“I know exactly what you mean, as I have often felt like that myself, but there is nothing you can do except try and pretend not to notice that you are not wanted.”
“Yes, indeed,” she replied with spirit, “and as I did not choose to be subjected to such a fate, I told him that I could easily drive myself home and that Winifred was all the company I needed.”
“And he believed you?” he demanded, scandalised.
“He believed me because he wanted to believe me. Which is what most men do!”
This was true, he reflected. It was a sobering thought.
“But doubtless you have several handsome gentlemen waiting for you in England – ”
He was doing it himself he suddenly realised – dropping hints, hoping for a response that would tell him something more about her.
But he could not help himself.
He did not know how long they might have together and in that short time he must learn everything about her.
Suddenly he knew a moment of fear. Lady Verna had become more important than he had ever allowed any woman to be before.
It was frightening how much she mattered.
But then he knew that this response was unworthy of her.
He must throw off this fear and open his heart to whatever the future might bring.
He was smiling broadly as he drove onwards.
CHAPTER THREE
After a while Michael remarked, trying to sound nonchalant,
“You don’t answer. I wonder why – ”
“Because it does not concern you,” came a caustic voice from the back seat.
Michael jumped.
He had forgotten about the dragon – as he thought of her – who was accompanying them.
“It is none of your business whether the young men at home are handsome,” continued Winifred.
“Winifred, dear – ” Verna protested mildly, looking back at her.
But Winifred had started and would not be stopped.
“Neither is it your business how many gentlemen there are,” she stormed, “nor, indeed, if there are any at all!”
“But I’m sure that there are plenty,” Michael added wickedly.
He was unable to resist teasing her.
“Just one quick look at Lady Verna tells me that the countryside around her house is bound to be filled with young gentlemen swooning with ecstasy.”
Verna choked with laughter, covering her face with her hand.
“In fact,” Michael continued, getting into his stride, “I am sure that Lady Verna – ”
“Who are you to call her ‘Lady Verna’?” Winifred broke in. “It’s ‘my Lady’ to you.”
In this way she informed him that he was no better than a servant in her eyes.
Michael, in a mood to find this amusing, supposed that he could not blame her.
“Oh, no,” Verna added hurriedly, “Lady Verna will do very nicely.”
“No, it won’t,” snapped Winifred.
“Yes, it will,” Verna persisted firmly.
But she tempered her severity with a smile and her protective companion fell silent, contenting herself with a disapproving glare at Michael’s back.
“Now,” Verna resumed, returning her attention to him. “What were you saying?”
“Just that I wondered why you were so discreetly silent about your admirers – ”
He half expected a thunderbolt to land on him, but Winifred had made her feelings plain and said no more – for the moment.
“There are many reasons as to why a woman might decline to discuss her admirers,” Verna responded with a delicious smile that was modest and wickedly enticing at the same time.
“You mean she might have so many that she’s lost count? I can hardly believe that.”
“Or it may be the melancholy truth that she has no admirers at all – ” Verna muttered soulfully.
But she gave him an impish look that dared him to believe her.
“Of course,” he said, “she is a plain Jane, weeping into her pillow at night!”
Verna laughed, not in the least offended. “Or she may not have decided amongst them. Such great decisions are not to be taken without much thought.”
“Very true,” Michael agreed sagely. “And she is a wise woman who does not rush into things.”
A snort from behind told them exactly what Winifred thought of his opinion of her Mistress.
Michael grinned, whilst Verna glared.
“She is a very wise woman,” Verna repeated firmly.
“In fact she is known for her good sense.”
Another snort.
“Her great good sense,” Verna emphasised. “She has never done anything foolish in her life.”
“Indeed?” Michael queried, sounding interested. “I heard a rumour that she dashed off to France in her car, got stranded and was forced to return to home by hiring some ne’er-do-well she found by pure chance. But I daresay that story is false.”
“Totally false,” Verna concurred primly.
“Now that’s a pity, because I thought she sounded rather interesting.”
There was a short pause as he waited for Winifred to strike him dead.
“Did you really?” Verna asked at last in a voice that gave nothing away.
“Indeed I did. Such a girl would be courageous, spirited, intelligent and extremely unusual. But – ” he gave a melancholy sigh, “where is such a girl to be found? I am not sure that she exists anywhere in the world.”
Verna said nothing and Michael had the feeling that for once something had left her bereft of speech. He guessed that this was rare, but did not say so. He had tempted fate quite enough for one day.
After a while he probed,
“Of course, there is another possibility.”
“What is that?” she asked in an uncertain voice.
“That she has decided among her suitors, but, for a while wishes to protect the identity of the favoured one.”
“That is a possibility,” she came back, and he could sense by her tone of voice that she had now recovered her composure and was back to teasing him.
