It Is Love by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-908411-16-7
Publisher: Barbara Cartland.com

CHAPTER SEVEN

He rose and walked firmly on.

Now he could see the great house in the distance and stopped for a moment to take in the view of the honey-coloured building with its towers and turrets.

This lovely place was his and he was going to bring his bride here in pride and joy.

With his Verna at his side he would be a reformed character. Together they would rule the estate benignly, loved by all their dependants as his mother had been.

His heart swelled with happiness and hope.

Another twenty minutes brought him to the house. Walking round it he came to the stables where he could see several grooms.

One looked up and a grin of delight spread across his face as he saw Michael.

“My Lord!” he bellowed. “Welcome home!”

They all came running towards him then, their faces full of joy.

“Thank goodness you’re home, sir!” cried Bailey, the eldest groom. “Now things will be all right.”

“I do hope so, Bailey.”

“No one knew where you were, my Lord, and there be such dreadful rumours.”

“Dreadful rumours have a habit of pursuing me,” he remarked wryly. “I only learned of my father’s death by accident. Has his funeral taken place yet?”

“No, my Lord. Mr. Snelkins, his man of business, insisted that nothin’ could be done until you were found.” Bailey lowered his voice. “That didn’t please Mr. Anthony at all, sir. Proper put out he were.”

“Really,” Michael murmured.

“He’s got a real temper and no mistake. But now you’re here, it’ll be alright.”

“I’d better go inside and find out how things stand.”

“Wait until this gets around the neighbourhood!” cried Bailey, doing a little dance that belied his age.

“Good times are comin’ now,” exclaimed another and a little cheer went up from everyone.

It was obvious that none of them had heard rumours that he might be disinherited and Michael’s spirits soared.

Servants always knew bad news before anyone else and these grooms were making it clear that they accepted him as Lord Belmont – Master of all he surveyed.

He thought that the old house had never looked so beautiful as he returned hopefully to claim his birthright.

He headed for a side door that he knew was always open during the day and found it ajar.

The house was very quiet as he entered and slipped along the side passage until he came into the hall. Then he opened the door into the sitting room where most of his relations sat when they were not entertaining guests.

As he expected there were two of his sisters there who jumped up with a cry when they saw him.

“Oh, Michael, you have come at last!” exclaimed his eldest sister Jane. “We wondered where you were! When I tried to get in touch with you in London, they said you were abroad.”

“I have only just returned from Paris. I saw in the newspaper what had happened to Papa.”

“He died several days ago and we have been trying ever since to find you. You are the Earl now.”

“I wonder just how much of an Earl I am,” he said wryly.

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