Moonflower Madness (33 page)

‘Though my wife was unable to travel to Kansu, she will be travelling with me on all my other expeditions. In June we are to leave for Tibet in search of species of roses and rhododendrons still unknown in Europe.'

A chair was placed on the platform for her and, as his lecture had to continue, Zachary had no option but to lead her towards it. He didn't release hold of her hand until she was seated and then he did so only with the deepest reluctance.

She smiled radiantly up at him, reassuring him that everything was all right; that from now on, between the two of them, everything always would be.

He flashed her an answering, heart-stopping grin. ‘We both have other reunions waiting for us in Tibet,' he said, uncaring of his waiting audience. ‘The bearers are making their way there now.'

‘The same bearers that travelled with you to Kansu?' she asked incredulously, hardly daring to believe what might be coming next.

‘Yes,' he said, loving her with all his heart, knowing that he would love her till the day he died. ‘And Bucephalus and Ben are with them.'

There was no time to say any more. His audience were growing impatient and the sooner he continued with his lecture the sooner it would be over, and the sooner he and Gianetta would be together in privacy.

As he turned away from her and towards the waiting sea of faces, Gianetta wondered how she could possibly contain joy so perfect and complete. She was reunited with the only man she would ever love; she would soon be reunited with Ben; and she was again to travel into the heart of remotest Asia. Each and every one of her dreams had come true.

Suddenly her eyebrows rose slightly. Not
every
dream had quite come true. She still hadn't seen a blue Moonflower. A deep and dazzling smile curved her lips. One day, she would. And when she did, her husband would be at her side.

First published in 1993 by Severn House

This edition published 2012 by Bello an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR Basingstoke and Oxford Associated companies throughout the world

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ISBN 978-1-4472-3018-2 EPUB
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Copyright © Margaret Pemberton, 1993

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