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
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
AUTHOR’S NOTE
In the reign of King George IV, the London Season started in April and ended at the beginning of June.
As the years went by, it lasted until the middle of July.
It was the dream of every debutante to be presented at a ‘Drawing Room’ in Buckingham Palace and to attend the numerous balls that were given in the large houses in Mayfair, Islington and Belgravia.
The Drawing Room was a Ceremonial Reception that was, at the beginning, always held in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace at three o’clock precisely and there were several every year.
Later, they became an evening reception with a buffet of food and drink.
Ladies wishing to be presented could only obtain the honour through a relation or a friend who had previously been presented and with the strict approval of the Lord Chamberlain.
Débutantes, where possible, were presented by their mothers.
The lady who would make the presentation had to appear with whom she presented and in addition both of them must have unblemished characters and their conduct must be above reproach.
There was no question at all of anyone who had been through a Divorce Court being accepted.
At the first Drawing Room of the Season, the whole of the Corps Diplomatique were in full attendance with their elaborate gold uniforms adding to the great glamour of the ladies, who had three Prince of Wales’s white feathers on their heads and a train to their gowns.
Her Majesty would then go first to the Council Room, where she would greet the Royal Family.
When the members who were expected had arrived, the Queen would be warned.
CHAPTER ONE ~ 1875
Amalita opened the letter that had come from France.
She noticed that the envelope was not addressed in her father’s usual strong upright hand.
She thought just for a moment that it must have come from her stepmother.
Then she remembered that Yvette’s handwriting was very different and very French.
‘Who can it be from?’ she wondered.
Then she told herself that she had only to look inside to find the answer.
When she had read the letter through once, she went back to the beginning.
She stared at what was written in a such a way that would have told anyone watching that she had suffered a shock.
Finally Amalita went to sit on the window seat and gazed out into the garden.
It was nearly an hour later when the door opened and her sister Carolyn came in.
She was looking exceedingly lovely with her fair hair curled round her forehead and her face a little flushed.
Her blue eyes were the colour of the sky outside and she was so beautiful that she might have come from the sky itself.
“I have had a really marvellous ride, Amalita,” she said. “I went right up to the Beacon and there was not a soul in sight.”
Then, as her sister did not respond to her, she walked towards her, asking,
“What is the matter? What has happened?”
“I have just had – a letter from – France,” Amalita replied nervously. “Sit down, Carolyn.”
“From Papa?” Carolyn enquired. “So why should that upset you?”
She sat down because her sister had told her to and she chose a chair by the window and the sunshine turned her hair to quivering gold.
“This is a letter,” Amalita said very slowly, “from the Police in Nice.”
“The Police?” her sister exclaimed. “What can Papa have been up to?”
Amalita drew in her breath.
“Papa is – dead,” she told her, “and so is – Yvette.”
Her sister just stared at her.
After a moment she asked,
“Did you – did you say – dead?”
“Yes. According to this letter from the Police, Papa and Yvette went sailing, which, as you know, he always loved. A sudden storm got up and his yacht collided with a – cargo boat – and it sank. Their bodies were recovered, but they were already drowned.”
Amalita’s voice sounded so very strange, as if it was extremely difficult for her to utter the words.
Carolyn put her hands up to her eyes.
“Oh, poor Papa! How could he have gone so far away from us?”
“I find it just impossible to believe,” Amalita said, “You can read the letter for yourself. It is in French.”
“You know very well that my French is not as good as yours,” Carolyn objected. “Tell me what it says.”
“Just as I told you,” Amalita replied. “Papa and Yvette went sailing. They were both drowned and the Police said it took them some time to find out who Papa was and whom they could contact.”
She looked down at the letter again before she went on,
“In fact it was only when they found our letter to him that they were aware of his address.”
“So they wrote to you,” Carolyn said. “When did it all happen?”
“I can hardly believe it true, but it was nearly a month ago,” her sister answered.
“How can they have taken so long?” Carolyn asked.
For a moment Amalita did not reply.
Then after a moment she said,
“It seems terrible to think we were enjoying ourselves and not worrying a bit about Papa and all the time he was dead.”
