Money or Love
MONEY OR LOVE
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2010 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in September 2010 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-908411-59-4 Epub
978-1-908411-60-0 Mobi
978-1-908411-61-7 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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MONEY OR LOVE
Robin had finished the cheese and drained his glass of the last drop of claret.
“We will have coffee in the study,” he instructed Burley as he rose from the table.
Alena followed him as he walked to the door.
As they made their way down the passage towards the study, he slipped his arm through hers and exclaimed,
“I have more good news for you, Alena, and I am sure you will think I have been very clever.”
“I always think so, Robin.”
He smiled as he opened the door of the study and closed it behind them.
“I have had a most exciting morning,” he breathed.
He strode across the room to stand in front of the mantelpiece.
“What has happened?” Alena asked quizzically.
“I went over to the American Embassy to tell the Ambassador that you and I would be delighted to dine with him tonight.”
“You did not tell me he had invited us.”
“I forgot. It was just a casual invitation if we were not doing anything else.”
“I would rather like to see the Embassy – ”
“You are not just going to see the Embassy, you are going to meet the man you will marry!”
Alena stiffened.
“You are not serious, Robin?”
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.
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
53. The Earl’s Revenge
54. Love At The Tower
55. Ruled By Love
56. Love Came From Heaven
57. Love And Apollo
58. The Keys Of Love
59. A Castle Of Dreams
60. A Battle Of Brains
61. A Change Of Hearts
62. It Is Love
63. The Triumph Of Love
64. Wanted – A Royal Wife
65. A Kiss Of Love
66. To Heaven With Love
67. Pray For Love
68. The Marquis Is Trapped
69. Hide And Seek For Love
70. Hiding from Love
71. A Teacher Of Love
72. Money Or 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 li
st.
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.
“All the money and riches of the world cannot buy love – the real, true and perfect love we all strive for comes only from God and it will always be His unique and wonderful gift to mankind.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
-
1891
The Solicitor finished reading the document in his hand and looked up at the couple listening intently to him.
“I am afraid, Sir Robin,” intoned Mr. Lawson, “that you have been rather shocked by all you have just heard.”
Sir Robin Dunstead, a good-looking young man of twenty-nine, replied,
“Shocked is scarcely an adequate word. Horrified and appalled is perhaps better. Actually there are no words to express what I am really feeling.”
His sister Alena, who was sitting next him, put out her hand and laid it on his arm.
She agreed totally with what he was saying and was feeling the same herself, but there was no point in her saying so.
“I am very sorry,” continued Mr. Lawson, “and, of course, Sir Robin, unless you wish me to tell anyone, everything I have told you will remain strictly confidential to myself and my partners.”
“That is just as I would wish,” replied Sir Robin. “Equally I am wondering if you are absolutely sure there is nothing left in the house that is not entailed?”
The Solicitor hesitated for a moment.
He was an elderly man with white hair and had served Sir Robin’s father for over forty years. He knew more about the family possessions than anyone else.
“I think,” he stated solemnly after the silence had become almost unbearable, “that I must now be completely honest with you.”
“I agree.”
Sir Robin nodded his head.
“Speaking frankly, Sir Robin, your father has been through the entire house perhaps a dozen times looking for anything he could sell. We found some small unimportant objects, but I can assure you that there is nothing left worth more than a few pounds that is not entailed.”
The eighth Baronet, Sir Edward Dunstead, had died the previous week and because he had been ill for such a long time and his son had only recently returned from India, the funeral had been a quiet one with only relatives who lived nearby expected to attend.
Robin and Alena were the only near relatives alive and as their father had been in a coma for nearly a year, it would have been untrue to pretend they were deeply upset by his death.
It was actually a merciful relief both to the sick man and to every member of the household.
Sir Robin had not asked to meet Mr. Lawson and hear the will until today, as he was quite sure that the only two people really interested in it would be his sister and himself.
He remembered with horror that when his father first became ill, he had agreed to the Solicitor’s suggestion that the relatives who relied entirely on Sir Edward for their income should be given the capital sum they would have expected on his death.
This meant that his son, who was serving in India, would not be required to sign any more of the monthly cheques that were sent out to the relatives.
Now, with the will read, Mr. Lawson had made it very clear that there was nothing left.
Sir Edward, before he became ill, had spent money lavishly as if he was an immensely rich man.
And when he had no ready money, he merely sold something from the house and spent the proceeds.
