Love comes to the Castle by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788675376
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2021-10-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

There was a silence and then Jaela said,

“You have not yet seen the second book of my father’s stamps, my Lord.”

The Earl smiled.

“In other words, you are telling me to mind my own business.”

“I think, my Lord,” Jaela retorted, “we were talking about Kathy and, of course, stamp collecting as well, which is more important.”

“I agree with you,” the Earl said, “and I apologise for diverting from the text.”

There was a sarcastic note in his voice, which she did not miss.

Instead she handed the second of her father’s albums to him saying,

“I hope your Lordship will not be envious, but I am very certain that you cannot equal the stamp on the first page.”

The Earl took the album from her and opened it cautiously.

Then he exclaimed,

“I don’t believe it! The British Guyana One Penny Magenta is the most valuable stamp in the world!”

“That is what my father always said and he was very fortunate to have obtained it.”

Jaela did not add that Lord Compton had received the stamp, which was issued in 1856, as an expression of gratitude when he was at the Bar from a Guyanian whom he had saved from being hanged when he was accused of murder.

The Earl was staring at the stamp as if he could hardly believe his eyes.

Then he said,

“You are very fortunate, Miss Compton, and I suppose it would be quite useless for me to offer you almost any sum you wish for this particular stamp.”

Jaela shook her head.

“To me my father’s collection is a memento of all the happiness we shared together and while one day I might give it to somebody I love, I would never part with it for money.”

“I understand what you are saying,” the Earl replied, “and I can only congratulate you and, of course, beg you to be very careful not to leave your collection lying about in case it is stolen.”

“In the Castle?” Jaela queried. “I think that is unlikely.”

“I am not thinking of it being insecure whilst you are here,” the Earl replied, “but when you leave us.”

Jaela was still.

“You – you are not – suggesting that might be soon?” she asked in a low voice.

As she spoke, she recognised that to leave Kathy in The Castle would at this moment be unbearable.

The Earl was watching the expression on her face, and after a few moments he enquired,

“You like being here, Miss Compton? You are happy?”

“Very happy, my Lord.”

“It seems to me extraordinary that anyone so young and so lovely should be content with looking after a small child,” he said, “rather than having a number of admirers at her feet.”

He spoke seriously, but Jaela laughed and replied,

“That, in point of fact, is the last thing I want.”

Then, as if she felt that she must explain to the Earl, although why she should do so she had no idea, she said in a very different tone,

“I am actually in mourning and, just as Kathy has to face a new world, one of which she knows very little about, I am doing the same.

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