The Secret of the Glen Read online

  “I stayed here – before.”

  It was difficult to think of what he was saying because the touch of his hands made her thrill in a manner she had not known before and she longed, as she had never longed for anything in the world, for him to kiss her.

  “I knew from the moment I saw you that you were different from any other woman I had ever met,” he said, “and my heart turned in my breast because you were near me.”

  He smiled.

  “But because you were a stranger I was able to behave with some propriety, which now I would find extremely difficult to do!”

  Leona waited expectantly and he went on,

  “But because I love you more than life itself, because I have pledged myself not only to your service but also to protect you and care for you in sickness and in health, tonight I am going to let you rest.”

  He drew in his breath with a sound that was almost a sigh as he continued,

  “As I said just now, we have all our lives in front of us for me to tell you of my love.”

  There was silence before Leona said hesitatingly,

  “B-but this is – our wedding day.”

  “A day I shall never forget,” Lord Strathcairn answered. “And we will celebrate it every year until we reach our Golden Wedding.”

  Again there was silence and Leona felt his fingers tighten on hers until they were painful as he added and now his voice was hoarse,

  “I thought when I first saw you that you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen. I thought when you came to me in your wedding gown that it was impossible for any woman to be more lovely, and yet now, at this moment, I can find no words with which to describe you.”

  Leona felt herself vibrate to the desire in his voice.

  She knew that he wanted her, she knew that he was holding himself rigidly under control not to kiss her, not to touch her.

  Suddenly he released her hands and rose from the bed.

  “I must say goodnight, Leona. If you want me, if you are afraid or in any way perturbed, I am only in the next room. I shall hear if you call.”

  Leona realised for the first time that there was another door in the room beside the one that opened onto the corridor.

  She had been so exhausted when she arrived and so intent on thinking of her wedding day when she awoke, that she had not really taken in the fact that she was not in the Thistle Room where she had slept before.

  She was in another much larger and more impressive bedchamber with an impressive carved stone fireplace.

  The bed and the windows were hung with rose pink velvet curtains and the coat-of-arms of the Strathcairns was embellished on the coverlet.

  She knew now that she was in the room that by right was that of the Chieftain’s wife.

  It seemed to her at that moment as if there was a special atmosphere of love, devotion and faith in the room which was redolent with history.

  Lord Strathcairn stood for a moment looking into the fire. Then he moved slowly towards the door that led into his own bedroom.

  He had almost reached it when Leona called out urgently, “Torquil!”

  He stopped and looked towards her, waiting.

  “There is – something I wish to – say to you.”

  He turned back towards the bed, coming nearer almost reluctantly, she thought, as if he was afraid of himself.

  She leant back against the pillows, her long golden hair falling over them, her eyes very blue in the firelight as she looked up at him.

  “What is it, Leona?”

  “There is – something I want – to ask you.”

  He moved nearer, yet still standing stiff and high above her. He even looked a little awe-inspiring, but she was not afraid.

  She was sure that he was feeling what she felt.

  “Could you not – come a little – closer?”

  He bent towards her and now Leona put out her arms and said in a whisper,

  “Will you not – kiss me – goodnight?”

  Just for a moment he seemed to hesitate, then Leona’s arms were round his neck, pulling him down to her, drawing him closer and closer until his lips found hers.

  She knew that he tried to be gentle, attempted to keep control of himself, but it was as if a dam had burst and the barriers were down.

  He kissed her wildly, passionately, fiercely, kissing her lips, then her eyes, her cheeks and the warm softness of her neck until she thrilled and vibrated with strange sensations she had never known.

  “I love you – God in Heaven, how I love you!” he murmured.

  Then he was kissing her again, drawing her very heart from between her lips until she responded to his kisses with a matching wildness.

  “I love – you! I love – you! My precious – my darling – my wife!”

  It was a cry of triumph, the cry of a warrior, of a conqueror who attains all he has fought for, all he has desired.

  Then, as the flames died down, there were only the soft whispers of love and the music of the wind blowing over the loch, singing of the eternal glory of Scotland.

  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

  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 bo
oks 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.

  THE SECRET OF THE GLEN

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2013

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1976

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books