Love by the Lake Read online

  Love by the Lake

  Copyright © 2007 by Cartland Promotions

  First published on the internet in December 2007 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.

  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.

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books

  LOVE BY THE LAKE

  When she walked into the study to find Lord Seabrook waiting for her, he thought she looked even more like a Goddess from Olympus than ever before.

  Because he had only given her a little time to make herself ready, Lolita had merely brushed her hair until it was neat and tidy.

  The only jewels she wore were a single row of small pearls and her mother’s ring was still on her finger. She was careful not to show the palm of her hand as if anyone could see the diamonds they would know it was not a wedding ring.

  Lord Seabrook in his evening clothes looked even more distinguished than in the daytime.

  As Lolita walked towards him she thought that, if he was escorting her to the smartest ball ever given in London, she would be proud that he was her partner.

  Lord Seabrook was thinking exactly the same.

  There was no beauty, including Lady Cressington, who could compare with the loveliness of Lolita.

  ‘She shines because her beauty is natural and uncontrived,’ he thought. ‘She is like a lily in a garden or a star in the sky above.’

  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

  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

  39. The Importance of Love

  40. Love by the Lake

  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.

  “True love is a sacred flame

  That burns eternally,

  And none can dim its special glow

  Or change its destiny.

  True love speaks in tender tones

  And hears with gentle ear.

  True love gives with open heart

  And true love conquers fear.

  True love makes no harsh demands

  It neither rules nor binds,

  And true love holds with gentle hands

  The hearts that it entwines.”

  “This is an ancient traditional poem of love and has always been one of my favourites.”

  Barbara Cartland

  CHAPTER ONE

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bsp; -

  1873

  “The Master wants to see you, my Lady,” the maid called, putting her head round the door.

  Lolita looked up and sighed.

  She knew this meant a row.

  Her stepfather had come into the room at the moment when Murdock Tanner was trying to kiss her. She was struggling violently against him and as her stepfather entered she had struck him in the face.

  She had managed to escape and ran out of the room upstairs to her bedroom.

  She was fully aware that now there would be an explosion.

  Murdock Tanner was enormously rich and of great importance to her stepfather, Ralph Piran, an exceedingly successful shipping magnate. He had made a huge fortune from the steamers now sailing daily across the Atlantic to New York and to other parts of the world.

  Yet because he was greedy he wanted still more. He had found it very convenient to marry Lolita’s mother after her father the Earl of Walcott and Vernon had died unexpectedly.

  The Earl had been in an accident late at night when the drivers of two chaises had dined over well and were travelling too fast and the one driven by the Earl had overturned.

  One of the horses rolled on him and if he had survived he would have undoubtedly been a cripple for life, which was something he would have loathed.

  Lolita could only think it was in a way a blessing that he had died without realising what had happened to him.

  He had however left her and her mother penniless.

  The Earl had been a gambler all his life and because he was very much in love with her mother, she had in many ways been a good influence over him, but she could not prevent him taking a chance on a card, a horse race or anything else which offered a sporting gamble.

  After the funeral the Countess had sat down with her daughter Lolita and they had tried to work out what they could do.

  The answer of course was nothing.

  During the years she had been married, the Countess had gradually lost touch with her family as they lived in the North of England and her husband claimed hardly any family relations.

  The Earldoms of Walcott and Vernon had been united three hundred years ago, but the present Earl had dropped the double name because he found it so cumbersome. He arranged that the family would use the name of Vernon while he was the Earl of Walcott only.

  Apart from the ancient name and a history which spoke of noble deeds and distinguished statesmen, the Earl boasted no possessions and a very small income.

  It just enabled him and his wife to live in a house in an undistinguished street in London. Because they saved and he was occasionally successful at the card tables, they managed to take a holiday abroad every year.

  Unfortunately the Earl enjoyed going to Baden-Baden and Monte Carlo and visiting their casinos. Inevitably they returned home poorer than when they had started.

  There were, however, times when he won and then because he loved his wife and his daughter he insisted on buying them expensive presents, which later had to be sold.

  At the same time they loved him, because apart from everything else he was a great gentleman.

  But that was something Lolita could not say about her stepfather.

  It had, however, been impossible for her mother to refuse Ralph Piran. He was quite presentable although not of the same class as the Earl.

  His father had been Captain of a ship and this meant he was engrossed with the sea from the moment he was born. His mother had been the daughter of a Solicitor, who had taught his grandson everything he himself knew about money and as soon as Ralph could think he was determined to be rich.

  He had a very shrewd brain and by the time he was twenty-five he had accumulated an income which was the envy of his contemporaries.

  He soon decided that his friends and acquaintances were not good enough for him.

  He wanted to shine in the Social world as well as among those who admired his business prowess and when by chance he met the Countess of Walcott, she was the answer to many of the ambitions that had driven him since he had left school.

