Hide and Seek for Love (18 page)

“I'm sure there won't be any difficulty, my Lord,” came in Newman.

“Lastly, Cosnet is to buy flowers for the Chapel.  It may not be as clean as we would like, but he promises to do his best and we don't want anyone else to know what occurred last night until the money is safely in the hands of the Bank Manager.”

“That is so sensible of you,” said Benina.  “As you say, David, it would be dreadful if anyone held us up and prevented us reaching the Bank.”

She need not have worried, as everything went just as David had planned.

It was only as the men carried the trunks into the Bank Manager's private room that he thought Mr. Morley would have a stroke when he saw what they contained.

“I can scarcely believe my eyes, my Lord.  It seems impossible that so much money, which has been hidden for so long, has come back to us.”

“Now it is back in your keeping and I want most of it invested immediately in really safe shares that will pay good dividends now and in the future.”

“You can leave it to us, my Lord, and I promise that you will not be disappointed.”

Mr. Morley kept glancing down at the money as if he could not really believe it was there.

David left him and went off to see the Archbishop, who asked him to go to his private apartment.

The Archbishop of Canterbury greeted David with outstretched hands.

“It is delightful to meet you, my Lord.  I heard you were back home, but was told that things were very difficult for you which I must say I rather expected.”

“Very difficult indeed, Your Grace.”

Because he thought it only right for the Archbishop to know everything, he told him the whole story, while at the same time suggesting it would be a great mistake if it was known to everyone.

“I will, of course, tell the world that your grandfather was merely neglectful of the estate in his old age and did not realise what poverty and depression he was causing.”

“It will all be put right now, Your Grace, and, of course, I will see to the Church, which also requires repair like everything else in the house and in the village.”

“I should be most grateful if you could and I am sure you will realise that the stipend the Vicar has received has been very small.  Although I did try to speak to your grandfather, he would not listen to me.”

“I will put it right,” promised David, “and I would like to give a donation of thankfulness to go to any charity in the County you think is in need of it.”

The Archbishop thanked him again and blessed him before he left.

Once he had returned to the carriage, they drove to where they had agreed to pick up Nanny and Benina.

It was rather a long wait.

When they came there was a large number of shop assistants carrying dress boxes and hatboxes and somehow they managed to pile everything into the carriage.

Once again they had to travel with their legs resting on boxes between the seats and on top were a great number of flowers that Cosnet had bought.

It was almost impossible for them to see Nanny and Newman on the other side and it was difficult for David to hold Benina's hand, but only to kiss it.

He felt a little quiver course through him as he did so and knew that the same was happening to her.

Newman had bought a case of fine champagne and placed an order for several more cases of wine to follow as well as a wedding cake, although for the moment it was to be kept a secret from Benina.

So that she should not see it, it was up on the front of the carriage and held in place by Cosnet.

When they returned to Ingle Hall, there was no time for Benina to talk to David, as she so wanted to.

Nanny insisted she should have a bath and Cosnet carried up the hot and cold water to her bedroom.

The wedding dress was simply lovely – it had been expensive and was actually a show gown to be put in the window to attract other brides to the shop.

After she had finished her bath Nanny dressed her, making her hair look really glorious and as she was putting in the final touches, Newman came in with the family tiara as well as a veil that he had found in a box in the safe.

There was an old diamond necklace to match the tiara and two diamond bracelets to wear on her wrists.

When she looked in the mirror, Benina could hardly believe she was still herself.

She was sure as she went downstairs that her father and mother would be proud of her.

David was waiting for her in the study dressed in his smartest uniform.

For one moment they just looked at each other.

Then he offered her his arm.

Slowly they walked down the long corridor that led to the one at the end of which was the Chapel.

As they did so, Benina was aware that Nanny had slipped down another staircase and would already be waiting for them.

Only the people who had been part of their life in these last desperate days of hunting for the money were to be the witnesses at their wedding.

