This Way to Heaven by Barbara Cartland Page B

feeling that if he did not tell her now, he never would.
    At last the Earl continued,
    â€œThe horse arrived, but it was scarcely broken in – a chestnut, a wild creature, although good-looking in a flashy way. Probably with calm patient schooling it would have become a fine ride. But Millicent was not a patient type of girl.
    â€œShe had invited some of her young friends to stay at the castle for a weekend party.”
    He passed his hand over his eyes, as if wishing to wipe away the memory.
    â€œAt breakfast that morning she announced that she would show everyone what her new horse could do over the fences. I begged her, I pleaded and finally I ordered her not to be so stupid and rash.”
    Jasmina frowned.
    â€œShe did not listen?”
    He laughed and it was an unhappy cold sound.
    â€œIndeed she did not. She told me that I was an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy if I thought she was the type of old-fashioned wife who was going to obey her husband’s every command.
    â€œShe insisted she was an extremely good rider and she would show me and everyone there just how silly I was to try and stop her. Then –”
    â€œHush! You need say no more!” Jasmina broke in swiftly. “But Richard, as dreadful and tragic as her death was, in no way was it your fault! She was a young girl, probably spoilt by you and your father, whom I have heard doted on her when she became his ward. She went her own way and it led to her untimely death. But you are not to blame.”
    The Earl looked across the flickering candles into her blue eyes.
    â€œI should have been more forceful,” he responded quietly.
    Jasmina sighed.
    â€œRichard, unless you had locked Millicent in her turret room, I cannot see that you could have stopped her!
    â€œWomen are different these days. We make decisions for ourselves and sometimes they are the wrong ones, but the fact that we make them ourselves is still important.”
    He stared at the fearless expression on her face.
    Yes, this young American had a strong independent streak running through her. Why could she not see that in this modern world it could lead her into great danger?
    Although he believed Jasmina when she told him she had not intended to go out onto the ice this afternoon, she had still done so when Florence fell over.
    And she could easily have drowned in the freezing waters of the lake.
    â€œSo you would have done the same thing? Gone against all my wishes?” he enquired slowly.
    Jasmina pushed her plate away.
    â€œWell, I would like to think that I would not have been deceived by the bogus horse-trader in the first place! But at your poor wife’s young age with no real knowledge of the outside world and taking everyone at face value, then maybe I would.”
    â€œAnd obeying your husband? Would that not be a rule you lived by?”
    Jasmina reached out her hand and began to toy with the lilies and holly leaves of the table decoration.
    â€œLove, honour and obey, is that not what every wife promises at the altar?” she replied thoughtfully. “I hope I will do everything in my power to keep that vow when I take it.
    â€œI believe I would never marry anyone I could not trust implicitly, but I cannot obey a man whose commands are wrong. God gave us all common sense and everyone even women have to use it!”
    The Earl pushed back his chair and stood up.
    But the force of his movement slid the contents of the table to one side and Jasmina grunted with pain as a holly leaf cut into her finger.
    â€œYou are hurt!”
    â€œNo, it is nothing.”
    â€œLet me see?”
    He smiled suddenly.
    â€œAnd that is a request, not an order!”
    She raised her hand and he took it gently, bending his dark head to examine the pearl of red that was welling up from where the thorn had pierced her skin.
    Taking a handkerchief from his pocket he dabbed the blood away.
    â€œI think you will live!”
    Then a look of pain swept across