False Colours Part IV

Kit is worried about Evelyn, though he feels sure that his twin is safe. But he still is missing. Kit feels that he is falling in love with Cressy. She seems fond of him but he is aware that he is a younger son. He does not have anything like Evelyn's rank or fortune so why should she throw over a richer man, for him? He feels too that in spite of the precautions he and Lady Denville took, the guests, or at least Cressida, would be aware now if they met Evelyn, that Kit was not him. Then they find a note in the society gossip in the newspaper which hints that Cressy is staying with Lady Denville and that a marriage may well be expected between Lord Denville and Miss Staveley. A few days after this, Kit is playing billiards with Cressida, when they are interrupted by the arrival of a lady visitor. It turns out to be a Mrs Alperton, a rather vulgar middle aged woman who is the mother of Evelyn's current mistress, Clara. Mrs Alperton tries to create a fuss, saying that Evelyn was her daughter's protector and that he has now abandoned her to marry another woman.. She tries to bully Kit into paying handsomely for her silence. However, to Kit's surprise, Cressy comes in and shows herself very well able to talk to Mrs Alperton, telling her that the gossip was a mere rumor. She says she is not shocked to find that Evelyn has a mistress provided he treats her properly. Mrs Alperton is vanquished, and leaves. Kit realises that Cressy knows that he is not Evelyn, and they declare their love for each other. He explains why he felt driven to impersonate his twin and she tells him that she was drawn to him and gradually realised that he was not the same person as Evelyn. She knew that she could not marry Evelyn. They try to make plans for the future - Kit hoping that Lord Staveley will accept him as a suitor in place of Evelyn. Shortly afterwards, Evelyn makes a startling return, coming to the house in the middle of the night. He tells Kit that he has been injured in a carriage accident, and was laid up for some time.. recovering. He had been taken in by the Askham family, who lived not too far away. They are a country gentry family and very kind. They looked after him and nursed him for weeks. When he recovered from his injuries, and saw the newspaper with the item about Cressy visiting Ravenhurst, he realised that his twin must have returned to England and was taking his place.