Too Precious to Lose

by Barbara Cartland

  He sat in his chair with his legs crossed and she had the impression that he was, in fact, slim and athletic.

  Jean went out of the room, shutting the door.

  Feeling unexpectedly a little shy, Norina moved forward.

  “So you have come back,” the Frenchman said, “and bringing, I understand, a mountain of luggage with you!”

  “I must apologise for having so much,” Norina replied, “but you will understand, monsieur, that I am at the moment travelling with everything I possess until I find somewhere permanent to settle down.”

  “And you really think that will be with me?”

  “I-I am hoping – so,” she answered.

  “I was thinking when you left,” the Frenchman said, “that I had been somewhat remiss in not making it clear that, if I find the right type of man to take your place, I shall ask you to leave.”

  Norina drew in her breath.

  Then she said,

  “I can only hope, and perhaps pray, that it will be a – long time before – he turns up like the proverbial ‘bad penny’.”

  She said the last words in English and the Frenchman laughed.

  There was a silence and Norina wondered if she could sit down.

  Then he said,

  “I have some work for you to do. Look on the desk. You will find some letters there.”

  Norina walked to the desk that stood in front of the window.

  There was a pile of letters which she realised must have accumulated while he had been blind.

  She picked them up and went back to the fireplace.

  “I have found them, monsieur, and there are quite a number.”

  “You will have to read them to me, but don’t bother with the bills, just the invitations and the private letters.”

  Norina sat down in the chair opposite him, where there was a small table beside her.

  She quickly sorted out the bills and put them down on it.

  There were a number of envelopes she knew immediately contained invitations.

  They looked like the ones she had opened for her aunt and she even thought that she recognised the handwriting on some of them.

  She went back to the desk for a letter opener and she found that it had a gold handle and was engraved with a monogram.

  Norina realised she did not yet know her employer’s name and she wondered if she should ask him what it was.

  Then she told herself she need open only one of the invitations to find the name inside.

  She slit open an envelope and then saw what she knew must be his name on top of the card,

  Le Marquis de Charlamont.

  For a moment her eyes widened.

  She had not expected her employer, who had taken her on in such an unusual manner, to be so distinguished or of such importance.

  “There is an invitation here, monsieur,” she said aloud, “from Lady Heatherton for dinner the day after tomorrow.”

  There was silence before the Marquis said,

  “See what other invitations there are. I will tell you how to answer them.”

  Norina opened four more invitations.

  Two were for dinner parties, two were for balls to which he was invited and asked to dine first and she put them in a neat pile also on the side table.

  Then she said,

  “There are two letters here, monsieur, and both appear to be in the same handwriting.”

  She saw the Marquis’s lips tighten before he replied,

  “Then, of course, as I cannot read them myself, you will have to read them for me.”

  The tone of his voice told Norina that he very much disliked anybody reading what had been written personally to him, but here was, however, no alternative.

  Norina opened the first letter, realising as she did so that it was scented with an exotic fragrance.

  She started to read the first line, then paused to say a little nervously,

  “This is a very private letter, monsieur. It is written in English. Would you like me to read it in that language or would you prefer it in French?”

  For a moment the Marquis did not reply.

  Then he said harshly,

  “Read it as it was written to me!”

  Norina felt she would have rather translated it into French. But she could only obey his orders and she read aloud,

  “My dearest adorable Alexus,

  I cannot tell you how deeply distressed I am at what occurred last night. How could I have guessed for one moment that Hugo would come home unexpectedly and find you here?

  He was very angry and told me that he had taught you a lesson. I do not know what he meant, but if he has hurt you, I shall be very upset.

  I love you – I love you, Alexus, and how could I have guessed when Hugo said he would not be back until the early hours that he would return so quickly?

  I know it was wrong of me to deceive you into thinking he would be away all night, but I longed to see you. I wanted your kisses, your arms around me and to know that you love me as I love you.

  Oh, Alexus, I must see you again! I cannot live without you and I cannot bear to think that you might be angry with me.

  Write to me and send the letter care of my maid, as you have done before, and remember, I shall be waiting – waiting and counting the hours until once again I can be in your arms.

  Yours adoringly,

  Patsy.”

  Norina finished reading the letter and looked across at the Marquis.

  She had been aware while she was reading that he was very angry. She could feel the vibrations coming from him were those of fury.

  Because she felt embarrassed, she remained silent as she replaced the letter in its envelope.

  Then she opened the other one that had lain on her lap.

  When she unfolded the letter, she knew that she had been right in thinking it came from the same person.

  As the Marquis still did not speak, she said,

  “Here is the – second of the – two letters.”

  She read aloud,

  “Beloved Alexus,

  Fantastic, wonderful news! Hugo is going to the Doncaster Races tomorrow!

