The Duke Comes Home Read online

  “I wanted to surprise you,” he answered simply.

  “You – have indeed. I was – afraid when I came – downstairs – ”

  “I know what you feared,” he interrupted, “and now I am waiting for you to tell me all the things I don’t know.”

  “What do you – want to – know,” Ilina asked.

  “For instance which of my ancestors brought the French pictures to the house, which one acquired the very fine snuffboxes in the cabinet over there and how which industrious Duchess was responsible for the exquisite petit-point on three of the chairs.”

  Ilina clasped her hands together

  “Do you – really want to – hear about them?”

  “I am waiting for you to instruct me.”

  Her eyes met his and somehow it was impossible to breathe.

  Then the door opened and Bird announced,

  “Luncheon is served, Your Grace.”

  He spoke in a stronger voice than Ilina had heard him use for many years and she thought, as he walked ahead of them down the corridor that led to the dining room, that he moved more quickly and with a new buoyancy.

  Only when she reached the dining room on the Duke’s arm did she understand.

  Instead of just Singh to help him, there was a footman behind each of their chairs with two others in attendance by the side table.

  It was all so bewildering that it became hard to think.

  Ilina sat down at the table, which was decorated with flowers as her mother told her it had been in her grandfather’s day. She was aware too that the finest silver ornaments were displayed.

  ‘We are – using the Crown Derby – dinner service,’ she noticed.

  Then, as course succeeded course, she knew without being told that Mrs. Bird must have more help than Gladys in the kitchen.

  The Duke was talking and she was listening to him wide-eyed.

  “As soon as you are well enough,” he said, “I want you to come to the stables.”

  “You know I want to do that.”

  “Not only to see Pegasus, Actually he is coming to the front door to tell you how much he has missed you before I take you upstairs again.”

  He saw by the expression in Ilina’s eyes how much this pleased her and he went on,

  “I thought and I am sure you will agree with me that Pegasus should have more friends to talk to than only Rufus. So the stalls are being filled one by one as the occupants arrive. And, of course, I shall require your approval of them.”

  Ilina drew in her breath and, because she found it impossible to speak, the Duke continued,

  “I am unfortunately limited for space until the stables are fully repaired. Men have been working on them every day and I have offered them a bonus for speed. So I think you will be surprised at what has been achieved.”

  “I cannot – believe that – what you are telling me is true,” Ilina said, when she could find her voice.

  “I will prove it tomorrow,” the Duke promised, “and after you have seen Pegasus there is just one more thing I wish to show you.”

  Ilina still felt sure that she must be living in an extravagant dream.

  Only when luncheon was finished and the servants withdrew did she ask in a hesitating little voice, as if she was afraid to hear the answer,

  “Tell me – why you are – doing this? How is it – possible?”

  Sitting back in the high-backed chair with a brandy glass in his hand, the Duke looked at her with what she thought was a mocking smile as he said,

  “What you are really asking, Ilina, is how I can afford it?”

  “What – have you – sold?”

  It was difficult to say the words because she was afraid of what she might hear.

  “Actually nothing that belongs to The Abbey.”

  Then as she gave a little gasp, he asked,

  “Why were you so certain I am a pauper?”

  “I suppose,” she answered truthfully, “it – was your clothes.”

  The Duke laughed, but now there was nothing cynical or bitter in the sound.

  “Being a man I never thought that might be the explanation. I had been living in the North of Siam for nearly a year and was out of touch with what was happening in more civilised places.”

  “But I never thought of – that.”

  “Why should you?” he replied. “When I returned to Calcutta to find Wicker’s letter informing of your father’s death, I knew at once that I had to return to England immediately. I simply came on the next ship without waiting to smarten myself up.”

  Ilina gave a little sigh.

  “It was – foolish of me to be so – influenced by appearances.”

  “But understandable and, of course, you had learnt what my feelings were about the title I have inherited and the Bury family as a whole.”

  There was a silence and Ilina looked at the silver ornaments on the table and the flowers as if she must reassure herself they were real before she asked in a whisper,

  “Have – they changed – now?”

  Again there seemed to be a long silence before the Duke responded,

  “You saved my life, Ilina. I can hardly go on hating what matters so tremendously to you when I am exceedingly glad to be alive.”

  He put down his glass and then he said,

  “Come, I have something to show you before we talk anymore and Pegasus, as you well know, dislikes being kept waiting.”

  Because she was so bemused by what he said and was also finding hope rising within her like a flame that leapt higher and higher, she tried to jump up from her chair.

  She moved too quickly, forgetting how weak her legs were, and staggered.

  Without saying anything the Duke picked her up in his arms as he had done before and, because out of sheer excitement the room seemed to be swinging round her, Ilina put her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

  She felt his arms tighten as he carried her across the room.

  The door had been left ajar and he moved it open with his foot and then proceeded down the corridor towards the hall.

