160 Love Finds the Duke at Last by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-78867-052-4
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2018-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

It transpired that the Duke, if anything, had under-estimated the interest that his engagement would create.

His relatives, some of whom he had not seen for years, turned up to congratulate him.

Others wrote him long letters that he had to answer as to why, where and who he had found to marry.

After having written out one, he copied the others as they were exactly the same, although he hoped that they would not compare them.

As he had anticipated quite a number of those who called themselves his greatest friends arrived from London to congratulate him, but really because they were intrigued.

Devinia, with the deft help of Mrs. Shepherd, was wearing a most alluring and extremely pretty dress.

She also arranged her hair so that she wore flowers of the same colour as her dress.

It appeared almost as a halo against her golden hair.

“You look lovely,” Mrs. Shepherd told her, “and there’ll be no question as to why His Grace wants to marry you.”

Devinia hoped fervently that this was true.

When she went down to luncheon, she realised that a great number of the Duke’s friends were astounded by her appearance.

The men fell over themselves in their efforts to pay her effusive compliments. While the ladies present were no less enthusiastic.

After luncheon a number of people who had come from London drove back in their carriages.

There were half a dozen who had arrived late for tea and therefore had to be invited for dinner.

“I am not going to ask you to stay the night,” the Duke told them, “because there is a full moon tonight and so you will be able to find your way back home without the slightest difficulty.”

“We had not thought of staying,” one of them said. “We have only brought what we stand up in and I don’t suppose you want to provide all the bedclothes we would need if we stayed the night.”

“I have a feeling that more people will be arriving from London tomorrow,” the Duke said, “and I have to think of my staff.”

One of his friends laughed.

“I feel sure that they are enjoying every moment of it. After all The Castle has been as dull as a grave for years when your mother was ill and again when your father was busy with his affairs in London.”

He chuckled as he added,

“There is nothing that servants dislike more than an empty house and a cook always complains if there is no one to praise her food.”

“I am sure you are right,” the Duke agreed. “My cook is thrilled at being able to cook the food that you have enjoyed tonight. She is already thinking about what she will put in the Wedding cake.”

“Oh, when is the Wedding to take place?” one of his relatives asked.

“We have not decided yet,” the Duke answered, “because so many of Devinia’s friends and relations live in the far North. They would be very hurt if they were not given time to consider how they could come South and you can imagine it requires a great deal of arranging.

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