Chapter 1

When Mariella St.Vincent was only nineteen years old her father arranged for her to marry. Although her husband had been chosen for her, she found the match to Richard Moresby, the Ninth Earl of Eastchester, quite agreeable. Her husband was fourteen years her senior and a career soldier, he was also tall and dashing. Mariella was fair-haired, pale-skinned, and beautiful! She looked forward to bearing his children and living happily for many years on the Eastchester Estate, in Derbyshire.

However, fate intervened, and after only two weeks of marriage, Richard Moresby's regiment was posted overseas on active service. He wrote as often as he could, but the mail still took some time to arrive. And then it stopped. As a new bride, and one unaccustomed to Army ways, she feared the worst. She knew the dangers of her husband's profession, and while the letters kept arriving she managed to live with her fear and loneliness; but not knowing anything was worse! After an interminable wait, she was visited by a senior officer from Richard's regiment: they had suffered heavy casualties and were returning home. However the news wasn't all good: Richard had suffered serious injuries and his army career was over.

"You must prepare yourself, Lady Moresby, Sir Richard's injuries will have a profound effect on both of your lives!"

"What ... what exactly..." She stumbled over the words.

"I'm afraid that you may find this rather harrowing, Lady Moresby! Sir Richard was caught in the blast of an exploding artillery shell. The surgeons think that he will regain partial sight, but it is too soon to know exactly how much. The blast also shattered the bones in his right leg, and they amputated below the knee. Can I fetch you some water, Lady Moresby!"

"Thank you, no! May I ask you, though: with injuries so severe, how did he survive?"

"It appears that one of his company was nearby and was less badly wounded. This man managed to tie a tourniquet on Sir Richard's leg to stop the bleeding, then, despite his own injuries, he carried your husband back to his lines!"

"If I may be indelicate, Major: my husband's greatest wish before he left was for heirs..." He smiled, sympathetically:

"I believe that there is still no natural impediment to that wish, Lady Moresby."

"And when can I expect my husband home, Major Carstairs?"

"By the end of next week I hope, My Lady!"

The servants were lined up outside Moresby Manor, awaiting the arrival of their employer. More than one heart was broken that day as the automobile pulled up outside the house and a matronly-looking woman in nurse's garb helped him out of the vehicle. He still wore his uniform, but the lower right trouser leg was now pinned up, and the eyeglasses on his face contained black, almost opaque, lenses. His nurse handed him his crutches and then steadied him as he stood tall.

"Richard!" Mariella exclaimed, fighting to control the emotion in her voice.

"Hello, My Dear! Who else is here?"

"All the staff, Darling!" He produced his best smile as he addressed everyone there:

"Thank you all for welcoming me home today! You will excuse me if I don't greet you all personally! Well, as you can see, not quite as much of me has returned this time! But life goes on, and I'd like you all to take a minute to think about all those poor wives and children, sweethearts and parents, whose lives are now permanently blighted by the loss of those who won't be returning, or who will live what's left of their lives with much more serious injuries than mine!

"I have been told that although my sight has been permanently damaged, it may improve a little in time; but until then, and perhaps afterwards, I will need you all to help me even more than you have done in the past ... and my wife, too, of course! She will no doubt try to do too much; but she will need your assistance, which I know that you will give freely! This other lady by my side, is my nurse, Mrs Chambers ... she will be here for some time, too, I imagine, taking care of my medical needs until I learn to function independently. Thank you all again for greeting me ... now let us get on with our lives as best we can!"

Once inside the house all the servants dispersed, except the butler.

"Mr Edwards, will you be so good as to show Mrs Chambers to her quarters ... I thought the room that my grandmother used to occupy! And have someone take her luggage up. Then perhaps you could arrange for her to have refreshments and explain the house routine to her! If you wouldn't mind giving me a little time with my wife, Mrs Chambers, I shall call you if I need you!"

"Very well, My Lord!"