  I have questioned the friends with whom he is staying to make certain that there is no mistake.

  Oh, my darling, this is my chance to see you again! Come to me! Come to me!

  I shall be waiting at the garden door at ten o’clock. I love you and I know I shall die if you disappoint me!

  Patsy.”

  Norina’s voice died away and she put the letter back in its envelope.

  “That is all, monsieur,” she said.

  “I can feel your condemnation without you expressing it!” the Marquis remarked.

  “I-I am sorry, monsieur, if that is the – impression I have given – you,” Norina replied.

  “You sounded shocked and very disapproving,” the Marquis added accusingly.

  “But not – particularly – of you,” Norina said impulsively.

  “Then of whom?”

  Norina thought that it would be a mistake to answer the question. Yet just as she might have discussed the subject with her father, she said,

  “I suppose I am – shocked that – any woman who is – married should be so – blatantly unfaithful to – her husband.”

  There was a twist to the Marquis’s lips as he replied and his voice was bitter,

  “Then you must have been living in the country, for you obviously have little knowledge of London.”

  “It is not – the sort of – knowledge I wish to – acquire,” Norina answered.

  “I suppose by now you can understand what happened?” the Marquis said.

  It was a question and after a moment Norina replied,

  “Did the – husband of the – Lady who has – written to you – hurt your eyes?”

  She thought as she spoke she was being rather brave in asking such a question.

  “He fired at me with a shotgun,” the Marquis replied. “I was fortunate in that I was w
earing an overcoat, which received the majority of the pellets and my hat was also spattered with them. However, a number embedded themselves in the skin around my eyes and to save my sight the doctors have insisted that I keep them bandaged for quite a long time.”

  Norina stared at him.

  This was something she had never anticipated might be the reason for his blindness and in a voice he could hardly hear, she said,

  “He – shot at you – even though – you were – unarmed? I cannot believe – anyone who was – a gentleman could do such a thing!”

  “The man in question will tell you that he is a Nobleman and therefore does not have to behave like a gentleman!”

  “I think it is – utterly disgraceful! And if it was known he would be – turned out of his Club – and no decent man would – speak to him.”

  “I can see, madame, you have an idealistic view of how English gentlemen behave, but I am afraid when it comes to jealousy, they are as gauche as any gamin in the backstreets of Paris!”

  Now the bitterness in the Marquis’s voice was unmistakable.

  Norina clasped her hands together.

  “But if the oculist – says you will – get well, surely it is – only a question of time?”

  “Yes, time, but I have no intention of being laughed at and sneered at for trusting a woman who was quite obviously untrustworthy!”

  “Then – what can you do?” Norina asked.

  “I will leave tomorrow for Paris. Are you prepared to come with me?”

  “Yes – yes – of course,” Norina agreed.

  “Then answer the invitations formally by saying, ‘Le Marquis de Carlamont thanks you for your kind invitation, but has had unexpectedly to return to France owing to the illness of one of his relatives’.”

  “A-and the – letters?” Norina asked.

  “Tear them up – throw them in the fire and let her wait!” the Marquis answered.

  Now the venom in his voice was unmistakable.

  As Norina did as he told her, she thought that she could understand exactly what he was feeling.

  A woman had treated him as treacherously as she had been treated by Violet.

  The flames devoured the two letters she had flung into the fire.

  As they did so, Norina wished that she could destroy in the same way the ties which bound her to her stepmother.

  ‘They are – both utterly – despicable!’ she told herself.

  Chapter four

  Despite the Marquis’s resolution to escape from London, they were not able to leave until the next day.

  The Courier, who was engaged to arrange the journey, explained that it would be impossible, at such short notice, to obtain cabins on the cross-channel steamer, nor, he pointed out, for the French to attach the Marquis’s private coach to the express train to Paris.

  Grudgingly the Marquis conceded that he would wait another day and he gave strict instructions to Jean that nobody was to know that he was still in residence.

  Norina, by this time, had learnt that the house belonged to Lord Winterburn, who was a friend of the Marquis’s.

  He was abroad and had lent him the house while he wished to remain in London.

  The manservant was also the caretaker and his wife the cook.

  Surprisingly Norina found the food delicious and she discovered that most of it had been prepared by Jean.

  She had expected to eat alone, but, when it was time to dress for dinner, the Marquis said,

  “If you dine with me, I can go on discussing any further business there is to be done.”

  He said it sharply, almost as if he resented the fact that she would be with him.

  However, Norina only answered quietly,

  “Merci, monsieur.”

  She thought with a smile of amusement that the black evening gown she had bought would come in useful after all, although, of course, the Marquis would not be able to see her in it.

  It was in fact very becoming, more so, she thought, than the white gowns she had worn as a debutante.

  She wondered a little wistfully if she would ever wear those again and it was depressing to think of the large amount of money her father had expended on her.

