Read Online Sword to the Heart (Bantam Series No. 13) by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
Ads: Link
guests were enjoying themselves.
Their benign humour stemmed however not only from the importance of the occasion, but also because they had been generously entertained.
Lord Colwall made a speech in which he introduced his future wife, and then, as the cheers of welcome rang out, Natalia went round the Hall at his side.
Man after man was presented to her until the whole throng became nothing but a sea of faces, and it was difficult to hear either their names or the descriptions that Lord Colwall gave her of each person he introduced.
They did not stop to talk to anyone, although occasionally an old man having mumbled congratulations and good wishes would start on a rambling tale of His Lordship’s father or grandfather.
It was nearly an hour before the round was completed and Lord Colwall led Natalia from the Baronial Hall back along the passages towards the Salon.
The Reverend Adolphus had not accompanied them and Natalia could not help hoping that, if he had gone to bed, she would have a chance to speak alone with Lord Colwall.
With a little throb of excitement she wondered if he would kiss her.
He had not kissed her finger before the engagement ring had been placed upon it and she wanted more than anything else in the world that he should kiss her lips.
All the way down from the North, she imagined herself being held in his arms; of being close to him; of hearing him say that he loved her and of telling him how much she loved him.
‘If only we can be ... alone,’ she thought, and felt herself thrill at the idea.
She knew that he must love her deeply to have done so much for her already, and she thought now that the reason the marriage was taking place so speedily after her arrival, was that he wanted her to himself.
She felt her heart leap at the thought. Of course, that was the explanation.
Even though it might seem slightly inconsiderate where her father was concerned, she knew it would be a wonder beyond words to be alone with the man she married.
She wanted to talk intimately with him; to know that she was his! She wanted to tell him all the things that she had imagined about him through the three long years when she had thought of him, and of no-one else.
‘I love him! I love him!’ she cried in her heart as they reached the Salon.
Then, with an undeniable feeling of disappointment, she saw her father was waiting for them.
He rose to his feet as they entered, and before Natalia could speak, Lord Colwall said:
“I am persuaded that you should retire to bed and have a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be for both of us somewhat of a trial. I am sure you would wish to rest.”
Natalia wished nothing of the sort, but she had not the courage to say so. Instead, obediently, she kissed her father good-night, and then turned towards Lord Colwall.
There was a question in her eyes as she looked at him.
‘At least,’ she thought, ‘he might wish to kiss my cheek . ’
But he only bowed in response to her curtsey, and she moved away a little forlornly to climb the big stone staircase alone.
She heard a sound behind her and she turned round expectantly. Herald wagging his tail ecstatically was escorting her to her bedchamber.
Natalia was in fact more tired than she had thought.
She fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, and when she awoke it was to see a pale sun struggling through the sides of the curtains.
‘I am sure it is going to be a fine day,’ she thought.
Jumping gaily out of bed she ran across the room to pull open the heavy curtains. It was in fact the loveliest day she could have imagined!
There had been a sharp frost during the night and the grass was white, the air crisp and the sky very clear.
Below in the valley she could see a river winding its way through the fields that were green, and in the forests there was still the red of the beech trees and the golden yellow of the oak.
‘Soon it will be winter,’ Natalia thought, ‘but now it is
Their benign humour stemmed however not only from the importance of the occasion, but also because they had been generously entertained.
Lord Colwall made a speech in which he introduced his future wife, and then, as the cheers of welcome rang out, Natalia went round the Hall at his side.
Man after man was presented to her until the whole throng became nothing but a sea of faces, and it was difficult to hear either their names or the descriptions that Lord Colwall gave her of each person he introduced.
They did not stop to talk to anyone, although occasionally an old man having mumbled congratulations and good wishes would start on a rambling tale of His Lordship’s father or grandfather.
It was nearly an hour before the round was completed and Lord Colwall led Natalia from the Baronial Hall back along the passages towards the Salon.
The Reverend Adolphus had not accompanied them and Natalia could not help hoping that, if he had gone to bed, she would have a chance to speak alone with Lord Colwall.
With a little throb of excitement she wondered if he would kiss her.
He had not kissed her finger before the engagement ring had been placed upon it and she wanted more than anything else in the world that he should kiss her lips.
All the way down from the North, she imagined herself being held in his arms; of being close to him; of hearing him say that he loved her and of telling him how much she loved him.
‘If only we can be ... alone,’ she thought, and felt herself thrill at the idea.
She knew that he must love her deeply to have done so much for her already, and she thought now that the reason the marriage was taking place so speedily after her arrival, was that he wanted her to himself.
She felt her heart leap at the thought. Of course, that was the explanation.
Even though it might seem slightly inconsiderate where her father was concerned, she knew it would be a wonder beyond words to be alone with the man she married.
She wanted to talk intimately with him; to know that she was his! She wanted to tell him all the things that she had imagined about him through the three long years when she had thought of him, and of no-one else.
‘I love him! I love him!’ she cried in her heart as they reached the Salon.
Then, with an undeniable feeling of disappointment, she saw her father was waiting for them.
He rose to his feet as they entered, and before Natalia could speak, Lord Colwall said:
“I am persuaded that you should retire to bed and have a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be for both of us somewhat of a trial. I am sure you would wish to rest.”
Natalia wished nothing of the sort, but she had not the courage to say so. Instead, obediently, she kissed her father good-night, and then turned towards Lord Colwall.
There was a question in her eyes as she looked at him.
‘At least,’ she thought, ‘he might wish to kiss my cheek . ’
But he only bowed in response to her curtsey, and she moved away a little forlornly to climb the big stone staircase alone.
She heard a sound behind her and she turned round expectantly. Herald wagging his tail ecstatically was escorting her to her bedchamber.
Natalia was in fact more tired than she had thought.
She fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, and when she awoke it was to see a pale sun struggling through the sides of the curtains.
‘I am sure it is going to be a fine day,’ she thought.
Jumping gaily out of bed she ran across the room to pull open the heavy curtains. It was in fact the loveliest day she could have imagined!
There had been a sharp frost during the night and the grass was white, the air crisp and the sky very clear.
Below in the valley she could see a river winding its way through the fields that were green, and in the forests there was still the red of the beech trees and the golden yellow of the oak.
‘Soon it will be winter,’ Natalia thought, ‘but now it is
Similar Books
