Magic From the Heart by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782137122
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks ltd
Published: 2015-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

The Duke undressed in his room.

He was thinking it was sensible that he and Safina had agreed that the only way their marriage could work was for them to behave as normally as possible.

He realised that he had been somewhat disagreeable during the day, but surely it was understandable.

At least the wife that Isobel had forced upon him was intelligent.

As they had gone round the house, he soon learnt that Safina was conversant with the great artists who had painted his ancestors’ portraits and she also had a knowledge of furniture, which surprised him.

He was most impressed with her composure and the way that she had apparently accepted what to him was an appalling situation.

When he was ready for bed, he blew out the candles in his room and walked towards the communicating door.

It was a double door because the walls of the house were so thick.

He opened the one on his side and then groped in the darkness for the handle of Safina’s door.

He walked in.

By the light of the candle that was burning by the bed he saw that she was not there.

He thought it strange and wondered where she could have gone.

The door was open into the passage and then, as he looked round, he realised she had not undressed.

She might have put everything she took off away in the wardrobe or the drawers, but it was unlikely.

It never entered his head that she had run away.

He thought she must have gone downstairs to fetch something, but he could not remember anything that they had left behind.

He walked down the corridor to the top of the staircase.

As he reached it, he felt a cold draught and saw that the front door was open.

Then it did flash through his mind that she might indeed have run away.

Only as he went down the stairs did it strike him that perhaps she had been afraid of him.

He was so used to women falling into his arms before he hardly knew their names and, because he was so good-looking and came from such a noble family, he had been pursued relentlessly by women ever since he had left Eton.

He reached the front door.

When he went through it, he could see a figure by the lake in the moonlight.

He could not believe at this hour of night, when it was distinctly chilly, that Safina was admiring the view.

Earlier in the day she had been thrilled by the beauty and charm of the lake with the ducks and their baby ducklings swimming on it.

Then, as he gazed at her, his instinct suddenly told him what she intended to do.

He thought at first that it must be a figment of his imagination.

How could she now be hysterical when she had been so calm and controlled and he had admired her serenity?

Nevertheless he hurried down the steps and started to walk very quickly over the thick grass.

Then he saw Safina turn her head.

She must have seen him coming, for a moment later she screamed and flung herself into the lake.

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