Mine for Ever
MINE FOR EVER
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2009 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in January 2009 by Barbaracartland.com
The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.
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MINE FOR EVER
The Earl took both her hands in his and kissed them gently. He kissed each finger in turn before finally pressing his lips lovingly against hers.
Lilliana swooned in delight – she could not imagine life without Robert and yet, here she was, about to face an uncertain future.
“Will you wait for me, darling?” he asked, as they pulled apart, breathless and intoxicated with the headiness of their love.
Lilliana hesitated.
Although she did love him so very much, could she endure the torment of being apart?
The Earl, panicking at her silence and believing her to be about to tell him that she could not possibly wait for him, suddenly dropped to one knee.
“Robert, what are you doing?” enquired Lilliana, a little puzzled.
“I cannot bear the idea that, in my absence, some other fellow might woo you and win your heart. I will not rest while I am in India unless you promise me that the day I return, you will be my wife!”
Lilliana gasped – she had not expected a proposal and, without even pausing to think, said,
“Yes, darling! I will!”
THE BARBARA CARTLAND PINK COLLECTION
Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.
She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.
Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.
The 160 books will be published monthly and will be numbered in sequence.
The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.
The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to www.barbaracartland.com to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.
If you do not have access to a computer you can write for information about the Pink Collection to the following address :
Barbara Cartland.com Ltd.
240 High Road,
Harrow Weald,
Harrow
HA3 7BB
United Kingdom.
Telephone & fax: +44 (0)20 8863 2520
Titles in this series
These titles are currently available for download. For more information please see the Where to buy page at the end of this book
1. The Cross Of Love
2. Love In The Highlands
3. Love Finds The Way
4. The Castle Of Love
5. Love Is Triumphant
6. Stars In The Sky
7. The Ship Of Love
8. A Dangerous Disguise
9. Love Became Theirs
10. Love Drives In
11. Sailing To Love
12. The Star Of Love
13. Music Is The Soul Of Love
14. Love In The East
15. Theirs To Eternity
16. A Paradise On Earth
17. Love Wins In Berlin
18. In Search Of Love
19. Love Rescues Rosanna
20. A Heart In Heaven
21. The House Of Happiness
22. Royalty Defeated By Love
23. The White Witch
24. They Sought Love
25. Love Is The Reason For Living
26. They Found Their Way To Heaven
27. Learning To Love
28. Journey To Happiness
29. A Kiss In The Desert
30. The Heart Of Love
31. The Richness Of Love
32. For Ever And Ever
33. An Unexpected Love
34. Saved By An Angel
35. Touching The Stars
36. Seeking Love
37. Journey To Love
38. The Importance Of Love
39. Love By The Lake
40. A Dream Come True
41. The King Without A Heart
42. The Waters Of Love
43. Danger To The Duke
44. A Perfect Way To Heaven
45. Follow Your Heart
46. In Hiding
47. Rivals For Love
48. A Kiss From The Heart
49. Lovers In London
50. This Way To Heaven
51. A Princess Prays
52. Mine For Ever
THE LATE DAME BARBARA CARTLAND
Barbara Cartland, who sadly died in May 2000 at the grand age of ninety eight, remains one of the world’s most famous romantic novelists. With worldwide sales of over one billion, her outstanding 723 books have been translated into thirty six different languages, to be enjoyed by readers of romance globally.
Writing her first book ‘Jigsaw’ at the age of 21, Barbara became an immediate bestseller. Building upon this initial success, she wrote continuously throughout her life, producing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. In addition to Barbara Cartland’s legion of fans in the UK and across Europe, her books have always been immensely popular in the USA. In 1976 she achieved the unprecedented feat of having books at numbers 1 & 2 in the prestigious B. Dalton Bookseller bestsellers list.
Although she is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Romance’, Barbara Cartland also wrote several historical biographies, six autobiographies and numerous theatrical plays as well as books on life, love, health and cookery. Becoming one of Britain's most popular media personalities and dressed in her trademark pink, Barbara spoke on radio and television about social and political issues, as well as making many public appearances.
In 1991 she became a Dame of the Order of the British Empire for her contribution to literature and her work for humanitarian and charitable causes.
