The Tree of Love

by Barbara Cartland

  But when they finally set off for Carlton House, she was too excited to concentrate on anything but the party ahead.

  The Duke had told them at luncheon that he had learnt from His Royal Highness that two thousand guests had been invited to be there at nine o’clock promptly.

  It was obvious from the congestion of carriages in Pall Mall and the Haymarket that everyone was anxious to arrive early.

  The Earl and Countess had intended to be the first guests, but they found a queue in front of them.

  As they entered Carlton House, they were received by equerries, who conducted them to tents and corridors on the front garden.

  There the Prince Regent was waiting for them.

  He was wearing a Field Marshal’s full-dress uniform and Orders from Russia, Prussia and Spain.

  He was in very good spirits and greeted the Duke as the hero of the evening with great enthusiasm.

  His Royal Highness also said he was delighted to meet Shenda as she curtsied deeply to him.

  He told her that he would never forget her father and how brilliantly clever he had been.

  Then they moved into the garden and the Duke took them inside the special building to view what he had not been allowed to see the previous night.

  The interior was intended to give an impression of summer light, festivity and airiness.

  This had been achieved by painting an umbrella shaped ceiling to look like muslin and decorated with gilt cords.

  Twelve huge chandeliers illuminated the whole building and Shenda could see the Corinthian Temple with the marble bust of the Duke.

  They moved down a covered walk hung with vast tapestries entitled The Overthrow of French Tyranny, and Military Glory.

  This all took time and then the Countess suggested,

  “Now we should go to the supper tents, which I am told are hung with curtains of Regimental colours printed on silk.”

  She paused before she added,

  “But I think first we might go back to the house, as I really want to leave my scarf as it is so hot and to powder my nose.”

  Shenda laughed.

  “I will come with you, Lady Richmond, as I am a little scared of getting lost with so many people milling about.”

  “I am not surprised, my dear, come along and we will go to one of the bedrooms and then we will rejoin His Royal Highness at the supper table.”

  “Am I really expected too?” Shenda asked.

  “Of course you are. You are with us and we are in Arthur’s special party. Therefore we are more important than anyone else!”

  Shenda laughed because it all sounded so grand and then she followed the Countess back into the house.

  She was anxious to see some of the rooms she had heard so much about, especially the Chinese Room and the Music Room.

  As the Countess walked upstairs, she hesitated for a moment before joining her and slipped into a room that she thought might be the Chinese Room.

  It was empty – except for one man.

  As she looked at him, she gave a little cry.

  It was the Captain!

  For a moment they just stood staring at each other and then with the words cascading out of her lips, Shenda exclaimed,

  “Are you all right, Captain? How could you have come here? Are you quite certain it has not been too much for you?”

  Ivan walked across to her, closing the door behind her and turning the key in the lock.

  “I sent a servant to inform His Royal Highness that I was here and I was wondering how I could find you.

  “How could you have left me in that dreadful way without even saying goodbye to me?”

  “You told me to go,” Shenda murmured.

  “I was jealous! Madly and overwhelmingly jealous that you should have been pursued by another man!”

  “But he was – horrible and beastly,” Shenda managed to blurt out, “and I came straight to you for help – as I was so frightened by him.”

  “And like a stupid fool I sent you away, but surely you must understand I could not be without you?”

  Shenda stared at him.

  “What are you – saying?” she asked breathlessly.

  “I am telling you that I need you more than I have ever needed anyone in my life and I nearly went mad when I realised you had left the house without telling me where you were going.”

  “You – told me – to go, Captain,” Shenda repeated.

  She found it difficult to speak as she was overcome at finding him here in Carlton House.

  And seeing him for the first time dressed in evening clothes, looking so smart and so unbelievably handsome, everything she wanted to say died on her lips.

  “I drove you away,” he continued, “because I was mad and crazy. Equally I was hurt and furious that another man should approach you when you were mine.”

  “Yours?” Shenda questioned in a whisper.

  “Why are we pretending, my darling? You know that I love you and you told me you loved me.”

  “I told you?” Shenda cried, feeling she could not be hearing right.

  Ivan smiled.

  “You told me a hundred times in your music! So you can understand that when I found you had gone, I went almost insane.”

  “But you knew – I would go to the Duke.”

  “I knew you would go to him, but I had no idea he was travelling to London. So I had to follow you.”

  “It has not been too much for you?”

  “Not now I have found you, my darling Shenda, but I hope never to have to go through such agony again.”

  “I still – don’t understand,” she managed to whisper.

  It was then that Ivan moved closer to her and put his arms round her.

  “Let me explain a little more simply,” he murmured and his lips were on hers.

  It was the first kiss Shenda had ever had.

  Ivan drew her closer and still closer to him.

  His kisses at first were very soft and gentle.

  Then his lips became increasingly possessive and more demanding.

  At that moment she knew that this was all she had ever longed for and believed she would never have.

  It was love.

  A love that moved through her with an ecstasy she could not understand.