There was another silence before Carolyn remarked,
“He did not – worry very much about – us after he – married Yvette.”
Now there was a distinct bitterness in her tone, which her sister did not miss.
She jumped up from the chair and moved to put her arms around Amalita.
“I know how upset you must be,” she said, “because you loved Papa and he meant so much to you. But you know, if you are truthful, that we had lost him after Mama died and he married that Frenchwoman.”
Amalita drew in a deep breath.
“You are right,” she agreed. “‘That Frenchwoman’ as you call her, changed him completely. I gather from this letter that he was not staying in Nice under his own name, which means that he did not wish to meet any of his old friends.”
“How could she have a hold over him so – quickly?” Carolyn asked in bewilderment.
Her sister did not reply.
Two years older than Carolyn, she was aware that Yvette, whom her father had met in Paris, had swept him off his feet.
He had gone to Paris because he was so desperately unhappy after his wife’s death and he found their home intolerable to live in.
“I see your mother in every room,” he had muttered to his older daughter. “I find myself calling for her as I come in through the front door and I just cannot sleep at night because she is not beside me.
Before he could say the next words, Amalita knew what they would be.
“I must go away,” Sir Frederick Maulpin said. “I must try and get control of myself, but I cannot stay here and go mad.”
There was an agony as he spoke that told his daughter he was speaking the truth.
“You are so right. Papa,” she said gently. “You should go away and I know when you come back that things will seem different.”
She helped him to pack up his boxes and Sir Frederick had left the next day.
He did not take his valet with him and Amalita knew that it was because he was trying hard to forget everything that his home had meant to him for twenty-one years.
Because she was older than her sister and so closer to their father, he had told her that he had been a somewhat raffish young man in his youth.
She guessed that he had had very many love affairs, enjoyed himself in London and travelled on the Continent whenever he felt like it.
He was indeed well off.
He could afford all the perquisites for the pleasure of a handsome, hearty young man who had nothing better to do than to enj
oy himself.
He had a stable full of fine horses and he hunted with two of the best packs in the County of Leicestershire.
He had two or three horses that had won several minor races.
He played polo and belonged to two of the smartest Gentleman’s Clubs in St. James’s, White’s and Boodles.
Amalita knew without his telling her that he had been on the lists as a most eligible bachelor of every important hostess in London.
When he went to stay in France or any other country in Europe, he was able to stay at the British Embassy.
He was the guest of noble families in many countries he visited.
He was the eighth Baronet and the family was known as one of the oldest and most respected in England.
Queen Victoria frequently invited him to luncheon and dinner parties at Windsor Castle.
Then, so unexpectedly that it surprised even him, he fell head-over-heels in love.
Amalita knew only too well that her mother had been overwhelmingly beautiful, but not of great social standing.
Her father was a gentleman and a Country Squire.
He had, however, never aspired to shine brightly in the smartest Society in which he moved.
Having lost his heart, his character and his personality changed.
He bought a pretty black and white Medieval house in Worcestershire with a large estate and settled down there with the woman he loved.
He forgot the friends who had been so close to him in London.
The only disappointment in all the years that followed was that he did not have a son.
His first-born was a daughter who resembled him.
He christened her “Amalita” because he thought that she looked like a Greek Goddess.
She was quite different from her mother in that she had dark hair with strange lights in it and her eyes were the green-grey of the sea.
“She is just so lovely,” Sir Frederick declared, “that I really believe, my darling, that she is a gift from God.”
Their second daughter, Carolyn, who was born two years later, closely resembled Elizabeth Maulpin.
She also had a very sweet and gentle character, which made everyone she met love her as they loved her mother.
Amalita could be fiery and forceful, so like her father. She also had his imagination and his acute intelligence.
It amazed him, having all these fine attributes, that he should be content with one woman in the country.
In some extraordinary way it was as if they were the complete complement of each other.
It was her father who had told Amalita about what the Greeks believed in.
When man was first created, he was alone in the world and wanted a companion. So the Gods cut him in half.
Always for the rest of his existence he looked for the woman who was the other half of himself so that he would become whole again.