A Dream Come True (19 page)

Lucia looked down at her hands, nestling on his chest – her mouth a firm and resolute line.

“Now, I know what I have to do. Richard, I will marry you and I cannot marry him. It's as simple as that. In fact, I almost called off the wedding this morning as I realised that I was in love with you, but then, I did not believe that you could feel the same way for me.

“Will you come back to Bingham Hall with me?

There is a very important telephone call I have to make.”

“Surely, you are not going to break off your engagement over the telephone?”

“No, my darling. But I will ask him to come over straight away. Edward is a very resolute man. He wants a wife far more than he wants me and he will find another candidate within a month, I promise you.”

With joy in his heart, Lord Winterton embraced her in his strong arms and then kissed her once more.

“Say again that you will marry me.”

“
Yes
,” she answered, looking up into his brilliant blue eyes so full of love for her.

Jumping back on their horses, the pair of them rode like the wind to Bingham Hall. Leaving their mounts at the stables, they ran hand-in-hand inside.

Her mother was waiting for them and she ushered Lord Winterton into the drawing room while Lucia went straight to the telephone.

After a few moments, she came in, her face drained of all colour.

“Well?” asked Lord Winterton, jumping up as she entered the room.

“He was very quiet and very sensible, but he says he is on his way here to discuss the matter. Richard, I think it would be best if you returned home. I shall telephone you later and tell you what has happened.”

“If that is what you want, my dearest Lucia.”

She accompanied him as far as the front door.

He kissed her tenderly and promised that he would be waiting to hear from her.

‘Now all I have to do is break off my engagement,' sighed Lucia, as she returned to the drawing room and her mother.

*

Edward was exceedingly pale when he arrived at Bingham Hall. Moston ushered him into the drawing room where Lucia was waiting for him alone.

Her mother had told Moston that she would be in the morning room and to send for her immediately if there was any trouble.

“Edward,” said Lucia in a low voice as he entered the room.

“Lucia.”

“Edward, I believe you know what I am going to say. I think my behaviour of the past few weeks has alerted you to the fact that all is not well between us.”

She looked towards him for a reply, but found him mute and so she continued with the speech she had prepared.

“The fact is that I am in love with someone else and he loves me, too. Edward, I cannot marry you. I am so sorry and I think it would be best if we broke off our engagement at once.”

She pulled the emerald ring from her finger and handed it to him. He took it, looked at it for a second and then closed his fist around it.

“I will have my man send urgent telegrams to all my family and friends,” said Edward stiffly. “I trust you will see to the other arrangements?”

“Naturally,” replied Lucia, relieved that he had taken the news so calmly.

Edward rose from his chair and took a deep breath.

“I cannot say that this has been a complete shock, as I had realised that things were out of sorts. But I trust we can be friends?”

“Of course and I really am very sorry to cause you such hurt. Really I am.”

Without making a comment, Edward nodded his head and held out his hand.

“Goodbye, Lucia. Good luck.”

“Thank you. I do wish you well and hope you find happiness.”

He pursed his lips and left the room.

Lucia sank back down in her chair and felt completely drained as her mother came hurrying in.

“Well?”

“He took it incredibly well. He even wished me good luck!”

“He is a decent man. And now, I suppose I shall have to cancel everything. Did he say anything else?”

“He said he would inform his family and friends.”

“Oh dear. Well, let's not think about it anymore and I expect you will wish to telephone Lord Winterton and tell him the news. Tomorrow, we shall start cancelling all the arrangements and I am afraid that your stepfather will have to bear the cost.”

“Does Stepfather know?”

“Yes, I have told him. He was, as I had suspected, quite tolerant of your decision. He wants to see you happy as much as I do.”

“You are right. He is a changed man and I would have thought he would be most displeased. In fact, because he had not come storming in, shouting at me, I had thought you had yet to tell him.”

Her mother laughed and gently took Lucia's hand.

“Darling. I know that you two got off on the wrong foot together, but he is a good man. I would not have married him otherwise.”

Lucia telephoned Lord Winterton at once and informed him that Edward had taken the news quite well.

He said that he would have his driver bring him over to the Hall at once.

“I need to speak with your stepfather as soon as possible. You have not cancelled the Church yet, have you?”

