An Introduction to the Pink Collection by Barbara Cartland Read Free Book Online Page B

still has to defend you. Will you kindly call your chicken off?”
    She laughed and did so, then drained her tea.
    â€œNow, sir – ”
    â€œJohn.”
    â€œNow, John, please will you be sensible and go to bed?”
    He gave her a naval salute. “Ay, ay, ma’am. I’ll see you at seven bells.”
    As she snuggled down on the sofa later Rena remembered how, in her childhood, she’d longed for other siblings, especially a brother. And that was what John was, of course, the brother she had never had; someone she could talk to and laugh with, because they saw the world in the same way; someone who would care for her and let her care for him.
    She fell asleep feeling happier than she had for months.
    *
    She was up at ‘seven bells’ next morning, and immediately went out to buy fresh milk from Ned. She found Jack, the postman, in the shop, and told him about the new arrivals at the vicarage.
    â€œI don’t live there any more. I’m housekeeper at The Grange.”
    â€œGot a letter for you here,” he said, looking in his bag. “And one for The Grange.”
    She took them both and set off for The Grange. It was a lovely morning, fresh and spring like, and there was a skip in her step.
    She found John in the kitchen, triumphant because Clara had laid two eggs.
    â€œOne each,” he said.
    â€œTwo for His Lordship,” she replied firmly.
    â€œFiddlesticks.”
    â€œHere’s a letter for you.” She handed it to him and went in to the dining room to give him privacy while he read it. As she had half expected it was a letter from the bishop, informing her that the Reverend Steven Daykers would soon be arriving to take up his position as vicar at Fardale, and he trusted that she would etc. etc.
    â€œOh Lord!”
    She looked around to see that John had followed her into the dining room, a letter in his hand and a look of dismay on his face.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?”
    â€œWe have visitors coming this afternoon. I hope they will only stay for tea, but they might want to spend the night here.”
    Rena gave a cry.
    â€œThat’s impossible. You can’t let them come!” she exclaimed. “The bedrooms are terrible! Your room is the best of the bunch, but even that needs a wash and a great deal doing to it.”
    â€œI shut my eyes when I am undressing, and look out of the window when I am dressing,” the Earl said drolly.
    â€œVery ingenious, but we couldn’t count on your visitors to do the same. You really must not let them stay.”
    There was silence for a moment, and she wondered if she’d offended him.
    Then he said slowly, “I think I should be honest and tell you that the man who is coming here is exceedingly rich. I met him when I was in India and when he heard – I suppose from the newspapers – that I had come into the Earldom, he looked me up and told me that he was very anxious to see my ancestral home.”
    â€œTo see your – ancestral – home?” she echoed in a stunned voice.
    In silence they both looked around them. They looked up at the grimy ceilings, around at the peeling walls, and down at the shabby furniture.
    â€œHe’s going to get a shock, isn’t he?” she said at last.
    â€œA considerable shock,” John said grimly. “I only wish I thought it would scare him off.”
    â€œWhy do you want to scare him off?”
    â€œBecause I have a horrid feeling I know what he wants of me. We met when I was a penniless sailor and he asked me to a dance he was giving for his daughter, to make up the numbers, I believe. Well, I’m still penniless, but now I have a title.”
    â€œYou mean – ?”
    â€œWhat this man really wants – and I am quite certain it is what he will say when he gets here, is for me to marry his daughter!”
    Rena gave a little gasp. “Why should you do that,” she asked, “unless you have