The Winning Post Is Love
THE WINNING POST IS LOVE
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2012 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in April 2012 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-78213-162-5 Epub
978-1-78213-163-2 Prc
978-1-78213-164-9 Pdf
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.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
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THE WINNING POST IS LOVE
The Marquis stirred and then realised he had been asleep.
As he opened his eyes, something soft and gentle against his shoulder murmured,
“Oh, Euan darling, if only we could always be like this, how wonderful life would be!”
He had heard women say those same words many times and quite suddenly and for no particular reason, it irritated him.
He did not answer and an arm went round his neck.
It was only with the greatest difficulty he did not fight it off.
He did not really understand it himself, but this had happened to him before.
Quite unexpectedly, he was tired of the liaison that had seemed so exciting and now he wanted only to be free.
‘Free’ was indeed perhaps the right word.
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Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible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 :
BarbaraCartland.com
Camfield Place
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Telephone: +44 1707 642629
Fax: +44 1707 663041
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.
The Cross Of Love
Love In The Highlands
Love Finds The Way
The Castle Of Love
Love Is Triumphant
Stars In The Sky
The Ship Of Love
A Dangerous Disguise
Love Became Theirs
Love Drives In
Sailing To Love
The Star Of Love
Music Is The Soul Of Love
Love In The East
Theirs To Eternity
A Paradise On Earth
Love Wins In Berlin
In Search Of Love
Love Rescues Rosanna
A Heart In Heaven
The House Of Happiness
Royalty Defeated By Love
The White Witch
They Sought Love
Love Is The Reason For Living
They Found Their Way To Heaven
Learning To Love
Journey To Happiness
A Kiss In The Desert
The Heart Of Love
The Richness Of Love
For Ever And Ever
An Unexpected Love
Saved By An Angel
Touching The Stars
Seeking Love
Journey To Love
The Importance Of Love
Love By The Lake
A Dream Come True
The King Without A Heart
The Waters Of Love
Danger To The Duke
A Perfect Way To Heaven
Follow Your Heart
In Hiding
Rivals For Love
A Kiss From The Heart
Lovers In London
This Way To Heaven
A Princess Prays
Mine For Ever
The Earl’s Revenge
Love At The Tower
Ruled By Love
Love Came From Heaven
Love And Apollo
The Keys Of Love
A Castle Of Dreams
A Battle Of Brains
A Change Of Hearts
It Is Love
The Triumph Of Love
Wanted – A Royal Wife
A Kiss Of Love
To Heaven With Love
Pray For Love
The Marquis Is Trapped
Hide And Seek For Love
Hiding from Love
A Teacher Of Love
Money Or Love
The Revelation Is Love
The Tree Of Love
The Magnificent Marquis
The Castle
The Gates of Paradise
A Lucky Star
A Heaven on Earth
The Healing Hand
A Virgin Bride
The Trail to Love
A Royal Love Match
A Steeplechase for Love
Love at Last
Search for a Wife
Secret Love
A Miracle of Love
Love and the Clans
A Shooting Star
The Winning Post is Love
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.
“Over many years I have written so much about love and, please always remember, the wonder of love never diminishes with age. On the contrary love grows stronger and deeper and stays with you in this life and in the many lives yet to come.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
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1859
Lord Waincliffe took his horse at a very high jump.
He was delighted when Starlight cleared it without any difficulty.
At the same time, when Starlight threw his head up, pleased as he was at his prowess, Lord Waincliffe saw that the bridle was almost broken in one place.
Knowing it would be dangerous to ride such a high-spirited animal if the bridle broke, he looked for help.
To his relief he could see just ahead of him a pretty house and then he remembered it had been let by his father on a very long lease to a University Professor, whose name was Peter Stourton.
He rode carefully towards the house.
As he drew near, he saw that on the lawn in front of it there was a girl bathing a small dog.
Believing that it would be risky to continue riding in case the bridle broke completely, he called out,
“Excuse me, but can you possibly help me?”
The girl then looked up, smiled and walked towards him.
“Good morning, my Lord, I saw you go by just now and thought what a splendid horse you were riding.”
“You are Rosetta Stourton, are you not?”
“Yes, I am Rosetta, my Lord.”
“Starlight has just taken the highest jump I could find for him, but unfortunately his bridle looks likely to break at any minute and I will then have very little control over him.”
The girl gave a cry.
“I will go and find what you need, my Lord, and I should stay where you are, mounted on him, otherwise he might become restless and break the bridle completely.”
“That is just what I thought myself and thank you very much,” replied Lord Waincliffe.
The girl ran into the house and he patted Starlight to keep him calm and quiet until she returned.
She was even quicker than he expected and came running out with some special tape he recognised at once as being sticky on one side – he had used it himself on fishing rods.
She seemed breathless when she reached him and he stretched out to take it from her, saying,
“Thank you very much, I am most grateful.”
“Let me help you, my Lord, I can do it more easily standing here than you could sitting on the saddle.”
She wound the tape round the bridle and then cut it with a pair of scissors she had brought with her.
“I’m sorry to have interrupted you when you are so busy,” he murmured politely. “I hope your dog will not dirty himself again while you are attending to me.”
“I don’t think he has wandered far away.”