  As he held her closer still, she felt as if her whole body melted into his.

  She was no longer herself but part of him.

  Ivan raised his head.

  “I love you so much, my beautiful darling Shenda,” he sighed. “Now tell me what you feel for me.”

  “I love you, I adore you,” Shenda whispered. “But when you sent me away, I thought that I had lost you for ever – and would never see you again.”

  “How could you think anything so stupid? Please forgive me, but, as I said, I was madly jealous that another man should even look at you when you were mine.”

  “I am yours, Ivan. I have cried and cried because I thought you hated me.”

  “I will tell you exactly what I do think about you.”

  As he spoke, someone rattled the handle of the door and instinctively Shenda moved out of his arms.

  Ivan made a sound of impatience and unlocked the door.

  Standing outside was the Prince Regent.

  “I was told that you were here, Ivan,” he trumpeted, “and I am so delighted to see you.”

  He then glanced over Ivan’s shoulder at Shenda and asked with a twist of his lips,

  “Am I interrupting something very private?”

  “I know that you will understand, sir,” Ivan replied, “when I tell you I want to marry Shenda Linbury. When I came here tonight I thought I had lost her forever and it is something I intend never to do again.”

  “So you want to marry her!” exclaimed the Prince Regent. “It’s something I am delighted to hear, my dear boy. When I learnt that you had run away to fight with the Duke, I was desperately afraid I might lose you.”

  “I am here, sir, and my wound has been completely hea
led by the woman I love. I can now only beg you to arrange for our marriage to take place as soon as possible.”

  The Prince Regent looked at him and smiled,

  “Why not tonight?” he asked.

  “Nothing would suit me better, sir.”

  “Then all you have to do now is leave it to me! The Archbishop of Canterbury arrived half-an-hour ago!”

  He gave a little chuckle and added,

  “Always the unexpected, Ivan, that both you and I enjoy. Wait here and lock the door until I return.”

  He left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Ivan put his arms around Shenda again.

  “You see, my darling, I am taking no chances.”

  “Does he really mean – we can be married tonight?”

  “There is nothing the Prince Regent enjoys more than a problem he can solve. In this instance it is what I want more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”

  “Are you quite sure that I will not make you angry again?”

  Ivan laughed.

  “My darling, my sweet, believe me, I love you as I have never loved anyone. In fact I did not know about love until you taught me with your music.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  “I do swear to you on everything I hold sacred that when you played to me, I learnt everything I did not know before about love. The real love that I believe you and I have for each other.”

  “I love you. I do love you so, Ivan. Oh, please go on loving me, as it is so incredibly wonderful, so perfect and everything I thought I would never find.”

  “It is what we have both found, my adored one.”

  Then he was kissing her again.

  Kissing her until it was quite impossible to think of anything but the wonder and glory of their love.

  *

  It seemed a long time, but actually it was less than half-an-hour before the Prince Regent returned.

  “It is all arranged,” he crowed, “and the sooner you are married, the sooner I will be able to sit down to dinner with my guests!”

  His eyes were twinkling with anticipation.

  “Follow me,” he ordered, “but we must avoid the guests who are still arriving, otherwise they will expect me to greet them.”

  He did not wait for them to reply and Shenda and Ivan followed him down several empty passages.

  They eventually reached a small but lovely Chapel at the back of Carlton House.

  As they entered, they saw the Archbishop arrayed in a brilliant white vestment standing in front of the altar.

  At the altar steps was the Duke of Wellington and the Prince Regent called out,

  “Arthur will be the Best Man, Ivan, and I will give away the bride.”

  Ivan walked forward to stand at the Duke’s side and the Prince Regent offered Shenda his arm.

  Slowly they walked up the aisle.

  As they reached the altar the Archbishop started the Marriage Service.

  And he performed it with a sincerity and simplicity that was very moving.

  After the Prince Regent had given Shenda away, the Duke took off his signet ring and gave it to Ivan.

  When he placed it on Shenda’s finger, it was a little large for her, but she knew it joined her irrevocably with the man she loved.

  As they knelt for the Blessing, she was certain that her father and mother were looking down from Heaven, delighted that she had found the same love that they had and was no longer frightened and alone.

  It was suddenly very quiet in the Chapel.

  Yet Shenda felt that the angels were singing with joy overhead.

  When the Marriage Service was completed, both the Prince Regent and the Duke kissed her.

  Then the host of the evening hurried off to his other guests.

  “I expected this to be a very august occasion,” the Duke muttered, “but I had no idea that a marriage would take place. I am happier than I can possibly say that you two are joined to each other.”

  “We will come to see you tomorrow, if we may,” said Ivan. “Now I am going to take my wife home.”

  “God bless you both. I am only sorry that you will not stay for the rest of the evening.”

  “I think you will have quite enough admirers to tell you how magnificent you are and how this party is only a very small expression of what the whole of Great Britain feels for you.”

