A Dangerous Disguise
Read A Dangerous Disguise Online
Authors: Barbara Cartland
With a groan he tightened his arms and covered her mouth with his own, seeking to find the secret of her heart. Her lips were sweet against his, as sweet as in the other kisses they had shared, and for a moment the dreadful surroundings vanished, leaving only the two of them.
"Ola," he murmured, "Ola – "
For a moment she succumbed to the magic that was still there in his kiss, even now. In his arms she could forget everything.
But only briefly.
The next moment he said the words that broke the spell.
"Tell me the truth," he begged. "Tell me,
Ola – "
She began to struggle against him.
"No," she said fiercely. "Let me go. It's over. Don't you know that?"
BARBARA CARTLAND
Copyright © 2005 by Cartland Promotions
First published on the internet in 2005 by
Barbaracartland.com
The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.
eBook conversion by
David Stockman
Barbara Cartland was the most prolific bestselling author in the history of the world. She was frequently in the Guinness Book of Records for writing more books in a year than any other living author. In fact her most amazing literary feat was when her publishers asked for more Barbara Cartland romances, she doubled her output from 10 books a year to over 20 books a year, when she was 77.
She went on writing continuously at this rate for 20 years and wrote her last book at the age of 97, thus completing 400 books between the ages of 77 and 97.
Her publishers finally could not keep up with this phenomenal output, so at her death she left 160 unpublished manuscripts, something again that no other author has ever achieved.
Now the exciting news is that these 160 original unpublished Barbara Cartland books are ready for publication and they will be published by Barbaracartland.com exclusively on the internet, as the web is the best possible way to reach so many Barbara Cartland readers around the world.
The 160 books will be published monthly and will be numbered in sequence.
The series is called the Pink Collection as a tribute to Barbara Cartland whose favourite colour was pink and it became very much her trademark over the years.
The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection is published only on the internet. Log on to
www.barbaracartland.com
to find out how you can purchase the books monthly as they are published, and take out a subscription that will ensure that all subsequent editions are delivered to you by mail order to your home.
If you do not have access to a computer you can write for information about the Pink Collection to the following address :
Barbara Cartland.com Ltd.
240 High Road,
Harrow Weald,
Harrow HA3 7BB
United Kingdom.
Titles in this series
1. The Cross of Love
2. Love in the Highlands
3. Love Finds the Way
4. The Castle of Love
5. Love is Triumphant
6. Stars in the Sky
7. The Ship of Love
8. A Dangerous Disguise
Barbara Cartland who sadly died in May 2000 at the age of nearly 99 was the world's most famous romantic novelist who wrote 723 books in her lifetime with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies and her books were translated into 36 different languages.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, theatrical plays, books of advice on life, love, vitamins and cookery. She also found time to be a political speaker and television and radio personality.
She wrote her first book at the age of 21 and this was called Jigsaw. It became an immediate bestseller and sold 100,000 copies in hardback and was translated into 6 different languages. She wrote continuously throughout her life, writing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years. Her books have always been immensely popular in the United States, where in 1976 her current books were at numbers 1 & 2 in the B. Dalton bestsellers list, a feat never achieved before or since by any author.
Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime and will be best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels, so loved by her millions of readers throughout the world.
Her books will always be treasured for their moral message, her pure and innocent heroines, her good looking and dashing heroes and above all her belief that the power of love is more important than anything else in everyone's life.
"Love can strike at any time in a blinding flash – it is so powerful that no-one can fight it."
Barbara Cartland
The clan Chief was dead.
Colonel Owen McNewton who had been like a father to his people, had ruled them sternly but kindly for thirty years, and now he was gone.
When the burial service was over, they streamed out of the church and began the short walk to the imposing mansion where he had lived with his daughter, Ola.
The road lay slightly uphill, so that everyone could see the great building against the background of rugged Scottish scenery, at its best now that the month was June and the weather was glorious.
Ola, who was the chief mourner, forced herself not to cry as they walked away from her father, with whom she had spent the last five years after her mother's death.
She was a tall, rather stark figure as she led the procession home. Her auburn hair would have been fascinating if it had not been severely hidden away beneath a puritanical bonnet.
Her face contained many contradictions. She was beautiful, with large green eyes and a wide, generous mouth, but just now austerity had settled over her features, as though all thought of beauty was forbidden on this sad day.
