Love in the Highlands

by Barbara Cartland

  LOVE IN THE HIGHLANDS

  BARBARA CARTLAND

  Barbaracartland.com Ltd

  Copyright © 2004 by Cartland Promotions

  First published on the internet in 2004 by

  Barbaracartland.com

  ISBN 978-1-906950-32-3

  The characters and situations in this book are entirely

  imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,

  electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.

  eBook conversion by David Stockman

  LOVE IN THE HIGHLANDS

  Lavina took her hand from his, but she had the strange feeling that he released her reluctantly.

  She went into the corridor, and once again played the tunes which she loved herself, and which she felt expressed in music what she felt when she was riding, dancing or just looking at the sun.

  She knew now that her music spoke to the man she loved, and that the things it told him were vital for them both, and the future.

  "You must get well, completely well," she told him in music. "I love you more than I can ever say, except in this music which seems to come down from heaven and not belong to the world."

  After a while she thought she would see if he was asleep or awake. She went into the room very quietly and found his eyes closed.

  She knelt beside him, praying that he would soon get well, closing her own eyes as she did so. When she opened them she saw him looking at her.

  THE BARBARA CARTLAND PINK COLLECTION

  Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.

  She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.

  Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.

  Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.

  The 160 books will be published monthly and will be

  numbered in sequence.

  The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.

  The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to www.barbaracartland.com to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.

  Titles in this series

  1. The Cross of Love

  2. Love in the Highlands

  THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND

  Barbara Cartland who sadly died in May 2000 at the age of nearly 99 was the world's most famous romantic novelist who wrote 723 books in her lifetime with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies and her books were translated into 36 different languages.

  As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, theatrical plays, books of advice on life, love, vitamins and cookery. She also found time to be a political speaker and television and radio personality.

  She wrote her first book at the age of 21 and this was called Jigsaw. It became an immediate bestseller and sold 100,000 copies in hardback and was translated into 6 different languages. She wrote continuously throughout her life, writing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. Her books have always been immensely popular in the United States, where in 1976 her current books were at numbers 1 & 2 in the B. Dalton bestsellers list, a feat never achieved before or since by any author.

  Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime and will be best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels, so loved by her millions of readers throughout the world.

  Her books will always be treasured for their moral message, her pure and innocent heroines, her good looking and dashing heroes and above all her belief that the power of love is more important than anything else in everyone's life.

  "Love is even more beautiful than all the hills and lakes of Scotland."

  – Barbara Cartland

  CHAPTER ONE - 1876

  The letter was full of warmth and affection.

  It seems a long time since we've seen you, Cousin Edward. Much too long, my dear wife says, and I agree with her.

  "So do I," the Earl of Ringwood murmured, a smile spreading over his broad, kindly face. "I should like nothing better than to see my family after so long, and Scotland is very beautiful."

  When he thought of the splendid highland scenery the walls of his library seemed to crowd in on him, making him long suddenly for wide open spaces.

  He loved his magnificent London home, and the life he led there. He enjoyed his place at court, his status as a trusted adviser, almost a friend, to the Queen.

  He also enjoyed the fact that his beloved daughter, Lavina, was the belle of the ball wherever she went. Beautiful, fashionable, elegant and superb, she made him burst with pride.

  She had already rejected five proposals of marriage, one of them from a Duke. Secretly Lord Ringwood was relieved as, since the death of his beloved wife, four years earlier, Lavina, his only child, was all he had to love.

  Their life was here in the centre of glittering society, and they would not change it for the world.

  And yet, something about the letter he was reading, with its hint of heather and rivers, mountains and lakes, brought a wistful look to Lord Ringwood's face.

  Of course I know that Scotland is a long way from London, wrote his cousin Ian, and you have your duties in attendance on Her Majesty. But I live in hope that one day you and Lavina, who must be grown up by now, will give us the pleasure of a visit.

  "It's about time we did," Lord Ringwood agreed, taking up his pen to reply.

  But in the same moment the door opened and his butler announced,

  "The Duke of Bradwell to see you, My Lord."

  Lord Ringwood rose to greet his visitor, delighted, for this was his oldest friend.

  "Hello, Bertram," he said. "This is an unexpected pleasure."

  The Duke was a tall, elderly man with an upright carriage. Despite his white hair he had an air of health and vigour, but now his face was troubled.

  "I came to give you an urgent warning," he said without preamble.

  "It must be really urgent to bring you here at this hour," the Earl observed genially. "I know you hate getting up so early."

