The Queen Wins
THE QUEEN WINS
BARBARA CARTLAND
www.barbaracartland.com
Copyright © 2012 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in July 2012 by Barbaracartland.com
ISBNs
978-1-78213-205-9 Epub
978-1-78213-206-6 Kindle
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 QUEEN WINS
The Count, without saying a word, lifted Tarena onto the side saddle of the horse she was to ride and then mounted himself on the other one, saying to the groom,
“Be waiting here in an hour when we will return.”
The groom touched his forelock and they rode off with the Count leading the way.
He took her through the trees at the back of the Palace into a field that led to open land behind the City.
When they reached it, Tarena knew instinctively what he intended to do.
She pressed her stallion forward into a gallop and the Count did the same and then they were riding over long grass and butterflies and birds rose up in front of them.
It was some time before the Count pulled in his horse.
When Tarena looked round, she found they were quite a long way from the City. In fact she could only just see the roof of the Palace and little else.
“That was lovely!” she breathed.
“I thought it was a diversion you really needed,” said the Count.
Now their two stallions were walking quietly side by side and then suddenly Tarena exploded,
“He is horrible! He is beastly! I cannot marry him!”
The words seemed to burst through her lips and for a moment she broke the beauty and the quiet around them.
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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Hertfordshire
AL9 6JE
United Kingdom
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
They Touched Heaven
The Mountain of Love
The Queen Wins
Love and the Gods
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.
“You will know the old saying, “better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all”, and when I am asked if I agree, I say, ‘Yes I do, because you will always treasure your memories of love in your heart for ever.”
Barbara Cartland
CHAPTER ONE
1887
Tarena walked round the garden thinking just how lovely the flowers were and how much she loved living in the pretty little Vicarage in Oxfordshire.
She knew how pleased her uncle would be to see the flamboyant blooms when he returned from the North.
She was sure, as the weather had been bad, that he would have found few flowers to enjoy in Northumberland and so he would be thrilled to be back in Oxfordshire again where the sun was shining brightly.
She wondered if his father, the Earl of Grandbrooke was still alive and she was expecting a letter from him later in the day telling her the latest news.
The Honourable the Reverend Richard Brooke was the younger son of the tenth Earl of Grandbrooke.
As was traditional his elder brother had gone into the Army and Richard was promised one of the Parishes on the great estate belonging to his father.
First he had studied at Oxford to obtain his degree and then he was ordained into the Church. He had studied theology and had passed his examinations with First Class Honours.
Soon after his ordination and he had started work in his Parish in Northumberland, the Bishop had asked him to return to Oxford.
He felt that this summons was somewhat unfair to the Parishioners on the estate, but it was too flattering an invitation to refuse.
Richard Brooke soon proved himself outstanding amongst the Parish Priests of the Oxford Diocese.
Ever since Tarena was a small child, her mother having died when she was only five, she had lived with her uncle.
She found him a wonderful substitute for the father she could not remember.
She had made many good friends in Oxford and the students spoilt her every time they came to the Vicarage to see her uncle.
At eighteen years old she was afraid that, if the Earl of Grandbrooke died, they would have to go and live in the North.
There had, of course, been an older uncle between the Earl and her Uncle Richard. He was the Viscount, who was very handsome and much sought after. However, as a soldier he was sent to fight abroad and sadly lost his life in the Crimean War.
This had turned everything topsy-turvy.
It meant that, when the old Earl died and her Uncle Richard succeeded to the Earldom, he would undoubtedly have to abandon his career in the Church.
He would then have to look after the great ancestral home with its large estate in Northumberland that had been in the possession of the Grandbrookes for three centuries.
Tarena recognised that, as all her friends were in Oxford, she had no wish to go and live in the North.
She had indeed enjoyed visiting the ancestral home at Christmas, but last year the Earl had been in poor health and the party had not been as entertaining as it had been in previous years.
She could not envisage herself and her uncle being isolated there. They would be far too far away from all the interests they had in the South and would have to entertain considerably more than they did at present.
In point of fact, as she had learnt when she stayed at Grandbrooke Hall, any distinguished persons going to Northumberland expected to be invited by the Earl as a guest and parties had to be given for them.
