The Duke Comes Home

by Barbara Cartland

  Afterwards they had gone into the Silver Salon and, as the old Vicar toasted them in champagne, he said,

  “I know that God will bless you both and it’s a very happy day for us all. It’s wonderful to know that Your Grace will make The Abbey as beautiful as it used to be and that our people can turn to you for help and guidance at all times.”

  Ilina drew in her breath and looked at the Duke, her eyes filled with love, and he replied quietly,

  “My wife and I, when we return from our honeymoon, Vicar, have many plans to help the people who work for us.”

  “Is it really true, Your Grace,” the Vicar asked, “that the school will be open again?”

  “There will be schools in every village on the estate,” the Duke answered. “And I have already written to the Bishop for suggestions of young Priests to fill the empty Livings. I also think it is important that the orphanage should be modernised and enlarged.”

  Ilina clasped the Duke’s arm and she knew that her hands told him better than words what she was feeling.

  Only when the Vicar had left and the Duke had given orders that the villagers should be given beer and cider to drink their health, did she say,

  “How could I ever imagine for a moment that you would not know how to – behave as a Duke!”

  She was teasing and yet there was a hint of tears in her voice because she was so happy.

  “I am sure that I will do a great many things that you will not hesitate to tell me are wrong!”

  She laughed and put her cheek against his shoulder with a little tender gesture as she said,

  “I have the feeling that I shall be telling you over and over again that you are perfect and in consequence you will become very conceited.”

  He laughed and kissed her and then astonished her by telling her his plans for their honeymoon.

  Afterwards she felt that he conveyed her not by train and ship but by a magic carpet to Paris.

  There he bought her so many exquisite gowns that she protested that the ship which was to carry them to India would sink from the weight of her luggage.

  But when they boarded the P & O Liner at Marseilles, Ilina knew that every man on the ship looked at her and looked again in admiration and it gave her a confidence in herself that she had never had before.

  What was so perfect was to be alone with the Duke and for him to make love to her until she was no longer the worried insignificant girl that she had been, but the radiant Goddess that he believed her to be.

  “I have sought for you all my life,” he sighed, “in pictures and sculpture, in music and on the snow-coated peaks of the Himalayas, but I was quite sure that you did not exist except in my imagination.”

  “Supposing I – disappoint – you?”

  “You will never do so, my lovely one. Every time I look at you and every time I touch you I grow more and more in love. I know as surely as if the Gods themselves told us, we have belonged to each other since the very beginning of time.”

  “That is what I want to believe. You must teach me about what you call the Wheel of Rebirth so that never again will I be afraid or – want to die.”

  The Duke remembered what she had said when she was delirious and held her close against him as he said,

  “How could you not have known that you belonged to me? And how could I imagine for one moment that I could escape my Karma, which is you?”

  Then he kissed her and it was impossible to say anything more and the flames of love rose higher and higher until they touched the peaks of ecstasy.

  Ilina knew that they were indeed one, now and for ever.

  But what he had said to her was always in her mind and with her arms round him and her head on his shoulder, she enthused,

  “I am very excited at the thought of being in India with you. How long will we be staying?”

  It was a question that she had not asked before because she was half-afraid of the answer.

  Although in a way she wanted her honeymoon to go on forever, her thoughts were always with The Abbey and the people who were waiting trustingly for their return.

  As if he knew exactly what she was thinking, the Duke said,

  “There are a great many parts of the world I want to show you. Not only India but Siam and Singapore.”

  He saw the question in Ilina’s eyes and he went on,

  “But because, my darling, you have made me very conscious of my consequence in England, I know that we cannot be away for too long.”

  Ilina gave a little sigh of relief and said,

  “I want you to feel like that because sometimes when I am so happy – so ecstatically happy – I feel guilty that there are still people suffering on the estate through matters that are wrong and that only you can put right.”

  “I know what you are saying,” the Duke agreed, “but I have left two very competent men in charge, who among other things will reopen the slate quarry and the gravel pit and thus employ a great number of young men who otherwise would leave for the towns.”

  Ilina did not interrupt, but he knew because she pressed herself a little closer against him that this was what she wanted to hear.

  “At the same time,” the Duke added, “I know, although you have not said so, that there are Hereditary Duties, both in the County and at Court that your father neglected and which I must undertake for the family’s sake.”

