The Lady and the Lake (34 page)

What
she
meant
by
this
I
didn’t
know,
but
would
no
doubt
find
out
soon.
‘Thank
you,’
I
said.

‘Come
closer
to
me
for
I
have
something
for
you,’
said
the
old
lady.
I
did
as
Henrietta
bid
and
she
handed
me
an
emerald
necklace
and
the
box
to
go
with
it.
‘I
want
you
to
have
this,
for
it
was
my
mother’s.’

‘But
Mrs
Kershaw,’
I
gasped,
‘I
cannot
take
something
so
precious
from
you.’
As
I
spoke
I
looked
at
the
sparkling
gem
at
the
end
of
a
gold
chain.

‘I
insist
you
have
it,
there
is
a
reason,
and
this
is
my
gift
to
you.
Be
happy,
Abigail.’
With
these
words
I
felt
I
was
dismissed.

Walking
along
the
corridor
I
placed
the
lovely
necklace
in
its
box.
Maggie
stood
in
the
hall
with
my
valise
and
some
other
luggage
at
her
feet.

‘But
that
isn’t
all
mine,’
I
exclaimed.
‘No
Miss,
it
isn’t,
but
that’s
not
for me
to
explain.
Mr
Craddock
wishes
to
see
you
in
the
drawing-room.’
Her
voice
was
full
of
excitement
and
I
was
more
than
curious.

The
drawing-room
door
was
open,
I
pushed
it
wider
still
and
could
see
Thomas
standing
by
the
fireplace,
a
bright
sun
streamed
in
and
the
room
seemed
so
different
from
that
evening
when
I
had
sat
in
here
with
Antony.

‘You
are
better,
sweetheart,’
Thomas
said,
coming
across
to
me
and
shutting
the
door.
‘Can
we
now
talk
of
love
and
marriage?’
he
asked,
his
blue
eyes
twinkling
at
me.

‘Thomas
I
thought
you’d
changed
your
mind.’

‘Never,’
he
replied,
handing
me
a
small
box.
Now,
answer
me,
will
you
make
me
the
most
fortunate
of
men
and
agree
to
marry
me?’
he
said
solemnly.

‘Yes,
oh
yes!’
I
said,
looking
at
him
as
I
spoke
and
all
I
wanted
to
do
was
fall
into
his
strong
arms
and
feel
safe
for
always.

‘Open
it
then,’
he
urged,
looking
at
the
small
green
box
in
my
hand
and
I
realised
it
matched
the
one
I
held
which
Henrietta
had
handed
to
me
earlier.
On
opening
it
I
could
see
it
held
an
emerald
ring
which
was
surrounded
by
a
circle
of
small
sparkling
diamonds.

‘It
is
so
beautiful,
and
matches
the
necklace
your
aunt
has
just
given
me,’
I
enthused.
‘You
are
very
obviously
in
collusion
over
this.’

‘We
are
indeed,’
he
agreed,
‘the
ring
and
the
necklace
were
my
grandmother’s.’
As
he
spoke
he
placed
the
pretty
ring
on
my
finger
and
kissed
it.
‘So,
our
betrothal
is
sealed,
and
our
love?’
he
questioned.
My
heart
was
racing
but
not
with
fear
this
time
but
untold
happiness.

‘Thank
you
so
much,
Thomas.
I
am
the
most
fortunate
of
women.’
And
we
laughed.

‘One
other
thing,
sweetheart.
If
it
is
favourable
with
you
I
am
moving
us
to
Tidwell
today,
along
with
Maggie,
who
implored
that
she
be
allowed
to
be
your maid
if
you
agreed
to
marry
me.’

At
his
words
I
felt
such
happiness
for
I
had
become
very
fond
of
Maggie
and
to
live
in
the
peace
and
tranquillity
of
the
cottage
would
be
I
was
sure
like
residing
in
heaven.

The
brougham
was
waiting
outside
for
the
three
of
us.
Maggie
was
smiling
as
if
she’d
never
stop,
there
was
a
spring
in
my
step
again
and
Thomas
looked
delighted.

As
we
drove
out
of
the
gates
I
looked
back
at
Kerslake
Hall
and
I
knew
I
would
never
see
the
brooding
lake
again.
But
many
times
Emily
would
stay
with
us
at
Tidwell
and
Aunt
Henrietta
would
visit,
also
Antony
and
Ann
after
their
marriage.

As
we
stepped
through
the
small
wooden
gate
of
Tidwell
House,
Mary
Craddock
stood
under
the
roses
at
the
doorway
in
greeting,
while
Maggie
carried
my
small
valise
up
the
path.
Thomas
drew
me
to
him.
‘Welcome
home
Abbey,
and
I
love
you,’
he
said.

‘I
love
you
too,’
I
murmured
as
we
walked
up
the
path
together
hand
in
hand
and
I
knew
that
our
lives
were
just
beginning.