A Princess Runs Away Read online

  A Princess Runs Away

  BARBARA CARTLAND

  www.barbaracartland.com

  Copyright © 2017 by Cartland Promotions

  First published on the internet in October 2017 by Barbaracartland.com

  ISBNs

  eBook ~ 978-1-78867-023-4

  Print ~ 978-1-78867-007-4

  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

  A PRINCESS RUNS AWAY

  Vasila was dreaming that she was very happy and that someone was telling her that she need not be afraid and he would protect her.

  Then she was dreamily aware that she could hear a man speaking.

  He was speaking so softly that it seemed as if the voice was part of her dream and had no existence in reality.

  Then, as she listened, she heard him saying,

  “He’s not here, he must have gone out. We’ll wait for him downstairs.”

  Then another voice, also that of a man, asked,

  “Do you think he’ll come back?”

  “He’ll come back all right,” the other man replied, “with that waiting for him.”

  It slowly percolated through Vasila’s mind that he was referring to her.

  She was just about to sit up in bed and ask them who they were and what they were doing in her room.

  Then she remembered that, not having a nightgown, she had gone to bed naked.

  She therefore lay very still and kept her eyes tightly closed.

  Then she heard the men move away.

  It was then she realised something, which because she was so drowsy, she had not been aware of before.

  The men were speaking in Russian.

  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

  Hatfield

  Hertfordshire

  AL9 6JE

  United Kingdom

  Telephone: +44 1707 642629

  Fax: +44 1707 663041

  Titles in this series

  These titles are currently available for download.

  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

  Joined by Love

  The Duke is Deceived

  A Prayer For Love

  Love Conquers War

  A Rose in Jeopardy

  A Call of Love

  A Flight to Heaven

  She Wanted Love

  A Heart Finds Love

  A Sacrifice for Love
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  Love's Dream in Peril

  Soft, sweet & Gentle

  An Archangel Called Ivan

  A Prisoner in Paris

  Danger in the desert

  Rescued by Love

  A Road to Romance

  A Golden Lie

  A heart of stone

  The Earl Elopes

  A Wilder Kind of Love

  The Bride Runs Away

  Beyond the Horizon

  Crowned by Music

  Love solves the Problem

  Blessing of the Gods

  Love by Moonlight

  Saved by the Duke

  A Train to Love

  Wanted - A Bride

  Double the Love

  Hiding from the Fortune-Hunters

  The Marquis is Deceived

  The Viscount's Revenge

  Captured by Love

  An Ocean of Love

  A Beauty Betrayed

  No Bride, No Wedding

  A Strange Way to Find Love

  The Unbroken Dream

  A Heart in Chains

  One Minute to Love

  Love for Eternity

  The Prince who wanted Love

  For the Love of Scotland

  An Angel from Heaven

  Their Search for Real Love

  Secret Danger

  Music from Heaven

  The Duke Hated Women

  The Weapon is Love

  The King Wins

  Love Saves the Day

  They Ran Away

  A Battle of Love

  Love Finds a Treasure

  Love under the Stars

  She Fell in Love

  The Earl in Peril

  Love Cannot Fail

  Love has no name

  A Princess Runs Away

  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 should always run to love and you must never run from love.

  I feel so sad for those who are frightened or intimidated by love. They just don’t know what they are missing.”

  Barbara Cartland

  CHAPTER ONE ~ 1885

  “Now tell me who else there is?” Queen Victoria asked sharply.

  The Marquis of Salisbury, who was then standing in front of her, replied in his deep quiet voice,

  “I am afraid, ma’am, we have come to the end of the more obvious Princesses available.”

  “I am well aware of it,” the Queen answered, “but there must be someone. After all it is most important that Prince Godelov should not lose Saralovia.”

  The Prime Minister knew it only too well.

  In fact he had pointed it out to Her Majesty in the first place, but he was too tactful to say so.

  “I agree with you, ma’am,” he said, “and, of course, it would be ideal for the Prince to have a British wife at this particular moment.”

  There was a short silence.

  He recalled how the Russians had been infiltrating their agents into the Balkans during the last few years.

  One after another the small Sovereign independent Principalities were coming under their influence.

  The Russians as usual had been exceedingly subtle and clever about it and they had planted agitators to work up the population against their Rulers.

  This eventually ended in chaos with the result that the Russians could move in on the pretext that they were preserving peace.

