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Authors: Barbara Cartland
Tags: Fiction - Romance
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the other side of the moat seemed too dark to enter, despite the moonlight. She turned to the right and followed along under the castle walls. A thin ribbon of light across the grass made her look up. The lamp in the Earl's chamber was still burning.
Sarah had remarked that recently the Earl seemed to sit up half the night.
Jacina pressed on and skirted the East tower. The moat was not so wide on this side of the castle. A wooden bridge led over it to a rose garden, a herb garden and an apple orchard. It also led to a pretty copse. A flagstone path ran through the trees to a clearing wherein stood a stone folly. The folly was in the shape of a small, round temple, open to the elements on all sides.
Jacina often came here alone to read when the weather was warm enough. It had become her secret place.
The path that led to the clearing twisted through the copse, sometimes almost doubling back upon itself. She stepped lightly along, her cloak pulled close.
She was right to have come out! The sharp night air seemed to clear her troubled mind. The tranquillity of the landscape soothed her heavy heart.
All was well until she drew near the clearing. Then, to her astonishment, she heard the sound of voices ahead. She was not alone! She hesitated and then crept closer. The dome of the folly came into view. A few steps nearer and she could see the clearing itself through the trees. It was bright under the moonlight and the two figures standing together in the folly were clearly outlined.
Monsieur Fronard and Felice Delisle!
Fronard had Felice's hands grasped in his. He spoke low and urgently. Felice shook her head and Fronard dropped her hands. He said something else and at this Felice threw back her head and gave a silvery laugh. Fronard put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.
He leaned forward and kissed Felice Delisle full on the lips.
With a gasp Jacina drew herself deeper into the shadows. As she did so the edge of her cloak caught on a bush. The whole bush shook as she tugged her cloak free.
Fronard and Felice drew apart and looked her way.
Her heart in her mouth, she turned on her heels and stumbled back through the copse.
She did not know where she was going or what she would do when she got there.
What could she do! All she could think of was Felice and Fronard embracing in the folly.
In her haste she took a wrong turning and slithered into a ditch. Icy water oozed up over the top of her ankle boots. Breathing heavily, she scrambled from the ditch and turned back onto the main path. Her feet were now soaking wet. Low branches lashed at her face as she ran. She broke from the copse just as the moon went sailing into a sudden mass of dark cloud.
The castle at least was still outlined against the sky and she raced towards it. Reaching the moat she was thrown into confusion. Which way was the wooden bridge? It was too dark to see. Should she turn to the left or right?
Her head jerked up. Was that the snapping of a twig in the copse behind her? Her heart went chill in her breast. Suppose Fronard was coming after her? What would such a man do to prevent her reporting what she had seen? She had to take a chance. She must reach the safety of the castle.
Heart pounding she plunged to the left. It was the right decision. She found the wooden bridge and stumbled across. Reaching the castle in minutes she pushed at the heavy door. The stone she had left there tumbled aside.
Now she was running up the stairway, running without pause.
Who could she go to, who?
Even as she reached the top of the stairs, she knew. Sarah! Surely Sarah would listen to her.
She had barely breath left in her body by the time she reached the nursery. She fell against the door and beat upon it with her fists.
"Who's there?" called Sarah.
"It's me, it's me!"
"Jacina?"
The door was opened and Jacina stumbled with a cry into the old Nanny's arms.
CHAPTER FIVE
Firelight flickered on the nursery wall. Jacina sat hunched
Sarah had remarked that recently the Earl seemed to sit up half the night.
Jacina pressed on and skirted the East tower. The moat was not so wide on this side of the castle. A wooden bridge led over it to a rose garden, a herb garden and an apple orchard. It also led to a pretty copse. A flagstone path ran through the trees to a clearing wherein stood a stone folly. The folly was in the shape of a small, round temple, open to the elements on all sides.
Jacina often came here alone to read when the weather was warm enough. It had become her secret place.
The path that led to the clearing twisted through the copse, sometimes almost doubling back upon itself. She stepped lightly along, her cloak pulled close.
She was right to have come out! The sharp night air seemed to clear her troubled mind. The tranquillity of the landscape soothed her heavy heart.
All was well until she drew near the clearing. Then, to her astonishment, she heard the sound of voices ahead. She was not alone! She hesitated and then crept closer. The dome of the folly came into view. A few steps nearer and she could see the clearing itself through the trees. It was bright under the moonlight and the two figures standing together in the folly were clearly outlined.
Monsieur Fronard and Felice Delisle!
Fronard had Felice's hands grasped in his. He spoke low and urgently. Felice shook her head and Fronard dropped her hands. He said something else and at this Felice threw back her head and gave a silvery laugh. Fronard put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.
He leaned forward and kissed Felice Delisle full on the lips.
With a gasp Jacina drew herself deeper into the shadows. As she did so the edge of her cloak caught on a bush. The whole bush shook as she tugged her cloak free.
Fronard and Felice drew apart and looked her way.
Her heart in her mouth, she turned on her heels and stumbled back through the copse.
She did not know where she was going or what she would do when she got there.
What could she do! All she could think of was Felice and Fronard embracing in the folly.
In her haste she took a wrong turning and slithered into a ditch. Icy water oozed up over the top of her ankle boots. Breathing heavily, she scrambled from the ditch and turned back onto the main path. Her feet were now soaking wet. Low branches lashed at her face as she ran. She broke from the copse just as the moon went sailing into a sudden mass of dark cloud.
The castle at least was still outlined against the sky and she raced towards it. Reaching the moat she was thrown into confusion. Which way was the wooden bridge? It was too dark to see. Should she turn to the left or right?
Her head jerked up. Was that the snapping of a twig in the copse behind her? Her heart went chill in her breast. Suppose Fronard was coming after her? What would such a man do to prevent her reporting what she had seen? She had to take a chance. She must reach the safety of the castle.
Heart pounding she plunged to the left. It was the right decision. She found the wooden bridge and stumbled across. Reaching the castle in minutes she pushed at the heavy door. The stone she had left there tumbled aside.
Now she was running up the stairway, running without pause.
Who could she go to, who?
Even as she reached the top of the stairs, she knew. Sarah! Surely Sarah would listen to her.
She had barely breath left in her body by the time she reached the nursery. She fell against the door and beat upon it with her fists.
"Who's there?" called Sarah.
"It's me, it's me!"
"Jacina?"
The door was opened and Jacina stumbled with a cry into the old Nanny's arms.
CHAPTER FIVE
Firelight flickered on the nursery wall. Jacina sat hunched
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