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Authors: Barbara Cartland
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not notice the change in his daughter’s demeanour as he had so much to discuss with the Marquis.
He was reminiscing about his father and how their friendship had gone back to when they first went to Eton together.
“It was almost a revolutionary step in those days for me to be sent South to be educated,” he was saying. “My dear father had the idea that, if we were to beat the English, which, as you well know, we have always tried to do, then we must know them better and defeat them if possible on their own ground!”
The Marquis chuckled.
“That was a difficult ambition for anyone!”
“It was extremely fortunate for me, for as soon as I arrived at Eton, and I don’t mind saying that I was rather nervous of the place, I made friends with your father. He prevented me from being teased too much over my Scottish accent and being what the English consider a barbarian!”
The Marquis chuckled again.
“They had forgotten all about those idiotic ideas by the time I went there, my Lord.”
“You were lucky, Oliver, I received a great number of kicks and snubs for being Scottish. But when I became your father’s close friend, everything was different.”
“Because he was supporting you?”
“I actually believe it was because we were both so strong. The bigger boys might have easily defeated me if I was alone, but, as there were two of us, they gave up being aggressive after we had won several battles against them.”
“I feel sure that must have pleased my father. He was always fighting for a worthy cause or helping someone weaker right up to the very end of his life.”
The Earl nodded his approval.
“That is true and I do hope you will follow in your father’s footsteps.”
The Marquis could not honestly say he had actually done so – he had merely allowed himself to be swept away by the women who fell into his arms like ripe peaches.
He would not have been human if he had not been amused and at times delighted by the attention they paid him and he wondered what his father would say now that he had run away.
Confronted with the same circumstances his father would have gone into battle, even if he were single-handed.
The Earl was still telling little anecdotes of what he and his kind friend had done together at Eton.
They had both gone on to Oxford University and there they had planned to travel together to many parts of the world when they had finished their education.
It was here the Earl sighed,
“But then your father came into his title earlier than expected and was obliged to remain at home to oversee his many possessions and take his place at Court.”
He paused for a moment before he added,
“You are very lucky, my boy, that Queen Victoria has not gobbled you up already, as she does most young gentlemen with an ancient title and a handsome face.”
The Marquis smiled.
“I think the real reason, my Lord, why she pays me no attention is that she strongly disapproves of my flirting. Her Majesty is waiting for me to marry before offering me a position at Court. And that, I may say, suits me. I have no wish to be permanently on parade as my father was.”
“I can well understand.”
The Marquis suddenly became aware that, when he had mentioned the reason Queen Victoria had not offered him a position, Celina had glanced up for a moment.
Once again he could see fear in her lovely eyes.
‘What can be frightening her?’ he asked himself. ‘I just cannot be as overpowering as all that. Could she have been told some unpleasant stories about my behaviour?’
It was a question he could not answer.
But it worried him as the Earl went on talking and Celina did not even glance in his direction.
It was then that he heard some sudden noises from outside the room.
A dog was barking and someone was shouting.
The Earl looked up.
“Moira must have returned and I am anxious for you to meet her, Oliver.”
He could hear a woman’s high-pitched voice giving someone
He was reminiscing about his father and how their friendship had gone back to when they first went to Eton together.
“It was almost a revolutionary step in those days for me to be sent South to be educated,” he was saying. “My dear father had the idea that, if we were to beat the English, which, as you well know, we have always tried to do, then we must know them better and defeat them if possible on their own ground!”
The Marquis chuckled.
“That was a difficult ambition for anyone!”
“It was extremely fortunate for me, for as soon as I arrived at Eton, and I don’t mind saying that I was rather nervous of the place, I made friends with your father. He prevented me from being teased too much over my Scottish accent and being what the English consider a barbarian!”
The Marquis chuckled again.
“They had forgotten all about those idiotic ideas by the time I went there, my Lord.”
“You were lucky, Oliver, I received a great number of kicks and snubs for being Scottish. But when I became your father’s close friend, everything was different.”
“Because he was supporting you?”
“I actually believe it was because we were both so strong. The bigger boys might have easily defeated me if I was alone, but, as there were two of us, they gave up being aggressive after we had won several battles against them.”
“I feel sure that must have pleased my father. He was always fighting for a worthy cause or helping someone weaker right up to the very end of his life.”
The Earl nodded his approval.
“That is true and I do hope you will follow in your father’s footsteps.”
The Marquis could not honestly say he had actually done so – he had merely allowed himself to be swept away by the women who fell into his arms like ripe peaches.
He would not have been human if he had not been amused and at times delighted by the attention they paid him and he wondered what his father would say now that he had run away.
Confronted with the same circumstances his father would have gone into battle, even if he were single-handed.
The Earl was still telling little anecdotes of what he and his kind friend had done together at Eton.
They had both gone on to Oxford University and there they had planned to travel together to many parts of the world when they had finished their education.
It was here the Earl sighed,
“But then your father came into his title earlier than expected and was obliged to remain at home to oversee his many possessions and take his place at Court.”
He paused for a moment before he added,
“You are very lucky, my boy, that Queen Victoria has not gobbled you up already, as she does most young gentlemen with an ancient title and a handsome face.”
The Marquis smiled.
“I think the real reason, my Lord, why she pays me no attention is that she strongly disapproves of my flirting. Her Majesty is waiting for me to marry before offering me a position at Court. And that, I may say, suits me. I have no wish to be permanently on parade as my father was.”
“I can well understand.”
The Marquis suddenly became aware that, when he had mentioned the reason Queen Victoria had not offered him a position, Celina had glanced up for a moment.
Once again he could see fear in her lovely eyes.
‘What can be frightening her?’ he asked himself. ‘I just cannot be as overpowering as all that. Could she have been told some unpleasant stories about my behaviour?’
It was a question he could not answer.
But it worried him as the Earl went on talking and Celina did not even glance in his direction.
It was then that he heard some sudden noises from outside the room.
A dog was barking and someone was shouting.
The Earl looked up.
“Moira must have returned and I am anxious for you to meet her, Oliver.”
He could hear a woman’s high-pitched voice giving someone
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