An Unexpected Love (16 page)

With a scream, Ravina flung herself off the roof and the next second Sir Richard was holding her slim wet body close to his.

He buried his face in the soft damp curls that tangled around her face and thanked God with all his might that she was safe.

“Sir Richard – Dunster – kidnapped me – Beatrice – Joe – letter – Papa – ”she panted disjointedly.

He did not stop to ask or reply.

Swiftly he swung her up into his arms and raced for the cover of the woods as another shot rang out.

“The man's gone mad,” he snapped as he tenderly put Ravina down and draped his riding cloak around her body.

She was shivering violently, but he noticed, proudly, her eyes were sparkling and there was no sign of fear on her face.

“He wanted me to write a letter to Papa forcing him to sign some special document.”

Sir Richard nodded.

“I have been trying to keep you safe for days, my sweet! Your father gave me strict instructions because there were rumours that some such plot was afoot. But you have not been an easy person to guard.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the wild waving branches. Were they safe here? He doubted it.

And where was Sir Michael with the reinforcements? Surely they could not be too far behind.

“He did not touch you – hurt you in any way, because, damn his eyes, I'll kill him if – ?”

Ravina reached up a hand and placed it softly over his mouth, smiling as he kissed her palm.

“Hush! No, he threatened, but apart from rough handling me through the woods and into the cottage, he did no more but try to terrify me.”

She looked up, trying to see his face in the dark.

“But, Richard, there are two other people inside the cottage. Beatrice, my old nursery maid, and her brother, Joe Watson. They are villains, but I still would not have them harmed, because I truly do not believe they really knew what Robert Dunster was doing or why.”

Sir Richard suddenly pulled her close to him once more.

“Ravina – ” he said hoarsely, “I know this is not the time or place, but you have to know now, before anything else happens to us, that
I love and adore you
with all my heart. You are the bravest, dearest, most wilful girl I have ever known and if you do not marry me, you will condemn me to live on my own in that beautiful house by the sea.”

Ravina felt every nerve in her body sing with joy.

He loved her!

This dark, difficult, dear man loved her as much as she loved him.

She had never thought love would come to her like this. But as unexpected as it was, it was glorious.

“I thought you had already chosen a wife. That day when we explored Mitcham Manor, you said – ”

“I meant you, you silly goose!”

“I love
you
so much too with all my heart,” sighed Ravina.

And ignoring the rumbling thunder and the rain that beat down on them, he tilted her face up to his and kissed her, tenderly and slowly at first, and then with deepening passion.

When they parted, he smoothed the rain soaked hair away from her face.

“Why are you smiling? Am I so amusing?” he asked wryly.

Ravina tried to hold back a giggle.

“I was just thinking that whether you want to or not, you will have to marry me now because you have seen me in my bodice and petticoat!”

Sir Richard began to laugh, then yelled and threw Ravina to one side.

She crashed down into some bushes, wincing as they cut her skin.

Dazed and frightened, she realised that Robert Dunster had leapt out of the dark and he and Sir Richard were struggling and fighting, their curses filling the air as the thunder crashed overhead and lightning split the darkness, over and over again.

Dunster's powerful arms seemed to be crushing the younger man, but Sir Richard was forcing him backwards through the undergrowth.

Sobbing, Ravina followed them, the world a whirling chaos of wind and rain and swaying branches.

Suddenly she realised the noise she could hear above the wind and the rain was the roaring of the river and when a hissing crack of lightning flashed once more, she could clearly see the struggling couple.

She gasped in horror.

“
The river bank
! Be careful. Richard, watch out. The bank is crumbling!”

But even as she spoke, the soaken mud silently gave way and the two men plunged into the raging torrent.

Ravina screamed and threw herself forward flat into the mud.

“
Richard
! Richard.”

Oh, God, surely she was not going to lose him now. Not when they had just found each other.

The surface of the raging water remained unbroken and then a dark head bobbed up and Sir Richard was swimming strongly towards her.

Spluttering he clambered up the bank and she reached out to help pull him out of the river.

Kneeling together, muddy and wet, they held each other close as the rain poured down and the river hurried Robert Dunster's body away to the sea.

