Read Online Sword to the Heart (Bantam Series No. 13) by Barbara Cartland - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Cartland
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beautiful—a perfect day for my perfect wedding . ’
It was appropriate that the world should wear a semblance of white on her wedding day. Natalia remembered with excitement the wonderful white wedding gown the Housekeeper had shown her before she went to bed.
“Will he think I look beautiful in it?” she asked aloud.
She was sure Lord Colwall would tell her so, and she felt herself thrill with the anticipation of what lay ahead.
A few minutes later the maids came to call her.
“It is a quarter before nine o’clock, Miss,” Ellen announced. “The Reverend Gentleman is having breakfast in your Sitting-Room next door. He asks when you are awake if you would join him.”
“Is it as late as that?” Natalia exclaimed. “I am usually called at eight o’clock.”
“I thought you would wish to sleep later this morning, Miss,” Ellen replied. “I did look in a little earlier, but you were asleep.”
“Well, now I must hurry,” Natalia said, “especially if my father wishes to see me.”
She paused and then asked:
“Where is Lord Colwall having his breakfast?”
“Downstairs, Miss,” Ellen replied, “but of course today you cannot leave your own rooms. It is very unlucky for a Bride to see her Bridegroom before she meets him in the Church.”
Natalia laughed.
“Are you superstitious?”
“Yes, Miss, and so is His Lordship. He has given instructions that on no account must you appear until it is time to proceed to the Chapel.”
Natalia gave a little sigh.
“Oh, dear! It is such a lovely day and I would have wished to visit the garden, or perhaps to climb to the very top of the Castle to look at the view.”
“I don’t think His Lordship would like it,” Ellen said.
“Of course I must do as His Lordship wishes,” Natalia smiled.
She dressed herself quickly.
It was impossible to find a plain morning-gown amongst the elaborate creations which hung in the wardrobe, but she chose the simplest there was and then hurried into the Sitting-Room to find her father had already finished his breakfast.
“I am sorry to be late, Papa,” she said, kissing his cheek.
“It is of no consequence, child,” he answered. “You might be expected to be fatigued after such a long journey.”
“I think in reality I was just day-dreaming,” Natalia answered.
There were two footmen and a Butler to bring her innumerable dishes from which she found it difficult to make a choice.
Then the servants having left the room, the Reverend Adolphus said:
“I want to talk to you, Natalia.”
There was a note of concern in his voice which made her glance up at him in surprise.
“What about, Papa?”
“I have been thinking since last night,” her father began slowly, “that you are being married at quite an unnecessary speed.”
Natalia did not answer. She merely put down the cup she had been holding in her hand, and sat looking at her father wide-eyed.
“Your mother and I had thought,” the Reverend Adolphus went on, “that when you arrived at the Castle, you and I would be here for perhaps a week or ten days before the marriage took place.”
He paused to continue:
“During that time, your mother asked me to tell you that, if you wished to change your mind, if you decided after all that Lord Colwall was not the man you thought could make you happy, then you were to accompany me on my return home.”
“But why should Mama think,” Natalia asked after a moment’s pause, “there was any chance of my changing my mind?”
“You met Lord Colwall only once when you were but fifteen,” her father answered. “If you marry him, Natalia, you will be his wife in the sight of God for the rest of your life. Whatever you may feel about him later, it will then be too late.”
“Yes, I realise that, Papa.”
“Therefore I should have wished you to have a chance of getting to know him better,” the Reverend Adolphus went on. “As your mother suggested, if you had a week together, or even longer, you
It was appropriate that the world should wear a semblance of white on her wedding day. Natalia remembered with excitement the wonderful white wedding gown the Housekeeper had shown her before she went to bed.
“Will he think I look beautiful in it?” she asked aloud.
She was sure Lord Colwall would tell her so, and she felt herself thrill with the anticipation of what lay ahead.
A few minutes later the maids came to call her.
“It is a quarter before nine o’clock, Miss,” Ellen announced. “The Reverend Gentleman is having breakfast in your Sitting-Room next door. He asks when you are awake if you would join him.”
“Is it as late as that?” Natalia exclaimed. “I am usually called at eight o’clock.”
“I thought you would wish to sleep later this morning, Miss,” Ellen replied. “I did look in a little earlier, but you were asleep.”
“Well, now I must hurry,” Natalia said, “especially if my father wishes to see me.”
She paused and then asked:
“Where is Lord Colwall having his breakfast?”
“Downstairs, Miss,” Ellen replied, “but of course today you cannot leave your own rooms. It is very unlucky for a Bride to see her Bridegroom before she meets him in the Church.”
Natalia laughed.
“Are you superstitious?”
“Yes, Miss, and so is His Lordship. He has given instructions that on no account must you appear until it is time to proceed to the Chapel.”
Natalia gave a little sigh.
“Oh, dear! It is such a lovely day and I would have wished to visit the garden, or perhaps to climb to the very top of the Castle to look at the view.”
“I don’t think His Lordship would like it,” Ellen said.
“Of course I must do as His Lordship wishes,” Natalia smiled.
She dressed herself quickly.
It was impossible to find a plain morning-gown amongst the elaborate creations which hung in the wardrobe, but she chose the simplest there was and then hurried into the Sitting-Room to find her father had already finished his breakfast.
“I am sorry to be late, Papa,” she said, kissing his cheek.
“It is of no consequence, child,” he answered. “You might be expected to be fatigued after such a long journey.”
“I think in reality I was just day-dreaming,” Natalia answered.
There were two footmen and a Butler to bring her innumerable dishes from which she found it difficult to make a choice.
Then the servants having left the room, the Reverend Adolphus said:
“I want to talk to you, Natalia.”
There was a note of concern in his voice which made her glance up at him in surprise.
“What about, Papa?”
“I have been thinking since last night,” her father began slowly, “that you are being married at quite an unnecessary speed.”
Natalia did not answer. She merely put down the cup she had been holding in her hand, and sat looking at her father wide-eyed.
“Your mother and I had thought,” the Reverend Adolphus went on, “that when you arrived at the Castle, you and I would be here for perhaps a week or ten days before the marriage took place.”
He paused to continue:
“During that time, your mother asked me to tell you that, if you wished to change your mind, if you decided after all that Lord Colwall was not the man you thought could make you happy, then you were to accompany me on my return home.”
“But why should Mama think,” Natalia asked after a moment’s pause, “there was any chance of my changing my mind?”
“You met Lord Colwall only once when you were but fifteen,” her father answered. “If you marry him, Natalia, you will be his wife in the sight of God for the rest of your life. Whatever you may feel about him later, it will then be too late.”
“Yes, I realise that, Papa.”
“Therefore I should have wished you to have a chance of getting to know him better,” the Reverend Adolphus went on. “As your mother suggested, if you had a week together, or even longer, you
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