Follow Your Heart by Barbara Cartland Read Free Book Online

having to marry Jason, without upsetting her uncle.
    She could feel, although Lendi’s hand was cold, that there was life in it. It was difficult to explain, but the older woman’s hand seemed to be giving her strength.
    Lendi closed her eyes.
    Della knew that she was not asleep but thinking.
    Then Lendi said,
    â€œFollow your heart. Be brave – not afraid. The stars – protect you.”
    The words came out very slowly one by one from Lendi’s lips and Della knew they were inspired.
    The old gypsy was communicating with the spirits who, she believed, belonged to the stars.
    â€œWill I – have to marry – him? Della asked in a whisper.
    There was silence until Lendi said very softly,
    â€œMarry with your heart – you happy. Very – happy.”
    As she finished speaking she took her hand away. Della knew it would be a mistake to ask her anything more.
    She bent forward and kissed Lendi’s cheek.
    â€œThank you. I will do as you say and follow my heart!”
    As she left the caravan she thought it was not going to be easy.
    In fact almost impossible and yet it was what Lendi had told her to do.
    Although it seemed her problem for the future was still as dark as ever, she was somehow feeling a little happier.
    She gave Abram sixpence for holding Samson and with a little difficulty mounted the horse and rode away.
    She reached the wood and turned to go back the way she had come.
    She was still conscious of the feeling of Lendi’s hand on hers.
    â€˜I must follow my heart – ’ pondered Della, ‘but how and where?’
    And if she did so, what would it mean to her uncle?
    These questions were still turning over and over in her mind. At the same time Lendi had given her hope, which she could not explain.
    A hope which seemed impossible but almost, despite herself, she believed in it.
    Believed it completely and absolutely.
    She must follow her heart .

CHAPTER THREE
    For the next two days Della was fully occupied arranging the dinner party.
    She was determined that it should not be an intimate one, with opportunities for Jason to speak to her privately. What she really wanted was to have a good look at him to see if he had improved – which was extremely unlikely – since she had last met him.
    Her heart sank every time she thought of him, but equally she knew she must help her uncle.
    He was wise and sensible enough not to talk about Jason when they were alone. Instead, they discussed every other subject that had ever interested them.
    Della recognised, however, that he was worried and troubled. It made her more and more angry that the Duke, his best friend, should now have forced this virtually impossible situation upon him.
    â€˜It certainly does not seem very friendly to me,’ Della grumbled to herself.
    She finally decided that it would be a mistake to ask any of the young girls of the County to come to the dinner party.
    They were all very charming and yet they were not so beautiful or particularly skilled conversationalists. It would be impossible for Jason not to compare them with the fascinating and erotic women he had known in Paris, which inevitably would be to their disadvantage.
    Finally, after a great deal of thought, she asked a gentleman and his wife who she knew were extremely happy, so much so that people called them, ‘the love birds’.
    They were both in their early thirties and had been married for six years. To see them together was to know they were made for each other and nothing else in the world seemed of any importance to them.
    She selected another couple that were older friends of her uncle’s. He had commanded a Regiment and retired to his family house in the County. He boasted a large family and his wife was still an attractive and very jolly woman. She was always laughing and obviously adored her husband.
    â€˜These two couples,’ Della decided, ‘will give Jason an idea of what is expected of him