  "I do," agreed the Duke, "but there's trouble ahead, and the sooner you know, the sooner you can act. I would have come last night, but I had a dinner party that I could not miss."

  "Sit down," the Duke said, "and tell me the worst."

  His easy tone showed that he did not believe that things could really be so bad.

  There was a pause before the Duke began:

  "I was at Win
dsor Castle yesterday evening, in attendance on the Queen. After supper we all moved, as usual, into Her Majesty's private room. I expected to discuss the local news and was prepared to be bored, when a messenger arrived with an urgent letter for her.

  "She read it through, then said unexpectedly in a sharp voice, 'Another letter asking me to provide a wife for a Balkan Prince, whose country is being threatened by the Russians.'

  'I've said many times that I cannot do any more for the Balkans. I have, as you know only too well, provided many English brides to give them alliances with this country.'"

  "True enough," the Earl observed. "Who is it this time?"

  "Prince Stanislaus of Kadradtz. It's a small place but significant. Herzegovina on one side, Albania on the other. Now they've got Russia breathing down their necks and they expect the Queen to produce a bride, as she has done many times before."

  "Well, it's not for nothing that they call Her Majesty 'the Matchmaker of Europe'," observed the Earl.

  He smiled as he spoke, but the Duke said,

  "You won't smile, old fellow, when I tell you what the Queen has in mind now. Did you know that her great-grandmother was connected with your family?"

  "That? Good heavens that was generations ago. We've certainly never preened ourselves on our 'connection with royalty'."

  "Unfortunately for you and Lavina, the Queen is counting on it now."

  "Lavina?"

  At the mention of his beloved daughter the Earl's smile vanished and alarm came into his eyes.

  "What are you saying, Bertram? Don't tell me Her Majesty is thinking of marrying Lavina to Prince Stanislaus?"

  "She's set on it. There were murmurs of dissent last night. Several of the men there had met the Prince and formed a very poor opinion of him. He's a drunkard, a womaniser, and reputedly violent. But Her Majesty refused to listen. She's made her mind up.

  "You know how determined the Queen can be. Once she gives you her order you'll be expected to obey.

  "If you defy her you'll lose your position at court, and your life will be made a misery. People have tried to stand out against her before, and have become outcasts in society."

  "It's a nightmare," the Earl groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "Whatever can I do? For God's sake, Bertram, tell me how I can save my daughter from being forced to marry this appalling man, and being sent away to a far country, living under the threat of invasion."

  "I know, I know!" The Duke replied. "I wouldn't want to send a relation of mine there. I've come here to warn you that you will be summoned to Windsor Castle, so that she can tell you herself."

  "Damn it, Bertram, what shall I do?" the Earl demanded.

  "I can see only two chances for you. One is to leave the country – although she's quite capable of sending a ship to bring you back, or somehow get your daughter married or engaged, before you get the 'Royal Command'."

  "How, in God's name, can I do that?" the Earl asked. "Lavina has already turned down virtually every eligible man in London. We can't go back to them now."

  "There's one man who might help you, if he would agree to do so, and that is the Marquis of Elswick. If Lavina is already engaged, even the Queen would not expect her to break off her engagement."

  The Earl stared at his friend in astonishment.

  "You want Lavina to marry Elswick?" he demanded, aghast. "A hard, cold, unpleasant man, without a shred of human kindness in him?"

  "Of course I don't want her to marry him. An engagement will do. It can simply be broken off later, when the Queen has found someone else, or sent the Prince about his business."

  "I don't believe my ears," the Earl said. "Old friend, I know you mean this kindly, and I'm grateful for the warning, but you must have windmills in your head even to think of Elswick!

  "You know he's always shunned all talk of marriage or engagements, after what happened last time."

  "I know his future wife abandoned him at the altar," the Duke agreed, "but that was a long time ago."

  "But he has never forgotten it," the Earl said. "He loathes women. His country house is only a mile or so away from mine, and it's common knowledge that he'll hardly have a woman in the place."

  "Yet he's still the ideal person to help you," the Duke replied. "As you say, he's a curmudgeon, a harsh, solitary man who cares nothing for society, and very little for the Queen, I sometimes think.

  "But that's to our advantage, because it means he won't be afraid to offend her, and might, therefore, do as you ask. And he won't talk a lot of pompous nonsense about Lavina being honoured to marry a Prince. He cares no more for Princes than for Queens."

  "You think Elswick will actually agree?"

