Two Hearts in Hungary Read online

  All the pictures were by French artists, such as Bucher, Fragonard and Greuze and the furniture was also French and very old.

  “This is a room for love,” he said as he closed the door, “and I am going to tell you, my darling, how much I love you.”

  He picked her up again in his arms.

  Sitting down on the sofa he cradled her against him as if she was a child.

  Then he was kissing her passionately, demandingly and possessively.

  Once again they were flying in the sky and it was impossible to believe there was the world beneath them.

  *

  It was a long time later and, although they had not spoken, Aletha felt as if they had said a thousand things to each other.

  There was no need for any explanations.

  No need for anything but love.

  “How can you make me feel like this?” Miklós exclaimed.

  “Like – what?” Aletha asked for the sheer joy of hearing him say it.

  “It is something I have never felt before. But then I have never loved anyone as I love you.”

  “Could – anything be more – wonderful?” Aletha sighed. “And I was so – unhappy last night.”

  “You are not to think about it anymore,” Miklós ordered. “I was mad, crazy, to think that we could ever be without each other.”

  The fire was once again back in his eyes as he vowed,

  “You are mine and I will kill any man who tries to touch you!”

  “I-I think the – Baron intended to take me prisoner,” Aletha volunteered.

  “And to escape him you might easily have killed yourself.”

  There was a note of horror in Miklós’s voice that was very moving.

  “But – I am alive – and I am here.”

  “You are, my precious, and now we are going to be married immediately.”

  He put her down as he spoke and then rose to his feet.

  “I do not intend to waste any more time,” he asserted. “We will go and tell my father that you are to be my wife and there is nothing he or anyone else can say or do to prevent us from being married at once.”

  Aletha stared at him in surprise.

  Then, as he was kissing her again, it was impossible to tell him the words that trembled on her lips.

  As he set her free, she had a sudden glimpse of herself in a gold-framed mirror.

  She was horrified at the untidiness of her appearance.

  “Let me first go and change,” she said quickly, “and then I have something to tell you.”

  Miklós glanced at the clock.

  “They will have finished having their breakfast by now,” he said, “and my father will be alone, dealing with his correspondence.”'

  He stopped to look at her lovingly before he went on,

  “But hurry, otherwise he may become involved with other members of the family before we can tell him what we are planning to do.”

  Aletha had no wish for anyone to see her as she looked at this moment.

  So she allowed Miklós to take her up a side staircase and he left her at her bedroom door.

  “I will come back for you, my lovely one, in ten minutes,” he said, “so hurry. I am afraid of being away from you even for a minute.”

  “I will – still be – here,” Aletha promised with a smile.

  She knew that he wanted to kiss her again and she quickly went into her bedroom.

  She then rang for the maid.

  By the time she arrived Aletha had already washed herself and taken off her riding skirt and blouse.

  She put on one of her prettiest gowns and had just finished arranging her hair when there was a knock on the door.

  She knew that it was Miklós and she could not help running across the room.

  It was with the greatest difficulty that she did not throw herself straight into his arms.

  “I am – ready,” she said breathlessly.

  “You look very lovely.” he answered. “I am determined that we shall be married tonight or at the very latest tomorrow.”

  She wanted to tell him there and then why it was impossible and then she saw a servant coming down the passage.

  She was silent as Miklós took her down the stairs.

  They went across the hall and down another corridor that led them to his father’s study.

  Aletha already knew that it was a very impressive but comfortable room.

  She thought if she did not have a secret that would surprise them all she would have been nervous.

  Instead with her hand held tightly in Miklós’s she felt as if her heart and the whole world was singing.

  He loved her!

  He loved her enough to marry her whoever she might be.

  He strode ahead of her, knocked and without waiting then opened the door of the study.

  As they went in, Aletha felt a stab of disappointment as she saw that the Prince was not alone.

  Standing beside him at the window was another man.

  Then, as the two men turned round, Aletha gave an audible gasp.

  It was her father who stood there in front of her.

  He looked tall and very distinguished as he always did.

  “Papa!”

  Her voice rang out as she ran towards him.

  She flung herself against him.

  “You are – here! How is it – possible? Why have – you come?”

  The words seemed to fall over themselves as her father put his arms around her.

  Then he said,

  “The King of Denmark was ill and therefore all the planned Festivities were cancelled. So I returned home to find that my daughter had been incredibly naughty and had run away!”

  Aletha drew in her breath.

  “Were you – very – angry with me?” she asked in a wavering voice.

  “Very,” the Duke replied, “if I had not been aware that Heywood would take great care of you. But I did not expect to find that in buying my horses for me, he had also taken on the role of your grandfather.”

  His eyes were twinkling as he was speaking and then Aletha knew at once that he was not really angry with her.

  It was then that she glanced at Miklós and saw his astonishment.

  She put out her hand towards him.

