Barbara Cartland - Never Forget Love

“But that is what I intend to do,” Delphine responded in a hard voice.

As if she felt that Harry was questioning her ability to do so, she looked at him rather aggressively and brother and sister’s eyes met across the room defiantly.

Then Nerissa said,

“If the Duke will make you happy, dearest, then, of course, we will give you all our good wishes and I am sure, when you tell Papa about your engagement, he will be very proud.”

“He will also be very interested,” Harry interposed, “because Lynchester has the finest Elizabethan house in the country and it is the period that Papa is working on at the moment.”

“If that is so,” Delphine said quickly, “then it could be a great help.”

“Help for what?” Nerissa asked.

Her sister was silent for a few moments.

And then she said,

“Now try to understand what I am going to tell you. The Duke of Lynchester has been pursuing me for the last two months and I am almost certain that it is only a question of days before he asks me to be his wife.”

She made a little sound that was almost a cry of triumph and then went on,

“Just think what that will mean. Next to the Royal Family I shall then be one of the most important people in the country. I shall be the chatelaine of at least a dozen houses, the most magnificent being Lyn in Kent. I shall be able to wear jewellery that will make every woman I meet green with envy and I shall go down in history as being the most beautiful of all the Duchesses of Lynchester!”

The way she spoke made Delphine’s voice sound as if it was accompanied by a fanfare of trumpets.

Then Nerissa said very quietly,

“Do you love him ‒ very much?”

“Love him?” Delphine asked.

There was a short pause before she went on,

“But he is a difficult man, one never knows for certain what he is thinking besides being cynical with all those women falling at his feet and pleading with him just to notice their very existence.”

She gave a little laugh that was not a particularly pretty sound as she added,

“But he has noticed me! He has singled me out and made me the talk of London and now we are both guests at a house party given by the Marquis of Swire.”

Harry raised his eyebrows.

“So you are at Swire Castle,” he exclaimed. “It is only five miles away.”

“Yes,” Delphine answered. “That is why I was able to come here since all the men have gone out riding.”

“I bet they will have some jolly fine horses,” Harry muttered beneath his breath.

“Now what the Duke has asked,” Delphine went on, “is that he would like to see my home and he has therefore suggested that he and I should dine here tomorrow evening!”

As she finished speaking, there was complete silence and she was aware that her listeners were staring at her in such amazement that it seemed as if their eyes might pop out of their heads.

“Dine ‒ here?” Nerissa almost shouted. “But how can you – possibly do so?”

“The Duke has arranged that we arrive for dinner at seven o’clock. I have told him about Queen’s Rest, my ancient home where Queen Elizabeth rested on one of her journeys and, of course, about our Papa’s preoccupation with architecture. Surprisingly the Duke had actually heard that Papa wrote books on the subject.”

“But – how can he possibly dine – here?” Nerissa asked desperately. “What can I – give him to – eat?”

“That is what I am going to tell you now,” Delphine replied, “and why I have come to see you.”

She glanced round the drawing room as if to reassure herself.

Then she commented,

“This room looks all right, if you arrange more fresh flowers and make sure the candles are all new. The same applies to the dining room. I expect it is just as shabby as it always was, but at least the pictures of our ancestors are impressive and the furniture is all in keeping with the house.”

“But – Delphine – !” Nerissa began to protest.

“Now listen carefully,” Delphine interrupted her. “The Duke has no idea that either of you exist and I see no point in suddenly producing a family that he might think would be an encumbrance on him.”

“Where can we go if we are not here?” Harry asked sharply. “And you are not going to have much to eat unless you bring your food with you.”

“I have thought it all out,” Delphine said slowly, “and, although Nerissa will be here, the Duke will not see her.”

“Then where shall I be?” Nerissa asked.

“In the kitchen! Which is where either you or Mama have always been!”

“Are you – saying that I am to – cook your dinner without being – introduced to the man you – intend to marry?”

“That is putting it quite simply and sensibly,” Delphine answered.

“And who – is supposed to – serve the meal if I am – not to come into the dining room?” Nerissa enquired.

There was only a moment’s pause before Delphine’s eyes turned towards Harry.

There was no need for her to speak.

“I am damned if I will do it!” Harry flashed. “You walk out on us, Delphine. You did not answer the letters Nerissa wrote to you and you did not even come back for Mama’s funeral! You have all our good wishes that you get your Duke and I hope he makes you happy, but we are not helping you to put your claws into him in a dirty underhand manner that quite frankly is not cricket.”

Delphine was not perturbed by the way her brother spoke.

She only responded by saying,

“I cannot believe that you would be so foolish as to refuse to help me when you hear how I shall express my gratitude for such services.”

“I personally, and I believe I speak for Nerissa, have no wish to hear any more,” Harry said, “and I am certain that, if Papa knew what you are suggesting, he would be horrified. We may be poor, Delphine, but our blood is as good as, if not better, than anything that runs in the Duke’s veins. And we have something that perhaps has been omitted from his make-up, which is called ‘pride’!”

To her brother’s surprise Delphine laughed.

“That sounds a very characteristic Stanley speech. It should be added to the stories Papa and Mama used to tell us when we were children of how brave the Stanleys were in battle, how they supported King Charles II while he was in exile, how they patted themselves on the back because they were so well-born and it did not worry them if their pockets were empty. That is all very praiseworthy, but personally I prefer money .”

“As you have made very obvious.” Harry retorted sarcastically.

“I should have thought you would find it useful too,” Delphine said. “What I was going to suggest, before you interrupted me so rudely, is that, if Nerissa and you will do what I wish, then I am prepared to pay you the sum of three hundred pounds.”

She paused and it seemed as if neither Harry nor Nerissa could breathe.

Then Nerissa murmured beneath her breath,

“D-did you say ‒ three hundred pounds ?”

“It is a sum of money that would supply Harry with the sort of horses that he was always bellyaching to have,” Delphine replied. “I was sick to death of his complaints. It would also make certain, my dear sister, that for once you had a decent gown rather than what you are wearing at the moment, which would shame a gypsy.”

Delphine spoke scathingly, but Harry was repeating it as if he could not believe it to be true,

“Three hundred pounds!”

“You can have it now,” Delphine said, “but, of course, Papa must know nothing about it. He still believes money is unimportant in comparison with some old bricks and tumbledown buildings that interest nobody but himself. But surely you two, because you are young, have a little more sense?”