The Cross of Love Page 2

  "It's certainly very interesting," her mother had said. "I only hope the people who prayed there got what they wanted."

  "If it has lasted so long, I'm sure they did," her father replied.

  He had given his orders that the cross should stay here, and it was still in place ten years later. Now it was the only thing left to which Rena could take her troubles, hoping that if she prayed hard enough some help might come to her.

  Perhaps, she thought, it might even be her father telling her to go there.

  "It's really a very simple problem," she told herself. "How to stop myself starving to death. What could be simpler than that?"

  She often talked to herself in that ironic way, presenting her difficulties with a slightly wry twist. Her father was sometimes a little shocked by what he perceived as her levity. But Rena had found a sense of humour a great help in confronting the world.

  She set out now to find the cross. It was spring again, a beautiful warm spring. She didn't wear her best coat, but slipped on the jacket she used in the garden.

  She walked through the village until she saw the gates of The Grange, which, unusually, were standing open. So perhaps the new Earl has really arrived, she thought hopefully.

  How neglected it was, she thought. It was quite obvious that no one had worked on the drive. When she moved into the fields on one side of it, they, too, had been neglected. It was depressing. But the birds were singing, the sun was shining, and sometimes she saw a rabbit or a squirrel moving through the grass ahead of her.

  Just before her were the woods, with the trees in bud. And there was the stream, and beside it what she always thought of as her father's cross, looking incredibly lovely because the kingcups had come into flower at the foot of it. Golden in the sunshine flickering through the trees, they made the cross itself seem to stand out firmly because the wood was dark.

  She read again the words carved on the cross which she could see quite clearly, and instinctively she began to pray. As she did so, she looked down at the kingcups, and one side of them she saw a thistle. It was green and ugly and was spoiling one side of the cross.

  It seemed dark and mysterious. Then she remembered that she had a pair of gloves in the pocket of her jacket. They were thick and lined with leather.

  When she put them on, she attacked the thistle, finding that she had to pull it with both hands as hard as she could before it finally came out.

  And then, she saw to her astonishment that attached to the roots were several coins. She picked them up and started to rub away the mud.

  Then stared, thinking she must be dreaming.

  They were gold.

  And there were more of them in the hole she had made in pulling out the thistle. They were ancient, maybe two hundred years old.

  And solid gold.

  For a moment she was dazzled. Then she took a deep breath and reminded herself sternly that these coins belonged to the owner of The Grange - whoever he was.

  She remembered the open gates, the rumour that The Grange had been re-opened. Now was the moment to find out.

  She removed two more of the coins under the thistle, then she put the thistle back where she had found it, pressing it into the earth, so that no passing stranger could make this discovery.

  First she took the coins from it before pressing it back into the ground.

  Then she stood for a moment looking up at the top of the cross.

  "Perhaps you have answered my prayer," she said.

  Then she almost laughed at herself for being so optimistic.

  "If the owner is a generous man he'll give me at least, one of the coins I found for him. Couldn't I just take one - to help me find some work?"

  But it was impossible. She was too much her father's daughter to take anything secretly. Every coin must be handed over to its rightful owner.

  At once.

  Walking out of the woods she began to move through the field, then into the garden towards the great house.

  * It was a long time since Rena had been to The Grange, and she had forgotten how attractive it was.

  It was about four hundred years old, a long, grey stone building, stretching to two wings, and with a tower in the centre.

  The tower was an oddity. It had been added about a century after the house was first built, and was topped by small mediaeval style turrets, which clashed with almost everything else about the building. But to the people of the village it was a treasured landmark, and they would not hear a word against it.

  The house even maintained its beauty despite its poor condition. Many of the diamond-paned windows were broken and the rest badly needed cleaning.

  There had been no gardeners here for a long time, but the flower-beds were brilliant with colour. Even the many weeds somehow seemed part of the picture rather than to spoil it.

  On a day like this it was hard to remember the rumours that The Grange was haunted. There were old people in the village who said they had seen and heard strange noises when they visited it.

  A surprise awaited her when she reached the front door. It was open. Perhaps there was a new owner, and servants had arrived.

  "Or maybe," she thought wryly, "it's the famous ghost."

  Hearing no sound, she walked into the hall. Like the rest of the house it was in a very bad way, with dust up the stairs that was so obvious that she looked away from it immediately. The passage which she reached at the end of the hall was not much better. The carpets were grey with dirt and so was the furniture.

  "Ugh!" she thought.

  There was only silence around her.

  Then she thought she heard a slight sound on her left, which was the way to the dining-room and beyond that the kitchen. For a moment she hesitated. Propriety dictated that she return to the front door and ring the bell.

  But curiosity urged her forward, along the passage. Curiosity won.

  As she moved quietly through the dining room she couldn't help noticing that the table wanted polishing and the top of the fireplace was thick with dust. Probably the glass vases on the sideboard were half full of dust she decided. Really this place needed the touch of a good housekeeper.

