Lord Newall is crazily wildly in love with me. Do you know the other night he produced a pistol and declared that either I must let him kiss me or he would blow his brains out!”
    “Did he mean it?” Torilla asked breathlessly.
    “I did not take the risk of finding out!” Beryl replied mischievously.
    “You mean – you let him – kiss you?”
    “Of course I did and very pleasant it was too, if you want to know.”
    Torilla opened her lips to expostulate. Then she asked herself how she could criticise Beryl after what had happened on her way South?
    “We had better go to bed,” Beryl said. “Papa is coming home tomorrow and after that the balloon will go up!”
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “Mama insisted on Papa being with her in London when the announcement of my engagement appeared in The Ga zette. They will have been receiving congratulations all today and tomorrow and make no mistake about it, the hordes of callers will arrive here.”
    Beryl gave a little laugh.
    “It will amuse me to see the people who have criticised me during the past few years now fawning at my feet. They will not wish to quarrel with the future Marchioness of Havingham!”
    The two girls went up the stairs arm-in-arm and Beryl came with Torilla into her bedroom.
    “I am longing to go on talking to you,” she said, “but I am sure, dearest, that you are tired, and I must have my ‘beauty sleep’.”
    She glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she spoke as if to reassure herself that it was really unnecessary and then she remarked,
    “I expect Gallen also will arrive tomorrow and then you will see that all I have told you about him is not exaggerated.”
    She kissed Torilla, then opened the communicating door between the two rooms.
    “Goodnight, my dear, good little Torilla. I am sorry I have shocked you! We must not forget your bridesmaid’s gown when we go to London. I want you to look very attractive, but I warn you, I brook no rivals!”
    “As though anyone could rival you,” Torilla replied as she had said to Abby.
    “You would be surprised how many people try,” Beryl retorted as she closed the door behind her.
*
    The following day Torilla found that Beryl had not exaggerated when she had said that ‘the balloon would go up’. From