Winged Victory by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788671392
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2018-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

It was three o’clock in the afternoon by the time the Earl had everything settled to his satisfaction and his orders had reached every department at the Hall.

He and Eddie rode back to the Dower House followed by a carriage drawn by two outstanding horses to carry the Countess and Cledra and a brake for the luggage and the servants.

The Earl had given instructions before he left that Mrs. Dorkins was to come to The Hall to look after Cledra.

He had no wish for his own servants to see the condition of her back and he knew that Hannah would not gossip or tell anybody what had happened to her.

Yates had already told him that Hannah had informed the servants at the Dower House that Cledra had suffered from an accident and the Earl thought that this was a very acceptable explanation for her illness that nobody would question.

It was a sunny day with just a touch of wind to alleviate the heat and he enjoyed the ride across the Park, which brought them almost too quickly to the Dower House.

They left their horses with a groom and, as the Earl walked into the house, the old butler said,

“Her Ladyship will be ready in a few minutes, my Lord. And the young lady has asked if your Lordship would speak to her in the drawing room.”

The Earl glanced at Eddie who, realising that it would be best for Cledra to speak to him alone, said,

“I will go into the study. Call me when you are ready to leave.”

The Earl nodded and walked across the hall to the large attractive drawing room, which had French windows opening into the garden.

As he entered, Cledra was standing by one of them gazing out at the flowers and he thought the sun on her hair made it seem as if she wore a halo of light.

She was deep in thought and so was not aware of him until he was halfway across the room.

Then, as if she felt his presence by instinct rather than sound, she turned and he saw the expression of joy in her huge eyes.

He realised that she was thinner than when he had first met her and the white muslin gown she was wearing, which he had guessed had been made by Hannah, made her ethereal in appearance, as if she was not human, but some celestial being who had found herself unexpectedly on Earth.

There was, however, a faint colour in her pale cheeks that made her look very different from when he had last seen her.

She did not speak and, when he reached her side, he asked,

“How are you, Cledra? I hope this move will not be too much for you.”

“No, of course not, my Lord.”

Then, as if addressing him formally made her remember his importance, she gave him a little curtsey.

“You wanted to see me?” the Earl asked at length.

Cledra drew in her breath and looked away from him as if she was shy.

“What is worrying you?” he asked.

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