A kiss of love, p.1
A Kiss of Love, page 1
A KISS OF LOVE
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
First published on the internet in February 2010
First published on the internet in January 2008 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-908411-25-9 epub
978-1-908411-26-6 Mobi
978-1-908411-27-3 Pdf
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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A KISS OF LOVE
Then Malvina found herself pondering about the kiss the Duc had given her in the hall.
She had never been kissed before, although quite a number of men had tried to do so, either in the gardens of Devonshire House or in some empty reception room when she was attending a private ball.
She had always believed that a kiss was a sensation too intimate to be wasted on a man who meant nothing to her.
Now she told herself that she would never see the Duc again –
Yet she had the uncomfortable feeling it would be impossible to forget his kiss.
It had not been what she expected.
Nor had she thought that she herself would feel like responding to him.
Yet when his lips did touch hers, she felt a strange feeling she had never felt before move through her breasts.
Even as she had become aware of it, he had left her. He had just walked out of the door without looking back.
Only when she was lying in bed and could not sleep did she feel again that strange unaccountable feeling.
She wanted to tell herself it was what everyone felt when they were first kissed.
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 :
Barbara Cartland.com Ltd.
240 High Road,
Harrow Weald,
Harrow
HA3 7BB
United Kingdom.
Telephone & fax: +44 (0)20 8863 2520
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.
1. The Cross Of Love
2. Love In The Highlands
3. Love Finds The Way
4. The Castle Of Love
5. Love Is Triumphant
6. Stars In The Sky
7. The Ship Of Love
8. A Dangerous Disguise
9. Love Became Theirs
10. Love Drives In
11. Sailing To Love
12. The Star Of Love
13. Music Is The Soul Of Love
14. Love In The East
15. Theirs To Eternity
16. A Paradise On Earth
17. Love Wins In Berlin
18. In Search Of Love
19. Love Rescues Rosanna
20. A Heart In Heaven
21. The House Of Happiness
22. Royalty Defeated By Love
23. The White Witch
24. They Sought Love
25. Love Is The Reason For Living
26. They Found Their Way To Heaven
27. Learning To Love
28. Journey To Happiness
29. A Kiss In The Desert
30. The Heart Of Love
31. The Richness Of Love
32. For Ever And Ever
33. An Unexpected Love
34. Saved By An Angel
35. Touching The Stars
36. Seeking Love
37. Journey To Love
38. The Importance Of Love
39. Love By The Lake
40. A Dream Come True
41. The King Without A Heart
42. The Waters Of Love
43. Danger To The Duke
44. A Perfect Way To Heaven
45. Follow Your Heart
46. In Hiding
47. Rivals For Love
48. A Kiss From The Heart
49. Lovers In London
50. This Way To Heaven
51. A Princess Prays
52. Mine For Ever
53. The Earl’s Revenge
54. Love At The Tower
55. Ruled By Love
56. Love Came From Heaven
57. Love And Apollo
58. The Keys Of Love
59. A Castle Of Dreams
60. A Battle Of Brains
61. A Change Of Hearts
62. It Is Love
63. The Triumph Of Love
64. Wanted – A Royal Wife
65. A Kiss 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.
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.
“A kiss between a man and a woman in love is the deepest and most sincere expression of feeling that human beings can aspire to.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
1878
Lady Malvina Silisley ran downstairs as she heard the horses come to a standstill outside the front door.
Her father, the Earl of Silstone, stepped out from his carriage just as she reached him.
She flung her arms round his neck.
“You are back, Papa! I have missed you so much. How could you stay away for so long?”
“It was only a week, my dearest,” he replied, “but I am flattered that you found it lonely without me.”
“Very, very lonely, Papa, but I have lots to tell you, so come in and have your tea. It’s waiting for you in the drawing room.”
They walked into the impressive mansion that had been the home of the Earls of Silstone for three centuries.
It had, however, fallen into considerable disrepair before her father, the fifth Earl, had inherited the estate.
He had been lucky enough to inherit a huge fortune from a Godfather who had gone
The Silisleys had always regretted that the head of their family could not live in the big house, so there was general rejoicing when the Earl started to restore it.
He was ably assisted by his wife who fortunately had exquisite taste.
The result when they had completed the restoration was to turn Silstone Court into one of the most beautiful ancestral homes in the entire country.
The Earl was welcomed in the neighbourhood – not just for his wealth but for himself.
He was an extremely genial gentleman, charming and good-tempered and ready to help anyone he met.
As soon as he came into such a large fortune he had assisted quite a number of his contemporaries.
In fact, he was ready to listen to any story of hard luck that was told to him.
He was blissfully happy with his Countess until she died and he adored his very attractive daughter.
The only sadness was that he had no son to inherit the title and estates.
All would go, on the Earl’s death, to a rather boring cousin whom no one particularly liked.
However, the Earl was still comparatively young.
People often whispered that he was likely to marry again and produce the much wanted heir.
In the meantime he was very busy.
His daughter, Malvina, had just left school after an extensive and a very expensive education.
She had ended up in the most renowned Finishing School for girls in St. Cloud just outside Paris.
The school was kept by nuns and was attached to a Convent.
