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* * *
Everything had been explained and mulled over at Greystone Manor as everyone gave their own version of events. Lord Bolsover, his face badly scarred by the fire, had retreated to live with his mother, hidden from society, and Paolo Estaban had gone back to Portugal satisfied with his vengeance. Even the scandal was reduced to a simple murmur. It had been made known that Lord Wyndham and Miss Isabel Cavenhurst had agreed to end their engagement by mutual consent and that was followed a few weeks later by an announcement of the betrothal of Miss Isabel Cavenhurst and Mr Andrew Ashton and that of Baron Wyndham of Broadacres to Miss Jane Cavenhurst, eldest daughter of Sir Edward and Lady Cavenhurst of Greystone Manor.
The announcement had been made at a musical recital given at Broadacres by Lady Wyndham. All her aristocratic friends had been invited and it was made clear to them that the evening was in aid of the Hadlea Children’s Home and that they were expected to donate generously. It was a glittering affair, with everyone dressed in their finery to listen to the best musicians and soloists in the country. They had not been forewarned of the announcement and it was greeted with delighted surprise and congratulations all round. Several hundred pounds were raised for the orphans, who now numbered fifteen. The master and housekeeper had arrived at Witherington House, and so had a teacher, an enthusiastic young graduate Mark had found.
The villagers of Hadlea greeted the news of the double engagement with much relief and no surprise. As far as they were concerned, it was something they could all have predicted weeks before.
* * *
Two weddings took place on the same day at St Peter’s church to which they were all invited. Isabel wore the wedding gown Jane had made for her and Jane made another for herself in a rich cream satin. The wedding breakfast, held at Greystone, was the splendid affair Isabel had hoped it would be. The house had been refurbished, not because Drew had paid for it, though he was willing to do so, but because Teddy had come back from India a rich man. On the voyage out to India he had had time to think about his life and where it would lead if he did not mend his ways and, remembering what Drew had said about making his fortune in trade, had turned his back on the card table and tried his hand at commerce. His arrival on the eve of the weddings had made the happy day even happier.
* * *
‘Well, Jane, my love,’ Mark said later that night. ‘We had our miracle, didn’t we?’
‘Only because you and Drew made it happen.’ She was sitting up in the four-poster bed at Broadacres, watching him undress. Dispensing with maid and valet, they had begun undressing each other, little by little, until she was naked and he was wearing only his trousers. It was then she became shy and he stood up to divest himself of the last stitch of his clothing. Then he tumbled on to the bed beside her.
‘Are you happy with our miracle?’ he asked.
‘I could not be happier.’
‘Oh, but I think you can and I shall show you how, my lovely wife.’
She laughed a little nervously as he reached out for her, but then forgot to be nervous as he pulled her to him and began kissing her and stroking her gently and tenderly until she was roused to ecstasies of delight, responding so naturally that he was enchanted. It was a long time before they spoke again and by then they were sated and drowsy and the words ‘I love you’, said by him and repeated by her, were said in a sleepy murmur.
