Benina felt that David was already thinking that she had been hysterical and unnecessarily scared and she was just about to say she was sorry and would go back to bed.
Then there was just the faintest sound behind them.
They both turned round.
David peeped out of the left side of the curtain and Benina the right.
There was nothing to see by the light of the candles except the room just as they had left it.
Benina noticed that one of the cushions on the sofa looked crushed and Newman must have forgotten to pat it back into shape after he had drawn the curtains.
It was then they heard just the slightest creak of the door being opened.
Benina drew in her breath and she felt sure David was doing the same.
Slowly the door opened just an inch or so.
Then suddenly it was flung forward violently and two men burst into the room.
They were both carrying rifles at the ready.
For a moment David paused.
Then he pulled back the curtain and shot at the man facing him.
He wounded him not in the heart, as it would have killed him, but in the arm that was carrying his rifle.
He gave a loud scream and toppled backwards and his rifle went off with a deafening bang as he did so.
The bullet flew upwards towards the ceiling.
It was then with a swiftness that must have come from a soldier’s training, the other man aimed at David.
Before he could pull the trigger Benina aimed her revolver and shot him in the shoulder.
Just as his companion had done, he fell backwards and his rifle went off as he did so with a resounding report.
Next there came a crash from the window as a third assailant burst in behind David and Bernina.
David raised his fist and smashed it into the man’s jaw, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
Even as David and Benina came from behind the curtains, Newman and Cosnet were running into the room.
They had obviously not gone to bed as they were both fully dressed and carrying their rifles in their hands.
The men on the floor were groaning and writhing about. Their rifles were lying on the floor beside them.
David took charge at once.
“Take these men to the Police Station immediately. Charge them with breaking and entering here with intent to murder anyone who tried to stop them.”
There were broad smiles on the faces of Newman and Cosnet.
Cosnet ran back to the kitchen to fetch ropes.
Looking down at the wounded men as they waited, Benina knew without even hearing them swear in their own language that they were Russians – they were not big men but unpleasant-looking and undoubtedly strong.
She recognised that if David had not been armed he would have been lying dead at this very moment.
Cosnet came back with the ropes.
“Ben’s gone to find a cart to take them devils to the Police. I be thinking, my Lord, if they recovers from their wounds, they’ll be deported.”
“They will undoubtedly end up in prison for some years, so I don’t think we need to worry about them.”
“It’s a good thing you was armed, my Lord.”
Newman was passing through the door dragging the second and third men, while Cosnet had already pulled the first man into the passage.
Benina guessed that they would stay there until Ben brought a cart round to the front door.
David picked up the Russians’ rifles and put them on a side table.
“I expect the Police will need these as evidence.”
Then, as he turned round, he saw Benina looking at him, her blue eyes wide and frightened.
For a moment they just looked at each other and then with a little sob, she cried,
“They would have killed you – ”
As she spoke the tears ran down her cheeks. David put his arms round her.
“But it was you who saved me, Benina, when you advised me to carry a revolver and you shot that man who would have killed me.”
“I was terrified – so very terrified.”
She looked up at him as she spoke.
Then David’s lips were on hers.
At first he kissed Benina gently as if he would kiss away her tears.
Then, as he could feel the softness and innocence of her lips, his arms tightened.
His kisses became more demanding.
He knew, as he had realised already, that she loved him.
It was a different love from anything he had ever known in his life.
A love, which, although he had not really admitted it, he had sought, but thought he would never find.
He kissed her until they were both breathless.
Then he suggested gently,
“You must go to bed, my darling. I must see first to these men being taken away, then we can both rest without worrying.”
“Thank God – you are safe,” murmured Benina.
“Absolutely safe and all thanks to you. So now my precious, do what I want you to do and in the morning we will talk about it all again.”
As he spoke and was about to take his arms from her, he suddenly felt something strike him on his forehead.
It made him start.
And then as he looked to see what it could be, he was struck again.
Benina gave a cry.
“Look, look!” she cried and pointed to the ceiling.
David looked up.
As he did so, another coin would have struck him if he had not stepped to one side.
As he had fallen, the bullet from the first Russian’s rifle had made a hole in the ceiling and now it was easy to see the plaster of the ceiling was falling gradually away.
As it did so, more gold coins fell with a crash onto the floor.
Both David and Benina were speechless.
Then she called out frantically,
“It’s the treasure! We have found it! We have just – found it – David!”
Her voice broke and once again tears were running down her cheeks.
David put his arms around her.
“We have found it, my darling, and now everything will be exactly as we want it to be.”
Then he was kissing her again.
Kissing her for sheer joy.
When their lips were not held by each other’s, they were laughing.
At the eleventh hour everything was wonderful!
It was a long time later before he could persuade Benina that they must go upstairs.
By this time a large number of gold coins had fallen into a pile on the carpet.
She kept turning them over in her hands as if even now she could not believe they were real.
When they eventually left, the passage was empty and the front door closed. Newman and Cosnet must have driven their prisoners away in triumph.
They walked together upstairs and David said,
“I think that neither of us will sleep if we do not see exactly how my grandfather hid his treasure in the floor. I must admit it never occurred to me – ”
“The floors are so strongly built. I cannot imagine how he managed it.”
They went into the Master bedroom.
With a cleverness that no one would have credited him with, the Marquis had succeeded in dislodging one of the heavy beams directly under his bed.
He had sawn through one of the strong beams used by the Elizabethan builders of Ingle Hall.
Between the floor of the Master bedroom and the ceiling of the study there was a whole foot of empty space and that was where he had deposited his precious money.
Then he refitted the beam back so exactly that the Marquis would know that no one would look for his treasure there unless they had taken the whole house to pieces.
David let Benina look and touch it and then he put the beam back into its place.
