The Triumph of Love Read online

  “How delightful,” Selina exclaimed, picking up her candle. “I am so glad your house is lit with candles. It is much more romantic than the gaslight that, unfortunately, we have in my home.”

  “Then I am glad I can offer you something better,” the Marquis replied as they started up the stairs together.

  When they reached the first landing, he turned to the right and Selina turned to the left.

  “Goodnight,” she called, “and as Mama always said to me, God bless you.”

  “Good night and I think you are simply wonderful,” answered the Marquis.

  “I hope you will think so tomorrow,” smiled Selina. “But we must wait and see.”

  Carrying her light, she went to her bedroom, which was only a little way down the passage.

  Her nightdress was lying on the bed and there were candles flickering on each side of the dressing table.

  For a moment she stared at herself in the mirror.

  Then she grinned.

  ‘Who would have thought that a day which began so badly could end like this?’

  She said her prayers as her mother had taught her and then she snuggled down and closed her eyes.

  ‘I have been so very lucky,’ she mused. ‘I can only hope it will continue. And I want the Marquis to be lucky too, because he is so nice and I want him to find his ideal.

  Now, I wonder exactly what his ideal would be – ’

  She tried to conjure up such a perfect woman, but her eyes were heavy and in a few moments she fell asleep and slept peacefully without dreaming until morning.

  *

  True to his promise, he sent the housekeeper for her early and she was dressed and in the stables almost as soon as he was himself.

  He wore plain clothes that, though neat and clean, looked as though he had owned them a long time. And the grey horse he rode was powerful but not elegant.

  It was all a part of the man, she thought. Nothing about him was just for show; everything fine was hidden within, only to be revealed to those he trusted.

  The pretty little white mare he had chosen for her almost made her cry out with joy.

  “She is a very gentle soul,” explained the Marquis, “because I didn’t know how spirited you like your mount to be, although I would guess you prefer a lively animal.”

  “True,” Selina laughed, “but this lady is perfect.”

  “But I am right about you being a daring rider?”

  “When I am allowed to be. My stepfather thinks ladies should only ride sleepy donkeys, so that’s what he keeps in the stables. Which means that you only have my word for my riding ability.”

  “I would believe your word before anyone. Strange though it seems, I feel I would know if you were lying. Except that I believe lying would be impossible to you.”

  “How would you know?”

  “I am not certain, but there is something about you which makes me sure that you are speaking the truth. Not only about your riding, but everything else you say. And that is rare these days.”

  “Why?” enquired Selina.

  “Because many people will lie simply to obtain what they want or because they are pretending to be better than they are. But not you. I don’t think you are capable of a single insincere thought or feeling.”

  It was a very strange compliment, but it pleased her more than all the flattery in the world. The Marquis was so unusual and so different from anyone she had ever met that she would like him to believe in her.

  “Are you ready for what faces us today?” he asked as they cantered over his estate.

  “I hope so. We are going to need our wits about us and I am already sending a prayer up to Heaven for help.”

  The Marquis looked at her quizzically.

  “Is that what you usually do?”

  “Of course. Who can possibly help me better than the angels in Heaven and all those who loved us when they were on earth?”

  She spoke seriously and he replied,

  “I might well have guessed you would say that. It is what makes you so unlike anyone else.”

  “Perhaps you would think it strange of me to talk about Heaven? But you too are unlike others and I find I always say what I think.”

  “And I hope you will always do so with me. But it can be dangerous. Many people just cannot cope with too much honesty!”

  “I know,” she sighed absently, “and what I think isn’t always what I should say.”

  “Well, I want the truth and only the truth. It is what makes a real friendship between two people.

  “I wouldn’t say this to anyone else,” he added after a moment, “but I know I can trust you. Another reason why I could never marry Lady Felicity is because she’s a ninny! A charming, sweet-natured ninny with nothing in her head.

  “In fact that is really why our conversation took so long. She will insist on saying everything three times and going off at tangents. While listening to the details of her thwarted love, I also learned about her grandfather’s gout, the laziness of their cook and the disgusting habits of her aunt’s cat!”

  Selina gave a choke of laughter.

  “And if you wanted to be a clergyman, I daresay you are fond of books and serious discussions.”

  “Precisely. The poor girl would find me as great a disaster as a husband as I would find her as a wife.”

  They rode on.

  After breakfast he showed her the house, including the long picture gallery where his ancestors gazed down.

  There was the Marquis’s father, staring out of the canvas with an air of arrogance, and there was his mother, looking sweet and gentle, her daughters beside her and a little boy at her feet.

  “That is my younger brother Simon. He is grown up now, of course, and lives in London with his family.”

  “And this – ” Selina asked, moving onto the next portrait, “must be Jack.”

  He was exactly as the Marquis had described, a big, muscular man who looked as though he rode at life with a whoop. He would drink, laugh and romp in the hay with any willing girl, but a kind heart tempered his boisterous behaviour. All this she could see in his portrait.

  “He looks such fun,” she breathed. “I wish I had known him.”

