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Eliza thought she could not love this man more than she did already, but then he said something like that and her heart turned over and felt fit to burst. She brought his hand to her lips.

‘You know, Rav, for a man so richly endowed with the heroic qualities befitting your birth, the most precious thing about you is your kindness and imagination. Thank you.’

Her husband laughed. ‘You are such a romantic, Eliza, but I am more than glad you are, you forgive me much.’ Still amused, he picked up his paper again. ‘My vaunted kindness and imagination tell me our matchmaking friends will be very smug at the news.’

Eliza remembered how she had longed to tell Marina about the baby and smiled. ‘Oh good! I can write to my sister and inform her she will become an aunt.’

‘A very formidable, bluestocking kind of aunt.’

‘The very best kind.’ Eliza beamed. Having longed for family all her life, the pleasure in creating her own with the man she loved overwhelmed her with joy.

The Irish travellers had told her, when a child, of their legend of the pot of Viking gold buried by leprechauns at the end of the rainbow; for all the following years she had trusted that hidden gold was family, the family she would find.

And every rainbow she saw gave her hope they were waiting for her.

Now, here, in her hands, in her body, was her own pot of gold.

The family she would create for herself.

She slipped her arm round her husband’s waist and felt his warmth, his great heart beating in his veins.

Eliza heard the clock on the tower strike eleven and said, ‘My lord, before you start work with your bailiff, can we take Percy and Horatio for a gallop in the park?’

He had paced to the window to gaze out on the ramparts of his thousand-year-old ancestral home.

With his back still to her, Earl Purfoy said, ‘You have transformed this gloomy, neglected pile of ancient stones into a house of love and fulfilment with roses round the door.’ He turned, his face pale and troubled, his voice quiet.

‘My darling Eliza, you know my sister was thrown from a galloping horse here, on this land, under my watch, and killed instantly. Now you carry our child. I can’t bear to think of you in any danger; I could not survive having my heart broken for a second time. ’

Eliza knew immediately how her desire to ride like the wind was of little consequence in the face of the enormity of their love.

She flew to his side and wound her arms around him tight.

‘Oh Rav! I promise, I promise, I’ll never break your heart.

It’s safe with me. We have met Fate together, there is nothing now for us to fear. ’

He dropped a kiss onto the crown of her head. ‘I don’t want to stop you riding – it’s the delight of your life, I know. But just while you’re with child can you promise me to ride side-saddle and not risk your life or our child’s by jumping walls and hedges?’

Eliza took his hand. ‘Of course, while I carry our child I will ride with due decorum.’

She led him to the stables. Taz greeted them with a grunt and Lord Purfoy said, ‘Can you dust off my mother’s side-saddle and get Percy ready for my lady?’

Taz gave them both a shrewd look, then turned to walk to the stables. He put the old leather saddle on Percy and as he was tightening the girth, he met his master’s eyes with a piercing glance. ‘Next ye’ll be tellin’ me to look out to buy a small Shetland pony.’

Lord Purfoy let out a shout of laughter. ‘Taz, you are incorrigible! Yes, I will. I had an obstinate little beast when I was young. I’ve never forgotten him.’

Eliza smiled across at Taz and met his twinkling black eyes. ‘How did you know?’ Then she laughed. ‘What a foolish question; after all, you know everything, even before your master does.’

Taz smiled and nodded. ‘There be a bloom about ye, m’lady.’

Pleased but shy that her condition was so obvious, Eliza gave her husband a rueful glance as with great solicitude, he helped her into the saddle.

They rode at a sedate canter towards the Hundred Acre Wood and stopped by the stream.

It was late spring and the world seemed to be alive with possibility.

A blackbird was pouring forth its liquid song while a flock of goldfinch chattered noisily in the rushes by the water.

They dismounted to let their horses crop the springy turf.

Overcome by the beauty of the day and their own happiness, they clung together for a few moments, then Lord Purfoy took both his wife’s hands in his.

‘Oh, Eliza, you are a beautiful winged goddess you know; you’ve come from another world to show me how to exist in this one, without cynicism and the dread of death.

Your bravery in all things has taught me to grasp the very life of life, and live . ’

Tears sprang to her eyes with the force of feeling. ‘You have given me more tenderness and love than I have ever known; my longed-for family is here in you, and at last I know where I belong.’ He folded Eliza into his arms. Her lonely search was at an end and finally she was home.