“But I wonder if it’s true – ” he mused.
Silence.
Inside he was full of tension.
How had he managed to advance so quickly to the verge of disaster? For it would indeed be a disaster if there really was a man she loved.
Another moment would seal his fate.
Then he heard her laughing and the sound was like balm to his soul.
“If only my life was as interesting as you depict it, sir. The truth is that there are several young men in the neighbourhood, but I have known them all too long to be fascinated by them. Very sad, but there it is.”
“What you are really telling me,” asked Michael, speaking cautiously to conceal his relief, “is that you are looking for something new and exciting. It is rather like eating the same meal at the same time every single day and still expecting it to be enjoyable.”
“That’s a good way of describing it. One becomes bored with people one sees often, who say the same thing every day from Monday to Sunday.”
“Quite right, Lady Verna” Michael agreed. “That’s why we go abroad – for a variety of new sensations.”
He fell silent, considering a few of the sensations he had found abroad.
‘I’m now deceiving this charming girl,’ he thought guiltily. ‘What would she say if she knew what a reprobate I really am?’
“Is anything the matter?” she enquired, turning her head sideways to glance at his face.
“No, nothing,” he murmured hurriedly. “We were talking about new sensations – ”
“I am enjoying some at this very moment. I have never met you, but you have been kind enough to help me. I enjoy being with you and listening to your words, which are different from anything I have heard before.”
“I might say the same to you,” Michael responded. “After all, I expected, at this moment, to be travelling on a trai
n. Instead of which I am driving a delightful and very expensive car with a very pretty and charming young lady, who has just jumped out from one of my dreams.”
Verna laughed and clapped her hands.
“Excellent!” she exclaimed. “That is just the sort of thing you ought to say. If you were on a stage the whole audience would applaud!”
“That is most flattering, Lady Verna. Now, as we have travelled so far, I think you should tell me more about your family and much more about yourself.”
“I’m sure that everything I’ve done is dull compared to your life.”
“A little dullness may not always be a bad thing,” Michael observed, contemplating that perhaps his own life had sometimes been rather too over-exciting. “One does not want to be appearing in the newspapers.”
“But if you are clever and are determined not to do anything which could make what they call ‘a good story’, there should be no danger.”
“But perhaps I am not clever,” Michael suggested.
“I refuse to believe it. I am sure that you are clever enough for anything.”
‘Of course,’ he thought, ‘a really clever man would not have been caught in Paris penniless. But then I would not have met this wonderful girl, so perhaps cleverness is a bit over-rated.’
“My mother always claimed that she considered it unnecessary to appear in the newspapers unless one was to be married or had died.”
Verna giggled as she added,
“Otherwise everything about ourselves should be kept secret – except from our relations and very special friends.”
Michael laughed.
“Your mother was quite right. It is a great mistake for the newspapers to know too much, even though they try to listen at every door and peep through every keyhole.”
“Of course they could easily make a story about us now,” she muttered thoughtfully. “Such unconventional behaviour!”
That was true, he thought.
Fortunately nobody knew just how unconventional he had been. It was still unknown that he had inherited his father’s title and been kind to a titled beauty.
As for running off without paying his hotel bill – that was unconventional to the point of being disgraceful. Any newspaper in England would jump on that story with delight.
But he only said,
“I promise I won’t tell anyone how a beautiful lady came down from Heaven to take me on an adventure. And we will have to be Miss Brown and Mr. Jones, two people of absolutely no importance.”
“You do think of everything,” smiled Verna with a contented sigh. “I know I can safely leave matters in your hands. Oh, I have been so lucky to find you.”
In his heart he knew that he had another reason to feel lucky, one that he hardly dared to think of yet.
They stopped at a small village inn and had a quick lunch under Winifred’s suspicious glare.
Michael was briefly concerned about paying for the meal, but Winifred insisted that it was her Ladyship’s place to pay.
As she was speaking, her eyes challenged Michael to dispute it. He meekly acquiesced, filled with relief, even though he knew that she was underlining his lowly status.
As the meal ended, Winifred became involved in a dispute with the waiter, whom she addressed in a mixture of English and basic French badly pronounced. When the poor man did not understand her, she raised her voice.
Verna took immediate advantage of the diversion to murmur hurriedly,
“I must apologise for Winifred’s behaviour to you.”
“It’s perfectly all right,” he smiled. “She insists on your paying because she wants me to understand that I’m only a servant. It doesn’t matter.”
“You are not a servant,” she added warmly. “I can tell easily that you are a gentleman despite – ” she broke off, embarrassed.
“Despite not looking like one!” he finished.
“Well, anyway, I naturally assume all the expenses of this trip as a way of showing my gratitude.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I’m not sure about all the expenses.”