  “I knew you would say that. You would have liked him. Everyone loved him for miles around.”

  “My Lord – ”

  “Ian,” he said immediately. “You must get into the habit of calling me Ian if we are to seem convincing.

  “Well, Selina, it’s almost luncheon time, so let’s eat heartily and keep up our strength. Then we will be well prepared for when the villain makes his appearance!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  When they met again over luncheon, the Marquis had changed into the kind of elegant clothes that would be expected for a gentleman of his rank.

  Selina had changed into the fluffiest prettiest gown she possessed.

  “I couldn’t decide what kind of appearance to put in, so I thought I should be faintly silly.”

  “Why?”

  “A woman can get away with an awful lot if men think she’s a fool. Take my word for it, Ian.”

  His lips twitched

  “I bow to your expertise, ma’am – Selina. And of course you are right. We have to do this properly. Would you object if I was to hold your hand in front of the Duke?”

  “I should not object at all,” she smiled.

  “And – er – the odd casual endearment? All in the interests of accuracy, of course?”

  “We must be accurate at all costs,” she agreed.

  He took her hand in his.

  For a moment Selina thought that he was practising ‘accuracy’, but then he produced a ring from his pocket.

  “Your hand is just the same size as my mother’s,” he commented. “And her ring will fit you perfectly.”

  He slid it onto the third finger of her left hand and Selina regarded it with awe.

  The picture had not done justice to this exquisite creation of diamonds and emerald
s.

  She had never seen anything so beautiful.

  “It fits you perfectly,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “I shall take the greatest care of it,” she promised, “and then give it back to you.”

  For a moment he seemed to be deep in a dream.

  “What did you say?” he enquired.

  “I’ll give it back to you – when the Duke leaves.”

  He appeared to shake himself.

  “Ah, yes – give it back to me. Yes.”

  A noise from outside the room made him snatch his hand away from her just before the butler entered with the first course.

  They spoke little during the luncheon. Their minds were on the difficult afternoon to come.

  As soon as they had finished, the Marquis led the way to the library and indicated for Selina to sit near to his mother’s portrait.

  They were only just in time.

  The next moment the butler appeared to announce,

  “His Grace the Duke of Wendover, my Lord.”

  Selina drew in her breath.

  This was it.

  As the Duke walked into the library, she sent up a prayer that she and the Marquis might be successful.

  The Marquis advanced towards the Duke.

  “Good afternoon,” he greeted him. “I hope you did not have any difficulty in finding your way here.”

  “I have been here before,” the Duke answered in a rather harsh voice. Plainly he was not going to waste time on polite chatter.

  Looking at him, Selina thought that he was exactly the sort of bully she had expected him to be. He had a red plump face with small piggy eyes, gleaming with a cold determination to have his own way. If he did not get it, it was clear that he could be very unpleasant.

  His eyes flickered over the room until they came to rest on Selina and they grew smaller with suspicion.

  The Marquis shook hands with the Duke and said,

  “Let me introduce you to Lady Selina Napier.”

  “How do you do?” the Duke snapped. He looked menacingly at the Marquis.

  “I wish to see you alone.”

  “There is no need as I have no secrets from Lady Selina.”

  The Duke looked at her sharply and she simpered.

  “I think this is one matter you will want to hear in private, Castleton.”

  Selina reached up to take her fiancé’s hand, in such a way that her own hand, displaying the engagement ring, was clearly visible.

  “Is he going to be violent?” she asked, adding for good measure, “ – dearest.”

  “Of course not, my love,” said the Marquis, patting her hand reassuringly. “Nobody is going to be violent.”

  “Violence makes me so nervous, as you know.”

  “Madam – ” the Duke growled irritably.

  “Of course I realise that some gentlemen are prone to violence and I’m sure it’s not to be wondered at,” Selina twittered. “They lead such difficult lives, do they not?”

  “Madam – ”

  “I am certain no lady could endure it for a moment and that is why – ”

  “Madam!”

  Selina gave a little scream.

  “Oh, he is being violent. Protect me, dearest.”

  “Let me handle this, my dear,” said the Marquis, who sounded as though he was having difficulty speaking.

  “Wendover, I am afraid that you have discovered our secret. Lady Selina has honoured me by consenting to become my wife.”

  “She has what?” the Duke demanded.

  “We are engaged. At last I’ve found her, the perfect woman, the perfect Marchioness of Castleton. Won’t you be the first to congratulate me?”

  The Duke stared at him out of eyes that had grown very hard.

  Then the Marquis added quickly,

  “Would you like something to drink?”

  “I require nothing,” he replied, “but I am astonished at this news.”

  “Astonished that I have found a lady to put up with me?” asked the Marquis smoothly. “I’m a little astonished myself, but my darling is a very brave young woman – ”

  His darling tittered.

  “Sir, you should be ashamed of yourself!” the Duke thundered. “This woman is a hussy!”

  “What?” the Marquis stared at him.

  “Do you think I don’t know that she is an actress, hired to fob me off so you can get out of doing your duty?”