  It reminded her again that she must be very careful with what she possessed. It had to last for a long time.

  She was already afraid that when they arrived in Paris, the Marquis would dispense with her services and then she would have to look around for other employment as well as a place to stay.

  As if she were talking to her father, she said to herself,

  ‘It is always a mistake to be frightened by a fence before one has to jump it. I shall just have to wait and see what turns up.’

  It was a relief, at any rate, to know that she could eat everything that was served at the table instead of being afraid she was being poisoned.

  It was difficult to think of what had happened last night without feeling a sense of panic sweep over her and then she told herself that she had to behave calmly and coolly as it was what her mother would have expected.

  Lady Sedgewyn had often said to her,

  “Royalty always behaves with dignity in public. They do not cry at funerals or at any other time and they keep themselves strictly under control, even if they are shot at or bombs are dropped near their carriages.”

  Norina was aware that Queen Victoria had behaved with great bravery when a young man had shot at her in the Park. She told herself that one could not be certain of anything.

  Even the Marquis, who, she was sure, was a most unlikely target, had been shot by a jealous husband.

  It was impossible to think of a worse punishment than to be blinded for life.

  At dinner the Marquis talked quickly and dispassionately on a number of subjects and none of them were in the least personal.

  Fortunately Norina was used to discussing political and international affairs with her father and she did not therefore feel at a loss during the conversation.

  In fact she surprised the Marquis with her knowledge of recent events in France and she thought with a little smile that he was unlikely to suspect her of being as young as she actually was.

  Dinner was not a long meal and the Marquis had everything cut into small pieces by Jean.

  He ate elegantly and she realised that he was determined to appear as natural as possible.

  When dinner was finished, she retired to bed because she was actually very tired.

  When she took off her wig, she brushed her hair, said her prayers, climbed into bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

  *

  Norina was woken by the woman who was married to the manservant pulling back the curtains.

  “Breakfast will be ready in half-an-hour, madame,” she announced.

  She left a can of hot water on the washstand and went from the room.

  Norina wondered if she had noticed her hair and then she remembered that the woman had not seen her before and would therefore not be surprised.

  She, however, fixed her wig very carefully, as it would be disastrous if the Marquis was told that she was disguising herself in any way.

  At breakfast he said very little until they had finished.

  Then the Courier who had been given instructions the previous day came into the room.

  “I thought I should tell you, Monsieur le Marquis,” he said very politely, “that I have managed to engage the two best cabins aboard the cross-channel steamer and have received this morning a telegram from France to say that your private coach will be attached to the afternoon train.”

  “Thank you,” the Marquis replied. “You made sure that no one was aware of my identity?”

  “I booked the accommodation at Victoria and in the steamer in the name of le Comte de Soisson.”

  “Very good,” the Marquis replied.

  The man bowed and left the room and the Marquis said as if he was speaking to himself,

  “The difficulty now will be for me to board the steamer without anybody
noticing me.”

  Norina thought and then she asked,

  “Might I make a suggestion?”

  “What is it?” the Marquis asked.

  “Because you are tall, people are bound to notice your bandage, but, if you are in a wheelchair, people will merely think that you are an old man.”

  “That is a very intelligent suggestion,” the Marquis remarked. “I cannot imagine why I did not think of it myself.”

  He sent Norina quickly to find out if the Courier had left the house and fortunately he was still there.

  The Marquis explained to him what he needed and the Courier promised that he would arrange for a wheelchair both at Dover and Calais.

  The Marquis then allowed Norina to lead him to the study, where a large number of letters had arrived by the morning post.

  There were invitations, which the Marquis ordered to be answered in the same way as those of yesterday, and circulars.

  Norina had been given a small room off the hall as an office.

  She was about to go there when Jean came into the study with a note on a silver salver.

  “What is it?” the Marquis asked.

  “A note, monsieur,” Jean replied, “delivered by a groom.”

  The Marquis stiffened.

  Jean, without being told, passed the silver salver to Norina.

  She saw at once that the note was written in the same hand and on the same writing paper as the two letters she had burned yesterday.

  She waited until Jean had left the room before she said,

  “I think, monsieur, that this letter comes from the Lady who waited for you last night. Do you wish me to read it?”

  To her surprise the Marquis asked,

  “What do you suggest?”

  She looked at him, wondering if he really wanted to know her opinion and, realising that he was waiting, she said after a moment,

  “Let me – throw it on – the fire. It will only – hurt you to think of – what happened, and the – sooner you forget it the better!”

  “Do you really think I can forget that I am blind?” the Marquis asked.

  “You are not permanently blind,” Norina insisted, “you are only inconvenienced by not being able to see as clearly as you would wish to do.”

  She spoke impulsively and the Marquis said,