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The Ruthless Rake

Page 21

by Barbara Cartland

The room was lit with huge candles set in high gold candlesticks.

  Here there were no windows, but the walls were decorated with very different murals from the ones downstairs.

  All the birds to be found in Monk’s Wood encircled the room.

  There were the green tits, the little brown sparrows, the blackbirds and starlings, the speckled thrush, the blue-winged jay and black and white magpies.

  There were also brilliant butterflies fluttering over wild roses, bees seeking pollen from golden honeysuckle and dragonflies hovering on their transparent wings.

  Below them were arranged real flowers, lilies, tuberoses, carnations and night-scented stocks, making a bower of blossoms and scenting the whole atmosphere with their fragrance.

  Against the North wall there was a huge couch-like bed with a carved headboard exquisitely painted in the Florentine fashion with flowers.

  But the ceiling, instead of the curved dome that Syringa had expected, was covered with blue silk in the deep Madonna blue of the Italian paintings.

  She looked at the Earl as if for an explanation.

  “I want to show you my last surprise,” he said, “and to see it as it should be seen, will you lie against the pillows and look up?”

  Surprised, but ready to do anything he asked, Syringa seated herself on the bed.

  As if she knew that he expected it, she took off her little satin slippers and lifted her feet onto the Italian silk brocade of the cover. Then she lay back against the lace-edged pillows.

  “Are you comfortable?” the Earl asked.

  “I am so excited,” Syringa replied. “I did not believe that an Observatory could be so beautiful and the flowers make it almost like – ”

  “ – our Secret Place,” the Earl interposed.

  She smiled up at him and he hesitated for a moment as if he wanted to take her in his arms.

  Then resolutely he went towards the candles snuffing them out one by one.

  It was very warm and, as the Earl went round the other side of the bed where there were three more great candles, he drew off his close-fitting blue satin coat and threw it down on a chair.

  His shirt was of very fine muslin, his white cravat, meticulously tied, was of the same material.

  ‘He is so handsome – so strong – so very much a man,’ Syringa thought to herself.

  Then she blushed because his very masculinity made her feel shy.

  The Earl started to blow out the last of the candles and, as he did so, Syringa saw that hanging from the ceiling at the side of the bed was a thick silken cord finished with a tassel, rather like a bell-pull.

  As the last candle went out, she saw the Earl reach up to pull the cord.

  Slowly the Madonna blue silk of the roof slid back and now Syringa with her head back on the pillows could look up at the Heavens.

  The sky was bright with stars and the light from a nearly full moon flooded into the room filling it with a mystical silvery light.

  It was so breathtakingly lovely that for a moment she could find no words in which to acclaim it.

  Then, as she stared upwards, feeling that she had never seen anything so unique or so wonderful, she found that the Earl was on the bed beside her looking down at her.

  His face was in the shadows, but his head and shoulders were silhouetted against the moonlight.

  She felt a thrill run through her because he was so close to her and the sweet rapture of it made her breathless.

  “Now you – really look like – Jupiter,” she said almost incoherently.

  “And can I lift you up to the sky so that we forget the world and be aware only of ourselves and our love?” he asked.

  “You remember – that was what – I said.”

  “I remember everything that you have ever said to me,” he answered.

  “And you have arranged – all this for – me?”

  “For us both,” he said, “so that we shall never forget our Wedding Day and never forget that from now on that whatever we do we do it together. Will that make you happy, my beloved?”

  Syringa drew a deep breath and then she whispered ,

  “I think I – understand now what Mama – meant when she told me only to – give myself to – a man I loved with – all my heart.”

  “You love me like that?” the Earl asked.

  “I love you with – all my heart – my body – and my soul. I love you with – all of me. And I want you to tell me – how I can give you – myself.”

  She reached up her arms as she spoke to put them round his neck and draw his head down to hers.

  “My darling, my love, my wife!”

  His lips passionate, insistent and demanding held her captive and she felt his hands touching her, his heart pounding against hers.

  Then Syringa knew that he lifted her towards the stars and there was nothing in the whole Universe save themselves and their love.

  OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

  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.

  The Eternal Collection, classic pure romance available worldwide for all time .

  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

  Fragrant Flower

  Look Listen and Love

  The Duke and the Preacher’s Daughter

  A Kiss for the King

  The Mysterious Maid-servant

  Lucky Logan Finds Love

  The Wings of Ecstacy

  Mission to Monte Carlo

  Revenge of the Heart

  The Unbreakable Spell

  Never Laugh at Love

  Bride to a Brigand

  Lucifer and the Angel

  Journey to a Star

  Solita and the Spies

  The Chieftain Without a Heart

  No Escape from Love

  Dollars for the duke

  Pure and Untouched

  Secrets

  Fire in the Blood

  Love, Lies and Marriage

  The Ghost who Fell in Love

  Hungry for Love

  The Wild Cry of Love

  The Blue-eyed Witch

  The Punishment of a Vixen

  The Secret of the Glen

  Bride to the King

  For All Eternity

  King in Love

  A Marriage made in Heaven

  Who can deny Love?

  Riding to the Moon

  Wish for Love

  Dancing on a Rainbow

  Gypsy Magic

  Love in the Clouds

  Count the Stars

  White Lilac

  Too Precious to Lose

  The Devil Defeated

  An Angel Runs Away

  The Duchess Disappeared

  The Pretty Horse-breakers

  The Prisoner of Love

  Ola and the Sea Wolf

  The Castle made for Love

  A Heart is Stolen

  The Love Pirate

  As Eagles Fly

  The Magic of Love

  Love Leaves at Midnight

  A Witch’s Spell

  Love Comes West

  The Impetuous Duchess

  A
Tangled Web

  Love lifts the Curse

  Saved By A Saint

  Love is Dangerous

  The Poor Governess

  The Peril and the Prince

  A Very Unusual Wife

  Say Yes Samantha

  Punished with love

  A Royal Rebuke

  The Husband Hunters

  Signpost To Love

  Love Forbidden

  Gift Of the Gods

  The Outrageous Lady

  The Slaves Of Love

  The Disgraceful Duke

  The Unwanted Wedding

  Lord Ravenscar’s Revenge

  From Hate to Love

  A Very Naughty Angel

  The Innocent Imposter

  A Rebel Princess

  A Wish Comes True

  Haunted

  Passions In The Sand

  Little White Doves of Love

  A Portrait of Love

  The Enchanted Waltz

  Alone and Afraid

  The Call of the Highlands

  The Glittering Lights

  An Angel in Hell

  Only a Dream

  A Nightingale Sang

  Pride and the Poor Princess

  Stars in my Heart

  The Fire of Love

  A Dream from the Night

  Sweet Enchantress

  The Kiss of the Devil

  Fascination in France

  Love Runs In

  Lost Enchantment

  Love is Innocent

  The Love Trap

  No Darkness for Love

  Kiss from a Stranger

  The Flame Is Love

  A Touch of Love

  The Dangerous Dandy

  In Love In Lucca

  The Karma Of Love

  Magic For The Heart

  Paradise Found

  Only Love

  A Duel with Destiny

  The Heart of the Clan

  The Ruthless Rake

  Revenge is Sweet

  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 Ruthless Rake

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2015

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1953

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books

 

 

 


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