  “Thank you, Ivan,” the Duke replied. “And do look after my protégée. She is a very special young lady.”

  “I have learnt my lesson, sir. I can assure you I will never lose her again!”

  The Duke went off into the garden and Ivan took Shenda back into the hall.

  Guests were still arriving in droves, eager to join in the festivities and so they paid little attention to the newly married couple as they slipped out.

  By sheer good luck they found that Ivan’s carriage was parked not too far from the entrance.

  As they drove off, he took Shenda into his arms.

  There was no need to say anything.

  He kissed her until she felt as if she was floating up into the sky to join the angels who had just sung so beautifully at their wedding.

  Then, as the carriage came to a standstill outside a house in Berkeley Square, Shenda whispered,

  “I have no – nightgown with me.”

  Ivan laughed.

  “I doubt if you will need one, my precious. But if it makes you shy, I am sure Higgins will find you something to wear. He has never failed me yet!”

  As he spoke they climbed out of the carriage.

  To her immense delight Higgins was in the hall and Pluck was with him.

  As the dog, barking with excitement, jumped up at her and she bent down to pat him, Ivan suggested,

  “You need to congratulate me, Higgins. I have not only found Miss Shenda as I intended to do, but we have just been married. I feel sure that you will provide her with everything she requires until you send for her luggage from Apsley House.”

  “Leave it to me, my Lord, and may I congratulate your Lordship and your Ladyship on your marriage which will make us, and I speak for all the ’ousehold, extremely ’appy as I believe you’ll both be.”

  Before Ivan could speak Higgins added,

  “Anticipatin’ that your Lordship’d be successful in your search for Miss Shenda, there be champagne in the boudoir adjoining your Lordship’s room upstairs and also some pâté sandwiches.”

  Ivan gave a little laugh.

  “You are right in thinking, Higgins, that we did not have time to stay for dinner, so the pâté sandwiches will be very welcome.”

  He took Shenda by the hand and started to climb up the stairs with a happy Pluck following them.

  They reached the first landing and there was a door to what Shenda presumed to be the Master bedroom at the end of the passage.

  When she opened the door, she saw a boudoir filled with flowers and illuminated with candles.

  Shenda looked round her somewhat bewildered and then Ivan explained,

  “Higgins was certain I would find you tonight when we learnt you had left Paris with the Duke. Equally I was desperately afraid that I might not and that I would have to come home without you.”

  “How could I have thought for a moment, my dearest Ivan, that I would find you waiting for me at Carlton House?”

  Then she giggled.

  “Nor could I have ever imagined when I borrowed this gown from the Countess of Richmond that I would be married in it – and to you!”

  “You look so much lovelier in it than I could have expected. You are the most beautiful, adorable, wonderful girl in the whole world and I am so proud that you are now my wife.”

  “Oh, please go on thinking that,” Shenda sighed.

  Ivan poured her a glass of champagne and, as she sat down on the sofa, he put the plate of pâté sandwiches in front of her.

  They were to learn later that the Prince Regent and his guests did not start dinner until after two o’clock in the m
orning.

  “We are going to drink our own health,” proposed Ivan. “Two thousand guests are now drinking the Duke’s, but no one in the whole party can be as ecstatically happy as I am.”

  “I pray I will always make you happy. When I was playing to you, I used to pray that you would be happy and stop hating all females.”

  She said the last words rather tentatively, but Ivan smiled.

  “I love you because you are a woman, and because you have taught me the lesson that not all women are as untrustworthy and despicable as I thought they were.”

  He put his arm tenderly round her as he went on,

  “And, my darling, we have a great many things to do together that I think will make us both very happy.”

  “What sort of things?” Shenda asked. “Does this house really belong to you?”

  She thought as she spoke that it could not be, as she had not expected him to own anything that was so large or impressive – undoubtedly a house in such a smart Square in Mayfair could only belong to a very rich man.

  As if he knew what she was thinking, Ivan replied,

  “Yes, it is mine.”

  Shenda’s eyes widened.

  “I had no idea. I thought as the Duke was looking after you that you were poor like me.”

  “As it so happens, I am blessed with being very rich. As well as this house, we have a large estate in the country, my precious, that we must look after together. And before you ask me, I will tell you that there are many well bred and spirited horses there for you to ride.”

  “Oh, Ivan, it is all so exciting that I cannot believe it, but how can we possibly have been married in such an extraordinary way? I think I am dreaming – ”

  “If you are dreaming, then I am dreaming as well. Incidentally, my darling, you are now, because you are my wife, very important Socially.”

  Shenda looked at him questioningly.

  “I did not understand when Higgins called you ‘my Lord’. I thought perhaps he was just making everything sound grander.”

  “You have no idea of my real name?”

  Now there was a note in his voice that had not been there before.

  “Yes, of course. It is Ivan Worth.”

  Just for a moment he heard an echo from the past of Lady Helen saying to him caustically, ‘no one would ever marry you but for your title.’