Read Online This Way to Heaven by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
Tags: Romance
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she had a charming and interesting face. If she had lived, she would have been an attractive woman.
But the artist had added a stubborn expression to her eyes and she wondered just how much resemblance the picture bore to the original girl.
The Earl pulled his mind away from many unhappy memories of a wife he had never understood.
It had been sensible to marry Millicent.
Indeed he had thought he loved her, but knew now that it had only been affection he had felt.
One of his biggest regrets was that his heart had not been broken at her death.
He had been horrified at the waste, but more than anything consumed with guilt that it had been his fault.
It had been most alarming for him to hear the piano music drifting down the stairways into his study.
Millicent had never had time to learn more than the few baby tunes she had mastered when a child, but this girl from America played quite beautifully and took full value from the piano that was still tuned regularly.
âI will leave you to your reading, my Lord.â
Jasmina stood pulling the cream lace gown tightly round her slender figure.
The Earl frowned and she wondered what strange English rule of manners or behaviour she had broken now.
Perhaps the robe was too flimsy to be worn outside her bedroom? But the silk was fairly heavy and the long lace sleeves and high neckline made it extremely decorous.
âYou seem determined to injure your health, Miss Winfield,â said the Earl, nodding towards the bare feet that peeped out from beneath the hem.
âNonsense, the carpet is quite warm and soft, my Lord. I will come to no harm.â
His dark eyes flashed with impatience.
âGood Heavens! If all girls from your country are as independent as you, then I pity your men folk! Listen, you have walked along a stone passageway to get here and unless you can manage to discover the secret of flight in the next few minutes, I expect that you intend to walk back again. You have had a severe chill and been extremely ill. Cold stones under your feet will do you nothing but harm.â
âThat, my Lord, if you do not mind my saying so is â Oh !â
She gasped as he stepped forward and swung her up into his arms.
Without another word he carried her out of the library and back to her room.
Jasmina felt her world spin around her.
Her ear was pressed against his chest and she could hear the thump, thump, thump of his heart underneath his thin shirt.
Was it beating faster than hers?
She doubted it.
She had never felt so safe or secure in all her life as in the minutes she was held tightly by the Earl of Somerton before he placed her gently on her bed, bowed and walked away without a backward glance.
CHAPTER FIVE
During the night the snow clouds had vanished over the frozen Yorkshire countryside and the moon swam up into the midnight sky as the temperature fell fast to below zero.
Jasmina awoke to a world hanging in a multitude of icicles, glittering brilliant white outside her window.
She could hear dogs barking and the sound of sheep in the clear crystal air.
A knock at the door heralded a little maid with big brown eyes wearing a bright blue dress and white apron.
The pleated cap on her frizzy brown hair looked as if it was perched precariously on her head with the use of many hairgrips. She could have been no more than twelve years of age.
She was carrying a heavy brass coal-scuttle almost as big as herself and her face was scarlet from the effort.
She dropped a bob curtsy when she noticed that Jasmina was awake and proceeded to remake the fire that had gone out over night.
Finally she sat back on her heels and announced,
âThere, madam, thatâll make the room snugger for you, I do reckon.â
Jasmina pulled the heavy gold brocade cover round her shoulders and wriggled her toes in the chilly depths of the bed. Her breath was making little white clouds in the icy room.
Old English castles, she decided, were indeed most romantic
But the artist had added a stubborn expression to her eyes and she wondered just how much resemblance the picture bore to the original girl.
The Earl pulled his mind away from many unhappy memories of a wife he had never understood.
It had been sensible to marry Millicent.
Indeed he had thought he loved her, but knew now that it had only been affection he had felt.
One of his biggest regrets was that his heart had not been broken at her death.
He had been horrified at the waste, but more than anything consumed with guilt that it had been his fault.
It had been most alarming for him to hear the piano music drifting down the stairways into his study.
Millicent had never had time to learn more than the few baby tunes she had mastered when a child, but this girl from America played quite beautifully and took full value from the piano that was still tuned regularly.
âI will leave you to your reading, my Lord.â
Jasmina stood pulling the cream lace gown tightly round her slender figure.
The Earl frowned and she wondered what strange English rule of manners or behaviour she had broken now.
Perhaps the robe was too flimsy to be worn outside her bedroom? But the silk was fairly heavy and the long lace sleeves and high neckline made it extremely decorous.
âYou seem determined to injure your health, Miss Winfield,â said the Earl, nodding towards the bare feet that peeped out from beneath the hem.
âNonsense, the carpet is quite warm and soft, my Lord. I will come to no harm.â
His dark eyes flashed with impatience.
âGood Heavens! If all girls from your country are as independent as you, then I pity your men folk! Listen, you have walked along a stone passageway to get here and unless you can manage to discover the secret of flight in the next few minutes, I expect that you intend to walk back again. You have had a severe chill and been extremely ill. Cold stones under your feet will do you nothing but harm.â
âThat, my Lord, if you do not mind my saying so is â Oh !â
She gasped as he stepped forward and swung her up into his arms.
Without another word he carried her out of the library and back to her room.
Jasmina felt her world spin around her.
Her ear was pressed against his chest and she could hear the thump, thump, thump of his heart underneath his thin shirt.
Was it beating faster than hers?
She doubted it.
She had never felt so safe or secure in all her life as in the minutes she was held tightly by the Earl of Somerton before he placed her gently on her bed, bowed and walked away without a backward glance.
CHAPTER FIVE
During the night the snow clouds had vanished over the frozen Yorkshire countryside and the moon swam up into the midnight sky as the temperature fell fast to below zero.
Jasmina awoke to a world hanging in a multitude of icicles, glittering brilliant white outside her window.
She could hear dogs barking and the sound of sheep in the clear crystal air.
A knock at the door heralded a little maid with big brown eyes wearing a bright blue dress and white apron.
The pleated cap on her frizzy brown hair looked as if it was perched precariously on her head with the use of many hairgrips. She could have been no more than twelve years of age.
She was carrying a heavy brass coal-scuttle almost as big as herself and her face was scarlet from the effort.
She dropped a bob curtsy when she noticed that Jasmina was awake and proceeded to remake the fire that had gone out over night.
Finally she sat back on her heels and announced,
âThere, madam, thatâll make the room snugger for you, I do reckon.â
Jasmina pulled the heavy gold brocade cover round her shoulders and wriggled her toes in the chilly depths of the bed. Her breath was making little white clouds in the icy room.
Old English castles, she decided, were indeed most romantic
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