Love and the Cheetah

  It was a very attractive small Elizabethan house set in a garden of roses and lavender.

  It had belonged, the Duke told her, before she married, to his mother’s family.

  “There were other good houses, several of them. But this is the one I have kept,” he said. “Every time that I have stayed here by myself, I thought that one day I might bring my wife.”

  “Now – I am here,” Ilesa murmured.

  “Do you think I am not aware of that?” he asked.

  There was a look in his eyes that made her feel shy.

  When she went up to change for dinner, she found that there was an old housemaid to look after her.

  Jeannie had known the Duke when he was a little boy and had a great deal to say about him!

  “A nicer young man there ’as never been, Your Grace,” she said. “We loved ’im and often talked of who ’e’d marry. We ’oped it’d be someone who really loved ’im.”

  Ilesa smiled and the old housemaid went on,

  “You’re very beautiful, Your Grace, and I knows as soon as I saw you that your beauty be not only in your face but in your heart too and that’s what we were ’opin’ for!”

  Ilesa felt like crying because her words were so touching.

  She realised at dinner exactly how much the Duke was loved by all the old people.

  Although they had only been told an hour or so earlier that the Duke was coming, the dinner was superb.

  The gardeners had decorated the table with white flowers and there were vases of them all over the house.

  When dinner was over, Ilesa expected to go into the attractive drawing room, but the Duke said,

  “It has been a long and exciting day, my darling, and I don’t want you to be too tired tomorrow.”

  “I don’t feel at all tired,” Ilesa answered. “I feel as if I am dancing in the sky, which was what I felt when you danced with me for the first time.”

  “We will dance again when we reach Paris,” the Duke promised, “but now, my precious, I want to teach you about love.”

  They went into their bedroom, which boasted an old-fashioned four-poster bed.

  There was the scent of lavender coming from the lace-edged sheets and the fragrance of roses wafted in through the windows.

  There was no one else there in the room.

  The Duke closed the door.

  Then he came across the room and put his arms around Ilesa.

  “How can this really have happened?” he asked. “I thought I might have to wait and fight for you for years. Now thanks to the Gods and, of course, Che Che, you are already mine. Mine, really mine! I do not have to wait any longer.”

  Having finished speaking, his lips were on Ilesa’s.

  He kissed her very gently at first.

  Then more and more passionately so that she felt as if she melted into him and was no longer herself but a part of him.

  Then she felt him very gently undoing her mother’s Wedding gown.

  She had worn it again tonight, because he had specifically asked that she should.

  “You look lovelier in it,” he sighed, “than in anything I could possibly buy you in Paris. We will keep it, my darling, and you shall wear it on every anniversary so that we will never forget the wonder and joy of our Wedding Day.”

  As it slipped from Ilesa’s shoulders and slithered down onto the floor, the Duke picked her up into his arms.

  He carried her to the big four-poster bed.

  He laid her down very gently on the pillows.

  Then she realised that he was blowing out the candles one by one.

  Next he pulled back the curtains and moonlight streamed into the room like a silver cloud.

  She could see the stars twinkling overhead like diamonds in the sky.

  A few seconds later he was beside her and he drew her into his arms.

  She knew then that her Fairytale had not ended as she had expected, but had just begun.

  It was a Fairytale so beautiful and so rapturous that she knew that she was no longer tied to the ordinary world.

  She was floating in a Paradise where there were no problems and misery but only love and happiness.

  “I love you,” the Duke breathed in a deep voice. “I love you from the top of your golden head to the soles of your little feet. You are mine, my darling, from now until Eternity.”

  “I love – you! I love – you for – Eternity as well,” Ilesa answered.

  Then, as the Duke made her his, she knew that it was true.

  Their love was so deep, so magical and so perfect that it would be with them not only for this life but for many lives to come.

  It was Eternal and came from God.

  *

  Che Che stretched himself out on the soft ground beneath the bushes and Me Me nestled close to him.

  All the way back from the house the Indian had scolded him in fluent Urdu for running away.

  “You bad Che Che, go off quick. Lord Sahib ver-ry angry with you.”

  Che Che knew that Lord Sahib was not angry, but pleased with him and Memsahib loved him with all the love in the world.

  He felt it in the touch of her hands and in the soft sound of her voice.

  When he saw her again, he would nibble her ear.

  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

  Love Joins the Clans

  The Power and the Prince

  Winged Victory

  Light of the Gods

  The Golden Illusion

  Never Lose Love

  The Sleeping 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, 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.

  Love and a Cheetah

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2019

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1994

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books