Love at the Tower Read online

  “Mrs. Osidge, would you be so kind as to hand me a towel please?” she called.

  A towel was placed into her outstretched hand and she brought it up to her face at once.

  As she wiped the water from her eyes, she looked up to see that it was not Mrs. Osidge who had handed her the towel, but her own dear Papa!

  “Papa!” she cried out, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

  “My dearest daughter,” he said with emotion in his voice. “Can you forgive me for being such a fool?”

  “Papa, what is there to forgive?”

  He took her hands and led her to the sofa. They sat down and she could see that he had tears in his eyes.

  “Robina, I have treated you terribly. You did not deserve to be pushed away and ignored in the way I did. I was consumed with grief and then, I came under the thrall of my new wife. I should never have permitted her to so intoxicate me. Please say you will forgive me.”

  By this time Robina too was in tears.

  She saw the way her father was pleading with her and her heart melted all over again.

  “Papa,” she murmured, taking his hand, “let’s put this whole sorry episode behind us and start anew.”

  “I would like that,” answered her father, “and your stepmother shall not trouble you again for a while. I have sent her off on a very long tour of Europe and told her that, whilst she away abroad, she is to reconsider her behaviour towards you and if she does not see fit to change her ways, then I will have no qualms in sending her packing. And, as for this business with Lord Drury, there will be no further talk of marriage to him.”

  “You would do – this for me?” stammered Robina, shocked and delighted at the same time.

  “You are my own flesh and blood and your Mama would be horrified at how I have forgotten that fact this past year. But no more, as I am a changed man.”

  They embraced once more and Robina noticed that the Earl had quietly entered the room.

  He was smiling broadly at the happy scene in front of him.

  “And I have more news for you,” he said, as the two of them turned to face him.

  “This very night Ellis has been arrested and will be charged by the Police with abduction and seeking to extort money through menaces.”

  “And Stepmama?”

  “Your father has decided not to press any charges against her. It would not reflect very well on his reputation if her name – and his – are dragged through the courts.”

  Robina looked at her father and realised that he had not been informed of the exact relationship between Laura and Ellis Hampton – a discreet veil had been drawn over that particular part of the proceedings.

  “And now, Sir Herbert, I have one last matter that requires your attention.”

  The Earl walked over to Robina and took her by the hand.

  Smiling down at her, he began,

  “Robina and I have grown very close to each other and our relationship has blossomed into more than that of employer and employee. I have asked her to marry me and she has accepted and, with your permission, we would like to be married as soon as possible.”

  Sir Herbert jumped up and shook the Earl’s hand warmly.

  “My dear fellow, I cannot think of anything more wonderful. With you as her husband, I should know that she would be well cared for and cherished.

  “And now it is time I took my dear daughter back home. We have so much to discuss, although I am certain that she will be returning to the Castle to resume her duties as soon as she has recovered from her terrible ordeal.”

  “I will ask for your carriage to be brought round to the front of the Castle,” said the Earl, “and you may take her home at once.”

  “Now if you will excuse me,” replied Sir Herbert, “I will make arrangements for my horse to be brought back to Trentham House in the morning.”

  With one last smile for Robina, her father rose and tactfully withdrew.

  As the door closed behind him, the Earl sank down on the sofa and pulled Robina into his arms.

  “My dearest love,” he sighed, as he kissed her tenderly, “the day that I rode into your stables at Trentham House was the most fortunate day of my life. If I had not done so, I might never have found you.

  “And now, I am to be married to the most beautiful girl in the world and I have never been happier in all my life.”

  Robina laid her head on his chest.

  “I believe that Mama has been looking down from Heaven and smiling on us. Not so long ago, I was very lonely and confused. My Papa did not seem to want me and even Nanny was sent away, but now I have a whole new life in front of me. Please, dearest, might we find a place for Nanny at the Castle?”

  The Earl laughed and stroked her cheek.

  “I have already spoken with your Nanny on that very subject. It was Nanny who led me to you as she was nearly run over by my carriage when Ellis was driving it to the farm after he abducted you.

  “I came across her while I was searching for you this evening and she told me she had been dismissed. Of course, we shall have her with us at the Castle, forever and ever, should you wish it.”

  “And when we have our own children, Nanny can help me look after them,” suggested Robina, so contented and at peace with the whole world that she did not wish the precious moment to end.

  “To think that I have now found you again after so many years of searching and it was the Tower itself that brought us together.”

  “It was my Mama up in Heaven,” replied Robina, her eyes cast skywards. “She is never far from me and I know that it was she who led us to each other.”

  “Darling, I shall love you for ever and all Eternity – you need never doubt it.”

  “And I will love you and adore you for ever too,” answered Robina, her heart soaring to meet his and their souls entwining. “In this life and all the lives we still have to live.”

  “For ever and beyond,” he murmured, as they sank into a warm and everlasting kiss of love.

  Where to buy other titles in this series

  The Barbara Cartland Pink collection is available for download at the following online bookshops :-

  www.barnesandnoble.com - epub format for the Nook eReader

  www.whsmith.co.uk - epub format for the Smiths/Kobo eReader

  www.firstyfish.com - epub format

  ebookstore.sony.com - epub format for Sony eReaders

  www.amazon.co.uk - For UK Kindle users

  www.amazon.com - For international Kindle users

  itunes.apple.com - for Apple iOS users

  www.barbaracartland.com - Printed paperbacks