Behind her walked the next clan Chief, Jonas McNewton, with his wife and numerous children. Although Ola was heiress to her father's considerable fortune, which meant only his money, but not the house and land, as they descended directly to the next Chief.
Soon she must leave Ben Torrach, this wild, beautiful place in the north of Scotland that had always been her home, and find her own niche in the world. Although the new Chief was polite, she knew he was awaiting the announcement of her departure.
The funeral feast was prepared, as lavish as tradition demanded. Owen McNewton was entertaining his friends for the last time. Ola was the perfect hostess, and everybody said that the fine old man had been given a fitting send-off.
Only one person seemed displeased. Ola saw Jonas regarding the feast with frugal disdain.
"I would not, myself, have gone to quite such expense," he sniffed.
"My father believed in treating his neighbours generously," Ola said crossly, and removed herself before he could pursue the subject.
Generous did not seem to be a word known to Jonas. The servants knew it, and were regarding him with dismay. None of them wanted to work for him.
Ola's maid, Greta, was particularly fierce.
"Work for that long streak of sour milk, after your mother and father? I should say not!"
Greta came from the little German dukedom of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and had been maid to Ola's mother, Helene, also from the same place. On his one and only visit abroad, the young Angus had fallen in love with Helene, married her and taken her back to Scotland. The loyal Greta had come too.
She had once worked in great houses, for aristocratic masters, even once for minor royalty. But she had left glittering society behind to follow her dear mistress to 'that savage place' as she always referred to Scotland.
After Helene's death, two years ago, she had stayed on as a companion to Ola. She was thin, flat chested and grim faced, but behind the dragon exterior was the kindest heart in the world.
"When you leave this house," she had told Ola, "you must take me with you, because if I stay here I'll shoot that man."
Greta never minced words.
"But of course you'll come with me," Ola said. "I couldn't do without you. I just wish I knew where I was going."
She sighed wistfully. "If Papa hadn't become ill, we would have been on our way to London about now, to see Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebrations."
How they had planned and schemed for that visit! Living in the highlands Ola had seen nothing of society, and had almost no excitement in her life. But Papa had promised her that they would stay at least two weeks in town, and enjoy all the parades and processions.
How sad he had been to disappoint her when his last illness had overtaken him. But he had insisted that he would recover in time for at least some of the festivities.
He had even refused to cancel their hotel reservation, fearful of losing the suite of rooms that he had booked, since London was fast filling up with visitors from all over the world.
"Keep the reservation open, my dear," he had told Ola. "And we will be there."
But it was not to be.
On his deathbed, he had said to her,
"My darling, I want you to go to London, as we planned."
"Oh no, Papa! How could I think of enjoying myself?"
"But it's what I want. You've had so little fun shut away up here. You're twenty-four. You should have gone into society years ago, but circumstances conspired against it.
"We meant to take you to London to make your debut, but then your mother became ill. Her death finished my own life. I could never rouse myself from my grief to make the effort until this year. And then it was too late. I regret my selfishness now."
"Please Papa, it doesn't matter.
"But it does. You have your life to live, and it isn't too late. You're beautiful, and you'll have money. Go and enjoy yourself, as we planned. Do all the things we meant to do together, and remember me."
She had wept but he demanded her promise, finally saying,
"Obey me, daughter!"
It was the first time her kindly father had demanded unquestioning obedience, and she could not refuse.
But now that the time had come, how could she do such a thing while she was in mourning?
Greta knew about the promise her father had exacted. Now Ola said to her,
"Do you think I could really do that?"
"The Chief was a wise man, and he knew what was good for you. Of course you must go."
At first Ola put off making her decision, but Jonas had already moved his family into her home and she was beginning to feel squeezed out.
The newspapers were full of reports of the Jubilee as the excitement mounted. It seemed incredible that one little woman had reigned over England for fifty years.
She had ascended the throne as a young girl in 1837, when she was only eighteen years old, and within three years had married Prince Albert from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. It had always caused Ola's Mother great pleasure to think that the royal consort was a kinsman from her own little country.
The Queen had borne nine children, gone into seclusion when her husband died in 1861 and emerged only with reluctance ten years later.
During her reign her Empire had expanded over most of the globe. She was not only Queen of Great Britain, but Empress of India.
Now it seemed as though the entire world was converging on London to pay tribute to her. And Ola longed to be there, just as her loving father had understood. That was why he had insisted.