When they reached the door of the Chapel, Benina gave a gasp.

Cosnet had certainly made the Chapel look so very different from when she had last seen it.

There seemed to be flowers everywhere and three candles were alight on the altar.

The Vicar was waiting for them wearing a white embroidered surplice.

It was a simple Service and the Vicar read it with a sincerity that was deeply moving.

When they finally knelt at the altar to receive the blessing, Benina was certain her father and mother were looking down, thrilled and delighted that she had found the same love they had known and which was still with them in Heaven.

She was sure that it was their help and her prayers that had saved David's life and made it possible for her to be his wife.

‘
I love him
, I love him,' she wanted to shout out.

But the words vibrated in her heart as though repeated by songs of angels as David drew her to her feet.

He pulled back her veil and kissed her very gently.

She knew that it was not only a kiss of dedication and Holiness, but also one of such perfect happiness that it could not be expressed in any other way.

When the ceremony was over they all went into the library where Newman offered them glasses of champagne and pieces of wedding cake.

Benina cut the cake, as was correct, with a sword that David had used when he had been a soldier in India.

She sent up a fervent prayer as she did so that he would never have need to use a sword or his revolver again against an enemy.

Then they were all drinking the health of the bride and bridegroom and the room was filled with laughter.

*

Later David and Benina dined alone and enjoyed a delicious dinner cooked naturally by Nanny.

Afterwards it was impossible for them to remember what they had eaten – they had only known that they were together.

When they gazed into each other's eyes, they forgot what they were saying.

Once dinner was over, they went back to the study for a last look at the wedding cake and more important to look up at the ceiling.

There was a large empty hole gaping above them.

“We ought to put a plaque on it,” laughed Benina.

“We will never forget how we found it, because never again, my dearest darling, do I want you to come into contact with anything so unpleasant or ugly as an avenging Russian.”

Benina put out her hand to him.

“You don't think they will try again?”

David shook his head.

“No.  One thing I will say in their favour is that, if they fail in a project, they invariably, so we found in India, concentrate on their next objective.”

Benina put her arms around him.

“I suppose I shall always be frightened of losing you, David.”

“You will never lose me, Benina, as we are part of each other for ever – and now, my precious, beautiful and glorious wife, I am going to teach you about love.”

He kissed her tenderly.

“I think it is a subject you know very little about.”

It was later that evening when they were together in the Master bedroom and David was kissing her until she felt as if the stars themselves had fallen down from the sky.

“I love you, I adore you,” he kept saying.

Benina found it impossible to say anything, only to feel the wonder of his kisses and the touch of his hands.

It was so exhilarating and there were no words she could find to express the beauty of her sensations.

It was then she mumbled almost in a whisper,

“You said you would teach me about love, darling David.  Please, you must teach me to love you, as you want to be loved.  I am so afraid of disappointing you.”

“You could never disappoint me, Benina.  You are everything I believe a woman should be, but at the same time I did not think anyone so perfect and so wonderful could possibly exist in this world.”

“I will try to be everything you want me to be – and it is so marvellous being with you that I feel we are already in Heaven.”

“That is exactly what we will go on feeling and, my precious, we will make this house so beautiful and so filled with our love that everyone who comes here will feel that we have bequeathed them some of our happiness.”

“Only you could think of that, David, and of course it is just what I want to happen too.”

“Miracles have happened already and miracles will happen again in the future.  It is you, my darling, who will make the miracles true and real, not only for me but for all those who crave to be as happy as we are.”

Benina put her arms round his neck.

“I love you and my love is so overwhelming that I am frightened I will wake up and find it is only a dream.”

“It
is
a dream, Benina, but we are going to live it not only for this life but for all Eternity and perhaps even longer.”

Then he was kissing her.

Kissing her until they both felt that they were flying into the sky, and, as he made her his, they touched the Divine Love which is God and which would be theirs forever.

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