  Close against him Ilina felt that his heart was beating as strongly as hers was.

  Yet she was desperately afraid that her imagination was running away with her and things could not be as wonderful as they seemed to be.

  As they reached the front door, the Duke walked slowly down the long flight of grey steps to where Pegasus was waiting.

  The old groom was holding him and, as the Duke put Ilina gently down on her feet, the stallion was nuzzling against her to express his delight that she was there.

  She put her arms round him, saying in a voice that trembled,

  “How are you – my darling? I have missed you – desperately.”

  He told her in his own way that he had missed her too and she saw that there were flowers on each side of his bridle and a garland of flowers around his neck.

  As if he read her thoughts, Jacobs said,

  “We had difficulty in gettin’ him dressed up, my Lady, even though I thinks he knew he’d be seein’ you.”

  “How are you, Jacobs?” Dina asked. “His Grace tells me that you have some newcomers in the stables.”

  “Ones you’ll be proud to ride, my Lady, “Jacobs answered. “I now has four new grooms under me. I feels a new man.”

  At the proud and happy way he spoke Ilina suddenly felt that she wanted to cry from sheer happiness, but she was afraid that the Duke might see her tears and hid her face against Pegasus again.

  As she did so, she felt the Duke pick her up in his arms again.

  “Pegasus cannot have all your attention,” he said. “There are other things to do and you will see him tomorrow.”

  There was a note in his voice that told her that he understood her feelings as he had never done before.

  “Thank you – Jacobs,” she managed to murmur.

  As Jacobs led Pegasus back to the stables, the Duke carried her up the steps.

  He took her along the pas
sage that lead to the study and opened the door.

  When they went into it, Ilina saw at once that there was a new carpet instead of the old threadbare one on the floor.

  The furniture was shining as if a thousand hands had been polishing it for weeks and there were new satin cushions on the chairs and sofas, which, combined with the big vases of flowers that decorated every corner of the room, made the whole place seem somehow festive.

  The Duke set her down on the sofa and, as she looked round, he said,

  “I have ordered new curtains and I have brought you here to ask you which of the designs for the pelmets you prefer. I found when I looked at the sketches done for this room by Adam that he had made two alternative suggestions, neither of which, for some reason, was adopted.”

  Ilina took from him the sketches that he held out and he said very quietly as she did so,

  “This room is more important to me than any other in the house for it is here, Ilina, you saved my life and here I realised that I would not allow the thieves or anyone else to take from me what is mine.”

  Ilina drew in her breath and, as she looked up at him, he added,

  “I also knew that it was impossible for me to leave you or lose you.”

  He spoke so quietly that for a moment she thought that she must have mistaken what he said and then he sat down on the sofa next to her and asked,

  “You told me that you hated me, yet you saved me from being killed. I want to know what you feel about me now.”

  Ilina gave a little gasp and then, as she looked into his eyes, a strange sensation she had never known before seemed to start up in her breast.

  It completely swept away the heavy stone of anxiety and fear and, rising into her throat, reached her lips.

  She wanted to speak and yet it was impossible.

  She could only feel the violent frantic beating of her heart and that the room was filled with a blinding light that came from the sky and yet was a part of the Duke and herself.

  He drew a little closer to her, but did not touch her and after a moment he said,

  “I suppose it was inevitable that I should fall in love with you and because I love you as I have never loved anyone in my life before, it is impossible for me to hate anyone. The past is all vanished and all I am concerned about now is the future, yours and mine, Ilina.”

  Then, very gently, as if he was afraid of frightening her, he put his arms around her and drew her closer to him.

  He sensed that she was trembling, but not with fear and then, as she wanted to hide her face against his shoulder, he put his fingers under her chin and turned her face up to his.

  “I love you,” he breathed in a voice that was very deep and a little unsteady. “I have to know, my beautiful darling, what you feel about me.”

  She did not wait for a reply and his mouth came down on hers.

  She knew that this was what she had wanted and, although she had not been aware of it, this was what she had been praying for.

  At first his lips were very gentle and then, as if the softness of hers excited him, his kiss became more demanding and more possessive.

  To Ilina it was as if he lifted her up into the sky and everything that had made her despondent and miserable and afraid had vanished.

  She was no longer alone but part of him and the strength of his arms and the insistence of his lips gave her a security that she had thought would never be hers.

  At the same time it was a rapture and an ecstasy that came from the Divine.

  Only when she felt that she was disembodied and floating in space and there was music, the scent of flowers and the dazzling brilliance of the sun, did the Duke raise his head.

  Then incoherently, as if the words burst from her lips, she said,

  “I love – you! I know now – that I love you – but I did not realise it was love!”

  “You love me,” the Duke said a little hoarsely. “Oh, my precious, that is what I wanted to hear.”

  Now he was kissing her until it was impossible to breathe and, holding her so closely, that she felt she must have died and was in Heaven.