  Then she heard a sound behind the door that led to the kitchen and the pantry. Now she knew there must be someone in the kitchen.

  Quietly she opened the door and crept along the passage which led to the pantry, then to the kitchen, from where the noise seemed to come. The door was ajar and she pushed it open. To her surprise she saw a man struggling to light a fire, and obviously not succeeding.

  She could see only his back, but the very shape of it was redolent of exasperation and frustration. He'd stripped off his jacket, revealing a tall, well-made frame in breeches, shirt and waistcoat. She contemplated him.

  Then something seemed to make him aware of her presence and he spoke sharply, without turning round.

  "Perhaps you can make this damned fire burn! I want some breakfast and the coal and wood are conspiring to prevent me from having it."

  There was so much resentment in his voice that Rena could not help laughing.

  "Let me do it," she said. "These old fires are very troublesome at times."

  The sound of her voice made the man turn round. He was young and unexpectedly good-looking, although his face was partly hidden by a smudge of coal. For a moment they both looked at each other with interest and pleasure.

  Then he rose and said, "I do apologise. I don't know who you are, but if you could make this fire burn I could have something to eat. I'm ravenous. I've eaten all the food I brought with me last night, and this kitchen has defeated me. In fact the whole house defeats me. Wretched place!"

  She couldn't help laughing again, and assumed a shocked tone. "Do you know, sir, that this house has been called one of the most beautiful houses in the whole of England."

  "I could think of several things to call it, but that wouldn't be among them."

  "Don't let the new owner hear you say that!"

  "It's all right. I
am the new owner."

  "Oh heavens!" she cried. "And I thought you were a ghost!"

  He grinned. "A pretty solid sort of ghost. A pretty filthy one, too. Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. My name is John and I'm the Earl."

  "The Earl? You mean - Lord Lansdale?"

  "Yes. I don't look much like an Earl do I? More like a pot boy, I suppose."

  "My name is Rena Colwell. My father was the vicar here until his death. He brought me to this house several times when the old Earl was still alive. It's such a beautiful place, and I've always loved it. Is something wrong?" For his face had fallen.

  "Only that if you're the vicar's daughter it wouldn't be quite proper for me to let you light the fire."

  "Oh never mind what's proper," she said at once. "Let's just do what we want." Then her hands flew to her mouth. "No - at least - what I meant was - "

  "Don't," he begged. "Don't change it. I preferred the first version."

  "Well, so did I," she admitted, "but it was the sort of thing Papa used to reprove me for saying. Now, let me do your fire. I shall need some paper - there should be some in one of the drawers of the table. Then I must have some small pieces of wood and matches with which to light the fire."

  "I suppose it is what I should have known," the man answered ruefully. "But quite frankly I'm not used to making my own fire or cooking my own breakfast."

  "I promise that you won't be hungry for very much longer."

  She had to chase some beetles out of the range before she could do anything else. But at last she got the fire burning and the water in the saucepan was hot enough to cook some eggs. The Earl had some provisions, coffee, a little milk, half a loaf of bread and a large pat of butter.

  "I have an uneasy feeling that politeness dictates that I should ask you to share my breakfast," he said. "But - forgive me, I'm too hungry to be polite."

  "I'm not hungry. I ate my breakfast before I left home."

  This was not quite true, because she had merely picked up some pieces of ham left over from her supper the night before. She was making her few remaining scraps of food last.

  "I don't think you can be real," he said. "You're a fairy creature who came by magic to save me from starving to death. What is it? What did I say?" He'd seen a sudden change in her face.

  "Nothing," she said hastily. His innocent remark had reminded her of the reality of her situation. "I just - thought of something. Go on with what you are saying."

  He raised his coffee cup to her in salute. "To the fairy who saved me. I'm very lucky to have found you."

  Rena smiled. "I thought actually I had found you. Whenever I've been here before the house has been completely empty, unless someone was thinking of becoming a tenant. Mind you, they always changed their mind as soon as they saw how much had to be done."

  "And now you expect me to do it," the man remarked wryly. "But this place is too big and too expensive for me even to contemplate living in."

  Rena sighed.

  "Oh, must you say that? I have often thought it would be very exciting if the house came alive again and was not left as it is now gradually to crumble until there is nothing left of it, or its beautiful gardens."

  "That's a beautiful hope," he said, "But there is one grave difficulty."

  "What is that?"

  "I can say it in one word. Money! Money to make the house habitable. Money to employ gardeners, farmers, money for horses to fill the stables."

  "That would be wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I've always wanted to ride over your land, but as my father had a very small stipend, we could never afford a horse, much as we longed to have one."

  "Yes, of course, you said your father was the parson."

  "He was parson to the village and of course, this house, for over twenty years. Now when the bishop finds the right man another parson will prevail here and I will have to leave."

  There was a note of pain in her voice which the young man heard.

  After a moment he said: "If I can afford it, I would do all those things. I would ask you to help me make this house as beautiful as it used to be, when it was first built."

  "Oh, how I would love that," Rena answered. "But you speak as if it's impossible!"

