Kneel for Mercy by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788672757
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks ltd
Published: 2019-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Marista was only half-asleep when she heard the door of her bedroom open and thought vaguely that it must be later than it seemed.

Then somebody was beside her bed saying in a low voice,

“Marista, wake up!”

She opened her eyes and saw in the dim light that it was Anthony.

“What is it?” she asked. “What is the matter?”

“I have something to tell you.”

She pushed herself further up the bed against her pillows to ask as she did so,

“What is the time?”

“It’s five o’clock.”

She stared at him and asked,

“Why are you up so early? It’s Sunday.”

On Sunday when he did not go to the farm, Anthony always slept late sometimes, if he was tired, until nearly luncheontime.

Then she realised that he was dressed and he answered,

“I have not been to bed.”

Marista made a movement with her lips, then, as her eyes grew accustomed to the dawn light coming between the curtains, she realised that his hair was blown over his forehead, he was wearing his very old clothes and a handkerchief was tied around his neck.

As she looked at him, she remembered that he had been missing yesterday evening and when she asked where he was Hannah had said that he had come in for a short while in the afternoon and then gone out again.

When he did not appear for supper, she had said to Letty,

“Do you think Anthony is at The Castle?”

“If he is, I shall be very annoyed that the Earl did not ask us,” Letty replied.

Marista did not tell her that she knew the reason why they had not been asked.

When she and the Earl drove home after she had shown him a great deal more of the estate after luncheon, he had said,

“Because I know that you don’t wish to meet Dashford again, I will not invite you to The Castle tomorrow. He is leaving first thing on Monday morning, so I shall expect you all to dine with me that evening.”

Marista was surprised to find herself feeling happy that he would not be leaving with his guests, but told herself that it was because she would be able to show him more of the estate.

As if he was following the reasoning of her mind, the Earl commented in his usual dry manner,

“You must give me time, Marista, to digest all the things you have shown me so far, some of which I find extremely indigestible.”

Marista had drawn in her breath.

“I am sorry if it seems rather dismal, but the War has upset so many people and, while the farmers in some parts of the country are, I believe, making money, the soil here is not very good.”

She paused and then added,

“Also, because we are near the sea, every able-bodied man has been press-ganged into the Royal Navy.”

“Sailors are essential if we are to win the War,” the Earl pointed out.

“I realise that, but the tenant farmers on – on – your estate suffer in consequence.”

She struggled over the word your because she had been about to say our and was aware that the Earl had noticed it.

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