Then she stood back and added,
“I’m sure this will hold firm at least until you reach home.”
Lord Waincliffe looked at her.
He thought that she was exceedingly pretty and she reminded him of someone.
Then he was aware that she was very much like his sister Dolina and in fact, there was a remarkable likeness and he reflected that if they were side by side it would be difficult to know which was which.
“I am extremely grateful to you, Miss Stourton,” he said aloud. “I hope your father is well.”
“He finds it extremely annoying that his eyesight is failing. Although I read to him as much as I can, he prefers to ‘explore a book’ as he calls it, himself.”
Lord Waincliffe laughed.
“I know exactly what he means. You must tell him how sorry I am that he has this affliction, which affects so many older people. I shall doubtless suffer from it myself when I am his age.”
“Papa is wonderful in other ways. He can garden, which he loves, and exercise our dogs in your beautiful woods.”
Lord Waincliffe hesitated before he exclaimed,
“Please keep them under control! You know I shall want to enjoy my shooting in the autumn.”
“I promise you they behave very well, my Lord. They are model dogs and other people could learn a great deal from them if they could see how obedient they are.”
“Thank you again and I will now take Starlight home without being afraid I might lose control of him.”
“He is a beautiful horse,” she sighed, as she patted him. “I am not at all surprised that you are proud of his appearance apart from his skill.”
“I think he will be the best jumper I have ever had.”
Lod Waincliffe raised his hat.
Then, as he rode off on Starlight, he was thinking how extremely pretty Professor Stourton’s daughter was.
It was strange that she should be so like his sister.
He rode towards his house, which had been in the Waincliffe family for generations.
He was thinking, as he had so often thought before, how much needed doing to it. Yet it was impossible for him and his brother to find any money to spend on it.
The sun was shimmering on the windows and it made the pink of the Elizabethan bricks of its façade look even more attractive than usual.
‘I do love my home,’ Lord Waincliffe mused, as he drew nearer.
He hoped as he had hoped a thousand times already that the scheme he and his brother were currently planning would materialise.
When he reached the stables, the old groom came hurrying towards him.
“Did you ’ave a good ride, my Lord?” he asked.
“Splendid! Starlight jumped even better than I ever anticipated, Brown. But then he nearly broke his bridle.
“There now, I shouldn’t ’ave given you that ’un. I noticed yesterday it were crackin’, so to speak, and now I see you’ve ’ad to bind it up.”
“I asked Professor Stourton’s daughter to do it for me, but I hope you will be able to mend it properly.”
“There be a saddle-maker in the next village. I’ll take it to ’im, but ’e be gettin’ a bit older and it takes ’im longer than it used to.”
Lord Waincliffe did not answer Brown.
He dismounted and after patting Starlight, he turned and walked towards the house.
He was thinking that there were so many things in the stables in urgent need of repair and indeed several of the mangers needed completely replacing.
‘It’s all a question of money,’ he told himself, ‘but I am sure that, if only the Marquis will collaborate with us, we shall make a fortune from the Racecourse.’
He walked in through the front door.
Because he was economising, there was not the liveried footman there used to be in the hall to take his hat and whip.
He threw them down on a chair and went into the study. It was a most comfortable and cosy room where his brother and sister sat unless they had visitors.
There were some fine pictures on the walls, but the sofa and armchairs needed recovering and the curtain
s over the windows were deeply faded.
As Lord Waincliffe entered the study, his brother, Henry looked up from the writing table.
“Oh, you are back, Gordon! How did you get on?”
“Starlight went like a dream,” his brother answered, “but I nearly had an accident as his bridle was on the point of breaking.”
“That was dangerous,” remarked Henry.
“It could well have been, but I stopped at Professor Stourton’s house and his daughter, Rosetta, kindly stuck it together for me so that I could ride home safely.”
“I suppose it will have to be repaired, but I am certain that saddler in the next village overcharges us.”
“I’d expect he is in need of money as much as we are,” Lord Waincliffe replied. “But the Marquis is coming this evening and I am just keeping my fingers crossed.”
“So am I,” said Henry. “But if he refuses to help with the Racecourse, what shall we do, Gordon?”
“I will face that jump when I come to it, but at the moment I am exhausted and very thirsty. Is there anything to drink in the house?”
“There is always water,” Henry said mischievously, “and, of course beer, which the servants always drink as their right.”
His brother made a grimace.
“What I would really like,” he muttered, “is a glass of champagne.”
Henry laughed.
“‘If wishes were horses then beggars might ride!’ You know as well as I do the cellar is empty.”
“When I think how full it was in our grandfather’s day, I feel like crying.”
“I daresay cook has a lemon in the kitchen. Shall I tell her to make you some lemonade?”
“Don’t bother,” his brother answered, “I will wait until luncheon. I think her lemonade is rather nasty.”
“Just as you please,” Henry replied. “But we will need to have something for the Marquis when he arrives tonight.”
“Yes, of course, and indeed I have thought of that already. I have bought some bottles of champagne and an excellent white wine. And I have purchased a bottle of the same whisky I saw him drinking the other day.”
“Well, let’s hope he is satisfied with that,” Henry sighed.
He walked from the writing table across the room to stand in front of the fireplace.