  “This,” the Marquis now thundered, “is Lady Selina Napier, daughter of Lord Napier, who you have probably heard of.”

  That stopped the Duke in his tracks.

  However angry he might be, he was aware that the Marquis would never take such a risk as claiming a false identity for his fiancée, knowing how easily he could be discovered.

  “I am awaiting your apology to Lady Selina,” said the Marquis quietly.

  “I apologise,” the Duke barked. “I misunderstood. You, madam, have my sympathy.”

  Selina took her face out of her dainty handkerchief, where she had buried it on being called a hussy.

  “Oh, but you are mistaken,” she came in earnestly. “I assure you I need no sympathy. It is a very good match. All my friends have said so, and look, already my dear one has given me his mother’s ring.”

  She extended her hand so that it flashed in the light.

  “Aren’t I a lucky girl?” she sighed.

  The Marquis turned away, covering his eyes in an attempt to control his twitching lips.

  “You may think you are lucky,” the Duke growled. “But I know differently. This is a man without honour, madam. He has made love to my daughter, damaged her reputation and refused to do the decent thing.”

  “For pity’s sake, Wendover, stop talking nonsense,” the Marquis begged him in disgust. “Your daughter and I merely held a long conversation. There was no secrecy and anyone who wanted to could have joined in. In fact, when I told my fiancée that you considered I had ruined your daughter’s reputation, she laughed at the idea.”

  “That’s true, I did,” Selina agreed earnestly.

  “She said,” the Marquis continued, “that if every man was made to marry a woman he had talked to in an open garden, there would be countless more marriages and most of them would be miserable.”

  “You may be making a joke of the whole matter,” the Duke spat back angrily, “but I consider your behaviour disgraceful. You talked with her for hours – ”

  “Wendover, I must point out that the length of the conversation was due mainly to Lady Felicity’s tendency to – ” here the Marquis’s good manners clashed with his need to be plain, “ – to speak at length,” he finished.

  The Duke snorted with disgust.

  “If you are trying to tell me that my daughter is a fool, who does not believe she’s made her point until she’s made it ten times, then say so. It’s no secret to me. Lord knows I have put up with it for long enough – in her, in her mother, in every woman of the wretched family. Idiots, all of them, but what does that have to do with marriage?”

  “It might have a lot to do with it if a man was not of a very patient disposition,” observed the Marquis. “Besides which a husband likes to get a word in, now and then.”

  “Well, when you are married, you can order her to shut up,” the Duke snapped. “Not that that ever did me much good, but you might be luckier.

  “There’s no doubt in my mind, whatever you may say, that you have damaged my daughter’s future and she is entitled to become your wife.”

  “With the very best will in the world,” the Marquis replied lightly, “I find it impossible to have two wives. As Lady Selina has promised to marry me, I can hardly ask your daughter to accompany her up the aisle!

  “Unless of course we move to one of those foreign countries where a man can take several wives. You would not mind that, would you, dearest?”

  Selina now rose to her feet, clasped her hands on her breast and declared melodramatically,

  “I will follow you anywher
e in the world, darling.”

  “No doubt you think it is clever to make a joke of this,” the Duke fumed. “If I was younger and stronger I’d call you out.”

  “Out?” Selina asked, wide-eyed. “Out where?”

  “Don’t tell her for pity’s sake!” snarled the Duke, “or we’ll have her in hysterics again.”

  “Out where?” asked Selina again.

  “Never mind where, madam. There’s nothing more to say, except that this whole situation is a disgrace.”

  “But out where?” demanded Selina.

  “It’s all right, my beloved,” the Marquis interrupted soothingly. “The Duke wants to fight a duel and blow my brains out.”

  Selina screamed and fainted into his arms.

  The Duke scowled at them both wrathfully before storming out.

  Neither of them moved an inch until they had heard the front door close.

  Without opening her eyes, Selina asked,

  “Has he really gone?”

  “Yes, it’s all right.”

  She opened one eye, full of amusement. Slowly the Marquis straightened, drawing her upright.

  He could have released her, but he kept his arms about her until he was quite sure she was steady.

  Suddenly his heart soared as it had not done for so many years and at exactly the same second they both began to laugh.

  “You should have seen his face!” he choked.

  “I wish I had, but I had to keep my eyes closed. It’s not fair that you should have all the fun.”

  “Fun? I don’t know when I’ve been through such a nerve-wracking experience. I have aged at least ten years. Oh, Selina, Selina, what you put me through!”

  “I warned you I was going to be silly.”

  “That performance was a good deal more than silly. I didn’t know where to look – his face when you – ”

  But laughter overcame him and he could say no more.

  He tightened his arms and suddenly her arms were about his neck. They clung together, rocking back and forth in an agony of mirth.

  “You were marvellous,” he crowed. “Wonderful.”

  “So were you,” she chuckled. “Oh, Ian – Ian – ”

  He looked straight into her face and suddenly self-consciousness swept over him. He released her hastily, and she, also self-conscious, stepped back.