“You told me I am a pirate,” the Earl replied. “Therefore, having captured you, I am prepared to steal or plunder everything and everybody to give you what you deserve, the perfect woman who I believed did not exist and whom it would be impossible for me to find.”
“Oh, darling – suppose I – fail you?”
“You will not,” the Earl said. “Ever since I have known you we have been so closely attuned that it would be impossible for you to do anything that I did not know about and understand, or to deceive me in any way.”
He drew in his breath before he said,
“It is like finding a perfect pearl and knowing without even touching it that it is flawless. That is what you are!”
The way he spoke made Lydia’s tears run even faster down her cheeks and her heart was beating in the same way.
She turned her face up to his and with his handkerchief he gently wiped away the tears.
Then his lips held hers captive and he kissed her until the whole world seemed to revolve around them dizzily.
“I want you, my darling,” he said. “I have sent the servants away to their own hut, which is somewhere behind us, so we are alone, which is what I have longed for and thought impossible.”
“I told you there was – always – hope,” Lydia said in a quavering voice.
“And you were right, heart of my heart.”
She thought that he was about to kiss her, but instead he drew her to her feet and they walked into the house.
The Earl passed through the sitting room and opened a door that led into a bedroom of about the same size.
When she saw it, Lydia could not help gasping.
‘Only a King could imagine being Royal in a beach house!’ she mused.
The huge double bed, which almost filled the room, was draped with embroidered curtains and on top of the canopy was a replica of a crown.
She pointed to it and gave a little laugh and the Earl laughed too.
“It is certainly something I did not anticipate.”
“At least it looks – comfortable.”
He pulled her close against him.
Then he said,
“Tomorrow or perhaps some other day while we are still here, I am going to take you back to the island where we found ourselves last night.”
She looked at him in surprise and he carried on,
“I wanted when I was there, more than anything that I have ever wanted in my whole life, to make love to you amongst the blossoms and under the pine trees.”
Lydia hid her face against his neck before she said in a whisper,
“I-I thought the same thing and how – wonderful it would be!”
The Earl held her so close that she could hardly breathe.
“We think the same and we feel the same. How could our marriage be anything but perfect when we are one person or very nearly one?”
As he spoke, she felt his fingers undoing the back of her gown and when a moment later he lifted her onto the bed she did not feel shy, but only a wild excitement that had also something spiritual about it.
She knew too a rapture that made her feel as if she was reaching for the peaks of the mountains.
Then, when the Earl joined her, she knew that this was the happiness she had never thought she would find, but which had come to her so unexpectedly and so suddenly that she was half-afraid that it would vanish as quickly as it had come.
But, as the Earl pulled her gently against him, she knew that he was deliberately keeping himself strictly under control so as not to frighten her.
Because he was so gentle it made her want to cry again simply because she was so happy.
The curtains over the window were drawn back and outside she could see the sea silver in the moonlight and the stars twinkling like diamonds in the sky.
The Earl had blown out the candles by the bed and now the moon flooded into the room with a strange silver radiance that seemed to make everything mysterious and at the same time exquisitely beautiful.
“I love you!”
Lydia instinctively moved a little closer to him, feeling how strong and athletic his body was compared to the softness of hers.
“I feel as if I have fought a dozen battles,” he said, “dived deep into the depths of the ocean and stormed Heaven itself to win you!”
His lips moved over her forehead before he went on,
“When we said ‘goodbye’ to each other, I was desperately afraid of the future, knowing that if I could not have you I would feel crippled for the rest of my life.”
“My darling – how can you – say such things?”
“It is true,” he replied, “but now suddenly you are mine and I don’t have to be afraid that time is passing and I shall no longer see you and shall lose you all together.”
The way he spoke was very moving and Lydia said,
“We have been so lucky, so unbelievably lucky! Are you quite certain though, that people will not be – shocked because you have – married me?”
“I think the majority will merely imagine that they got the name wrong in the first place and the rest, once they know you, will realise that I am the most fortunate man in the whole world and that nobody could make me a more beautiful or perfect wife.”
Lydia gave a little murmur.
“I know what you are thinking, my sweet,” the Earl said. “But to me you have the beauty that far exceeds that of your sister in every way and it is the beauty I was always searching for.”
“I felt you were – looking for something,” Lydia murmured.
“First unconsciously, then consciously,” he said. “I was trying to look beneath the surface to find what was inside a person and what they were really like behind their outward appearance.”
Lydia knew that this was what she had suspected about him.
“When I saw you,” the Earl went on, “and felt you first vibrate towards me, I then began to know the beauty of your character and personality and what I suppose one might call your soul!”
He kissed her cheek and said,
“You charmed me so overwhelmingly that I knew that it was impossible for me to see beauty in any other woman’s face.”
“I-I hope you will – always think so and I promise you I will – try to do what you – want and be what you – want.”
She looked at him before she added,
“But because nobody has ever – loved me and I have – always been kept so much in the background, I felt like a – ghost instead of a person – a shadow of those I was with and not really myself.”
