The Patient Bridegroom by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788674478
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks ltd
Published: 2021-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

“Now, what would you like to do?” the Earl asked her.

He looked out of the window as he spoke and saw that the sun was shining brightly.

He thought, if he had a choice, the one thing he would like to do was to go riding.

However that was not possible at the moment and he wondered how he could entertain his wife.

“What I would like if it – would not – bore you,” Ansella said nervously, “is to see your – library if you have one.”

“Of course I have one,” the Earl replied, “and I shall be delighted to show it to you.”

She rose almost eagerly from the sofa.

He thought that it was a very unlikely request.

Most women he knew were not interested in books, especially if they could talk to him instead.

However he led her down the long corridor that led to the library and opened the door.

To his relief his uncle had not altered the library in any way.

He suspected that some of the more valuable books would have disappeared but certainly the great majority were still there.

The library had been beautifully planned and the bookcases covered the walls and jutted out into the room.

Along one side a balcony, which was reached by a spiral staircase that gave access to the upper shelves. He remembered climbing up it as a boy.

He walked to the fireplace from where there was the best view of the whole room.

It had impressive tall Georgian windows reaching almost to the ceiling and the curtains which covered them were of a deep crimson velvet.

“There are about two thousand books in here,” he informed her.

“I – want to – read them all,” Ansella replied in a rapt little voice.

The Earl laughed.

“That will take you some time.”

“I have never – seen such a – wonderful collection of books,” she went on. “Papa has – quite a – good library but – nothing like this.”

“I don’t need to ask you,” he smiled, “if you enjoy reading.”

“I read and read – whenever I – have the chance,” Ansella replied.

“Why?” the Earl asked.

It was a question that he would have not asked any other woman.

He knew that the women with whom he had flirted in India read novels only if they were popular. They were much more interested in live men like himself than in the heroes that they read about in books.

“It is the only – way I can – travel,” Ansella said. “I can – see the places I read – about in my – imagination, but I would really like to see them with – my own eyes.”

“One day I must take you to India,” the Earl said. “It is so beautiful and I know that you will be thrilled by the Taj Mahal and the many other buildings like it.”

“I have read about it and it – would be the – most wonderful thing – that could happen to – me.”

“I wonder why your father did not take you travelling,” the Earl queried.

“Before I grew up,” Ansella answered, “I was far too busy with my Teachers and Tutors – to leave home.

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