Publisher: Henry Harland
BALZATORE, by many coquetries, had long been trying to attract their attention. At last he had succeeded. "You have an admirer," Ruth, with a gleam, remarked to her companion. "Mercy, how he's ogling you."
The great statue of Apollo, which had fallen to the ground, was gradually broken up and pieces were carried away to England and France. Much of the statue, Valona knew, remained in Delos, but it lay too far for her to go and see it. Yet she was aware that it was still there and was, according to what she had read, filled with a tremendous power. One visitor to the statue had written, “It was splendid in its loneliness, its perfect beauty and its terrible power.” Valona was miles away, but as she stood looking towards the East, she could feel the magic of the young God, once thirty feet high. In her mind she could see his parted lips, his uplifted hands and his eyes gazing out to sea. More than two thousand years had passed since Apollo’s statue had been erected on the island, yet she knew in her heart that time had in no way weakened him. It was then that she began praying to Apollo with all her heart and soul. She asked him to bring her the true love she longed for. As the God of Light and Love, Apollo represented the fulfilment of dreams to all who worshipped him. ‘Help me, please help me!’ she begged. ‘The love I seek is the same love you give to the world and it is even more powerful than anything else mankind could possess.’Show book
When the Balkan Prince Stanislaus demanded an English bride, Queen Victoria decided to send him Lady Lavina, whose family had a slight connection with royalty. Determined to avoid this fate, Lavina threw herself on the mercy of the Marquis of Elswick, a disagreeable man who had turned his back on the world following betrayal by the woman he had loved. Surprisingly, he agreed to help by pretending to be engaged to Lavina, and, with her father, they left to visit her relatives in Scotland. In the highlands Lavina began to find herself attracted to the Marquis. Beneath his harsh manners he had a heart a heart that perhaps she could win. But nearby was the Queen's country home, Balmoral, and when Her Majesty arrived with Prince Stanislaus, they knew that there was still a battle to be fought. Now Lavina learned the shattering secret that was the real reason the Marquis had agreed to help her. And that secret was to threaten to take from her the man she loved. How she discovered the truth in a way that nearly cost him his life, is told in this romantic novel, the 658th by BARBARA CARTLAND.Show book
The ultimate betrayal leads a woman to fight for her child—and a lifetime of love—in this stormy romance in the Greek Tycoons series. Emma and Greek tycoon Leon Kyriakis had once shared an intense and passionate love, but their relationship had ended abruptly. Heartbroken, Emma had married Leon’s younger brother on the rebound. But she’d paid dearly: she’d been framed for fraud. Unable to prove her innocence, widow Emma had seen her baby daughter taken away—by Leon. Emma vowed to do anything to claim her daughter back—even if that meant she would have to share a bed with Leon once more . . .Show book
Arriving exhausted in Ampula, the Capital of the tiny nation of Kozan on the Black Sea, and carrying top secret information from India for the Viceroy, adventurer and British Secret Service agent Drogo Forde is in need of fresh air and decides to go for a walk in the City. To his amazement he encounters a beautiful young woman hanging perilously down a high wall from a rope. She calls to him for help and, Master of disguise though he is, Drogo can barely cover the fact that he is instantly smitten with her. With revolution in the air, the violent streets are no place for a young woman, so chivalrous Drogo escorts Thekla, for that is her name, to his rather sparse lodgings. To his amazement she reveals that she is none other than the daughter of the King. And since the revolutionaries have now stormed the Royal Palace and killed the King, he has no choice but to save her and take her with him on his dangerous mission. As love blossoms between them, despair fills Drogo’s heart. Having spent what little money he had on care and nursing for his dying mother, he cannot possibly marry his lovely young Princes and, with great anguish, he resolves to let her go.Show book
Passion Against All Odds Roberta was looking for a fresh startshe wasn't looking for romance! But as soon as she arrived at Grant Adams's home in Toronto, she knew she was heading for trouble As au pair to Grant's headstrong daughter, Roberta had a challenge to facebut coping with rebellious Emily was child's play compared to handling her devastatingly attractive father! For some reason, Grant resented Roberta. But when the sparks of anger turned to passion, life became complicated . Roberta was scared to let herself fall in love with Grant, but the temptation was hard to resist!Show book
The Duke of Laverdale is ambitious to be appointed Master of the Horse and the new Queen Adelaide is determined that behaviour at Court should be moral after the licentiousness of King George IV. The Duke therefore ends his affaire de coeur with the enchanting Lady Sybil Mersham and drops his ballet dancer mistress as well. Up to now he has been determined not to be married, but he now decides to become respectable and find a suitable bride as befits his standing. As he has always avoided debutantes, he asks the Marquis of Coleburn, whom he has known since he was a boy, to help him. The Marquis is delighted and tells the Duke that he has the perfect wife for him in his beautiful daughter Oleta, who would have been a debutante by now but for family mourning. The Duke arranges to visit the Marquis, who returns home to tell his daughter that she is a very lucky girl. Oleta, however, is horrified at the idea of marrying a man she has never seen and who obviously cannot be in love with her. She is very romantic and loves the country especially the woods, which have a magical influence on her and she talks to them when she rides through them on her beloved horse, Apollo. When the Marquis tells her that she cannot refuse the Duke, even if he has to drag her to the altar, Oleta runs away to her old Nanny in Norfolk, having no idea of the dangers she might face on the journey. When the Duke arrives to stay with the Marquis, he is appalled to learn that, because she is afraid of him, Oleta has ridden off on her own. He then follows her as he has a much faster horse than anyone else. How the Duke finds Oleta in a dangerous predicament and how he saves her. How, not knowing who he is, she is impressed by his intelligence, his kindness and his bravery. And how, when they finally escape from horse-thieves, he takes her to a place where they can be alone and how there they can both dream the same dream of love, is all told in this thrilling romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.Show book
