Love Conquers War Read online

  “They are – thrilling!” Tilda said in a soft voice.

  *

  Driving back from the Cathedral the Archduke Ferdinand Holstein Mittlegratz sat back in the open carriage with a rattle of his sword and said,

  “That poor sweet innocent child! I will murder young Maximilian with my own hands if he does not behave properly towards her!”

  The Archduchess glanced at him with a half-smile on her lips.

  “You know, Ferdinand,” she said, “I have a feeling that our Romeo Prince will no longer go a-roaming.”

  “I don’t know why you should think that,” the Archduke growled. “He has chased every pretty woman from here to Finland for long enough! I will not have him upsetting that sweet, gentle little creature who is hardly out of the nursery and I am quite prepared to tell him so in no uncertain terms!”

  “And if Maximilian does go on causing scandals, which I suspect were over-exaggerated anyway, what can you do about it?” the Archduchess asked.

  “I will myself protect Victoria!” the Archduke replied with fervour.

  His wife laughed.

  “I am sure you will, Ferdinand, that is if you can get anywhere near her.”

  “What do you mean by that?” the Archduke enquired.

  “I mean,” his wife replied, “that, when we were in the Cathedra, I watched the sentimental manner in which you were yearning protectively over the bride and what I saw in your face was echoed in the eyes of nearly every man present.”

  “Well, what about it?”

  “I cannot help thinking,” the Archduchess went on, “that Maximilian will be far too busy looking after his wife in the future to have time for his own philandering.”

  “Let us hope you are right,” the Archduke snorted.

  “What is more,” the Archduchess continued, “I think little Victoria has more idea of how to look after herself than you give her credit for.”

  “She is simple, unsophisticated, innocent of the world and nothing more than a baby!” the Archduke retorted.

  He spoke quite ferociously and his wife with a side- glance at him replied meekly,

  “I am sure you know best, Ferdinand!”

  But at the same time her eyes were twinkling.

  *

  The fire had burnt low, but still gave enough light to show the outline of the great bed with its carved canopy of gold angels and its hangings of pink velvet, which made it appear like an over-blown rose.

  There were two heads very close together on the pillows edged with lace and embroidered with the Royal crown.

  Rudolph reached out to pull Tilda closer to him. She was soft and yielding as she said,

  “Rudolph, I want to ask you – something.”

  “What is it, my precious, my perfect little love?”

  As he spoke, he gently swept her fair hair back from her forehead so that he could kiss it.

  “I was just – wondering,” Tilda whispered, “when you will do the ‘unpleasant things’ Mama talked about.”

  Rudolph drew her a little closer.

  “I believe, my darling, your Mama was referring to what we have already done.”

  Tilda gave a little exclamation and turned her face up to his.

  “You think that Mama was talking about – making love?” she asked. “But it was wonderful – marvellous – the most perfect thing I could ever – imagine!”

  “Do you mean that?” Rudolph asked in his deep voice.

  “You know I mean it,” Tilda answered. “I did not know I could be so – happy or that I could feel so – wildly – excited.”

  “Do I really excite you?”

  “So very – very – much!”

  “My darling, I worship you!”

  “We – belong to each – other.”

  “For ever!” Rudolph vowed.

  “All I want is to be with you,” Tilda said, “and for you to – make love to me and – kiss me – all the time.”

  “That is what I want too, but we shall also have some official duties.”

  “I don’t mind as long as we do them together.”

  “We will always be together, but you must be good, my sweet.”

  “I will – very – very good!” Tilda promised him.

  “It was not very good in the middle of the ceremony in the Cathedral to ask me if Mitzi was present,” Rudolph admonished her. “I am sure the Archbishop heard you.”

  “I just wondered if you had invited her.”

  “No, of course I did not!” Rudolph answered, “and you should not even have heard of someone like Mitzi.”

  “You should be grateful to her,” Tilda answered. “It was when I saw you kissing her that I fell in love with you.”

  “You saw me kissing Mitzi?” Rudolph asked in a tone of stupefaction, “but how could you have?”

  “I was in the woods at the Linderhof,” Tilda answered.

  “Good Lord!” he ejaculated. “Is there no end to your surprises, Tilda? How could I imagine that you would be in the woods?”

  “I watched you and I wanted to know all about you,” Tilda answered. “I thought perhaps you were a young married couple.”

  “Whatever you thought or did not think,” Rudolph said firmly, “you will please forget all about it. At the same time, my precious one, I am glad you fell in love with me!”

  “I thought you were the most exciting and – the most handsome man I had ever seen!”

  She paused then went on,

  “Obernia is full of handsome men. That aide-de-camp, the taller one, looks like a Greek God!”

  “I shall dismiss him tomorrow!” Rudolph declared, “and replace him with someone old and white-haired.”

  Tilda gave a gurgle of laughter.

  “I heard your uncle, the one with the white moustache, who is certainly old, say to someone,

  ‘She is the prettiest little filly I have seen in years! Far too good for that young jackanapes, Maximilian. I have a good mind to have a go at her myself!’”

  “Tilda!”

  Rudolph’s tone was shocked.

  “That is my uncle Franz. He is a wicked old man and you are to have nothing to do with him, do you hear?”

  “Your other uncle, the Archduke Karl, tickled the palm of my hand when he said goodbye.”

  Rudolph pulled her roughly against him.

  “Let me make one thing clear, Tilda, I shall be a very jealous husband. If I catch you so much as looking at another man, I shall either murder or banish him. And beat you!”

  “I think that would be – exciting!” Tilda said, cuddling a little closer. “It – thrills me when you are – strong and – masterful!”

  Rudolph turned over on his side and looked down at her.

  The fire gave a last dying effort to burn more brightly and the flames revealed Tilda’s small flower-like face framed with her fair hair.

  Her eyes were looking up at his and her lips were parted.

  “You are so beautiful!” he said hoarsely, “so unbelievably beautiful. I adore you, but I have the feeling, my darling, that being married to you is going to be a worse torture than anything the Chinese ever devised.”

  “I want to make you – happy,” Tilda whispered.

  “And I want to make sure you belong to me,” Rudolph answered. “I want you to love me and be quite certain that no other man can matter to you.”

  “I do love you!” Tilda said. “I did not know until now that the – world could hold so much – happiness and so much – love.”

  “That is what I wish you to feel,” Rudolph said. “And I want you to want me as I want you, so that there can be no one else, now or ever!”

  Tilda drew a deep breath.

  “Make me – want you like – that,” she whispered. “Please make me – want you, Rudolph!”

  His mouth took possession of hers.

  He felt her body move against him and knew that her heart was beating as wildly as his.

  Then he swept her into a special Heave
n for very naughty little angels who were utterly adorable and quite irresistible!

  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 Pirate

  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

  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.

  A Very Naughty Angel

  Barbara Cartland

  Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd

  This edition © 2014

  Copyright Cartland Promotions 1975

  eBook conversion by M-Y Books