Love Drives In Read online

  In a daze, Dorina came forward and curtsied. The Prince drew her to her feet and smiled directly into her eyes.

  "Miss Radford, what a pleasure to meet you again. I had heard you were abroad, but I had a strange feeling that you had returned quite recently."

  Then he winked.

  If Dorina had any doubts that he had recognised her at the theatre, they were dispelled by his next words, uttered in a low voice.

  "We must have a little talk before I leave. I'm alive with curiosity."

  "As Your Royal Highness pleases," she murmured.

  Then to the breathless delight of the spectators, the Prince became absorbed in the carriage and demanded to be driven on a short trip.

  He was assisted into the passenger seat and everyone stood back while the engine was cranked up. Then the carriage moved slowly round the shed and out into the yard. The Prince smiled broadly all the time.

  "Not a hitch!" said Mr. Johnson, by Dorina's side. "It's moving perfectly. We've done it. Oh, I wish I could see Kennington's face when he realises we've outsmarted him."

  "You can," said a voice behind them.

  An icy hand seemed to clutch Dorina's heart. Oh, surely it could not be true. It could not be –

  Frozen with horror, she turned and found herself looking at the Earl, who stood there, his eyes filled with bitterness and fury.

  Her heart almost stopped and for a moment she was unable to speak. He saw this, and his lip curled with contempt.

  "Good day to you, Miss Radford,"he said. "I trust matters are going well for you."

  "I – very well, thank you," she stammered.

  "I can't tell you how unexpectedit is to find you here. But perhaps it should not have been unexpected. Maybe a sensible man would have guessed the truth long ago."

  "Please – if you'll only let me explain – "

  "But my dear Miss Radford, no explanation is necessary. Now I know your true identity, I see that everything that happened was inevitable. One who carries such responsibilities as yours can be forgiven if she forgets a few other things – like truth, honour and fair dealing."

  Incensed at hearing his employer spoken to thus, Mr. Johnson took a step forward and said hotly,

  "Sir, I don't know who you are but – "

  "Then I am sure Miss Radford will be only too happy to tell you," the Earl said with a cold smile.

  "This is the Earl of Kennington," Dorina told Mr Johnson.

  His eyes widened in outrage.

  "In that case, my Lord, allow me to say that you should not be here. With all due respect you are our rival and there are secrets here that – that – "

  "Calm yourself," the Earl told him. "If I looked closely at your horseless carriage, I doubt if I would find many things I had not seen before. Is that not so, Miss Radford?"

  "Whatever does he mean?" Mr. Johnson asked her.

  "He means," replied Dorina stormily, "to be insulting. You need not think I don't understand you, sir."

  "I was sure you would for I know you are very clever. Of course, just how clever is something I didn't appreciate until now. My compliments, madam. You have achieved a considerable trick. You took me in totally, and that was something I had not believed possible. Good day to you."

  He inclined his head and turned away. Dorina stared after him, feeling furious and wretched at the same moment.

  On the one hand she felt she could not blame him for what he was thinking. But on the other hand, she had a temper and it was rising now. How darehe think such things of her, however it looked?

  Eyes glittering with anger, she turned and laid her hand on Mr. Johnson's arm and walked away with him.

  After that she said and did all the right things, but she was functioning like a robot, for her mind was elsewhere. Vaguely she was conscious that the day was a triumph, but what did that matter beside the fury and betrayal she had seen in the Earl's eyes?

  At last the Prince took her aside, as he had promised. With a chuckle in his voice, he said,

  "That wasn't a real faint, was it? My guess is that Kennington didn't know who you were, and you were afraid I would give you away. Well, I probably would have done, so you were rather clever."

  "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."

  "What little game were you playing? Studying his secrets, I suppose. So, what's yours in that carriage, and what's his?"

  "Sir, I was not spying on him. I merely went to work for him to learn about business. And then," Dorina added forlornly, "everything went wrong."

  "He fell in love with you. Surely that's something that went right?"

  "He's not in love with me, sir."

  The Prince chuckled.

  "I know better. He couldn't take his eyes off you when he should have been looking at the stage. I know that because I was watching your box myself. Mostly I looked at you, but whenever I looked at him, hewas looking at you."

  Despite everything her heart leapt with instant happiness. Then she remembered what was happening, and knew she would never be happy again.

  "It is no use, sir," she said. "He thinks the worst of me, and now he always will. I didn't spy on him, but he won't believe me. Everything is over between us."

  The Prince of Wales considered.

  "Maybe not," he said. "Who knows what may happen? Why, look who's here!"

  Startled at his sudden exclamation, Dorina looked up to find the Earl standing before them. His face was hard as he surveyed her in conversation with the Prince.

