Read Online The Cross of Love by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Cartland
Tags: Fiction - Romance
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he went on. "For the sake of future generations. Children. Grandchildren. They need houses like this to remind them of our glorious history. Such places are a sacred trust. They must be preserved at all costs."
His voice was like the cawing of a rook.
"But the place is falling down," he went on. "How the devil do you manage to live here?"
"I have nowhere else to go, and very little choice about how I manage here! I can't sell the house or the lands because they're entailed. They have to be passed on to my heir - intact, which is rather amusing considering the state they're in now."
Mr. Wyngate leaned back against the sofa, and looked pleased.
"That is exactly what I want to talk to you about," he said. "You'd find this place very empty and depressing - if you did not have your cousin with you."
He left the last words hanging in the air, having given them a sly emphasis that made John want to hit him.
"If you mean what I think you do, sir, then let me inform you that my cousin is a most honourable lady, of impeccable reputation and - "
"Yes, yes, yes," the other man said testily. "I'm sure she's as pure as the driven snow. They always are, you know, and if you haven't learned that by now then it's time you did. Never mind her. I don't care what you do as long as she's out of the way when the time comes. I don't want any trouble, d'you hear?"
"I fail to understand you, sir," said John stiffly.
"No, you don't. You understand me perfectly. We're both men of the world and it's a fair bargain. I'll probably be out of pocket, but I don't mind paying for what I want, as long as I get what I pay for. And I always get what I pay for, because there's trouble if I don't."
John stared at him, feeling sick with loathing at this man who spoke of Rena in such a way. He would have liked to slam his fist into Wyngate's face. The only thing that had prevented him was the reflection that he himself had exposed Rena to this by claiming her as his cousin.
To have inflicted violence on him would had cast further suspicion on Rena, so John clenched his fists and controlled himself with a violent effort.
Wyngate's cold eyes met his.
"I'm quite sure you follow me," he said.
John had the nightmarish sensation that cobwebs were being spun around him, and when he tried to break them he would find that they were made of steel.
Where was Rena? Why didn't she come and help him? * Rena and Matilda had reached the lake, and were wandering around it. "What a wonderful place for swimming!" Matilda exclaimed.
"If it was thoroughly cleaned up, yes," Rena agreed.
"I enjoy swimming. In America the girls swim almost as much as the men, but that doesn't seem to happen in England. And when you do swim, you have to wear a swimming costume that smothers you, and is thick and uncomfortable. I swim my best when I have nothing on."
"Does your father allow you to do that?" Rena asked, startled.
"He doesn't know," Matilda admitted. "I wait until he's out shooting or ordering some poor creatures about, then I go out to swim, and I make sure I'm back in my room, dressed like a lady before he returns."
Rena laughed. "I think that's very sensible of you," she said, "as long as he doesn't catch you."
"Yes, he'd be very angry if he thought I wasn't behaving like a perfect lady. And when he says 'lady' he means 'lady with a title'."
"Is that what you want?"
Solemnly Matilda shook her head.
"I'm twenty-four," she said wearily, "and what I want is to stop being dragged about the world, while Papa searches for a title he thinks is grand enough for me, or rather, for him.
"I want to love and marry a man who loves me madly. Then our love would make us happy, whether or not we had Papa's money, or a large house. Without the one you love the grandest house would be cold and empty."
"Then it's love that matters the most to you," Rena said in a soft voice.
There was silence for a moment, then Matilda said:" If I tell you the truth, will you promise not to tell
His voice was like the cawing of a rook.
"But the place is falling down," he went on. "How the devil do you manage to live here?"
"I have nowhere else to go, and very little choice about how I manage here! I can't sell the house or the lands because they're entailed. They have to be passed on to my heir - intact, which is rather amusing considering the state they're in now."
Mr. Wyngate leaned back against the sofa, and looked pleased.
"That is exactly what I want to talk to you about," he said. "You'd find this place very empty and depressing - if you did not have your cousin with you."
He left the last words hanging in the air, having given them a sly emphasis that made John want to hit him.
"If you mean what I think you do, sir, then let me inform you that my cousin is a most honourable lady, of impeccable reputation and - "
"Yes, yes, yes," the other man said testily. "I'm sure she's as pure as the driven snow. They always are, you know, and if you haven't learned that by now then it's time you did. Never mind her. I don't care what you do as long as she's out of the way when the time comes. I don't want any trouble, d'you hear?"
"I fail to understand you, sir," said John stiffly.
"No, you don't. You understand me perfectly. We're both men of the world and it's a fair bargain. I'll probably be out of pocket, but I don't mind paying for what I want, as long as I get what I pay for. And I always get what I pay for, because there's trouble if I don't."
John stared at him, feeling sick with loathing at this man who spoke of Rena in such a way. He would have liked to slam his fist into Wyngate's face. The only thing that had prevented him was the reflection that he himself had exposed Rena to this by claiming her as his cousin.
To have inflicted violence on him would had cast further suspicion on Rena, so John clenched his fists and controlled himself with a violent effort.
Wyngate's cold eyes met his.
"I'm quite sure you follow me," he said.
John had the nightmarish sensation that cobwebs were being spun around him, and when he tried to break them he would find that they were made of steel.
Where was Rena? Why didn't she come and help him? * Rena and Matilda had reached the lake, and were wandering around it. "What a wonderful place for swimming!" Matilda exclaimed.
"If it was thoroughly cleaned up, yes," Rena agreed.
"I enjoy swimming. In America the girls swim almost as much as the men, but that doesn't seem to happen in England. And when you do swim, you have to wear a swimming costume that smothers you, and is thick and uncomfortable. I swim my best when I have nothing on."
"Does your father allow you to do that?" Rena asked, startled.
"He doesn't know," Matilda admitted. "I wait until he's out shooting or ordering some poor creatures about, then I go out to swim, and I make sure I'm back in my room, dressed like a lady before he returns."
Rena laughed. "I think that's very sensible of you," she said, "as long as he doesn't catch you."
"Yes, he'd be very angry if he thought I wasn't behaving like a perfect lady. And when he says 'lady' he means 'lady with a title'."
"Is that what you want?"
Solemnly Matilda shook her head.
"I'm twenty-four," she said wearily, "and what I want is to stop being dragged about the world, while Papa searches for a title he thinks is grand enough for me, or rather, for him.
"I want to love and marry a man who loves me madly. Then our love would make us happy, whether or not we had Papa's money, or a large house. Without the one you love the grandest house would be cold and empty."
"Then it's love that matters the most to you," Rena said in a soft voice.
There was silence for a moment, then Matilda said:" If I tell you the truth, will you promise not to tell
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