Love and Apollo by Barbara Cartland Read Free Book Online Page A

anyway would doubtless be seasick!”
    She did not say anything else, but walked into the Captain’s cabin and closed the door.
    Valona had no wish to lie down when she might be on deck, so she ran up the companionway.
    At the top she almost bumped into the Marquis who was just going down the stairs.
    â€œIf you are looking for Arthur,” he said, “you will find him somewhere on deck, or he might be on the bridge with the Captain.”
    â€œThank you,” Valona replied.
    The Marquis then hurried down the companionway.
    She thought it a little strange that he should wish to be below.  As he was a man he was not likely to be tired like Lady Rose.
    On deck the sun was shining and Valona thought that any man would want to be out in the fresh air.
    In a short time there would be a touch of salt in the air blowing in from the sea.
    â€˜It’s all so wonderful,’ she told herself, ‘and I have no wish to miss anything.  I will tell Mama about it when I write to her.’
    She went out on deck and saw the Duke leaning over the rails.
    When she joined him, he smiled at her.
    â€œI suppose you would like to see us move into the Channel.”
    â€œI want to see everything and miss nothing!”
    â€œI will try to help you do just that,” offered the Duke.
    â€œYou are so kind,” answered Valona.  “Nothing as fabulous as this has ever happened in my life before.”
    She was obviously so thrilled with everything and looked so lovely that the Duke smiled at her.
    However he knew that every mile they steamed on made his sister more miserable.
    And it was the same for the Marquis.
    There was nothing he could do to help them.
    At least they would be able to be together until they reached Larissa.
    It seemed cruel that it was all they would have to remember for the rest of their lives.
    Yet he supposed it was better than nothing.
    â€œYou are looking worried, Cousin Arthur,” Valona piped up unexpectedly.  “Have I said something wrong?”
    â€œNo, of course not.  I was just reflecting that very few people are as happy as you are at this moment.  I wish we could wave a magic wand and give happiness, if not to the whole world, at least to those we love.”
    â€œIt would be marvellous, if we could do it!  When Mama was so unhappy after my Papa died, I felt helpless because I could not bring him back to life.”
    â€œI can understand.”
    â€œMama was very brave,” said Valona, “because she believed that Papa, although he was no longer with us, was looking after and protecting us.  Perhaps it is all due to him that I am having this superb treat.”
    â€œI do hope everything you do in life will be equally wonderful for you, but I expect like everyone else we will have our ups and downs and setbacks, however hard we try to avoid them.”
    â€œOf course we will, but when we manage all on our own, or perhaps with the help of those we cannot see, to be given such a unique opportunity as I have been given, it is the magical happiness which we seek and when we have found it, we must hold on to it very very tightly.”
    â€œYou are so right,” he agreed.  “Perhaps in that way we shall miss very little and gain a great deal.”
    He was thinking as he spoke that it was impossible for Rose and Gerald and he could only hope that the short time they were now together would be some compensation.

CHAPTER THREE
    They reached Gibraltar without suffering too much from a rough sea in the Bay of Biscay.
    Valona was quite right in thinking she would not be seasick.
    She managed to spend a great deal of time on deck watching majestic waves break over the ship’s bow and did not mind occasionally being sprayed herself.
    Lady Rose stayed mostly down below.
    The second day they were out, Valona suggested,
    â€œYou know, Rose, you really must start learning the language of Larissa, because you will be asked to