Tarena thought even though she enjoyed them, it would be tedious to have to entertain continually.
When she looked back, she realised that most of the guests had been old. She was always the youngest and most often the only female present.
‘I just could not bear to leave you,’ she sighed to the flowers she had loved ever since she could remember.
Then, as she walked back to the house, she thought how cosy and comfortable they were in the Vicarage.
Her uncle had always been so kind to her and she realised how much he had adored his sister who was her mother.
Elizabeth had been the only daughter of the Earl.
She had often confessed that she had been spoilt by him and her brothers ever since she had been born.
It was a genuine tragedy to Tarena that she could not remember her mother very clearly.
She knew she had been soft, sweet and gentle and had cuddled her long after she was a baby and had sung her to sleep in a delightful soothing voice.
Tarena could hardly remember her father either.
He had been, she reckoned, very strong and tall and always carried her on his shoulders round the garden.
How and when he had died she could never quite find out and whenever she wanted to talk about him, her uncle changed the subject.
She found instead that they were talking about her mother and how pretty she had been when she was her age.
‘Uncle Richard ought to be back by now,’ Tarena mused.
She turned at the end of the garden to walk towards the house and then to her unbounded joy she saw him at the garden door.
With a little cry she ran towards him with her arms outstretched.
“You are back! You are back, Uncle Richard!” she exclaimed. “I have been so worried because I had not heard from you.”
He kissed her most affectionately on both cheeks and then he suggested,
“Let’s go into my study. I have a great deal to tell you.”
Although his hair was turning a little grey and there were lines under his eyes, which had not been there a few years ago, he was still one of the best-looking men Tarena had ever seen – certainly the most handsome Cleric in the whole of Oxford.
They went into his comfortable study, which was filled with books that Tarena loved almost as much as she loved the garden.
She read avidly on every subject and her uncle was not so mean as to deprive her of the modern novels that were just becoming popular in the country.
In fact his library was an example, Tarena believed, to every other Clergyman to keep up with the times, as it would help them to understand what the younger members of their congregation were thinking and dreaming about.
“Have you had a difficult time, Uncle Richard?” Tarena asked, as he closed the door behind them.
“As I expect you may have guessed, my father has died,” he replied. “I have to take his place as the Head of the family and the Master of Grandbrooke Hall.”<
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Tarena sighed.
“Do we really have to leave Oxford and go North?” she asked him with a feeling of foreboding in her voice.
“I am afraid that I will have to,” the new Earl of Grandbrooke answered her. “But there is something else I want to talk to you about.”
Tarena looked at him in surprise.
He sat down in his favourite chair and she sat near him on one of the satin stools in front of the fireplace.
“First,” her uncle began, “I must tell you that I am very glad I did not take you North with me. My father died soon after I arrived and it was not only very upsetting for all the staff, who had been with him for many years, but also for our many relations.”
He sighed before he went on,
“They had no idea that he was so seriously ill, but they arrived, as you can imagine, almost every hour from every part of the country.”
He spoke slowly and quietly.
Tarena knew that he had been extremely fond of his father and his death must have been a terrible shock.
In fact the old Earl had not yet reached the age of seventy and, although he had been in ill health for some time, no one had thought it was really serious.
Her uncle had stopped speaking and Tarena said in a small voice,
“So I suppose we will have to leave here where we have been so happy.”
“I most certainly have to leave, but I want to talk to you, Tarena, about yourself and your father.”
“My father?” Tarena exclaimed in astonishment. “But you have always told me so very little about him.”
“What I have to tell you now is something that you were too young to understand in the past and I would not have told you even now if the Marquis of Salisbury had not been present at my father’s funeral.”
Tarena was listening to him wide-eyed.
She just could not understand why the Marquis of Salisbury, the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, of whom she had often heard, had any connection in any way with her father.
Her uncle took a deep breath.
“Let’s start at the beginning. Before you were born I came to Oxford to finish my education. It was a wise move on the part of my father, who thought I should enjoy Oxford and it would be an opportunity for me to excel, as he fervently hoped, at the University.”