A Kiss from the Heart (18 page)
“Goodness, your dress!” cried Lady Whitby, almost fainting at the sight of her dishevelled daughter.
“My darling, we were so worried about you!” said Sir George. “When Templeton arrived and said he had not sent any note, we were frantic!”
His voice shook as he helped her inside the house.
Five minutes later Miranda lay down on the sofa.
“I am so sorry, darling, but the Chief Constable needs to ask you just a few questions,” Sir George said soothingly. “Do you feel well enough to help him?”
“He must be apprehended as soon as possible!” the Earl interrupted. “Chief Constable, are your men in pursuit of him?”
“Of course, my Lord. I have sent two vanloads of men to arrest him. It should not be too difficult to find him as there are only two main roads out of the village! Now I am very sorry Miss Whitby, but I am afraid I do have to ask you a few questions â ”
Miranda looked pleadingly at the Earl and smiled weakly.
“As long as Robert stays with me â I will manage.”
“Very good, Miss Whitby â ”
Sir George, although keen to hear the tale, signalled to his wife that they should leave them alone with the Chief Constable. A tearful Lady Whitby agreed, but only after much sniffling and sighing.
An hour later the Chief Constable left the room and was greeted by two worried faces.
“You have concluded your questioning?” asked Sir George a little hoarsely.
“Yes, I have, Sir George, and they have asked me to request that they are left quite alone. I â ahem, believe they have some matters of their own to sort out.”
Lady Whitby smiled broadly and then squeezed her husband's arm.
“Come, George,” she suggested quietly. “I do believe that Lord Templeton will request a private interview with you before this day is done!”
The hall clock struck one and Sir George and Lady Whitby repaired to the dining room, although neither had any appetite to speak of.
Meanwhile on the sofa in the drawing room the Earl kissed Miranda over and over again, swearing that he would never again leave her side not even for a second.
“You know that I love you, my darling, don't you?” he asked, as they parted breathlessly after yet another all-consuming kiss. “And I want more than anything for you to be my wife?”
“Oh, Robert!” murmured Miranda â too weak to do anything but rest in his arms. “I do believe I have always secretly loved you from when we were children together!”
The Earl paused for a moment and looked deep into Miranda's tear-stained but lovely face.
“But there is one question I really must ask you. Were you, or are you, betrothed to Lord Brookfield?”
Miranda's face wore an expression of utter shock.
“
Never
!” she cried.
He heaved a sigh of relief.
“So will you marry me, Miranda, my dearest?” he implored, dropping off the sofa to one knee. “Say you will and make me the happiest man in the world.”
Miranda's face lit up with joy and she could not help but lean forward and kiss him.
“
Yes
, Robert,” she sighed, dropping her eyelashes. “
I will
!”
A few moments later still on the sofa and holding each other close the Earl was stroking Miranda's cut and sore hands.
“I owe you my life, my darling,” she told him, her voice full of emotion. “If you had not come along in time, who knows what desperate lengths that awful man would have gone to? He is unhinged, quite unhinged!”
“Do not say that you are in my debt, when it is I who is forever in yours, my precious one.”
Miranda looked up at him quizzically.
He continued,
“Have you forgotten already how you dug me out of that snowdrift with your bare hands all those years ago and then dragged me to safety? If you have forgotten, then I have not. No, my darling,
I
owe you
my
life!”
“I could never forget, Robert, but now, come, let us tell Mama and Papa about our happy news. They will be so delighted that some good has come out of this whole dreadful episode!”
*
Later that afternoon news came to The Grange that Lord Brookfield had been apprehended a few miles outside Malvern.
He had put up a struggle the Whitby family were told, and had compounded his felonies by landing a punch on one of the arresting Officers.
At the very same moment the Countess arrived in her distinctive carriage and was admitted by Mervin into the drawing room.
“Mama!” cried the Earl.
“Robert, my dear boy,” she answered. “It appears I have misjudged you. I have heard word of your gallant rescue and I have come to apologise â ”
“Hush, Mama!”
He moved towards her. He put his arms around his mother and kissed her cheek.
“It is I who must apologise â Lady Waterton â ”
“We shall not mention her again,” said his mother quickly. “Besides it is not just you who I have come to apologise to, but to Miss Whitby as well.”
Miranda's mouth almost fell open in shock. Could it be that the Countess had finally come round?
The Countess now walked over to where Miranda was sitting â her stiff bombazine-crepe skirts rustling as she approached.
“My dear,” she began, taking the astonished girl's hand. “I have done you a great wrong. Any lady who can change my son into a responsible hard-working gentleman with his eye kept firmly on his responsibilities is one with whom I wish to be more intimately acquainted.”
“But I â ”
“Don't interrupt, Miss Whitby, I wish for us to be friends. That is why I am here â and to enquire as to your well-being. I have just heard that you have experienced a dreadful trauma. And to think I actually invited that Lord Brookfield into our family home!”
The Countess shuddered.
“It is just as well that you have decided to make your peace with Miranda,” came in the Earl. “As I have just asked Sir George for her hand. Furthermore Miranda has agreed to be my wife and I am the happiest man alive!”
The Countess kissed Miranda's cheek and squeezed her hand again affectionately.
“Then I shall be proud to call you my daughter-in-law,” she whispered with a tear in her eye.
With impeccable timing Mervin appeared with a bottle of champagne and some glasses.
“I think a toast is in order,” called Sir George his ruddy face glowing with pride at the happy scene in front of him.
Much later, after the champagne had been finished, Miranda and the Earl found themselves alone once more in the garden.
He pulled her towards him and kissed her â their hearts meeting as one and soaring up to touch Heaven.
“To think I almost lost you,” he sighed tapping her gently on the chin.
“You never lost me,” replied Miranda with a smile that told him that her heart was as full as his. “I was yours from the moment you said you would marry me when you grew up!”
He laughed softly.
“Now that I
had
forgotten!”
“Then let me kiss you again so that you will never forget how much I love you.”
Miranda stood up onto the very tips of her toes and reached for his lips with hers.
As his strong arms crushed her to him, their hearts beat in time together and they knew that this was the love that comes from God â a love both Divine and Eternal.
Their love was so deep, so magical and so perfect that it would be with them not only for this life, but for many many lives to come.
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A KISS FROM THE HEART
BARBARA CARTLAND
Barbaracartland.com Ltd
Copyright © 2008 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in 2008 by Barbaracartland.com
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The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
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