  Then, when they both seemed to break under the strain of the wonder that was theirs, the Duke released her again and Ilina hid her face against his neck.

  He could feel her breath coming in little gasps between her lips and her heart beating so violently that she was afraid it might fly out of her breast.

  “I love you,” the Duke exclaimed. “God! How I love you!”

  He kissed her hair before he gave a little laugh and said,

  “How could I imagine for a moment that I could really escape from what you believe is the call of our blood? But it is really all embodied in one small person, which is you.”

  “I love you!” Ilina exclaimed. “I did not know that a man could be so – wonderful – so exciting and yet at the same time want me.”

  “I will tell you how much I want you,” the Duke said. “But first, my precious, we have to be married and as quickly as possible.”

  “M-married!”

  “You may think I am too old for you, but because you have so much to teach me, and you have to inspire me to emulate the great deeds that the Burys have done down the centuries, the sooner we start the better.”

  There was no bitterness or resentment in his voice as there had been in the past.

  Ilina gave a cry of sheer happiness and pressed herself a little closer to him before she said,

  “You are not too old for me – but I am afraid that because I am so young and have done – nothing since I grew up except look after Papa and have seen – nothing of the world that you will – find me very – dull.”

  The Duke smiled.

  Then, pulling her almost roughly closer still, he kissed her more passionately and more violently than he had done before, until he released her and said,

  “Do you think that I want you to know anything except what I will teach you about love? And it will be one of the most exciting things I can think of to show you the world, which I will do, my adorable one, on our honeymoon.”

  She wanted to ask him a thousand questions, but he was kissing her again, kissing her until she knew that nothing she ever learnt, felt or saw could be as wonderful as what he was giving her now.

  His love enveloped her and aroused a rapture that she did not know she was capable of feeling.

  It was so perfect and so unbelievably wonderful that she could ask nothing more of the future than to be with him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The Duke raised his head,

  “I think, my darling,” he said, “that you should go upstairs and lie down.”

  “I don’t – want to leave – you,” Ilina whispered.

  Her whole body was throbbing with the ecstasy of his kisses and she was half-afraid that if she left him he would disappear in a puff of smoke and she would never see him again.

  It was impossible to believe that what was happening was true and that, after all he had said and the misery she had passed through, he loved her.

  She looked up at him and thought it impossible for any man to be so handsome and so mesmerisingly attractive.

  “I love – you, I love – you!”

  He held her close to him again and breathed,

  “And I love you, my beautiful adorable one, but I want you to hurry up and get well so we can be married and be together for ever.”

  “That is – what I want – too.”

  He looked down at her and there was a tenderness in his eyes that she had never thought to see.

  He then declared in his deep voice,

  “You are so absurdly beautiful I want to stay here and kiss you and go on kissing you for the rest of the day.”

  Then he took his arms away from her and added,

  “Instead I am going to think of you and I also have some rather important people waiting for me.”

  “Important?” Ilina queried.

  “One of them has come to mend the picture of the second
Duke that received the bullet that, but for you, would have killed me.”

  Ilina gave a cry of horror.

  “Supposing that had – happened! Supposing I had not been – able to – save you!”

  “But you did,” the Duke smiled, “and I am having that bullet dipped in gold and I shall wear it on my watch chain for luck.”

  “It was very – very lucky for – me.”

  “And for me, my darling.”

  He kissed her forehead and then urged her,

  “Come along, I am going to take you back to bed or Pegasus will wait for you in vain. And so shall I.”

  Ilina flashed him a smile before she answered,

  “I will do as you say, because I know that you expect women to be obedient and subservient.”

  The Duke laughed.

  “I very much doubt that is what you will be, but I love you just as you are.”

  He would have picked her up in his arms to carry her upstairs, but Ilina prevented him, saying,

  “One moment – I just want to look at the picture. I am so very – very grateful that it was the Second Duke who was injured and not – you.”

  She moved round the desk as she spoke and the Duke said,

  “Actually the bullet went into the corner of his frame. He himself was untouched, which you may say was the luck of the Burys.”

  “He was certainly lucky,” Ilina said, “but I wish we knew where he had hidden the jewels.”

  She looked up at her great-great-grandfather as she spoke and saw for the first time that there was some resemblance in his features to those of the man she loved.

  Then, because she could see that the Duke was waiting impatiently, she looked at the frame.

  She saw that the bullet she had diverted had hit the corner of it.

  It had dislodged a large piece of the gilding, which she saw lying by the blotter on the desk.

  She looked at the frame and then gave a little exclamation,

  “That is strange! Papa always said that most of the family portraits, especially those of the Dukes, were framed in wood carved from trees on the estate and then gilded.”

  “Is this one different?” the Duke asked.

  “You can see that this is plaster,” Ilina replied. “I wonder why we have never realised it before.”

  She looked at the white powdery mess left at the corner of the frame from which the gilt design had broken away.