Kiss from a Stranger by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782134251
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks ltd
Published: 2014-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

“My left hand’s itching and I shall be

thinking tomorrow of the cake that your

mother always bakes on a Sunday.”

The Earl was speechless, waiting for Shenda to explain.

“Because – he loves her – wherever he is, he – stands facing England. If his left hand is itching, it means he is travelling West and the cake her mother always bakes on Sundays is a Madeira!”

“I don’t believe this!” the Earl exclaimed.

He sat down in a chair as he spoke and, holding the paper Shenda had given him in his hand, stared at it.

His brain began to work shrewdly and logically.

If this message, as Shenda had said, had been found in Lucille Gratton’s reticule, then it was her pleading eyes and pouting lips that Lord Barham had warned him about.

She was receiving money for the information she obtained from her lovers, which was of use to the French.

Whoever was communicating with her must have been aware that she was with him.

As he had just come back to England from the Mediterranean and was in touch with the Admiralty, he was more likely to know than anybody else.

For a moment he was so furious at being deceived that he wanted to confront Lucille Gratton with her perfidy and tell her exactly what he thought of her.

Then he knew that far more important than his feelings was to root out the spy or spies that directed her and were working for Napoleon.

He sat for some minutes, although it seemed longer, without speaking.

Then he said to Shenda,

“I presume Lady Gratton does not realise that you have found this?”

“No, my Lord, the maid who looks after her tore the lace on the reticule and Mrs. Davison gave it to me to mend.”

“So she has not seen you?”

“No, my Lord.”

“But you are here, working in The Castle and I presume employed by me!”

“Yes, my Lord.”

She wondered what the Earl was thinking.

“I wonder, Shenda, if you are prepared to do something to help your country? I must warn you, however, that it may be dangerous.”

Shenda looked at him in surprise.

Then she said,

“I will do – anything, my Lord – to – help men like yourself – defeat Napoleon and end this horrible – wicked war!”

“I thought you would feel like that,” the Earl said, “and what I am going to ask you to do is to maid Lady Gratton whilst she is staying here.”

Shenda’s eyes seemed to fill her whole face. She had never imagined that she would be asked to do such a thing.

For a moment she thought it was something she must refuse because she was quite certain her mother would not approve.

Then she asked herself what was more important, that she was a lady, which the Earl did not think of her as being, or that she should fight, as he had fought, against an enemy which at the moment was holding all the trump cards?

With an effort, because she was a little frightened, she said,

“I will do – anything you – ask me – my Lord.

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