  “This was the – secret that I wanted to – tell you about,” she confessed.

  She thought for a moment that perhaps he would be angry because she had deceived him.

  Then he answered,

  “Can it really be true that you are the daughter of the Duke?”

  “It is really true,” the Duke said before Aletha could reply, “and I have been apologising endlessly to the Prince because my daughter has been deceiving you all!”

  “Of course I understand,” Prince Jözsel said, “that in the circumstances, it was the only way that Lady Aletha could travel if she had no proper chaperone.”

  “Well, I will look after her now,” the Duke said.

  He spoke as if he thought that he must gloss over anything that might affect Aletha’s reputation.

  “At least, Your Highness, I shall now have the pleasure of seeing your splendid horses for myself.”

  “And, of course, riding them,” Prince Jözsel added with a smile.

  Aletha drew herself from her father’s arms.

  “Now that you are here, Papa,” she said, “there is something more important than even the horses and Miklós will tell you what it is.”

  The Duke held out his hand to Prince Miklós.

  “I guessed that was who you are,” he said, “and I am delighted to have the pleasure of meeting you.”

  “As Aletha has just said, Your Grace,” Miklós replied, “I have something very important to say and that is that I wish to marry your daughter!”

  *

  Aletha stood looking at the view.

  She thought that nothing in the world could be more beautiful or more compelling.

  The mountain where she stood was high above the valley in whic
h a river was glinting in the bright sunshine and there was green meadowland on either side of it.

  Beyond was another range of mountains as high as the one on which she was standing at the moment.

  Miklós’s house, which was his own private retreat, was small but exquisite.

  It had every possible comfort.

  They had arrived late last night and this morning she had awoken to think that he must have taken her up to Heaven itself.

  “Have you been awake for long?” she asked him when she opened her eyes.

  She looked very lovely with her fair hair falling over her shoulders.

  “I found it hard to sleep,” Miklós said in his deep voice, “when you were beside me and at last we were alone.”

  He was touching her body and a flame began to flicker in her heart.

  “I thought all the Festivities and good wishes would never end,” he went on. “I wanted you like this, where no one could disturb us and I could tell you how much I love you from first thing in the morning and again all through the night.”

  Aletha laughed.

  “Oh, darling, no one – wanted it – more than I did – but I had no idea that it would be so beautiful or that I could be – so happy.”

  It had been impossible for Prince Jözsel and the Duke to allow them to be married as quickly as Miklós wanted.

  First they had gone to England where he had met most of the Ling relatives, all of whom found him charming and courteous.

  They made such a fuss of him that Aletha was half-afraid that he would find somebody he loved more than her.

  When they were alone, she expressed her doubts.

  But Miklós kissed her so demandingly that he made it very clear how much he wanted her.

  He told her a thousand times how frustrating it was for them not to be married, as he had wanted, immediately.

  Then at last, with what the Duke called ‘indecent haste’ they were married in the Chapel at Ling Park.

  Crowds of their relations had filled the great house and the neighbours’ houses as well.

  After a few days honeymoon in England, they had come back to Hungary.

  Prince Jözsel had no intention of not celebrating their marriage in style at The Palace.

  All the rooms were packed to bursting.

  The Wedding Festivities included gypsy music besides a formal ball with the very best orchestra from Vienna.

  Johann Strauss had even come himself to The Palace to conduct it.

  As Aletha repeated over and over again, how could anybody possibly ask for more?

  “All I ever want is you to myself,” Miklós had complained a few times.

  At last they had escaped.

  This morning Aletha had her first chance of seeing in the daylight how fantastic the view was from Miklós’s house in the mountains.

  As he put his arm around her waist, she said,

  “Now I know I have reached Paradise.”

  “That is how I want you to feel, my precious darling. When I built this house, I thought it was the right setting for me. Now I know it is the right setting for you. You are not a sylph, you are an angel, my angel. Who will always belong to me.”

  His lips were on hers.

  He kissed her until she felt as if they were touching the sun and its light was burning through them.

  “I love you – oh, Miklos – I love you!” she whispered.

  “As I love you! And I want to tell you how much, but you are standing precariously on top of a precipice, so I suggest we go back into the house.”

  She saw by the fire in his eyes what he intended and exclaimed,

  “But darling – we have only just got up!”

  “What does it matter?” he asked. “When one is in love, time stands still and I only know that I love you, I want you and you are mine forever.”

  Aletha laughed.

  She let him take her back to the house.

  They walked into the beautiful room with the amazing view over the valley.

  It was where they had slept the previous night.

  As Miklós closed the door behind them, Aletha put out her arms towards him.

  He crushed her against him and she sighed,

  “Darling – darling – I love – you! But I am – sure that there is a lot – more for me to – see outside.”

  “There is tomorrow and the rest of our lives to see it,” Miklos answered. “At the moment there is only love.”

  He carried her to the bed.