And it was there, on the muddy river bank, locked in each other's arms that Sir Michael and his men found them.

*

On a bright autumn day, two families gathered to witness a very special wedding.

The week before in the ancient Church at Rosbourne in a quiet, sedate, old–fashioned but happy ceremony, Sir Michael Moore and Miss Dulcie Allen were married.

Lady Ravina Ashley and Sir Richard Crawford had been honoured guests and Ravina felt that she had never seen her cousin look so gloriously serene.

Safe in the knowledge that Sir Michael was following his heart and marrying the woman he truly loved, Dulcie had blossomed and the tense frown and down-turned mouth had been replaced by a glow of happiness as she contemplated her new life as Mistress of the Priory.

But the wedding that the whole County had been waiting for was to take place the following week.

Lord and Lady Ashley, home at last from their travels in the Balkans, had been surprised but pleased to discover that their daughter had given her heart and hand to Sir Richard.

The dastardly plot to destabilize a Government had been foiled and although Lord Ashley shuddered to think of the danger his daughter had been in, he knew that now the world was a safer place at least for a few years.

He laughed and sighed as he hugged her closely in a rare show of emotion.

“I thought I told you to stay away from trouble, young lady?” he scolded, his voice tinged with the knowledge of what might have happened.

Ravina kissed his cheek.

“Dearest Papa! I wasn't even aware of the danger until it happened. But luckily there was Richard to keep me safe – just as you had planned.”

*

Lady Ashley came to her room one evening and sat stroking her daughter's hair as they discussed everything that had happened.

“And you are completely sure of your feelings for Sir Richard?” her mother asked. “You have not in any way confused gratitude with love, my dear child? Because that is not the right basis for marriage.”

Ravina smiled at her with a joy in her eyes that immediately dispelled her mother's doubts.

“No, Mama. I love him completely and utterly, more than I can possibly say. I would willingly follow him to the ends of the earth and back.”

And Lady Ashley felt all her worries fade away, knowing that her daughter had found the one man who would be her soul mate for ever.

Beatrice and Joe Watson had vanished. Rumour had it that they had left the cottage under cover of the storm and fled to America.

Ravina could not help but feel relieved.

Although upset, poor Mrs. Watson would be better off without her abusive husband and Bobby was a youth who could make something of himself in service to Sir Michael.

Ravina would not have wanted to be responsible for prosecuting his father and aunt for kidnapping.

Nanny Johnson had cackled cheerfully to herself when Ravina had come running into her room to tell her the news of her engagement.

It had made the old nurse's heart glad to see the joy on her young lady's face. She had always known that it would take a very special man to win Ravina's hand and she was convinced that Sir Richard was just that person.

Nanny had known Lord Ashley since he was born and knew exactly how clever a man he was.

Had he chosen Sir Richard to be his daughter's secret guardian, hoping for this outcome?

Well, he would never say, but the old lady had her suspicions.

*

In the vast Cathedral, in front of a congregation of their friends, neighbours and notables from all aspects of Society, Sir Richard turned round at the altar as the organ played and watched, stunned, as a vision floated up the aisle towards him.

Escorted by her father, Ravina in white silk and lace with a long train and floating veil was a picture of loveliness.

She was holding a bouquet of pink roses and gleaming white lilies and only she and her husband-to-be knew that buried amongst the flowers were tiny blue and yellow blossoms from the slopes above their future home on the Dorset coast.

Sir Michael and Lady Moore were there to watch, linking hands and smiling at each other.

And in pride of place in the family pew sat Nanny Johnson, resplendent in a new outfit and wearing a magnificent hat decorated with two huge curled feathers that completely hid the view from the gentleman sitting behind her!

The familiar words rang out, rings were exchanged and Ravina pushed back the veil from her face to accept his tender kiss.

“I love you, my darling wife,” Sir Richard murmured and Ravina trembled at the passion in his voice.

“With all my heart and soul for now, forever and till the end of time.”

They were married!

This love she had found had been so very unexpected and delightful and her happiness knew no bounds.

But Ravina knew, as his grip tightened on her fingers and his lips touched hers in love and joy, that the future they would make together lay before them, as bright and shining as the sea they would lie and watch from their bedroom for so many years to come.