  "Kennington, my dear fellow," the Prince exclaimed jovially, seizing the Earl by the hand and pumping it up and down, apparently oblivious to the freezing atmosphere.

  "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you here," His Royal Highness continued. "Into the lions' den, so to speak. Did you have to fight your way past the guards?"

  "No, I just walked in quietly," the Earl said. "I had not known that you would be here, sir, but since you are, may I take the opportunity to advise you against making a hasty decision?"

  "Ah, you want to sell me your own vehicle. But is it ready, my dear chap?"

  "Yes, sir, it is. I was preparing to have just such a day as this and to invite you to it. I venture to say that my horseless carriage can do anything that the Radford model can achieve. I believe it to be faster, stronger and far more reliable."

  "And you want me to see it before I commit myself, eh? Well, that sounds very fair."

  "Thank you, sir. When you return to London – "

  "Oh my dear fellow, I'm far too impatient for that. I want it here by tomorrow. Send a telegram to your works and have them transport it by rail.

  "You'll need to hire an engine. It might be best if I give the order for that. It'll make them more co-operative. And I'm sure you've got some sort of wagon that they can hitch onto the back of the engine.

  "When it reaches the station you can hitch horses to the wagon to take it the last lap."

  "You mean, bring my vehicle to the Radford workshops?" the Earl asked, rebellion in his eyes.

  "No, of course not. Bring it to Glandon Towers. Ah, Glandon old friend, there you are. Come and hear the plans I'm making to turn your estate upside down."

  The Marquis of Glandon had been hovering in the background for the last few moments. Now he came forward, smiling with pleasure.

  "My estate is at your disposal, sir."

  "Then here's my idea. We'll have a race in your grounds tomorrow. Miss Radford will bring her vehicle, and Kennington will bring his. They'll compete, side by side, and we'll see which one is the victor."

  CHAPTER TEN

  She was back in Grosvenor Square, opening the mail, then ready to take it to the man she loved – the man she had loved from the first, she now realised.

  Through the mist of her dreams she saw herself, almost dancing towards his room, filled with joy because she was going to see him again.

  When she had entered his room he had smiled at her, saying,

  "Good morning. What have you brought me today? Is i
t good or bad?"

  "That depends on you," Dorina had often replied. "Some of them sound good, but there's always the question of whether you'll be bored."

  "If it's another dance or dinner party given for idiotic young debutantes who giggle when I talk to them and blush when I pay them a compliment, then I certainly will be," the Earl had answered.

  "But I'm sure they are delighted with your compliments."

  "Of course they are. All women want compliments, and if you don't give them willingly they are dragged out of you. Did you notice their new hat, do you think they dance better than anyone else you've danced with?"

  He spoke scathingly and Dorina had laughed.

  "Now you're asking too much," she had said. "Women do their best but men have always had their own way."

  "That's what you think. I assure you we men are deceived, lied to and eventually defrauded, simply because we've been foolish enough to be captured by a pretty face. What man has not been entranced by beauty and a soft voice which paid him compliments he didn't deserve?"

  "Well, if he didn't deserve the compliments he should have known better than to be captured," she had teased him, laughing. "It's entirely his own fault."

  "You are very hard on us poor men."

  "Poor men, nonsense! Look what advantages a man has. Strength, good looks and in many cases a title."

  "Are you saying you think that's enough?" he demanded.

  "More than enough."

  "I'd have appreciated it if you'd added, 'a brilliant brain like yours, sir.'"

  "Now you are asking for compliments. You know if I paid them to you, you'd suspect me of asking for a larger salary or saying that I feel unappreciated."

  "You always manage to get the last word," he said with a grin. "As I've pointed out many times, I couldn't do without you."

  Afterwards Dorina had often remembered him saying that and wished it were true.

  Now as the clouds parted, bringing her to wakefulness she remembered it again.

  She sat up in her bed, realising that the pretty dream was over. She was no longer in Grosvenor Square, exchanging teasing ripostes with him, full of hope for the future. She was back in Birmingham, in her real world where she had come to take command and where she had forfeited the Earl's love.

  'How could I have been so naïve as to imagine I could just come here for a few days and then return to London as though nothing had happened?' she mused. 'Now there's no turning back, and all is over between us. He hates me. Perhaps he's right to hate me. And he will never, never kiss me again.'

  She was seized with passionate longing for that forbidden kiss. But it was as far away as the moon and the stars, and she felt the tears trickling down her cheeks as some of his words came back to her, ominously.

  'We men are deceived, lied to and eventually defrauded, simply because we've been foolish enough to be captured by a pretty face.'

  He had spoken in fun, but how ominously true they must seem to him now.