  As the Queen and the Prime Minister knew, in most cases the Ruler of a country when there had been such a rebellion had fled and this had made it available for the Russians to set up a Ruler of their own choice.

  There were actually exceptions when the legitimate Ruler stood his ground. And then the Russians tried every means they could think of, even resorting to kidnapping, to ensure his abdication.

  The only real safeguard was for the Principality to be under the protection of the Union Jack.

  The Czar of Russia had no wish to go to war with Great Britain and he therefore avoided making trouble in those countries where the Queen or the Ruler was British.

  Queen Victoria herself was already being called the ‘Matchmaker of Europe.’

  However, even she with her large family could not provide an unceasing line of young women to reign with a Balkan husband.

  At this moment the Queen was feeling worried.

  Prince Godelov of Saralovia had urgently requested her help in finding a bride for him.

  She had already informed the Prime Minister in no uncertain terms what was needed and he had promised to search diligently for a suitable Princess.

  The Marquis of Salisbury had enlisted the help of Members of his Cabinet and associates in the Parliament most especially the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Earl Granville.

  As it so happened it was eventually the Earl who had come up with a solution at the very last moment.

  In fact the Marquis had been thinking ruefully of the distinctly uncomfortable interview he would soon have with Her Majesty.

  He knew only too well how irritated and difficult she could be when she did not get her own way.

  He had searched high and low.

  Yet he had not been able to find in the records a single candidate of the Royal blood, however remote, from the Queen’s family, who was either free or old enough to marry Prince Godelov.

  Then late last night Earl Granville had come to call on him at Number 10 Downing Street.

  The Prime Minister had not expected him and he was in fact considerably surprised when it was announced that the Earl wished to see him at such a late hour.

  He glanced at the clock and muttered,

  “Very well I will see him, but I wish to go to bed as soon as possible.”

  “Everything is ready, my Lord,” the butler replied.

  He then admitted the Earl to the drawing room and closed the door.

  “You are very late,” the Prime Minister greeted him in a somewhat rebuking tone.

  “I know that,” the Earl replied. “But I bring you good news and I thought that you should have it before you leave in the morning for Windsor Castle for an audience with Her Majesty.”

  “Good news?” the Prime Minister questioned with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

  He could not imagine that the Earl really did bring
him the news that he required as he had given up hope.

  Earl Granville, without being asked to, sat down in a chair next to the Prime Minister.

  “I have found you a Princess,” he began slowly.

  The Prime Minister stared at him.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “It is true and I admit that it was very remiss of us to have overlooked her.”

  “Who is it?” the Prime Minister demanded.

  “Princess Vasila.”

  The Prime Minister looked blankly at him and Earl Granville explained it to him.

  It was the trump card that the Prime Minister now had up his sleeve for Her Majesty. He felt he had worked very hard on this particular case and had worried a great deal over it.

  He thought it only fair that the Queen should have to worry too.

  “There must be someone available,” the Queen had asserted imperiously at the beginning of his audience.

  She spoke in a positive tone as if she dared not only mankind but the elements to defy her.

  “I must be frank, ma’am,” the Prime Minister said, “and tell you that I had in fact given up hope. It was Earl Granville, who late last night brought me a suggestion that I know will delight Your Majesty.”

  “Are you really saying that after all this fuss and commotion you have found me a Princess with some Royal blood in her?” the Queen asked him pointedly.

  When she was interested in a subject close to her heart, she liked to get to the point quickly.

  “I think, ma’am,” the Prime Minister said, “ that we have been remiss in forgetting all about Princess Vasila.”

  The Queen gave an exclamation.

  “You mean the daughter of Princess Louise?”

  “Exactly, ma’am.”

  “I had no idea that she was old enough,” the Queen remarked.

  “She is eighteen,” the Prime Minister answered. “I think, ma’am, you will recall that, after Princess Louise’s death, Your Majesty arranged for her to be brought up by Baroness von Bergstein in one of your Grace and Favour houses at Hampton Court.”

  “Of course, I remember,” the Queen said positively. “But I had no idea that she was eighteen. I considered her, but believed that she was still only a child.”

  “I understand that she was eighteen last month and since Prince Godelov is arriving today, I thought, ma’am, naturally with your permission, that we should invite her to come here to Windsor Castle.”

  “Of course, of course,” the Queen replied, “and I hope the girl has something decent to wear. From what I hear the Prince has somewhat of a reputation where women are concerned and, of course, he is a good deal older than Princess Vasila.”