Lovers in London Read Online Free PDF Page B

façade he had an astute brain that matched his brilliant organisational skills. It was the Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who was the first to appreciate it.
    The Marquis had always been a keen traveller and an explorer of different countries and the Prime Minister had been clever enough to realise how useful he could be.
    Whenever he learned that the Marquis was going abroad, he would send for him and ask him to undertake a mission that he considered of great national importance.
    â€œNot another mission?” the Marquis had groaned when he had found himself alone with the Prime Minister at number 10 Downing Street yet again.
    â€œThere is just a small task you can undertake for me this time, Rake,” said the Prime Minister. “And you know as well as I do that it is not something I can request from anyone else and expect the same result!”
    The Marquis recognised that this was indeed true.
    Because of his rank, great wealth and influence in the Social world, he could enter places that were barred to other people. He could have conversations with those who would speak to no one else.
    He had therefore been of immense service to the Prime Minister and his country on various occasions.
    Although he had always protested at what he was asked to do, if he was honest with himself he could admit he actually enjoyed the excitement and often the danger of the mission.
    At that moment, however, he was not thinking of anything particularly serious.
    He was cheerfully contemplating the extraordinary and unusual beauty of the woman he was about to visit.
    He was well aware, when he saw the Contessa de Vallecas at a ball last night, that she had been manoeuvring for some time to arouse his interest in her.
    It was not that difficult. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman and she oozed a seductive manner which several men before the Marquis had found irresistible.
    The problem was that the Conté, her husband, was exceedingly and fanatically jealous of her. He had, it was whispered, killed two men in duels and maimed a number of others.
    The Marquis was not quite certain that he believed these stories. However there was no point in running into danger or causing an unnecessary scandal.
    He was very proud of his antecedents and had no wish to upset his family, who he recognised, were watching him nervously.
    The only means they could think of to prevent him from pursuing and being pursued by beautiful women was that he should be married to a socially acceptable lady as soon as possible.
    Because they were so persistent and made such a fuss, he had announced firmly to them that he had no intention of marrying at all.
    â€œI like being a bachelor,” he told them to their dismay, “and wish to remain one.”
    As far as he was concerned, if he died without an heir, there were quite a number of his relatives who could easily take his place at the head of the family.
    Of course his decision to remain single was known to a far wider public than just his close family.
    Everything he did was always spectacular and he would have been inhuman if he had not, to a certain extent, found such attention to be amusing.
    He had only to appear at any race meeting for the crowd to shout,
    â€œRake! Rake! Rake!”
    â€œGood luck and God bless you!”
    â€œMay your horse win!”
    They would shout a thousand more such greetings at him until he was out of sight.
    His horses almost invariably won, which made him extremely popular, except with the bookmakers.
    His carriages, like the colours worn by his jockeys, were painted bright yellow and this distinction only added to the glamour surrounding him.
    Considering his fine looks combined with what was described as ‘an irresistible charm,’ it was not surprising that women had only to look at him to decide that they were in love.
    As the Marquis had no wish to be married, he was wise enough to keep away from debutantes and he avoided like the plague the