  There was just a final touch of mockery in the way he spoke, but Ilina knew that he was not being bitter or cynical.

  He was only laughing a little at himself and the idea of someone who had been ostracised by the Bury family now being instrumental in restoring their traditional high standing and influence.

  “That is what I want you to do,” Ilina said. “Oh, darling, nowhere could there be a more handsome or distinguished-looking Duke.”

  She paused before she asked,

  “You will enjoy it?”

  She was afraid for a moment that he would not answer and then the Duke said,

  “Before you turned my world upside down, I was perfectly content to be a trader on a very large scale. That is how I made my fortune and I certainly enjoyed the years I spent in strange lands like India, Siam and Burma.”

  Ilina held her breath before he finished,

  “But now I have every intention not only of enjoying my life as a Duke but of fighting for all the things you believe in, my beloved wife, and perhaps embellishing the family name as efficiently as all those ancestors you admire so fervently.”

  “I admire no one more than you,” Ilina said quickly, “and because of what you said I not only love and adore you but admire and honour you.”

  She went on in a low voice,

  “Only a very great man would have changed his mind as you have done in order to do what is – right and – noble because it is expected of – him.”

  She spoke intimately and with a little rapt note in her voice that the Duke did not miss.

  Then, because she was so lovely and so utterly adorable as she looked up at him in the light that was growing in the cabin with the rising sun, he drew her closer still and his mouth sought hers.

  As he kissed her, Ilina felt as if this had all happened before not in this life but in many others and their love was as old as time and as young as the future that drew them irresistibly to the heights within themselves.

  This was their destiny and their Karma and she was sure because they were together and so happy that they would make the world a better place for others less fortunate.

  “I love you,” she murmured against the Duke’s lips. “You are wonderful – perfect and you fill the world – and the sky. I know now you have taken me to Heaven – which is filled with love.”

  “Darling, that is what I want you to feel and because I love you, I will dedicate my whole life to your service and attempt to do everything you ask of me.”

  As he spoke, he raised himself to look down at her and then slowly, as if they had all Eternity in front of them, he sought her lip
s again.

  She felt her heart beating against his and knew the fire that rose within them both was sanctified and came from a love that was so perfect it was part of God.

  At the same time it was a love that created life.

  As the Duke made her his, Ilina prayed that she might give him a son who would carry on the family and the glorious achievements that were part of their history as well as the country that they belonged to and loved.

  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

  Fire on the Snow

  A Revolution of Love

  Love at the Helm

  Listen to Love

  Love Casts out Fear

  The Devilish Deception

  Riding in the Sky

  The Wonderful Dream

  This Time it’s Love

  The River of Love

  A Gentleman in Love

  The Island of Love

  Miracle for a Madonna

  The Storms of Love

  The Prince and the Pekingese

  The Golden Cage

  Theresa and a Tiger

  The Goddess of Love

  Alone in Paris

  The Earl Rings a Belle

  The Runaway Heart

  From Hell to Heaven

  Love in the Ruins

  Crowned with Love

  Love is a Maze

  Hidden by Love

  Love is the Key

  A Miracle in Music

  The Race for Love

  Call of the Heart

  The Curse of the Clan

  Saved by Love

  The Tears of Love

  Winged Magic

  Born of Love

  Love Holds the Cards

  A Chieftain Finds Love

  The Horizons of Love

  The Marquis Wins

  A Duke in Danger

  Warned by a Ghost

  Forced to Marry

  Sweet Adventure

  Love is a Gamble

  Love on the Wind

  Looking for Love

  Love is the Enemy

  The Passion and the Flower

  The Reluctant Bride

  Safe in Paradise

  The Temple of Love

  Love at First Sight

  The Scots Never Forget

  The Golden Gondola

  No Time for Love

  Love in the Moon

  A Hazard of Hearts

  Just Fate

  The Kiss of Paris

  Little Tongues of Fire

  Love Under Fire

  The Magnificent Marriage

  Moon over Eden

  The Dream and the Glory

  A Victory for Love

  A Princess in Distress

  A Gamble with Hearts

  Love Strikes a Devil

  In the Arms of Love

  Love in the Dark

  Love Wins

  The Marquis who Hated Women

  Love is Invincible


  Love Climbs in

  The Queen Saves the King

  The Duke Comes Home

  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 Duke Comes Home

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2018

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1984

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books