Known for her glamour, style, and vitality Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime. Best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels and loved by millions of readers worldwide, her books remain treasured for their heroic heroes, plucky heroines and traditional values. But above all, it was Barbara Cartland’s overriding belief in the positive power of love to help, heal and improve the quality of life for everyone that made her truly unique.
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“Love is resplendent like an eternal flame that can never be extinguished”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
1889
It was a warm spring afternoon as Robert, the sixth Earl of Sherborne, arrived at Abbotsbury Hall, the home of Lilliana Parker.
A groom took hold of the reins of his horse.
“Is Miss Parker at home?” asked the Earl anxiously as he dismounted.
“Yes, my Lord. Is she expecting you?”
“No, she is not. I came over hoping I would find her in.”
The truth was that the Earl had some grim news to impart to her.
He had been wooing Lilliana for three months since the evening they had been introduced at a dinner party in London.
Lilliana’s father, Sir William Parker MP, was at the House of Commons for an important debate, so his wife, Eleanor, and their daughter had dined with friends.
It had been a simple affair – no more than a dozen guests and from the first moment that the Earl had set eyes upon Lilliana’s lovely face, he had known she was the only woman in the world for him.
Lilliana was tall and slender with jet-black hair and eyes the colour of russet chrysanthemums.
The Earl had been stunned by her innocent beauty and determined to make every endeavour to acquaint himself with her.
In turn she had been utterly charmed by the dashing Earl in military uniform that perfectly set off his fair hair and blue eyes.
The fact that they lived within a few miles of each other in Downleigh, Hampshire, was a happy coincidence.
When at the end of the evening, he had asked if he might call upon her, Lilliana was thrilled.
Being a well brought up young lady, she made a polite show of reluctance before telling him that she was accustomed to receiving visitors every Thursday afternoon between two and four o’clock.
From that moment on they saw each other as often as they possibly could.
Most of their friends expected an announcement to be imminent.
And now the Earl was the bearer of bad news that would cause Lilliana a great deal of sorrow.
Striding to the front door, the Earl noticed that the butler, Holmes, was holding it open, ready for him.
“Good afternoon, my Lord. This is an unexpected pleasure.”
“I have come to see Miss Parker, I believe she is at home?”
“She is indeed, my Lord.”
“Would you please tell her that I am here and wish to see her?”
“Very good, my Lord.”
The Earl waited anxiously in the comfortable small drawing room. Over the past months, he had often sat and waited for Lilliana in this very room and now he tried to imprint each and every last detail of it in his mind so that he would not forget how it looked.
Lilliana appeared at the door of the room.
Her long black hair was in loose plaits caught up at the nape of her neck and she was wearing a russet-coloured dress with a bustle that matched the colour of her eyes.
“Darling!” she cried, running into his outstretched arms. “What a wonderful surprise!”
The Earl took her in his arms and they embraced.
He adored how she felt so soft and small and the affectionate way she threw her arms around his neck.
“Darling, shall we walk outside? I long to see the gardens!”
Lilliana took his hand and led him out into the large garden. The house was blessed with considerable grounds and her father employed a whole team of gardeners to keep them immaculate.
“How lovely the lilac is,” the Earl commented.
“It’s early this year,” said Lilliana, “come and see the new arbour that Papa has had built. When the summer comes, it will be covered in roses.”
Like an excited child, she led him to a far corner of the garden where a seat just large enough for two nestled under a wooden arch.
“Darling, just think, this will be the place where we can hide from the rest of the world,” she sighed, holding his hand whilst looking deep into his eyes.
The Earl grunted and pulled away from her.
“I wish it was going to be like that, but I am very much afraid that I will not be here in the summer to share its full beauty with you.”
Lilliana looked at him in horror.
“What do you mean?”
A long moment passed by as he tried to summon up the courage to explain himself. He could not meet her gaze as he thought of the words he would say to her.
Finally he spoke – his voice cracking with emotion.
“Lilliana, you know I adore you. There is no other woman in the world I could love as much. But my duty to Queen and country has to come first. I am in the Army and my fate is not always mine to decide. So, when I tell you that only yesterday I received orders to move my Regiment out to India, you will know that I go only because I have to.”