The Earl’s lips moved over her skin, but he did not interrupt as she went on,
“Because you are so magnificent and so vibrant you can – understand why I love you – but it is impossible for me to understand why you love me – only I don’t want to fail you – I want you to be – proud of me, so please, darling – help me, teach me and guide me, otherwise I shall be a – failure.”
The Earl moved so that she was lying back against the pillows and he was looking down at her.
Then he said,
“When I put that blanket round you on the island and told you that you looked like a Saint, I meant it. I wanted then to kneel at your feet and that is what I want to do now.”
Lydia found it was impossible to breathe as he continued,
“You are good, pure and perfect, my lovely wife and, because I know that all these things are instinctive to you, not only will you inspire and stimulate me as you have done already but together we will be able to help other people and you will show me how to be worthy of those who follow my lead, either in public life or in the sporting world.”
“If I could – do that, I would be – very – very happy.”
“That is what I intend you to be.”
He looked down at her for a long moment in the moonlight before he breathed,
“Oh, my darling, have you any idea how beautiful you are?”
Then his lips were on hers, his hand was touching her, h
is heart was beating against her heart and the moonlight enveloped them with a dazzling light.
*
A long time later when the moon was high in the sky and there was only the sound of the waves lapping on the shore, Lydia stirred against the Earl’s shoulder.
“Are you awake, my beloved?” he asked.
“I thought you – must be asleep.”
“I am too happy to sleep.”
“I am so happy I feel we really are in – Paradise.”
He smiled and said,
“And that is where we will stay because I feel, my lovely one, that our love will grow and this is only the beginning of what we will feel for each other.”
“I – love you so much.” Lydia sighed, “I feel that it is impossible to love any more – and yet I am sure you are right. There is so much more for us to find out about each other and I am only afraid that once you – know all about me, which is not very much, you will become bored!”
The Earl laughed.
“That is very unlikely. I am in love as I have never been in love before. In fact, I have never known what love was like, until I met you.”
“Then you are not – disappointed in me – already?”
“My precious, how can you ask such a thing?”
“I was – so afraid of doing – something wrong.”
“You were perfect in every way! Everything a man could ask for in a woman and I swear to you that I have never before felt like this in my whole life!”
Lydia pressed her lips against his shoulder.
Then she said,
“When you – made love to me – it was the most – wonderful thing I could – ever imagine. I did not know – love was – like that.”
“Like what?”
“A tingling excitement – and at the same time – so intense and vivid that the rapture of it was – almost a pain.”
“That is what I want you to feel,” he said. “Our love, Lydia, is not something soft and gentle. It is strong and resilient, the Power that you spoke of and irresistible.”
“I am sure that Love is Life,” Lydia whispered, “and that is why everybody – seeks it, knowing that it is – part of God and therefore part of creation.”
He pulled her against him.
“I adore you,” he said. “You always say the things I want to hear, the things I am striving to put into words for myself. My adorable wife, it is wonderful being married to you, because we not only have so much loving to do together but also so much thinking.”
Lydia laughed.
“I am sure that no newly marrieds have ever said that to each other before!”
“Well, I have said it now,” the Earl remarked, “and it is true. I have never before known a woman I could think with!”
“Then please go on thinking with me,” Lydia pleaded, “because it is very exciting – although not quite as wonderful as your kisses!”
She lifted her mouth to him as she spoke and he looked down at her for a long moment before he said,
“We said last night that we have found the Island of Love. I think, my darling, that wherever we go our island will go with us because it is in our hearts, in our minds and it is part of us as we are part of it.”
“That is what I will pray for – forever and – ever!”
She pulled the Earl’s head down to hers as she spoke and, as he kissed her, she could feel the strange rapturous flames of love moving within her and knew that they were moving in him too.
He kissed her neck and, as he felt her whole body tremble, he asked,
“Does that excite you, my sweet?”
“It makes me – feel – very strange.”
“How?”
“Like flames – running through my – breasts.”
His lips moved to the little valley between them.
Now the breath was coming fitfully through her lips and she whispered,
“Is it wrong of – me to feel so – excited and – wild?”
“Not wrong, my precious, but right! It is how I want you to feel.”
“Oh, my darling husband – it is so wonderful – but I – want to ask you something – ”
“What is it?”
Lydia’s voice was very low as she said,
“Do you think – because you have – loved me we will have – a baby?”
“Is that what you want?”
“It would be so, so – marvellous if I could give you – a son!”
It was as if what she had said made the flames within the Earl burst into a raging fire.
He was kissing her wildly, passionately, demandingly.
She gave him the complete surrender of herself, not only with her body but with her mind and soul.
The fire grew in intensity as they drew closer and even closer and his heart was beating on hers.
They were being moved by a Power that had watched over them, guided and inspired them and which now joined them together in an Island of Love that was theirs for all Eternity.
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
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
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.