Dear Tiberius; (aka Nurse Nolan) (27 page)

But when at last Lucy and Sir John were brought back to the hotel and both of them were quite intact—save that Lucy had in some way injured her ankle—her relief had been almost exquisite. Lucy looked tired and weary and they were both hungry, but Lucy had stars in her eyes, and Sir John looked as if he could never be unhappy about anything again in his life.

And then, later, their news had come out. Lucy was going to marry Sir John! Miranda had shrieked and hurled herself on Lucy and hugged her with all her rapidly returning strength and been almost tearful in her delight. Lucy to be her stepmother...! It was better, much better even than that she would marry Dr.
Wern
!

And if Dr. Wern wanted anyone to marry him—well, all he needed to do was to wait a few years and then he could marry her!

Everyone joined in the laughter when she made this announcement, but only Lucy—so happy herself that she was keenly alive to any unhappiness in another—saw how quickly the doctor turned away and left the room when all the congratulations were over. And she thought of him going back to his clinic in Vienna and taking up his work again, and she hoped that one day he would meet someone who would be worthy of him, and who might help him to forget her completely.

But she could not feel unhappy for long about anything today, and now that the evening had arrived and she was rested and refreshed, despite the niggly little pain in her ankle, she could only feel deep thankfulness because everything had worked out so wonderfully for herself. She had all her life to devote to two people she loved, Sir John and Miranda! But it was Sir John who made her heart turn over whenever she looked at him.

He carried her up to her room that night, and when he had set her down in the comfortable, cushioned chair beside her bed, he stood looking down at her. There was just one thing Lucy had to know, and trying not to allow herself to be swept away by the ardor of his glance, she asked her question,
“
Did you give Miss Harling a ring
...
a ring to wear as an engagement ring, John?
”

It sounded a ridiculous question, but until she knew the answer her mind could not be entirely at rest.

Sir John frowned for a moment, looked puzzled and then, to her astonishment, nodded.

“
A ring, yes,
”
he said.
“
But it was not to wear as an engagement ring. It was a ring belonging to my mother that she fancied and that I gave her because there are lots of others in the same jewelcase.
”
He looked suddenly worried.
“
Do you mind very much about losing one ring, Lucy? There are so many others and they will all be yours!
”

Lucy could have laughed hysterically in her relief.

“
Mind? Oh, John, I don
’
t want any rings—at least, only one ring!
”
her heart said.
“
Only a plain gold wedding ring!
”

Sir John knelt down and carefully removed her evening slippers for her. Then he gathered up both her hands and held them against his lips.

“
Do you know what I want to do more than anything else?
”
he asked.

Lucy shook her head.

“
I want to take you home to Ketterings and present you to Purvis and Abbott as their new mistress!
”