Read Online 104. A Heart Finds Love by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Cartland
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we are bound to be crooked.”
“I think that is very likely,” Alnina remarked, “but it will take you some time. It took me over a year to learn Russian and I had one of the best teachers ever.”
The Duke stared at her.
“You speak Russian?”
“Fluently, I am glad to say,” Alnina replied. “But I did work very hard at it and, as I had completed all the other lessons in the school, I did nothing else.”
There was silence for a moment and then William said,
“Then of course you will have to teach us.”
Alnina smiled.
“For one year? Or if you enjoy your life in London, which undoubtedly you do, it might be two or three years.”
Again there was silence before the Duke suggested,
“The only possible answer to this problem is that you come out with us to Georgia. Then you can give the overseer his orders and we hope that he passes them on.”
”Are you serious?” Alnina enquired.
“Of course I am serious. I have been dreaming of this for years. Now that it is actually within my reach to own a mountain that seems to me much more exciting than anything else I have seen on my travels, I just cannot give up and admit I am defeated.”
“No, of course not, but I am sure that you could find someone more suitable than I am.”
The Duke spread out his hands.
“Quite frankly we know no one. And to go to the Russian Embassy would be crazy.”
“Why should it be?” William enquired.
“Don’t be silly. You know as well as I do, if the Russians thought that there was gold in the mountain you are talking about, the gold would be theirs before we even left home.”
“Mr. Armstrong is absolutely right there,” Alnina agreed. “The Russians, I was told by my teacher, who was a Russian, have been actively searching for gold and every other available mineral in the Caucasus.”
She smiled at them both before she continued,
“But those who prospected in the North have often been disappointed. And they have now almost given up believing that treasure is there waiting for them.”
They looked at each other and then William said,
“Miss Lester is quite right. I think, if she will come with us to Tiflis, it will make those we meet think we are merely on an adventurous holiday.”
“That is sheer common sense,” the Duke said, “so please, Miss Lester, or rather Alnina – remember I knew your brother and please call me John – will you come with us as my guest and help me buy the one possession I really want to own?”
“It is the most exciting invitation I have ever had,” Alnina enthused, “but how can I leave everything here with Charles’s creditors trying every way they can to extract money from me that I do not have?”
“You can leave all that in the hands of my Solicitor and one of my Managers,” the Duke said. “Most of them have little to do at The Castle as they have already made it almost perfect. My Solicitor will keep the dogs at bay until you return.”
“I cannot believe you are really serious about this,” Alnina sighed.
“I am completely serious and William will tell you how much I have longed for this particular mountain, but have never been rich enough until now to buy an inch of it, let alone the whole mountain itself.”
Alnina looked from one to the other.
“I don’t know what to say. You have taken all my breath away and I cannot think clearly.”
“Just leave it all to me. I will arrange that nothing difficult happens while you are away and, if the creditors get really out of hand, my people shall pay them and we can then discuss later how much you owe me instead of them.”
“I feel breathless,” Alnina murmured. “Of course it will be thrilling for me to go to Georgia and to see the Caucasus. It is something I thought would never actually happen and I would only be able to read about it, as I have done already, in books.”
“Very well. William and I will go back to London and I will send down one of my Managers and a Solicitor tomorrow for you
“I think that is very likely,” Alnina remarked, “but it will take you some time. It took me over a year to learn Russian and I had one of the best teachers ever.”
The Duke stared at her.
“You speak Russian?”
“Fluently, I am glad to say,” Alnina replied. “But I did work very hard at it and, as I had completed all the other lessons in the school, I did nothing else.”
There was silence for a moment and then William said,
“Then of course you will have to teach us.”
Alnina smiled.
“For one year? Or if you enjoy your life in London, which undoubtedly you do, it might be two or three years.”
Again there was silence before the Duke suggested,
“The only possible answer to this problem is that you come out with us to Georgia. Then you can give the overseer his orders and we hope that he passes them on.”
”Are you serious?” Alnina enquired.
“Of course I am serious. I have been dreaming of this for years. Now that it is actually within my reach to own a mountain that seems to me much more exciting than anything else I have seen on my travels, I just cannot give up and admit I am defeated.”
“No, of course not, but I am sure that you could find someone more suitable than I am.”
The Duke spread out his hands.
“Quite frankly we know no one. And to go to the Russian Embassy would be crazy.”
“Why should it be?” William enquired.
“Don’t be silly. You know as well as I do, if the Russians thought that there was gold in the mountain you are talking about, the gold would be theirs before we even left home.”
“Mr. Armstrong is absolutely right there,” Alnina agreed. “The Russians, I was told by my teacher, who was a Russian, have been actively searching for gold and every other available mineral in the Caucasus.”
She smiled at them both before she continued,
“But those who prospected in the North have often been disappointed. And they have now almost given up believing that treasure is there waiting for them.”
They looked at each other and then William said,
“Miss Lester is quite right. I think, if she will come with us to Tiflis, it will make those we meet think we are merely on an adventurous holiday.”
“That is sheer common sense,” the Duke said, “so please, Miss Lester, or rather Alnina – remember I knew your brother and please call me John – will you come with us as my guest and help me buy the one possession I really want to own?”
“It is the most exciting invitation I have ever had,” Alnina enthused, “but how can I leave everything here with Charles’s creditors trying every way they can to extract money from me that I do not have?”
“You can leave all that in the hands of my Solicitor and one of my Managers,” the Duke said. “Most of them have little to do at The Castle as they have already made it almost perfect. My Solicitor will keep the dogs at bay until you return.”
“I cannot believe you are really serious about this,” Alnina sighed.
“I am completely serious and William will tell you how much I have longed for this particular mountain, but have never been rich enough until now to buy an inch of it, let alone the whole mountain itself.”
Alnina looked from one to the other.
“I don’t know what to say. You have taken all my breath away and I cannot think clearly.”
“Just leave it all to me. I will arrange that nothing difficult happens while you are away and, if the creditors get really out of hand, my people shall pay them and we can then discuss later how much you owe me instead of them.”
“I feel breathless,” Alnina murmured. “Of course it will be thrilling for me to go to Georgia and to see the Caucasus. It is something I thought would never actually happen and I would only be able to read about it, as I have done already, in books.”
“Very well. William and I will go back to London and I will send down one of my Managers and a Solicitor tomorrow for you
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