This had been easy as Dunstead Hall in Oxfordshire was one of the most outstanding and historic buildings in the whole country, filled with prized antiques and objets d’art.
It originally dated back to the fifteenth century and had been added to and improved, especially in the previous century.
The Adam brothers themselves had added a new façade and built on two side wings.
It seemed absurd for one man to live alone in such an enormous building, but no one in the family had been brave enough to criticise Sir Edward.
Most of them lived far away and his only son was serving in the Army in India.
His daughter, Alena, since the age of sixteen had been educated at the most select seminary for young ladies in Florence.
Because it was a long way to return home for the holidays, she had spent them with her friends in France and other countries of Europe and this had certainly enhanced her education and use of languages.
But her absence had made her completely unaware of her father’s financial position.
Because of his two magnificent houses and the way he lived, she had always imagined him to be enormously rich.
Now she and her brother were told that there was nothing left but the houses and their contents – all of which were entailed on the new Baronet and in turn onto his son, if he could ever afford to have one.
Alena at eighteen was very lovely.
In fact ‘ethereal’ was usually the word most people used to describe her.
She had sat silent whilst Mr. Lawson read out their father’s will, her lovely face inscrutable.
She now found that it was impossible to find words to express her feelings.
“I suppose,” her brother asked after a long pause in which he had been thinking deeply, “I am not allowed to sell the house in London?”
“That too is entailed, Sir Robin, so I would suggest that you rent it out, but it is very large and since it has not been lived in for several years, it will require a great deal of restoration.”
“Which, of course, I cannot afford.”
Mr. Lawson nodded.
“And what about the estate?”
The Solicitor, who was a kindly man, sighed.
“I am afraid that two years ago your father sold the few hundred acres that were not entailed. The rest, like the garden, the stables and, of course, the private Racecourse, which are all in very bad repair, are also entailed.”
Sir Robin and his sister had already been informed that the Dunstead Trustees, one of whom was Mr. Lawson himself, came round once a month to make sure that everything was intact and in place.
What was really outstanding about Dunstead House was its magnificent collection of pictures that were always the envy of every art collector.
From where she was sitting now, Alena could see a picture by Rembrandt, another by Frans Hals and a third, which she had always especially loved, by Raphael.
It was his famous picture of St. George and the Dragon.
It passed dramatically through her mind now that if anyone had a dragon to fight it was her brother.
His dragon being the misery of complete poverty.
She looked up at the Raphael as she pondered their situation.
St. George mounted on his rearing white horse was not unlike Robin and the dragon with its long black wings and its snarling mouth appeared as horrifying as everything they had been told by Mr. Lawson.
As if he had nothing more to say and found it hard to control his feelings, Robin rose from his seat.
He walked to the mullion window and looked out at the garden.
> He remembered it being perfectly kept with smooth green lawns and well kept flowerbeds.
He was not surprised to see that the lawns needed cutting and the flowerbeds appeared to have more weeds in them than flowers.
During his father’s illness, the Solicitors, realising the family’s dire financial position, had cut down the staff, so that in the house and on the estate there were as few men and women employed as possible.
Sir Robin had already discovered that the majority of the staff were old and they had been prepared to stay on for only a small wage because they had nowhere else to go.
But they were all far too old to keep the place in the perfect order he remembered from the days of his youth.
His father had been quite unable to communicate with anyone and Robin had therefore not come home earlier, as he now thought he should have done.
The Viceroy had begged him to stay on in India because of his excellent work and he now realised that while he had wanted to stay, he should have returned home.
But even if he had, he told himself firmly, it would have been too late for him to stop the rot – far too late to prevent every penny his father possessed being squandered.
He most certainly had not expected that everything saleable would have been sold.
He could see now why there was an empty space on each side of the marble fireplace where there had been two exquisitely carved Queen Anne mirrors.
He had also noticed as soon as he came into the hall that the grandfather clock he had loved as a small child had disappeared.
There were spaces in the passage leading towards the reception rooms where there had once stood exquisite inlaid cabinets that every visitor admired.
Mr. Lawson had told Robin that he had drawn up a list of items that to his knowledge had been sold during the last five years.
He had pushed the dossier over the table, but Robin had not even looked at it.
‘What is the point?’ he thought to himself.
They had all gone and as there was little chance of their ever returning, it was a sheer waste of time regretting their disappearance.
What he needed to think about now was just how he and his sister could live without raising money with two large historic houses on their hands.