Love in the Highlands Read Online Free PDF

flared up at Lord Elswick. But how could any woman contain her temper with this insufferable man?
    She moved towards her father and sat down beside him on the sofa. He put his arm round her and she leant against his shoulder.
    "That was very brave of you, my darling." the Earl said in such a low voice that only she could hear.
    "I cannot do it, Papa," Lavina replied. "I cannot marry the Prince. But it's no use hoping that this man will help us. We had better go, and try to think of something else."
    They rose, and the Earl spoke with dignity.
    "I am sorry to have troubled you, sir, and will do so no longer. I must try to find another answer to the problem. I don't know what it can be, but I will never allow my daughter to go to Kadradtz and marry that monster."
    The Marquis swung round.
    "What did you say?" he asked quietly.
    "I said I will never allow – "
    "You mentioned Kadradtz."
    "Yes. It is Prince Stanislaus of Kadradtz she would have to marry, a man of whom I have heard many vile things."
    The Marquis nodded.
    "All of them true. He is notorious."
    "Then you understand my determination to protect my daughter?"
    "Only too well," the Marquis agreed. "You are quite right."
    Then he began to walk towards them from the far end of the room. He stopped just far away for him to survey them, saying in a harsh voice,
    "You have certainly brought me a terrible problem. I don't like telling lies or assuming a false position."
    "You have made that very plain," Lavina said coolly, "and I am only sorry that we have imposed on you. We will leave at once."
    "Sit down, young woman," the Marquis said harshly. "Allow me to finish speaking. As I say, I object to pretence, but I object even more to this way of bundling a helpless young woman off abroad as though she were no more than a pawn."
    He paused a moment before saying,
    "I am prepared to enter this false engagement if it is the only way I can help you."
    "But – " Lavina stammered, not certain that she had heard correctly, "you just said that you would not help us."
    "Never mind what I said then. Listen to what I'm saying now. I am prepared to do as you wish."
    For a moment both the Earl and Lavina were silent in astonishment.
    Then the Earl said in a voice which sounded strange,
    "If you mean that, I can only say 'thank you' from the very depths of my heart."
    There were tears in Lavina's eyes. As she spoke, two of them ran down her cheeks.
    "Thank you – thank you!" she murmured. "I have been so frightened – you are kindness itself and I am so very, very grateful."
    "That's enough of that," the Marquis said brusquely. "I don't want thanks, and I'm not kindness itself. I never do anything that doesn't suit me, as you will soon understand. And please don't bore me with the waterworks. I can't stand weeping and wailing females."
    "I do not weep and wail," Lavina flashed. "I was trying to be pleasant to you, to express my gratitude for – "
    "Very well, there's no need to say any more," he said impatiently. "Kindly keep your emotions for some time when I am not present."
    Lavina gave him a furious glance, but, reading only indifference in his face, bit back her words and seethed in silence.
    If anybody had told her that it was possible to be so furiously angry with a man who was doing her a favour, she would not have believed it.
    "Lord Ringwood," the Marquis continued, "you may inform Her Majesty that your daughter is engaged to me. I give you leave to say all the right things and contact all the right people, but understand that I want no part of it."
    "Of course," the Earl said eagerly. "I'll do everything."
    "I suppose there'll have to be a devil of a fuss," said the Marquis, sounding bored. "It can't be helped. You'd better come and stay here for a while."
    The grating sound of his voice robbed the invitation of all semblance of generosity, and prompted the Earl to say,
    "That's very kind of you, but we don't wish to inconvenience you."
    "Inconvenience me?" echoed the