  "It isn't likely," the Duke replied frankly. "But I can't think of anyone else who would be of any help at this moment."

  "All I want," the Earl said angrily, "is my daughter's happiness. I love her, and she's my only child. How can she be happy if she has to live in that barbaric place, with a man of bad reputation?"

  "I know," his friend agreed. "At the same time you have to realise that Her Majesty is now in a very difficult position. For diplomatic reasons she can't give the Prince a blank refusal without a very good cause."

  "I need a little time to think of the best way to fight this," the Earl said. "Luckily I have until tomorrow."

  "Why do you say that?"

  "That's when I'm due at Windsor Castle, so I imagine the Queen will wait until then."

  "Don't rely on it. This matter is urgent. She'll probably send a messenger to you today. In fact, you're very lucky that the letter did not reach her at a time when you were on duty. If you'd been there she would have cornered you at once."

  "Oh heavens, you're right, Bertram. I must leave at once," said the Earl, walking across the room to ring the bell which was beside the fireplace.

  Almost at once the butler appeared.

  "You rang, My Lord?"

  "Her Ladyship and I have to return to the country immediately," the Earl told him. "Kindly inform her of my wishes, then order the carriage and the fastest horses available to come round in an hour's time."

  The butler looked a little bewildered at the sharpness in his master's voice. But he merely said:

  "At once, My Lord."

  Then he left the room.

  "So far, so good," the Duke said. "But it's not enough. You're lucky in that Elswick's country house is only a few miles from your own, so you can go home, and seek him out at the same time.

  "Ask him if he will become engaged to your daughter or if there is anyone else more socially important that he knows, who can help. Wait! I know – what about the Duke of Ayelton?"

  "She's already refused him," the Earl groaned. "He was very offended. Now he's set his cap at an American heiress."

  "You have very little time," the Duke said, "as we all know when Her Majesty wants something done she wants it at once. Or if possible, the day before yesterday!"

  He smiled as he made the joke, but the Earl was looking very worried. Going to his desk, he picked up various letters which had not yet been opened and put them into his pocket.

  Then he noticed the letter from Scotland that he had been about to answer, when this calamity fell on him, and put that into his pocket as well. He seemed to be moving in a dream.

  "Suppose Elswick refuses," he said at last. "There must be someone else I can beg – on my knees if necessary – to save my daughter."

  "I can think of nobody," the Duke said bluntly. "You know as well as I do that they all want to kow-tow to Her Majesty. The majority of those who we think are friends will do nothing in a situation like this.

  "And it would have to be someone really important, like the Marquis, otherwise Her Majesty would simply insist on breaking off the engagement."

  The door opened and the butler said:

  "The carriage will be ready in half an hour, My Lord. Lady Lavina has been informed, and is getting ready."

  As the butler shut the door behind him, the Duke
rose from the sofa and said,

  "I wish I could help you more, Arthur. You have always been a good friend to me. But an engagement to Elswick, however unlikely, is the best I can suggest."

  "Damn it!" the Earl exclaimed. "My daughter isn't going to be forced into this. She is all I have left now I have lost my wife."

  At that moment the door opened and Lady Lavina came in.

  She was a tall, very lovely girl, and one whose face contained more than mere beauty. It also had strength and character. Her large blue eyes could glow as much with anger as with warmth, and she was never lost for words in an argument.

  Some men would be scared away by the force of her personality. Others would find her intriguing.

  The Duke thought she was even prettier than the last time he had seen her.

  Now with her long hair shining in the sunshine which was coming through the windows, she lifted up her pretty face to kiss her father before she asked,

  "What is happening, Papa? Why this rush to go to the country? You said last night we need not leave for a week or two, and we are due to have dinner with the O'Donnells tonight."

  "I know," her Father answered. "But the Duke has brought us bad news, and you had better hear it from him."

  Lavina turned to look at the Duke.

  "Uncle Bertram, whatever has happened?"

  "I came to warn your father that you are in grave danger."

  "Me, in danger?" Lavina exclaimed. "Whatever do you mean?"

  "The Queen is seeking another royal bride to send to the Balkans," said the Duke, "and she wishes it to be you." Lavina gave a merry peal of laughter.

  "I know that must be a joke," she said. "I'm not royal."

  "Her Majesty's great grandmother was connected with this family, and that is royal enough for her."

  Lavina gave a cry.

  "But everybody has always known about that, and nobody has ever made a fuss about it before."

  "Her Majesty never needed to make use of you before," the Duke riposted caustically.