  If only she could talk to him and explain, but would she have the chance to get near him today? Did he really care enough to listen now that he had triumph within his grasp.

  Just the fact that the race was happening was a kind of success. Whatever had been the Prince's intention when he intervened yesterday, it had made everything worse for Dorina and Radford's.

  Most of her potential gains had been lost in a moment. The customers who had been on the verge of placing orders had held back, meaning to watch the race, and decide which one to buy according to the result.

  The Marquis of Glandon had thrown open his grounds so that everyone who wanted to could come and watch the race. Some would come for the vehicles, some would come to see the Prince of Wales, but whatever the reason, the crowds would be large. Whichever of the two horseless carriages won, the world would be there to witness the victory.

  'I cannot complain,' she sighed to herself. 'Radford Engineering tried to get ahead of the Earl and he has turned the tables on us.'

  After the Prince's dramatic gesture the previous day, everyone had been full of excitement. People had rushed hither and thither, sending telegrams, making arrangements.

  Gradually the crowd broke up. Everybody now had urgent things to do.

  At Radford's they were busy creating transport for the carriage. It was designed and built in little more than two hours, and looked like a large raft on wheels. Four horses were harnessed, ready for the slow careful journey to Glandon Towers that would be made the following morning.

  But the big journey was the one taken by the Earl's vehicle from London.

  The engine, drawing the huge wagon, with the horseless carriage strapped on top, had travelled on past Birmingham Station to Glandon Halt, a tiny station on a branch line that had been put there for the convenience of the Glandon family. From there it was only a short distance to the estate.

  By chance one of Dorina's servants happened to see it arrive, since he had gone there to collect some goods from another train.

  "You never saw such a commotion in your life, ma'am," he told Dorina when he had returned home. "Lord Kennington was there, giving everyone orders, terrified in case the machine was damaged. And there was such a to-do, uncoupling it from the train and getting it onto the road, then attaching the horses."

  "Where did they take it?" Dorina asked.

  "I spoke to one of the men from Glandon Towers,

  ma'am, and he said it was going to the estate. Lord Kennington is staying there tonight."

  'So he would dine with the Prince,' Dorina thought, 'and would have ample opportunity to talk to him and persuade him of the merits of his own carriage.'

  She herself would not see him until ten o'clock next morning, which was when her party was scheduled to arrive.

  But far more important than seeing the Prince was the fact that she would see the Earl. Would she have a chance to talk to him alone? Could she make him understand?

  Now the fateful morning had arrived and as she travelled to the factory to meet up with Mr. Johnson and the others, her heart warned her that she was about to lose everything.

  They arrived at Glandon Towers at exactly ten o'clock and found the great gates already open. Lord Glandon met them and took them to the start of the road on which they would race.

  "We're going to travel round it first in my carriage," he said, "so that everyone can become familiar with it beforehand. Then we'll all go into the house for lunch and by that time His Royal Highness might be awake."

  The journey round the estate was an ordeal. Dorina sat in the carriage with the Earl and he took no notice of her at all. His face was hard and set against her. Her temper rose.

  When the journey ended they went into the great house and a butler showed them the way to the drawing room, where coffee and cakes awaited.

  But as they were walking towards the drawing room, Dorina seized the Earl's arm.

  "I would like to talk to you," she said.

  He looked surprised.

  "I see no need."

  "But I do. I will not have you ignoring me."

  "I suggest it's better if you also ignore me."

  Dorina gritted her teeth, refusing to back down.

  "Don't force me to make a scene in public, my Lord."

  He saw the determination in her face and yielded with a slight shrug, letting her draw him into the nearest room.

  As soon as she had shut the door behind her, Dorina said in an imploring voice,

  "I know you must think I betrayed you, but I truly never meant to."

  "My dear lady, I am sure you've convinced yourself, but when I recall that you came under a false name and carefully concealed the fact that you were my rival's daughter and about to take over his firm – well, I think betrayal is the right word."

  He had never before spoken to her in such a harsh voice and she flinched. For a moment she was on the verge of tears, but she fought them back. She would not be a weeping, wailing female. She would face up to her mistakes.
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br />   "That was wrong of me," she said, "but it was innocently done. It's true that I have to take over the firm and I realised how little I knew. I came to you to learn about business – "

  "No, you came to learn about mybusiness," he interrupted her coldly. "To spy on me."

  "You are wrong my Lord," she said proudly. "Radford's leads in every aspect of engineering and it would never occur to me to spy on your creations. Why should I when ours are better?"

  "Come," he retorted, "you're not pretending that your horseless carriage is better than mine, are you? Although I can well believe that it's vastly improved since you've seen mine."