Dorothy Eden (72 page)

“Dougal,” she said slowly, “we must look after Aunt Laura. We must make this up to her with kindness. But do you see what else it means? I haven’t any money at all.”

“By jove, neither you have!” Dougal’s jubilation was short-lived. He looked intensely worried. “I say, Miss Fox, this is going to be tricky. We’ve proved a will when the testatrix isn’t yet deceased. What on earth is the judge going to say?”

“You worry about him tomorrow,” Miss Fox said briskly. “You get your private affairs settled first.”

In the doorway Ethel gave an appreciative chuckle. Dougal looked ruefully at Antonia.

“You see how it is? These women run my life. Do you mind me talking to you in front of them? You’ll probably have to get used to it.” He looked at her with his serious tender rueful eyes. “I haven’t been much use to you. You might have been killed tonight because I was dumb enough to get knocked out. But I love you. I do love you.”

“I love you, too,” Antonia answered gravely.

His face lit up with its great sweetness. He bent his head to kiss her and then it was as if the three women had been spirited away, as if they were in a bare shining world alone.

Henrietta thumping the gun on the ground brought them back. Her heavy plain kind face was torn between joy and grief.

“Yes, that’s all very well,” she said. “You two can be happy. But me, I’ve had my hour. I don’t suppose in all my life I’ll ever have another chance to use this gun.” Then her sense of humour returned and she smiled reminiscently. “Ah, but it was grand while it lasted.”

Dorothy Eden (1912–1982) was the internationally acclaimed author of more than forty bestselling gothic, romantic suspense, and historical novels. Born in New Zealand, where she attended school and worked as a legal secretary, she moved to London in 1954 and continued to write prolifically. Eden’s novels are known for their suspenseful, spellbinding plots, finely drawn characters, authentic historical detail, and often a hint of spookiness. Her novel of pioneer life in Australia,
The Vines of Yarrabee
, spent four months on the
New York Times
bestseller list. Her gothic historical novels
Ravenscroft
,
Darkwater
, and
Winterwood
are considered by critics and readers alike to be classics of the genre.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Bride by Candlelight

Copyright © 1954 by Macdonald & Co., Ltd.

Bridge of Fear

Copyright © 1961 by Dorothy Eden

Original title:
Afternoon for Lizards

Cat’s Prey

Copyright © 1952 by John Durrows

Cover design by Connie Gabbert

978-1-4804-2976-5

This edition published in 2013 by Open Road Integrated Media

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New York, NY 10014

www.openroadmedia.com