  "It is. I've been abroad because I was serving in Her Majesty's Navy. When my ship returned to England I learnt, to my astonishment, that they had discovered, after hunting high and low, that I was the only living relative of the last Earl who reigned here. I'm not sure how long ago that was."

  "He died ten years ago," Rena said. "I know the search for his relatives has continued ever since, but people had given up hope."

  He sighed.

  "At first it seemed part of a fairy story," he explained. "Then I realised that what I had inherited was the title itself, and this house and estate. But as for money - not even a pittance."

  "You mean you have no money even though you are an Earl?" Rena asked. This was an entirely new idea to her.

  "Not a penny. When I was told that this house came with the title, which had not been used for so long, I was, at first, thrilled at the thought of owning land and of course having a home of my own."

  He gave a rueful smile. "I didn't think it was possible to be a poor Earl either. I know better now," he added with a touch of bitterness.

  "Surely you can sell some of the land, if nothing else," Rena suggested.

  "In this condition?"

  "Can't you put it to rights?"

  "It would take thousands of pounds, and I have nothing, except what I saved out of my salary as a sailor which needless to say, was very little.

  "Besides, it's entailed. It has to go to the next Earl, who might be my son, but probably won't be, since I can't afford to marry. In fact, I can't afford to do anything. haven't a penny to my name."

  "But you have," breathed Rena in sudden excitement. "That's what I came here to tell you!"

  CHAPTER TWO

  The Earl stared at Rena as though she had taken leave of her senses.

  "What did you say?"

  "You do have some money," she said excitedly. "That's why I'm here." As he continued to regard her with bewilderment she asked,. "Didn't you wonder what I'm doing here?"

  "Well - "

  "Do strange women pop up in your kitchen every day, cooking you breakfast with no questions asked?"

  "I've never had a kitchen of my own before now," he observed mildly, "so I'm a little vague about the normal procedure. But now you mention it, I suppose it is a little strange."

  "A little strange?" she squealed, indignant at his annoying composure.

  "One of the advantages of being a sailor is that you become ready for the unexpected, what ever it may be. Hurricanes, mermaids, beautiful young women springing up through trapdoors - Her Majesty's Navy is ready for anything."

  "I wish you would be serious," she said severely.

  "You're right," he said, nodding. "There are no trapdoors here, and you could hardly have come up through the flagstones could you?"

  "You - " her lips were twitching, and she hardly knew what to say.

  "Yes?" He was suspiciously innocent.

  "Nothing. When you can be serious I'll tell you what I have to say?"

  "I am immediately serious," he declared, although the gleam in his eyes belied it. "Please tell me how you came to be in my house? Did you break in? Should I send for the law? No, no, I'm sorry - " for she had risen in exasperation.

  "Please sit down. I promise to behave like a sensible man."

  "You shouldn't promise the impossible."

  "Oh dear! Dashed! I'm afraid you understand me all too well, Miss Colwell."

  She pressed her lips together.

  "Please tell me what you wish to say," he said meekly.

  "I came because I'd heard somebody was here," Rena said, "to tell you that I found something on your estate which it's only right for me to give to you."

  She took out the three coins she had taken from under the thistle, and put them down on the tabl
e. The sunshine coming through the window seemed to make them sparkle.

  The Earl looked at her in astonishment. Then he lifted the coins and turned them between his fingers.

  "These are ancient," he said. "Several hundred years probably. Where did you find them?"

  "Underneath a thistle in your grounds. And I brought them to their owner, which is apparently you."

  He looked at her curiously. "Did you not think of keeping them for yourself?"

  "I told you, my father was the parson here. One thing he never expected me to do was take possession of anything which did not belong to me!"

  "My apologies. It's very kind of you to bring me these coins. I'm sure they're valuable. But you know, they won't go very far. What we really need is a few thousand of them!"

  "They may be there for all I know," Rena told him. "That's why I came at once to tell you. You should search as soon as possible, in case anyone does what I tried to do."

  "What you tried to do?"

  "I was visiting the cross."

  "What cross?"

  "It stands on your land. It was found years ago. They cleaned it up and Papa deciphered the words carved on it. They are an invitation to prayer, so people sometimes go there instead of the church. I found a thistle growing at the foot, spoiling the beauty of the kingcups, so I pulled it out. These were underneath."

  "Just these? No more?" "I don't know, I didn't look further. But there might be, and that would solve all your problems."

  He was silently staring down at the three gold coins.

  "Will you take me to where you found these? I can hardly wait to know what's really there."

  "I don't think you should hope for too much," she said gently. "I have a feeling that the coins were placed there in gratitude by someone whose prayers had been answered."

  "Is that why you were there?"

  Rena shook her head. "No, I went there to ask for something. Like you I am penniless because my father is dead and I have to find some way of making money," she explained.

  He stared. "You're as poor as that? And you weren't even tempted to keep them?"

  "Oh yes," she said quietly. "I was tempted." She rose, to silence further discussion of this fact. "Shall we go now?"