The pupils all came from the aristocracies of every European country and the most experienced teachers and masters in France were employed by the school.
Malvina had returned home with flying colours.
Her report was exceptionally good and she had four distinctions and prizes to prove it.
She was thrilled to be home.
During her father’s recent absence she had spent the time riding his fine horses and exploring what had been added to the house since she had been away.
She was particularly attracted to the library and it was a delight to her that her father had bought all the recent books that had just been published in London.
Now as she went with her father into the house, she was talking about the mares that had just foaled and the orchids that had just come into bloom.
These were a new possession and had been brought to them from the East.
“You must come with me and see these wonderful orchids, Papa, as soon as we have finished tea,” enthused Malvina when they reached the drawing room.
It was a particularly attractive room, having been furnished by the late Countess with furniture of the Louis XIV period.
The pictures were by famous French artists, many of which had been purchased by the Earl in France when they came to visit Malvina at her Finishing School.
As the Countess had always demanded, there was a profusion of flowers everywhere.
The bright sunshine streaming through the windows glittered on the beautiful silver standing on the tea-table.
“Now I have told you all my news,” Malvina said, as she passed her father the hot scones, “tell me what you have been doing in London.”
There was a slight pause before the Earl responded,
“I have been finding you a husband, my dearest – ”
Malvina’s large and beautiful eyes opened wide.
She stared at her father as if she thought she must have misheard him.
“Husband!” she repeated after a pause.
“I have been worried, my very precious daughter, because when we travel to London for the Season and open the house in Park Lane, you will be certainly be pursued by every fortune-hunter in London.”
Malvina laughed.
“You need not worry, Papa, I am too intelligent to be deceived by a man who desires my money rather than me.”
“Because you are so beautiful, Malvina, you will undoubtedly be desired for yourself, but there is always the cream sitting on the top of the cake, which is that you are also exceedingly rich.”
“I never, for a moment, think about my money,” murmured Malvina.
“I know that, dearest, but those who meet you will certainly talk about it. I know those fortune-hunters only too well and how clever they can be in deceiving a pretty woman into believing it is only love that counts.”
“I cannot think why you are worrying about it now, Papa. I am not going to get married and leave you. I have been away far too long and it is Heaven to be home again.”
Her father looked at her with loving eyes.
“That is what I want you to feel. At the same time I think I have found the perfect husband for you and there will be no need for you to look any further.”
There was silence until Malvina spoke up,
“Are you really serious about this, Papa?”
“Very serious, my dearest.”
“Do you really think that I could marry a man I have never met and whom I don’t know?” Malvina asked him.
“It is nothing like that,” the Earl answered. “The husband I have chosen for you is someone you have heard of, even if you have not actually met him since you were a child. He is a charming and delightful young man and I just know instinctively that you will be exceedingly happy together.”
“I think, Papa, that it is for me to decide. But tell me about this man who has made such a good impression on you.”
The Earl sat back in his chair.
“You will be surprised, Malvina, when I tell you that he is actually our next door neighbour. In fact a great advantage of your marriage to him will be that sooner or later we will be able to join up our estates and make it one of the most outstanding and admirably managed in the whole of England.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Papa, in fact I am trying to remember who our next door neighbour is.”
“I suppose because you have been abroad for so long being educated, you will have forgotten that it is the Marquis of Arramford, who lives only a few miles away and whose estate meets ours by the River Need.”
“Oh, I think I remember now.”
“I met the Marquis at White’s Club only three days ago,” the Earl continued, “and he told me how worried he is that his son, who is the Earl of Arram, shows no sign of getting married. He is approaching twenty-seven and the Marquis feels that by this time he should have settled down and started a family.
“As your mother and I were, the Marquis is very anxious for his son to have an heir. Otherwise, if anything happens to Charles, the Marquisate might become extinct as apparently they have very few relations left.”
“It all sounds most complicated,” sighed Malvina. “But if Charles Arram does not wish to get married, I do not see what anyone, least of all I, can do about it.”
The Earl chuckled.
“He will marry you and his father thinks it’s a most excellent idea. He is overjoyed. Not only because you are my daughter and he has always been a great friend of mine, but also, like a great many Noblemen at the moment, he is feeling the pinch.
“He needs money for his house and for his estate. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to have you as his daughter-in-law.”
“What you are really telling me, Papa, is that he is fortune-hunting!”
“Of course he is. Every father with a handsome son to inherit his title wants him to marry someone he loves and who is very beautiful, but who also has a large dowry to keep the old place going.”
Malvina did not speak.
“The same does apply, as you would know only too well, when ambitious mothers look for someone with a title to marry their daughters.”
He gave a laugh before he added,
“Of course, I am ambitious for you, my dearest, but short of marrying Royalty, I would be very delighted to see you the wife of a young man who will eventually be the Marquis of Arramford.”
“If you ask me,” Malvina said after a moment, “it all sounds slightly unpleasant. I used to talk to the girls at school about love and we all wanted to meet a charming handsome man who would fall in love with us and whom we, in return, would love with all our heart.”
“That is exactly what will happen. I am only saving you from being courted by all the rag-tag and bob-tail of London simply because you are rich. Charles Arram has as much to offer you as you have to offer him.”