“No, I have not.”

“Good,” replied Lord Winterton mysteriously.

An hour later, he arrived at the Hall in his Talbot. Lucia ran out to greet him and kissed him as soon as he emerged from the motor car.

“Darling. I have missed you,” she cried taking his arm.

“I have only been gone a few hours – it's not possible!” he teased.

“Shall I ask Mama and Stepfather to join us?” she suggested, as they settled down on the sofa in the drawing room.

“Yes, I would speak with them at once. We do not have any time to lose.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that you are not to cancel anything until I have spoken to your stepfather. Darling, you can still be a bride on Saturday, that is, if you desire it.”

Lucia's heart jumped for joy.

“Oh, Richard! Nothing could excite me more! Why should we wait until everything is in place?”

Five minutes later, Sir Arthur and her mother joined them and Lucia quickly informed them that Lord Winterton wished to speak to them alone.

Closing the door behind her, she waited in the hall. Then the door to the drawing room burst open and Sir Arthur stood there, with a huge smile on his face.

“Well!” he exclaimed. “I confess I am somewhat surprised at this turn of events, but if you are happy, my dear, then so am I.”

“He has asked for my hand?” asked Lucia tentatively.

“He has and I have agreed,” replied Sir Arthur. “I must say, when I saw that story in the
Westminster Gazette
, I simply thought that the man was a bounder. Now he has explained everything to me, I can see I was wrong to believe cheap gossip.”

“And the wedding?”

“It can go ahead as planned. I do not see any sense in incurring more expense if you are intending to get married in any case. The sooner – the better!”

Lucia ran into the drawing room to find her mother chatting warmly with Lord Winterton.

“Darling,” she called, as her face lit up. “I am so very pleased for you. Now, I will leave you two alone as I am certain you have plenty to discuss.”

The doors to the garden had been opened and a warm evening breeze blew in. Lord Winterton took her hand and led her out through them.

“Come,” he smiled.

Outside they stood in the gardens beneath a rising moon.

The sky was as clear as a bell and everywhere stars twinkled over their heads.

“I will need to go and see Canon Bennett at once to tell him what is happening. It will mean a special licence, but I am not without my influence in the County and should be able to obtain the necessary permission tomorrow.”

“Oh, darling, are we really to be married on Saturday? It seems so impossible.”

He pulled her close and kissed the soft hair above her forehead.

“Darling, this is not a dream – this is real. We are to be man and wife.”

“But you will want to invite your own guests and there is so little time.”

“I would not care if it was just you and I at the altar, as long as Canon Bennett will marry us. Darling, I do not want to wait another week, let alone another month, for you to become my wife. I have wasted too much time already. All I ask is that we wait until after the unveiling ceremony before we go on honeymoon. Dearest, would you mind too much?”

“Of course not,” she murmured, nuzzling his chest.

She felt so safe and protected close to him.

“With Papa's name inscribed on the monument, it was going to cause me a great deal of distress not to see it revealed in all its glory. In fact, I had only agreed to the date of the honeymoon with Edward in order to avoid seeing you. That was when I thought you were about to marry Lady Shelley.”

“My dear sweet, silly girl!” he exclaimed, laughing and pulling her close to his lips. “Could you not guess how much I loved you?”

As they kissed, Lucia felt as if she was being carried up to the stars with happiness.

She gave herself up to his insistent mouth and became overwhelmed with love for him.

Drawing back from him, the moon's rays bathed them in a glorious, silvery light.

“Pinch me, Richard! I think I must be dreaming. How could I be so happy?” she asked, smiling up at him.

With a fond chuckle he took her soft cheek in his fingers and nipped it gently.

“There, my darling, you are not dreaming, this is a dream come true.”

Lucia pouted with an alarmed look on her face.

“But dreams come to an end and I do not want this one ever to end. I have never had such a perfect moment and if I thought it were just a dream, I would be distraught!”

Lord Winterton turned his face towards her.

The moon and stars shone down on them as they kissed once more, basking in God's Love – the most perfect and sublime of all.

“Not this dream, my darling,” he sighed, tightening his grip around her. “This one will last forever and ever, I promise you with all my heart and soul.”