“I told you that I was not going to wait any longer. You are mine, Arletta, and only when you are my wife will I feel no longer afraid of losing you.”
She realised as he spoke that just as she had been horrified by the terror that the Comte had inflicted on them in the dungeon, so for the Duc, because he loved her, it had been a ghastly experience to think that he could not protect her as he wished to do.
She remembered how he had begged the Comte to spare her life and she felt that no man could be more wonderful or more loving.
She was prepared to allow him to know what was best for them both without argument.
In fact she thought with a little smile as she went back to her bedroom as he had virtually commanded her to do that he would always be her Master.
It would be impossible to fight against him even though she might coax him with love into doing what she wanted.
She therefore went to bed, her whole being vibrating from the wonder of his kisses and feeling that her head was in the clouds because of the plans that he was making for them both.
“We will be married tomorrow,” the Duc had said, “and on the following day we will leave for my Villa in the South of France, where we shall be alone with nobody to disturb us, and I will tell you of my love for you in great detail.”
“You – know that is – what I want,” Arletta said with a little quiver of excitement in her voice. “At the same time – we must not forget David.”
The Duc smiled.
“I thought that was something you would say and I have not forgotten David. I have already arranged for an Englishman who is studying French at the University of Limoges to come here in our absence and stay until we return, or perhaps longer, if you approve of him.”
As Arletta gave a cry of delight, the Duc added,
“Incidentally he is very keen on cricket and I suggested to him that he form a team from amongst the footmen and the other young men on the estate.”
Arletta clasped her hands together.
“How can you be so – wonderful as to think of – everything?”
“I think of you,” the Duc replied and she knew that it was the truth.
*
When Arletta awoke very early on her Wedding morning, she found that he had thought of her in more ways than one.
The housekeeper brought a Wedding gown to the room that had been worn by the Duc’s mother on her Wedding Day and which was only a trifle too large for her in the waist.
Otherwise it fitted her very well.
Of white satin with a very full skirt, the top was a lace bertha off the shoulder, which was embroidered all over with tiny diamanté and pearls.
It was so lovely that Arletta could hardly believe when she saw herself in the mirror that it had not been specially designed for her.
With the exquisite Brussels lace veil, which the de Sauterres had worn for generations, and a diamond tiara, she looked like the Fairy Princess she had visualised herself as being when she had first come to the Château.
When she came down from the tower for the last time, since tonight she would be in the State bedroom, where the Duchesse de Sauterre had slept through the ages, there was a bouquet of white orchids for her to carry.
The Duc was waiting for her, attired, as was the custom for Frenchmen, in full evening dress.
He looked so magnificent with a ribbon across his white shirt and a number of jewelled Orders on his coat that Arletta could only gasp in admiration.
Then, as he kissed her hand, he said,
“You look as I wanted you to look. As my bride and as the Saint who lives in a shrine in my heart.”
After their Wedding they went up to see the Duchesse and, as if she wanted to celebrate the occasion, she was festooned in even more jewellery than Arletta had seen her wear before.
She kissed the old lady and so did the Duc and the Duchesse then said,
“You see? I was right! I knew you had come here to ensnare my grandson!”
“As I am very willing to be,” the Duc grinned.
The Duchesse chuckled and then she addressed Arletta,
“I have not only to thank you, my dear, for saving my grandson’s life but also for saving me from having to see his despicable cousin take his place as the new Duc!”
“You are not to speak of it,” the Duc interposed.
“I have not yet finished, Etienne,” the Duchesse said firmly. “I only wanted to tell Arletta that she is the best and most beautiful woman who has ever come to the Château and that we all love her, every one of us!”
Because she was so moved, Arletta felt the tears come into her eyes.
Then, when the Duchesse had drunk their health in champagne and they had kissed her again, they left the room.
The old maid was waiting outside.
“You’ve made Madame ever so happy, monsieur,” she said to the Duc. “I’ve never known her so thrilled or so delighted as she is today.”
“That is what I am feeling myself,” the Duc admitted as he and Arletta went downstairs.
There was one more party to attend, which was the luncheon arranged for the staff, the tenants and the labourers on the estate.
The huge room, which Arletta learnt had once been where revels had taken place in Medieval times, was decorated with flowers and bunting.
