This Way to Heaven by Barbara Cartland

that morning and he had no doubt that she would prefer her own company at luncheon.
    â€œA tray will do very well for both of us, I am sure, Mary,” he said at last. “I see no reason for the staff to go to the trouble of heating the dining room and laying up a table.”
    Mary dropped him a short curtsy and left the room sighing.
    Didn’t the silly man realise that the servants would have been thrilled to have had something to do!
    Mrs. Rush for one was becoming more and more irritated that her great culinary skills were no longer being appreciated.
    Serving luncheon on two trays was not making any good use of such a fine cook.
    The Earl was prowling around his study, picking up a book here, putting it down elsewhere, spinning the great globe until it squeaked and then slapping it shut with the palm of his hand.
    He traced with his finger the outline of the United States of America and quickly found the City of St. Louis in Missouri.
    It was right in the very heart of the country, a very very long way from England.
    And soon Jasmina would be returning home and become no more than a memory, as he would to her no doubt. And not a very pleasant one!
    He crossed to the window and gazed out.
    Then he swore under his breath and strode furiously from the room not even stopping to pull on a jacket over his shirt sleeves.
    In the distance he had caught sight of a familiar figure skating off across the deserted lake. Jasmina had defied him once more and was setting out onto the ice!
    *
    Jasmina skated slowly and carefully across the ice, aware that in places the colour of the ice was bluer and less solid, a sure sign that the water was not completely frozen.
    When she reached the crumpled figure, she gasped.
    A little face looked up from under the scarlet hood.
    It was Florence, the young maid who had tended to the fire in her bedroom that very morning.
    â€œFlorence! Are you hurt, child? No, don’t move. Let me see.”
    â€œOh, madam, oh, dear. My ankle’s got all twisted. Oh, it ’urts me somethin’ real bad. Miss Landrey will be that cross with me. Oh!”
    Her lament turned into a shriek as the ice beneath her, warmed by her little body gave a sudden crack.
    Jasmina caught her breath and tried to lift the girl, but she was too heavy.
    â€œFlorence, can you wriggle sideways – towards me. You must get off that piece of ice at once.”
    â€œI can’t move my leg, madam! I’m tryin’. Oh, I’m ever so sorry. It be my afternoon off and I wanted to tell my Dad about you and America. Oh, my leg ’urts so bad. Oh, did you ’ear that crack? Leave me, madam. The ice is goin’ to break. You’ll go under too! Oh, whatever will his Lordship say?”
    â€œNever mind his Lordship,” Jasmina grunted grimly and flung herself flat on the ice, trying to spread her weight evenly over the wicked surface.
    She knew that little Florence would have no chance if she was tipped into the freezing water. Nor would she, of course, but that was the furthest thought from her mind.
    â€œFlorence, now listen to me carefully! I am going to stretch out my hands and you must try to take hold of them and let me pull you towards me.”
    The little girl was sobbing now, but she tried to turn and reach for Jasmina.
    But her thick coat was obstructing her and Jasmina cried out in horror, as another loud cracking noise sounded and thin lines in the ice began to appear around Florence.
    â€œWhatever you do, don’t move! You’ll go through the ice. Let me pass,” a familiar voice called frantically.
    Jasmina gasped.
    She had been concentrating so hard on the maid that she had not heard the swish of a sledge on the ice behind her.
    The Earl was lying full-length on his stomach on a long wooden sledge.
    He managed to manoeuvre it around Jasmina and with a huge pull from his strong arms the little maid came slipping and sliding across the perilous ice to safety.
    Later