“No!” cried Lilliana, tears springing into her eyes. “You cannot leave me!”
“Darling, I really have no choice,” he faltered, wiping his hand across his brow before straightening his back and continuing, “there has been a rebellion in Bombay that is too large for the units out there to quell. We are being deployed to help keep the peace and to ensure that the Russians, who are threatening invasion to the North, do not succeed.”
Lilliana sat down on the new arbour seat and wept.
“Do you know how long you will be away?”
The Earl shook his head, hardly able to look at her in case his emotions overcame him.
“I am very much afraid that I do not know, but I am hoping it will only be a short posting.”
“And you only discovered this yesterday?”
“Yes. As you know, I was summoned to Buckingham Palace for an audience with Her Majesty the Queen. I was not informed of the purpose but, on arrival, I was told it was a briefing on ‘The Great Game’.”
“The Great Game?” asked Lilliana looking puzzled. “What is that?”
“Well, it’s the name one of our intelligence Officers gave to the conflict between the British and Russian Empire in Central Asia, and it seems to have stuck. For years now the Russians have been trying their best to take a slice of Her Majesty’s Indian Empire. Occasionally, their troops push into Afghanistan and there are skirmishes on the border, but this time they have been stirring up trouble all along the North-West coast, which is seen as a direct threat.”
“And so, you have been asked to go to India?” Lilliana responded, her face unable to hide her pride despite her sadness.
“Yes, by Her Majesty herself. Lilliana, you should have seen her! She is tiny but so very Regal! She fills the room with her presence and her mind is like a razor! I had heard that grown men tremble in her presence and now I can understand why.”
“Did she speak to you?”
“She singled me out for special attention because the General mentioned that I would be leading reinforcements into Bombay. As you know, India is the jewel of the British Empire and of great importance to the Queen. She said that she expected great things of me because she knew my father!”
Lilliana gazed at him in awe.
“So you have caught the eye of the Queen and she will remember you! There are not many who can say that, Robert!”
The Earl blushed and looked down.
“You over-elevate my importance, my darling, and I dare say she has forgotten me already.”
“How could anyone ever forget you?” she murmured lovingly, stroking his face with her hand.
“She meets so many grand people – I am a mere soldier in her Army! Think of the many Princes and Kings trooping through the halls of Buckingham Palace!”
“None would ever be as handsome or dashing as you, my darling!”
The Earl took both her hands in his and kissed them gently. How he loved the slender fingers and pearly nails that reminded him of tiny shells.
He kissed each finger in turn before finally pressing his lips lovingly against hers.
“Will you wait for me, darling?” he asked, as they pulled apart, breathless and intoxicated with the headiness of their love.
Lilliana hesitated.
Although she did love him so very much, could she endure the torment of being apart?
The Earl, panicking at her silence and believing her to be about to tell him that she could not possibly wait for him, suddenly dropped to one knee.
“Robert, what are you doing?” enquired Lilliana, a little puzzled.
“I cannot bear the idea that, in my absence, some other fellow might woo you and win your heart. I will not rest while I am in India unless you promise me that the day I return, you will be my wife!”
Lilliana gasped – she had not expected a proposal and, without even pausing to think, said,
“Yes, darling! I will!”
“My dearest wonderful girl!”
They fell into each other’s arms and kissed.
“This conflict will be over by Christmas,” said the Earl, reassuringly as she nestled against him. “We will be able to marry on St. Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh, my dearest – shall we now run and tell Mama and Papa? They will be so pleased – ”
A shadow passed over his face and his expression changed.
“I want you to promise faithfully not to tell anyone about our engagement, not even your parents. I am sorry that we cannot share our happiness, but the General is most strict on the marital status of his men – he does not allow engaged men to go into action. In his eyes, if a man is married, then that cannot be helped, but if they are not already wed, then they must remain single and unattached until such time as their Commission is discharged.”
Lilliana pulled away and turned to face the garden wall. She did not like the sound of this one bit!
“But, how would he know? I will ask Papa not to put a notice in The Times. He will not discover it, surely?”
“I am very sorry, Lilliana, but I must insist that our engagement remains a strict secret from everyone – even loved ones! One careless slip could ruin my reputation.