There were long trestle tables groaning with food, although how it had been organised so quickly she could not imagine until she learned that the chefs had been working literally all night.
There was home-brewed cider as well as wine for everybody who wanted it and David was particularly excited because the Duc had told him that in his absence he was to play host.
He sat at the head of one of the long trestle tables and Pauline at the other and Arletta knew that it was impossible for the two children to be more thrilled by the responsibilities that the Duc had given them.
The Duc made a speech thanking everybody for their congratulations and good wishes and saying that a new era of happiness had begun at the Château and it was up to them to make certain that everybody forgot the unhappiness of the last few years.
As he spoke, Arletta swore in her heart that she would make up for all that everyone else had suffered.
They left the party to go back alone to their own luncheon, which was arranged in one of the smaller rooms that Arletta had not seen before.
What she ate and drank she had no idea, because, although while the servants were in the room, they talked of ordinary things, the Duc’s eyes were telling her of his great love.
It was impossible to think of anything but the sensations he aroused in her.
When at last they were alone, she thought that he would take her into the study.
Instead they walked up the grand staircase towards the State rooms and now she thought that he would perhaps take her to the ballroom where he had watched her dancing alone and claimed that it was there he had fallen in love with her.
Instead he went on down the long corridor to where at the end was his own bedroom, the most important in the whole house.
Next to it was the room that the housekeeper had told Arletta she would occupy when she left the tower bedroom.
David had not shown her these rooms on her tour of the house because the shutters were closed in the Duchesse’s room and he was too nervous to take her into his uncle’s.
Now Arletta found that the rooms were more beautiful than anything she could imagine in her dreams.
What was more, her room was decorated with white flowers, which, in contrast to the pale blue brocade walls, made a perfect background for the colourful Fragonard pictures, which were appropriately of lovers and cupids.
There was a huge canopied bed carved with gilded cupids under a ceiling depicting Venus rising from the foam.
“I shall not feel – real in such a beautiful room,” Arletta said in an awe-stricken little voice.
“Come and look at mine,” the Duc suggested.
He opened a communica
ting door and she found that his room was even larger than hers.
It was decorated in almost the same manner, but was more masculine. The bed was hung with curtains of red velvet with the de Sauterre crest over a carved and gilt headboard.
What was surprising, she thought, was that the flowers that decorated his room as well as hers were white orchids and lilies.
As she looked round, she realised that the Duc had closed the door and was now closer to her. And she thought that he was about to kiss her.
Instead he lifted the tiara from her head and put it on top of a chest.
Then he took off her lace veil and threw it over a chair.
She waited, accepting that he wanted to do things his own way, but longing for him to kiss her. She felt as if her whole body was pulsating with a heavenly rapture while she waited for him to do so.
Instead he drew the hairpins from her hair and it fell over her shoulders in soft waves.
“Now you look as you did the first time I saw you,” he said in a deep voice, “except, my darling, that you have on far more clothes than you had then!”
“Y-you are – making me feel – shy,” Arletta told him in a hesitant little voice.
“I adore you when you are shy.”
As if he could wait no longer, he lifted her chin and his lips were on hers.
As he kissed her and the rapture within her heart began to leap up to her lips, she felt him undoing her gown.
A moment later it fell like a soft sigh to the ground.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the huge bed.
For a moment she did not really understand what was happening, she only felt a wild excitement sweep over her that seemed to be part of the beating of her heart.
And yet her love was more than that.
It was in her mind and in her soul and they belonged to the Duc.
He laid her down against the lace-trimmed pillows and drew the sheet over her.
Then, as the sunshine streaming in through the windows that overlooked the gardens and the fountains seemed to blind her eyes, he was beside her.
His arms were around her and she felt herself trembling with the wonder of it.
She knew that he too was feeling as if the angels were singing and already they had left the earth and were flying into the sky.
“Je t’aime! I love you!” the Duc sighed.
His lips were on hers and his hand was touching her body and she could feel his heart beating against hers.
“Teach – me. Oh, teach me about – love,” she whispered.
Then she knew that there was no language on earth that they could express what they felt for each other in.
But there was no need for words.
Their love was life itself, the life that came from God and which was to be theirs for 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
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
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.