The Wicked Widow Page 14
She looked just so happy and so radiant that, when Charles started telling them what had occurred after they had left, he suddenly stopped.
“I have a feeling, Rollo,” he said, “although I might be wrong, that something far more sensational has happened here.”
Kyla looked shy as the Earl went on,
“You are quite right, Charles, and I do hope you are going to give us a decent Wedding present.”
“That is the best news I have ever heard,” Charles said as he smiled. “I knew as soon as I saw Kyla that she was just the right woman for you and I have never known anyone so brave. Congratulations and where is the champagne?”
“I knew you would ask,” the Earl replied. “The servants brought it in, but we forgot to drink it.”
“Well, I certainly need a drink,” Charles said, “and I think Terry deserves one too.”
“Are you saying,” Terry asked Kyla, “that you are going to marry the Earl?”
“He has asked me to do so,” Kyla answered, “and says that The Castle will be a lovely home for you.”
“You mean I can live here?” Terry enquired. “That’s really spiffing! I shall really enjoy it.”
“And, of course, riding my horses,” the Earl commented.
“I will love that and I will explore all the hidden passages,” Terry said.
“Now, what made you think The Castle has secret passages?” the Earl enquired.
Terry looked at Kyla.
“It is all right,” she said. “I am sure he knows that we hid in one when Stepmama came.”
“I saw you as it happens,” the Earl pointed out.
“You – saw us?” Kyla exclaimed.
“I did not believe for one moment the story that ‘Miss Taylor’ had taken ‘Gerald’ to see Lady Blessingham’s sister,” the Earl replied, “so I got up after I had gone to bed and walked down the secret passageway leading from my room and saw two little runaways fast asleep in the Priest’s Hole.”
“And we had no idea of it,” Terry added.
He looked at his sister reproachfully.
“We never took our pistols,” he said, “and if the highwaymen had found us, they might have killed us both.”
“The highwaymen do not know about the secret passages,” the Earl said firmly, “and you will please, neither of you, show them to anyone else.”
“But you will not mind if I go in them, will you?” Terry pleaded. “It is a spiffing place to hide.”
“I can see that I shall have to design a special badge for us to wear as ‘Guardians of the Secret Passages’,” the Earl laughed, “and I shall put you, Terry, in charge.”
Terry gave a whoop of excitement.
“I shall like that!”
“Now, come along, young man,” Charles said. “You and I have now to drink the health of the bride and bridegroom and wish that they will live happily and safely ever after.”
“That is a jolly good toast,” Terry approved, “and, of course, it is what we wish them.”
He accepted a glass from Charles and, as he raised it, he said,
“It was Kyla who thought of coming here and Kyla who made friends with Bill so that he helped us.”
“Your sister is a most remarkable woman,” the Earl said, “and that is why I intend to marry her as quickly as possible so that she can never run away from me.”
“That is – something I have – no wish to do,” Kyla said in a low whisper.
“I know that, my darling,” the Earl answered, “but I will not feel sure of you until you are actually my wife.”
Charles raised his glass.
“To you both!” he toasted. “And, if that is the way you feel, what are we waiting for?”
“You are right,” the Earl said, “and now that I think of it Lady Shenley’s death will have to be announced, which means that Kyla and Terry will be in mourning.”
Kyla looked at him in surprise.
Then the Earl said,
“No one is going to know and I mean no one, exactly what happened today. I know I can trust my Head Groom and Jenkins. No one else need ever be aware that you were threatened by highwaymen. It will appear only that in riding away from us they killed Lady Shenley.”
“What about the Magistrates?” Kyla asked.
“I have told my Head Groom and Jenkins to say that it was they who fought with the highwaymen, who they thought were trying to steal some of my horses. The highwaymen themselves would gain nothing by denying this nor do I think that they will be in a condition to do so.”
“That is extremely clever of you,” Charles said. “It will be of much less interest to the newspapers than if it was thought that they were trying to attack you or were hand in glove with Lady Shenley.”
“I am glad you approve, Charles,” the Earl said. “The idea came to me out of the blue. I told Jenkins what I wanted and I know that he will carry out everything that I have suggested to the letter.”
“As he did when we were in France,” Charles said. “Telling this story will ensure there will be no scandal and therefore you and Kyla must be married before Lady Shenley’s death is announced.”
“I will send for my Chaplain immediately after luncheon,” the Earl informed them.
“I hope you will also find a Wedding veil for Kyla,” Charles suggested.
Kyla gave a little cry.
“I had not thought of that and perhaps you will be – ashamed of me because I don’t look – smart enough to be your bride.”
“You are so lovely that the angels themselves will be jealous whatever you are wearing,” the Earl said in a low voice.
