An Unexpected Love by Barbara Cartland Read Free Book Online Page A

run down towards Curbishley Hall.
    She leant out of the window enjoying the feel of the breeze on her cheeks. She could almost believe she could taste salt from the sea in the air.
    She pulled off her hat and let the wind tease her blonde hair out of its tightly bound coils.
    There. They were almost home.
    Curbishley Hall, the Earl of Ashley’s country seat, lay in a wide valley, sheltered from the sea on one side by rolling hills and from the nearby town of Rosbourne by a great track of woodland.
    It was a splendid house, gleaming softly golden in the late evening sun and surrounded by beautiful grounds and gardens.
    Ravina could tell from all the activity outside the beautiful porticoed front door that the servants’ coach had arrived.
    She could see Nanny Johnson being helped up the steps by a footman. By rights she should have gone to the servants’ entrance with the others, but no one would dare say so to the old lady, especially not Ravina.
    â€œRavina, my dear – how lovely to see you again. It has been too long.”
    Dulcie came running down the front steps to greet her – a tall, thin, dark-haired woman wearing a dark blue dress, cut very severely with only slight touches of white lace at her collar and cuffs.
    The thin chain belt around her waist carried all the various keys and necessities of her role as housekeeper.
    Although she was only twenty-eight, her recent troubled life had left its mark. There were a few premature grey hairs and a small frown constantly marred her pleasant kindly features.
    Two years previously, on the sudden death of her father, Dulcie had been left alone and destitute.
    She was deeply grateful to Lord Ashley for rescuing her from a life of poverty and establishing her at the Hall, where she now had a home and a small income.
    â€œDulcie. Oh, I am so glad to be here. You are looking very well.”
    â€œYou are late. I was beginning to worry. Did you have trouble with the carriage?”
    Ravina slipped her arm through her cousin’s as they mounted the steps to the front door.
    â€œOh, no. The journey was quite uneventful.”
    She stood for a long moment as she entered the hall, taking in with renewed pleasure the polished parquet floor and the great staircase.
    Deep bowls of blue and white china full of heavy headed roses stood on small inlaid tables. A familiar scent hung in the air, telling Ravina that she was indeed home once more.
    â€œMy dear Dulcie, I must tell you – such a joke –I was late because I had a passenger. I was bringing Sir Michael Moore down from London to the Priory.”
    Dulcie turned to tidy away a few rose petals that had fallen from a vase.
    â€œSir Michael is back home again, is he? That is good news for the district. He is much admired locally for all his good works for the poor of the County. But was it wise for you to travel with him on your own, Ravina? You know how people talk.”
    Ravina tossed her head.
    â€œOh, people. What do I care about people? Anyway, it was all very proper. Goodness, we had George with us all the way down and stopped for refreshment at a large hotel. Nothing could have been more refined.”
    She pushed away the memory of Sir Richard Crawford’s sarcastic comments about her behaviour. Dulcie definitely did not need to know about that particular meeting!
    â€œAnyway, I like Sir Michael. He has asked me to go over to the Priory for lunch tomorrow and advise about his restoration ideas before he throws a ball. I admit I am quite looking forward to helping him.”
    Dulcie looked up startled, biting her lip.
    â€˜He wants you to – ?’
    She stopped, as if lost for words, before continuing,
    â€˜Well, I am sure you will have lots of modern London ideas to suggest. I have met Sir Michael in Rosbourne and he mentioned that he is eager to restore the Priory to its former glory.
    â€œIndeed, I did venture to show him some samples of furnishing fabrics and found