"I am so sorry, My Darling: I fear that all of this has hit you hardest of all!" Richard Moresby said to his wife when they were alone at last, "I believe that every soldier who serves his country knows the risks, but a part of him never believes that he will be the one to get injured or killed! I know that I am no longer the man that you married, My Love, but I promise that I shall do everything in my power and within my resources to make you happy!" She took his hand in hers.

"It was a shock, Darling; but at least you came back to me! Hopefully we will have strong, healthy children in time, and we shall both live to be happy and proud of them!"

"Yes, a happy ideal! And in a few months, when the wound on my leg has healed completely, they are going to give me one of those false ones; then at least we'll be able to walk in the grounds together again! My biggest regret, Darling, is that I can no longer look upon that beautiful face of yours; but I have it locked safely away in my memory, and in my heart!"

"And when will we be able to try for children, Richard?"

"Not yet, I fear, My Love ... but soon I hope!"

"Richard, when Major Carstairs was here, he told me that your life was saved by one of your men ... do you know what happened to him; did he return, too?"

"Indeed he did!" Lord Moresby exclaimed, " ... In fact, you will be meeting him soon, I hope! As a token of my gratitude, I've given him a job and the use of one of the estate cottages! He's going to be one of my gamekeepers!"

"Then I truly look forward to seeing him so that I can thank him personally! What's his name?"

"Jack Campbell."

Time passed, and the Earl grew stronger, physically and mentally, and more used to his limitations. Although there were things that he couldn't do, something that he still could, was to ride. Richard and Mariella Moresby mounted their horses with the aid of his grooms: it was going to be more of a steady walk, rather than a canter or a gallop around their estate; as although Lord Moresby was now fit enough to ride, his impaired sight and leg injury meant that he would need to stay close by his wife's side. So as they rode they talked: Mariella describing as much as she could of the landscape that he knew so well but could no longer see for himself.

As they made their way slowly along one of the bridle paths, a man carrying a shotgun stepped deliberately onto the track in front of them. Whether it was the unexpected sight of a stranger with a gun, or the fact that she didn't think that she'd ever seen such a handsome man before, Mariella gave a little gasp that her husband heard.

"What is it, My Dear!"

"Begging your pardon, Captain! I believe I startled Her Ladyship!" Jack Campbell said. Richard Moresby smiled.

"Alas, Captain no more, Jack! Just Sir Richard from now on! Mariella, this is the man who saved my life! How are you, Jack: how are your family in London?"

"My Lady!" Jack said, touching the peak of his cap. "My parents and family are all well, Sir Richard, and I'm settling in to the 'keeper's cottage quite nicely! Joseph is good man, and I'm learning a lot from him!"

"Yes, he's been my family's gamekeeper since before I was born! As a boy I spent many hours in his company: it was he who taught me to shoot! I really must call in on him one day! Well, if you'll excuse me, Jack, we have a little more riding to do, then we must return to dress for dinner. I hope we'll meet again, soon!"

Jack once again looked up at Mariella with his blue eyes and touched his cap. She in turn nodded to acknowledge him. She wanted to look back as their horses walked on, but she didn't.

"Salt of the earth, and a damn fine soldier ... as were all those brave lads. Such a damn pity so few came home!" Sir Richard declared, wistfully.

"You know, Mariella, the best way to see the estate is on foot: I shall have to get Joseph or Jack to take you out one day! Would you like that, Darling!"

"Yes, Richard, I think I would!" she said: the image of the handsome gamekeeper was still fresh in her memory.

The time had arrived for Sir Richard to be fitted with his prosthetic limb, so he and Nurse Chambers were travelling down to London by motorcar. She would visit her own family while he was receiving treatment; and how well he did in London would determine how much longer she stayed in Derbyshire with him after that. Before he left, Sir Richard had contacted his Head Keeper: to arrange for Mariella's walking tour of the estate. At that time it was undecided who would be her guide, and she couldn't say who her preference was for.

"What do you think I should I wear, Richard?" she had asked him.

"Oh, a pair of stout boots and nothing too restrictive!" was all he said.

"Then not a long skirt and petticoats. You men have it much easier! Do you think I dare wear a pair of your knee britches, Richard ... I can alter them to make them fit me better!"