She looked up at him as he spoke and for a moment they forgot that there was anybody else in the room.
With an effort he said,
“If you suggest that you will not be properly dressed, that will be an insult to Mrs. Field and not me.”
“Of course, Mrs. Field will have everything!” Kyla laughed.
“Except for the Granston jewels,” Charles said, “and so naturally Rollo will arrange that you wear the lot!”
“Certainly not,” Kyla protested. “I should look like a Christmas tree and I do so want to look lovely – for Rollo.”
“No one could be lovelier,” the Earl said firmly. “I hope, Charles, you have brought your decorations with you as I naturally shall be wearing mine.”
“You might well have warned me that this sort of thing was going to occur,” Charles complained, “but some of your decorations will be on my coat just as they are on yours.”
“A Wedding! We are going to have a Wedding!” Terry exclaimed. “I know that Jane will enjoy every minute.”
The Earl looked guilty.
“I had forgotten about Jane,” he admitted. “Terry, run up the stairs and fetch her down for luncheon and then tell Nanny that we are having luncheon in the dining room and she is to come too.”
“Nanny is going to have luncheon with us?” Terry asked.
“Of course,” the Earl replied. “She has been a great help in all our plans and we must not neglect her.”
“She will be very excited,” Terry commented.
He ran from the room as Kyla said,
“Oh, thank you – thank you for being so kind to Bill. I am so glad that he does not have to be a highwayman anymore.”
“Because I am so happy at finding you,” the Earl answered, “I want everybody else in the world to be happy too.”
“I am sure that Nanny, when she knows that we are to be married, will be planning to fit everything into the nursery besides Terry.”
“Of course you realise,” Charles interrupted, “the most important thing is that you will now need a new Governess.”
Kyla laughed as the Earl proposed,
“I think we had better find a Tutor for Terry. He is old enough for one and if one small boy does not give him enough to do, he can teach Jane as well.”
“I am sure Jane would love that,” Kyla said, “and it would be better fo
r Terry to have a man to look after him.”
“The trouble with you, Rollo,” Charles said, “is that you are a born planner and happy only when you are thinking of new ways to do things. I am nervous to think what next you will introduce into the quiet English countryside, besides, of course, a large number of little Rollos!”
Kyla blushed and the Earl said,
“You are not to make Kyla feel shy, but you are quite right, Charles, I am going to plan a great number of different things, including building on to The Castle as my ancestors have always done.”
“And there are causes I would want you to fight for in the House of Lords,” Kyla said, “particularly to help the men like Bill, who have come back from the War to find their jobs have gone and, since they have no money, have to take to robbery.”
“Quite right,” Charles approved. “You can imagine how persuasive Rollo will be in the House of Lords. He is just the right person to head a Crusade of one kind or another.”
“That is what I will make him do,” Kyla said, “and I know he will be wonderful and win, just as he won today.”
She looked up at the Earl adoringly.
He knew that she had given him the answer to the question he had asked himself when he had left Paris.
It was what did he want in life?
What he wanted, although he had not known it then, was somebody like Kyla, somebody he could love and somebody who at the same time would inspire him to do great deeds.
To bring happiness and security to the country just as he wanted to bring it to those he loved.
As it flashed through his mind, he knew how lucky he was.
As he looked at Kyla, he felt his love for her welling up inside him like a flood-tide.
It was a very different emotion from what he had ever felt before for any woman.
Then, as he went on looking at her, he realised that Charles had left the room and they were alone.
He put his arms round Kyla and drew her, almost roughly, close to him.
“I love you!” he said. “I love you so much that I feel a century will pass before you are my wife.”
“You are really quite certain,” she said a little hesitatingly, “that you are not – making a mistake?”
“I have never been so certain of anything ever,” the Earl answered. “I know that we were made for each other. We are not two people but just one, my darling. Tonight I will explain to you exactly what that means.”
Kyla moved a little closer to him.
“How can I have – been so – lucky?” she asked. “I prayed that we might – be saved and then God sent you to – save us.”
“I believe that is true,” the Earl said, “and that is why I want to tell you, my precious, that I will devote my whole life to making you happy and doing the things you want me to do and to be worthy of your love.”
The way he spoke was very moving.
As Kyla felt the tears come into her eyes, he pulled her closer still.
She could hear angels singing songs of love and devotion.
Then, as he kissed her, she knew that he was carrying her into a Heaven that was all their own and that she would never have to run away again.
OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
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Elizabethan Lover
The Little Pretender
A Ghost in Monte Carlo
A Duel of Hearts
The Saint and the Sinner
The Penniless Peer
The Proud Princess
The Dare-Devil Duke
Diona and a Dalmatian
A Shaft of Sunlight
Lies for Love
Love and Lucia
Love and the Loathsome Leopard
Beauty or Brains
The Temptation of Torilla
The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl
Fragrant Flower
Look Listen and Love
The Duke and the Preacher’s Daughter
A Kiss for the King
The Mysterious Maid-servant
Lucky Logan Finds Love
The Wings of Ecstacy
Mission to Monte Carlo
Revenge of the Heart
The Unbreakable Spell
Never Laugh at Love
Bride to a Brigand
Lucifer and the Angel
Journey to a Star
Solita and the Spies
The Chieftain Without a Heart
No Escape from Love
Dollars for the duke
Pure and Untouched
Secrets
Fire in the Blood
Love, Lies and Marriage
The Ghost who Fell in Love
Hungry for Love
The Wild Cry of Love
The Blue-eyed Witch
The Punishment of a Vixen
The Secret of the Glen
Bride to the King
For All Eternity
King in Love
A Marriage made in Heaven
Who can deny Love?
Riding to the Moon
Wish for Love
Dancing on a Rainbow
Gypsy Magic
Love in the Clouds
Count the Stars
White Lilac
Too Precious to Lose
The Devil Defeated
An Angel Runs Away
The Duchess Disappeared
The Pretty Horse-breakers
The Prisoner of Love
Ola and the Sea Wolf
The Castle made for Love
A Heart is Stolen
The Love Pirate
As Eagles Fly
The Magic of Love
Love Leaves at Midnight
A Witch’s Spell
Love Comes West
The Impetuous Duchess
A Tangled Web
Love lifts the Curse
Saved By A Saint
Love is Dangerous
The Poor Governess
The Peril and the Prince
A Very Unusual Wife
Say Yes Samantha
Punished with love
A Royal Rebuke
The Husband Hunters
Signpost To Love
Love Forbidden
Gift Of the Gods
The Outrageous Lady
The Slaves Of Love
The Disgraceful Duke
The Unwanted Wedding
Lord Ravenscar’s Revenge
From Hate to Love
A Very Naughty Angel
The Innocent Imposter
A Rebel Princess
A Wish Comes True
Haunted
Passions In The Sand
Little White Doves of Love
A Portrait of Love
The Enchanted Waltz
Alone and Afraid
The Call of the Highlands
The Glittering Lights
An Angel in Hell
Only a Dream
A Nightingale Sang
Pride and the Poor Princess
Stars in my Heart
The Fire of Love
A Dream from the Night
Sweet Enchantress
The Kiss of the Devil
Fascination in France
Love Runs In
Lost Enchantment
Love is Innocent
The Love Trap
No Darkness for Love
Kiss from a Stranger
The Flame Is Love
A Touch of Love
The Dangerous D
andy
In Love In Lucca
The Karma Of Love
Magic For The Heart
Paradise Found
Only Love
A Duel with Destiny
The Heart of the Clan
The Ruthless Rake
Revenge is Sweet
Fire on the Snow
A Revolution of Love
Love at the Helm
Listen to Love
Love Casts out Fear
The Devilish Deception
Riding in the Sky
The Wonderful Dream
This Time it’s Love
The River of Love
A Gentleman in Love
The Island of Love
Miracle for a Madonna
The Storms of Love
The Prince and the Pekingese
The Golden Cage
Theresa and a Tiger
The Goddess of Love
Alone in Paris
The Earl Rings a Belle
The Runaway Heart
From Hell to Heaven
Love in the Ruins
Crowned with Love
Love is a Maze
Hidden by Love
Love is the Key
A Miracle in Music
The Race for Love
Call of the Heart
The Curse of the Clan
Saved by Love
The Tears of Love
Winged Magic
Born of Love
Love Holds the Cards
A Chieftain Finds Love
The Horizons of Love
The Marquis Wins
A Duke in Danger
Warned by a Ghost
Forced to Marry
Sweet Adventure
Love is a Gamble
Love on the Wind
Looking for Love
Love is the Enemy
The Passion and the Flower
The Reluctant Bride
Safe in Paradise
The Temple of Love
Love at First Sight
The Scots Never Forget
The Golden Gondola
No Time for Love
Love in the Moon
A Hazard of Hearts
Just Fate
The Kiss of Paris
Little Tongues of Fire
Love Under Fire
The Magnificent Marriage
Moon over Eden
The Dream and the Glory
A Victory for Love
A Princess in Distress
A Gamble with Hearts
Love Strikes a Devil
In the Arms of Love
Love in the Dark
Love Wins
The Marquis who Hated Women
Love is Invincible
Love Climbs in