Mermaids Singing by Dilly Court

way, she made certain that she was out of the house when Rackham paid his daily calls on Iris.
    The grip of the bitter winter weather gradually eased into a mild and balmy spring and, after months of waiting, a telegram arrived for Desmond bearing the news that Edward was almost fully recovered and on his way home. Desmond seemed moderately pleased that his son was safe but Bella’s heart sank at the prospect of Edward’s imminent return. She dreaded meeting yet another Mableton; he was bound to be like his father or, worse still, like Iris.
    Three weeks later, and with no definite news of Edward’s impending arrival, Bella had seized the opportunity to escape from the house in Dover Street for an hour or two by taking Leonie and Kitty to St James’s Park. She sat on a bench by the lake, watching Leonie and Kitty feeding the ducks. Kitty had gained at least an inch in height since she had been put to work in the nursery, and her hair had grown back into a mass of short curls with the sheen of a conker. There was almost no comparison now with the scrawny little waif who had come to work as a scullery maid. With a little kindness and care, Kitty had blossomed into a confident, happy girl who would soon be sixteen and Leonie adored her. Bella smiled as she listened to Leonie’s squeals of delight as Kitty threw crumbs to the ducks. Kitty would be an excellent replacement for Nanny Smith who was, for some unknown reason, becoming increasingly unreliable and overemotional.
    Relaxing in the dappled shade beneath the canopy of fresh green leaves, Bella was startled as a shadow fell across the path in front of her. Shading her eyes against the sun, she looked up to find a tall, thin man dressed in the uniform of an army officer, standing in front of her.
    ‘Would you mind awfully if I sat down on your bench?’ he asked in a deep, slightly gruff, but pleasant voice.
    Bella saw that he was leaning heavily on an ebony cane and she moved up a little, making a space. ‘No, of course not.’
    He sat down, staring absently at the water, and Bella couldn’t help stealing a glance at him. He was deeply suntanned and what she could see of his hair beneath his military cap was light brown, streaked almost white at the tips by exposure to the sun. As if he sensed that she was staring, he turned his head and Bella found herself looking into smiling eyes that were an incredible shade of hazel, flecked with gold.
    ‘I – I’m sorry,’ Bella said hastily. ‘I didn’t mean to stare. I was just wondering if you had come home from the war in the Sudan. It’s really none of my business.’
    ‘Don’t apologise. It’s a natural assumption and you’re quite right. I’ve just arrived.’
    ‘And you’re going home. How wonderful for you and your family.’
    His smile faded and he stared into the distance. ‘I doubt if I’ll get much of a welcome, but yes, I am going home although I’m putting off the moment for as long as possible.’
    Bella swallowed an inexplicable lump in her throat as her heart went out to him. She wanted to reach out and take him by the hand but she stopped herself just in time. ‘That’s so sad, but I know exactly what you mean.’
    He turned his head, his eyes bright with interest and surprise. ‘You do?’
    Bella felt herself blushing. ‘Yes, I do.’
    ‘I can’t believe that anyone as beautiful as you wouldn’t be totally adored and cherished by her family.’
    His words might have sounded like blatant flattery coming from someone like Rackham, but this man had an honest, open face and candid eyes that convinced Bella of his sincerity. She was conscious of a huge surge of physical attraction that thrilled and scared her. And he felt it too, she was certain of it. This was mad, dangerous and it had to stop right now. ‘That’s my daughter,’ Bella said, pointing to Leonie who was attempting to hand-feed a wary pigeon.
    ‘You’re married?’
    Bella’s breath caught in her throat as she heard a