“When I think of how much you were prepared to give up for me,” Aleta said, “I feel very – very humble. Suppose in time I – disappoint you?”
The Duke kissed her hair.
“You will never do that,” he said, “and darling, I need your help in all the work I have to do for Mr. Wardolf, the difficulty being that none of the pictures I am going to buy for him will look half as beautiful as you and I shall think none of them good enough to hang in his future Art Gallery.”
Aleta gave a little laugh before she said,
“I want you to think me beautiful, but when I remember how important you are, I am afraid that I shall make a very inadequate – Duchess. How can I shine amongst all the famous and lovely women we will meet at Buckingham Palace and all the social functions which we have to attend?”
“Which we will attend because I want to show the world what a beautiful wife I have,” the Duke said firmly. “But, as we shall also have a great deal of serious business to attend to, we will not waste too much time on them.”
“I am glad about that,” Aleta said. “All I really want is to be with you – for you to teach me about the – things that interest you – and to let me help you.”
“At least we shall do a great deal of travelling,” the Duke said. “I want to show you Paris, Vienna and, of course, Rome.”
“Oh, Tybalt, it sounds so wonderful, but promise we can come back here in between the trips to – listen to the – nightingales. Our nightingales that sing of our love.”
“We’ll always do that,” the Duke promised. “Although Mr. Wardolf has quite a considerable claim on my time, he cannot have all of it. I want a home, Aleta, and only you can make that for me.”
“The Castle is very – big,” Aleta said in a small voice. Then she added so softly that he could hardly hear, “but – perhaps when we have lots of – children they will find it a wonderful place – to play hide-and-seek and – ”
There was no chance to say any more, for the Duke was kissing her, kissing her so that everything she was about to say slipped away from her mind.
She felt his hand touching her body and felt, as she quivered with a wild excitement that the moonlight flooding the room was drawing them high up into the starlit sky.
“I love you, my darling,” the Duke said in his deep voice. “I love you!”
Then he was kissing her until Aleta felt as if the moonlight was running through her body, changing from silver to flame and burning in the same way that she knew a fire was burning within the Duke.
“I love – you! I adore – you!” she whispered.
But she knew that there were no more words and the enchantment, the ecstasy and the wonder they felt could only be expressed in the song of the nightingales.
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
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
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, si
x 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.
A Nightingale Sang
Barbara Cartland
Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
This edition © 2015
Copyright Cartland Promotions 1979
eBook conversion by M-Y Books