  The Countess was extremely unhappy after her husband’s death, but that did not deter Ralph Piran. If riches could make her happy that was what he was prepared to give her.

  He also wanted a son who would carry on his ever-expanding business, but here, however, he was disappointed.

  But it gave him some satisfaction that Lolita at seventeen was outstandingly beautiful and he could say to those he met in the business world,

  “I must introduce you to my stepdaughter, Lady Lolita Vernon.”

  This year Lolita was eighteen and he was determined that the Social world should help him celebrate the occasion.

  He had already bought a large and impressive house in Berkeley Square and he was planning a ‘coming out’ ball for Lolita. He was determined it would be more sensational than any other ball given throughout the Season.

  Then at the end of April, when her mother was making all the necessary arrangements for Lolita to be presented at Court, she suffered a stroke.

  Not even the doctors could explain why it had happened. The stroke sent her into a coma from which the most skilled and the most expensive of the medical practitioners could not rouse her.

  This of course upset the plans for Lolita as a debutante, as it was quite impossible for her to stage a ball in the same house where her mother lay unconscious.

  It also meant that Ralph Piran had to find hostesses amongst his wife’s friends who would chaperone Lolita when she appeared in public.

  He was determined that she should continue with her Season as it helped him not only socially but in his business.

  It was still considered vulgar by the Social hostesses for a gentleman to be in trade and Ralph Piran was determined to be accepted.

  He was rich enough, he believed, to buy himself a position in the Social world which he was so determined to achieve.

  Apart from his money his greatest asset was his stepdaughter.

  He himself was actually quite presentable, being tall, dark-haired and good-looking. Dressed by the most expensive tailors in London he was able to mingle with members of White’s Club and Boodles without anyone questioning why he was amongst them.

  It was however a different problem when it came to invitations. A large number of Social hostesses had been very fond of the Countess of Walcott.

  Distressed by her illness, they had invited Lolita to luncheon and dinner and a ball when they gave one, but they did not invite her stepfather.

  It made him angry, but he kept his feelings to himself and he made sure, when it was at all possible, that he was at parties where among the other guests were the hostesses who had barred their doors to him.

  Lolita was well aware of the presents which passed from her stepfather to the mothers of her friends and she knew they could not afford to offer such generous hospitality unless, to put it bluntly, it was subsidised.

  Ralph Piran was exceedingly jealous and by the end of May he had attended a number of balls to which he would not have received an invitation earlier in the year.

  He got what he wanted cleverly and tactfully.

  Men clapped him on the back and told him he was ‘a good fellow’. At the same time they borrowed a thousand pounds from him and he gave it to them willingly.

  He was not so foolish, however, as to neglect his business because of his social ambitions.

  He was in the middle of pulling off a deal that would make him the owner of a whole fishing fleet which he had always wanted to buy.

  It was, however, such an expensive purchase that he was obliged to accept help from some of his friends, who were as interested as he was in multiplying their money and increasing the number of ships they possessed.

  Murdock Tanner had for some years been the most important and most successful entrepreneur in the shipping industry. If he and these friends of his became partners, Piran knew they would take control of the seas and oceans which covered nearly three-quarters of the w
orld.

  Murdock Tanner was growing old and like Ralph Piran he had no son. He had already hinted when they were negotiating with each other that Ralph would be his heir.

  Ralph Piran entered the hall of his house in Berkeley Square and strode towards his study.

  As he did so he heard Lolita scream.

  He could not imagine what the matter was until he opened the door and saw her fighting savagely with Murdock Tanner.

  Even as he stood transfixed in the doorway, she slapped Murdock on the face.

  As he recoiled from the blow, she managed to twist herself from his arms and ran past him through the door.

  He could hear her footsteps gather speed as she crossed the hall and tore up the stairs.

  Ralph Piran hurried forward with apologies and hastily provided his guest with a glass of champagne.

  Lolita reached her bedroom, slammed the door behind her and sank down at her dressing table. She looked in the mirror at her dishevelled hair.

  ‘How dare he try to kiss me?’ she fumed. ‘If Mama had been here she would have been furious.’

  Before she fell ill, Lolita’s mother had told her over and over again how to behave correctly as a debutante.

  “You must be quiet, modest and polite, darling,” she had said, “and of course never do anything that would get you talked about.”

  “What do you mean, Mama?” Lolita had asked her.

  Her mother hesitated for a moment before she replied,

  “Some girls, I am told, allow men to become too familiar with them. You must of course never go into the garden or into an empty room alone with a man.”

  “You mean, Mama, that he would try to kiss me?”

  “It is something a gentleman should not do,” her mother answered. “At the same time I am told girls encourage men in a way that in my day would have been considered very fast and badly behaved.”

  She smiled before she went on,

  “I want you to marry someone charming and of course as well bred as your father.”

  Lolita was intelligent enough to realise that her mother was warning her and it was against the sort of men who Ralph Piran was bound to associate with in his business.