Love Finds the Duke at Last
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2018 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in January 2018 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-78867-052-4 ~ eBook
978-1-78867-031-9 ~ Print
The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
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Love Finds the Duke at Last
As they moved down the passage, Devinia put her hand on his arm.
“Please don’t let what has happened spoil you,” she said. “Mama always said when things went wrong we were to pray that the sun would shine tomorrow and we would forget very quickly that we had been hurt or that people had been unkind.”
“Your mother was so right,” he agreed. “You and I will make a vow here and now that we will not think of the past or keep referring to why we have had to come here.”
He paused before he carried on,
“We will just enjoy ourselves hour by hour and day by day until all that is wrong and unpleasant fades into the past and we forget about it.”
Devinia clapped her hands and gave a jump of joy.
“That is just what I wanted you to say!” she cried. “This house is beautiful and everything in it is so perfect, I could not bear you and I to spoil it by talking about the things that have made us unhappy.”
She thought to herself as she spoke that she must not mourn Jo-Jo and once again the Duke had shown his kindness to her by producing another dog for her.
THE BARBARA CARTLAND PINK COLLECTION
Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.
She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.
Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.
The 160 books will be published monthly and will be numbered in sequence.
The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.
The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to www.barbaracartland.com to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.
If you do not have access to a computer you can write for information about the Pink Collection to the following address :
BarbaraCartland.com
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Telephone: +44 1707 642629
Fax: +44 1707 663041
Titles in this series
These titles are currently available for download. For more information please see the Where to buy page at the end of this book.
The Cross Of Love
Love In The Highlands
Love Finds The Way
The Castle Of Love
Love Is Triumphant
Stars In The Sky
The Ship Of Love
A Dangerous Disguise
Love Became Theirs
Love Drives In
Sailing To Love
The Star Of Love
Music Is The Soul Of Love
Love In The East
Theirs To Eternity
A Paradise On Earth
Love Wins In Berlin
In Search Of Love
Love Rescues Rosanna
A Heart In Heaven
The House Of Happiness
Royalty Defeated By Love
The White Witch
They Sought Love
Love Is The Reason For Living
They Found Their Way To Heaven
Learning To Love
Journey To Happiness
A Kiss In The Desert
The Heart Of Love
The Richness Of Love
For Ever And Ever
An Unexpected Love
Saved By An Angel
Touching The Stars
Seeking Love
Journey To Love
The Importance Of Love
Love By The Lake
A Dream Come True
The King Without A Heart
The Waters Of Love
Danger To The Duke
A Perfect Way To Heaven
Follow Your Heart
In Hiding
Rivals For Love
A Kiss From The Heart
Lovers In London
This Way To Heaven
A Princess Prays
Mine For Ever
The Earl’s Revenge
Love At The Tower
Ruled By Love
Love Came From Heaven
Love And Apollo
The Keys Of Love
A Castle Of Dreams
A Battle Of Brains
A Change Of Hearts
It Is Love
The Triumph Of Love
Wanted – A Royal Wife
A Kiss Of Love
To Heaven With Love
Pray For Love
The Marquis Is Trapped
Hide And Seek For Love
Hiding from Love
A Teacher Of Love
Money Or Love
The Revelation Is Love
The Tree Of Love
The Magnificent Marquis
The Castle
The Gates of Paradise
A Lucky Star
A Heaven on Earth
The Healing Hand
A Virgin Bride
The Trail to Love
A Royal Love Match
A Steeplechase for Love
Love at Last
Search for a Wife
Secret Love
A Miracle of Love
Love and the Clans
A Shooting Star
The Winning Post is Love
They Touched Heaven
The Mountain of Love
The Queen Wins
Love and the Gods
Joined by Love
The Duke is Deceived
A Prayer For Love
Love Conquers War
A Rose in Jeopardy
A Call of Love
A Flight to Heaven
She Wanted Love
A Heart Finds Love
A Sacrifice for Love
Love's Dream in Peril
Soft, sweet & Gentle
An Archangel Called Ivan
A Prisoner in Paris
Danger in the desert
Rescued by Love
A Road to Romance
A Golden Lie
A heart of stone
The Earl Elopes
A Wilder Kind of Love
The Bride Runs Away
Beyond the Horizon
Crowned by Music
Love solves the Problem
Blessing of the Gods
Love by Moonlight
Saved by the Duke
A Train to Love
Wanted - A Bride
Double the Love
Hiding from the Fortune-Hunters
The Marquis is Deceived
The Viscount's Revenge
Captured by Love
An Ocean of Love
A Beauty Betrayed
No Bride, No Wedding
A Strange Way to Find Love
The Unbroken Dream
A Heart in Chains
One Minute to Love
Love for Eternity
The Prince who wanted Love
For the Love of Scotland
An Angel from Heaven
Their Search for Real Love
Secret Danger
Music from Heaven
The Duke Hated Women
The Weapon is Love
The King Wins
Love Saves the Day
They Ran Away
A Battle of Love
Love Finds a Treasure
Love under the Stars
She Fell in Love
The Earl in Peril
Love Cannot Fail
Love has no name
A Princess Runs Away
From the Dangers of Russia to Love
Love Danced in
Love Finds the Duke at last
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.
