A Nightingale Sang

  “When I think of how much you were prepared to give up for me,” Aleta said, “I feel very – very humble. Suppose in time I – disappoint you?”

  The Duke kissed her hair.

  “You will never do that,” he said, “and darling, I need your help in all the work I have to do for Mr. Wardolf, the difficulty being that none of the pictures I am going to buy for him will look half as beautiful as you and I shall think none of them good enough to hang in his future Art Gallery.”

  Aleta gave a little laugh before she said,

  “I want you to think me beautiful, but when I remember how important you are, I am afraid that I shall make a very inadequate – Duchess. How can I shine amongst all the famous and lovely women we will meet at Buckingham Palace and all the social functions which we have to attend?”

  “Which we will attend because I want to show the world what a beautiful wife I have,” the Duke said firmly. “But, as we shall also have a great deal of serious business to attend to, we will not waste too much time on them.”

  “I am glad about that,” Aleta said. “All I really want is to be with you – for you to teach me about the – things that interest you – and to let me help you.”

  “At least we shall do a great deal of travelling,” the Duke said. “I want to show you Paris, Vienna and, of course, Rome.”

  “Oh, Tybalt, it sounds so wonderful, but promise we can come back here in between the trips to – listen to the – nightingales. Our nightingales that sing of our love.”

  “We’ll always do that,” the Duke promised. “Although Mr. Wardolf has quite a considerable claim on my time, he cannot have all of it. I want a home, Aleta, and only you can make that for me.”

  “The Castle is very – big,” Aleta said in a small voice. Then she added so softly that he could hardly hear, “but – perhaps when we have lots of – children they will find it a wonderful place – to play hide-and-seek and – ”

  There was no chance to say any more, for the Duke was kissing her, kissing her so that everything she was about to say slipped away from her mind.

  She felt his hand touching her body and felt, as she quivered with a wild excitement that the moonlight flooding the room was drawing them high up into the starlit sky.

  “I love you, my darling,” the Duke said in his deep voice. “I love you!”

  Then he was kissing her until Aleta felt as if the moonlight was running through her body, changing from silver to flame and burning in the same way that she knew a fire was burning within the Duke.

  “I love – you! I adore – you!” she whispered.

  But she knew that there were no more words and the enchantment, the ecstasy and the wonder they felt could only be expressed in the song of the nightingales.

  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

  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, si
x 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.

  A Nightingale Sang

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2015

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1979

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books