65 A Heart Is Stolen by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: M-Y Books
Published: 2013-06-27T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

The Marquis stared in astonishment as Ivana Wadebridge walked into the room.

She was wearing the emerald green gown in which he had first seen her and it made her look very picturesque besides accentuating her white skin.

As she came nearer, he thought that she looked unnaturally pale, in fact frightened.

He was so astounded at her sudden appearance that he did not rise but remained sitting at his desk.

Then Markham who was standing in front of him exclaimed,

“No, no, Miss Ivana. Leave this to me. You must not be involved.”

Ivana smiled at him.

“But I am involved, Marky, and we cannot go on pretending. His Lordship had better know the worst.”

“No, please,” Mr. Markham pleaded.

‘Leave it to me,” she insisted firmly, “and I prefer to speak to his Lordship alone.”

Mr. Markham seemed about to go on protesting and then, as if he felt helpless, he merely made a gesture with his hands and went from the room.

As the door closed behind him, Ivana turned to face the Marquis standing in front of his desk as Mr. Markham had done.

“You seem to have taken charge of my servants,” the Marquis said in an icy voice, “but I am prepared, Mrs. Wadebridge, to listen to your explanation of what has been occurring here at Heathcliffe.”

He looked down at the ledger as he spoke and then, as he was aware that Ivana was feeling for words, he asked sharply,

“Why are you here in the first place? And why have you entered the house in such a strange manner?”

“I came to see Travers,” she answered. “And I was told that you had taken the ledger from the estate office into the library.”

“You were – told?” the Marquis queried. “Does everything that happens here reach your ears?”

“A great deal of it.”

The Marquis made an exasperated sound and sat back in his chair.

“I am listening,” he said, “and, as I have already said to Markham, I want the truth.”

Ivana gave a little sigh.

“I realised as soon as you arrived so unexpectedly that we could not go on as we were.”

“It was obviously unfortunate that I decided to visit my own house,” the Marquis murmured sarcastically.

“It was, as far as we were concerned.”

“Who is ‘we’?”

“Nanny, Marky, Travers and, of course, the men we have been helping.”

The Marquis’s lips tightened and then he said,

“I am waiting to hear about these men. I imagine they are sailors.”

“Of course.”

“Suppose you start at the beginning.”

Then, as if even in his anger, he was aware he should be showing good manners, he said somewhat grudgingly,

“Do you wish to sit down?”

“No, thank you,” Ivana replied. “I would rather stand. I am well aware, my Lord, that you are sitting in judgement upon me.”

The Marquis did not reply.

His eyes were hard and he was thinking that, although he was curious to know how he had been tricked and made to look a fool of by his servants, it was something he disliked intensely and to the offenders he intended to show no mercy.

As if she

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