Passage to Love by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788675444
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2021-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter five

The Marquis left Harsbourne House as early as possible and drove back to London in a towering rage.

He was furious that he had been tricked so easily into marriage.

He had decided a long time ago that he would not marry for many years yet and then only to have an heir.

He was well aware of his own consequence and that ambitious Mamas longed for their daughters to become the Marchioness of Melverley.

He therefore had refused to take any notice of debutantes and concentrated on enjoying himself with the acclaimed beauties of the Beau Monde.

Unlike most of his friends, he did not keep a Cyprian in a discreet little house in Chelsea or St. John’s Wood.

He told himself that he disliked paying for favours received, not because he was mean, but because it somehow disgusted him.

He certainly did not need to pay for them.

Apart from being extremely handsome, he was amusing and excellent company.

As a matter of fact he was generous with his money.

He sent the object of his affections a mass of flowers that would fill any Conservatory.

He gave her any present she desired and which it was conventional for her to receive.

Fans, sunshades, gloves and bottles of expensive French perfume were received almost daily by any beauty in whom he was interested.

Unfortunately his affaires-de-coeur never lasted long.

The Marquis certainly could not understand it himself.

Why did a woman whom he had found utterly and irresistibly desirable one day suddenly irritate him?

Why did he suddenly find her conversation too boring to listen to any longer?

After the long years of fighting with Wellington’s Army in France and the time he spent with the Army of Occupation, the Marquis had found London extremely amusing.

It did not perturb him that there were bets in White’s Club on how long his love affairs would last just as there were bets as to which of his horses would win at Newmarket.

“I have never worried about what people say behind my back,” he said once, “as long as they are polite to my face.”

This was a bon mot that was repeated a thousand times, but he really did mean it.

He had accepted the invitation to stay at Harsbourne House because he wanted to win the Earl’s Steeplechase. It was considered one of the most difficult and demanding in England.

He was at the time considering whether he should or should not have an affair with the Contessa di Torrio.

He had been warned by some of his friends that it would be a mistake.

Yet the Contessa had made it clear the few times they had met in other people’s houses that she would welcome his advances.

She was indeed a very beautiful Italian with black hair and huge dark eyes.

There was no doubt, the Marquis thought, that making love to her would be, if nothing else, a very fiery experience.

His close friends, however, had said to him,

“Don’t be a fool, Vulcan! The Conte, who is a professional Diplomat, is wildly jealous, as he may well be, of his beautiful wife.

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