“All of us are seeking something or someone really special and unique in our lives and the word that comes so readily to mind is ‘love’. My advice has always been never look for love because you will find love in the most unexpected places and by what will seem pure chance.
And you will be happy ever after.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE ~ 1901
The Duke of Lavenham walked slowly downstairs to the breakfast room.
His breakfast had been ready for him for quite some time. but he had come home very late from a party which had been extremely amusing.
Contrary to his usual rules he had stayed nearly to the end.
He then sat down at the head of the breakfast table which overlooked the garden at the back of his gracious house in Park Lane in the middle of Mayfair, the smartest district in London.
His large dining room had a view of Hyde Park, but his breakfast room which was very much smaller and not so impressive caught the early morning sunshine streaming in through the windows which he greatly appreciated.
The butler and two footmen hurried to bring in the dishes, which were cooked and ready for him. As well as the special tea from India he always drank at breakfast.
As he disliked conversation early in the morning, the servants did not speak to him and he did not speak to them.
After he had sat down at the table, he saw with a sigh that there was a large pile of private letters which his secretary had put ready for him by his place.
Anything that was a bill or of an official nature was opened by his secretary and he saw them later in the day. But his private letters were placed on the breakfast table.
He gazed at them for a short while and thought that he recognised the handwriting on at least three of them.
At the age of twenty-eight the Duke of Lavenham was at his best and exceedingly handsome.
More than one beauty had complained to him,
“It is unfair that you should be so good-looking as well as so rich and a Duke. You have too much and who can compete with you?”
The Duke had laughed heartily at the time and had then dismissed the remark with a sardonic twist of his lips and the beauty had left his side looking embarrassed.
But he often thought that he was exceedingly lucky.
His father had always been short of money until he had married an heiress and so the family fortunes had then soared upwards.
What was more, the present Duke had been left a considerable amount of money by one of his Godparents.
“You are indeed the luckiest man in the world,” several of his friends had told him and he had not disagreed with them.
In fact he was exceedingly grateful to Fate that had made him, unlike a number of his contemporaries, not have to worry continually over money and have, as he had often been told, creditors constantly knocking at their doors.
The daily newspapers were by his side at the table arranged on a silver holder, which put them exactly at the right angle for him to read them at the same time as he ate his breakfast.
There was not much news in any of them and what there was seemed rather boring and uninteresting.
He therefore pushed the newspapers to one side and finished the excellent dish of salmon kedgeree that he was eating and then stretched out his hand for the first letter.
It was from an old friend who he had taken out two nights ago, who had now left London. She wrote to say how much she had enjoyed seeing him again and thanked him for a most entertaining evening.
“You must come and stay with us as soon as you can spare the time,” she wrote. “Arthur is longing to see your new horses and I think you will be quite envious of two he has bought recently.”
She ended with some complimentary words about his appearance and several words of love which he knew were true.
He was very fond of her and, if she had not been married when they first met, he often thought that he might well have asked her to marry him.
But she was very happy with her husband and now had three charming children and the Duke was a Godfather to the youngest.
He then put the letter on one side and opened the next one. For a moment he could not guess who it was from although the handwriting was somewhat familiar.
Then when he opened it he realised that it was from h
is cousin, Lady Western, who he saw as little as possible.
The reason for this was because she was the biggest gossip in his family.
They all knew that if they ever told her anything, however secret it may be, it was repeated over and over again to all the rest of their relations and to her friends.
The Duke wondered why she was writing to him and he was certain that it would not be anything he wanted to hear.
At the same time it would be a mistake to quarrel with her simply because everyone in the family would be aware of it immediately.
He then gave a sigh as he took the letter out of the envelope and commenced reading it.
He was quite certain that he would be told the latest scandal about one of his relations or else be reprimanded as she invariably did, because he had ignored someone who had once been friends of his father or his mother who had come to London without, as had often happened, being entertained by him.
As if to fortify himself he drank a sip of his tea.
Then he was aware that it was not one letter he had taken from the envelope but two.
Without being curious as to why it was there, he started to read the letter from Muriel which began,
“Dearest Ivan,
My daughter, Charlotte, has received the enclosed letter this morning from her friend, Penelope Denton.
They were at school together and have been great friends ever since. In fact Penelope has often stayed here with us, although I never liked her.
Nor did I think that she was a particularly good person for Charlotte to have as a friend.
However, they have been good friends ever since and Charlotte often goes to stay with her for some festivity or another.
I am, however, shocked at the letter she received this morning and I think you should read it.
I am enclosing it for you to do so.
With fondest love,
Your affectionate cousin,
Muriel.”
The Duke was frowning when he finished reading his cousin’s letter.
Then he opened the letter tucked inside hers.
He realised that it was from someone he had been spending a great deal of his time with, who he had found exciting and amusing as well as being one of the most fêted and admired social beauties in the whole of London.
He frowned again as he read,
“Dearest Charlotte,
I have won! I have won! You will hardly believe it, but I told you I would do so.