“But I am,” she insisted. “I said all and I meant all. You are doing me a big favour and there is no reason why you should be out of pocket.”
“But I had to return to England anyway – ”
He could not imagine why he was protesting. Her attitude was a godsend to him and it would be a disaster if he were to win the argument.
But he could sense that there was no question of her giving in. He had never liked women of strong views, but her imperiousness was clearly a part of her charm and he was enjoying watching her eyes sparkle as she grew more determined.
“I am sure that I should make a contribution,” he persisted, “even at the risk of convincing Winifred that I’m getting above myself.”
“You will make no contribution. I have decided it is for me to pay and nobody else.”
“But – ”
“The matter is settled.”
“Is it?” he asked lightly.
“Yes. It is.”
“Perhaps I should call you – my Lady.”
“I forbid it.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
“I said – ” she caught him watching her and began to laugh.
He laughed too and somehow their hands touched.
Winifred having demolished the unfortunate waiter turned just in time to see it.
“We should be going,” she announced resolutely.
*
In a few minutes they were on their way again and by late evening they had reached Amiens.
“We must stay here for the night,” suggested Verna. “You must be exhausted after driving for so long.”
“I didn’t want to stop while there was still light, but now it’s fading it won’t be safe to drive on further. However, we must ask them to call us at dawn tomorrow so that we can make an early start.”
Someone directed them to a hotel two streets away.
Michael drove towards it slowly because by now he was indeed feeling very tired.
At the hotel he carried Verna’s luggage inside and waited whilst she enquired about rooms. There were two rooms available, one double and one single.
“Winifred and I will share and you can have the single room.”
“Thank you, but no,” replied Michael. “I shall stay in the garage with the car tonight.”
“But you can’t sleep outside while I’m comfortable indoors,” she protested.
“Why not?” growled Winifred, “that’s a servant’s place.”
“Hush,” Verna reproved her.
“I must stay with the car to make quite certain that no one tries to steal it,” Michael persevered.
It was surely true, but it would also spare him the embarrassment of having her pay for his hotel room.
“I shall take the car out to their garage in a minute and stay there,” he stated firmly.
“But you must come in for dinner – ”
“No, but perhaps you will send out something for me to eat and drink.”
She did not answer for a moment. Secretly she was disappointed, as she would have liked to dine with him. Yet she knew he was right.
“I just hate to think of you having such a difficult night,” she told him reluctantly.
She looked at Michael in such a gentle manner that he thought she was almost asking him to kiss her.
It was something he would certainly love to do, but he realised that he must restrain himself. Winifred would certainly strike him dead with her umbrella!
A porter showed him to the hotel garage, where the car would be safe. It was attracting much interest which made Michael feel that he was wise to stand guard.
After a few minutes Verna appeared in the garage.
“I have ordered refreshments to be sent to you,” she announced. “They will be here soon.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I told the Manager that your dinner must be of the best or there would be trou
ble,”
“I am sure you terrified him. You certainly terrify me!”
It was meant as a joke and he was surprised when she frowned in displeasure.
“I do wish people would stop making remarks like that, just because I know how to make up my mind,” she complained.
“It’s a gift that most young ladies don’t have.”
“I know and I have no patience with them all – silly creatures, always waiting for a man to tell them what to do and think. How absurd!”
He had been brought up in the belief that a truly feminine woman did indeed wait for a man to tell her what to think and he saw no reason to change now.
Nevertheless he nodded in the most weak-willed manner – it was the effect she had on him.
“As though we didn’t have minds of our own – ”
“Most young ladies are not taught to develop their minds,” he reminded her.
“Well, I have been and I do not intend to change.”
“No. You must never change.”
Barely aware what he was doing, Michael took her hand in his and put it to his lips.
He kissed her fingers which were very soft and felt her tremble. Their eyes met and he thought again that he would have liked to kiss her lips.
Suddenly, as if she was afraid of what she could see in his eyes, she said,
“I’ll go back to the hotel now as quickly as I can. I think you are – wonderful for staying out here – all night.”
Her words seemed to tumble over each other and, almost as if she felt that she must run away, she turned and hurried towards the door.
He watched her until he could see her no longer.
Then he sat down in the car, deep in thought.
Things were moving so fast that he no longer knew exactly what was happening. It was like being in a fast car that had veered out of control. He did not know where he was going, he only knew that he did not want to jump off.
Wherever this wild journey might lead, he would stay on board until the end – as long as she was there too.
A few minutes later a man arrived with his meal. It was no mere snack, but a full dinner, everything a hungry man might need.
There was a note on the tray.
He read,
“I have paid for all the food they have brought you, also tipped the man, so don’t give him any more.
It Is Love Page 4
