Read Online No Time For Love (Bantam Series No. 40) by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Cartland
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Donaldson said.
“So I have read.”
Larina was talking automatically because her brain was dazed with the idea that had been presented to her.
She had naturally supposed that if Elvin was able to keep his promise he would come to London.
He had told her once that when he stayed in London he went to a hotel called Claridges, and Larina had imagined she would be able to visit him in his Sitting-Room there and perhaps he would be well enough to come to her house.
But Sorrento!
She felt as if she could not take it in.
“Mr. Farren was not, of course, expecting you to travel alone,” Mr. Donaldson was saying. “He asked that I should either escort you there myself or engage a Courier for you.”
Larina did not speak and after a moment he went on:
“Perhaps I should explain, Miss Milton, that I look after Mr. Farren’s interests in London where he has an office.”
“An office?” Larina asked in surprise. “Why would he need an office?”
There was a pause before Mr. Donaldson answered:
“Mr. Farren has various business interests not only in his own country but also in Europe, which we look after for him.”
“Oh, I see,” Larina said.
She had thought that Elvin must be fairly rich, otherwise he would not have been able to afford a chalet by himself. She knew also that apart from herself and her mother, Dr. Heinrich’s fees were very high.
But an office to look after his business affairs suggested considerable wealth and it did not seem like Elvin somehow to be concerned with material things.
Yet Mr. Donaldson was continuing in a brisk, businesslike way:
“What I am suggesting, Miss Milton, is that you leave everything to me. I’ll make your journey as comfortable as possible. All I want to know is how soon you can leave.”
“How soon?” Larina questioned in a bewildered manner.
“Mr. Farren seemed to think it was important that you should go to Italy as soon as possible. I am not quite certain how quickly he can be there.”
There was a moment’s pause and then Larina said:
“H ... have you any ... idea how much it would ... cost?”
She felt embarrassed as she asked the question.
“I’m afraid I’m explaining myself very clumsily,” Mr. Donaldson answered. “If you go to Italy, Miss Milton, it’ll be as Mr. Farren’s guest. He made that very clear in the cable. I’ll see to all the expenses.”
“But I do not ... think I could permit...” Larina began, then her voice died away.
What was the point of protesting?
If Elvin wanted her to go to Sorrento the only way it would be possible for her to get there would be at his expense.
She knew quite well that she had not enough money left in the Bank to buy her ticket.
It was ridiculous to make difficulties or to argue about anything when Elvin was being so kind, so overwhelmingly kind in responding to her cry for help.
She had wondered after sending the cable if she could have worded it better. But somehow she thought he would understand what she was trying to say, and it was quite obvious now that he had done so.
He was coming to her aid; he was helping her as he had promised he would; she must agree to anything he suggested.
Mr. Donaldson was watching her from the sofa.
“All you have to tell me, Miss Milton,” he said after a moment, “is how soon you can be ready.”
Larina looked rather helplessly around the room, then she answered:
“I would be ready at once, if it were not for one thing.”
“And what is that, Miss Milton?”
“I shall have to sell the contents of this house,” Larina replied. “I need the money ... I must have some new clothes if I am going to Sorrento.”
She felt Mr. Donaldson looked surprised and she explained:
“You see, I have been living in Switzerland, which is where I met Mr. Farren. We wore thick clothing there as it was very high up and even in the summer it could be very cold in the evenings. But Sorrento will be warm.”
“It will indeed,” Mr. Donaldson agreed. “In
“So I have read.”
Larina was talking automatically because her brain was dazed with the idea that had been presented to her.
She had naturally supposed that if Elvin was able to keep his promise he would come to London.
He had told her once that when he stayed in London he went to a hotel called Claridges, and Larina had imagined she would be able to visit him in his Sitting-Room there and perhaps he would be well enough to come to her house.
But Sorrento!
She felt as if she could not take it in.
“Mr. Farren was not, of course, expecting you to travel alone,” Mr. Donaldson was saying. “He asked that I should either escort you there myself or engage a Courier for you.”
Larina did not speak and after a moment he went on:
“Perhaps I should explain, Miss Milton, that I look after Mr. Farren’s interests in London where he has an office.”
“An office?” Larina asked in surprise. “Why would he need an office?”
There was a pause before Mr. Donaldson answered:
“Mr. Farren has various business interests not only in his own country but also in Europe, which we look after for him.”
“Oh, I see,” Larina said.
She had thought that Elvin must be fairly rich, otherwise he would not have been able to afford a chalet by himself. She knew also that apart from herself and her mother, Dr. Heinrich’s fees were very high.
But an office to look after his business affairs suggested considerable wealth and it did not seem like Elvin somehow to be concerned with material things.
Yet Mr. Donaldson was continuing in a brisk, businesslike way:
“What I am suggesting, Miss Milton, is that you leave everything to me. I’ll make your journey as comfortable as possible. All I want to know is how soon you can leave.”
“How soon?” Larina questioned in a bewildered manner.
“Mr. Farren seemed to think it was important that you should go to Italy as soon as possible. I am not quite certain how quickly he can be there.”
There was a moment’s pause and then Larina said:
“H ... have you any ... idea how much it would ... cost?”
She felt embarrassed as she asked the question.
“I’m afraid I’m explaining myself very clumsily,” Mr. Donaldson answered. “If you go to Italy, Miss Milton, it’ll be as Mr. Farren’s guest. He made that very clear in the cable. I’ll see to all the expenses.”
“But I do not ... think I could permit...” Larina began, then her voice died away.
What was the point of protesting?
If Elvin wanted her to go to Sorrento the only way it would be possible for her to get there would be at his expense.
She knew quite well that she had not enough money left in the Bank to buy her ticket.
It was ridiculous to make difficulties or to argue about anything when Elvin was being so kind, so overwhelmingly kind in responding to her cry for help.
She had wondered after sending the cable if she could have worded it better. But somehow she thought he would understand what she was trying to say, and it was quite obvious now that he had done so.
He was coming to her aid; he was helping her as he had promised he would; she must agree to anything he suggested.
Mr. Donaldson was watching her from the sofa.
“All you have to tell me, Miss Milton,” he said after a moment, “is how soon you can be ready.”
Larina looked rather helplessly around the room, then she answered:
“I would be ready at once, if it were not for one thing.”
“And what is that, Miss Milton?”
“I shall have to sell the contents of this house,” Larina replied. “I need the money ... I must have some new clothes if I am going to Sorrento.”
She felt Mr. Donaldson looked surprised and she explained:
“You see, I have been living in Switzerland, which is where I met Mr. Farren. We wore thick clothing there as it was very high up and even in the summer it could be very cold in the evenings. But Sorrento will be warm.”
“It will indeed,” Mr. Donaldson agreed. “In
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