Love and Lucia by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-78213-047-5
Publisher: Barbara Cartland EBooks ltd

Chapter Five

The Marquis was waiting in the salon when Lucia came somewhat nervously from her bedroom.

She appreciated that he had not asked her to return to the library from which she had fled in consternation.

She saw as she entered the very beautiful room, with its high-backed chairs covered in needle-point and tapestries covering most of the walls, that he had changed his coat which had been damaged by the stiletto.

Otherwise he was still wearing the clothes he had worn to her father’s funeral.

She glanced at him, then glanced away, and as if he realised how shy and embarrassed she was, he said in a calm, matter-of-fact voice,

“I am looking forward to showing you my yacht.”

As he spoke he handed her a glass of champagne and picking up his own, lifted it high in his hand.

“Let us drink to a calm voyage home!”

Obediently Lucia raised her glass, then took a little sip from it.

“You told me,” the Marquis went on, “that you can ride an obstreperous horse, and I am hoping that the Sea Horse will not be too obstreperous for you.”

“I – was not – seasick on the – way here,” Lucia said in a faltering little voice.

“I was going to ask you if you came by sea or land,” the Marquis answered. “Personally, I prefer the sea.”

Lucia felt that was what she would have expected him to say.

She knew that everybody who did the ‘Grand Tour’ spoke of the long hours of boredom when the horses were slowly climbing the mountain-passes, and the wheels of their carriages became embedded in mud and had to be dug out.

The Marquis finished his champagne and put down the glass.

“I know it will please you to learn that I have given strict instructions to my secretary,” he said, “that your father’s pictures should be packed with the greatest care and are to be the first thing taken on board.”

Lucia had already realised that because the Marquis had suddenly announced that he was returning home it had put a tremendous strain on the staff.

She had been aware, since she had been staying at the Palazzo, how much he had brought with him from England.

The sheets on the bed, the towels, tablecloths and napkins, all bore his monogram surmounted by a coronet, and the gold ornaments on the table at dinner were engraved with his crest. The champagne too, and other French wines had been brought from England.

A number of the servants in the Palazzo were English and Lucia knew they were his Lordship’s personal staff. She imagined she could hear everybody already bustling in and out of the great rooms, knowing that if their Master had said they were leaving at dawn, he would be extremely incensed if they were unable to do so.

He was waiting for her and she took another sip of her champagne.

“Shall we go?” he asked.

“Yes – of course,” she answered rising to her feet.

She had the feeling he was not only anxious to return to England, but even more

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