This Way to Heaven (17 page)

And what a lot she would have to hide from them!

The thought flashed through her like an arrow.

She allowed the memories of her time at Somerton Castle to flood through her mind – she could picture the Earl's dark eyes looking down at her, still feel the warmth of his lips on hers.

Suddenly Jasmina let out a little scream.

Someone had skated up behind her and was pulling her round, his hand on her arm –

“Miss Winfield! I claim the next dance!”

“Richard!”

The name was scarcely past her lips when she was pulled close to him, his arm was around her waist and they were skating, dancing together across the sparkling ice.

Held closely in his arms they sped round the pond, their blades cutting patterns together, their laughter rising up towards Heaven itself.

Jasmina cast a glance up at him.

The Earl was smiling, all the dark depression had vanished and he looked so young and
so
handsome.

She wished they could dance like this forever.

She felt as though she was in Paradise and that somehow the brass doors had opened and she had walked through arm in arm with her beloved man.

But at last their dance came to an end as the pale sun dipped behind the square Norman Church tower and the temperature began to fall.

The Earl braked to a dead halt in a shower of ice and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

“You ran away from me, Jasmina,” he murmured solemnly, “that is why I have come to kidnap you to take you back to the castle where you belong.”

Jasmina stared up into his face, her eyes two blue shining stars.

“I did not run away from you, Richard. I came here because I was scared you did not love me. You left me no word and I could not presume – ”

The Earl stopped her words with a kiss.

“I was at fault. Forgive me, darling girl. I thought you realised how I felt, that you would stay at the castle and wait for me to return. It was not until George Radford telephoned me – ”

“
George
telephoned you?”

Richard chuckled at the expression on her face.

“Yes, indeed. It was so unexpected and alarming. He obviously doesn't use a telephone often and thought he had to shout at the top of his voice! I think I could have heard him in London without the use of the telephone!”

“But what did he say?”

“Not a lot, he just told me that Miss Winfield had departed for Debbingford, that it was snowing hard and if I didn't come back to Yorkshire immediately I was a bigger damn fool than he had thought!”

“Richard!”

The Earl laughed.

“It was impertinence of the highest kind, but he will always deserve my undying gratitude. And I know exactly how to reward him.

“But at the moment, he has instructions to find the tallest Christmas tree he can and carry it to the castle. It will need decorating, so will you please come home with me for Christmas, Jasmina? Will your relations allow you to stay there unchaperoned or do I need to kidnap you for real, because I am never letting you go again!”

Jasmina smiled tenderly, her eyes full of joy.

“You have no need to kidnap me, I shall come most willingly with you. And I am sure one of my cousins will be thrilled to accompany me, if not both of them!”

Richard smoothed back the golden curls that were escaping their bonds and framing her face.

“And will you be my
wife
, Miss Jasmina Winfield? Will you do me the greatest honour any woman can bestow on a man and give me your hand in marriage?”

Jasmina stood on tiptoe and even though she knew she should sound suitably demure and modest, she kissed him, laughing at the surprised expression that crossed his face before he returned her embrace.

“I would love to be your wife, Richard!” she sighed eagerly. “It is my heart's desire above all else.”

“And you will not mind giving up your
American independence
to become the Countess of Somerton with all the responsibilities that title brings?”

Jasmina smiled tenderly.

“I believe I shall always keep my independent spirit and I am sure that you would never want to curb it. But I look forward to everything the future holds.

“And most of all, I look forward to sharing our love together in this beautiful country, which I shall delight in making mine. And I know that in time I shall be able to travel with you to Missouri and show you the wonders of my world as well.”

“And your parents? What will they say? I must speak to your father. Will he object to you living so far away? Surely they will miss you.”

Jasmina sighed.

It was the only small cloud on her horizon.

“Yes, they will miss me. But they are not old, they love to travel and I am sure they will visit here many times.

“St. Louis is often called the ‘Gateway to the West', as it is where the wagon trains all set off, taking settlers out to distant parts of America. Well, this time it will be the gateway back to the Old World.”

Richard kissed her again.

“I never thought I could find such happiness. I feel as though I have been locked inside a dark room and only now can I open the door and see the light. You have saved me, Jasmina, saved me from a life spent in dreary darkness and guilt and I will always love you for it.

“Now, let us go and tell your relations our news and plan for our festivities. This will be the happiest and best Christmas the castle has seen for many years!”

*

And it was indeed a wonderful joy-filled time full of colour and music and laughter.

The staff told each other that there had never been such a happy Christmas at the castle with branches of holly and greenery in every room and the giant Christmas tree standing in the Great Hall ablaze with candles.

*

But Christmas was just a happy memory, the snow and ice vanished and the sky a cloudless spring blue when the most important day of Jasmina's life dawned.

The Earl had been determined to marry in the local Church and not in the great Minster at York.

The fields were full of daffodils and newborn lambs gambolled in the fields as the wedding guests gathered at the old Norman church in Somerton village.

Every pew was packed, the American guests proud and happy to witness such a glorious event of a daughter of the New World marrying a son of the Old.

Jasmina's mother was sitting next to the Duke and Duchess of Harley. The Duchess, of course, held herself completely responsible for the romance.

“After all,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “if I hadn't left her alone, they might never have met!”

In a pew just behind the aristocratic guests sat the castle staff resplendent in new clothes. Mary and George Radford sat on the other side of the Church.

They had been married a fortnight earlier and had been very proud that the guests of honour at their wedding had been the Earl and Miss Winfield.

Mary was no longer the housekeeper at the castle. She was now a farmer's wife for the Earl had kept his word and repaid George in the best way he knew how.

The Earl and George now jointly owned the Radford farm and it would stay in both families forever. The newly improved drainage system was nearly complete and whatever the land produced would be shared equally.

The Church organ sounded, the joyful notes surrounding the congregation and all eyes turned to the door.

In the back pew sat Florence smiling happily. Her new spring coat was bright blue with brass buttons that shone in the soft candlelight.

She was with her father and not with the other staff, because Florence was no longer working at the castle either!

Mr. and Mrs. Winfield had offered to take her and her father back to America with them when they left. They were going to work for the family in Missouri and travel on a big ship across the world to another country and see all those strange places with strange names like Mississippi!

Florence's reward for her bravery was so exciting she could not stop smiling.

Then as the Church doors opened, her eyes became wide with wonder.

Jasmina walked slowly past on her father's arm.

She looked like an angel, the pure white of her lace dress and the long veil that trailed behind her in a wide fan gleaming in the dusky candlelight.

She was carrying a great sheaf of white lilies and roses, whilst the flowers in her headdress were all wild primroses picked from the hedgerows around Somerton that very morning.

Richard, the Earl of Somerton, turned, catching his breath as his bride reached his side.

She was all spring in his eyes.

A glorious girl bringing new life and hope to his family.

He reached for her hand as the old and wonderful words rang out, his eyes full of love and adoration.

Jasmina felt as if she was suspended in a floating bubble of joy.

She was marrying Richard, the man she loved so deeply and so much.

Her heart soared and she had never imagined that she could ever feel so happy in all her life.

This was real love, the love the poets had written about since the beginning of time.

Marrying Richard was the true way to Heaven and although she was far from her home, Jasmina knew that, completely secure in the love they both shared, they would create a wonderful new life together here on Earth.

 

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