104. A Heart Finds Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

will marry an English Nobleman.”
    He gave a sigh as he continued,
    “It does not require a very clever brain to realise that he will only give me what I want if I give him what he wants.”
    “So you are going to be very astute,” she replied, “and tell the Prince that you are already married.”
    “Exactly! Now you have the whole story. All I need now is a photograph of my bride. Then there will be no question of having to look twice at the Princess who I expect is rather plain anyway!”
    Alnina chuckled, as she could not help it, thinking that it was the most extraordinary story she had ever heard.
    At the same time the wedding dress, which had so delighted her father would fit in very well with his plan.
    What also pleased her was the fact that the wedding dress would be sold to someone as important as the Duke and she was quite certain that sooner or later he would find a wife who would wear it, if only as fancy dress.
    She was too tactful, however, to say this aloud and simply asked,
    “How soon will you want the photograph? And do you really expect me to find someone to wear the gown?”
    She was thinking as she spoke that there were very few girls in the village who would look attractive enough to be marrying a Duke.
    There was only poor old Mrs. Brooks and herself in the house –
    Then she gave a sudden exclamation.
    “But, of course!” she cried. “As you are being kind enough to buy the gown from me, I can easily wear it just for the photograph.”
    “That is what I was hoping you would say, Miss Lester. You will look very lovely in it and no one will be surprised at my choice of a bride.”
    “Then, of course, I shall be only too willing to be photographed and I suppose you will be beside me.”
    There was silence and then the Duke said,
    “I had not thought of that, but naturally, if it was your wedding, you would hardly be standing alone.”
    “No, of course not and I have the veil, although I have sold Mama’s tiara that she wore at her wedding, but I can easily make a wreath out of real flowers.
    “That sounds just what I want,” the Duke replied. “I will bring a photographer down tomorrow, if that suits you and I suppose that I will have to change into my best clothes as the bridegroom.”
    “If you are marrying abroad,” she suggested, “you would be wearing evening dress, as you know they always do in France.”
    “Yes, of course they do. Well, evening dress it will be and, as it is to impress, I had better put on my father’s decorations. And if there are not enough of them, then my relative, the previous Duke, had a large number.”
    “As he was not your father, it must have been a great surprise for you to come into the title, Your Grace.”
    She was just following her own thoughts and, when she had spoken them aloud, she thought that perhaps it was rather impertinent.
    But the Duke remarked,
    “I had never dreamt at any time in my life that I might become the Duke of Burlingford. But then I am not complaining.”
    “I should think not!” Alnina exclaimed.
    “In fact,” the Duke continued, “I find life is very pleasantly different from what it has been before, when I had to count every penny before I spent it.”
    “You could not then have afforded an expensive wedding dress like this, Your Grace?”
    “At the moment I am thinking it is cheap at the price. Can I ask you to keep it for me until I return from my visit abroad? I will then display it in my house in the country, which in parts looks like a museum.”
    “I have indeed heard of Burlingford Hall and how magnificent it is,” Alnina said.
    “Then it is certainly something that you should see when I come back from the Caucasus,” the Duke said.
    Alnina gave a little cry.
    “Are you really going to the Caucasus?” she asked, “how fascinating! It is something I have always wanted to do myself and I think there are more stories about those strange Caucasian mountains than about anywhere else.”
    “They