“That is something that will never happen again,” the Duke said. “I will look after you, protect you, and never, my darling, leave you alone. You are far too beautiful for one thing.”
He untied the ribbons of her small bonnet as he spoke and threw it on the floor, then his hand was on her hair, touching the soft silkiness of it, seeing the little flicker of fire amongst the gold glinting in the sunshine coming in through the window.
“I want to see you with your hair falling over your shoulders,” he said. “Tell me, my precious, how soon will you marry me?”
“What will the Marchioness – say?”
“What everybody else will say when they know you that I am the luckiest man in the whole world!” the Duke replied. “And anyway, does it matter to you or me what anyone says? You are mine, Larentia, and no-one with any brains could help admiring the brilliance of your father.”
Larentia gave a little cry of sheer happiness.
“If only Papa could hear you say that.”
“When can I see him?”
“He is not allowed any visitors for the moment, except for me, but – perhaps you will be the exception.”
“As his son-in-law I shall be entitled to the privilege,” the Duke said. “But you still have not answered my question. When will you marry me?”
“When do you want me to?”
“Now! At this moment! I will get a Special Licence and we can be married tomorrow.”
Larentia moved a little closer to him.
“Are you sure – quite sure – this is something you should do?”
He turned her face up to his.
“It is something I intend to do,” he said. “You know, my sweet darling, that you belong to the Castle as I do. It is part of us both, and just as the legends of King Arthur are real to you, so they are to me. Somehow, although I cannot explain it, we are part of them and still living with them.”
“That is true – completely and absolutely true,” Larentia cried, “but I never thought I would ever find anyone who understood. I love you, and I will try to do everything that is right and good so that you need never be ashamed of me – and I swear that never again will I ever lie to you.”
“I know that,” he said gently. “And, my adorable darling, we are both so incredibly, unbelievably fortunate to have found each other.”
There was a note of reverence in his voice that made Larentia feel almost as if she heard the wings of angels moving around them.
Then she whispered,
“I will be as one with you.”
“You are already ‘one with me’,” he replied. “You are mine! Your heart and your soul are mine, and tomorrow we shall be as one with our bodies and therefore complete. A man and a woman, my darling, as God intended us to be, except that you are my goddess and I am very content to worship at your shrine.”
“You must not – say such things.”
Then as his lips held her captive Larentia knew they were as one as he had said they were – inseparable for all time, and also at one with all the mystery and magic of the legends to which they both belonged.
Their love was the perfect manifestation of God’s divine gift to mankind, something that everyone should seek their heart and soul to find, as King Arthur’s Knights had sought the Holy Grail.
It was a love that could only be expressed by the ‘silver shining armour starry clear’ which vibrates from God to man.
THE END
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The Barbara Cartland Eternal Collection is the unique opportunity to collect as ebooks all five hundred of the timeless beautiful romantic novels written by the world’s most celebrated and enduring romantic author.
Named the Eternal Collection because Barbara’s inspiring stories of pure love, just the same as love itself, the books will be published on the internet at the rate of four titles per month until all five hundred are available.
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Elizabethan Lover
The Little Pretender
A Ghost in Monte Carlo
A Duel of Hearts
The Saint and the Sinner
The Penniless Peer
The Proud Princess
The Dare-Devil Duke
Diona and a Dalmatian
A Shaft of Sunlight
Lies for Love
Love and Lucia
Love and the Loathsome Leopard
Beauty or Brains
The Temptation of Torilla
The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl
THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND
Barbara Cartland, who sadly died in May 2000 at the grand age of ninety eight, remains one of the world’s most famous romantic novelists. With worldwide sales of over one billion, her outstanding 723 books have been translated into thirty six different languages, to be enjoyed by readers of romance globally.
Writing her first book ‘Jigsaw’ at the age of 21, Barbara became an immediate bestseller. Building upon this initial success, she wrote continuously throughout her life, producing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. In addition to Barbara Cartland’s legion of fans in the UK and across Europe, her books have always been immensely popular in the USA. In 1976 she achieved the unprecedented feat of having books at numbers 1 & 2 in the prestigious B. Dalton Bookseller bestsellers list.
Although she is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Romance’, Barbara Cartland also wrote several historical biographies, six autobiographies and numerous theatrical plays as well as books on life, love, health and cookery. Becoming one of Britain’s most popular media personalities and dressed in her trademark pink, Barbara spoke on radio and television about social and political issues, as well as making many public appearances.
In 1991 she became a Dame of the Order of the British Empire for her contribution to literature and her work for humanitarian and charitable causes.
Known for her glamour, style, and vitality Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime. Best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels and loved by millions of readers worldwide, her books remain treasured for their heroic heroes, plucky heroines and traditional values. But above all, it was Barbara Cartland’s overriding belief in the positive power of love to help, heal and improve the quality of life for everyone that made her truly unique.
The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl
Barbara Cartland
Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
This edition © 2012
Copyright Cartland Promotions 1980
eBook conversion by M-Y Books
Table of Contents
Cover
Author’s Note
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
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THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND
Copyright
The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl Page 15