  Then he was kissing her wildly, passionately and demandingly.

  She knew that this was the love that she had prayed for and nothing else in the whole world mattered.

  Position, wealth, even beauty itself, could not be compared to the wonder of what they felt for each other.

  Then, as Miklos made her his, she could hear the music that was the beat of their hearts.

  The sunlight was seeping through their bodies like leaping flames of fire.

  The light that came from God and was Divine completely enveloped them.

  And then there was nothing either in Heaven or Earth but Love.

  OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

  The Barbara Cartland Eternal Collection is the unique opportunity to collect as ebooks all five hundred of the timeless beautiful romantic novels written by the world’s most celebrated and enduring romantic author.

  Named the Eternal Collection because Barbara’s inspiring stories of pure love, just the same as love itself, the books will be published on the internet at the rate of four titles per month until all five hundred are available.

  The Eternal Collection, classic pure romance available worldwide for all time .

  Elizabethan Lover

  The Little Pretender

  A Ghost in Monte Carlo

  A Duel of Hearts

  The Saint and the Sinner

  The Penniless Peer

  The Proud Princess

  The Dare-Devil Duke

  Diona and a Dalmatian

  A Shaft of Sunlight

  Lies for Love

  Love and Lucia

  Love and the Loathsome Leopard

  Beauty or Brains

  The Temptation of Torilla

  The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl

  Fragrant Flower

  Look Listen and Love

  The Duke and the Preacher’s Daughter

  A Kiss for the King

  The Mysterious Maid-servant

  Lucky Logan Finds Love

  The Wings of Ecstacy

  Mission to Monte Carlo

  Revenge of the Heart

  The Unbreakable Spell

  Never Laugh at Love

  Bride to a Brigand

  Lucifer and the Angel

  Journey to a Star

  Solita and the Spies

  The Chieftain Without a Heart

  No Escape from Love

  Dollars for the duke

  Pure and Untouched

  Secrets

  Fire in the Blood

  Love, Lies and Marriage

  The Ghost who Fell in Love

  Hungry for Love

  The Wild Cry of Love

  The Blue-eyed Witch

  The Punishment of a Vixen

  The Secret of the Glen

  Bride to the King

  For All Eternity

  King in Love

  A Marriage made in Heaven

  Who can deny Love?

  Riding to the Moon

  Wish for Love

  Dancing on a Rainbow

  Gypsy Magic

  Love in the Clouds

  Count the Stars

  White Lilac

  Too Precious to Lose

  The Devil Defeated

  An Angel Runs Away

  The Duchess Disappeared

  The Pretty Horse-breakers

  The Prisoner of Love

  Ola and the Sea Wolf

  The Castle made for Love

  A Heart is Stolen

  The Love Pira
te

  As Eagles Fly

  The Magic of Love

  Love Leaves at Midnight

  A Witch’s Spell

  Love Comes West

  The Impetuous Duchess

  A Tangled Web

  Love lifts the Curse

  Saved By A Saint

  Love is Dangerous

  The Poor Governess

  The Peril and the Prince

  A Very Unusual Wife

  Say Yes Samantha

  Punished with love

  A Royal Rebuke

  The Husband Hunters

  Signpost To Love

  Love Forbidden

  Gift Of the Gods

  The Outrageous Lady

  The Slaves Of Love

  The Disgraceful Duke

  The Unwanted Wedding

  Lord Ravenscar’s Revenge

  From Hate to Love

  A Very Naughty Angel

  The Innocent Imposter

  A Rebel Princess

  A Wish Comes True

  Haunted

  Passions In The Sand

  Little White Doves of Love

  A Portrait of Love

  The Enchanted Waltz

  Alone and Afraid

  The Call of the Highlands

  The Glittering Lights

  An Angel in Hell

  Only a Dream

  A Nightingale Sang

  Pride and the Poor Princess

  Stars in my Heart

  The Fire of Love

  A Dream from the Night

  Sweet Enchantress

  The Kiss of the Devil

  Fascination in France

  Love Runs In

  Lost Enchantment

  Love is Innocent

  The Love Trap

  No Darkness for Love

  Kiss from a Stranger

  The Flame Is Love

  A Touch of Love

  The Dangerous Dandy

  In Love In Lucca

  The Karma Of Love

  Magic For The Heart

  Paradise Found

  Only Love

  A Duel with Destiny

  The Heart of the Clan

  The Ruthless Rake

  Revenge is Sweet

  Fire on the Snow

  A Revolution of Love

  Love at the Helm

  Listen to Love

  Love Casts out Fear

  The Devilish Deception

  Riding in the Sky

  The Wonderful Dream

  This Time it’s Love

  The River of Love

  A Gentleman in Love

  The Island of Love

  Miracle for a Madonna

  The Storms of Love

  The Prince and the Pekingese

  The Golden Cage

  Theresa and a Tiger