“We are both tired and quite frankly I need help to move that lot, exhausting though it may be!”
Benina laughed.
“You will undoubtedly sleep well on top of it and have very happy dreams.”
“Very happy dreams,” repeated David, “and you, my darling, will have them too.”
“I love you, David. Do you – really love me?”
He knew that she was thinking that perhaps he had kissed her only in the excitement of the moment.
“I have loved you for a long time, my Benina, but I would not admit it to myself because I had nothing to offer you – nothing except a large house and very little food.”
“That is all over now!”
“It most certainly is. Now go to bed, my beautiful darling, because I have lots of plans for tomorrow.”
“I want to help you – with all of them.”
“They could not be carried out without you.”
He put his arms round her and drew her out of his room and along to her own.
When they were inside her bedroom, he lifted her up and placed her gently on the bed.
“You have been more wonderful, my Benina, than I can possibly tell you, but we will discuss it all tomorrow.”
He kissed her very tenderly and very lovingly.
Before she could protest, he left the room, closing the door behind him.
For a moment she could hardly believe that he had gone.
Then she began to realise what had happened.
What was more important than finding the treasure was that David loved her.
And then she began to pray.
‘Thank you, dear God, for Your love and his,’ she prayed over and over again until she fell fast asleep.
*
It was Nanny who woke Benina the next morning.
She came bustling in and pulled back the curtains.
“I’ve never heard such a to-do and to think I slept all though it and missed the fun. It’s more than I can bear.”
“Oh, Nanny it is so, so wonderful!”
“It certainly is. You’ve got to hurry now, ’cos his Lordship wants to be off to Canterbury the moment you’ve finished breakfast.”
Benina laughed.
“Of course he wants to take the money back to the Bank. We cannot risk it staying here when anyone might help themselves to it.”
“If you asks me they’d have to be clairvoyant to do so. When I sees the place where the old Lord has hid it, I have to say it were very clever of him.”
“Very clever indeed.”
Nanny helped her into the best of her dresses.
It was not particularly smart, but at least Nanny had mended it by covering up some of the worst patches with sweet little bows of ribbon.
Benina’s hat was pretty as it had been trimmed to match her dress and she carried it in her hand as she walked downstairs.
She had already learnt that David had been up since six and he and Newman had retrieved all the money from its hiding place and packed it into trunks.
Benina, however, was not thinking of the money as she walked into the dining room.
She was thinking just how much she loved David and praying that he would still love her as he had said he did last night.
When their eyes met, she knew she had no need to be anxious.
Because they were alone, she ran towards him.
He put his arms round her and held her against him, but he did not kiss her.
“We have so much to do today and if I start kissing you now, my sweetness, you will never have breakfast and we shall be standing here until it’s dark!”
Benina laughed.
“I never thought I would sleep last night, but I did, and when Nanny called me, I thought for a moment it was all a dream.”
“It was a bad dream and a nightmare we will never experience again.”
Newman came in with Benina’s breakfast and she realised that David had already eaten.
“We are going to Canterbury today,” he said, “and everyone is coming with us. Just in case by some ghastly chance we are held up and robbed on the way, we will all be armed!”
“I cannot imagine it, but don’t let’s take any risks after all that has happened – ”
“I have no intention of doing so, and that is why I am taking everyone with me and they will be told exactly what they have to do when we reach Canterbury.”
He thought as he spoke how surprised Mr. Morley would be when after all they appeared with the two million pounds.
Because she realised he was in such a hurry, Benina ate her breakfast quickly.
Even so, when she put on her hat and picked up her bag that concealed her revolver, David was already in the carriage outside.
Nanny was just joining him and, as she came down the steps, Newman closed the front door and locked it.
Benina saw that Ben was driving and his father sat beside him.
Newman and Nanny were inside the carriage with their backs to the horse whilst she and David sat opposite them in the best seats.
The two trunks of money were on the floor between them and they would have made it rather uncomfortable if they had not rested their legs on top of them.
Benina slipped her hand into David’s, hoping that Nanny and Newman would not notice.
“This is so exciting,” she cried.
“I guessed you would think so and now that we are on our way to Canterbury, I will tell you exactly what we are going to do when we arrive.”
“I’ve been waiting to hear that,” said Nanny, “and it’s so kind of your Lordship to include me in the party and I’m not pretending it’s not a great experience for me.”
“If it had not been for you, Nanny, we would not have got through all the work,” David told her. “And in future you will be able to put your feet up, as they are now, and give your orders to cooks, scullions and at least half-a dozen housemaids!”
Nanny giggled.
“I’ll believe that when I sees them!”
“You will see them. Newman is coming with me to the agency to see how many experienced staff we can find for the senior jobs, while all the less demanding ones will be filled by people from the village.
“Now what you have to do, Nanny, is to take Miss Benina to best shop in Canterbury – I am sure there will be someone to tell you where it is – and buy her a wedding dress.”
“A wedding dress!” exclaimed Nanny.
Benina glanced at David and he thought no woman could look more radiant or more ethereal.
“I have already sent a letter to the Vicar to ask him to marry us tonight at six o’clock.”
He turned to look at Benina as he spoke and then he breathed very softly,
“Will that suit you, my precious Benina?”
She could only just whisper the word ‘yes’ and he realised that there was no need for words.
With an effort he spoke to Nanny.
“Benina will want every sort of clothes available, and as soon as we go to London, I will buy her a trousseau which will be better and smarter than any other girl in the Beau Monde has ever possessed!”
“That’s something I wants to hear, and you can be quite sure, my Lord, we’ll not disappoint you.”
“You will have quite a lot of time to buy what you require, because I am going to call on the Archbishop of Canterbury to obtain a Special Licence.”
“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.