by Betty Neels
He was within an hour of leaving the house when Anneta telephoned. She sounded tearful and burst into a wild speech when he told her that Venetia wasn’t there. ‘But I must speak to her,’ wailed Anneta. ‘Duert, I’ve been so wicked, it was me, not her…’
‘Supposing you start from the beginning,’ said Duert in Dutch, ‘and tell me exactly what is worrying you.’
It all came pouring out, a muddle of half-finished sentences, appeals for forgiveness, and regret that she had blamed Venetia, who was an angel. ‘And you’re angry,’ finished Anneta, ‘and that’s why I did it, so that you wouldn’t be angry, and now you are.’
He reassured her in his calm way. ‘I’m on my way to join Venetia now,’ he said soothingly, ‘and you don’t need to worry any more. Only don’t entangle with any more Jans, my dear.’
He left soon after. He had a long drive ahead of him, but Venetia would be at the end of it, and that was all that mattered. He would be in England within a few hours, and could drive through the remainder of the night…
The beach was empty, and the quiet sea washed the edge of the cove with a soothing swish. Venetia wandered across the sand towards the rocks, her head empty of everything but one wish: that Duert could be there with her. She gained the rocks on the further side and stopped to look around her. Duert was sitting on a rock watching her. Her heart jerked against her ribs, and her voice came out in a squeak. ‘Duert, how did you get here?’
‘By car.’ He got up and came towards her. ‘I went back home because I had to see you, and before I left Anneta telephoned. My darling Venetia, why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I promised.’ She added with some spirit, ‘Anyway, you were so angry.’
‘Angry? I could have wrung that man’s neck. The thought of him touching you…’
‘But he didn’t. But you didn’t need to come just to tell me that.’
‘No, I came to tell you what you already know.’ He held out a hand and she caught the sparkle of amethysts, the sheen of pearls and the delicate green of the entwined leaves. ‘I’m in love with you, and this is to prove it, my darling girl. I think that I have always loved you, from the moment I first set eyes on you. Perhaps I didn’t know that when I bought this necklace, I knew only that it was right for you, shy and gentle like that long-ago bride. I am not sure how it happened, but you have become part of my life, and if I ask you to come back to me, and perhaps learn to like me a little, will you do that?’
‘Well, I’ve almost always liked you,’ said Venetia, ‘and I’ve loved you for quite some time.’
She smiled then, and went into his arms to be kissed and kissed again, and Aunt Millicent, looking more like Miss Marple than ever before, nodded her neat head as she watched them from the window. Not that either of them would have minded—they were in their own happy world.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-3982-1
THE CONVENIENT WIFE
Copyright © 1988 by Betty Neels
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